Another evening on Nordley No. 1

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Well today is my birthday so I got a pass.

I also decided that I needed to concentrate , so as much as I love taking my kids with me, today I was being selfish.

Arrived to find there were a lot more people there. Mostly at the car park end.

So I did my customary walk round the lake to get a feel for what looked good. The wind was very slight but seemed to be blowing down to the "deep end" , the one furthest from the car park. Needless to say it was also the one with fewest people on it. None of the six lakes at Nordley are that big so it isn't the trek it sounds.

I had a quick look at nordley 2 but decided there were too many "noisy" anglers there, seemed to be having conversations at full volume across two swims. Each to their own I suppose but I like a bit of peace, so I can listen to my MP3 player in peace.

So , as is not uncommon with me, I ended up at exactly the same swim as yesterday because it just felt "right". No change to the tactivs from yesterday either . Threw in hemp and soaked mini pellets under a tree overhanging the right of the swim then set up for surface fishing.

It was another great day as I think I've bust my best bag in a day record by a mile and a half. Six fish, lowest I estimated at 5lb. As for the biggest I haven't a clue. It was BL@@DY heavy and barrel shaped. My scales were at home as I suspect they are knackered, a check on some kitchen scales showed they were badly under reading (that's my excuse).

So I'll leave you lot to give and estimate for the biggest. It's on a chub unhooking mat, there's a Akuma Opti-drag reel (these have been a revelation) in the picture. I don't have a clue. I'm going to claim 15 but might be over or under .

I'm estimating the total as about 50lb+.
We're off camping next weekend but I might have to take Molly to the Staffs-Worcester for a quick maggot bash. Of course we could also give the Stour a go in the summer now as I've only fished it in the winter.

All them blank days getting back in to the swing of it seemed to have paid of and I'm looking forward to a great summer .

Piccys follow.

This was probably slightly bigger than the average size , but not by much.

This is the one I have no idea of the weight, photo just about gets over the barrel shape.

Cheers , now I'm going to break out the Fursty ferret and golden champoion and badger myuself to sleep .

The other revelation was just how useful a pair of binos are for seeing what is going on, I think I might have looked like a camo'd perv' but it is amazing how much more you can see. I saw the evidence of carp slowly moving just under the surface that I just couldn't see with the naked eye.

Oh and I found where I'd put the last loud of sandeels I used in cornwall too, phew ! ponged and in my camo' jacket pocket too.