No, contrarary to the rumours, I have not stopped 'trying' to catch fish, I've been trying but also running a baiting campaign since I last caught anything, which looks like early December last year.

So yesterday, Saturday 18/3, arrived at water at 9.45, busy day, but then the sun was shining, had a walk about and found a swim with vacant swims both sides of it, so left ruck and collected rods from the car.

Not done this before, but cut off links and tied on lead, both rods, single chuck, pull back, find one 'rough' spot, rod in rest, tie marker on line using dental floss and dab of super glue, other rod onto a silt spot, mark line as previous.

Baits and feed are 14 mm, spots being fished are 4 rod and appx 7 rod lengths out, catty out 40/50 baits to each spot, hookers are identical to feed, other than the fact they've had the bejazus boiled out of them and then been air dried....drill very carefully or a handfull of shrapnel happens .

1.30, I decide to pull left rod back a cuople of feet as it's been beeping from occasional liners, switch Stevie Neville off, and as I do so alarm beeps once, I think it's me, then the Solar dangler pulls up (slams) into the butt, BUT nothing else happens, and, as I've already had a pick up, which immidiatley fell off when I hit it, I leave the rod in situ.....THEN..the rod tips pulls hard to the left and the line pulls out of the rod clip....AND FINALLY the spool starts to spin.....FIRST fishon since December, does'nt pull very hard and certainly not much of a scrapper so I was MORE than pleased when I saw the fish for the first time about 5 minutes later, looked to be about a 15lb Common, when it went over the draw string I realised I might actually have a 20 on, (it did'nt fight like one), on the scales it goes 21lb 14oz....first fish for 3 months, and do you know, its the first time I've been a bit emotional over a fish, especially when it was going back and I have'nt got a functional camera with me...NO EFFING PICTURE 'CAUSE DIGITAL BLEEDING CAMERA HAS EATEN THE BATTERYS OVER PREVIOUS 3 MONTHS .

AT LEAST THE FISH HAVE WOKEN UP, MAYBE MY ANGLING IS ON THE UP AND UP

Forgot to mention, the above fish, was caught on a VERY early version of the Enzyme, have'nt tried the very latest all singing, dancing version yet

pppp [img]C:\Documents and Settings\Dad.DOMESTIC-0FF97A\My Documents\My Pictures[/img]

A new PB....23Lbs 8ozs, poor pictures but first carp I've not been able to hold, not 'cause it was so heavy but its really spawned up, it's gut just kept sliding through my hand

4 months ago owner changed Fishery from day ticket water to a syndicate water , the cost of the ticket has knocked all the numpty's etc out of the angling equation, also a change of job means I can now fish mid week, no other bugger there( ), so for the first time in two years I've been able to pile bait into a couple of spots and NO ONE knows where I'm putting it , equally theres usually only a couple of non carpers on there, either Wednsday/Thursday when I fish.

I've reformulated my base as an enzyme free base mix, having sourced some odds and sods from AA Baits, and having caught very little worth mentioning over the last 24 months, now find myself where I was at about 3 years ago......going through all the 16 > 18 lb class commons, watch this space

On lake at 04.15, one rod in margins, 18'' out in 12'' of water as a fish boshed on the spot as rods were being put togeather.

Putting 2nd rod out when margin rod is away, 10 minutes later and an 18lb 7oz Common graced the mat, a further 3 fish, all Commons between 15lb 2oz and 15lb 13oz till packing up at 13.00 to go to work, best days angling for 18 months, set ups were 5 bait stringers plus the hook baits, no other freebies other than putting out a couple of K's when leaving.

Well done,a nice catch, it's great when plans come off.....

Paul, not a plan, more of a campaign, the fishings been absolutley lousy for the last 12 months, not just me either, if it was I think I'd have gashed my wrists a long time ago