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.
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.
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.
Till next time
Russ
