Saturday February 13th, my mates Steve,Nelson and myself decided against going to fish the river dane at Middlewich due to the weather during the week.We decided to pay another visit to Heskin Old Hall Farm and I loaded the van up on a mildish morning, it was dry and we were soon on our way heading for Wrightington.

When we arrived at Heskin the weather was a lot colder than our village, in fact there was ice & frost in the fields as we drove along the lanes leading to Heskin. I chose to fish pool 3 while Steve and Nelson opted for pool 2, pool 3 is well stocked with fish but a little slower in winter, I fancied a challenge and made my way across the field

Peg choices were limited due to the light covering of ice on the water, as I was the first angler to the water I could have my pick of the 2 pegs that did not require the ice breaking.I chose one that would allow me to fish with the waggler or bomb upto the island.This peg was also being warmed by the rising sun and needed only a small amount of work to clear any floating ice.

Tactics were pole for starter and I fed a small amount of micro pellets , hookbait was breadpunch on a size 18 hook.Due to the sun rising into my face I had to start with a swim at approx 11 o'clock .I was at 7 metres with hookbait on the bottom at approx 5 feet, my first bite was ever so slight and when I struck I thought I had snagged on the bottom, then the elastic started to come out of the pole and I was into a carp.

After about 5 minutes the fish was in the landing net, this was a good start approx 3lb carp and not expected at this time of the year.After my good start the swim never came to life and I did not have another bite for over an hour which I missed.

It had been cold overnight and maybe this had some bearing on the swim.If the fish were not on the bottom then maybe they were mid water, so I put on a shallow rig and began to throw in maggots and hemp with maggots as the hook bait.

I fished this method for about an hour without any bites, and it was now approaching midday with only one fish on the bank.I was struggling so on went a small bomb and in went maggots and hemp fired upto the island.I cast up just short of the island and time went by without any bites and then I had one, it was a very small roach but it was a fish.The rod I use is a small garbolino pocket rocket quiver tip rod ,it's ideal for winter fishing for skimmers and roach due to it being very sensitive.After this fish it was hard work so time for a re-think.

The sun had come out so I thought it was time to try the waggler, I set up the rod with a decent size waggler that would get me upto the island.I had a 3lb hooklength attached to a swivel and size 18 spade end hook.I fired in some casters, hemp and loose magggots,I guessed at a depth of 18inch and cast towards the island.Within 20 seconds I had a bite but missed it.

Several more bites came in quick succession and I managed to hook a fish, it was another small roach but was the first action I'd seen for a while.Changing to the waggler seemed a good choice and I began to catch steadily and bites were one a chuck. Caster was the bait that was producing the good sized roach and I had about half a dozen between 8 and 10oz

The fishing was not as good as previous weeks but we had a good day out at Heskin, I also had a friend for the day in the way of a robin who kept coming down behind me for a few maggots.