As I unlocked the gate to my current lake a northerly wind ripped through my clothing. It really did feel like Winter rather than Autumn. I knew I would be well up against it this tip. I had heard the lake had been fishing extremely poorly. As I pulled into the car park an angler was loading his car returning from a couple of nights on the lake. After a quick chat I had learned he had suffered a blank and not a lot had been seen.
I grabbed a bucket from the car and headed around the lake in search of the carps whereabouts. After a lap of the lake I was none the wiser and for my first night I went with the shallower end as this was the last place I had seen them mostly active on my last trip.
That first 24hrs passed by extremely quiet so I decided a move for my final night was on the cards. Finally I saw a carp show in an area I knew well. I hurriedly loaded the barrow and headed straight to the swim to secure it and I soon had three rods out. All 3 rods were fished over a mixture of Beta’nana in 12mm and 15mm, hemp, tigers and mixed pellet. My hookbait choice was Betalin soaked tiger with a plastic corn topper.
I felt confident that this was the right area to be in. After around two hours my left rod signalled a slow but steady take. I was on the rod in a flash and on picking it up I was met with firm resistance. I knew from the very start I was connected to a decent fish. After a few moments the fish slowed up and found sanctuary in a sunken weed bed. Another 10 minutes and I finally got the fish moving. On a long line the fish kited to the right before once again finding sanctuary within the weed. Once more it felt like an age before finally getting the fish moving again. With the fish free from the weed it tried a new way of ridding itself of the hook by stripping 40 odd yards of line from the spool, and headed right a long a snag infested margin. As it neared the branches everything again drew to a halt. I cursed my luck and prayed everything would hold. My prayers were answered as the fish began moving this time heading out away from the snaggy margins. After what seemed like an eternity I had the fish on a short line. Through the crystal clear water I could make out a decent mirror twisting and turning trying to rid itself of my size 6 hook. A further 5 minutes passed before I scooped up a cracking coloured mirror donning its autumnal colours.
The fish spun the scales to 38lb and was a simply stunning carp and one that I dearly wanted. Considering the weather and the fact the lake was fishing so so poor I was over the moon with my result.
Bag a biggun
Craig Runham
