time to start up a little blog i think.
i'll backtrack a little while and then update you as and when.

it was sometime last year when i was struggling to get settled anywhere for the coming summer. i had nothing to interest me, and even if there were, i had no funds!

i dabbled on a small local pit and then explored a new lake with gin clear water, weedy as hell and lovely deep margins.
i baited a couple a of times and fished a few overnighters.

all too soon i remembered another lake that may hold a few nice carp.

to get to the lake i cut down my tackle to the extreme. it involved about a mile tek through some fields and woods. no barrow no tea kit.....no bedchair
two rods, a net, a small mat.

thinking back it was crazy, and very uncomfortable, but at least i was fishing a nice lake.

on my first trip i placed a pop up tight to this channel in the weed. a blatent patrol route.

some time in the night i had a carp taking line from a very tight clutch. it felt good and was destrying the weed in front of all the swim.
i thought i had it beaten, i looked away for a second and it powered off and into the very roots of the weed. i pulled as much as i dare....ping and out comes the hook.

the following week i tried again.
i could only fish the nights on this lake and had to shoot off about 6.30. you'll see where to later.

i walked to the lake....guess what mug left his alarms at home. not wishing to stay awake all night i had to get me dad to bring them down.....not a happy chappy.
in the hour it took for him to come, i looked around and found some nice carp holed in a a vast weedbed.
that'll do me i thought. got my rods ready, met my dad and cast out as close as i dared before it got too dark.
both baits on bottoms and stringers.

about 20 mins into nightfall im rewarded with a immaculate 15lb gorgeous common carp that fought for its life under the rod tip.
i got out the self take gear and took a few snaps before putting it back.


i caught a couple more that night and a few tench.
but i think by this stage i was happy to be fishing around all over the place and was never settled on a lake for very long.

just over the road from that lake is a group of four club lakes that can be fished on the day ticket.
perfect, somewhere to wet a line during the day.

all 4 lakes are cracking stalking venues where you can watch your quarry feeding on your bait.

the morning after i caught the common from the other lake i headed to this day ticket club water.
i walked around each and every lake, weighed up the options and decided to fish lake 4. i stayed over one side, but some movement by the lillies gave me itchy feet.
it didnt take long to pack up and move, and i soon had to bottom baits lowered off the rod tips to the pads. i slack lined and threw in a mixture of bloodworm pellet, chopped worm, crumbed boilie and whole boilie.

the carp seemed to move in straight away. although i couldnt see anything because of the coloured water, the lillies ''twitched'' every now and then.

i was expectant of a take. i baited some other spots just along the path by a rather large snag tree.
hours later still nothing.

out of the blue, i had the most urgent sounding run ive ever heard.
i ran to the rod and it felt good.
heavy determined lunges right under the pads. thank god for the strength 15lb GR60.
just when i thought it was going to come out, the hook flew out and embedded itself on a lilly stem! ho hum.

after losing that fish i didnt expect any other carp to hang around for too long, but on checking my other spot i could see at least three carp tearing up the bottom looking for every last morsel of food. getting the rig in was no problem, they were up to there gills in silt.

it wasnt long before i was playing a mid double common to the net



after catching one it was time to walk the lakes and look for another chance.
lake 2 was pretty busy that day, but i walked the bank and soon had two baits flicked along the margins.

i was sitting on my hands most of the time, i could see the slack line flickering on my right hand rod.

5 mins later, 12lb common in the net. happy days!

nice one rob , lets have some more mate

Yeh,and sort those slippers out sunshine

i concentrated on another lake for the time being. more a recce trip then anything, but after blanking horribly i needed to boost my confidence.
i headed off to the same stalking lake as before. i was going to stay for two nights this time, instead of just doing the days.

i started on lake 4, spread a kilo of bait around but only had a couple of match carp! not good.

all the lakes were still very busy but i still packed up and got the stalking gear out.
i have to carry my barrow with me because its a public lake, but all the essentials were thrown in a matt.

me and wayne, my mate, walked the lakes and found it was far to busy. so back to lake 4.
we both walked up the top end. from our elevated position i could see down into the water clearly....a carp flanked on the spot near an island.
i called the swim before wayne had the chance much to his displeasure.
i ran back grabbed my mat and placed a bottom bait with 3 bait stringer tight to some twitching reeds.

