And then there were three.

Forgive the inadvertent Genesis reference in the title. But yes, the gosling population on the very local water has reduced by 2/5ths

Been making the most of the warm, and mostly dryish weather, and the arrival of the new(er) Charabanc  with plenty of action but not many conversions.

Saturday saw a very short session on the very local water into dusk. Plenty of mud pig activity over the pellets and scattering of 10mm Source then a few clusters of pin head bubbles. Quickly put in  a second rod (waggler, no shot down) and in lieu of a short pre tied method hooklink a pellet band. Tw  quick takes and both times the fish (tench) were on for a reasonable time then the hook pinged out.  

Bank Holiday Monday and probably the hottest day. I had from 12-4 to make the most of it and given the sun headed for the relative shade of an island. Waggler and  a mini Source down the side of the emerging pads. I became more and more uncomfortable as my left  eye became sorer and sorer, watering profusely. Three times I had  a tench on, and again hook pulls. Great to have the string pulled though. I'm not sure  how I saw to drive home but when I got on it  was a full scale irrigation jobbie. Worked enough to get the barbie on and down some shandies.

Unexpected pass out on Tuesday but I was mobbed by mudpigs that tore the swim to pieces. They are very aware of the stem off the waggler in the shallow water and bomb off but are pulled back into the swim by the nosh laid out. None made a mistake though.

Wednesday and I figured I had to do some thing different. Replaced the method hooklink I'd had left over from my day with John Bailey. I'd noticed it had a barbless hook.  As it happened the ones I'd bought were also barbless but it would be a fresh, sharper hook. Fed to the edge of the outer pads to give me some  clear water to let anything run into and they were onto the pellet's and Source  quickly. 25 minutes in and the float dipped and began to slide away.

Obviously a mud pig it slammed into the pads but with as much pressure as I could apply with my Drennan Tench float and 5lb line I coaxed it out and then had to work hard to keep it from getting under the stage. It did a 180 of the stage before having enough and tearing off to the dam, almost faster than I could backwind. It kited to the right hand corner and back through some more pads, before heading back to the dam.  Finally I got it back to the stage and it began to circle, and finally after about 10 arm bending minutes it finally dived in the waiting net. I'd given plenty of passing traffic something to watch.

A long, solid common, with a very obvious dorsal abnormality.We thought 12ish and it was indeed 12.11. Not a tench but a good second best.

This stuff smells  just like old Hutchy Extract.