🎣 A great time of the year to be out fishing 🚗 Clean the car and keeping on top of things 🏡 Smooth newts in the garden pond 🎣 Latest news for Himley Hall anglers
🎣 It’s a great time of the year, as we move on in spring. Winter seems but a distant memory and, although it might not technically be summer yet, we’ve certainly had plenty of insights into what (hopefully) is to come in the next three months.
I use the word ‘hopefully’ intentionally though. After all, this is the UK, and anyone who lives here knows how unpredictable the weather is.
On this angling session, once more I was on the bank at first light.
Flicking the bait about 10 metres into open water on a pool, I fished a single grain of sweetcorn over balls of brown crumb and corn.
It was very slow and, in the first hour, all I had to show for my efforts was a small roach.
A second of the species was followed by a rudd, with possibly a hint of roach in its genes. I have caught lots of hybrids on this pool before during the summer.
Nothing big put in an appearance but that’s what happens when you target larger fish. You don’t always catch them.
Tackle: Fox Barbel Special 1.5 test curve rod and an Okuma Zeon reel. 6lb Maxima Chameleon, with a six-inch hook-length created by a small shot and an 8mm bead. Above that was a 1/2 ounce bomb. Size 10 Drennan Super Specialist hook.
Nature notes: A pair of grey wagtails very active, gathering insects for their young. Kingfisher landed briefly on far bank overhanging branches. A pair of song thrushes in flight, single bird seen later feeding on grass when I returned to my car. Female mallard with c.8 recently-hatched young.
🚗 After the angling session, that lasted less than three hours, I was back home nice and early.
I did a few brief jobs in the garden and then cleaned the car.
I do both the inside and outside weekly. Doing it on a regular basis means that for both, there’s minimal effort involved.
Keeping on top of things is a principle that I live by in many areas of my life and it means you’re always one step ahead, as opposed to constantly catching up.
🏡 I love the water features in my garden and, although two of the four contain fish, the main pond is devoid of my finned friends.
I keep it as a haven for other creatures, which includes smooth newts.
We have a lot of them in the pond and they breed as well, which is fantastic.
You can see newt footage in the video, which is mostly angling-related.
🎣 Following the closure of Himley Hall’s great pool recently, it is now open again (from May 14).
The email received is as follows. Also take note of an event this coming Sunday (May 18).
We have now opened up the lake again for fishing at Himley. We will continue to monitor the situation with regards to spawning and inform you if we feel the need to close the lake again. Thanks for your co operation in this matter.
Just a reminder that the lake will be closed during the day this Sunday for the Dragon Boat event. This event will start around 9am and be finished by 6pm.