i looked to my right and noticed a couple of carp rooting in the silt.
god knows how i didnt spook them coming down the steps.
i needed a bait there.

throwing in half chops didnt do any good so i eneded up just casting a bait on top of them.
yep they spooked.
bugger.
well maybe they'll be back.
20 mins later i have a rod being dragged across the floor as the slack line is tight....and going round the dot island in the margin.
picking up the rod it was real hit and hold stuff, the carp splashing all on the surface as i turned him.
gradually he came back, and a nice fight followed.
i called wayne and he came running over to net the fish for me.

at 13lb it was a lovely lovely looking fish.


the lakes became rammed after this so i spent the day lounging on my bedchair and chatting to anybody that would listen!

come the evening the lakes started to clear, but before bed that night i threw in a good few handfuls of boilie when i caught the carp from earlier. i'll be back to check on that in the morning i thought.

i had nothing during the night, and i arrived at my prebaited swim before light.
i had a bait cast with a 2 bait stringer....wasnt happy with how it ''felt' so reeled it in and it was snagged on a twig. that was a lucky instinct.
another cast, and perfect.
i didnt have to wait long.

10 mins later and my line has tightened and screamed. again round the island. this one felt better. alot better. i didnt want to jynx it though.

an amazing fight followed and it wasnt long before a deep bodied mirror was laying beaten in the bottom of my net. i didnt expect such a nice carp from such a small day ticket lake.
the weight was recorded at just over 20lb. nice touch!


the funny thing is, i was there a few days later and i climbed a tree above some lily pads. i instantly noticed a half a tail fanning around inder the pads. some chops were thrown in and it wasnt long before i had three carp feeding with there back out the water on this small sandy ledge.

hookbait was lowered in at the appropriate time, and who should visit me again?
i had to get wet to land it though!

about a year ago i ordered some new rods.
they were century armalites in 2.25lb TC.
they took ages to build and ages for me to pay off. but i eventually managed it.
that week at work i couldnt decided where to go.
it came to friday and i was still in 4 minds.
i was buying some bait and bits and the guy behind the counter said my rods had arrived. do i want to take them home?

you bet i do! i could use them that night!
after putting them together in the shop and having a quick play around. i decided to fish a old haunt.
a water i fished alot during the winter.
i wasnt so keen on going back for the summer because of the crowds and i know the carp hate lines.

well it had been a while, and why not.

i arrived down the lake and noticed all the anglers up the other end....well three of them.
i set up in the deeper part. mistake! it had been a hot day and it was a ho night.
they just didnt move down my end at all.

in the morning i had a chat with one of the anglers fishing the other end.
i was really grateful for him filling me in on all what had been hapening and a move was on the cards with my new information.
the carp had been staying up that end for the last three weeks at least.
i set up halfway to the shallows because another angler was still fishing up there.

i cast out two bait stringers on both rods with my size 6 stiff riggers on bottom baits.

nothing happened untill 3 o clock that morning.
i was doing battle with my first carp on my new rods.

amazing isnt the word!
i savoured every minute of it and i was pleased to see a cracking 17lb 4oz sutton stockie in the bottom of the net!
chuffed?
well it was a nice welcme back present
the best was yet to come



was a very quiet morning and i reeled in at 11 to be picked up at 12.
i walked to the shallows and it instantly looked good for a bite.
i just had to stay.
the wind had swung and was blowing straight into there.
the shallows average a a depth of 2ft
and when the weather is nice they love it up there.

i weighed it up.
it was a new south west wind, it was hot and the carp were cleary up there.
whers my phone.
dad can you pick me up at 5? yes? brilliant.
i had a rod set up in minutes.

i fished one rod to a bush about 30 yards out.
the other i cast to the far margin.....i say margin, its just really shallow water with a few overhang trees.
because of the water depth and deep deep silt i moved the top bead on my heli rig a good foot and a bit up the line.

first cast, and it landed perfect! right on the money.
i was brimming with confidence. it just had to happen.



