Chase Lakes 'A Relaxed Session'

I took a trip down to Chase the other weekend for a relaxed session, no pressure, I love the size of the lake, there's lots of carp in the water and some great features to go at. I arrived at the water at about 11pm. I setup on the point where I have a channel to the right of me and an Island a fair few yards in front. I used a bottom bait on the island rod because the lake bed is clear clay, my middle rod was on a popped up Tutti Frutti because the margins near the reeds where my spot was has a lot of bottom debris. My left hand rod was fished in the channel on a popped up Honey Nectar, I was fishing under an overhanging tree and because of this there is a load of rotten leaves on the lake bed. I put a lot of bait in on all three spots because the fish respond well to this baiting approach.

View From The Swim

Second View

My island spot was tight under a tree, there is a fairly steep slope dropping off the island so I set my rod up with a gripper lead on it. My rig was fished on a blow back with a jelly wire hook link stripped back, a size 6 fang twister, I find this rig is simple but very effective.

Island Rig

I got all three rods out fairly quick, baited up and sat back to wait for some action, it was about an hour before I got my first take from my island spot, it was a screamer. I lent into the fish and it powered all over the place, it started to head towards me at a real fast pace. Just as it was getting close the hook came out. I proceeded to have two more runs off the same rod with both fish coming off. I checked my hook and my rig and there was nothing wrong with it. I just put it down to being a little unlucky.

Things went quiet for a while, I kept introducing a bit of bait every 45 minutes, I knew the fish would come on the feed and I wanted to make sure the swims were primed and ready to go when they did. I was sitting there thinking I might do a recast on my rod fishing under the overhanging tree at the mouth of the channel. Just as I was about to recast, it ripped off. I eased the fish my way, as it surfaced I caught a glimpse of a lovely looking mirror,  I slipped her over the net .. result !!

A Mint Chase Mirror

I slipped her back and got the rod straight back out, I baited the swim back up and sat back to wait for some more action. It didn't take long to come, my middle rod screamed off at pace, I lifted into the fish and started the onslaught of trying to get the carp under control, the island rod is a fair distance out, it was important for me to keep the pressure on because I didn't want to loose this one. The fish came in easily and as it topped I noticed it was a dumpy little common, I slipped her over the net, she was a new stockie and in pristine condition.

A Cheeky Chase Common

It may not have been the biggest fish in the world but it was a pleasure catching her, I mentioned many times before that it really isn't about the size for me, it's about the consistency. If you have steady results everywhere you go, the bigger fish will come. The rod went straight back out along with about another 80 baits.

It really wasn't very long before the same rod went off again, this felt like a bit of a better fish, she put up a real scrap, she came up to the surface a little way out, it was a lovely dark looking mirror. I teased her over the net, at first sight it was a lovely looking carp, when I turned her over I got a bit of a shock. On one side she had some really bad damage, it looked like she had been dropped because she had a deformed side near her swim bladder, it was really shocking to see. I got a photo taken quick and got her back straight away to minimise the stress.

A Dark Chase Mirror Having Been Through The Wars

Keeping Everything Tight And Simple Can Really Pay Off

I got the rod straight back, about 10 minutes passed before my left hand rod shot into life, I lent into the fish, she was coming in fast, I had a sense that I'd hooked into a cheeky chap, as the fish surfaced it couldn't have been anymore than 3IB but looked so clean. 

One Day She's Going To Be A Monster

I slipped her back to fight another day, it was great to hit in to a few smaller fish, it shows the lake is thriving and the new wave of young carp are coming along nicely. I added a little more bait to the spot and got the rig back out.  At this point the day was nearly coming to an end, I slowly started to get my gear together hoping 'last knockings' was going to give me one last run. Just as I was about to reel my rods in, my middle rod shot off. The fish was putting up a fair fight, I slipped another mint looking fish over my net.

Another Clean Chase Common

It was great to end the day with another fish, I really enjoyed the session, it's always fun to catch carp of lots of shapes and sizes. I had a good result considering I hadn't been on the lake that long, it's a shame I lost three fish. 

Chase will be my main winter water this year, I have a gut feeling I can beat my PB if I put some serious time in. Sessions like this are what it's all about for me. You can ruin it for yourself if you put to much pressure on to catch 20's and 30's etc, every carp is a beautiful carp, that's what keeps me tied to the bank, the adventure, the variation and the fact that anything could happen at any time. A monster may not of come today but the real positives are that my rigs are working and my bait and approach is producing, can't wait to get back down there.