Birds Green Top Lake 'A Tricky Session'

I am still chipping away over at Birds Green fishery, I left it for a few weeks because the weather was all over the place and the fish just seemed unresponsive. With the weather cooling down a little I thought I'd head back to see if the fishing had picked up a little. Even though I have fished the top lake a lot and had a fair few good fish out I still find the water pretty moody.

Last week I went down for a session that ended up being just one of those days where things just didn't connect properly. I had 3 runs and only managed to land 1 fish. The first fish was a 13IB common, the second fish took me under both my back leads and then came off, the third took my bait when another angler had come round to talk to me, I was distracted and didn't manged to hear my bite alarm in time, the fish had run into a snag a ditched the hook. I always have my bite alarm volume low, in the future I'm going to have to remember to turn them up a little louder.

13IB Common

This session I was lucky because there weren't many anglers on the lake, I took a walk around, it was windy so it was hard to see any signs of feeding fish, I decided to follow the wind and fish in the bottom corner of the lake. This swim can be really productive when the wind is blowing down into it. 

Swim Action 

I was fishing a pop up on one rod, a bottom bait on the second and I thought I'd try something a little different on the third by using a method feeder. I was confident in my spot off the reeds to the left, the aerator can be a little hit or miss, I have seen a fair few bubbles on recent trips around 2 rod lengths out, I was kind of thinking I might be able to intercept the odd fish as it heads towards the corner.

My method mix was pretty simple, I used Starmers GLM ground-bait with some GLM pellets, I then added a tin of Sardines along with the oil they'd been soaking in. When fishing 'The Method' you've got to make sure the mix isn't to runny as it will come off on the cast, if it's two stiff it won't break down so you've got to find a good middle ground, something that's stiff but able to breakdown nicely once cast out.

Stage 1

Stage 2

 A Ball Of The Good Stuff

On my bottom bait rod I fished a small PVA bag, "Carp Craze" 22m funnel web containing GLM method mix 'dry' with a few GLM pellets, I topped my boilie off with a thin slither of yellow foam just to add something a little visual to the presentation.

Simple But Effective

If all goes according to plan the PVA will melt leaving the pop up perched nicely in the cloud of ground-bait, putting it in the PVA dry really produces a lovely cloud around the hook bait, the particles tend to drift around nicely, which adds great attraction quality. 

A Little Bag Of Goodies

Shortly after getting all three rods out, a carp topped straight out in front of me very close to where my method feeder was, I was feeling quietly confident, the wind was picking up. A few fish were also showing behind the wind so even though I was confident in my spots, that got me thinking about a possible move. I thought I'd give it the morning, keep and eye on the water and if need be make a move. I had a gut feeling a fair few fish might be hauling up behind the wind. 

The hours past and the buzzers remained silent, I wasn't even getting any liners. From past experience you usually nail one an hour or so into the session, this then sets you up for the day. Because no take came I was thinking the carp were somewhere else. During the morning I had been firing out some floating pellets just to see if they might have been in the top layers of the water, I didn't get any positive signs. I decided I'd move up along the side of the island where the calmer water was.

Second Swim 

Sneaky Third Rod Position

 

I got my rods out on my chosen spots pretty quickly to avoid disturbing the swim to much, I felt moving was the right thing to do. I could see carp feeding in the channel in front of me. Because I was now behind the wind, I could see there was a fair amount of feeding going on on the bar running from the island. A few more hours passed with very little action, I was getting a few liners which was a good sign, periodically I was introducing some floating pellets in to the swim and a few carp were starting to show some interest. 

The time was ticking by now and it was around 4:30pm that the carp seemed to start showing and topping. Because so much action was coming off the bar I decided I'd put my left hand rod onto it using a simple 4 bait PVA bag. 

My Bar Bait Position

Another hour ticked by, it was now just past 5:30pm and then out the blue my middle rod flew off with speed, I lent into the fish and it powered off down the side of the island. It was packing some real power, I slowly teased her my way, she surfaced, it was a chunky looking common. As I got her underneath my rod tip she made a last bid for freedom by trying to take me through the reeds down to the right of me, she very nearly succeeded. I kept the pressure on and managed to steer her over my net, I was well pleased, as I stood there staring at her in my net, I felt a massive sense of achievement. Scales sunk bang on 18IB.