some three hours later i ran to a bleeping alarm.
i picked up the rod and instantly realised i had a problem.
i pulled a bit harder and i felt the horrid feeling of line on line.
it must be someone else snagged line.
need it!?!?!

i tried everything. pulling for ages, then i slackened right off and hoped for the best.
no movement after minutes.
me being impatient just leaned into it again and by some miracle the line had come free.
but one very angry carp woke up.
it swam left....left....left more left and i was about to get in when it swung toward my bank and into some trees.
slowly easing it my way, it didnt like the fact she was getting closer so she swung out and kited around.
another angler was in my swim by this point, eager to see the prize.
he said thats a nice common.....i said nothing. concentrating on the fish. it was definatly a mirror though. i saw when it rolled.
minutes later it was in the net.

everything ready. water to hand, camera.

as soon as i lifted it was easily noticeable it was a PB there and then.

i couldnt believe it
and what a stunner
29lb 10oz

amazing, and my new rods were a dream!

due to some business at home i didnt get to the farm pond untill gone 8pm.

i walked around and 3 other people on! brilliant. less people the better it fishes.

i set up in the middle of the lake as this way i could gauge what end the fish were come morning as there was a guy up both ends. one in shallows and one by the deep dam.

i cast out as best as anyone could in the dark.
bottom baits on a size 6 stiff rigger with only a three bait stringer for loose feed.

i was awoken during the night by a funny run. i struck into nothing but the bait was gone....eels.

come morning i had a few more bleeps in the night and decided to reel in to check the bait....both baits gone, plucked off the hair. damn eels.

i left it untill 12 o clock and decided on a move to the opposite side of the lake.
my reason being that a fair few carp jumped in the margins in the early hours.
i thought if i could get over there and set my traps i could have a good chance come morning when the sun pokes its head out.

after moving all my gear round to the swim, i tucked myself away as best i could as i was fishing a few rod lengths out.
i wasnt really expecting any action untill first light though.



from the other side you couldnt even see me. brilliant.

at 1am i woke to unhook a rather large eel. probably over 3lb.

come the morning i was dissapointed to see the weather change.
instead of being sunny at first light, which this swim needs as its very shallow close in, it was overcast and very cold.
i left it untill 10am anyway just incase there were any stragglers moving through.


i ended up moving onto a carp i saw jump while on a look about.
this meant moving my stuff right back round to the other side of the lake and casting to the far margin to get a good line lay.

by 11am i was all set up. i decided to leave the rods out as long as possible.

i had one bait in the middle, for any browsing carp to find, and the other was on the very end of a fallen oak tree. the tree had been removed a few weeks ago but i had the feeling a few carp would still be holding up there.
there were branches left sticking out the water and i cast as close as i dared.
first cast was perfect. right on the outer edges!
landed nicely as well. felt like feeding silt.
time will tell.

come 3 o clock i was edgy. i had a few lifts on both rods and they seemed like an eel to me. i reeled in the rod cast in the middle to check the bait. it was fine, so i took a gamble and left the other one out by the fallen oak. i didnt wanna cause any disturbance. the carp are very spooky.



i had to reel in by 5 and id all but given up.
it was a rubbsih weekend with 1 carp caught.

i felt like packing away 20mins early, but what else was there to do.
i sat playing snake on my phone.

bobbin hits the rod and a carp is kiting on a long line.
brilliant. ten mins to spare as well.

a good fight followed on the light rod, every time he came close, he took more line.
will it ever end?
a good 15 mins later he's gulping air and he hits the spreader block.

the guy that photographed my fish for me last week did the honours again this week.
24lb on the nose.



to put it in perspective. i caught three carp during the winter, and lost just as many.

three in two trips.
cloud nine? you betcha

i booked half a day at work. i had to put some money in the bank and get a hair cut sorted LOL .

after rushing around the town i thought i could squeeze a few hours fishing in.

hair cut done, hair all down my back, but i still ran home, grabbed the rods and bits and literally sprinted to the lake over the road from me. one i used to fish a little while ago.

