Good afternoon fisherthem’s (men & women who enjoy fishing).

Back to the residency, Cromwell Lakes for this months Novey goes Fishing. Two in to One this Blog as Feb’s visit was nothing to write about really. As usual 8am at the gates for opening to be welcomed with a brew from the bailiff Gizzy. Quick chat and not much availability on the lake, pegs 11&12 to be precise. One of two double point swims on the lake. Both pegs free on a Saturday’s unheard of so 11 was the chosen peg.

Weather conditions could not be any worse for carp fishing. Freezing cold, northerly wind with temps peaking around 5-6 degrees.

Rods were out sharpish. All bottom baits, Two snowman rigs one with a piece of fake corn. A mix of pigeon conditioner, flaked maize and hemp soaked in Amino 365 a couple of tins of condensed milk.

The traps were set.

Fox’s Triple Choc Cookies with a brew to relax.

With darkness settling in time for a beer (Bud) and the evening match on the ipad for entertainment while Donkey watched the rods.

I had brought a Prawn Rogan Josh for tea, however i was bivvied up next to a nice chap From Huddersfield called Dave. After a few Buds the curry was on hold and a very nice Spicy Mexican Pizza on the way. The rods stayed where they were for the night and with temperatures dropping to minus into the sack I went.

The night went without a single bleep but without sleep also. The old boy Dave snored like a Rhino. I never knew it was possible to snore breathing in and then snore breathing out.

The early morning soon came about and I packed up tired and in the cold back to the car. A busy lake without a single bite in 24hrs.

Not long and back on the bank for the March session. A very pleasant 14 degrees and peg 5 was my choice for the next 24hrs.

A nice brew with Gizzy washed down with a couple of Fox’s Choc orange rounds.

Rig choice one the snowman rig, One 15mm wafter and The final rod a 6ft Zig. Basically a piece of foam with a few maggots superglued to the top. Topped up with flaked maize and 11mm pellet smothered in Sriracha sauce.  We were fishing.

A quiet afternoon watching rugby drinking a few Heineken’s with only a couple of liners to write home about.

Tea time it was then. Minted Lamb Kebabs in a Greek flatbread with chopped Red onion Garlic Mayo and hot chilli sauce.

Another night passed without much action apart from the torrential rain crashing on the bivvy for most of the night making me zip up the door. 05.15am and I’m woken by Two or Three blips followed by a couple more. Unzipped the door and poked my head out in the direction of the rods. The Right hand rod (The Zig) was lit up.

Bobbin tight up to the Neville . I picked the rod up and lifted into the fish. WERE ON.

I felt a slow plod with a kick now and then. This was a decent fish. Disaster struck, the line slackened off. The hook had pulled. ‘F’ in and ‘Jeff’ in I sulked back to the bivvy to inspect the rig. All in tacked, Just one of those things.

Then to my surprise the Left hand rod screamed off the wafter rig. I shot up and ran to the rods then realising it had rained all night leaving a 3ft skidmark and nearly landing on my backside. I couldn’t believe it. I lifted into the fish, low and behold the hook pulled almost instantly. Now that’s a double kick in the chuff.

Honestly I didn’t go back to sleep for the rest of the morning as you can imagine, not a happy chappy. Donkey didn’t speak to me for the rest of the morning. Just a few minutes before packing up the Zig, bobbin tightened up with a few bleeps, but then went, quite to my frustration. What could have been a promising session doesn’t always turn out the way you want but that’ fishing.

Always next time. One thing Cromwell does have is spectacular sunsets/Sunrises.

I did promise the puddle sticks would come out soon. Well Saturday’s the first Rich Tea Outing of the year. so look out for the next chapter of Novey goes Fishing.

Tight Lines

Novey

*Article provided by Matt Nowak (Fishing Correspondent).

*Main image @mattnowak the stunning Cromwell, below Donkey looking on.