Trip 13 Carp Fishing- 2020

20200201_095434

Location – Meadow Lake

Hours – 38 Hrs

I’m back out for another 48 hours and the conditions are pretty perfect. Unfortunately, the other 5 anglers set up before me thought so as well! But that’s fishing. Mind you it’s good to see a bit of pressure on the lake and some bait going in.

20200201_123351

There was really only one option where the selection of swim was concerned – I was in the same swim as last week. The water level was much the same, it had also been raining for the last two days on and off, so it was like a swamp.

Bait up was going to be fun – there was a strong southwest wind blowing down the lake but I felt that I had done a pretty good job. The baits were on their spots and I was a very happy camper. I had baited with a mixture of 12mm & 15mm Catalyst, Classic Corn boilies with and few scoops of particle blend. Pop-ups were my choice of hook baits, both 12mm, but one CC and the other PPS.

My first take of the weekend belted into action just after 0315. I was soon out of the bivvy (with the waders on) and pulling into a nice lump who was on a mission to go right which is always a worry. There is a small bay there with a lovely overhanging tree and I’m sure it very nearly found it. Saying that it had certainly found a weed bed on the way in. The thought of this worried me until it was under the rod tip and I could play the fish out. Fewer obstructions were about at the end of the swim as it was some 3ft underwater. I safely neglected all this and a lovely Common was on the Nsr.

20200201_035055

31lb 6oz Common

That will do me! It was definitely worth all that effort to set up in the dark and rain. The rod was back on the spot and I was soon back in the warmth of the bag.

The second take happened before I had even settled down and turned the bivvy light off. It was a hard-fighting Meadow Carp, but less of a problem with the tree than the last. Very much over the moon with these two fish.

20200201_044121

19lb 6oz Common

It’s now coming up to 5am, after I got that rod back out on the spot and wrote the blog while it’s fresh in my mind.

20200201_124109

I was up quite late, about 0930, I must have been tired after all that action! I got the kettle on, got my head together and topped up the swim. There where clearly a few fish crashing about out last night and if the same happens tonight I need to hold them there. It’s a pretty windy day out, but with a good deal of sunshine, which is certainly nice to see.

20200201_161933

The day passed by as normal. The sunset and it was Netflix time. I had a minor disturbance at 1950 with a Bream on the left-hand rod but I was all set for the night. Unfortunately, there was a band of rain moving through in the early hours, right on feeding time, so we will see how that affects their feeding pattern.

The next Carp take happen just after 0615, interestingly not long after the rain stopped. It was the left-hand rod again, after another hard fight (avoiding the huge tree in the water to my left), it was under control and in the net.

20200202_070048

23lb 6oz Common

It must be the weekend of the lbs and 6oz fish! I was very happy with my result. With first light arriving at 7 am, it’s nice to see the days getting longer. It’s going to be one very muddy pack up.

I was halfway through packing up and the left rod ripped off again! I was into what felt like another lump and it was certainly nice to play a fish in the daylight. After another encounter with the overhanging tree, it was soon in the net but after a good battle under the rod tip.

20200202_085846