Three more in!

The first thing I would like to say is a big thank you to Barry, Ian and Andy for turning up last Saturday morning to help install a few platforms. My plan was to install platforms on the peg next to Morris's and the log swim but the legs of these first two went in surprisingly quickly so we put in a third set at the base of the grassy bank.

Barry, Ian and Andy.

The first platform top was a bit of a struggle as we had to walk it down from the cage to the lake, but with a corner each and a few stops along the way we had it installed and I couldn't wait to jump on it and try it out. The next two platform tops were a breeze, we borrowed a sack truck from the guy's working on the miniature railway up near the cage and trundled them down to the lake in no time. 

(A big thank you the railway boys)

Peg next to Morris's - Before.

Peg next to Morris's - With box.

Log swim - Before.

Log swim - Platform installed.

Just because the platforms are in doesn't mean they are finished. I returned on Sunday to find Ian fishing the peg I wanted to continue boxing in, he helped out as I worked around his rods installing more timber then we began to back fill. To make a good job of these pegs we could do with some rubble/brick/stone of some sort to stop any water ingress as the levels return to normal from washing away the soil, if anyone living locally has any to get rid of, please get in touch.

The Grassy Bank swim.

The biggest job out of these three pegs will be the grassy bank, it's very steep and will need loads of stepping and levelling so I will be there again this Saturday morning (31st March) Any help will be appreciated by all.

Despite all the noise and disruption we were creating, alarms were ringing around the lake and a few Tench were putting in an appearance, a couple of Carp came out later on Saturday which is always good to hear.

Rubbish!

You know who you are!

Found this stuffed in the bushes whilst at Ryton today, TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME.

It ain't rocket science, put the empty bag into your rucksack and either put it in the bin in the car park before you leave or put it in your wheelie bin at home. Don't just let someone else do it.

Still, nice of you to let everyone know what your using as bait, Mainline Activ-8, the fresh frozen ones.

Ta very much!

Morris's - Facelift.

All the materials for the new pegs along the far bank are now at Ryton ready to rebuild and generally give the swims along that bank a face lift. With help from Barry, I made a start today on Morris's, it didn't need much doing to it and I've always fancied boxing it in and levelling the area off to make things less slippy when it rains, some people will say that it didn't need anything doing to it as it's a perfectly usable peg but when finished it should be very comfortable to fish from.

Barry's best side!

Al boxed in.

The above pictures are a couple taken during the construction, which was a breeze as I'd knocked up the basic frame at home on Saturday, it was just  a matter of screwing together on the bank and digging the trenches to sit it into. I've made a start on the bank behind this new box levelling it off and using the clay/soil to infill the box, any excess soil will be used on the peg next door.

This is what the new look Morris's looks like when I left today, It's usable if a little sticky after the heavy shower this afternoon.

View straight out.

The pick axe on the slab is about the same size as a pod with soft ground on either side if bank sticks are preferred.

View from the left.

You can see that there's still loads to be levelled out at the back of this peg, there's also another six platforms to go in on some of the other pegs along this bank so any help next Saturday (24th March)will be very welcome, just bring a shovel or a sledge hammer. 

Ryton - On a good day.

Well, the Carp at Ryton are awake. I've heard several reports of anglers catching a few upper double Carp so I couldn't wait to get back onto the pool. The information desk and peg two were occupied and I stopped for a chat, one of the lads had fished the day before and bagged a few good fish and showed me a picture of a good mirror, I was very pleased to see that Morris's Mate is still with us and looking a little chunkier. I made my way over to Morris's on the far bank and settled down for a long session. From this side of the pool the first section of the road bank looks a little strange, most of the tree's have been cleared ready for the bank/peg work to begin.

I fished PVA sticks and bottom baits on one rod and pop-up's on the other, the sticks were out on a spot that I'd seen a fish show a couple of weeks ago, the pop-up was on a very long chuck to the back of the tree's, this was the first to see some action which typically happened when I was reeling in the stick rod. It was a rather uneventful fight that resulted in a small chunky common of nine pound in the net, still, very welcome.

A little chunk!

As soon as the first Carp had been released I checked everything over and put the rod back out to an area where a fish had shown about half an hour earlier, I always take my time to sink the line and it was whilst I was doing this that I felt a couple of sharp tugs, the line then steadily drew up tight, I flicked the bail arm shut and lent back, fish on! This one felt a little better and took me all over the place as it kited through the shallows and into the waiting net. Another fine common of fourteen and three quarter pounds.

This ones not so orange.

A short while later I lost another much bigger fish off the same spot, again it kited around and I lost touch with it as it entered the shallows of the next swim to my right, I always try and learn from my mistakes but I always forget that if I bully the Carp at Ryton too much, I will lose them and this is exactly what happened, it threw the hook, that horrible sick feeling entered my stomach and expletives exited my mouth.

About an hour later another fish went off like a rocket, the third one from this spot, this time I took things slowly when drawing it closer to the net but this wasn't out of choice, this was a much bigger fish and I wasn't going to lose this one. I let the fish go when it wanted too and drew it in when it let me and it wasn't long before I had it safely in the mesh. I was hoping for an upper double and was very surprised when the needle pulled passed twenty to settle on twenty pounds and eleven ounces.

Mint!

I carried on fishing till the sun set but I didn't get any more takes, I didn't even get anything on the stick rod, not even a Tench!