Firstly, I must say a big thank you to my wife & kids for understanding my need to go fishing over the few days that storm Eric pushed through the South of England.  Especially to my wife who took the Friday off work and then let me go on Thursday night and set up in the dark.  The storm would arrive in the early hours of Friday morning.

I arrived just after 1930 and had a drive around the lake, there was only one other person fishing.  This ruled out that area.

My big dilemma was, do I fish in the wind or at the back of the wind?  The wind still had a bit of a chill to it but it should stir the carp into feeding (well we hope so).  The first swim I looked at was very calm, it was set back in a bay but after 40 yards you would be in the full blast of the wind.  The second swim was out on a point and down the southern end of the lake, it would take the full blast of the wind.  You can’t get a bait to the south bank.  Or do I fish the back of the wind, where I had picked up some fish on the Deeper when I was out Tuesday, I didn’t catch anything then but they may still be there.  I walked into the swim and a fish crashed out over this area, I took this as a sign that I just had to stay.  The guy who had set up before me on the other point had heard fish, so you never know they may be waking up a bit.

There is a bar that heads out from the swim to about 40 yards and then drops into deeper water.  This is where I was going to place my baits and also baited up with crumbed boilies micro pellets and hemp, all had been soaked in the catalyst particle syrup for the past few days both.  The rods were set up with 3oz flat pear leads and a Ronnie Rig set up.  Both had dumbbell wafters on Catalyst and the Pink Pepper Squid and packed nicely into a solid bag of the same mixture.

And that was me all done.  Time for a brew and wait for Storm Eric to arrive, which was supposed to peak around noontime on Friday.

The night passed with no fish action.  The storm arrived and kept me awake on and off.  There was less rain than I expected which was nice.  I  struggle to catch in the rain on this lake, still don’t understand that.  My plan is to watch the lake for any carpy signs and then move 1 rod off the baited area or leave it there.  I will continue to top up the swim, as its only micro pellets and will soon break down over 24 hrs.  With a small break in the weather (well rain), I took this opportunity to rebait both rods and stick another 10 spomb over the area.  Unfortunately, I still hadn’t seen any more carpy signs, since my arrival.

Fingers crossed.  There are now 8 other anglers on the lake.  This will add a bit more pressure and hopefully get the carp on the move.

The second night has passed without a bite.  I’m feeling the conditions are improving as last night the wind carried on blowing and the temperature dropped.  This makes me feel that the back of the wind can only be the place to be and with some sunshine forecast today, that could easily bring them on the feed.  The lake has not fished that well over the winter and I feel that they will soon pick up their game.  It normally fishes very well over the winter period and you just need to be there when it happens.

I have moved the right-hand rod along the treelined bank for the last 24 hrs with a single hook bait on it.  I’ve been playing around with different colour combinations just to try and entice them a bit.

We shall just have to hope and see if the next 24 hrs brings me a carp.  Effort equals rewards or madness this weekend!

I settled into the last night and as the wind calmed down, I had a couple of carp show over my spot.  This was a real boost for the last night until another burst of wind and rain arrived, they seemed to vanish again.  Around midnight, it was all flat calm again and I sat up watching the lake until 1am but didn’t see or hear anything more.  I drifted off back to sleep no long after that.

Well, it wasn’t meant to be as they say.  The water level came up over an inch in the past 24 hrs, which can’t of helped.  Also perhaps the sudden influx of anglers.  It’s been very quiet over the winter.  But saying this, it’s been very enjoyable being back on the bank.

Until next time

Richard

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