I got really emotional at the petrol station this morning, I don’t know why but I just started filling up……my wife Lynn says this is a rubbish joke.

I had been looking forward to the fishing at Bradley’s this year, with Tench to over 11lbs the previous two weeks from the carp competition it was mouth watering. I had fished it with Alan Thomas and the late Don Wilshire back in the 80’s it’s got fond memories.
First we met at the waterside cafe for a full English….Then I took a few of the northern lads for a drive around Wiltshire for an hour before we came to the gate which was only 500m away……well they need to see the south don’t they.
A few of the guy’s were there and said that the tench were on “heat” together with the carp and spawning was in full swing. I thought long and hard and decided that I would fish close to the BBQ area. More importantly the small 0.5 acre lake was just behind the bivvi (2 meters). The tench had spawned in there as it was shallow. I was also thinking about catching a carp off the top if things were slow on the main lake.
The main lake swim was raked, borrowing a rake from John who was next door. Bringing in the weed I found many crayfish too many for comfort. The place must be alive with them.
I fed with hemp and dead maggots, and from there on in the slack line was going up and down. “bleep bleep”
Who is at home even during the day.
Soon it was time for the BBQ.
I put some hemp in the swim in the small pool about 3ft from the edge at about 4 ft depth pre BBQ.
The BBQ was great Dave Rogerson burnt the sausages big time, 5 BBQ’s and 21 people chatting and enjoying themselves was perfect.

Soon it was 8pm and we headed back to our swims. Colin (Tenchpike)came along after tidying the BBQ area and we stopped for a long chat in my swim. He saw a large fish vacate the area on the small lake as it almost made a mistake. He went further away down the bank saying soon I would have one.
Colin you were right I caught a tench 6lbs 1oz. He and John and of course the Dr.Yeo came to photo the beast. We had to give a big cheer to let people know!!!!!

So that was that.

I took a bottle of red and a full brie cheese and headed of to John’s swim who was about 0.5 mile away. Soon we were watching John’s star light as he cast out in the pitch dark on a waggler float and maggots on the hook. The float would disappear on a regular basis, however the only culprit was a Reggie and another and another. Ben did the honours unhooking. He got bitten a few times and the language was not good.

I stated the obvious I didn’t bring my unhooking mat along  to sit on because it was wet……..lots of moan’s.

8 people in Johns swim giving advice on the hooking and playing of the (Crays) until way past the witching hour. Wine beer and cheese helped the night pass.

I was up at 4am and recast…..bleep bleep bleep, oh dear those crays’. At 6.30 I recast at the rear of the bivvi into the small lake. I soon had another tench of 6lbs 9oz….. John did the job with the photo’s.

The heat of the day started to kick in as I started to pack up at 10.30pm.

Last cast and a 6lbs 1oz male tench came along and Dr Yoe did the business with the net again.

It was then time to go home with the sweet smell of success on the nets and unhooking mat.

Lynn complains about the smell in the car and I say it’s the “sweet smell of success”

Good job she has her own car!

That was it what a great time.