Worth its weigh in gold....

Worth it’s Weight in Gold...

Now this fish is one of the smaller fish I’ve caught in quite a while, but mere pounds and ounces mean nothing compared to the adventure I’ve been through to catch this one.

A call to wish happy birthday to an old friend last week ended with stories of a big mythical carp in a private lake that hasn’t been fished for years.The relevant phone call was made which resulted in an invite to “come fish it whenever you like” (massive thanks Hattie and Nathan)

After a full day at work Friday I started the 2 1/2 hour drive (that actually took 3 1/2 hours thanks to the bank holiday traffic. Upon arrival I then had to take my kit over numerous rutted, boggy fields, each with rusted gates and padlocks that meant unloading the barrow, passing everything over, reloading and starting again. After a good hour I was finally at my destination.I was so tired and quickly losing the light so 3 pub chucks, some food and an early night.

I was up at 4am and then the work really started. Over the next two days I constantly lapped the lake looking for signs, baiting little spots in the edge and watching the water from various vantage points high up in the trees. Despite all the hard work and intense heat and high pressure all I saw was the same group of little cricket bat commons between 8-14lb.

I could get these feeding in one corner only, but didn’t want to fish for them as I was hoping their activity would entice in something better.I went to bed on my final night exhausted and not holding out much hope.

Then on my final morning just after first light one of my alarms screamed into action. The resulting fight from a fish that had probably never been hooked before was incredible and I was sure I was into something good. After what seemed like an age I finally subdued it, and there in the folds of my net was a bristling, unknown, uncaught bar of gold. At 19lb 12oz it didn’t quite make the twenty mark but I really didn’t care.

Time to pack up and get all my kit back to the van for the long drive home.I didn’t catch my mythical beast or even catch a glimpse, is it still alive? is it still in there? who knows? But what an adventure

Will I go back?

Watch this space...