It has been a different start to this years coarse fishing season. Due to commitments, I had cancelled my plans to visit Wessex. A slight change to proceedings, but I still had my local pond that I could get to.

02:53 brought the first sign of the approaching dawn with the first Blackbird song. A bit early I thought as they began their song from nearby chimney tops. Not however our resident Blackbirds that did not rouse until just after 05:00, which I took to be my own alarm call.

Arriving at the pond after startling a few cows when I made my way through their field, I found that It has changed dramatically since the last time I was here in 2017. It’s full of weed. Weed of all types – excellent!

This weed would put many anglers off fishing here, but it is perfect for the fish, and is great for fishing in.

The Carp were still spawning throughout the morning. I did have my sights set on catching a Tench, but this was not to be. Broken on 4lb line a number of times made my change tactics and fish straight through on 8lb line onto a Carp hook. This worked, and soon I was attached to one of these ‘zoo creatures’ that reside in this pond. Not big but gave a heck of a scrap.

I stayed on until around lunchtime when I had run out of bait. Not another sole was at the pond today. I guess everyone was put of by all the weed.