Cock Up

I hadn't realised our time in Holland coincided with a Dutch bank Holiday....on a Thursday.  So, lots of people take the Friday to make it a long weekend. 

We'd stayed at the site on the Waal, or to give it its full title, The Mighty Waal ( apologies to Pete Wylie ), for four days and when I came to pay, the campsite owner asked where we were heading.

"Probably a bit further  north" I said."

 You've nowhere booked ?" She said, in horror.

" Its a big Dutch holiday,  everywhere is booked up ! We're booked up. Everyone booked up ! "

Half hour on the phone to various campsites confirmed she was right. Oh dear.

In the end she said we could stay on an "unofficial" pitch she sorted out for us. 

Good ol' gal.

Bit disappointed as we'd planned to check out a site by a canal that produces grass carp and asp, but the best laid plans, etc.

Actually, poor planning on my part. I always make it up as I go along. And usually get away with it.

Never mind. I'm catching lots of very big ide, bluenose and those smeggy bream.

The ide are absolute suckers for a method feeder loaded up with a tennis ball sized bit of groundbait with seed and corn, fished in the margins. 6" hooklink, no 10 Guru feeder hook, push stop and corn.

That's enough technical stuff. 

Several times the rod was nearly pulled out my hands after casting, without even having  chance to put it in the rest. They definitely home in on the sound and cloud of the feeder going in.

On the downside I can't find those big roach. I've had one well over a pound but thats it.

The fecking wind is doing my head in though, it's been relentless.

Good news is that forecast says its dropping off a bit tomorrow.  We'll see.

The predator season is opening on Saturday,  so we'll gave a day after asp and zander before heading home.