UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

I’m out for a 4 night Social with Ian. The current heat wave may be against us, but it’s all about the social this trip and we really needed to be in a shady swim.

I arrived down the first lake at about 7 am, we’d decided that it was worth looking at Meadow Lake first and then heading over to the Airfield Lake if needed. There really was only one swim that we could double up in and was in the shade, this is what a social is about.

Our first choice was taken and I don’t blame them, it’s shrouded by trees. I picked on another one and headed off for a walk and a chat with a couple of other syndicate members. I found one was heading off in a few hours and as Ian wasn’t due down for anything 3 hours it felt a good option.

I called Ian and discussed our options, he agreed that this was the best and I dropped a bucket in the swim – after checking the current occupant was happy. I headed off for a good walk about and a double check on the swim situation, it was definitely looking like the perfect answer.

I managed to get my kit sorted, with the exception of the rods before Ian and the sun arrived on my side of the swim. Mornings were definitely going to be spent on my side and afternoon on Ian’s side. The temperatures are due to reach 30 degrees.

We were all done with the exception of casting out by 11 am ish, this was good going as the temperature was ok.

I’d found a couple of perfect spots and baited them quite heavily with 12mm boilies. I was fishing a krill hook bait with a 12mm Catalyst pop-up, one white, the other pink over the top.

The afternoon was spent avoiding the sunshine enjoying a few glasses and catching up on stuff since we had last fished together.

Time soon passed and the sunset arrived, we were full of anticipation for the night, and maybe one of us would catch.

The night passed bleep free for me, and Ian had a couple of liners. That was really it for the first night, we have a few hours left to catch through feeding time. Then, I think the day will be down to luck if we catch anything. 

We were sitting outside in the shade, happily drinking coffee and the left-hand rod ripped away. I was pretty lucky as it tried to weed itself up. I maintained the pressure, the carp was soon free, and heading to my left, trying for the overhanging trees, I walked back slowly to maintain the pressure and guided the carp straight into my margins. It was a case, then, of simply playing out the carp under the rod tip.

Once the carp was safely in my Nsr50, we sorted out the camera kit and poured a few buckets of water over the mat in a sling, in preparation for some snaps.

I’m happy with that start, With any luck, it will continue over the next few nights, all we need now is to get Ian a carp.

With both swims topped up, this is part of our baiting plan for these few days and with fresh baits on it was time for a glass.

We had a great afternoon and evening, and we settled into our bivvies just before midnight. My right-hand rod rattled off just be 4am, and with minimal issues, it was in the net after 5 or 10 minutes.

Nice one. The bait is back on the spot, it was time to get some more shut-eye.

The heat of the day was soon approaching, breakfast was in order.

I’m glad we had food early because by 2pm I was really in need of more, probably too much wine last night.

Steak, chips, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes were on the menu, followed by a couple of cans of Guinness. Around 5pm, it was time to top up the swim a bit, get some fresh hook baits on and get the rods out for the night.

The sunset this evening was absolutely fantastic, I never grow tired of sitting watching them.

Just before midnight, Ian’s right-hand rod was away, he was attached to something big. It just held its ground, Ian did start to gain some line back, at this point, it ripped off again and was aggressively taking line, Ian was hanging on trying to gain ground.  The hook pull out and that feeling we all know, fell over him.  He got himself together and got the rod back out onto his spot.

I was hoping, as it was so early in the night, that another rod stood a good chance of going off at some point. Unfortunately, this never came to fruition and we started our last 24 hours. This was my last trip for about a month. I’d planned a few weeks with the family away in Southern Ireland and would not be on the bank again until mid-September. I’ve only got two weekends free that month also. Autumn would be in full swing by the time I was back in my routine, but Summer is all about the family really.

I hope that Ian catches something over the next 24 hours – these conditions have been trying in the heat, however, I’ve been surprised how well I’ve coped with the high temperature. However, I couldn’t have been out gardening or even anything, as it would mean moving around too much! I end up dripping with sweat – lovely.

This afternoon was not so hot, however, there’s a good blow on the water and the pressure is pretty low and I feel there’s a good chance of a carp or two tonight.

The sunset and cloud formations were absolutely stunning tonight and I hope this brings us both some luck as we go into the last night.

It was another carp-free night and packing up time. As the forecast for another hot day, camp was down early and I was going to spend the last few hours sitting by the rods. Always in the hope that a carp still fancied a feed. 10am was going to be my limit, it really started to get hot after then and a fair amount of shade had gone.

It had been a cracking 4 night social and would’ve really been nice for Ian to land that carp he had hooked, which I’m certain would have been the biggest of the trip by far.

