🎣 The best one of the year so far, the one that got away and a woodland walk
Another cold start to the day and, before I could leave the drive, I was scraping ice from the car.
There were a few flakes of snow falling when I arrived at the pool but nothing developed.
The surface of the water was partly frozen as well.
With a brook coming in at one end and exiting at the other, the very heavy rain of the last few days meant that the water was extremely coloured.
Combined with the sub-zero temperatures, I knew that, once again, it was going to be a challenging session.
In the end, not only did I catch reasonably well though, but I banked my biggest roach of the year.
Not huge, but considering the conditions and the venue, not bad either.
I also lost my second bream of 2025, again parting company with the hook just as I was about to net it.
I fished in five feet of water, over brown crumb and red/white maggots, with two red maggots on the hook, flicking the bait beneath overhanging trees.
Tackle
Greys Prodigy TX 12’ rod. Shimano 3500M reel. Maxima Chameleon 4lb line. Drennan 1.2g float. Drennan Super Specialist size 16 hook.
Nature notes
Song thrush on grass when I got out of the car. Raven calling in flight, likewise ring-necked parakeet. Kingfisher flew lengthways across the pool.
Once home, I went for a walk in the local woodland and there’s footage from that in the video.