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.