18IB Common, Well Worth The Wait

I got her back and got my rod back out, the light was starting to fade and it looked like rain, the carp were still coming up for the floater pellets that I put out earlier, because it was darker they were taking real confidently, whilst I was getting my floater rod setup the heavens opened, the rain was so heavy that I tucked myself under my brolly to wait for it to pass. 

Whilst I was shielding myself from the rain all my bite alarms suddenly bleeped and all three rods shuddered. I didn't really think anything of it, it was only when the rain stopped and I went over to my rods that I noticed my far left hanger had been pulled up to the top, I'd had a take off my bar rod without realising it, a bush was obscuring the hanger from where I was sitting. I lifted into the rod and it became clear a carp had taken the bait and managed to ditch the hook, it was very annoying. The bait had moved a good 15 yards down the lake. This signalled the end of the session, not really the end I wanted but in all accounts it had been a solid, if not testing day.

Next time I go to Birds Green I am going to give the bar a go, from all my previous visits its become clear that the fish are nearly always holding on it or very near it, I am going to just fish PVA bags without any free offerings, I'm looking forward to see what materialises with this approach.

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.

Carpy Chris Leads And Tackle ' Four Months On '

I've always had a natural tendency to shy away from the mainstream, I am like this with my music taste as well as my carp fishing. All that glitters ain't gold, if you want to find gold you've got to look in the most unlikely of places. I have never used real mainstream baits, I fished with Mistral and Poachers before fishing under Starmer. 

Rig bits and end tackle has always been a frustrating part of my carping because I felt so limited with what was on offer, I am not a tackle tart but I guess I definitely am a rig tart, its got to be right, not necessarily complicated but each element has to work correctly in conjunction with all the components. It has taken years of tweaking to eventually have a small arsenal of rigs I can use for all my fishing situations. Making everything as undetectable and as natural as possible is of the up most importance.

I have been fishing with Chris Knowlers leads for the past four months now and I have to say that I am so impressed with the quality of what he produces. Not only have we both developed a couple of new lead ideas, there is so much variety that you can't help but find something that will suit the waters that you fish, be it distance your looking for or a real camo presentation, there's something for everyone. In this blog post the majority of leads I use are inlines but there are a huge collection of swivel leads as well. 

The Leaf Coated Inline

I use the above lead for all the waters I fish, it's especially good when fishing over dark bottoms, it's great on the cast and when feathered down it enters the water with a tidy plop. It's great with a semi fixed set up, every take I've had the swivel is free running, meaning it slips out the lead on every run ensuring it's really carp safe and effective. The inline pear is one of my favourite lead shapes for sure, it makes the finished rig clean and compact looking. With a brown rig pen I will colour my braid the same colour as the lead, along with matching tubing you've got a real unassuming business end.

The Classic Flat Pear Inline

The above lead is your classic inline pear, it's pretty much my default lead that I use in a lot of my fishing, the shape is slightly different to the leaf inline. Because of the contours of the lead it is very dynamic in the air and I have found I can really hit the spot with minimal casting effort, it comes in a load of different finishes so it sits perfectly in with the lake make up.

The Inline Gripper

The above lead is the inline Gripper, Chris sent me some prototypes of these before they went on sale, when I got my hands on them I knew they were pretty special. I use these to fish over clay and off of islands and drop offs where you might be fishing on a slope. The small raised bits in the lead give it a great gripping quality, it casts very well, I get screamers when I am using this lead. The extra grip really enhances the bolt effect.

The Inline Ballast

In my opinion the above lead is a miniature work of art, it was made for gravel pits and waters where there are more small rocks and stones than usual. The finish is very coarse so it's great coating to rub a little bit of clay on just for some added camouflage. If I'm fishing on gravel spots this is the first lead I belt out.

The UFO

The lead above is one that Chris came up with for me, we call it The UFO, for obvious reasons. The finish was based on a pile of clay I grabbed from the lake bottom, took a picture and sent it over to Chris. The disc like quality makes it so smooth on the cast, it really does fly, looking like an unidentified flying object, I have caught a lot of fish on this. You can set it up running or make it semi fixed with a quick modification of a tail rubber that slips over the swivel. If feathered down it enters the water with a tiny clip making hardly any disturbance. This Lead Is Pure Quality, You Saw It Here First.

The Hexi Distance Inline

If you're looking for a distance lead then look no further, the Hexi Distance Inline has some serious pace on the cast. I fish over at Chase Lakes where the island is a fair throw, not only do I hit my spot easily, due to the shape it fairs up against cross winds, even if you're fishing into the wind. I personally think this is one of the best leads on the market, it comes in an array of finishes and keeps the business end nice and streamline. This is my new favourite lead for sure.

