Finally, back out on the bank, I’m still not 100%, and a day later than planned! I just need to blow those cobwebs away (as my granny would say) and shake off this thing that’s been going around once and for all.

I’ve had a minefield of problems with my health, since catching covid for the first time, last October, along with my youngest daughter. We just can’t completely get rid of it and that’s the reason I was a day late, she was not very well again this week, resulting in Thursday off school.

But I was determined to get on the bank this week. My first trip of the year was originally planned for the 1st of January, hey, I’m only thirteen days late. The end of last year was much the same with only 2 trips in November and December. It’s been quite hard and very depressing at times as I’m generally out 2 or 3 nights a week, so being stuck inside isn’t a great place to be.

Things were certainly all coming together as they sometimes do with fishing, the momentum just keeps building. We both couldn’t make the second to last weekend, due to family stuff and weren’t sure if both of us could make the last weekend at the end of October. So, we just treated each trip as our last one.

I wasn’t due to arrive until Friday morning, but with the carp coming out mostly at night, it was worth setting up in the dark on Thursday evening. I couldn’t arrive any earlier due to family stuff going on this afternoon.

Ian had called earlier this morning and take the choice of the swim and after last week’s success, we felt it was worth another go in that area.

I’ve been asked a lot of times about hook sharpening and the pros and cons of it.

I didn’t ever think I was getting out again this year. What with covid, a sick child, who gave the illness to me (which is still hanging around), and now an extremely cold snap. It was now or never as the Christmas holidays are just around the corner.

I’d planned a social with a few syndicate members, however, a couple were not as crazy as me and Steve. I just had to get out as I think I would have got cable fever sooner or later. We did spend a few hours muller it over on Monday, Steve took a trip to the lake on Tuesday – we were very worried that the lake would have a lid on it.  Which it didn’t.

We arranged to meet up at 11 am Wednesday morning. I arrived about 1040 and took a good look about and spotted not a single sign. It had been minus temperature overnight and only a couple of degrees in the day. You can’t blame the fish really.

We spent over an hour walking, talking, and weighing up the options. We were the only ones about, funny that! Finally, we settled on a bay at the back of the wind that was in direct sunshine, if it came out, which it was due to over the next couple of days. We flipped a coin, I got the right, and Steve got the left.

I’m getting back into the swing of things again. A few motivational issues this week, and lots going on in my head as well.

As there’s a heavy band of rain pushing by today, and you are never really sure when it will arrive these days, the weatherman isn’t that accurate anymore. I was up early and down the lake by 8am. I already knew how many were here fishing last night, so it was going to be down to how many day anglers or really keen night anglers – like myself, as to where I pitch up.

I’ve finally made it back down the lake, certainly a few weeks later than I hoped for. I completely missed the end of the session on Airfield Lake. All thanks to the dreaded Covid.

Covid, put me out of action for a good few weeks, mucking up my plans for the build-up to my winter campaign on Meadow Lake.

It’s now Thursday the 17th November and with a minor issue with having to collect a sick child from school. I did make it down the lake in time to set up and get the rods out before dark. I’d originally arranged to meet a fellow syndicate member down the lake at 1100 am. This turned into him giving me a call and discussing the swim options. We really wanted to have a social, so the simplest solution to my late arrival was doubling up.

This session, I’m in Suffolk fishing at West Stow County park, it’s a social with my oldest friend Mr Rob Nunn. It’s been a year since our last trip, around the same time it is half term week. The drive up was pretty shocking due to the bad weather – heavy rain, and thunderstorms all the way.

I left home earlier than I had planned, as I was woken up by the thunderstorm. This did help in a way, I set off earlier than planned, which would help me. I was going to have to be driving through yet more heavy rain, along with the possibility of the need to take an alternative route if needed. This was the case in the end.

With the end of the Airfield Lake season and our baiting campaign, we were well pleased to get back into the double gravel swim. We had a long discussion about our other options last week and spoke about it yesterday.

I wasn’t due to arrive until Friday morning, but with the carp coming out mostly at night, it was worth setting up in the dark on Thursday evening. I couldn’t arrive any earlier due to family stuff going on this afternoon.

Ian had called earlier this morning and take the choice of the swim and after last week’s success, we felt it was worth another go in that area.