Blog 296

Date fished 18/5/2024

6.45 am until 12 pm

With love in the air, it was a sedate session. Spawning is happening up and down the country based on water temps, sunshine and if you paid for the meal. Tilcon is no different, carp crashing in the shallows and bream displaying their tubercles. I opted for the usual float and ledger tactics to catch those bachelors not courting, sweetcorn on the hook with loose feed 6mm pellets. 

The peaceful surroundings of Tilcon may soon be supercharged. I have joined Rupe and Martha up to the club. They are of an age now where they want to fish with me more and its free for them to join Ryton (£5 one off joining fee). A great initiative by the club and getting youngsters on board can only be good for the future of the club. Well done!

An early start and I was at the lake. It was action right from the start. Bites constantly, the lake was alive. I caught on the float and ledger but mostly concentrated on the float rod. The ledger rod not even in the water, no need for a sleeper today! 

From 9am, the sun was warm and bites slowed a bit. I still caught but definitely slower than the cooler early morning. 

Many lost bites, fish. The usual rogue carp that realised it was hooked and swam at warp speed across the lake. My hooklink giving up the ghost about three quarters of the way across. 

No fish weighed. Although one bream was big framed, so I should of weighed it. But you will see below, most fish I unhooked in the water and let them go. A couple of the ide were huge, could not get my hand around them. I regret them plopping back in as I fumbled with the phone camera.

I ended with two tench, four bream and nine ide. Two fish short from matching the blog number. If I realised that 30 mins ago, I would of stayed at the lake. Doh!! 

Just as Gr-r-reat

Date fished  6/5/2024

7am until 12pm

A Monday that I didn't have to go to work, what could be better? I started with a Gregg's sausage roll, cereal was for the fish. I had some cornflakes that were a little stale, perfect for groundbait. I know the title is for Frosties, I preferred this to the slogan from the rooster! I only had cornflakes, Frosties would never go stale in this house. 

Heavy rain was forecast this afternoon, and as I write this now at 1pm, it has still not arrived. A good few hours was enough though and I planned to leave before the downpour arrived. 

The looming storm meant the air was still, very peaceful on the lake with hardly any ripples.

A small feeder was cast to my right and I float fished a little way out in front. Corn on both, I was sure the warmer weather would get the fish feeding on this. The snap, crackle and pop of the pylon gently humming as the moisture increased. 

First indication on the ledger as my rod tip danced up and down. I could tell it was the intended target and a lovely bream soon graced the net. It was a big framed fish, but yet to put some weight on. A hearty breakfast will soon sort it out. Phil on hand in the next swim to take a pro picture. 

As I started to feed more, bites came to the float rod. I missed a couple before finally connecting. The fish swam around the swim, I watched it as I played it to the net. It was easy to see, as it was bright orange! 

It's golden colour brightening my morning, I wonder if it is called Graham? 

I had said Cheerio(s) to Phil a while ago, so no one was around to take a pic with me in, so it's just the fish this time. Bites were coming to both rods now, I opted to concentrate on the float and reeled in the feeder, my lucky charm. Another ide, this one not golden soon followed. 

I was casting closer to where I knew the swim platform was. Soon enough, I hooked it and lost my hooklink. As I was leaving soon, I just ledgered close in, where I had been feeding. Several savage pulls, but sadly no more fish. They must be three shredded wheat kinda fish.

A great few hours on the lake and soon my tummy was rumbling. I packed up and headed home for something more substantial than cereal!