Weed

Nothing clever or witty about this title. Its time to face the truth; we have a weed problem.

Those who are familiar with the Lagoon/Back Lake/Wickies/WCL ('Wicksteed Carp Lake' abbreviated to look cool and hip), will tell you one of three things when asked about it;

1. "Its a good Tench water"
2. "Used to have a massive Pike in it" (Nelson, was it?)
3. Its weedy.

At least 2 of those statements are still true, and this post focuses on the latter.

Now, before anyone feels compelled to either try to help or, worse, moan about the state of aquatic flora in our much adored swamp, please understand that if you can think of it - we have in all likelihood tried it. Including (but not limited to) lake dye, raking, barley straw, trailing blades and bad language.

Whilst the weed on the bottom of the lake can be overcome by simply fishing accordingly, it is the surface stuff that really slows us down. I go to bed one night in March and all is well, only to wake up the following morning to find a football pitch where the lake used to be.

This filamentous algae, or loft insulation as I prefer to call it, is my nemesis. I have lost so many hours of my life in the effort to control this dammed stuff - when I'm not out on Mad Max (see above) trying to shift it, I'm hatching my next plot to control it.

Despite my despondency, we have concocted some reasonably effective means of collecting it off the surface. The problem isn't so much gathering it up, but getting it out of the lake and disposing of it. The latter part of that bargain falling to stalwart volunteers with pitchforks and rake in hand. To say its labour intensive is an understatement.

Alas, we crack on in our mission to control this vile green beast, and until somebody offers a cost effective solution, the Weed Boat 2.0 rules the waves.