This will be my first 3 nighter for a while and hopefully get me out of the struggling times I’m going through at the moment. It’s going to be a social with Ian as well, so we are looking to be fairly close and on the back of the cold north wind. I arrived sometime after 0915 and had a good look about, I then called Ian about our options as he was about 30 minutes away. I then headed onto one of the islands we can fish off, as this felt like an ideal option. I would take a closer look between now and when Ian arrives.

The carp were pretty much everywhere I looked since I arrived, a couple were looking a bit like they were building up to spawning. Let’s hope the pressure rise and cloudy wet weather hold them back until Sunday afternoon. This is all we can hope for.

Ian arrived just after 10 a.m., and we had a look about, we discussed our options, and as my leg was still playing up, he kindly offered to fish further away from the car park. This would make my life/walking a lot easier.

I was actually in the same swim as last Sunday night, I quickly set up as the rain arrived and simply flicked a couple of PVA bags out until later on this afternoon. This is when it’s due to stop, I will flick some bait out and get some new rigs sorted in the meantime.

This also gave me a few hours to formulate a plan of action.

Just before 1pm, the left-hand rod was away for about 30 seconds, until the carp bumped the hook out. That spot had always produced takes, but I’ve yet to bank a fish.

I now thought it was the perfect time to spomb out some bait and then head up the shop for suppliers, being beer, but don’t tell the wife. DOH! she’s my editor.  Lol

When I got back, I visited Ian for a beer and a pasty that he kindly had brought me and sampled a fantastic bottle of wine his daughter had given him. I got back to my swim at about 1630, set the rods out for the night, sorted the rest of my kit out, and thought I’m deffinately going to give that spot another go tomorrow.

Conditions are looking better, and the carp aren’t looking like they are about to spawn – just yet.

Just after 3 a.m., the left-hand rod screamed away. It’s been some time since I’ve put my waders on as the carp is tearing itself across the lake, but I was soon picking up the rod and pulling into an Airfield Lake carp and after a problem-free fight, the carp was on the net.

Very very happy with that after my last few weeks of blanking. The moon was rising over the trees and the Warblers were starting their dawn choirs.

What a lovely place to be, watching the world come to life.

It was about 0630 when the left-hand rod was away again. This fish proceeded out to travel into open water, turned hard right, and despite my best efforts it was determined to get to those snags to my right. I had no choice but to hang on and hold, in the hope I can turn the fish, or in this case get a hook pull, which was a real shame, but something we have to live with, on this lake.

There was a glimpse of sunshine through the trees early on, but now it’s very much overcast for the rest of the morning.

The same rod had a drop back around 1030 am, I picked up the rod, and there was nothing on the end of it. I decided there was no real point in putting the rod back out, just in case there were other fish feeding in the area. I gave it until 1130, before reeling in and heading over to Ian’s swim for breakfast.

It was now a fantastic sunny day, with some rain forecast around 3pm for a couple of hours.

I got my timing right this afternoon, I had just finished spombing out my mixture, and the rain arrived.

I planned on rebating with fresh hook baits for the night, around 5/6 pm, in the hope of an afternoon feed after the rain past over.

My spomb mixture was – ground up Catalyst boilies, whole 12mm Classic corn, and a mixture of Spotted Fin pellets, all soaked in Hemp oil, liquid Red, hence the odd red boilie, plus, some Spotted Fin ground baits. It hasn’t produced as well as expected up until this session. However, I’ve been fishing different swims up until now, hoping to catch the big carp out. That also didn’t go that well. This is probably down to the colder conditions than normal, along with the lack of time I’ve been able to put in this spring. 

It’s now Saturday morning, and last night, I don’t produce any takes for myself, but Ian was lucky enough to get one.

I have changed things around a bit today. The left-hand rod is now flicked down the margins with a tiny PVA bag over a bed of 11mm Catalyst pellets. These have been soaking for some time, hopefully, to pull any carp moving along the margins down for a month full or two.

The forecast is for sunshine today, and hopefully, pull the carp back into the bar behind me. I need to have a go at fishing there again. I probably need to do a single overnighter in there at some point.

I spent the afternoon after popping over to Ian’s swim for some lunch, sitting in my swim drinking coffee, with my waders on hoping for a bite.

I’ve checked the water temperature, and it’s 16 degrees currently, and I reckon I will get away without the fish spawning.

It’s the last morning and time to clear the mess up inside the bivvy and head home for some family time.

With another bleep-free night and the carp are starting to spawn near where Ian is fishing. Oddly, no other signs in any other part of the lake. It’s a shame, my 4 takes only converted into one landed carp. On the plus side, the carp didn’t start spawning until this morning and as it’s my last full weekend, I was content with my results.

I packed down most of my kit, I thought I’d go and film the spawning carp, only to find Ian into a carp! I took the opportunity to do some action shots and videoing.

He could believe his luck. He was not long away from reeling in time.

27lb 12oz Common. What a beauty. Ian was over the moon with this lovely-looking carp.

It was now definitely time to head home.

Until next time

Richard

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