Unfortunately the rain made the session on the Thames at Teddington a non starter so l decided to go to Cemex K1 in the hope of roach, however l forgot to look at the weather and come 1-30am found myself holding onto my oval, touching cloth and not enjoying things due to the high winds.

Fearing for my safety l somehow packed up and headed for a warm, comfortable bed. I did thou catch a couple of pike and an eel of around 2lb 8oz but constant bite-offs didn’t make things easy.

Thursday it was back to Old Bury Hill, this time to celebrate my father’s birthday. Dad’s never caught a zander so with a few after dark hours allowed things were looking good but the overcast weather decided to clear as we arrived making conditions far from ideal. First cast, just like last week my rod was away after just a couple of minutes and a small zed came to the net. Dad missed a run on my rods whilst l made him a couple of rigs then landed his first fish, a two pounder. Dad then missed a couple and lost a good fish, manly due to a few technical problems so it was time to make up a couple of indicators for him, which finally sorted him out. Dusk came and the indicators started moving but only from small zander and an hour into dark all was quiet. I decided it was time to move, back to the area where Alan and myself scored in last week and within minutes took my best of the session, 7lb 15oz. A few more came before dad hooked a better fish, which on the scales weighed 10lb 10oz, need l say more. We finally ended the session with eleven zander.

Friday afternoon it was back to Cemex K1 and a few hours after pike produced four fish, all singles. A quick look under the tree reveals the big girl, still sitting away from danger; she has to be a twenty. Once darkness fell it was time to cast out the maggot feeders, this time with short braided hooklinks in the hope that if any eels are hooked then they will find themselves in my net. Although lots of indications were received and chances missed, two, two-pound eels did come to net, which just goes to show that they can be targeted during the winter.