July arrives and I manage to get out on the Friday for a couple of hours at High Penn (9:30 to 11:30), this time opting for the second swim on the west bank.

I had taken just the margin pole as previously but was surprised to find only 4foot of water whereas it was more than twice the depth on the opposite bank. Feeding loose feeding corn and wheat I had a bite after about ten minutes from a rudd and that was how it continued with regular bites from just in front resulting in 16 rudd and a solitary perch all on corn for a calculated 2-11 total.

The next Tuesday sees me brave Bowood between 9 and 12 but I was amazed at the increase in the weed growth, even peg 5 that I had previously raked was covered and unfishable without a long effort with the rake. Given the weather I whimped out and went to peg 10 where I ran the rake through several times .

It was a funny session with the sun burning on my back but a cool breeze coming right to left cooling my front! I fed three balls of groundbait with loose fed wheat and apart from one cast fished corn on the 16 hook rather than maggot, topping up the groundbait with a single ball every 45 minutes or so. The action was consistent if frustrating as the small rudd were attacking the corn en masse as they couldn’t get it into their mouths resulting in me bulk shotting the 0.6g rig to try and get past them. I ended up with 19 rudd, 4 small skimmers and two roach for a weighed total of exactly 3-00.

Friday, the last chance to go before Gareth arrives (I had pulled out of the final leg of the Summer League once I knew that a journey to Gatwick was needed!) I opted for the Pondtail, simply due to the fact that I could get back to the car easily once the heat started to build! Starting at 8:05 I managed to get to 9:35 before packing up and retreating to the car which showed a temp of 28C.

The repaired bridge and the weed growth that has spread.

I had just taken the ten foot Frenzee waggler and fished a couple of rod lengths out with a homemade peacock waggler with a 0.12 hooklength and 16 hook, loose feeding wheat with double maggot on the hook. I did bump a few more fish than usual but ended up with 8 roach and 2 perch for a weighed 1-02.

The last session Gareth had before leaving China was on the Shiqi river spinning and getting an asp.

A few joint sessions coming up!