Check out Steve Burchell's latest report from East Pond.
Date: 02/08/2024
Peg number: 2,3,4,5,6,7
Weather: Hot and Humid air temp 19.2°C , water temp 19.3°C , humidity up in the high 50%
Bait: Maggots, Sweetcorn & Spam Set Up: 11ft float rod, 4lb line slider float, size 14 hook (guru QM1 ) lightly shot, hook allowed to drift down. Comments: only had four hours due to work, just a fun day to see what was about.
Time: 05:30
Changes if any: temperature starting to climb
I was going to start at peg 1 , didn't fancy the fight with the undergrowth. Peg 2, there is no need to fish further out then the length of the rod, small section of spam dropped right under the rod tip. Instant bites Rudd/ roach to 1/2lb. Maggots produce small perch if the Rudd don't get there first , sweetcorn (use two grains) will sort out the bigger fish.
Time: 06:30
Changes if any: Moved to peg 3. Fished between the lily pads, rod length again and this produced instant bites on any of the three above baits.
Lots of smaller perch if you fish the outer edge of the pads. Feed maggots and you will attract the eels, these are range from boot laces to 2lb. Don't think you are safe if you fish spam, they will take that as well, if the Rudd/roach don't get there first. Loading the hook end to try and get it passed the smaller fish works for about five minutes, Spam the size of you thumb nail, work better for the larger Rudd and Roach.
Time: 07:30
Changes if any: Moved onto peg 4, this is were the shorter rod comes into play, before you cast, look above your head, plenty of low tree branch's to catch your tackle. Move shot to sink the hook quicker, bites as soon as it hits the water, Rudd and Roach again, plus one small bream (about a1lb) all the above baits work a treat, it may seem strange, but watching a float dip and dive before plunging under is great fun. All the depths are roughly the same, fishing further out will require a Polaris float, as it drops down to nearly 7metres.
Time: 08:00
Changes if any: peg 5, 6 and 7, temp now up to 24°C water temp 20.3°C These are the easiest swims to fish, you still need to check above your head, for branch's and snags, (shorter rod). First cast on maggots, a small Crucian carp, all of 4 ozs, don't care as this was my first crucian and I couldn't be happier. Second cast another small Crucian about the same size, next cast right back into the Rudd and Roach. Changed over to sweetcorn and more Rudd, spam was the same. Still I did catch my first Crucian even if it was small, but it does show they appear to be breeding. Peg 7 left-side of the swim, larger Perch on maggot and sweetcorn.
Time: 08:30
Changes if any: Moved to Pegs 8 & 9.
I decided to have a fight with the undergrowth, was it worth it, simple answer is yes. This is where the larger Rudd/ Roach and Perch appear to hang out. Spam and two grains of sweetcorn will produce larger silver fish up to a couple of pounds. Glad I took a shorter rod because if you fish these pegs you will need it, well worth it for the larger fish.
Overall, was it worth fishing pegs for 1/2 hour before moving on, yes, you get plenty of action and lots of bites, and it helped me to locate the larger fish, for the larger Perch and Eels, peg 7 to the left there is an old tree in the water it is snaggy, but worth the effort.
Fun morning and well worth a trip, just remember, travel light of get one of those match-man trollies, it helps but it will still get caught up.
If you take no other bait 1/2 pint of maggots will do, and don't worry about the colour of them. Whites, reds, bronze they will take them all.
Tight lines.
Steve Burchell.
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