The planned trip to Mill Farm Fishery in search of record silver bream with Alan Stagg had to be delayed a week so having my catfish rods ready to go I headed to Yateley Split Lake. Surprisingly it was very quiet with just one other angler on and I was able to settle back in my favoured position. With two rods aimed at cats and the other rod fished with a small boilie and pellets pressed around the lead l was confident of some action as fish were moving even on an un-favoured north wind. Just into darkness the first bream came to the boilie along with three others to 9lb 3oz, however it was a run at 1-30am to the worms that I would have loved to have landed as a catfish was played and lost close in.

Thursday I returned for my last trip to the Split for the season and as expected things were beginning to get busy. A few cats had fed on Tuesday night so my hopes were high, however with most areas tied up I dropped into catfish alley, a swim known for cats but one that hadn’t been kind to me in the past. Four good bream came in the night, the best 9lb 5oz to the rod fished with a 10mm Sonubaits Crab & Crayfish boilie, however apart from one stuttery take at first light, the worm rods went unnoticed.

Friday I travelled up to Sky Sports to appear on Tight Lines, which went very well and will appear on the television on the 30th of April.