This trip I am out for a social with a good friend.  We meet up down the lake at around 0920, after I had dropped the kids off school.  We had a good look around and settled on nice swim, which we could double up in, as this was a social outing, it would be so much more fun. I set about sorting my stuff out, whilst my friend popped to get himself a nice new Trakker low chair, which is a niffy bit of kit.

I was going to be fishing the far bank margins and after putting out a few kilos of Catalyst boilies, pellets and two Natural Pop Ups over the top.

I was all done until a quick trip home to collect the kid’s from school.  I had to wait for the wife to get home,I was then back on the lake by 1715 and the rods where back in place.

In the middle of the night, the left hand rod tightened up and I was into a nice lump.  This then proceeded to take itself around the small island to the left of me.  You guest it another win for the carp!  I am not doing too well on that front at the moment, pick up rate is good, however, the the fish to bank ratio is pretty rubbish. I redid the rod and got my head down.  Its always quite hard to sleep after the adrenaline rush of a carp on and then to loose it.  This is something that was not that common for me – this never helps .

Unfortunately, that was the only action we received over the first night.

With the days going by, its looking more like Autumn each day.

With both re-baited around 4 pm in the hope of an evening carp.  My right hand rod was off again at around 11 pm and would you believe it, my luck was not in again and yet another fish had me in the snags.  I know I am fishing within easy reach of them, but I am fishing locked up and had done this tactic to great effect last year, with not a single fish lost.  The only real explanation is that the fish have learnt to go left and down 6 yards instantly or there is a new snag that I am unaware off.

With the rod out again, but some 2 yards shorter distance of my baited spot, I am hopefully going to gain control before its too late.

This session is becoming the hardest trip for many years, as I have now lost 3 fish, which is incredibly soul destroying.  As an angler you will well truly understand losing 3 fish in a row, starts effecting the way you fish. I still have 7 hrs of fishing to turn things around and focus on the positives – Bait, Location, Casting, these were all perfect.

A lovely Autumnal photo to change the mood.

At about 7 am, the right hand was off again and this time the fish was heading into open water.  At last a bit of luck was on my side and after a couple of minutes, the fish was making its way to the net.

A lovely looking 18lb Ghosty .

A lovely sunrise this morning.

Its packing up time and with a roller coaster of a trip, the only thing to get from this trip, is the knowledge that, I may have been fishing too close to the margin snags down the right hand side of the lake.  Or just plain unlucky.  I have previously had carp from this spot and also had a great social with a friend and a few red glass where drunk.

Till next time

Richard

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