After last week’s heavy rain, the Avon Valley is in full flood. With so much going in the lake, it’s going to be another hard few nights of fishing. Along with the fact that the night temperatures dropped to -5c and all the standing water froze and made driving conditions horrendous for the past 4 days. I struggled to get to the lake, avoiding flooded roads and closures, along with road works for burst pipes.
But I made it after an extra hour longer than normal drive here. I was again looking for a warm and comfortable area to fish as the wind had swung around to the north. You could really feel the chill in the air once the sun went behind any clouds. I was looking for an area to fish out of that wind, that also would get a lot of sunshine, hopefully attracting the carp out and just maybe have a feed.
I picked a swim called bird hide, which I fished a lot in the past, but not so much in recent years. It became more popular due to it having some maintenance done on it, which made it a lot easier to fish.
I will be using a lot less bait this week and sticking to bright pop-ups, I feel it may just catch the eye of an inquisitive carp that may just pick my bait up.
What an amazing sunset tonight over the Avon Valley. I have a feeling it’s going to be a cold one.
The day started as it had finished yesterday with a stunning sunrise.
I’m going to have to put a lot of thought into what I do today, I’m not feeling the love. The temperature is set to stay low well into next week, and the prospect of that warm front arriving this weekend has completely faded away. There’s more chance of a frozen lake, sometimes the hard choice is the best one.
My mind was made up, and I was going to be heading home today. I needed to be home at a reasonable time as half the roads are still closed my way and the traffic will certainly start building up mid-afternoon.
Until next time
Richard
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I’m really trying to reduce my kit down in order to give me the ability to move more around the lakes and onto showing fish. My issue is I really don’t like moving as I’ve settled into a 3-night routine over the past few years. It simply saved me money on fuel and I can arrange my life accordingly around this each week and the family knows where I’m at.
Unfortunately, the downside to this is that I bring more and more kit. As I’m getting older, I like to be comfortable. Gone are my hardcore days and nights under a brolly thinking is more carpy; age matures you and you realize comfort is the key to success. It gives you the ability to focus more on getting everything thing right.
But I still simply carry way too much still. Even after spending a session on a lake where you have to barrow around half of it to get anywhere. The other big issue is the bivvy, I’ve actually considered getting a new one, as there are some very good ones on the market now, but I’ve such a collection it would be silly as the cost has gone up dramatically.
I recently purchased a Fox Explorer Deluxe barrow in an attempt to help me cut down on tackle and only take what will fit in the bag and the under the bag. This is working very well until I needed to eat better on the lake and purchased a Weber gas bbq.
Weber
If you are cooking better food, you also need a better and larger cool box. It needs to be a much better one than your normal cool box. I purchased a Fox 30L one and I must say it’s absolutely brilliant.
This obviously didn’t cut down on tackle, but needs must and within a few months of playing around with the Weber, hopefully, I will be cooking a lot better/healthier food. This is a great product and if BBQ’s are banned on your lake, it may well help you get around the issue. It’s more of a gas oven, depending on what you cook. The important part is that it runs on gas bottles and not charcoal, we better not mention the price of gas at the moment.
I’m currently playing around with my bivvy collections over this summer and autumn to see what suits me best for this time of the year. I don’t sleep very well at all without an overwrap and I find I don’t fish that well anymore without a good amount of sleep. Realistically I need a summer bivvy/brolly system that has an overwrap, but it’s little for the summer months, and use a bigger version over the winter months. I’ve found my JRC 2 TXG and overwrap is perfect, I just need to sort out the mozzies with Army Andy by next winter and all will be good.
For the summer I’m currently a bit stuck and not really sure. I may have to sell some of my collection of bivvies to fund the purchase of a brand new one, looking at the prices, I would be afraid to use it! I feel a trip into the loft coming to see what exactly I have and how I can adapt my fishing style.
The thing is, I fish for three nights each week and I like to be comfortable these days. The older I get, the more I like to be fully equipped for maximum enjoyment. As my friend Ian points out, if you’re doing three nights, you have plenty of time to set up and pack away. If you need to do two trips to the swim, then so be it and on the syndicate lakes where we fish, it is very safe to do that. This may be something I need to accept as I get older – being comfortable may well require two barrow loads of gear.
But I’m not giving up yet. I’m sure with a bit more adjustments I can get there.
Let’s see how this summer goes.
Until next time
Richard
Use my code for 10% discount
The discount code applies to the entire order when purchasing the Deeper Sonars PRO, PRO+, PRO+ 2, CHIRP, CHIRP+, CHIRP 2, CHIRP+ 2. The code is valid in all countries.
