With two jobs cancelled and the weather conditions looking bang on (another storm front is on its way with a big pressure drop), I fancied being ahead of the game. I’m convinced the carp are aware of the coming changes and move accordingly before it arrives. Hopefully, I could get ahead of them.

Back into the same swim as last week and for 3 nights this time. After looking at the forecast and getting bait on to the spot was going to be extremely hard. So, I made a big choice of baiting very heavily on my arrival and only leaving a small amount to top up with. I didn’t think the carp would be here for another 24 hours and my bait would’ve started to break down nicely.

I had gone for 2 x 10mm wafter on one rod and a single 20mm on the other. There was a good likelihood that I would leave the 20mm out until I had a take and the other rod may well get moved to another spot for the day – we shall see how things pan out.

My first take was about 8 pm, unfortunately after being on for about 3 minutes, the fish found a boulder to my right and ping went the hook! I got the rod back out and hopefully something else will come along, the temperature was dropping quite a bit.

The next take happened at around 9 30 pm and was on the same rod again, it was holding ground, I was convinced it was stuck around another boulder. I couldn’t believe it had happened again and then suddenly, the carp started to rip line of the spool. I walked back onto the high spot in the swim and proceeded to gently pump the fish in towards the bank. I was still wondering if the line was ok. It came closer, slowly but surely, at this point I knew I was into a much bigger carp and I needed to go carefully, but still maintain ground and very mindful of that horrible snag to my right. It was just coming pretty much straight in, but very slowly, when it was more or less under my rod tip and definitely under my control (I was some 8ft from the bank at this point). There was still the possibility of it kiting right. I now had to walk backwards avoiding the tree’s with the rod and collect the landing net. That was quite simple. This swim is very dark, with the overhanging tree’s, you need to have your head torch on a dim setting, just to make things simple, this is something I don’t generally do, but needs must. I’ve found that this can spook the carp a lot more with a light on. All went well apart from the odd heavy lunges towards the gap which was between me and the small island. I’d seen the fish a couple of times and the tail was huge. It was certainly putting up a fantastic fight in the margins and was clearly not going to give up that easy, it finally gave in and a splendid Mockbegger Common was in the Nsr50.

Happy day’s! After the hook pull earlier, I was just over the moon and yet another 30 for the Airfield Lake. I missed out last year, by a few ounces, but not this year, I was really overjoyed.

With that rod back out there, it was time to get my head down, as it was just after 11pm, not an easy task after this evening events.

All quiet overnight, just waiting for the wind to pick up and the rain to arrive over the course of today/ It arrived before 10 am, I heard a lump crash out, somewhere, but couldn’t locate where is was. I was planning on leaving the rods out, until after the midday feeding spell and would then go from there.

My next take was at just after noon time and on the right hand rod, which immediately kited to the right and was clearly off towards those snags to my right. I quickly got the rod tip under the other one and headed out into the lake, off to my left to get out into the lake parallel to the snags. With the length of the rod out into the lake and the tip was well under the water, I pumped the carp along the margins and underneath the snags into the open water in front of my swim. Once it was well under control, I grabbed the net, played the fish out and slipped one of those 10lber we all love some much.

You can’t pick what you catch but I was happy that the carp were down here and feeding. I just need one of those lone monster’s to find the bait again. Despite the strong winds, the bait hit the spot perfectly.

The next take was on the left hand rod again and was pretty straight forward to get in the net. This was after the initial take and getting that rod tip as high as possible, to avoid those boulders.

The carp are starting to show up a bit more which could mean the bigger fish will get pushed out again, but you never know.

The next take was on the left hand rod and this also tried to head off to my right. I had to go through the same process as I did for the fish before and this one made it to the net as well.

I’m starting to really hope that the bigger fish will push these smaller ones out before I get my head down tonight, otherwise I’m going to be pretty shattered. I better not complain too much, as they can easily vanish.

I’d had to put a thought into when to bait up, I was certain that the carp had been feeding on the spot after the 5 takes I had had and I definitely needed to get some more out there. I decided that about 1630 would be perfect, which was around when I got here yesterday and I felt there was a lull in when I’ve caught carp previously. I need some bait out there for the night and tomorrow morning, first thing was an option, but I’ve had carp recently at around 0730 and didn’t fancy mucking that feeding time up or even the noon time feeding. It just had to be now or never and as there was a bit of a lull in the wind, it was the perfect opportunity.

My next take was about 2100 hours, not 100% sure as it was another 10lber that came in pretty straight forward. With the exception of it picking up the other line and then having to re do both rods in the pouring rain, but we got there by 2200 hrs and another carp was banked.

With rain finally easing off and the wind dropping, the sunshine poked out from behind the clouds and tomorrow’s forecast is full of heavy rain. I have to be home quite early and in all honesty, I really don’t fancy a wet pack up especially after having my kit all dried out by the sunshine today. I think, I will be off this afternoon, once it all dried out and the midday feeding spell has past, then I’m away for a Social with SF on Embryo North Bank lake near Peterborough for a few night’s. This will be great fun, as long as we can all get fuel to get there and back! This is after the crazy people panic buying to keep their fuel tanks filled up. Strange times we live in, nothing like a bit of social media to twist the story about.

I’m hoping that I’m still in with a chance of a bite or two over the next few hours. Conditions are settling down, but I’m sure the carp are aware of the coming weather change again over the weekend.

After checking the weather for tomorrow morning, if I’m to get home in the dry, it’s an early pack up. As the bite times for me are mostly in daylight hours, with the exception of a couple this week, and a lot of prep to get sorted this week, I’m going to head home mid afternoon and be very happy with my 6 takes and 5 fish landed up to 31 LB 5oz.

You never know, I’ve still got the noontime feeding spell and the weather has gone cloudy again, this definitely gives me some hope for one last carp.

The rods were on the ground for an hour and a heavy rain shower past over – with me doing my best to sheltered under a tree. It was definitely home time.

Until next time

Richard

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