Rough Gravel Inline 

The Rough Gravel Inline is another lead that I favor fishing over light coloured bottoms or on gravel beds. It can also be fished over any lake bottom because of its finish, I like it because it seems to sit very well in any environment, even real riggy carp will find this hard to detect. Like all the leads of this shape, it casts very well and if feathered on the cast, enters the water like a beauty.

The Flat Inline Pear

As mentioned in previous blogs, the above lead is an idea I sent through to Chris, years ago I use to hammer my old school pear inlines down. I did this because they cast better and entered the water with a 'clipping' sound creating a lead that causes little to no real disturbance. It can be fished running or semi fixed like The UFO. So many tackle companies talk about pinning everything down as much as possible and then proceed to sell you clumpy looking leads, I've never understood this. I have put this lead through rigorous testing I believe its shape takes 'pinning down' to a whole new level. You've Also Seen This Here First.

The Riser Lead

I don't use a great deal of swivel leads, I am not a fan of the line clip system, I just don't get on with it, it's to do with the way it can end up sit on the bottom. I only use swivel leads when fishing really silty or weedy waters, combined with a helicopter rig. I will use the lightest lead I can get away with. The riser lead is the perfect tool for this angling situation. Due to the shape I can get great distance, it's quiet on the entry and quick on the retrieve. If you use the lead clip system then you'll get a real far chuck with the larger risers.

Black Inline Weed

The black weed inline is one of the newer leads, it hasn't been out very long. I fish a few waters where I need to be fishing in between small weed beds. I use my weed rake to reel in a clump of weed to see what colour it is. I like using this lead in combination with a fluro hook link. This new addition is great for disguising your end tackle. It's not as smooth on the cast but doesn't take long to get use to.

Green Weed Swivel

The Green Weed Swivel lead is another great tool for fishing weedy waters, it can be used in all fishing situations, I have the lightest version for all the reasons I stated in my 'Riser' review. I like to use this lead for stalking on a float ledger setup. Because it's a classic pear design it casts really well, I am a big fan of camo leads.

Green Inline Weed 

The Green Inline is another variation of the black weed lead, these were the first leads I ordered and I use them loads. I was looking for a green weed inline for ages and only found a few by Solar on the market, they had swivels on so I wasn't overly enthusiastic. I have caught loads of fish on these and will continue to use them. I especially like to rig them up if I am margin fishing close to scum lines, reeds or weed beds.

The New Brown Weed Inline 

The brown weed inline is fresh out the mould and the latest addition to Chris's camo lead selection. It's a real tidy lead that once again can be used in any fishing situation. When it comes in contact with water it goes darker, casts well and is great to dip into glugs, due to the nature of the the weed material it holds the flavour very well.

All in all the above lead selection is doing me well, these are only a small example of what's available. There are loads of lead designs and coating to choose from. If you're a fan of swivel leads then you won't be disappointed there's an absolutely huge selection.

If you're looking for leads that are personal, embedded with a fair amount of blood, sweat and a few tears then give 'Carpy Chris' a go, I can guarantee you will get on well with them. Along with the leads, there is also lots of rig bits and end tackle available. I am sure that the lead development will continue with lots of new interesting designs being made up. I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

CARPY CHRIS WEBSITE 

Carp Craze PVA 'The Future'

It's become pretty clear over the past months that I am bordering on becoming a bit of a PVA junkie, I use it in a lot of different ways. Not only is it great in masking the hook, it's brilliant for stopping tangles. With the use of PVA nuggets in a funnel web or solid bag, you can change your rig mechanics and presentation.

I have tried most PVA products on the market with varied results, I have encountered a fair few issues. The main few being residue left on the hook, nuggets either coming off on the cast or not dissolving and funnel web tearing when knotting down tight. The 'mainstream' PVA is really very expensive taking into account it doesn't exactly last that long if you're using it on every cast.

I came across Carp Craze on the Internet, their products looked great for really reasonable prices, I thought I'd order some treats and give them a go. When I received my order not only did it arrive super quick, the amount I got for the money was inspiring. At first inspection I noticed the PVA funnel web material was very soft, I tested it in my sink, tying in a few boilies and dropping them in the water, the melt down time was a few seconds, when I double bagged the break down time increased, a useful approach if fishing in slightly deeper water. The bags dissolve perfectly leaving no residue over the boilies or in the water. 

