After losing so many fish in the reed swim I was true to my word and today I fished a spot half way along the east bank. I had fished there earlier in the year when I had arrived late and most of the pitches were occupied. On that occasion I caught some tench and got the carp feeding on the surface later in the day.

It was bright and overcast with a slight NE breeze. The spot I was in was very sheltered thanks to trees behind and a large bush right next to me.

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I put out the waggler hoping for a repeat of the tench experience but only got roach bites. I had taken some maggots and hempseed as an attractor - thus the roach. Carp were splashing around in the SE corner (where it is shallow and there is another reed bank). I'll call this the boat-ramp corner. As the lake wasn't busy I took my barbel rod and a landing net and cast free-line flake into the edge of the reeds. A bite came almost immediately and the fish went into open water (fortunately) but after a couple of minutes the hook hold failed. I had two more runs then lost a smaller fish in the reeds. I went back to my swim at this point and soon had a mirror of about 3lb on the waggler and flake; but then things went dead again.

I returned to the boat-ramp corner and on this occasion hooked no less than four fish but only landed one of about 2-3lb. After a further fruitless period back in my swim (other than small roach and minuscule perch on maggots) I made one more visit to the boat-ramp corner and on this occasion landed a fine tench of 3lb, still fishing free-lined flake.

Things remained quiet but at 13.30 I had a nice 6lb 15oz common free-lining down the edge of the reeds in my swim.

As the afternoon progressed I started feeding pellets by catapult and around 15.00 the carp started feeding about 15 metres out. I changed to a controller float and soon had a positive take. It was a mirror of 5lb 9oz. This was quickly followed by a leather of 5lb 11oz. The fish became more wary and although they went for the pellet I couldn't hook them. In fact the next two fish were foul-hooked; mirrors of 7lb 7oz (photo) and 6lb 15oz. They both fought well (as foul-hooked fish do) but I would have rather caught them fairly.

After a lot of frustration with the fish on the surface I removed the controller float and cast a large piece of flake down the margin, free-lining. It was quickly taken by a 6lb 6oz common. A really stocky little fish. It was now 18.45 so I decided to pack up.

A varied day with reasonable success. In fact I think I caught as many if not more than others on the lake.