Sunday Feb 17th

I'm sure you're all beginning to detect a theme here - rather brief updates! Yes, unfortunately there is not a lot to write about again as the weather seems to conspire against us every week, with a few mild days leading up to the weekend and then a sharp frost on Saturday night / Sunday morning.

I have to admit, despite the draw (I had peg 5, which has no real winter form, but it does on occasion throw-up a surprise) I had a little confidence that a few fish could be had. With the sun slowly creeping higher in the sky the far bank of the peg would be in the sun most of the day, and I hoped a few fish would take advantage of that fact.

I had two dobbing rigs up for the far bank, plus a deck rig at just over 3ft which also doubled as a margin rig for 10m to my right. I had one bite all day across on punch on the shallowest (18in deep) dobbing rig which gave me a common of about 6lb. This was about twenty minutes in! I never saw a sign of a fish across, either visably or in terms of liners, and the same can be said for the pegs around me with either side having one carp each. At least they saw their bites mind - I looked away briefly and my carp announced it's presence by hooking it's self, even on the longer line used on my shallower rigs!

Peg 11 was the victor on the day with eight or nine small(ish) carp for about 22lb, two fish for 16lb was second I think.

With the Winter League set to continue next week there is talk the round will be moved on to the other lake which is at least providing a few more bites for everyone. The weather again looks set to be against us again though with another cold snap predicted.

I have to say (last week being the exception) that this winter has become more than a bit of a chore, and I can't help looking at the calender now as we approach the end of February and longing for those longer and hopefully warmer spring days!