What a difference a week can make. Last Thursday it was like spring. Today was very autumnal. Last week I caught fish regularly throughout the day. Today I slogged until 15.30 for my first fish.

Conditions seemed promising when I arrived somewhat later than usual because of a doctor’s appointment. There were about five people on the lake and I got the reed-end swim.

I few early bites were indicative of either small fish or cautious crucian carp. I missed them all but a large scale came back on the hook on one occasion suggesting the bigger carp were in the swim. There was also reed movement.

The wind freshened considerably at about 13.00 so I switched to light leger. Again I missed bites but finally, at 15.30, I hooked and landed a 1½lb crucian carp on flake. I was surprised that the crucians were feeding but not the larger carp.

The wind relented after some very light rain, no more than a mist really, so I reverted to the waggler. Plodding on with bread flake (I left the luncheon meat at home!) I got a 4½lb mirror at 16.15. Shortly after, at 16.30, another mirror of 3¾lb came to the net. I thought things were starting to hot up but that was it as far as the carp were concerned. At 17.15 a half-hearted bite resulted in a 2¼lb tench.

The wind was now again causing havoc with the waggler and I was starting to get cold, so I called it a day.

Around the lake I didn’t see many fish caught. A chap just around the bank from me landed a nice fish but I think it may have been a barbel, not a carp. On the opposite bank they didn’t seem to be doing very well. I learnt later that a couple of chaps further down the same bank as me had caught a 4½lb and a 11lb carp shortly after arriving at 13.00, but then things had gone quiet for them.

It was obviously a tough day. Probably due to the cold wind and colder overnight temperatures of late.

Next time perhaps I’ll target the roach and crucians with lighter tackle. If I can get some worms I may also go after the perch.