Now that Meadow Lake and the river are open, Airfield Lake has become a ghost town. I’m planning a trip to Meadow Lake every month to stay connected with the place. When I get there in November, it’ll have been a bit of a headbanger in recent years. Airfield Lake used to close at the end of September, but now it’s October, which works well for here but not for Meadow Lake. I’m on the back foot before I even start, so this year I’m trying something different once the first week of the session is over.
I arrived at the gates of Airfield Lake around 13:30. After checking the weather, I had no idea where to go. One thing was certain: I needed shade for the next three nights, with temperatures reaching the mid 20Cs. That’s cold for some, but too hot for others, especially in direct sunlight.

The pressure was much lower than expected, giving me some hope. The wind wouldn’t be as helpful as last week, as it was going to be all over the place. I headed to my favourite secret swim. My elbow was still not 100% better, limiting my casting distance.

My secret swim looked great, and a couple of carp cruised by in the margins. It seemed like the right time to try it again. I checked the weather and saw that I would be on the back of the wind 50% of the time, as it was coming from either the north or northeast. Though the wind wasn’t favourable, a couple of carp topped about 13/15 wraps out. I decided to give it a go. At least I would be in the shade 50% of the day. I could have chosen the same swim as last week, but my plan was to fish the margins here before the water levels dropped too much. With that, my swim choice was sorted, and I started organizing my kit.

By 16:15, everything was ready, and the kettle was on. The northerly wind, more like a northeasterly, was blowing nicely along this bank, giving me confidence. I cast the marker rod in the direction where the carp had topped and found a lovely silty patch just off a gravelly area. I baited heavily with 20mm Classic Corn Boilies and fished a 20mm Catalyst wafter over the top. This produced several carp last week, a good starting point for this session.

The evening was absolutely spectacular. Watching a fantastic sunset over the forest, I drifted off to sleep around 22:30. I woke a couple of times during the night to fish crashing close by, but that was all.
At 07:00, I was up making a brew, thinking these conditions were better than expected, with a good chance of a morning bite. By 09:15, the margin rod was away. The carp ripped out into open water and into the nearest weed bed. I kept the pressure on, and the fish came through the weed beds. I played it out under the rod tip and slipped the carp into the net.

18lb 3oz Common

The rod was soon back on the spot, and the conditions still looked favourable. With the wind pushing nicely onto this bank until the sun arrived, I felt there was a good chance of another bite.
At 16:15, as I was thinking about doing my evening piece with the camera, the margin rod belted off, mirroring the morning’s carp. By the time I got it into the margins, it was clearly a bigger fish.

24lb 14oz Common

There’s no point kidding yourself that it was a 25lber—the scales don’t lie. It didn’t matter to me; I was overjoyed. I’d escaped the 18lber loop I was in. I catapulted more 20mm Classic Corn Boilies and flicked the rod out again. It’s nice to see this spot producing bites; I always knew it would. Unfortunately, there was a huge tree in the way for years – well, a small tree at first.

At 19:15, the range rod finally burst into life like a screaming banshee. The carp charged out into the lake, heading right quickly, trying to find the small plateau or a boulder to bump the hook out. I knew exactly what it was up to and where it was heading, but sometimes there’s no way to avoid the outcome. Donk!, and it was gone. At least they’re feeding out there. I wondered how long it would be, as the wind had finally moved to the southwest. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, but it seemed to make a difference to that rod. I hoped the wind would swing around again at some point tomorrow.
The rod was soon back out, fingers crossed a few more headed my way.

At 19:35, the same rod was away yet again, and this time, the fish felt much bigger. It had kited far right and just wasn’t stopping. I thought my best option was to loosen the clutch on the rod, put it on the rests, and grab my waders. But by the time I had done that, the carp had shed the hook. I’m not a happy camper at the moment. From now on, it’s back to putting the waders on first before picking up the rod, just in case that situation arises again, which I’m 100% convinced it will. That carp felt much bigger than the others.
The rod was soon back out there. I can only hope I get another chance.

At 23:10, the right-hand rod was away again. This time, the carp was going left, which was interesting because this was the direction they always used to go before the tree was removed. This carp was off way down the margins before I gained control. I also walked out into the lake to get a better angle and keep it away from the overhanging tree branches. I was trying to avoid the other one too. It was a close call at that point, but the near full moon helped me see along the bank. Once it was under the rod tip, it was under control and soon in the net.

18lb 8oz Common

The photos were taken, the carp was returned to its home, and the rod was back on the spot.
At 23:45, the same rod was away again. This carp came straight in over the bar and passed the weed bed with no issues until the hook popped out just before I was ready with the net. There was no real reason at all. I checked the hook; it was perfectly fine, so I simply put the rod back out after wrapping it up yet again.
The score was now 3-all.

That night was a disaster all around—four bites and only one carp landed. It happens.
I woke to a day of clear skies and light winds, not ideal for another daytime take, but you never know.
I need to figure out the best time to bait. I’m thinking around noon because of those late afternoon bites. Plus, that’s when the weather is due to turn back to a southwesterly for a few hours, which I’m sure was the cause of all the action yesterday.
Fingers crossed the weather conditions are correct.
The day passed without any activity. I opted to bait up around noontime and have a bit of a walkabout, then head back, and flick the rods out, hoping for an afternoon or early evening bite. If not, hopefully, it would happen during the dark hours.
At 22:12, it nearly took me 24 hours to get the next bite, but we got there in the end. It was the right-hand rod, which seems to be for nighttime bites only, which is interesting. The carp was well-behaved and was soon in the net.

16lb 10oz Common

It was certainly nice to get another one in the net after last night’s disastrous events.
The rod was soon back out, the bats flicking the line were driving me crazy again. At least it’s nearly the longest day.
At 03:00, the margin rod burst into life. Waders on, out of the bivvy, pick up the rod, and pull into thin air. Just great. I call these “Spitfire takes” since this was an old airfield once, and they were based here at one point. It could be the ghosts of bygone times. Probably a heavy liner or the hook got bumped out on a boulder before I picked the rod up, but you never know.
With the rod back on the spot, it was time to get some more shut-eye.
At 06:50, I was dreaming away when the margin rod screamed to life. Waders on and out the door we go. What a beautiful morning, I thought, picking up the rod and pulling into a nice carp who was heading out to sea! I applied pressure, it turned and kited hard left. I was soon in the water, applying pressure to stop it from reaching the snags next to the other swim to my left, which I know can be extremely problematic at times. Being in the water makes it so much easier than from the bank.
The carp was away from those snags but trying to get into any margin with overhanging trees it could find. I coaxed it past the last obstacle and gently played the carp out under the rod tip before sliding the net under a lovely-looking common.

20lb 00oz,

The scales locked in at.
Scales don’t lie. That will do me, folks.
I got that rod out, plus redid the other because it had bleeped a couple of times, and the line had slacked off.
I’m hoping for one more to even the score out. I’ve lost 5 and landed 5 so far. A sixth would be nice without being greedy.

It was soon packing-up time. The clear blue sky and sunshine made it easy to sit out for another day.

Until next time

Richard

 

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