i had a walk round and being a ''moat'' it was difficul to know where to start. i ended up looking at one peg, but it just didnt feel right. i didnt get the rods out and carried on walking.
on getting to one stretch i could see the wind hacking down to one end. guess i'll be setting up there then. i was praying for a free swim all the way there and i couldnt help but rub my hands with glee on arriving.

it looked brilliant.
leadcore on, and simple knotless knot rigs on the bottom baits again.

i cast out and not even 5 minutes later i wanted to reel it in and get it nearer to the overhanging trees, exactly where the wind was blowing into. the lead landed smack bang where i wanted it. basically under the overhanging trees. lucky cast LOL

other rod was on the back wall on the shallow bank. only last week i saw one of the bigger residents swim right under my feet as the fort was open so i took the opertunity to have a walk on the other side....the bit i never get to see.

anyway, back to the fishing. i had just got off the phone to dean from UCN when i started getting the odd bleep. wind?
i only had a three bait stringer on. anymore and i'd be waiting for ages for the fish to find the bait.

flicking throuh terry heans book i suddenly have a run. jumping down the steps i connect into a carp which is swinging toward some branches blown in by the wind.

some hairy moments followed as i thought the hook was going to pull.
but he soon rolls in the net....a fish called two tone. a PB for me a little while ago.

a proper warrior! and at 28lb 13oz what was the point in hanging around.
i probably fished for less then an hour and i was already heading home.
i love mid week fishing

with all the rain that was due i didnt intend to set up in the shaloows where the stream would bring all the cold water, but arriving at the lake i saw everybody else had the same idea.

looks like i will be giving those swims second thoughts.

i wasnt at all confident for the night time as the swims are so shallow, but i felt i was in with a chance in the morning when everybody else did there recast at first light.
the plan being to leave my rods out untill the afternoon and the carp see my area as safe and devoid of anglers.

earlier in the day i had taken a bag on UCN's the ENZYME to the lake over the road from me to show a friend.
standing on the bridges we were lucky to witness at least 5 different carp go 'tails up' on the new bait.
so full of confidence in the bait i whiled away the hours on this water reading a book and waiting for morning.

i was awoken before it got light by a mosquito buzzing around my ear, and in the finish i got up and 'swatted' the thing.
pulling my trainers out from my bed i got up and made the first brew of the day.

just as the sun was rising i saw my rod wobble and the bobbin drop less then an inch. if i wasnt looking i would quite easily of missed it.
why i picked up the rod i dont know, but sure enough, i felt a satisfying weight on the end.
the fight wasnt much to speak of and 5 minutes later i had a old looking fish coughing water.

now i was in a dilema. the light was poor and there wasnt anybody down my end of the lake.
sacking the fish, even for a short time, was out the question because there just wasnt any depth to put him in.

in the end i got the self take gear out.
lifting him onto the scales i was surprised to see them swing round and settle on 29lb 12oz??

that cant be right surely?
i quick re weigh gave the same weight. i even went to the lengths of checking the scales were zeroed.




i caught the same fish about a month later

29lb 10oz this time

being part of a club i have to show my face everynow and then at workpartys, and there being one the weekend of the 22nd means that the weekend just gone is my last fishing trip untill the new year.

after struggling for the last few months i decided to go back to the lake i was meant to of ''just finished on''

having a higher stock per acre ratio and the fact i did alright there last winter convinced me to have a go.


arriving after dark i had a chat with the only other guy on there. i didnt really get much info from him as it was his first weekend back for 5 months.

so i took a gamble and fished blind for the first night in the middle swims.
i was woken abruptly before dawn by some people being very heavy footed at the top of my swim. with all the leaf litter around it was difficult to be quiet. them waking me up so early led to what happened next.

matey down in the first swim was still sound asleep, but i saw at least 3 possible rolls in front of his swim. seeing as he was leaving that morning, i already knew where i was moving to.

by midday i was all set up in the new swim with one bait in the margin no more then a rod length out in 3 foot a water. there was a gravel patch here and although not recently fed on, still felt clean enough to present a bait.

the other rod i cast to where they were rolling in the early hours.

nothing happened during the day, but after dark things picked up again, i heard a few carp rolling. rolling carp in december can only be a good thing! i havent seen anymore then two carp roll in the last few months on the other water, but here i was and i'd seen at least 5 in a few nights.

