Bagging is so yesterday, got to thank a blank.
Yesterday. All my troubles.... By Saturday, I'd got a bit used to the eye-drops, and deluded myself I'd be able to see a float. The Old Lake was looking grey and chilly
I worked my way back from 11m, trying to find the distance where I could see the tip of the float well enough to see shy bites. That turned out to be in my hand, and even then it wasn't entirely clear. But the bailiff had swooped on me already, and I had a £5 stake in it, as well as a wish to catch something, so I set up the shortest tip rod with the tip that moves furthest on a bite - a spring tip. Surely I'd be able to see that. I chucked a little cage feeder her and there, found that this side of the lake was full of last year's dead weed, and caught a few perch that were keen enough to dig the maggots out of it.
After 2 hours, nobody was catching anything and I packed up.
Sunday was a beautiful day, and I was inspired to go and have a walk around a favourite tench lake. The owner had been applying just the right amount of pruning to the overgrown swims, and all the trees and bushes were still there, but with that bit more elbow room. He told me an angler had half a dozen the day before, so I'm looking forward to a first visit soon.
Monday, I'd been allowed to knock off the dilating drops, so I headed back to the Old Lake. Where better to put this distressingly unfishy spell behind me? At 11 am it all looked like a poster for spring
And I found I could see ok at about 8m. I set everything up inch-perfect and waited for a bite. An hour later, I was still waiting, and the blue skies were replaced with cold drizzle and an easterly breeze. Bites were strictly occasional, although they were nice roach when you got one
There were other cars on site, but nobody else on the large lake. Three blokes emerged with their gear who'd been on a lake further down the stream-fed chain. They stopped for the usual what have you had conversation. Then one sat down on the peg immediately to my left, the others to my right. You can't object, as we've all paid for a ticket, but ..... why? On an empty lake? Anyway, we scratched and scraped away for a few fish, and I put back a very modest catch for this water and left. It's probably my own fault for not knowing when to stay at home.
