February hasn’t quite unfolded as planned. The intention was straightforward: three nights a week on the bank, build some early-season momentum, and stay consistent. Instead, life intervened — as it tends to.

The car developed expensive issues. Three out of the four of us needed dental work, which turned into more treatment than first expected. Add a couple of GP visits and various unavoidable household jobs, and the bait-and-fuel budget disappeared almost overnight. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking NHS dentistry could do with being more accessible — or at least more predictable in cost. When you start totalling those bills, it’s sobering.

As a result, the fishing diary looks lighter than anticipated: three-day sessions and two nights. For someone who genuinely had the calendar space to manage three nights most weeks, that feels under par. Still, there’s little value in dwelling on what didn’t happen. You work with the time available.

The positive? Those limited sessions still produced seven carp, including a 29lb 6oz mirror and a 25lb 6oz common. For February, that’s a return I can’t reasonably complain about. The bites weren’t frequent and nothing came easily — every fish required careful location, precise presentation, and minimal disturbance. Early-season carp are rarely obliging; they demand patience and accuracy.

What has lifted the mood most is the seasonal shift now underway. Over the past week, the change has been tangible. The Gorse is glowing yellow, Blackthorn is bursting into blossom, and Hawthorn is beginning to stir. Daffodils line the banks and hedgerows, daylight is stretching noticeably longer, and the whole landscape feels as though it’s waking from a long pause.

There’s something about this transition that sharpens the anticipation. The air softens, birds are louder at first light, and you sense the carp will soon begin to move with intent rather than caution. February may not have delivered the volume of sessions I’d hoped for, but it laid a solid foundation.

March now feels full of promise.

Until next time,

Richard

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