Just a comment first on water conditions … the club pools seem to be holding up well here … all bar one pool have, I believe, good levels of water the exception being a pool that is actually an irrigation pool used by the farm on which it stands to water the crops… and the water level has dropped on that by a good 8 feet due to the abstraction. It seems that the shallow end of the pool (about 3’ normally) is now completely dry land for a good 20 yards or so … however at the dam end there is plenty of water as its 25+ feet deep there normally and no reports of fish in distress have been made … however, even residents in the area have expressed concerns about the abstraction levels … and I assume the club has been in contact with the farm although, as I say, the reason for the pool is as a source of water for the crops and not much we can do I suppose other than voice concern..
So yesterday, Monday 11th July, Liz and I set off for the club’s tench/bream pool (AA-B), setting out at 0645 and arriving at 0730.
On arrival there were no cars on our car park so we thought we were the first – but on walking to our selected far bank (east) swims it transpired that 3-4 others were already there and fishing having parked on the halfway car park on the nearside (west) bank.
We selected our swims based on (a) being the east bank the water on that bank receives the sun later and spends the morning shadowed, (b) mature trees behind the pegs and mature trees along the water’s edge keep the pegs shaded too so comfortable to fish (c) west bank swims means fishing with the sun and its reflection off the water is directly in your eyes as it rises … but everyone else was, surprisingly in view of that, fishing from the west bank…
Swims reached I, as stated in the last post, put my rake into action in my swim making about 10 draggings and then fed particles and maggots over the top. Not much weed gathered on the rakings so it appears that the ‘blue dye’ put in the water at the start of the year to discourage the elodea growth that has proved problematic the past few years, at times making fishing almost impossible, has been doing its job … just a few loose strands and small twiglets fallen from the trees gathered…
My first cast was delayed, as usual, due to a ‘twitchy tangle’ despite keeping the hook’s cork in situ during which time Liz had had 2 casts and two bites but lost both …one due to hook pull in the pads, the other a snap-off at the hook, again in the pads … fishing frame feeder with crumb feed with maggot hook bait and feeding catapulted maggots over the top.
My first cast, lift method, with maggot on size 12 hook … and time passed … changed to size 6 hook with bread and sweetcorn baits … and more time passed … and finally I had a take and a fish which went straight into the pads and snapped me … and after that I had just a couple of nudges before it was time to tackle down at 1500. SO … it seemed the raking was working well … not … LOL!
Meanwhile Liz was faring far better with her feeder … and managed a 6lb 0oz mirror carp…
…plus a few small perch…
And finally a 5lb 13oz bream succumbed to her bait … a new PB for her, easily surpassing her former 4lb 3oz one of earlier in the year from the same venue…
As usual, we left at 1500 for home to shower and change before heading to the local hostelry for commiseratory/celebratory refreshments … in my case a pint of Fixed Wheel’s (local micro brewery) Blackheath Stout :)
PLANS
Thursday, 14th, hopefully (well, tackle was sorted ready this morning) off to the club’s carp/bream water (AA-GH)…
Weekend after next we’ve booked – spur of moment thing on Sunday – a weekend’s (Sat-Tues) camping at the Trapp Campsite And Fishery, Llandeilo, South Wales (https://www.trappfishery.com/). Visited for the past 3 years or so, first time just preceding my 2019 operation – lovely secluded place but in easy reach of other places – and the fishing is a nice addition, usually get up early to fish for a few hours before going out for breakfast and the day … Monday probably have the day onsite and fish. Must remember to pack my rods this time though! Last visit I packed all the tackle inc Liz’s EXCEPT for my rods! In the end Liz didn’t fish so I used her tackle! LOL!
stevetheangler 
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