it was dissapointing to say the least when i woke up biteless and even more dissapointing when a bit of a social gathering appeared in my swim. i only had a bait in the margin!

when they shot off i had a peek at my spot. devoid of fish but i couldnt help but notice the odd bubble appearing a rodlength behind my bait. it was too much to ignore and a 50p size bag of crushed boilie was soon settling on the bottom.

i sunk and slackened the line as best i could, and just to be sure slipped a backlead off the rod tip. the bubbling stopped for the time being but soon picked up again half hour later. (i was only using a half ounce lead, any heavier and i doubt they would of returned at all)

the guy that moved in next door came along to say goodbye and we both had a good old moan at a very cold and poor weekend. i was due to be picked up in 20 mins and actually had most of my kit on the barrow.

as has happened before, with ten minutes to spare the slack line whips up tight and im playing my first carp for months. it felt good to be knelt at the front of the swim with a good carp pulling back. i played it so carefully and it was with grea relief that his head kissed the spreader block.....then my heart sank.

yea i know its great to catch a winter carp but when you've caught the fish before it would of been nice to catch another. still big enough to warrant a picture.
and a great result seeing as the fish was covered in leeches.

caught on the ENZYME and the fish weighed 26lb 8oz (up a bit since i last caught him, and looking stunning in its winter colours.....''winter'' as its hardly cold yet)

as i mentioned earlier, i had a workparty to attend on the saturday and to save on fishing time i elected to do the night at the water i was helping out on. nothing was caught or seen but the workparty was a great laugh as always.

a big shout of thanks to steve lynch now who not only offered me a lift to the other water earlier then i would of been able to if i waited for my dad to take me, but also sorted me out with a few bits needed.

things like a cooker as my coleman packed in during the night (contaminated fuel i think)

stocking up on food and water off we headed for the lake.
arriving in the car park i was overjoyed to see the car park empty of people. going to the first swim it was clear to see why. frozen solid!!

being the last chance to catch a carp before the year was out i was adament i was gonna stay. so me and steve set about breaking the ice. first with my landing net handle, then big sticks then some large lead weights (which we quickly lost )

the ice was thick....thickest ive ever seen ice must of been a couple a inch in the middle!

enough was enough, steve went back to the carpmobile a found some rope and a crowbar! sorted. still took hours to clear the margins and net all the offending ice. before steve left he couldnt help but point out the mist rising off the ice.....a sure sign the temperature was dropping. (this was on saturday night)



i flicked my baits out in the hole i had created and set about warming up.
sorted i thought. nice hole in the ice. quite near to one of the marks ive got going.



i woke in the morning.......lines frozen in the water, buttons on my alarms frozen, line frozen stiff everything covered in frost. the ice i had netted and dumped at the back a the swim was still there!



blimey LOL wheres that crowbar. i spent the next 5 hours breaking the ice again and clearing a path of destruction to the outflow damn to save me netting all the ice. this had the desired effect and all the ice started flowing over the dam.

although i couldnt break the ice directly over the spot i wanted i could still get pretty near and went to bed really early that night (about 6!) although i did end up waking about midnight and stayed awake for the next 4 hours. i dont intend on getting any early nights if thats gonna happen again LOL

good news was although the ice was still there it was alot thinner, was thawing out and the little bit a rain helped as well. the water was clearing up nicely infront but the swim to my right was still incased in ice.

i could now get a bait to the spot i wanted!

what struck me on my walks around was the amount of uneaten bait everywhere. loads of it. you only had to clim a few trees to see patchs a boilie in the margin, or pellet in the edge.
because a this i flicked a single hookbait into deep bowl at the bottom at the dam. they had to be there.

i left the line slack off the tip and set about rebaiting the other rod.

several hours later i had just made myself a tea and the bobbin hits the rod on the bait fished in the bowl, the slack line is wrenched tight and the rod is at test curve with line spilling from the spool! i couldnt quite believe what i was seeing. on picking up the rod it was a carp alright and he put up a very good scrap considering the weather!

