We arrived just after dawn and I half expected to meet one of these, but was disappointed not to.
There was just enough light to set up and as we had the pool to ourselves, expected/hoped to have some nice specimens soon on the bank. Unfortunately, with the dawn came the sun. It was going to be hard going.
I'd brought the usual perch baits, lobs and prawns as well as maggots to attract the small prey fish but after an hour there were no stripeys seemingly interested so I swapped one rig to a size 14 hook with double maggots under a waggler. Some roach would be a consolation until the perch decide to feed, although probably that would now not be until it got closer to dusk.
I started catching straight away, going from 1/2 to 3/4lbs down to a few ounces. This continued up 'till midday when it was time for me to cook us both some bacon sarnies courtesy of nice Mrs Martin! The morning had seen one Eastern European set up but then left when the bailiff pointed out that barbed hooks were banned here. Even when he was offered a couple of barbless he decided that he didn't like fishing that way. Eventually one other angler turn up so the place wasn't exactly crowded! I said to Martin that I was surprised as, with the state of the rivers - plus it being a weekend - I expected there to be quite a few on the bank. Cynical as ever, he explained that many weren't interested if they couldn't feel the sun on their backs and be pulling mouth-damaged carp out of the water. Although we had the sun, the temperature didn't get above 5 degrees, so those missing out would have got frostbite on their torsos rather than sunburn.
Despite the brightness of the day, Martin managed a consolation perch of around 1.5lbs.
Unfortunately no such fish graced my net, however I finished with a nice haul of roach going to about 3/4lb plus 1 solitary perch around 3 ".
Martin's added to this first fish as the light darkened and finished with a couple of 2lbers and a couple going just over 2.5lbs.
We packed up at dusk and agreed that more overcast conditions would have aided our cause better but we were both pleased with what we did manage to catch.
