Having tried the Figure of Eight pool yesterday I was ready to return. However both the corner swims were taken today. I therefore went on to Mickey Mouse and set up in my now regular pitch 19.

I dropped in down the left margin and quickly had a small barbel of about 12oz. The margin then went quiet so I tried fishing just off the lilies about 25 feet out. The lack of wind made this easier than on previous days.

I used a simple slider float arrangement to make it easier to drop the rig close to the lilies. I caught about three of four more barbel in a short time then lost what was almost certainly a carp in the lilies, but fortunately it didn’t take any tackle.

There were the usual fiddly bites, one of which I hooked. It turned out to be a roach of just under a pound. I also caught my first chub from the pools, although it was only about 4oz.

I lost another fish in the lilies. This time it took my hook. After this, though, I managed to land two carp, a leather of 5¼lbs and a common of 6¼lbs. The common was in fact foul-hooked just above the upper lip, which makes me think that many of the fish I hook and then lose after a short time may in fact not be fairly hooked. I must have lost about six fish again in this way during the session, and I did bring a scale back on the hook on one occasion. It could be that the bites, which are usually clear ‘sinkers’, are in fact line bites as the carp swirl around.

I had been feeding the left margin and at about 19.30 I tried it. Other than a couple of what appeared to be good bites on bread, that I didn’t connect with, on this occasion the margin was not playing ball, although there was movement in the reeds. I therefore continued fishing out by the lilies and finished the session with a barbel of 1¼lbs and a common of about 2lbs.

Tomorrow, all being well, I hope to try the River Wye. I had a look at the stretch this morning, which despite being a kilometre in length offers very few fishable places. Fingers crossed, therefore, that I get one of them.

They cut the grass on the golf course today so Helen should now be able to practise without losing sight of her ball in the long grass!