Location – Meadow Lake

Hours Fished – 24hrs

The storm had passed by a lot faster than forecast; well the heavy rain part.  There was still a good bit of wind, but only 30mph and none of this 70mph stuff.  I was not going out in that.  I’m determined to catch a carp this week and felt I had a better chance out on the main lake night fishing and not in the day swim.

I was already aware which swims were free as I took a drive around yesterday on my way out from the day trip.  If anyone was crazy enough to set up in the morning, they’re welcome to the swim.

I arrived just before noon as I had been watching the weather (including the wind and rain forecast) and knew it would be about the perfect time as there was a break in the weather.

There were only really two options, one being the swim I spent 4 nights blanking in or the other one was the swim which was opposite.

With swim 1, I understood the conditions had changed but, I would be starting the session with that in the back of my mind.  Also, the way the wind was blowing you were highly likely to lose tackle in the trees, with the wind blowing the line into them.

Swim 2 looked more appealing.  Now, where to put my baits?  Into the far corner?  Can’t do that, after losing 3 fish one weekend it’s a no-no.  I can’t see the point I getting a take at all costs and then losing them, it’s just stupid in my book.

I knew roughly where I want to put my baits, but there were no real clean areas.  So I came out further from the corner, I need bait in that area, as that was where I felt the carp were going to be.  In these conditions, I finally found what I was looking for and put 10 large spombs on that spot and would be fishing a 15mm Catalyst wafter with a 10mm PPS pop up; snowman man style.

I then looked around for another area to my right. I didn’t like the idea of fishing on top of the plateau as weed is still there.  I felt with the undertow of the wind, it wouldn’t make ideal presentation conditions and I didn’t feel the carp would be there.  I was looking for a clean area on the drop-off, which I finally found.  It wasn’t so clean as the other spot and I would need to fish a pop up, 15mm Catalyst would be perfect with 10 spombs over that area as well.

It was time for a brew and some lunch.  The afternoon was peaceful and early evening until all the local firework displays kicked off.

As the night drew on, I heard the odd carp crashing out and this pushed my confidence levels up as they were clearly not too far away, just not over my bait.  The wind was still blowing for a few more hours so I was ever hopeful.  I was up and about listening in the night a few more times and it was clear that a few anglers may well have caught, they may  well have been fishing in the middle of the lake.  It was a good sign that the carp were on the move and feeding.

I was awoken by the last of the rain and a flat calm lake, the sunshine was breaking under the last of the rain clouds and it promised to be a warm sunny day.  Still no carp, at least I could dry out the kit.

Well, I came and tried my hardest over this trip (and the previous ones over this week) but it was clearly not to be again – such a shame.  Over the previous October half terms my results have been similar.  So next year, I clearly need to draw from these years and do something different or just go away with the family.

That’s the one.

Until next time

Richard

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