What's fishing?

Fishing is continuing to be a bit of a non starter, other than a few trips to local waters scratching for tiddlers under a float even the annual jolly to north wales only saw me fish a couple of times. 

A good few weeks ago I went to Parker's pool, well I think it was Parker's, it's the pool in the middle of the old golf coarse, the one with the half submerged wheelie bin and several tyres visible on the bottom in the few clear spots between all the pads. I had a really good bag of Rudd and I honestly lost count at around the 25 fish mark. I was hoping for one of the Cruician's.

Parker's Rudd

I was promised a Crucian from a small stillwater near the blue lias. I've always looked through the tree's on the bend just before reaching the canal but never fished the pool. It looked good but as with most waters in the area it could have done with a foot of extra water.

On the edge of the pads

There were plenty of Carp eager to smash up the light float gear and after a couple of takes from two brutes they left my corner of the pads alone which allowed the smaller stuff to tuck into the free food. After several Rudd, Roach and Perch I hooked a sizable fish which turned out to be my quarry but sods law took over just before I could get a net under it. 

The day before our holiday saw me on the local river which is now really choked with weed the level being so low. All the likely spots were devoid of anything fishy but a couple of Chublets saved me from a blank session.

I was hoping to have some much better luck whilst on holiday in North Wales but my plan to fish one lakes for Eel's was abandoned when I saw the colour of the water, bright turquoise, apparently there are several waters around the country experiencing the same algae blooms and having blanked on waters with blooms in the past I didn't fancy blanking again. As I had a skeleton coarse kit with me and an Avon rod, I decided to pay a visit to day ticket lake Llyn y gors, I remember this place opening the year before I went to university and it was just the one lake, it's now a whole complex of lakes with everything on offer and if I had the time and the money I think it would be worth a lengthy trip to notch up a few for the board. After a recce the day before fishing I chose one pool that was supposed to be stocked with just Tench, Rudd and Crucians. 

Can you guess what the target was?

Blanking at Llyn Y Gors

Should have tried the other lake, I blanked!!

Cerys on her first family fishing trip.

Cerys wasn't impressed.

Sunrise at Pwllfanogl

After the failure the day before, I got my arse out of bed early to do a morning session on the Menai Straits at Pwllfanogl, one of my old haunts. The session was a 'dig and fish' as I hadn't been out to collect any bait during the week but you can't get any fresher than this. After a good half hours dig I had some cracking bait, fresh lug and king rag which really took some digging.

Spot the King Rag.

It was a bite a chuck as the tide turned but it took a few casts before I hooked the first fish, I just couldn't hook them, I'd started off on a size two hook to give the small flatties in the area a chance but I ended up using the largest hook in the box, a 5/0, before I connected with the tip rattlers.

Bearded Tip Rattler.

Codling, loads of them and all small, at least I was catching something.