My previous trip to the Clay Pit was when the rivers were very low because of lack of rain. This latest trip was because the rivers were over their banks as a result of almost incessant rain. The weather certainly seems to have gone haywire, or should I say the climate? It was a gamble to try the small stock pond because my only other winter visit there had resulted in a blank. But I thought a few days of slightly milder weather might have encouraged the tench to feed. There were a couple of carp anglers on the main lake but it was otherwise pretty deserted.

I set up in the spot I usually fish, which was looking a bit barren with the reeds cut low and exhibiting their dreary winter livery. I put in a few maggots before I started tackling up, and catapulted in small helpings of maggots throughout the session. I didn't have to wait long for a bite, which to be honest surprised me, and it turned out to be a very small perch. Not the target species but at least fish were feeding.

In fact I didn't have to wait that long for my first tench. A fiddly bite resulted in firm resistance when I struck and I was sure that a tench was on. It fought well considering what must have been pretty chilly water, which can make the fish quite lethargic. I didn't weigh it but would have put it as an upper 2lb, possibly just making 3lb. A brilliant start.

After this I started catching small roach and rudd, which were to feature throughout the session. This was probably the result of drip feeding maggots into the swim. But at times the bites from these smaller fish dropped off, which I think was because bigger fish had moved into the swim.

On one such occasion, and after seeing a few bubbles rise, I hooked into my second tench. It was a bit smaller than the first one but still gave a spirited account of itself. It was still only around 10.30 so I had been fishing less than an hour and a half. A really unexpected but very welcome start to the session.

The silvers continued to bite on and off, with many apparently unmissable bites yielding nothing on the strike. I think they were small fish possibly not fully mouthing the bunch of maggots.

More bubbles appeared and on one occasion were around the float. Soon after a bite led to fighting resistance from what was clearly another tench, this one really battling with numerous attempts to reach the marginal reeds. But I was using strong tackle and ultimately it was netted. It was indeed the biggest fish to that point and I weighed it at 3lb 14oz. It was just after midday and I had landed three tench, an outcome far removed to what I might have expected when I arrived.

Once again there were bites from silvers that were more often than not missed, with only a small number being hooked. And then once more my float found itself a few inches from some rising bubbles, and again the subsequent bite resulted in firm resistance on the strike. But this time the fish came of after only a short while. It felt like another tench but it wasn't to be. It was about one o'clock at this point and I was starting to feel the effects of sitting still in the cold for getting on for four hours. So I decided that I would pack up at around 13.30.

The silvers continued to tease the float but there were to be no more tench. But I wasn't complaining. The session had wildly exceeded expectations and I packed up very contented if rather colder than I would have liked. The car heater quickly came to the rescue.