Sunday night the rain came, heavy and relentless however l thought this extra water would improve the zander fishing at Old Bury Hill for my Monday afternoon session. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect and we arrived to find the lake almost over its banks and coloured. Three of us fished along the lawn bank for over four hours but not one bite was forth coming so we left early than what was planned.

Looking at the cost of diesel, day tickets, bait along with targeting big fish l've decided to concentrate my efforts closer to home. It was really a choice between travelling further a field to try and up my personal bests, which would mean less fishing to compensate for the expense or to just, enjoy catching big fish at the cost of probably not increasing these. One session a week just isn’t enough so its back to getting a constant bend through my rod from venues l know well. Just like everybody else outgoings are going up whilst income is staying the same so its time to tighten the belt and ride the storm as effectively as l can.

Tuesday l looked at the cost of last weeks perch session as well as the session on the river Test the previous week and worked out that each of these to have cost around £50. Looking at a venues closer to home l worked it out that £50 would cover the cost of bait and diesel to not only fish a lake but also pre-bait it as well for a period of two weeks so its back to rudd fishing at Frensham for me and that evening l spodded out a kilo of Sonubaits hemp and a pint of maggots into my chosen swim.

Wednesday l had booked in a feature for ‘Tight Lines’ on the river Wey but due to the rains of Sunday and Monday night, which had left the river high and coloured, l thought that l had bitten off more than l could chew! Luckily the river rises and drops quickly in Farnham so when l arrived Wednesday morning, expecting the river to be un-fishable, l was greeted to one that was fining down, although in its very early stages. It took me forty minutes, probably over one hundred trots with the stick float to get a bite only to drop the dace that had given me hope. Patience is the key in catching, as well as confidence in what l was doing, and knowing the swim-contained fish all l could do was fish to the best of my ability. Time unfortunately is the element that we have no control over, however the fishing gods were on my side and slowly but steadily the swim was built, eventually coming good for the cameras.
 
With the feature completed l managed to leave in time to head of and bait up Frensham for my planned Friday night session.

Thursday l headed of to MBK Leisure with my father and brother in the hope of a big perch. It was a day that was booked a week or so ago so the pre-baiting program was placed on hold. Targeting one of the six lakes it soon became apparent that the head of perch wasn’t that great, although a big fish was always on the cards, so knowing l needed venues for forth coming features decided to take a roving approach onto the other lakes. Leap froging swims with prawn and worm eventually bought a response albeit late in the day in one of the other ponds, the culprit a 2lb 10oz perch that was quickly followed by perch of 1lb 12oz, 2lb, 2lb 2oz and 2lb 6oz, job done. My father and brother moved down and both caught two-pound perch in the fading light.

Friday l almost didn’t bother with rudd fishing because the temperature struggled to get above freezing all day but l needed to keep the bait going in and thought that as l was there might as well brave for a few hours. Spodding out a kilo of Sonubaits hemp plus a pint of maggots l couldn’t believe it when the indicator starting dancing soon after which was from a rudd of 2lb 5oz. The action was steady even with the temperature dropping to –2 and seven more rudd came including two more two’s of 2lb 1oz and 2lb 9oz. Unfortunately l had to cut the session short as everything started to freeze!