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I’d originally thought that I wouldn’t be able to get out this week. However, once I realized that I was surplus to requirements for preparation for my eldest daughter’s prom. I inquired if it was possible to fish Wednesday night as normal as long as I was home by lunchtime time. The green light was given and I prepped my gear on Tuesday afternoon as normal but removed a few bits that would not be required.

I loaded my car once my morning gardening job was done and headed off over the New Forest.

Once I was through the gate, I headed right, as that would be the bank that the strong south westly wind would be pushing hard onto.

I checked out the Island Swim again, hoping that it had been cut back, but unfortunately, not yet. I proceeded to the Daisy Swim, which looked spot on, plus there were a few carp moving about, which was encouraging. This swim can produce carp during daylight hours or dark hours, but you can never quite fathom which way it will go. As I arrived at about 1230 and would stay until 10 am, I felt I had a good opportunity for a bite or two.

My first job was to check the swim for any signs of weed growth, I couldn’t use my Deeper as the wind was so strong, so I got the maker rod out.

I got going to get the bait out, but I realized that it may well be going to rain soon, despite it not being forecast, so I quickly got the brolly up.

I’d made it simple this week by taking boilies only, I started to spomb out the 12mm Catalyst boilies.

But was soon interrupted by the coming rain and had to quickly get the rest of the kit under the brolly. I was glad I’d set the brolly up, as it turned out to be quite heavy rain.

Once everything was out of the rain, I sorted out my rigs, sharpened the hooks, adjusted a couple of things, and selected my hook baits.

I cast the baits onto their selected spots, in between the rain showers, which were very heavy at times.

After that, it was time for a good tidy up, get the nets, unhooking mat, etc, all sorted and a brew on. Then sit outside and relax before the next lot of rain arrived.

I was very happy with my swim selection, as they were clearly a lot of fish in the area.

The downside is that there’s so much open water in front of me that they can feed in numerous different spots without coming across your hook baits. My fingers are crossed this isn’t the case tonight.

Absolutely amazing rainbow after one of the rain showers this evening

Just after 2115, the right-hand rod was away, and heading out further into open water, it then proceeded to kite right and around a boulder. Despite trying to free it for 45 minutes, plus I’m sure the carp had unhooked itself by then, I had no option, but to pull for a break. This is something I really hate doing and avoid as much as possible.

With the light fading and the mist coming down, the rod was back out there – one wrap shorter and a little bit more left of the original spot. Hopefully giving me more time and the chance to land the next bite.

0515, and that very same rod was away again. This time, the carp was going out into open water but going left, instead of right. There were a couple of moments when I thought I was in trouble again, plus it gave me a couple of bleeps on the other rod, as it went over the line. The last thing you need on here is to be playing a carp and towing in your other rod. Double the chances of picking up a snag, it was soon in the net, not the biggest, but a very angry carp.

It’s probably about a 10lber, I didn’t weigh it. I just got it straight back into the lake after the photos.

I put the net back together and took in the sunshine coming up over the forest, as I’m sure it wasn’t going to last much longer.

It was now time to get a fresh hook bait on, sharpen the hook if needed, get that rod back out there and hopefully have another chance of a bite before home time.

It’s certainly now time for my first brew of the day, and I hope I get a little bit of sunshine to dry things out. It will save me time later on today, being the big prom day.

I was pretty much packed down by 0830, with only a couple of things to go and the last being the rods.

I reeled in at 9am and was happy with my results – two takes and one fish landed. This was so much better than last week’s trip.

I headed up the path, put the stuff in the car, and was on my way up the track by 0930, I was off through the gate and on my way home.

I will be back again next week. I’m not sure if it will be two single nights or a two-nighter.

Until next time

Richard

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