 PVA Trio Kit

There are various PVA micro mesh kits available that will cover almost any presentation you're looking for. I originally ordered one of the 'PVA MICRO MESH TRIO SYSTEMS' which consists of 7 meters of 22mm and 35mm funnel web and plunger, this system is perfect for boilies and stik mixes. The kit comes presented real tidy looking and fits well into any compartment of your tackle bag. It goes without saying since using it I have caught a lot of fish, I find I am not so sparing because it's real value for money. There are various different systems on sale, refills are sold separately which come in a smart little container that allows you to thread the PVA refill on to the loading tube with ease.

PVA Cord

PVA Solid Tape

I have always been a big fan of PVA cord and tape, it's great for stringers and also tying the tops of solid bags nice and tight. If I'm fishing with long hairs or rig rings I can either use the cord or the tape to tie the hair to the hook shank to prevent it tangling around the hook on the entry. This is a very simple and effective method that guarantees your bait will be sitting perfect on the lake bed. Again, both the tape and the cord melts clean and leaves no residue on the hook.

Bullet Bags

Solid Bags

For fans of solid bags you won't be disappointed, there's a wide selection to choose from including the new 'first of its kind' bullet bag that seals with a draw string. The aerodynamic shape makes it easy on a long chuck, I am yet to use these items but if they're as effective as the rest of the stuff, they're going to be great. The solid bags come in all different sizes.

PVA Nuggets

As I mentioned before, I am a massive fan of PVA nuggets, actually I don't know how I got on without them. I slip one on to the hook every cast, doing this gives me the confidence in knowing my hook point is clear of any debris once sitting on the deck. Also if you're fishing over silt, chod, leaves, broken down reed stems etc, the PVA nugget suspends the hook bait above the lake bed, it prevents the bait being pulled down into the debris. As the nugget breaks down the bait gently falls gently onto whatever you're fishing over. This is most effective when fishing pop ups over a troublesome bottom.

Translucent Weedy Tubing

 Rig Tubing 

Along with quality PVA products Carp Craze also do a lot of rig bits and end tackle. One item I am very impressed with is their tubing. I have been using Korda dark matter but have recently changed to Carp Craze translucent weed tubing. It goes very clear in the water, easy to thread the line through and responds very well to friction. Before using the tube if run your fingers along it creating a bit of friction, the heat straightens it out perfectly to ensure when you cast it out it isn't buckled in any way and sits nice and tight to the bottom.

Needles For Every Job And Shrink Tubing

Another product I am really impressed with are the baiting needles, there's a needle for every job. They're built well, slip through your hair loop perfectly without catching your hook link material. The little handles are hi viz so you won't be losing them in the grass and they're built very well so they're hard wearing. They come in packs of three or you can order them separately. There's so many to choose from, products in this range include, stik needles, needles with latches on, a mint looking stainless steel set and bait drill, the list goes on. 

The trio needle set includes a 'Maggot Ultra Fine Baiting Needle', 'Braid And Hard Bait Baiting Needle' and a 'Heavy Lip Close Bait Needle'. All quality products for such a great price. Their heat shrink tubing is also something I rate highly, I've had problems in the past with shrink tubing not shrinking down to the correct size or holding its shape. Carp Craze shrink tube is very understated, shrinks very well and holds its shape perfectly.

It goes without saying that I will be using Carp Craze PVA products from now on, I have given you a brief overview of some of the items they supply. If I was to write and review everything they do, it would be the longest blog post in history. Along with the few products I have mentioned they also supply ready made rigs, hooks, swivels, loads of different clips, Kryston braids and Klin-ic, lines, lead core, fishing tackle, bite alarms, imitation baits. The list really does go on, go and take a look for yourself you won't be disappointed, let me know how you get on. 

Carp Craze Quality

CARP CRAZE WEBSITE

Holyfields Fishery ' First And Last Session'

I'd been wanting to fish a new day ticket lake for a while now, after taking a look on the internet I found a water called Holyfields, based in Essex. It was reported to contain a fair amount of big carp, after delving a little deeper I found that there was suppose to be lot of big fish in both of the waters they have. 

There were mixed opinions about the place, one of the main points being that the mouths of the carp were suppose to be real bad. I wasn't really feeling it, like I've said before, I'd rather catch a clean looking 10IB fish than catch a battered 30IBer. Despite my gut feeling I thought I'd give it a go, it's always nice to fish a new water every now and then.

