Back on the Bank – Man Flu Recovery Session!

It’s been a week longer than I originally planned, and to be honest, I’m still not 100% sure I should even be out fishing. But after surviving a couple of days back at work and feeling reasonably okay, I figured some bankside recovery time was just what the doctor ordered.

Man flu struck hard while I was away camping in Wales. I ended up coming home three days earlier than planned—and truthfully, I probably should have cut the trip even shorter. The icing on the cake was that I had a tyre blowout going over the old Severn Bridge. Thankfully, the Highways Agency and the AA were absolutely brilliant. The whole situation was sorted in just over an hour—1 hour 15 minutes to be exact—and I was back on the road. A real credit to both services.

I had no idea how the lake had been fishing recently. All I knew was that with the wind pushing into the bank, carp should be nearby—historically, they love these conditions. Ironically, last week’s weather was perfect for fishing, but I was stuck indoors recovering.

This time around, I needed to strike a balance. I couldn’t overdo it health-wise, but I also knew that sitting at home would only lead to more time watching rubbish TV or tidying the garage or loft, which definitely wouldn’t help my recovery. Being out on the bank in the fresh air and sunshine feels like a better option. I’d heard the lake had been fishing hard lately, so I knew I’d have to graft to avoid a blank.

I chose a swim I hadn’t fished in years. It used to be one of my most productive spots, but it had completely dropped off over time. For some unknown reason, it stopped producing the stamp of carp it once did. Still, I had a good feeling—it offered decent water coverage, and with the wind due to be all over the place but predominantly blowing into this bank or nearby, it seemed like a smart call.

I took my time with baiting up. Not having fished this swim in years, I didn’t want to go in too heavy. The last time I fished it, I’d moved in after a long chat with the late Chris Ball. We’d spent three hours talking while watching plenty of carp shows, and I just knew it was the right swim. Sadly, I’d forgotten about the impending heatwave and ended up moving the following evening. Still, great memories.

To get going, I put out between 8 and 10 large Nash Dot Spombs over each area. I planned to fish a large Castaway PVA bag on the closer spot and a single 24mm Cream Cajouser topped with half a white Blank Saver for a bit of added colour further out.

The Action Begins

At 10:30, the right-hand rod ripped off—but the hook didn’t hold. Judging by the feel, the lead must have bounced off a boulder and caused the hook to ping out. Frustrating, but it happens.

Then, at 04:25, the same rod was away again. I reckon the carp found that same underwater snag, but this time I managed to coax it out without too much drama. It felt like a decent fish, and for a moment, I thought it might be caught up in some old line, but thankfully not. Before long, it was safely in the net—a lovely fish tipping the scales at 19lb 15oz. So close to the 20lb mark, but a welcome result all the same. I re-baited with another 24mm Cream Cajouser and half a white Blank Saver and settled in to enjoy the misty morning with my first coffee of the day.

A little later, I drifted off to sleep again, waking to warm sunshine just before 9:00.

Doubling Up

At 10:44, Ian arrived. After a catch-up, we decided to double up in the swim—there’s plenty of water to go at, and I always feel that having four rods out rather than two increases your chances and keeps carp from settling in areas without lines. To be honest, you could probably get another two rods out without interfering with anyone else.

By noon, I gave Ian the choice of which side he wanted. As I’d already caught, he chose the right-hand side. I set up on the left, and we positioned our rods to make playing and netting fish easier.

The evening was a cracker. We sat out enjoying the weather, eating, chatting, and sharing a few drinks until nearly 23:00.

More Action

At 3:55, my left-hand rod screamed off from a newly found spot. The smaller carp in this lake put up a real scrap, and you always have to play them cautiously just in case it turns out to be something bigger than expected, which has happened a fair few times! It turned out to be a lovely 10lb common. After a quick photo, the rod was rebaited and put back on the spot.

By this point, I’d updated my blog and was waiting for the forecasted rain. It finally arrived around 7:00 —light drizzle at first, but it picked up around 10:30 and turned into a heavy downpour until 13:00. Proper carp weather.

Unfortunately, last night didn’t go as planned. Neither Ian nor I had any further action. With only a few hours left for me and another 24 hours ahead for Ian, I was hoping he’d manage to land one before he packed up.

With the river and Meadow Lake opening on Monday, I’m not entirely sure where I’ll be fishing over the coming weeks. I’m planning to break things up a bit until mid-August when Airfield Lake usually kicks into gear.

Last Push

I planned to be off by around 10:30, which gave me a few final hours. The southwest wind was slowly picking up, cloud cover was moving in, and I started to see a few fish showing—not over yet.

At 8:50, the right-hand rod was away again. That little white Blank Saver was doing its job! Another Airfield Lake 10lber graced the net. A real confidence booster—which is key in fishing, I believe.

With around an hour left to pack up, Ian persuaded me to rebait and get the rod back out—“You never know,” he said. And he was right; I’ve had plenty of last-minute fish before. It was worth the effort.

Unfortunately, this time, it wasn’t to be.

Until next time

Richard

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