.......Let's cross that bridge.............

...........any time we bleeding well like!!!!!!!

Fishing today on the wonderfully named Nooky Hollow.......for the first time in ages I drew a good peg............number 1.......first peg on the lake....beside the footbridge.......with a reed bed to the right under the bridge.

Fish....carp in particular.......... like reed beds........it gives them some cover......and they can nip out and grab passing bait.

Anglers like reed beds.........they know the carp hang out there..........so if you can fish close to the bed you stand a good chance of catching........and catching good fish......and plenty of them.

As you can see from my sketch map the two lakes are joined....but it is possible to walk all the way round without crossing the bridge.

A few weeks ago Shaun drew peg 1........and won the match...........no one crossed the bridge that day............in fact because we had a match no one fished on any of the pegs on Benson's creek that where near to the bridge.

In the first hour today.........no one crossed the bridge.......I fished in the spot indicated by the red cross...........and I caught 4 carp........in the next three and a half hours the bridge was crossed 27 times!!!!!......mainly by kids.....who were not in the least bit dainty, quiet or cautious as they did so.

In the last half hour.............the kids knew the match was due to finish soon.......so five of them lined the bridge........nattering away........bouncing up and down............and constantly asking me........"Have you caught many?"......"When's the match finished?"......."What you using for bait?"............on and bloody on.

I did try the little reed bed to the left of my peg........I hooked a big carp........but it snapped the line and vanished with a big splash..............so that was the end of that as a catching spot.

Suffice to say in that last four hours I caught only three more fish............I saw loads of others swirling away from the reeds............and I didn't win the match.....I didn't even come close.............I did wonder though about why I'm a teacher.....and a coach....when bloody teenagers get on my bloody wick so much!!!!!!

Das vidanya moy padruga.