Donno 2017

To a day ticket for a change and a local one at donno. I meet up with Colin and a couple of his work mates who want some help sorting there rigs and bits and bobs. We only fished the afternoon on a Friday so if you know the place you will know it gets hammered so there was a few on when we turned up. Colin was already down there when I got there so I just jumped in the swim next to him Colin was not fishing just helping the lads out. I had a chuck to the far margin which is lined with reeds and good spot to start, I wanted a couple of rigs really tight to these reeds so I clipped up and used the distance sticks to be as accurate as possible. I then put out about a kilo and half of boilies along the reeds which took a while with a throwing stick and one boilie at a time, I wanted to make sure they all went where I wanted them well some did end up in the reeds lol. After a couple of hours there had been a few fish showing short of my margin spot by about three rod lengths. I did move both rods and put them around the area the fish started showing but after a good hour nothing happened. Time for a change with the fish still showing on the same area and no take, I shouted over to Colin to tie me a five foot zig up with a little pop-up. He had all the zig kit with him so he soon had the perfect zig ready to go. I only changed one rod over to a zig and put this in the area they were showing. After ten minutes the zig was off with a lovely little common. I soon had another zig tied up and both rods out there in the area. But the weather changed with a few minutes of good rain which stopped them topping, a while after the rain the fish started showing again but this time proper crashing tight against the reeds on my bait so one rod was changed back to a bottom rig and put on the spot tight to the reeds and again a few minutes after the rod was off and this time it was a better fish. After a good battle in open water the fish was soon getting close to the bank and huge reeds on my bank lucky for me Colin was on the scene ready to land the fish.

As usual Colin ended up with wet foot as he stepped out to far to get the fish in the net lol good old Colin. This was a better fish and a good looking one shy of the twenty mark but still a good capturer. Nothing else happened in the next hour so I decided to call it a day and get off, I asked the other lads fishing if they had owt and only one lad had a run but lost it so not a bad days fishing then bonus.  

The Railway pit for the last time.

My last visit to the railway pit before my ticket runs out. There is only one reason why am not getting this again is the bailiff, to be honest hes a real pain. I hope in the future I can return here with my lad and enjoy this place like my Grandad, Uncles and mum that have fished this very lake in the past. Well on to the session I turned up late one evening to find the lake empty which was a bonus as I want to get a bed of bait down on a spot ready for a first light session. I was still in the time limit for the lake as this is a day only water. Arriving at a old spot I fished regular in the past I could tell it had not been fished for a while or someone is covering there tracks well. Its a great spot to fish from you can almost see the whole lake from here. I returned the next morning just before first light with a empty car park bonus for the weekend. The lake was deadly quiet apart from the waking birds not a fish in sight but confidence was high for a bite so I got the gear set up and two rods on the spot. I sat back and watched the sun rise at the far side of the lake, its nice to sit and take these moments in and people wonder why I get up at silly times to go catch a fish well thats just part of the bigger picture. I sat for while watching the water and then the right rod ripped off and I was in to a angry fish, after a healthy battle and one last lunge for the snag on my left I slipped the around my prize.

Buzzing away I lifted the net to have a little look and was surprised the fish was not a lot bigger after that scrap still pleased with my self I left the fish to rest before taking a mug shot. After slipping the fish back I repositioned to the rod on the spot and sat back for a little while hoping to get a quick bite but it didnt happen so I was pleased to leave the lake with my last capture. As I loaded the kit in the car the bailiff turned up at the gate and again asked me for my ticket its not like he didnt know who I was as he said my name when I asked, well I showed him my ticket and left without kicking off lol.