stevetheangler

Monday, 5th October 2026, Liz and I set off once again for Burnham-on-Sea for the second leg of our 2026 biannual visit at 1200 … with the usual stopover at the Gordano Service on the M5 for our coffee and cob break … and then onto the site arriving as planned at 1500 … perfectly in line with out 1500-1600 allocated arrival time. We drove down to out allotted van and found the door had already been security stickered (indicating cleaned, checked and ready for us to use) and so we were immediately able to unload the car and get settled … so … as per usual … all luggage was taken to the van where we split our tasks as usual … Liz sorting out bedding, food, etc and me sorting out my tackle and bait ready for my Tuesday morning foray on to the waters of the two onsite pools… and all done relatively quickly as we’ve several years of experience now LOL!

 One thing noticed on my sorting out was that my garden trolley used for transporting my gear to the waters was seemingly falling apart – the hitch to the handle had gone very slack and it appeared that part of it had corroded away – BUT it did hold up for the week and so all went 99% as planned :)

SESSION 11 – The Specimen Pool (Tuesday 6th October)

There are two pools onsite – the specimen pool and the general pool – although I’ve been told the stocking/species in both pools are actually similar :) and both pools are separated only by a 6-7 yard causeway between them. And as I was first there at 0700 I had the choice of swims and I chose one of our usual pegs on the near corner of the specimen pool. BTW, a solo outing for me as Liz goes swimming on the first day.

Usual preps done including baiting up, this time with my 40mm ball maker, with the balls fired out with my new Drennan groundbait catapult, a system that worked very well.

Tackle: 2 rods on a pod – 1.75lb TC ledger rods, 8lb line, 3/4oz (21g) bombs – one rod with size 12 hook, the other a size 6 hook. NGT GTS Pro alarms were used for indication.

First casts made at around 0810 with 5 maggots (on 12 hook) and double worm (on 6 hook)…

0910 – the maggot rod had delivered 2 eels and a skimmer bream. Not a touch on worm.

I noticed that a pigeon that had been hanging around picking up bits of groundbait seemed to be walking funny … and on closer inspection it was seen that he had been hobbled by a tangle of braid that had caught around his feet and ankles(?) … but with some deft use of my landing net I managed to capture him and as he struggled very little (it was a ringed homing pigeon so probably used to handling) I was able to quickly unravel and cut away that braid and he flew away freely – hopefully back to his loft/home :)

1050 – another eel … but still not a touch on worm and even when I tried squid and prawn not a touch.

1120 – a switch from maggot to sweetcorn

1530 – an eel taken on a piece of prawn.

Unfortunately, I was unable to unhook any of the eels :( despite not being deep hooked and the eyes of the barbless hooks visible! I was unable to get enough of a grip of the slimy wotsits and as attempting to try use disgorger or forceps putting any pressure on the hooks to release them just pushed the eels out of my towelling covered hands backwards. In the end I decided best thing to do was just to cut the hooklengths off as close to the hook knot as I could and set them free. Hopefully they’d shed the hook themselves.

1545 – Tackled down and back to the van.

SESSION 12 – The General Pool (Saturday 10th October)

This session was intended (as in previous visits) to be a Friday one with Liz as on Fridays many people are on their way home and the newcomers still not yet arrived but inclement weather on that day caused us to change plans and fish on the Saturday… and, even arriving poolside pre-0800, the pool was already well occupied and the swim I’d occupied the previous visit was already bivvied up as were most pegs along the causeway … BUT luckily, although the peg that backed up to it (ie the occupant was fishing the Speci pool) was occupied the peg facing out into the general pool was free – and as this was our 2nd to-go-to swim we were happy enough! :)

So… this peg is wide enough for two to fish from – and from Liz’s point of view with her bad back, the one half can be fished from the park bench that sits there and I am fine with the usual camping chair we use for our Burnham fishing.

I fished as I had on the previous session whilst Liz fished a single rod with frame feeder with maggot and sweetcorn baits.

The day was extremely windy with a big chill factor – and we were sitting facing directly into it – which is why we, and most of the rest of the anglers, had packed in by 1430!!!

And, unfortunately, I didn’t take notes of times, etc of catches, etc but Liz blanked – whilst I managed a small silver, another eel and an 8lb fully scaled common carp – all taken on maggot.

INCIDENTALS

My on-the-way-out garden truck has now been replaced now by a similar but not identical one which I ordered on our return – and the new one is of German manufacture – and you can tell from the build – sturdy, robust and heavy. And also £30 cheaper (IIRC) than the one being replaced. At mo I’ve not yet assembled the new one, perhaps tomorrow. One thing, it seems that the walls are lower than the original but not sure what effect that will have on the use BUT as the base is exactly the same size as the original and attaches identically then possibly I could use the side walls of the old truck??

I also managed to get some mackerel and sardines from the Burnham fishmonger’s :) so a happy bunny!

On a non-angling front I’ve had my Amazon account hacked!! On Tuesday night I received an e-mail from them to say  that the requested change of my phone number had been approved!! It wasnt me though that requested it – and it was changed to a number in the USA! So I contacted the Amazon Customer Service via their report line asap that night … and next morning I had a reply that all was fixed – any purchases cancelled, need to set new password (now set a passcode), etc and on checking my account throughout the week all seems all as it should be again.

PLANS

I’m intending to take a trip to the Worcs Stour (BAA water) on Monday 19th … before the prophesied El Nino/Arctic Vortex clash happens … weather is good but cool so will be the first use of the thermals for possibly this year(?) as I didn’t fish much in the early part of the year and it was mild but wet then? Bought my baps today … plenty of worms gathered from my wormery and plenty of maggots remain from the Burnham trip and still in good order (been suffocated/chilled for a week and revived yesterday when came back to life well. And will take some dead maggots for free feeding … and sweetcorn and prawn/squid for change baits.

I do need to check my rod that I intend to use though tomorrow. I’ve been using a feeder rod and tip previous trips and I think I’m going to use a lighter one (10’ Des Taylor System 3) with a more sensitive tip too in the hope that the previous twitches will turn into something more positive.

Also I need to sort my pike gear and my lure gear out too over the next week!!!

Oh well … time to bid you all well … and catch up with my chores…