Workies

Date fished 24/05/2025

7am until 10am

Work party 10.30am until 3.45pm

The fishing was tough, sweetcorn and pellet on float or feeder. Nothing happened, I blanked! I was upbeat when Mark, a much better angler than me said he had one bit in 3.5 hours last night. The fish must be having a break or maybe they are down at Wembley. 

I stayed to partake in the work party, what could go wrong!? 

Work parties are an integral part of a volunteer based club of any persuasion. It is also a great way to meet new people. I chatted, joked and enjoyed the company of my fellow club members today. 

Branches were cut, areas cleared, pegs swept and silt removed. It was a hive of activity by less than 10 members. Then a new swim was built. Tiered, lawned and ready for any member (up to 35 stone). 

I am actually contemplating going tomorrow just to use it, but I think I will wait until Monday. If anyone is fishing it, I will pull ownership rights and politely ask them to move!! (Joke)

It was rhetorical, but I will answer anyway. Nothing went wrong! HR and health and safety can stand down.....

Tinca, tailor, lumberjack, blank

10/5/25

10am until 12:20

My daughter and her friend needed a taxi to the metro centre, there was a work party (not like that) at Tilcon. I saw an opportunity. 

I dropped the girls and arrived at the lake just after 10am, the work was due to start at half past. When some other members arrived, we started to empty the container.  A near hit with a plank of wood and only my sun glasses got knocked off my head!!

Whilst some built shelves, me and Mark headed off to fell some trees and tidy up the back of some pegs to allow poles to be shipped back without the potential for damage. 

Mark was a pro with the chainsaw. Making light work of felling the dead tree. I was going to take a pic or video, but something made me stop!! 

Of course, we were allowed to, and responsible! 

Soon, it was time to pick the girls up. I left the party, agreeing to return for some Wednesday evening parties in due course. 

Date fished 11/5/2025

8.30am until 11.30am

I arranged to fish the local lake in Hexham, Wydon Water. I was hoping the tincas had woken from their winter slumbers.

Having older kids is great. I was able to leave them to go to choir, sort themselves out and I popped out for a few hours before it got too hot. 

The same tactics as Tilcon, I was hoping for a tench. A few knocks on the ledger but nothing materialised. Martha arrived and we sat together and chatted, mostly about the ducklings and if she could steal one!?! 

We moved to another swim and tried our luck. 

By 11.30 it was red hot, we decided to head home for chicken kiev wraps. Would of preferred duck pancakes, but all ducks were left on the lake! 

One eyed Willy

Date fished 5/5/25

10am until 3pm

No confusion on the date today with our American friends, the day equalled the month. All I knew was I didn't have to work, so after some childcare duties this morning, I headed to Tilcon. Determined (or just stubborn) to catch  on a bait, I have used once before but never caught on............

Armed with the float rod and the ledger, it was prawn on both! Loose feed for the float of breadcrumb, corn and prawns, the same mix in the feeder. 

I fished not my usual area today, I was hoping for a big perch and I think they live here...

The ledger was cast over by the trees, the float just beyond the bush to my right. Two biteless hours, but I was happy. Well, I hadn't got wet or frozen to death, I thought I might. It was actually a lovely morning. The lake was quiet, a few anglers down the other end. The wind was blowing into my corner though and soon it woke up. Fish topping like mad. Intrigued, I started chucking some bread on the surface and watched it get taken. But I was sticking to crustaceans! 

I soon got some bites on both methods, the prawn coming back shredded when I retrieved it. I decided to cast the ledger a bit further from the trees as lots of fish were showing here, this is not the view you then want to see on your reel...

I will put some more line on this next week

Settling into a feeding rhythm, it must have got the fish looking for food. I say looking, is that the action when you only have one eye? 

The float disappeared and I struck into Willy. A battered poor bream. A quick pic and he swam away strong, clearly two eyes are not always needed. 

No eye on this side, but healed over

As fish moved into the bay, I cast the ledger closer to the float and soon had an area I was able to concentrate on. A busy 20 mins of the ledger constantly rattling, unfortunately brought no more fish. Whilst touch ledgering though, I connected. A greedy ide taking a whole prawn! 

A few more hours of just watching the lake and I was relaxed and rested, I was so chilled a deer didn't even notice me as it noisly walked through the woods behind me, perfect.

I decided to head home. 

More of a entrance phrase than an exit one, and if you know, you know. So it's just left for me to say.....

Hey, You Guys!!