the weight meant nothing to me! the colours on the fish were amazing and to catch it when the rest of the lake was frozen makes this fish one of my all time favourite captures!
for the record though 17lb 2oz
and a testement to the pulling power of UCN's the ENZYME! do you need anymore proof

im now a firm believer that no matter WHAT the weather there IS always a chance if theres a bait in the water.

after that result my other rod was reeled in and slung the short distance to where i'd just caught. i rebaited the other rod with the fish still in the net and slung that to the ''same spot'' but a few feet to the left. it was probably a bit much asking for a double capture but it was still a nice thought LOL




all in all, the whole weekend has been one of my most enjoyable. not because of the fish but because of the evnts and the fact its been the worst weather ive ever fished in

getting a bit old hat this stuff now so i'll keep it short and sweet.

looked around, lake was rammed, but luckily a swim at the ''deep end'' was free and looked a good bet. had only just been vacated.

first night was very quiet. second night i had a few mates join me (simon and wayne)

simon went next door and wayne a few swims down. during the night i heard a fair few fish show in the swim next to wayne. was thinking of moving my rods to that swim for a bit but they stopped just as quick as they started.

come the morning i had a flyer on my left rod and landed a stunner weighing in at 21lb 14oz
i would of turned the flash off if i knew it was gonna ruin the colours in the fish. but the scale pattern is still clearly visable.

was caught on a single ENZYME boilie. no other freebies.

turned up in dark on the friday so settled for a middle swim which gave me a good view of the whole lake. (the swim with ''my little spot'' was taken at the time).
the weather was meant to be rough but i had no idea at the time that the wind was going to swing round. it got to 10 o clock and enough was enough, the brolly was gonna go if i didnt get my back to the wind.

ever set up a brolly in strong wind, rain and pitch black? not good, my bedchair was at all sorts of angles having set up on a rotten log )

come the morning i packed everything away on the barrow (to be honest i was glad to be getting out the swim) but from 9 till 11 i recived constant liners. was thinking of staying put but it seems the carp moved off come the afternoon.

i went for a swim two down from me that fishes into slightly deeper water, and i also knew of a firm silt patch a little way out.

nothing happened during the night and me being me, overslept untill 8.30 where i was woken up by my mate simon telling me the peg next to me was free and was surprised i wasnt in there myself!

being the first i heard of it my bait was under arm lobbed to ''my little spot'' within 5 minutes. i then set about moving all the gear there.

one thing i love seeing when fishing is a big set of frothy bubbles near the bait. and it was with ever increasing confidence i watched these bubbles for about 10 minutes. one problem, my hookbait was about 5 feet to the left and the bubbles werent getting any closer.

it was a risk but i had to cast even nearer. first attempt, spot on. judging by the way whatever was down there was sending up bubbles it seemed to be so engrossed in feeding that it didnt notice my little flat 1oz lead flutter silently to the lake bed.

the funny thing is i have been using the enzyme for a little while now and my confidence in it grows after every capture. being a small water i hadnt been using the enzymes ''hardened hookers'' so still had plenty of these left in the freezer.
i ran out of bait last week and didnt have the forethought to ask for anymore. so it was to be the hardened hookers or nothing.
seeing as i hadnt used them much i was reluctant to just fish singles but the last few fish have been on single baits only so out my rigs went.

this 'lack of confidence' was soon to be forgotton though when within the hour my line tightened and tip started bending round. i dont even think the carp knew it was hooked and was just moving along the bottom looking for more food

after the hook was set the unseen carp bored hard to my left. i could see great plumes of bubbles as it used its weight to hold ground on the silt and leech infested bottom when all of sudden it changed its mind and swam straight toward me.
it was coming so fast that i thought my lead was gonna come out the water at any second.....and then it did. my first hookpull for a number of months. to say i was gutted would be an understatement. i have only ever caught more then one carp in a weekend once. the hooked fish sending all the others in such a blind panic they dont return.

understandably i was extremly annoyed but then, out the corner of my eye i saw a set of new frothy bubbles from where i had just lost the fish from.
undettered i made a new rig and cast it on the carps head again and amazingly the bubbles continued!

no more then two hours later and some chain tea drinking i was into another carp that didnt fight at all. i led it to the net and in it went.

for the record it went 18lb and amazingly the bubbles continued. it was obvious a big hit was on the cards and if i was driving i would of stayed. i'd never seen anything like it on this lake. but needless to say off i went home.

back in febuary i had a cracking looking linear from a gravel pit local to my home. this is where i am continuing my efforts for the time being.

