Last year I was unable to do much fishing due to A level exams but once they had finished I rejoined a syndicate 10 minutes walk from my house which I had been a member of 2 years before.
The lake is around 2.5 acres and up to 20ft deep in some areas. There is a low stock of carp up to low 30's in the lake and less than 40 captures a year is common as the lake can be quite hard.
This was my 3rd session since I had re joined at the beginning of September. On my previous sessions I had 3 fish, one mid double, a 23 and this 27lb 10oz. All mirrors.
I spent an hour walking round the lake, no fish showing..... Nothing new there I thought.
So I headed round to a swim the fish pass through when moving from the "handle" to the main body of the lake. This swim has produced for me before in similar conditions and seemed an obvious starting point.
rods out, bivvy up, brew on, sorted.
Now the waiting begins.
At about 7pm I had a take on my left hand rod from what felt like a decent fish I played it back towards me only for it to roll over and the hook drop out yards from the net, I was gutted, that was clearly a 20lb fish. With the way this lake fishes I thought I had blown my chances and was now heading for a blank...
The rod went back out and the curry went on the stove.
The bait I use is made by Burton Bait Rollers, a small company that has just entered its second year. They produce exceptionally high quality baits at very reasonable prices.
At 9am the next morning just as I was about to top up the swim with a scattering of boilies the left hand rod was away. Please don't come off....
After a short powerful scrap the fish was in the net. No blank for me.
She went 24lb 1oz and after a few quick self take photos I slipped her back. Not the best photo in the world, oh well.
A few words on tactics:
The swim I was fishing has 3 spots where most anglers fish to, they're obvious, 2 holes in the far bank tree line and the lily pads. These spots get fished heavily and fish are going to be wary of them. So, I do something they're not so used to. Bait the main spots but fish a hook bait off the spot, as if it's a stray boilie which missed its target. Works for me.
Rigs:
All my rods were fished with the same rig, 10inch long nash missing link 20lb in silt colour, size 10 long shank fished blow back with silicon and a short piece of shrink tube over the eye. Hook bait was an 18mm boilie and 12mm white home made pop up in matching flavours.
The day passed without action and the forecasted storm began to appear. The lightning was spectacular, there was no way I could sleep with thunder and lightning above me. I wasn't expecting action during the storm as takes usually come just after rain. But I was wrong.
At 11pm my middle rod tightened slowly, the fish was powering away up the handle. I applied a huge amount of side strain to turn the fish away from the overhanging and submerged trees. She turned and was soon powering around in the open water, staying deep as large carp do. I tired her in open water then guided her the the net. I turned my head torch on and looked down into my net, that's the 30 I thought. After unhooking her I slipped her into my retainer sling and left her in the deep margins for weighing and photos in the morning.
I'd caught my 5th fish in 4 sessions and it was the lakes largest fish, happy is an understatement.
I packed down all my kit and pushed the barrow round the lake and up the hill to my car, a new PB, caught in a lightning storm, that was pretty special.
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