Trip 24 Carp Fishing – 2023


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It’s back to looking more like summer this week, the wind is from the North West and hopefully, keep that temperature down. The pressure is 1015 mbs and falling to 1007 on Sunday after I’ve gone home. My first choice of swim was the Double Gravel Swim and my second choice was the Daisy Field Swim. The way the wind is blowing, it will swing to the southwest at some point Thursday, and then again on Saturday – there is some rain around as well possibly.

I arrived at 1330 hours, pulled into the complex gate, and checked if the Daisy Field Swim was free, it was, I then headed off along the track towards the Tower Car Park.

Much to my surprise, I found only one other angler in the complex. I parked up and quickly checked, the swim I was interested in was fishing-free.

I grabbed my Titan T2, dumped it in the swim, and then had a good walk about that area. I found the other syndicate member and had a good chat with them. It was time to lead about looking for any extra weed growth. I was punching the lead out 25 wraps, but unfortunately, this meant with the Northwesterly in my face, there was no way the Deeper sonar was going that far out today. I would have to wait until that southwesterly arrived.

Once the spot was found to still be weed-free, it was now that joyous time of getting 3 kilos out there. With a headwind, sometimes I think a bait boat would be handy if it was also allowed, to just get my freebies out there. It would save time and effort, especially after 3 hours of hedge-cutting today!

Once that was all done, I could relax, get the bivvy up and bedchair sorted, and then the rest of the kit inside the bivvy.

And finally, the landing net, before getting the rods out.

It was pretty hot by this point, a lot hotter than I expected today if I’m honest, I needed a drink and a sit down in the bivvy for a bit. I can certainly tell I’m getting older.

Tea was on the go by 1930, after a couple of hours of relaxing and watching the water. I’m pretty confident I will catch something tonight/early hours of tomorrow morning.

That wasn’t the most productive night. I was expecting a lot more from it than a few bleeps that gave me false hope that it could rattle off at any minute. I will certainly be sticking more bait out later on, once Ian’s arrived, because if you have seen the latest Korda underwater video, you can easily get cleaned out, without knowing it.

It’s going to be 20 degrees and a chance of cloud cover this afternoon with even a chance of rain – which I very much doubt. I’ve been watching topping and bubbles all morning just off my spots, I may well have to get some casting lessons at some point, as it’s quite frustrating at times, that I’m so close but yet too far.

I’ve also been watching the butterflies this morning, absolutely wonderful, especially once they get used to you standing there.

The evening arrived, and I was feeling extremely confident. The carp had been showing along the front of the island, and it would only take a couple of rod lengths going out to come across my baited area.

The conditions were looking better by the minute, the Weber was soon on again, and yet another Lasagne and salad on the go. It was just a perfect afternoon and evening. Ian arrived at lunchtime, so I reeled in and sat in his swim as he was setting up. Once it was time for him to spomb some bait out, I did the same to avoid extra noise, we then sat and chatted all afternoon with a few glasses of wine.

During the night, I think it was around 0230, my right rod dropped back a couple of inches, and that was it. Joy! Now came the conundrum of what to do, I opted to wait about 30 minutes, it was getting close to that time when the swinger fell to the floor. I was out, straight away, picked the rod up, and pulled into something, which wasn’t knocking the rod tip, just a bit solid in the Weed for a few seconds, then it was gone. I put this down to a tench. I redid the rod and got back into bed, the next thing was the same rod screaming off, with a spooked bird flying away. Time for yet another recast, with that done it was 0330 and I really did need some sleep.

It was like a millpond in the morning and, unfortunately, no more tench or bird disturbances. The day was spent watching the lake and thinking about a plan of action. 1230 and I had decided that I would recast both rods, however no more freebies.

I redid my rigs with all fresh bait etc.

Cast them back out, bang on the spots, I couldn’t have asked for more.

Ian and I sat chatting in my swim this afternoon until tea time. My confidence was building nicely again, with the evening conditions improving by the minute.

I sat back in the bivvy watching the water with a cool breeze blowing in my face. It had to go off tonight.

It was another dead night, with no fish for myself or Ian, very strange, but these things happen and this is what brings me back for more.

I was up just before 0500 watching the water and hoping, but it was soon packing up time. I would be back again next week for a few nights. The weather is looking perfect, but it was this week, fingers crossed they switch back on soon.

Until then

Richard

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About richardhandel

I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself; My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl! I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes. My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband. This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish. I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work. Richard
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