Good read Rob,keep it up sunshine!

That Lins a peach.....well in..

Nice one Rob

Cheers
Saul

cheers guys, ive got a few more additions to add which were caught a few days ago so keep ya eyes peeled for them

Good read & nice fish lad but you really need to learn how to drive.

Keep it up.

Excellent stuff, Rob !

nice reading mate

thanks very much guys

and as soon as im driving i just know i'll be doing more then my two nights a week! bring it on!

i arrived at the lake and went for a look around, it didnt take long to find a friend tucked away up in the back bay. with it being such a hot day, and the water level being fairly shallow in this half of the lake i was soon pushing my barrow with enough supplies to last a couple a days. i say enough supplies, i was hoping to beg borrow and steal to see me through.

i staggered the rods at varying distances like all the best textbooks tell you to do. i flicked the left one into a 12foot gully in the margin (did i say it was shallow up here lol ) i catty'd out a good kilo of bait over this rod. the middle rod was blasted to a small dot island with just a stringer for loose feed. the third and final rod was put on top of a gravel bar in about 3ft of water with a few kilos of boilie spread about.


it was quiet for the first two nights, but on the 2nd morning things started looking up.
it was about 11am and i was just contemplating a move into the bigger, deeper half of the lake as it looked pretty dead and lifeless round here when all of a sudden a carp slid silently out the water out towards the dot island. a rod was on the spot within minutes!

i was sat drinking tea when i had a stray bleep on the rod toward the dot island. at first i looked at the moorhen that had just swum past the edge of my rods, but when that bleep turned into another, and then the line pinged from the clip i was on the rod in seconds.
by this stage the light bobbin is rattling around the alarm and the spool clicking away.

the fight wasnt much to speak of, i had my mate in the water and i can honestly say i thought it was a tench. once in the net a carp it was!

23lb 4oz




i packed up and went home for the time being. on arriving back at the lake i set up directly opposite where i was before. not only is it an easier cast but i could bait up more accurately. involving something like a 2 mile walk i hoped it'd be worth it!

once round there i decided on setting up quite far back so as not to disturb my margins.

nothing happened in the night, or the following morning. hmmmmm

i just felt i had to be where i was a few days before. before committing myself to the move i spent a few hours looking. i spotted a carp roll in the middle, but there were anglers fishing to the middle from the other side so i didnt fancy this choice much.

i ended up in a swim to the left of where i caught the carp the other day.


three baits were cast to the far treeline and it wasnt long before i had an absoloute one noter on the middle rod!
my arm was forced to the left as soon as i tightened into it! its power was unreal. the line on my reels were well down. this fight wasnt going to be over in a hurry.

the carp knew what it was doing the whole way in, 15 minutes later and its using the depth of that gully to its full advantage.

once it was nearly beaten i threw the net to the other side of my rods and carried on drawing it toward me.

when it came to picking up the net i had a problem! i was the only one here and my net had come apart at the spreader block, i could now clearly see that i had a nice common waiting to be netted. it was literally sat in the margin waiting patiently! i stripped down, got in, retrieved the net and scooped him up!

i eventually found someone for the pictures (must remember my tripod this week) and we weighed the fish at 23lb 14oz






i fished the weekend just gone and boy did that wind pick up! the alarms were constantly bleeping and i ended up mistaking a dropback for some stray bleeps. when i realised what was going on the rig had been dumped in the silt a few yards from my spot.

am i still kicking myself? i'll let you make up your own mind

thanks for reading

Stunning fish Rob and great catches.....Keep it up buddy;)

kind regards Jeff

nice one rob.....great reading and some stunning carp...

Go on my son,whoop some ass

cracking fish rob

Good writing Rob..

