Lakeside - 50 n.o.

Tuesday May the 4th be with you (every year, never wears out). 16:00 - 20:30, Lakeside with Jeff Hatt. 14>12C. Moderate N dropping to nothing at dusk.

I had crucians and rudd in my sights tonight as this lake holds both. I caught neither but had a belter of a time with the roach and bream on the waggler.

I fished a 14ft float rod with 3BB waggler on 5lb line to a 3.2lb hook length and size 16 Drennan hook. Hook bait was red maggot and I fed slurried particles, pellet and maggots.

Oooh baby do you know what that's worth?

We'll make heaven on a place called earth. Check out my oily particle slick!

I caught thirty one roach and nineteen bream for the session. Biggest bream went 3lb 12ozs and biggest roach was estimated 12ozs. I weighed an 11oz roach early on an had one which I think just trumped it later.

11oz roach.

Trumper?

Jeff wears a hat. Bivvy-man Wayne saves the day....

I hooked and lost three carp on maggot but the hook came back each time. I was only fishing in about 24" of water and the way they went off I reckon they were HITA (Hooked In The Ass). If a carp is hooked fair and square in the right end then you're unlikely for the hook to just slip and not be lost on 3lb line.

This little bugger fought like a crucian all the way in.

When the owner came to collect his money he confirmed to us that the 'day ticket' ended at six o'clock in the evening and that if we wanted to fish later we could buy the £13.50 night ticket. I negotiated an extra hour gratis but whilst he was collecting Jeff's money I realised I could not face the thought of packing up at seven o'clock. It would be like watching two thirds of a film then being kicked out before the end. When he came back my way I negotiated a further hour and a half until last light at a notes cost on the understanding that no precedent was set and that this was only possible as there was a stout regular doing an overnight a stones throw away whom he trusted to 'alarm the gate'. A ridiculous scenario if you ask me.

More than one person gave us matching intel' on the location of the crucians but I was too wrapped up in the fishing to move by the time I realised I was in the wrong place.

I'm really looking forward to returning to this beautiful lake where I spent so many hours fishing as a youth when it was 'Freeman's Marina', but will need to ensure I ring ahead and negotiate similar terms to this evening to avoid the disappointment of being kicked off at six!

Cheers.