The lake I’m fishing at the moment is situated in a very rural part of the countryside surrounded by vast agriculture and wood land areas the lake itself at around 5-6 acres was once part of an old estate with overhanging trees and plant life in abundance, just the look of the place gives you a sense of how old this lake really is.

For such a small lake it holds a good number of fish over 30lb a 40+ and plenty of upper 20’s with most of the bigger fish being mirrors. I’m beginning my stint on here at a bit of an awkward time really, I can only fish the next 3 Saturdays and with the fish approaching spawning it hasn’t been fishing the best the weathers swinging one way then the other there not sure what’s coming next.

I’ve armed myself with “The Red Ball” which has done me really well recently and some new custom popup’s all designed by Mike Jones (Nash Consultant) so I’m pretty confidant of catching.

My first session was uneventful but I picked up some good info from some of the locals. The following week I arrive at the gate about 5.05am drop in the code and notice there’s already a few keen anglers which have also arrived early the rules are 5am – 9.30pm No night fishing. I find a peg and waste no time getting a rod down the margin on a popup, the other rod is a snowman KD rig over a kg of “The Red Ball” the morning fly’s bye and there’s only been one fish out at the other end of the lake. 
By about 3 o’clock I notice a few fish cruising in front of me so quickly change over to Zigs a black Taska Wazzup foam barrel on one, and for the other I trim a yellow & black to imitate a Bumble Bee. both fished just under the surface.

I like to recast my Zigs after about 45 minutes so I’m covering different areas of the swim. Just before 5pm I get a drop-back I lift the rod and I’m into a fish, it kites hard to my right looking for the snags but after a good battle it’s back out in front it puts up a great fight but eventually rolls over the net a Mirror at 20lb opens my account and it was stung by the bumble bee zig

It seems with the pressure the lake receives in the daylight hrs and with no anglers at night the fish no the best time to feed and this becomes clear when I’m packing up around 9 ish and fish start rolling over the kg of Red Ball but rules are rules and it’s time to leave
I’ve got a few weeks before I can get back down here now but will look forward to my return.