Sort those rigs out though....

wicked mate, crackin fish

as i sat on the edge of my bedchair i saw a carp roll 80 yards away.
if anything it just confirmed my suspicions that i spent the night in the wrong swim!

i sat and watched the spot for another hour before packing up and moving the short distance to my new swim.

i had witnessed a jacuzzi going on underneath an overhanging branch. easily missed without bino's.
after they stopped feeding i deposited 3 kilos of bait (enzyme and pellet) to the branch with the aid of a boilie rocket. they had been spawning recently, and what better way to replenish there energy then with a bed of good bait.

i tackled up my rods, all with heavy leads and bottom baits as it was a fair chuck to this branch, and with a savage undertow i needed to be sure my rigs would stay put through the afternoon and into the following day.
if anything picked up my bait i wanted to be sure i knew about it.

the left rod was slung about ten yards to the left of the baited patch as a stringer between some weedbeds.

the middle rod was put onto the smooth silt patch where i'd put the bait. definatly fed on recently.

the right hand rod was again, ten yards off the patch, to the right, but further back just behind a bar. that really was a struggle to reach!

confidence was sky high, and this was rewarded at first light the following morning when a ripping take had me running to the middle rod barefoot.
after playing the fish for a fewe minutes i became aware of the feeding carp over my remaining rods!
another take was imminent, and as the right hand rods bobbin pulled tight, pinged from the clip and started screaming i could do nothing but call for help and play the first carp in!

first carp in the net, second rod! but the fish was long gone.

i still packed up a happy chappy with a 22lb mirror to my name.

(i photoshopped the background of the lake which is why the background is blurry)

Keep it up sunshine,one of those big kippers will grace that net soon matey

i went this week and after finding some clear spots turned in for the night.
awoken early morning im playing a fish that gave me VERY little indication, and i mean little.

20lb 10oz






i gave them a bit more bait that night, same drill but a screaming take this time after seeing a fish pop out over my bait 5 mins previously - one lost carp!

roll on next week

Give that fish some more boilies Rob,he looks starving

its been a while. and dont worry dean, they are getting well on the bait now.

had 3 takes this week all over some bait. one lost carp, one carp caught and one 7lb tench to glugged UCN bottom baits.

Spot on Robbie......Where are your tademark pumps buddy?

kind regards Jeff

wish i had fishin up my way like dat m8

Imagine what your captures would be like if you were on a decent bait!

Oh BTW what is the name of this runs water you are fishing?

very good young angler is rob
keep it up rob

Not quite a runs water Mr Thug

oh sorry it only has 25 fish per acre then!

Summit like that

ahhh the people that only have stuff to say behind a computer screen. green eyed monster strikes again does it. grow up mate. what kind of user name is soccer thug? you dont look the hard man so you chose a name to make people THINK your a 'thug' HAHAHA laughable.

you see, most people would get quite upset with smart ass little digs like yours. but i love logging on and reading them. it makes for entertaining reading. especially from people with a name called soccer thug. have a good day. and you carry on plugging away on your super hard waters. its whats in it for you that counts, but why go down the road of be-littling other people captures.

congrats to you to soccer 'im well 'ard' thug!




a few weeks back i had a walk round the lake midweek with the floater gear. few hours later i landed a result in the shape of this beauty.

26lb if i remember rightly



cheers


also had a repeat couple of weeks back. down a little in weight. but still a cracker and one of my favourite fish. 22lb

propa pasties thay are well ard fug haha heh on top tip for ya sort yur effin mullet out heh an soccer thug i aint got deans c*ck in mi mouth an never av ad geezer an talkin like ya ar dont scare me either never did never will

NEW FORUM POLICY I Don't post to faceless dullard anymore!

Lets all pick on the FAT LAD while hes away blankin but scoffin

got battered by gale force winds! but nothing happening fish wise!

matey next door to me had a screaming take about ten last night just as the weather was peaking!!

would of been drier and a hell of alot warmer in the lake

Kin hell,this is getting interesting,sorry to hijack your thread Robby,but ive got to know who had my censored in whos mouth,cos i didnt feel a bleedin thing!

Fcukin oscar the grouch!

Excellent stuff.
Made me feel a little homesick.
Keep up the good work.