Another productive week with a really big fish falling at the end of the week.

Monday morning l had a meeting at Cemex H/O to collect the trophy and cheque from Roo Newby for winning the Cemex Species Challenge. It was a competition l really enjoyed entering; it was just a shame that it created very little interest and understandably won’t be running this season.

Monday night l nearly headed off too Little Moulsham, but the heavy overnight rain meant the rivers would be high and coloured and with a full moon as well as atmospherics below 1000mb for the first time in months l decided to go eel fishing on the Loddon, but not before pre-baiting the crucian lake.

The fields were flooded as l pushed the trolley across them and not for the first time had to question my sanity but the river looked perfect and l knew things would happen. The swim l choose is on some low ground and on my arrival was under a few inches of water but theirs a small hump at the back that allowed me to set up camp. I thought the river would be fining down but it was still rising, only slowly some twenty-four hours after the rain. It wasn’t long before my lobworm hookbait was picked up but the hook pulled on what felt like a good eel, however minute’s later l was away again and a 4lb 5oz eel fell into the net. Things then went quiet for a few hours before a short period produced six screamers, all of which l missed. The reason for missing the bites was probably due to having to strike them whilst laying on my bedchair. This was because the water had risen and l was slowly becoming surrounded by water. Luckily the water only rose another inch during the night, enough though to cover even the ground under my bedchair. A bite at first light produced a bream around 7lb before l decided to head home for a couple of hours shut eye. Not the most comfortable night and probably my last on the river this year for eels.

Tuesday night was far more comfortable as it was spent in the Social Swim at Westhampnett in the company of good friend Steve ‘Donut’ Ansell. Unfortunately our rigs intended for the bream went un-noticed which at least allowed for a good nights kip.

Thursday after dropping the girlfriend off l headed to the river Loddon for a few hours roving with the method-lead. It wasn’t long before my Sonubaits Hemp and Spicy Sausage pellet covered in the same of paste was picked up from a modest barbel. Three swims later one of a similar size followed but it wasn’t until after dropping back into the first swim, after covering another three swims that the tip once again flew round and after a right old battle landed the biggest barbel in the stretch, all 15lb 3oz of her!