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