Waiting for the thaw; Early season planning

The scenario at the end of April, still iced up and unfishable at a point by which we are often already active. A really late cold snap this year has held up the fishing season by a few weeks...

It's been tough waiting for the winter to end, though planning has begun for an early season assault on various species. Ed plans predators at a favoured site of his, in the past he has had some cracking Zander and Perch, as well as good numbers of Pike, though he is still waiting on that elusive twenty pounder. Also close by him are a couple of interesting small waters which may hold good Rudd and Bream...

Early May and a sudden and quite rapid thaw. The water is still very cold at this point though, a few early trips to a number of venues drew blanks...

I plan a campaign for big Rudd first of all and have identified a location which I know has good fish in May at least. These are among my favorite fish and I would dearly love to get a specimen or two. Always the possibility of a big Bream, Roach or perhaps a surprise along the way...

The first warm days of the year saw a lot of inactivity, by both fish and on occasion, the fishermen. Andy Shaw here catching a few Z's on a slow early season session. The only fish hooked on this session shed the hook, it was on my rod and was most likely a Sik, judging from the rapid runs...

Andy wil be concentrating in a large Stillwater close by his home, which could prove excellent. It certainly has the potential to produce big specimens, with Bream, Rudd, Zander, Perch and Pike perhaps the most likely species to grow large there..

It will hopefully come good for us all, indeed Ed had this fine Pike whilst we were fishing one of our target waters, a long lean fish that went over 9lb. The same day we had a huge number of Roach, with a few over half a pound. The season is underway, we have gathered our tackle, done the research and are now anxious to get fishing, watch this space...