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Location – Meadow Lake
Hours Fished – 24hrs
My original plan for this weekend was to arrive Friday night, but I just didn’t fancy setting up in -1 degrees and a fresh wind blowing. So I changed the plan to go first thing Saturday morning in time to arrive and set up before the heavy rain started. But you know what its like; nice warm bed, I didn’t wake up until after 8 am. This was very unusual and I probably should have set the alarm clock, I checked on my phone and the heavy rain was due at 10am. There was no way I had enough time, but the rain was due to pass over by 1530 ish or before if I was lucky. I started to look at the Met Office’s rain radar app and it was looking like the weather would abate earlier. Better finish off getting the kit in the car and head off. I was planning on arriving before the rain stopped so I could have a drive around the lake and find some likely areas, I would then take a walk and a chat with anyone fishing. When I arrived there was not a single person fishing and the clear sky was coming.

After a good look around and no real signs of carp (which in all honesty wasn’t much of a surprise after a few laps around the lake). With this lake, we are very lucky as the track goes all the way around and you can be lazy and sit and watch from the comfort of your car. I didn’t spot a thing. This did not help the swim choice, I needed to be off sharpish tomorrow morning, so a swim with the car behind it would certainly help.

The swim was selected and I set about finding some spots; one in silt and the other on gravel, as I really wanted to keep my options open. With both areas found and a small amount of bait over each, I cast a pop up on to each spot and was very happy. I set about setting up camp and then got the coffee on.

It was a lovely afternoon, the wind had calmed down, but it was swinging to the N/W and a low of 4 degrees. It would just be warmer than last night as there was a very heavy frost, the pressure was due to be steady – fingers crossed.
The evening and night were pretty silent except the odd firework and a couple of single bleeps. Just after 8 am, the left-hand rod gave a couple of bleeps, the tip bent round, the bobbin dropped back and I pulled into a bream. These things happen, at least I know that my spot was clean and something would feed on it.

With 2 hrs left until I needed to reel in the bait, I was back on the spot and I got the coffee on as the sun was coming through the clouds, lovely morning again on the lake.
Unfortunately, that was that, until next time.
Richard

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Always good fun.
Richard

With a few hour’s spare I had a walk around a couple of lakes after the Perch this morning.
Richard
I get asked a lot about where to fish in Hampshire so I thought I would put a list of clubs together and a small bio about lakes I have fished on;
Sinah Warren – This is a lovely lake out on Hayling Island (right next to the sea), it has a good head of carp. Pete Springate has written about it in some of his books. I spent a few years on there and had some nice fish.
Bromwich Farm – This lake is situated out in the middle of nowhere, in the Titchfield area but you would never find it if you didn’t have the directions how to get there. It’s closer to the Solent than any road and holds some lovely fish.
Over the years I have been a member of this club – along with the thousands of other members, which is the big reason why I didn’t get stay too long. Over the years the club has lost a few waters. Oddly, I now have access too, via another club. However, they do have a few good lakes and access to the Avon River & Stour Section
For some reason, I never got round to joining this club, despite having a good few carp lakes. They now have Rockford Lake on their books and some great access to the Avon River & Stour Section
This is a great local club and close to my heart, despite not being a member of over 15 years. This is where it all started for me when I moved down all those years ago. I have fished all their waters but by far the best two are.
Nutsey- Still has some of the old original fish that where there when I was fishing. Unfortunately, the Big Mirror & Common past away some years ago. However, there are lovely looking fish still in there.
Embey Lake – This lake is very close to where I live and I do get the odd hankerings to fish there again. But for the cost of the club, it’s a bit high just for one lake. Winter is coming and you never know…..
Eastleigh And District Angling Club

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