Good Evening.

After a long night’s sleep I woke this morning feeling like a fully charged Duracell battery, only without the copper hair and a black body, I might add! I knew I had a small mountain of work to get through, and as no rescue services were coming to my aid, I started the job of emptying my bivvies, pulling out ground sheets, and putting everything out to dry. The sun eventually made its way through the dawn clouds, and it was helped along the way with an encouraging: “Come on,” from myself! The sun has amazing powers and as soon it appeared I was suddenly in a great mood, and I think I may have even smiled for a moment? The dogs took full advantage of yesterday’s arrival of new sticks and foilage in the muddy water, and were off searching for items to chew, and in Charley’s case – eat. My dogs have become quite wild in their own unique way when outdoors, and I love to see them that way. It meant I was left to my own devices and I soon had most things back in order and the kettle went on for the first cuppa of the day.

I had a text this morning from a friend who is paying me a visit tomorrow and bringing me a few useful items. Food wise during the session I am eating a combo of fresh and jar type food. Pasta is easy to keep and so are the sauces to go with it, although most of mine are made with a tomato base and to this my other ingredients are added such as tuna for example. Meat is the food item I really enjoy and fresh meat, providing it is red, will generally keep for a week, as long as it is kept somewhere cool. Pork and chicken are bought occasionally but I will always eat these first, as they tend to go off much quicker. Sometimes the rancid smell is just bacteria on the surface and a quick wash will usually get rid of that. If it still smells a bit iffy after a wash, then it has gone off and the bin is the best place, or I may boil it and give it to the dogs. As an occasional food technology teacher, we were always taught to trust your nose when it comes to food! (If it smells rotten give it to the kids and keep the good stuff for yourself!!)

Back in February you may remember I went to the Carp Italy show in Mantova. It was good to catch up with a few people I know and also some of the new people I have met in Italy. One of these was Daniele Pallilo who was working on the Nick’ 95 stand for Meccanica Vadese. They manufacture rod pods and they really are rather special. I met Daniele at Pusiano and he was using one whilst fishing, and whilst rod pods aren’t for everyone, they do serve a purpose on some lakes and rivers when it is not possible to use banksticks. I always advise taking both on any pioneering public water trip as there is nothing worse than finding your swim has hard rock and banksticks suddenly seem rather useless. I still use banksticks when it suits the situation but a pod is my tool of choice on most public waters and they certainly have many advantages over the humble stick.

Bruno, Daniele, Flash, Marco and Charley!!

Very happy indeed!

Meccanica Vadese very kindly offered to give me one of their Nick’ 95 pods at Carp Italy and they promised to let me know when it was ready – all I had to do was choose the colour I wanted. I opted for the ‘bling’ camouflage version of which they do two shades, brown and green; and I left it at that. Last week they called me and said they would like to bring it to me at the lake I was fishing at, so that is exactly what happened today. After a five hour drive (!) they arrived shortly after 11am and I nipped down in my boat to pick them up. Marco and his father Bruno accompanied Daniele and they bought two pods with them, just in case I had changed my mind and I now wanted a black model. I made the guys a strong coffee and we ate some amazing cakes that one of them had bought and then we got down to business and set up the new pod. The features this rod pod has over the competition are staggering and the engineering and build quality is second to none. Meccanica Vadese originally started making guns when the company was formed, so you can appreciate the craftmanship that goes into each and every pod, which are hand-made by the way. If you want to know more about the range of rod pods that Meccanica Vadese make, then go to their website  link on My links. They are in the process of having a few website pages translated into English and I will also be adding them to my associates pages tomorrow.

A pod with a difference!

...and the personal touch!

After the guys left I got back to finishing off what I had started when a new visitor arrived. A local carp angler who was keen to see if I had had any success. “It is too cold at the moment,” were his words. “The lake fishes better when it is hot.” “Tell me about it,” I replied. However, he obviously has not come across a hardcore British carp angler before, and have one out in the cold I shall! The friendly carp angler duly left and promised to return another day.

As the time ticked away I finished all my dirty chores and then I sat down for the first time with a welcome brew. The dogs were appreciating their nice dry beds, and in particular, the sun that was shining in through the doorway. I contemplated leaving the rods for the night but determination got the better of me and I quickly went out and checked them all in turn. I attached new hookbaits and scattered a couple of handfuls of bait around each and as I returned to shore and put on the backleads, the light just started to fade. Perfect timing you might say!

Tomorrow I am going searching for some new spots to try. I will GPS my other spots as I have faith in them, but for one week I am going to try some new areas. I am positive once some warm weather arrives and stays for about a week, then things will start to pick up, but, with the colder water temperatures (currently about 8-9) and the obvious lack of carp, there is always the chance that a few big girls might turn up for a quiet munch!!

Fingers crossed eh!

Back tomorrow.

Jake and the dog pods!