Catch report, #teamfin angler Daniel Chappell Bouskila;
“A session roving swims and freelining meat has resulted in some super winter captures so far this year. My top tip is to tear up the meat into chunks and soak in Spotted Fin Smokey Jack food dip to add a Smokey, fishy scent which makes it easy for fish to home in on the bait!”
Finally, back out on the bank, I’m still not 100%, and a day later than planned! I just need to blow those cobwebs away (as my granny would say) and shake off this thing that’s been going around once and for all.
I’ve had a minefield of problems with my health, since catching covid for the first time, last October, along with my youngest daughter. We just can’t completely get rid of it and that’s the reason I was a day late, she was not very well again this week, resulting in Thursday off school.
But I was determined to get on the bank this week. My first trip of the year was originally planned for the 1st of January, hey, I’m only thirteen days late. The end of last year was much the same with only 2 trips in November and December. It’s been quite hard and very depressing at times as I’m generally out 2 or 3 nights a week, so being stuck inside isn’t a great place to be.
But I’m back, and as luck would have it, I’m in a pretty good swim. My choice was based on avoiding the strong, westerly winds and the need to have my car behind the swim. I stopped for a quick chat, I wasn’t going to do this until later on in the day but only to find he was heading home a day earlier and I was able to move in after him (later on that day). Result!
I knew where I wanted to put my baits, this is always a bonus when you’re not 100%.
It’s lovely and smooth silt there, I’d made up a mixture of particles, along with other small food items. I like to put about 10 x 20mm boilies in, just to give them something to look for, if they fancy it. This, along with some Spotted Fin ground bait had been soaking in the Catalyst Syrupy, which I use to bind up the ingredients (instead of water), which keeps their shelf life until I’m on the bank and then if needed I add water.
My rig, as always, was a Ronnie, with a pink and white Catalyst 12mm pop on, giving them a choice, and I will see where this takes me
The pressure is looking perfect – I’ve got a night of rain due and will be amazed if I catch anything tonight. After that, pretty much perfect conditions, the pressure, and temperatures are dropping, I hope they may spring into action.
We can only hope. I’ve 3 nights available to me, and we will just have to see how it all goes.
The rain arrived a lot earlier than I expected, which in some ways would hopefully mean it would be passing through earlier in the morning, instead of late afternoon.
I was awoken a fair few times in the night by the wind and rain. I thought it may be a good idea to sleep in a tad longer to catch up on some well-needed sleep. I don’t need any health relapses.
It looked like there was a good chance the rain would have passed over by 11 a.m, this would be nice. I have a guy opposite me, pike fishing along the tree line. This may well push the carp out of hiding at some point.
Still no joy, but I only really came out to just be here and clear my head. I was just lucky enough to pitch up in a spot that had produced a couple of fish this week. This gave me a real confidence boost, which I just need to continue hanging onto over the next 24 hours. The temperature may be dropping, along with some north/ east winds about for a period, but the pressure is still going down to 997 MBS.
Some thoughts need to go into this if I put more bait out, which is heading for a no, but I did have issues with Tuffy ducks yesterday afternoon and this morning, and you just never know how much they eat. I don’t have an issue with them over my baited area, in fact, I feel, it’s a bonus, as they will stir up the bottom and attract small fish. This will, in turn, get the attention of the carp.
The sun came out around 10 am and warmed up my swim very nicely. After a walk around the lake to stretch my legs and some thinking about if I should put some more bait out, I thought it best not, but it’s worth giving PVA bag’s a go.
My timing couldn’t have been better, it was pretty calm when I got back, and both rods went out perfectly. It was definitely time for a spot of lunch in the sunshine, but unfortunately, before I even got the stove on, a horrible black cloud arrived and presided to rain for the next hour and a half. Food was postponed until later, as I really prefer to sit outside and eat as much as possible over the winter months as far too much time is spent in the bivvy. It was soon dark and the clear skies arrived, along with the temperature dropping, I could only hope that it all comes together tonight.
I possibly made a bit of a schoolboy error, staying last night. I hadn’t noticed that there was a large band of heavy rain due, from about 10 pm, until 6 am this morning. I was aware of the strong winds and the various direction it would move between, but the volume of water was ridiculous! The lake level came up by nearly an inch.
My pod legs were out of the water yesterday morning, and now you can see they aren’t. Well, these things happen, and the chances of a birthday carp are extremely thin on the ground. The sun is due out around 10am and that’s when I will start a slow pack up. I’ve no chance of getting the bivvy or overwrap dry, it will have to be a few days hanging up in the garage. All being well, I’m due back Thursday for a couple of nights at the end of the week.
Everything was all packed down and in the car by 11am, and I was off home after the first trip of 2023.
Until next time.
Richard
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