Once more I took on the challenge of the Clay Pit and once again it defeated me. Starting on leger in a different spot produced nothing other than lost tackle, while changing to the float in a previously fished swim only provided a repeat performance of small rudd and roach.

I had walked around the lake the previous day, Bank Holiday Monday, hoping to get some tips from other anglers. But, surprisingly, there was only one angler on the lake and he was fishing it for the first time, and was fishless when I spoke to him around midday.

I did, however, identify a spot where there was plenty of cover for the fish, in the form of overhanging tree branches and a reed bed. Based on my previous visit when I could only tempt small rudd/roach from under branches, I thought this might be a good bet. I was soon in conversation with a couple of local councillors who were doing a bit of work at the lake. They checked my ticket, which I had bought on the way there, and chatted for a while. It seemed that my choice of swim wasn't the most popular, largely because of the overhanging trees. But I had taken a 9ft rod to allow for this.

I used lightly pinched flake to allow the bait to be semi-buoyant and thus settle on any bottom weed. Casting to the low overhanging tree soon revealed a lot of snags so I instead explored the far reed bed. I didn't get a touch and after a while lost all my end tackle in a snag. This was the cue to move.

I went back to the swim that I had fished on the previous visit. One of the councillors mentioned that it was a very popular spot, and I had caught there last time albeit small fish. Sure enough the mini-rudd/roach were still biting on maggots.

Not really wanting a repeat performance of tiddlers I tried legering in the channel between me and a reed bed near one of the raised banks that cross this lake, again with flake. I also fished closer to the reed bed where I had seen fish breaking surface, probably carp. But once again, not a touch.

I hadn't brought any liquidised bread so had no way of attracting the fish to my bait with a feeder. I decided, therefore, to go back to the float. This at least allowed me to introduce some free offerings in the form of rolled up bread pellets. But again there was nothing doing.

Reverting to maggot at mid-water saw me catching the small rudd and roach. By this point I was happy to have a bit of sport with them before packing up.

I'll return when the lily pads appear, hoping that the cover they afford will attract some better fish. And perhaps I will again try legering but with a feeder and groundbait. I've bought an annual ticket so will persevere at least for this year.