Through winter into spring
This story started in april 2025 when i was offered a ticket in a small weedy beautiful intimate pool in Oxfordshire, literally a carp anglers dream!
As always on a new ticket you want to rush down at every opportunity and try suss the lake or even catch a nice one, after a few nights it became apparent it was not going to be easy for me, probably down to the fact I hadnt fished a really weedy water before!
From april all the way to january i had 3 bites and only 1 fish to show for it, countless missed opputunities too at that point you question everything about what you are doing!
Finally february came round and after a footballing injury i thought perfect i now have more time, first night early feb i managed to land a lovely 27lb mirror out of a reed lined edge! That really brought the buzz back!
Second session a few weeks later i decided i was going to get the rowing boat out with most of weed at low lieing level, i hand placed my rigs along far margin with roughly a kg or more over each rod consisting of crushed swarm boilie, pellet, eruption and plenty of corn. Within hours both rods busted off landing a lovely dark 28lb common and a double row linear at 29lb!
Again a few weeks later i go down for a day session, same tactics, same spots, same approach and yet again within 10 minutes of eachother I was rewarded with a 25lb old mirror and 1 of my targets a lovely 26lb double row linear!
Now its been a few busy weeks i hadnt managed to get out but it was bank holiday weekend, new ticket weekend, so who knows if it was going to be busy! Anyways i chose to go regardless at first light, on arrival there was a fella and his son fishing the far side, sort of in the area i had my previous 5-6 winter bites! The lake is split into 2 halfs by a 18-20 yard channel so they will often be at the opposite end if you make any disturbance! i see a couple of shows in an area that morning, i decided i would leave the gear and go try stalk one out the edge as i see plenty patrolling, had a few take some bait but with the weather turning so fast 1 minute was sunny, then 40mph gusts i decided it was time about 3pm to get to the peg and start the planning!
i decided to fish 2 rods either side of area i see a couple of shows that morning, both on clean gravel ( i could see from the bank as water gin clear ) the bushwhacker came in handy putting out a couple of full spoons consisting of the usual swarm products and plenty of corn! Rigs choice this session was a subtle hinge with chod link material albrighted to a coated braid with small stripped section and a nice pineapple bp pop up mounted!
Within minutes of rigs being out i was seeing fish in the area but in upper layers, promising for the night ahead!
2am arrived just as the big winds subsidised my left hand rod melted off, i lifted into the fish and instantly knew it was a gooden, 10-15 mins of constant deep dives and left to right beasting wiping out the right rod during battle I was so happy to get the fish over the net cord!
Heart racing and buzzing didnt even realise until i got her onto the bank it was my number #1 target and after weighing it was a new pb! KING OF THE POND @ 36LB
8-10 months of struggle ive been rewarded with a mental 8 week campaign which i really dont think would have happened without the octopus community around me! The support from this community was immense i must not forget! Lets go octopus and hopefully plenty more targets and pbs on the horizon.
