This diary dates back to a holiday in 2003 when I think the urge to get back into fishing took off.
From around 2007 the trips became more frequent with 2010/11 probably being the peak of activity.
Things again pick up in 2020 - a sort of rebirth!
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More photos in the full report
The weather was overcast following a brief period of sunny breaks during the morning but it felt quite mild because of the complete absence of any wind throughout the day. Conditions in fact seemed good, but nobody told the fish.
There were three of us on the lake, including Mick who was there last week and caught six good carp. On this occasion he caught nothing.
I've obviously a bit to learn about winter carp fishing. Following a couple of disappointing trips last October I decided to give the lake another try, having sat out the worst of the winter weather.
The very cold spell through January and early February meant that the water was still very cold and I didn't expect great sport.
After the unsuccessful trip on the 9 October I decided to revert to the reed swim and try some float fishing in the margins with the hope of some perch or roach, and perhaps a stray carp. I took some maggots, a very rare thing for me these days.
Well, the day was a disaster. The float fishing yielded minuscule perch on maggot, and the only success was when I tried float-fished sweet corn and picked up a small carp.
More photos in the full report
Painting the external woodwork of the house and a week's holiday contrived to keep me away from Fields End during September, but I managed to fit a trip in early in October. I have never fished the lake so late in the year, and what I soon found out was that my 'summer' tactics didn't work too well.
More photos in the full report
This second day at the lake was better. The pumps were off and the fish were a bit more active. I managed to take seven or eight fish, the best being 4¾ lb.
More photos in the full report
We had a week away at Bashley on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire and Orchard Lakes was just down the road. I had two visits, one for a day and the second for the afternoon. It was a lovely week, this first day in particular being very warm.
I fished the largest of the five lakes.
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