Not a bad start to my winter rudd campaign!

Monday was spent uploading my website blog. Thought it would be an easy job, probably is once you know how, but as I had left it a week or so since the designer ran over what I had to do, things didn’t go exactly to plan. I know what the problem is and that is lm afraid that I will hit a button and delete something vital, especially when I’m using a Mac for the first time and many simple operations are arse about face! Anyway I eventually got things done, although not in the right way. Practice makes perfect and I can only get better.

In the afternoon I headed to Frensham Big Pond with a spod and marker rod as I needed to try and locate a swim without too much weed. The swim I normally fish in the winter, and have been baiting, is still too weedy, however it did seem a bit clearer than the week before. After casting around I came across a swim that was completely clear, lm not to sure if this is a good thing, but decided to spod some Sonubaits hemp and maggots out in the hope of returning on Tuesday evening. That’s after I’ve been to the Thames and if the weather allows as the barometer is reading 966mb, the lowest I’ve ever seen it reading, so lm expecting a storm similar to last night, tonight.

I didn’t need the alarm to wake me as the rain already had and I turned over knowing that fishing at Teddington Lock is cruel when its dry, let alone in the wet. I did venture out thou to see how Richard Crimp was doing but as expected the rain had started to take effect and the lock keeper was forced to open a few extra gates making fishing almost impossible. Richard was forced to move to calmer areas and I returned home to prepare my rudd tackle. Arriving at 4pm I wasn’t expecting too much as the wind had swung to the northeast, however just into darkness the bobbin twitched and the first of seven rudd graced my net, the best going 2lb 4oz. I know where I will be settling this winter!

Wednesday I headed north to Korum HQ where we had a really productive product meeting discussing plenty of new ideas as well as all coming away to test new products soon to be released.

Thursday I made time to head back to FBP, however the wind had swung 180degrees to a very strong westerly making casting a maggot feeder 65yards accurately, across it almost impossible. I sat trying to understand what was going on under the surface coming up with something resembling a 60-acre washing machine, as the undertow was incredible. As expected the four hour stint was quiet with just one screamer that had to be a tench but turned out to be a 1lb 12oz rudd. If the weather allows I will be back on Friday, as I know that the rewards aren’t far away.

The rains came but I braved the elements and found myself back in my comfortable swim due to a bit of swim reconstruction the previous day. Just into darkness the indicator twitched then a busy hour progressed in which seven runs came. Two fish were lost in the weed but I did manage to land five and amazingly they all weighed within an ounce of each other, the biggest 1lb 8oz! It then decided to pour down for the best part of two hours and the bites disappeared, then at 9pm I had my next bite, which was from a rudd of 2lb 2oz. Before leaving I spodded some Sonubaits hemp and maggots out as I wont be back till next week, hopefully in better weather!

One easily recognised in the future due to a gill cover deformity.