24 Hours on Thorpe Lea

January 24, 2012 2 min read

Seeing the new year in out at Abbey Lakes in France, it was now time for my first trip of the year back in the U.K. With really high pressure and low temperatures forecast the conditions where slightly against me, but with the car loaded I headed up to Thorpe Lea mid morning on Saturday. I arrived at the lake to find it surprisingly busy and I had to wait until 2pm to get into a half decent peg.

With all the gear set up I set about getting my rods out. I had the wind off my back creating a large area of calm water out in front of me, and with the afternoon sun beating down I knew the carp wouldn't be too far away. I started off with just small bright hookbaits and little pva bags of Little Gemz Pellets, but after an hour with no action I decided it was time to give them some bait. I made a mix consisting of Salamiz Hemp, Little Gemz Pellets, Nutz Sludge and chopped Cell boilies and I soon had a big bucket full of spod mix ready to go out. I started off with 50 spods, a lot of bait for this time of year but with the stock that is in the lake, once they find it it wont last long! I was fishing small pink pop ups soaked in Betalin over the top and attached to these small pva sticks made from Nutz Multimix with added Nutz Concentrate.

The action soon started and after a short battle I had a stunning mirror of 21lb 10oz in the net, what a result. Rod back out and it didn't take long for it to go again!!! This time another mirror weighing 23lb 2oz! so my first 2 carp from England in 2012 where both 20s! I had landed 11 carp by about 9pm and decided it would be a sensible move to wind the rods in, get a good nights sleep and start back at them in the morning.



The morning soon came around and the rods where back out and more bait spodded over the top. Very much like the day before the fish soon responded and I was hauling once again! I had to be off by 2pmso I made the most of my time. In between most fish I would top the area up with another spod or two, and by the time I had toleave I landed 36 fish with 9 over 20lbs to 23lb 10oz!!!


 

 

till next time
Tom