Looking Back Over The Years

Looking Back Over The Years

I’ve put together a few of my memorable trips over the past few years. 

Trip No 78 Carp Fishing (2015)

After packing up early from my social trip with Rob, as the fish were clearly not playing ball and as  my family were still away.  I would be able to fish another night on my local lakes.

Here I am at first light and with only 3 other people on the lake, I had the pick of the swims, more or less.

After a walk around and a check of the weather forecast.  The only fish I saw were along the snaggy margin bank and as there is one night swim in the middle of this bank.  This was the spot for me.  I set up as quietly as possible, on the gravely swim and dropped both rod’s in the margin for the day.  I would move them out a bit for the night.

The wind was picking up nicely and there is a good chance of some sunshine.  So I am feeling very confident. Time for crumpet and jam on the ridgemonkey.

Hot food is a must for Autumn and especially in the colder Winter months.

This swim was getting a bit of a squeeze, my bivvy was pushed back up against the bamboo as much as possible and the water was still only a foot away from the bivvy door as the rest of the swim was well under water.

Hopefully, I will be able to fish this swim over the winter still.

At 1600, the right hand rod bust into life, I picked the rod up and stuck the tip under water.  The fish would be under the overhanging tree and I did not need it breaking the surface.

After what was quite a battle, I had managed to get the fish under control and plodding around in front of the swim.  It did have the odd attempt to get back under the overhanging tree,  no way you are mind I thought, as I drew the carp into the waiting net.

Another hard fighting carp, at 20 lb 8 oz, I was very happy and after re-baiting both rod’s for the night.  It was time for a 4 pm brew and a sausage sandwich (with cheese – thanks Rob for the idea), they taste fantastic.

The sun was saying good night and I was very hopefully of another carp.

As the temperature dropped through the night and it was also very still, this amplified the sound of the odd fish crashing.  Unfortunately, they where not very close and the night was filled with that and broken sleep.

Hopefully the sun will be out before I am off at 1400 hrs, not sure as there is no wind and no sign of any sunshine.  This will be interesting to see how the fishes behaviour is affected along the snaggy bank.

It’s around noon time, a light wind has picked up and the sun had burnt off the misty morning.  I am going to give it until 1400, has I need to be home and sorted out in time to collect the family from the airport at 1730.

I am hoping I should be in with a shout by then, as most of my daytime takes happen before 1400 hrs.

Unfortunately, this was the only fish of the trip.  I did think I would get another one, but hey, that’s fishing for you.

Trip No 73 Carp Fishing (2015)

Down on the Meadows lake for my Sunday night session. After a look round in the swims that are on the back of the wind,  as the last few days there has been a chill in the air.

I quit fancy this one that gives me access to a bay area with overhanging trees and a gap throw to the santry area and also with the sun and no wind on that bank,  I felt that would be a perfect area. With the night temperature not dropping that much I am hoping the fish will feed,  as the lake has been fishing not that we’ll over the past few days.

The righthand rod was cast into the gap that’s in the middle of this photo,  with a Godman Pva Versacast filled with Bait-tech krill and Tuna oil and 5 spombs of a mix of groundbait and poloni boilies.

The other rod the same,  just fished into the bay more

By the reed’s some 70yards away.

It was  then time to soaked up the afternoon sun.

At around 10 pm the left hand rod was off and attached to a good old lump,  that was kiting to the left and if I was not careful would be round the back of the small island to the right of me, I started pump the rod hard and the fish moved more into open water and a bit more under control and I new there was a good chance this would be much second thirty of the week,  once under the rod tip is was just a matter of time before he fish was betten and slopped over the cord.

And sure enough in the net was another 33lb 1oz mirror,  what a week this was turning out to be.

I recast the rod after reshaping the hook and with a fresh 14mm poloni pop up on , the rod was back on the spot again.

With the normal interrupted by the bream. That was it and the clock sprung into life at 0545 signaling it was time to be on my home.

Trip No 71 Carp Fishing (2015)

After my night out and what can only be described as bream fishing.  I have done my school run bit and have headed straight back down the lake (after the Mrs came home) to have a play along the snag bank.

My first port of call was my favourite spot along this bank.  I scattered a good couple of handfuls of ground up poloni boilies.

I put them over my favourite spots, sat back and waited.  The right hand rod was away within half an hour of being there and this fish was very powerful.  It stayed well and truly under the tree for what felt like a life time.  I literally had to hang on with both hands and keep my tip well under the water.  Even when I finally managed to get the fish out for a few seconds, it powered of again straight back under.  I knew right from the start I was attached to a lump, I just needed to hang on and get that fish out into the small bit of open water in front of me and into that net.

When it finally slipped over the cord, I let out a sigh of releave as close quarter playing a big fish, in a tiny snaggy swim, is a real adrenaline rush.

34 lb 2 oz of power was finally mine.

After that and with still another 2 hours left, I moved on to another swim that I had not fished before but really fancied.

Unfortunately, the swim move didn’t result in another fish.  But I don’t care, I am so over the moon with my result today, I am going home with a great big smile on my face.

Trip No 66 Carp Fishing (2015)