Over the edge

            There was 7 on the lake on the Friday night so it was a case of drop in where I could. I was in the swim where I had the big girl from and as I new the swim a bit the rods was placed in double quick time. Bivvy up and bedchair sorted the kettle was found I the bottom of the bag and a brew was soon on the go. It's now early autumn and the nights are getting longer by the day soon the clocks will go forward or is it back? Any the bed was calling by 10 with a few liners I was hopefully of a fish. I never sleep well on my 1st night and had a restless night only to be woken by the liners I was getting off 2 of the rods. That was about as exciting as it got the night soon came and went into dawn. These days I have a little longer in the sleeping bag than I used to must be my age or the fact that if I was to spot fish I could not move anyway as the lake was pretty full. Saturday was not very good the sun was hot in the sky and the fish just started to poke the backs out of the water and cruse around on top a zig went out for the day but I do hold my breath on it working. It's also a mare on here as its mostly 18-23 foot deep.
       Nick text me at 4pm did I want a take away for my tea Too bloody right i did and swift text was sent back with my order. By 7.30 I was into what can only be the best value for money half pound Burger and chips in the world it was epic to say the lest. Eyes bigger than my belly I struggled to eat it all just leaving a few chips ( well I still had some midget gems ) I sat back put the iPad on and watched the movie the Avengers assembly. The buzzers never buzzed as I fell to sleep only to be woken be carp crashing to my left up on the north bank. They spent most of the night up there.
      Sunday morning and it looked like another blank was on the cards . Mark had been baiting a small area just off the reed line about half a rod length out. He lives close to the lake and been going down after work and baiting it with a few bits and bobs. He had taken a 25lb linear off it in the morning  Saturday afternoon and I had sat and watched 9 fish grubbing around I the spot one a mirror called scargill was there he had been out at 34lb only a few weeks ago.

                          Clippo with the linear at 25-14

As nothing was happening in the middle of the lake I baited the spot and dropped a small 3" hooklink along with a 3oz lead on it. Anything that picked that up would deffo be nailed. It was the next swim to mine only a matter of yards so the sounder box was switched on. I kept nipping back to see what was going on. There was fish on the spot heads down and tails up only a matter of time before one slipped up.
I watched as the fish buried themselves in a cloud of sand as they went mad sucking and blowing food. It's really easy why they get away with not being hooked. At least twice the hook bait was taken by the carp and just spat out. One of the carp that was in the group was scargill again I saw him on top of the hook bait 2 or 3 times only to miss it by millimetres. It was a real buzz standing there watching and waiting heart stopping stuff at times. As the feeding got more intense one of them shot of across the lake he was the one with my hook all the others was spooked too. And the battle began.
       This one was not happy he wanted to bury his self in the weed at point he got his head down and did get in it the power he had was immense but I kept the line tight and the tension on as I pulled him free of the weed he came to the top with half the weed still over his head. He shook that off and found new strength and then again trying to bury him self back in the weed but I held on and got his head up once again he came out of the water and took in air he was beat and the battle was mine. I soon had everything set up while he rested in the bottom of the landing net. Scales zeroed and he was in the sling and weighed in at 25-08 Again he was in great shape as all the fish are. So the effort paid off and it saved a 3rd session blank. I was going home a happy man with a smile put back on my face.

The rig that caught it short 3" hooklink along with a 3oz leadshed distance lead coated in leafs the yellow foam is foam from a factory earplug cut down

        Clippo had a few days off works. So took the chance to get down the lake. He was only there a few hours baiting the spot up again and watching when he nailed scargill at a nice 35-10  Then followed it up with fish of 34-06 and 33-01 not all off the spot but that's good angling 3 x 30lb plus fish in 12 hours.

                         Clippo with the old warrior scargill

Till next time
Russ

Another one bites the dust

                After having the 39lb i had already made the decision to take the following weekend off and spend it with my granddaughter trouble is i have 3 two of them at the age (7) that no what they want an they wanted to go to the seaside. We did all the fun stuff and it was a great couple of days.    The following weekend however was a very different story the weather thought it would start a mini summer and because it was so nice i stayed at home again spending some time with the family which gave me some bonus points.
     This has put me in the good stead to fish now till christmas hopefully banking a few Autumn and winter waterpigs in all there winter colours. Anyway it was the weekend again the van was loaded and travelling south at a rate of knots. I pulled threw the gates to find only a few cars in the car park i grabbed a bucket and went for the usual walk to a peg.   The wind was blowing a nice gentle sw and the north bank was free with fish topping and rolling it was the best choice for the night. The barrow was soon loaded and i was on my way round to the swim with my bucket in there. With the nights drawing in so fast now i am racing against time to set the rods up and get a couple of spots found while i have light.   I had 2 rods set up and cast out with a hand full of bait placed around them.  I was only fishing a rod length or so off the margin they seem to like to travel along the marginal shelf that runs close in along the bank.

        The bivvy house was set up before the dark beat me and the 3rd rod was set up this time with a fox rapid bag with a few loose boilies and chops in and was cast again just a couple of rods lengths out. Then it was lay back and chill with a nice cup of tea.   It was not long when the eyelids started to get heavy and the thoughts soon turned into dreams as i got into the bag for the night and into a deep sleep.  Before i new it it was daylight and another bleepless night. Thats how most friday night goes so no surprises there.
      The rest of the day saw the fish roll and crash all over the lake with no swim getting anymore attention than the next so i sat tight i was the only one on this side bank so only my lines was that end of the lake.  The take away meal of Kebab was soon put to rest and at 9.00pm i was tooked up in the bag. I hate these long winter nights.
    Blllleeeeeeppppppp was what i opened my eyes too at around 12.30am the left hand rod was away it was still taking line when i got to it which meant it had not found a weedbed to bury its head in.  It was not long and it was in the net i could see right away i had another big mirror in there. I got everything ready and gave my mate flash a shout on the 2 way and asked him to take the photo's   As flash has fished the lake for 6-7 years he has seen these fish grow on he new the fish he had it at a lower weight. The scales was zeroed and the carp was lifted.   I was right it was another big mirror banging the needle round to 35lb on the button what could i say that was 2x30lb plus fish in two sessions I was buzzing big time now nothing beats the buzz of catching big fish.

                                      The one they call lumpy at 35lb

    Photos done fish back in the water safe and me back in the bag chatting all things carpy to flash on the 2 way till i heard his buzzer scream out he was in to another of the lakes big fish I was soon stood at the side of him as he played the fish and soon i slipping the net under it. A cracking 34lb mirror one that flash had had  before a couple of times at lower weights it's all ways good to see that they are growing and fit and well.

                                  Flash with his 34lb waterpig Well done mate


    So all in all a great weekend for both me and flash. As i write this i have since had 2 weekend blanks but that is carp fishing for you some you win some you lose.

  Till next time
     Russ