But that’s fishing for you.

It’s now time for a couple of weeks off, out and about with the family, with lots of beach fun, I’m sure.

Until next time

Richard

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I’m back out after a couple of weeks off and the conditions aren’t too bad at the moment. Unfortunately, the pressure is going from 1017 to 1030 in 48 hours’ time and I’m wondering already if the 3 nights would be better off spent at home! I’m due out for 4 nights next week, the weather at the moment looks shocking, with another heatwave heading our way. As for now, the wind is pushing nicely from the north (into my face) and cooling down the bivvy nicely. The wind is like this for the next few days, which is giving me a lot of confidence for the coming nights.

After a good wander about and only finding 3 other anglers, with not a single sign of a carp. This was until I stepped into this swim and with the wind as it was, it fitted in nicely with my plans.

Keeping cool in the bivvy this afternoon.

The sun was setting behind the lake, absolutely stunning as always.

The wind picked up overnight and I was surprisingly cold at one point until I got into my sleeping bag for the first time in months. Perhaps Autumn is coming? Next week’s weather isn’t reflecting that yet.

My first take happened at 0245 on the right-hand rod, you forget how fast these takes are on this lake and the speed of the carp. It desperately tried to get into the snags to my left, but I held my ground and the fish was soon in the net – without too much trouble in the margins.

Perfect start, 21ln 5oz of Airfield Lake Common. A new bait was on and back out. It was nice to get back in the bivvy and into the bag, that wind had a nip to it.

Out of the sun, but not for long. I topped up the swim around 2pm and put some fresh baits on. I settled down to read my book in the shade of the trees and the wind was still pushing into my back. It was a lovely day.

After another stunning sunset, it was time for bed, early than last night, in the hope another rod would rattle off at some point overnight.

2330 and we were shocked into action, by a screaming alarm with a very angry carp, who headed for the margins with no real issue. It then insisted on plodding up and down the margins for what felt like a lifetime, I was desperately in need of a wee!

It eventually gave up and slipped over the cord.

That’s another one to add to the list this year. Certainly happy with that. With that, another bag was back on the spot.

I was back in the sack hoping there was a good chance of another take at some point, as it was just past midnight.

I finally drifted off at some point and woke to a couple of bleeps. I was out like a shot as the bobbin had dropped down and sure enough the fish was running towards me. I grabbed the rod and slowly pulled into the fish as I was walking backward, it immediately splashed on the surface and came into the margins still running towards me, trying to gain as much line as possible in order to kite to my left and a lovely overhanging tree.

They are so wise here to every element of their surroundings, it’s amazing we land some many fish!

After avoiding these, it was happy to charge about in the margins. At this point, I really thought it was a mid-double, due to its behavior, but after nearly getting to within a foot or two of the net, it powered off and down, and the whole battle changed. It was as though it was a completely different fish, I never really saw the carp, it just kept feeling heavier and more stuck to the lake bed. I immediately changed my approach to playing a much bigger fish to one of the wild 10 lbers and over time I was gaining ground, getting it up from the bottom and closer to the surface. As the margins are very murky due to the wind, I’d only seen a glimpse of the fish at this point, until it broke the surface and it rolled over the cork first go. Much to my surprise, it looked like a nice fish and the biggest of the trip.

I didn’t think it was going to be that big when I first picked up the rod and it flapped on the surface, they generally turn out to be 10 lbers on here who do that. It just goes to show you how wrong you can be sometimes on this lake.

Well happy this morning and with another night to go, you can only hope for more.

Enjoying the view this afternoon, out of the sun in the bivvy on the bed, watching the water.

The sunset on the last night wasn’t so spectacular, that should have told me something. All I received was a single bleep last night and with an early pack-up due, it was a surprise to wake up to my alarm. Conditions still looked good and the night was still very chilly, the only real change was the pressure had risen to 1027 which may have pushed them away.

There’s an incredible amount of floating weed about, which is also interesting as we have not seen that before. It’s amazing how things can change on water from year to year and these simple things can affect the fish’s behavior.

It’s time to get things packed away and head home. My next trip is going to be interesting, I’ve planned a four-nighter with Ian, just had another heatwave arrives. The media will be going crazy again, it’s not ideal fishing weather, but this trip is more about a social. I can see it will be hard going, but the thing is you just never know with carp fishing.

Until next time

Richard

Use my code for 10% discount

The discount code applies to the entire order when purchasing the Deeper Sonars PRO, PRO+, PRO+ 2, CHIRP, CHIRP+, CHIRP 2, CHIRP+ 2. The code is valid in all countries.

CODE = DEEPER-H-9OCSF