With the cold weather breaking I decided a trip to the Small Lake was called for and the only way to get there was with the twins, so said the wife!

All the club waters are ‘local’ (within Mid-Sussex) and therefore within the current lockdown regulations but in this occasion I chose the Small Lake knowing the girls would be with me and also for the perch it holds – up to 4lbs.

With this in mind the set up was to be one rod for perch and one for carp and as we drove there I explained to the girls our tactics – chopped worm and ground bait for the perch and a small pop-up and bag of pellets to tempt a carp.

We arrived just before lunch and I got everything ready as the girls sat on the bedchair with their packed lunches. We chose a couple of likely looking spots (fishing one and feeding the other) along the reed line for carp and some snags for the perch rod.

Soon we were fishing for the first time this year and the first time in lockdown 3.

Looking back the lockdowns have had a massive impact on life and #mycarplife. One of the first things I did in Lockdown 1 was buy a Disney+ subscription and that proved one of the best purchases to keep the girls entertained. And with a massive catalogue of films there is plenty of magic – old and new.

Unbelievably we are coming around to renewing the subscription and we have lived with Covid-19 for almost a year – officially – but I think it was in the country around December 2019.

While mulling this over and drinking coffee the float and alarm were stationary, not a twitch or bleep – time to move on.

Two swims over was the other reed line where I had dropped a small amount of bait in and another perchy looking spot – so we moved got another hot chocolate on the go and watched the water for winter signs of fish. Would there be magic to be had? A sprinkle of pixie dust would not go amiss!

The reed line looked good with the winter sun adding a glow to the straw coloured stems and a light westerly pushing in, raising a ripple on the surface, it was ideal.

Despite not seeing anything I was hopeful and a series of bleeps from the alarm raised our hopes as I lifted the rod only to find the hook had not connected.

By 4pm, what little warmth in the day had ebbed away, and it was time to pack up and head home for a family film. Having spent the afternoon in ‘Neverland’ we needed something with more action so agreed on Star Wars. Let’s hope the ‘force’ is strong on our next fishing adventure – a more up to date pixie dust where magic is concerned.

Tightlines and subscription lines.