Think I am safe in saying that we all love that feeling waking up at sunrise watching the sun poking threw the trees shining on the lakes motionless water bringing in the new day. Suddenly the lake starts to wake too as the carp start to roll and bubble as they go in search of there breakfast and hopefully on to the bait that I have put in the night before.
First one rolls and the rings spread across the lake. Then another i look deeper into the water scanning your eyes across looking for more signs of feeding fish. The suns getting higher in the sky bringing with it a ray of colours the steam from the kettle disturbs my train of concentration as i carry on looking waiting for the next show that gives there presents away once more.
That's how I woke up on Saturday morning after the crappy week at work that most of us have to go threw just to get to the weekend when we can just forget about it for a day or so. After getting to the lake at around 7pm Friday it's always a mad rush to get to the swim and get the rods out first before putting the house up by which time it's normally around 10pm by then and the dark of night has beat me again. Laid in the sleeping bag listening for old carpy to bosh out and give me hope that I have done it right and rods are on the right spots.
The morning soon came round to afternoon not feeling that anything was going to happen I went for a look round the lake getting down to the other end and fish was rolling all over seems they wanted to be at the back of the wind rather than be in the south westerly I was sat in at the other end. I was soon back at base camp getting my stuff on the barrow the last thing to go on was the rods and I was on mission to get down to the new swim and get the rods in.
It didn't take long and the first rod was made up and a new bait put on the rig that was cast out with a 1oz leadshed lead as not to make to much of a splash as I never wanted to spooked them out. The second and third rod was all baited with new bait and put on there spots. An hour later the middle rod ripped off the fish took a massive run to my left up the lake taking with it next doors rods with it he thought he had a run too and he hit his rod and starts playing what he thinks is a fish but soon sees that my fish has picked his lines up. I try and get line back but this carp is not having any of it. I pull harder into the fish when I suddenly lose it.
Only one thing to do when you lose one that's just get on and get the rod back out in the hope that the fish are still there and not spooked out of my swim .new bait on rod replaced on its spot. I didn't have to wait long before the carp started to show and roll once more I just had to sit and watch and wait for the next one to pick up the bait. It took almost 3 hours before the next one picked it up and gave me a run it came as I was listening to Wigan lifting the cup to the crowd as they had just won at Wembley. This time the fish went straight out to the middle of the lake on its first run after a little bit of pumping I soon had it under the rod tip plodding about using its weight to try and hold the bottom but with a bit of pulling and tugging it soon came up and was in the net beaten by the better man on the day.
The mirror went on the scales at 25-09 the photos was done but I had already put the rod back out on the spot before I weighed it well you never no do you. The fish kept on showing but nothing became of it even though they was in the area till the early hours of the morning. I gave it till just after 12am Sunday before the pack down and the hour and a quarter drive home.
Till next time
Russ
