I walked around all the lakes in the morning and the Mickey Mouse pool certainly attracts me the most. I went back late afternoon with the aim of perhaps fishing the spot where the chap yesterday had such good sport. There were two anglers in the spot in the morning and they were still there when I arrived. I thought they may leave early and give me a couple of hours in the spot.

While waiting I went in the same spot as yesterday. I started with the 13ft float rod with the hope of picking up a mixed bag. I fed bread pellets and luncheon meat and started getting some tentative bites. A couple of roach were hooked and landed. At about 17.00 the float went away and a fish motored out to the centre of the lake, about 20 or so yards. It felt powerful and I could do little to slow it down. I was hopeful that being in open water would give me a chance on the light tackle, but unfortunately the fish turned and went into the dense lily bed to the right, where there were also remains of old tree stumps. All went solid and hand-lining had no effect. I had to break off and lost one of three new floats I had bought in the morning.

Rather than re-tackle I reverted to the Hardy Avon with 8lb line. Shortly after a 5½lb common was taken on luncheon meat. This was followed by a small mirror and a small barbel. At about 18.50 a firm bite resulted in a fish making a powerful run along the margin. I didn’t think the margin presented a serious refuge for the fish, but was wrong and it snagged me good and proper. Trying to release the line resulted in it flying into the tree to the right and another newly bought float was lost!

A small barbel of about a pound was then followed with a 3¼lb common carp, all fish being taken on luncheon meat. All the common carp are long and slender, which probably accounts for their turn of speed. They are also a beautiful bronze colour.

I had set 20.00 as the time to pack up, and about ten minutes before my deadline I was into another good fish. This time I steered it away from the margin but it then tried to get into the fallen tree to the right and too much pressure caused the hook to pull out. So, three good fish now lost.

I had a few more casts and was getting bites on luncheon meat every cast, missing most. At about 20.05 I hooked and landed another small barbel, this time about 1½lb. I then had to pack up as the rules at Docklow require you to stop fishing an hour before dark.

Despite the losses it was quite a good evening. In particular I was pleased that close margin fishing had produced so many fish. And I didn’t even fish the swim that I had intended to.