25th March. Spring is in the air…

Finally it seems Spring is here. The week had been getting gradually warmer and warmer and the forecast for Saturday was looking just peachy. Me, my bro Ricky and his mate Rob were all down for a Saturday session and had been keeping a close eye on the forecast. All was confirmed as I jumped on the train at silly ‘o’ clock in the morning – it was really mild. Perfect conditions really and the confidence was so high, I could’ve floated all the way to the lake from the station. As it happens I didn’t and I was sweating like a monkey by the time I reached the top of that bridge, and then like an overweight monkey by the time I got to the swim…

Ricky was due down later on, so I had a quick nose round the lake and could see that a few swims were taken already. Ricky’s mate Rob was already down there and we met up for a quick natter. He’d chosen a swim at the back end of the lake, near the out of bounds section, while I opted for a swim that faced the island but also had open water and margin options. This was my first session using three rods and it’s safe to say I was quite eager to get them all out! All three were made up and ready to go with three freshly tied rigs and as I was setting it all up, my mate Austin popped down after his night shift to see how things were going. We had a quick catch up whilst I cast my baits out and when the traps were set, going home to sleep all day was the last thing he wanted! But tiredness took over and off he went as I surveyed the lake. All three of us had picked up some new bait at the 5 Lakes show in Essex last week, so we were all trying new methods mixed in with some tried and tested classics. I opted for different bait on each rod at first, just to throw some differences out there. Maggots, halibut pellet and a chopped-up 15mm boilie were my choices. With three rods in three pukka spots – all nicely baited up and looking really promising, I started setting the STI up as the clouds were just starting to threaten a bit of rain.

Pit 2 hadn’t been so kind to me this year and I struggled a bit last year too, carp wise. I had plenty of big bream, tench and even some monster crucians but I was definitely looking for some big carp action now. Ricky did very well last year, with plenty of 20’s under his belt and had already opened his account with his fish a few sessions ago. I knew this was my last chance to go fishing for a couple of weeks as I was on my Stag Do the weekend after and busy after that. My luck had to change I thought as I watched my rod tips and the water. All was quiet though apart from the baliff coming round and then Ricky turning up mid-morning raring to go. He walked round the lake a few times and chatted to some of the others fishing. One guy right in the corner had an 18 out, which boosted our confidence – but also he said that nearly every swim was taken, which meant a lot of pressure on the lake. Something that Pit 2 doesn’t really get – especially with its famous brother number 3 just a stones throw away. Still with spring now taking root, the lake was always going to be more busy so we kind of expected it. Ricky chose his spot in the swim next to me and busied himself setting up and getting his baits out. By early afternoon we were all avidly waiting for signs of that first run. The silence was broken by my buzzer sounding. I had a strange take on one of my island rod – the line tightened up and the rod tip bent round a little – so I waited…. And waited…. And it stayed like that, taking no line. One final tweak and I was on it, expecting to lift into the weight of a fish – but there was nothing there. A complete fresh air strike. Gutted. I checked my rig, which was perfect, so I can only put it down to being one of those things. Despondent, I recast, rebaited and settled back down awaiting some more action.

The rest of the day was quiet on the Pit – no action from anyone as far as I could tell. Eventually the heavens did what they were threatening to do all day and opened up, which meant one thing. Packing up in the rain again – great. We held on for as long as we could and then called it a day. Once again, Pit 2’s scaly residents had eluded us, even in these good conditions. We packed up and trudged off through the mud plotting our next attempt.