It’s all quiet on the western front, however the eastern front brought rain, cold winds, ice and hail. So fishing has been held at bay for me unfortunately. I’m no ‘fair weather’ fisherman but I can only take so much.
Family issues also put a different slant on things and fishing suddenly seemed unimportant somehow. However fishing and the countryside have been the one constant in my life. Salvation, peace, tranquillity and a sense of fulfilment. They have all played their part in my angling life and I am eternally grateful to them. Sometimes the solitude angling can offer can be very beneficial; allowing one time to reflect, time to heal. I think any angler or nature lover would understand that sentiment.
Waiting for a bite
Anyway; the fishing. Well I missed the first 4 to 5 weeks of the traditional closed season. The weather was bitterly cold and I just couldn’t muster any enthusiasm to get out and sit on the bank for hours and hours trying to catch a tench or a crucian. I decided to wait until things improved a bit. The ‘bit’ took some time but eventually I made it bankside. The temperatures levelled out around the mid teens and the evenings were at last 8-12c. So I managed to wet a line at Marsh Farm near Godalming. Conditions were still difficult. It was generally very windy at times and this even affected the fishing. The results over about 4 sessions were mixed but mainly poor to be honest. On one occasion I did manage 8 tench and 2 nice crucians, both of 2lb 8oz. However the other 3 sessions provided me with 2 blanks and one tench! Geoff seemed to fair much better and on one occasion took 17 tench and 7 crucians. So perhaps it was just poor angling on my part!
2lb 8oz
Little signs of Spring growth
So all in all not so good really. I then had an afternoon at Penshurst Place on the castle lake. Yet again it was another very windy day, but I managed to set up in a quiet corner that was sheltered from the strong winds. I soon had a few carp feeding on the surface and so armed with a Fox Avon rod, 6lb line and a carp controller I fished large pieces of bread crust on a 6 hook. The carp were a little cagey, swirling and boiling at the bait. However 15 slipped up but nothing big. They were all around 3lb to about 8lb. Still it was good fun for a few hours.
Penshurst Carp
A quiet corner
I also managed to try out my new Drennan Power Float Rod. Sadly I had forgot to pack the 1 foot handle and so only ended up using it for a very short period of time. Fishing a big lobworm in the margins I hooked and played a lovely common carp of 7 or 8lbs. It was great fun but without the handle, rather awkward.
The Castle Lake
Hopefully before the river season starts I’ll squeeze a few more sessions in after the crucians and tench. However the long term forecast is predicting cooler weather to remain in the south possibly into June, so we’ll see what happens. I am also quite busy with the Association of Barbel Fishers and have a meeting at Basingstoke (details) on the 29th May and a further one in Leicester (details) on the 5th June to attend.
The River Angler 
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