11th October

Usual lark, check the weather forcast, schumacher it home from work, launch tackle into car, snort weetabix and down to lake. The place was relatively quiet, just a couple of guys on the near side so went for the usual shinanigins and beded in on far side, away from other noisy anglers. NWBlanker was on for the night, so company was good.

Same old same old, left hander to margin, right to middle . Changed the baiting strategy slightly though and used an inferior homemade on the LHR and a some crushed boilies PVAd on the RHR. A very quiet evening ensued, the silence broken by carp crashing infront of NWB. Fell asleep about 9pm under a murky sky. I awoke at 11ish to the sound of things moving in the reeds infront of me, the moon was out and no clouds showed, a beautiful evening, but not one that lends to carp (IMO). Watching quietly for a while at the reeds, it became clear the rats were going mental, maybe they were fighting, maybe they were moonlight induced rutting! Either way got a good photo of one cool looking fella sat at the top of a bullrush on lookout.

The rats went to bed and so did I. 5.45 I awake feeling cold, seconds later i get a run on the RHR. Negociate the ramp comfortably as I was unusually awake at run time, and lift into a fish that feels average. The fish fights ok, but nothing to worry about. The net slips under her and a nice mid to upper double common is mine. Back on the mat and the fish ways 17lbs 9oz, again pristene, as good as new! A couple of photos for memories and back to the lake.

6.30am, rods in pack up and off to work. I need to win the lottery !

15th Sept
Afternoon session at the lake with NWB, promised the ladyfriend I'd be back for 10.30. Typically when working to a timescale the fish know. Didn't see anything move, crash, swirl or even fart till 9.30 at which they started moving down the lake. Needless to say 10.30 turned to 11pm and I couldn't stick it out for them to arrive over my baits any longer.

Blank. Why were the fish not on the feed? With next weeks 48hr sesh preparations for big bed of bait in full swing, slight worring began.


18th Sept
Runs water to test home made pop-ups. Result 3 hours, two runs - one lost the other a mid double. The fish were behaving odd though, after dark many were stacked in the shallow bay, crashing in the margins, similar to spawning. I am no fish behaviour expert in the days of global warming - so I cannot pass accurate comment on what these shows were all about. In my head these fish were happy though, which in turn made me happy - simple intit.


22 - 24 Sept
Big sesh (for me) on lake. Shat loads of bait made and confidence of a big hit high. Met the blanker on far side chatting to one of the venue's successful anglers. No fish had been out all week till 4 on saturday to newcommers, begginers luck! The fish weren't showing as much anymore and the possibility of the big feed missed loomed large.

"Camp" was set up mid lake and spodding commenced, nice tight area filled in with particles and a couple of kg boilies. The strategy being if the feed was still on at some point over the next two days fish would move in, and I would begin hauling . One rod sent over bait and the other flung to middle with PVA bag of crushed bait.

After a while, just into darkness, it became clear there were fish infront and mainly to my right in the mid water. At 10.30 the PVA rod one tones. I hit the run sharpish and begin to play a carp at distance. The carp begins to kite right and towards me until all goes slack, I wind in franticly thinking its bolting into my feet only to realise its slipped the hook and won the fight. Gutted I retire to the Bivvy to rebait, recast rods and attempted to retire to the bivvy, only to be collared by an expectant audience wanting to know where I cast, what bait I was using and what fish I'd had out ever in my whole life. Didn't want to play 'mines bigger than yours' so single word answers only .they soon left

Day two came and went, no fish out over the whole lake, had a relaxing time though

Last day brought beautiful sunshine, but no signs of fish until around 2pm when two beeps came from the now pop-up rod. Usually I ignore these occurances as liners, but thought maybe they've gone shy. I struck the rod to feel unexpectedly something pull back! Reeling in the lump kited but never really struggled, Bream me thinks! Ten yards out off it goes, taking line and ending the rod, yeah, a sleepy carp I think, until I catch a glimpse in the clear water or a grassy about 2 foot long. It fought for a bit but lost interest after 5 mins or so, netted, went to weigh it as being a first grassy for me it would be a PB, but upon seeing more dribble than a Cranage Hospital day out (target audience) back to the water it went with an estimate weight of 11lbs. Them things are wierd!

Packed up for dusk only to see the fish start crashing on the opposite bank and a newcommer take what looked like a big mirror (light was poor so unsure).

The amount of bait I brought home signals, for me, the end of the summer and the end of the feeding. Winter tactics from now to be used. Hopefully this years winter is better than the 3 month blank I put together last year!

Keep at it mate, you seem to be on the right lines, but if I were you, I'd stop worrying about bait and use the same one for consistency.

Cheers JKulin.

I'll be keeping at it, but scaling down the amount of bait going in. I have a bottom bait that I've been using now with success for a couple of months but I am loathe to paying Mr Mainline/Solar/anyone £6.99 for 50 odd balls of coloured floaty stuff. Plus, its back to the old addage that catching on your own homemade concoctions is more satisfying than on a shop bought bait. Hence the pop-up trials.

I think I'm there now for bait, this season was about testing and tweeking and finding a bait suitable for that water. Next season is about picking a spot and as you say consistency. Winter will be hard but i'm confident that if I find the fish, I'll bank a few.

It's all good, fishings fantastic!

Fishing that is, blog first, surfing later

27th October
Evening on local lake, where the fish were was stitched and didn't want to ruin the guy who i'd fish next to's chances so fished away from the lines, or so I thought. Top end, no-one on my bank, chance of a lone fish I think. Set up, cast one to the right on a single and then one to the left about 35 yards out. "OI You can't fish there, your five yards away from me" comes the shout. Confused as I was on my own I scanned the lake only to see on the far side some plank waving at me. "thats three quarts across" I half shouted back not wanting to scare any fish infront off. The guy just stands there lookin at me so I wound in and slat it further away from the pilchard, knowing that a noddy who had cast that far across infront of one of the night pegs would be fishing bow strings, thus cutting the lake in two and cutting the carp off from me!

Why are people like that still turning up? He then stealthily throws 15 monster balls of groundbait the size of shot putts in to his left about 20 yards out, probably scaring any lone fish further away from that end of the lake (Them frikin mags have too much to answer for - day ticket carp supermarkets yes, heavily pressured sensitive lakes NO).

Needless to say not a bleep, not a swirl, not a fish. Enjoyed the firework displays in the night skies though.

Hopefully these inconsiderate anglers are getting their last sessions in before the tackle goes in the loft, leaving the lake to us committed individuals.

29th October
Quick sesh on runs water, 1 run, lost. Blank, very upset, first blank on this water, but the fish weren't feeding well.

Some places never change mate .. im sure the d1cks will dissapear come winter .. nice and quiet for you then

Keep at em ..

Quote:

---

im sure the d1cks will dissapear come winter

---

They all shrivel and disappear when it's cold