A Last-Minute Decision That Paid Off

It was a bit of a last-minute decision to head out this weekend. After spending Friday afternoon down at the beach, the wind was really getting up, so when I got home I had a look at the forecast. The strong winds were set to continue right through until Sunday morning, and straight away I started thinking it could be the perfect opportunity to nick a quick overnight session. With the temperatures still high, I knew setting up in the afternoon wasn’t going to be much fun, but I was hoping the wind would take the edge off the heat and make it a little more comfortable than the forecast suggested.

My swim choice wasn’t really any different from the previous couple of trips. By around 4.00 pm the cloud had rolled in, so I probably could have chosen somewhere else, but I’d already seen carp showing all over this area during recent sessions. Add to that a strong wind pushing nicely across the front of the swim, and I couldn’t really ignore it. Before I even thought about putting a rig out, I picked up my trusty marker rod and checked my spots. I’d already mapped the area with my Deeper CHIRP 3, but I always like to make sure nothing has changed. Everything felt exactly as I remembered it. It’s incredibly shallow out there due to the lack of rain, with only around 3½ feet of water over my spots, so accuracy is absolutely key. There was no need to overcomplicate things.

Each rod received just ten 15mm Nutrabaits EnerGize boilies, a couple of small Spombs of Jurassic Particles and a tiny Godman Angling PVA mesh bag filled with crushed boilies. Nice and simple. Both rods were finished off with an 18mm Nutrabaits EnerGize Corkie Wafter.

At 18:03 hrs, the left-hand rod absolutely melted off. Even a small carp in such shallow water feels like an absolute powerhouse. They don’t have much depth to dive into, so they just tear off across the lake. After a cracking little scrap, I slipped the first fish of the session into the net. 12lb Common. I certainly wasn’t going to grumble about getting off the mark so quickly. The rod was soon back out on the spot, and I settled back, wondering what the rest of the night might have in store. As the evening drew on, I couldn’t help thinking I might have seen a tench by now. They’d been a bit of a nuisance on previous trips, but this time they seemed to be keeping out of the way.

Then, at 23:17 hrs, the left-hand rod was away again. This fish fought completely differently. Instead of trying to get into the nearby snags, it stayed out in open water and gave me a proper scrap. Just as I was drawing it over the net, the right-hand rod absolutely screamed off as well. For a split second, I just stood there looking at it. Two fish on. There was no point rushing things. I calmly slipped the first carp into the net, made sure it was secure, laid the rod down and picked up the second one. The first fish turned out to be a lovely 20lb 9oz Common.

By the time I picked up the other rod, the fish was still charging around out in open water. I honestly couldn’t believe it was still attached. At one stage it just locked solid, and I thought I’d lost it on something. Thankfully, it suddenly started moving again. I think it was simply the power of the fish in such shallow water rather than it finding a snag. A few minutes later, it glided over the waiting net cord. I had a feeling it was another good fish.

When the scales settled at 25lb 8oz, I couldn’t stop smiling. A proper brace of twenties within minutes of each other. Moments like that don’t happen very often, and they’re certainly worth making the most of. After weighing both fish, taking a few photos and filming a quick video, I finally had a chance to sit back in the bivvy and let it all sink in. There’s something satisfying about sitting there afterwards with a brew, replaying it all in your mind before getting the rods back out. I introduced just a few more boilies over each spot and settled in for the rest of the night. At 00:43 hrs, I was still getting the odd knock on the rods, and I started wondering how much sleep I was actually going to get. If they turned into carp, then I wasn’t going to complain. If they turned into tench every hour, that would be a different story altogether.

The next proper take came at 05:40 hrs. Once again, it was the left-hand rod. This one managed to find one of the submerged boulders almost straight away, and for a couple of minutes I thought I’d come unstuck. Luckily, steady pressure did the trick, and the line suddenly pulled free. A few moments later, another Airfield Lake common was safely in the net. 12lb Common.

After slipping it back, I recast the rod and climbed onto the bedchair. I really needed to catch up on some sleep by then. I think I nodded off for a while… At least I think I did. The breeze had really freshened up overnight, and it was actually getting cool enough to think about putting a hoodie on. It’s funny how quickly things change. By the middle of next week, the forecast is talking about another heatwave, and I’ll probably be wishing for this cool breeze all over again. With the sun climbing higher and family plans for the day, I decided that was the perfect time to call it.

By 09:00 hrs, everything was packed away and loaded onto the barrow. Looking back, it’s funny how close I came to not fishing at all. If I hadn’t checked the weather after my trip to the beach, I’d probably have stayed at home. Instead, I ended up with four carp, including a brace of twenties, enjoyed a lovely night on the bank, and was still home in time to spend the rest of the day with the family. It just goes to show that sometimes those last-minute decisions, based purely on reading the conditions, can turn into the sessions you remember the most.

Until next time,

Richard

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