Getting Late

It's getting to be a bit of a push getting on to the bank before it gets too dark and last night the sun had already gone down by the time I dropped into a peg. With the low temperature hovering around 4 degrees I decided to fish around the deepest part of part of the venue and on the back of the wind. Unfortunately the cold wind was blowing into the deepest area and I was in a quandary. A bit like if a cat always lands on its feet and toast always lands buttered side down what would happen if you tied a slice of toast to a cats back?
To make matters worse the rain a week ago had flooded off the fields and into the reservoir bring an influx of cold muddy water. A drainage ditch is now in progress but it cant help the position we temporarily find ourselves in.
Anyway to cut a long story short it was a long cold dark evening that resulted in a blank. Pray for low pressure and I'll be back next week.

On A Frosty Night

I was out last night after work, I managed to get out of work early and race the sunset to my local water and get cast in before it got dark. The supper moon rose in a clear sky and the temperature dropped, in fact the moon was so bright that it threw shadows all around my peg. 

Sometime after dark the indicator on my middle rod rose to the but then dropped back in to position, I left it for half an hour before reeling in to check my presentation which looked fine. I rebaited and switched from a plain bottom bait  to a bottom bait balanced with a trimmed down white pop up. The rig was walked out down the bank and the line clipped up to a pre-set length so I knew I could land it back on the baited area in the dark. I cast out and settled back. Frost was forming on my rod holdall, and my feet were getting cold and I was beginning to wonder what on earth I was doing there when finally the indicator rose to the butt and and the indicator sounded but no run developed. I struck, more out of hope, and was met with solid resistance. After a dogged heavy fight I slid the net under a fish know as The long Common. Its the biggest fish in the venue and one I last caught about 18 months ago. This time she was a pound heavier at 24lb 8oz and I was very happy to say the least.

Whilst walking the lead back out ready to recast I discovered the reason the run hadn't developed. The line was still clipped up from when I'd cast before the run!

Weathered Off

There's not much that keeps me off the bank but this first low pressure system of the winter has succeeded. No fishing tomorrow.

Baltic

I arrived on the water last night and managed to just get chucked in before dark. A guy leaving had had a blinding day with all his fish falling to one rod, before he left I dropped in next to him and shamelessly poached his spot. As dusk approached the indicators on all 3 rods started twitching but with the clear skies and dropping temperature nothing developed except for a small mirror carp of around 3lb.
I spent some time looking straight up at the stars and contemplating my place in the world, after all its not like my alarms were interrupting me.
Next week will hopefully bring some mild weather and a timely finish at work.