I arrived at the lake just gone 8:00am, there were a lot of anglers on the top end of the lake, the first peg was free, it had a quiet corner and a real nice looking margin to go at, I also had a fair amount of open water in front of me. To start off with I decided I was going to have one rod on the far bank opposite, one down to the left of me tucked tight in the corner and then one just off of an overhanging tree along the main margin about 25 yards out.

In regards to my baiting approach, I was fishing my new 'Savory' rig on one rod, Starmers Coconut fish on the other and my third rod had a popped up Honey Nectar on it, all three rods will be fished with a small stick mix and a light bed of free offerings spread in a couple of meters radius of the hook bait. It's always tricky fishing a new water because you're not really sure what works and what doesn't in regards to baits and spots.

 Mixing It Up

 

 The Finished Mix

I mixed my ground bait up the night before so it had time to really soak all the flavors up. My mix consisted of Starmers 'Hot Chilli Hemp' method mix, 'Green Lipped Mussel' pellets, Tuna, Sweetcorn, Luncheon Meat, Sardines and some chopped 'Chilli Peperami'. I really wanted something that had high attraction and high leakage qualities. I didn't add any water, I used all the juices from everything that I added, I keep water to a minimum when making a mix up because I feel it breaks down a lot better, I like the end result to be quite dry, this helps when putting it in any kind of pva bag.

View From My Swim

After a few hours of my rods being out I noticed that a fair few anglers set up at the other end of the lake were hitting into the fish. After talking to a few regulars it seems that the majority of the carp gather in the top end of the lake for most of the day and then head down to my end later on. I had a gut feeling that I was fishing some good spots, I also had a sense that the bigger carp may be lurking away from the main shoal, if I kept quiet and sat on my hands I knew I could stand a real good chance of picking one off.

The first part of the day ticked by without any action, I noticed a few carp cruising just under the surface of the water. They seemed to be making a beeline for the corner down to the left of me. They were gathering really tight under the overhanging tree where my bait was sitting. They weren't taking it though, this got me thinking that maybe I can intercept them on the way to the corner. 

Later on in the day an angler turned up to fish in the bottom corner just opposite me so this forced me to move my two baits and make a few changes. I decided I would flick one rod out about 3 meters in front of me and the second one down the margin to my right. My thought process for this was simple. If the carp are visiting the corner I wanted to get them on route. All my three rods were now pretty close to each other and I was sure I was approaching the swim in the right way.

Second Rod positions

Fish still seemed to be coming out up the top end of the lake so it was pretty clear where the majority of the carp were. I still felt that I was going to pick a few off, I was convinced that some fish will steer away from the pressure. 

Savory Rig

The day continued with no action, a few carp were starting to show in my swim, I knew it was just a matter of time. Mid afternoon came and out the blue my middle rod tore into life, my gut feeling was right, I lent back into the fish, it felt like a lump. I guided her my way, she really wasn't putting up much of a fight, after an unexpectedly short fight I slid a fat looking common over my net. Scales sunk to 22IB 5oz.

22IB 5oz Fell To My Savory Rig

She had pretty bad mouth damage so I added my two klinics to the wounds, I use an antiseptic liquid that sterilises and a second gel that creates a protected film round the treated area. I slipped her back and got my rod back out on the same spot. 

A few hours went by and the same rod went ripping off again, this fish had more of a fight in it. Eventually I slipped another common over the net, scales slipped to 16IB. Again the mouth was really battered, it's pretty upsetting to see really, I just don't get it. The hooks I use are none aggressive and leave little to no tears in the mouths of the fish I catch, I feel this is because I really don't bully the fish, I just let them do their thing keeping firm control of the situation.

16IB Common, Again Fell To The Savory Rig

By this point it was starting to get late, I was in two minds if to cast out or not, I was fishing with my mate Alex who said he had spotted a fair amount of bubbling on my earlier spot underneath the overhanging tree along the margin. 

Alex seems to have twenty twenty vision when it comes to spotting fizzing and bubbling from a mile off. I thought I'd try my luck whilst I was packing the rest of my gear down. I had put a fair amount of bait out so it only made sense that some carp may have moved in on it. I was packing my other two rods up and getting my kit together when all of a sudden my middle rod ripped off at speed, it had been out about 10 minutes. By this time it was getting dark and I still had loads to pack away, we were told we had until 8:45pm and it wasn't far off that so I was worried we weren't going to get packed up in time. 

Whilst I was playing the fish it struck me that I had a big girl on because I just couldn't do a great deal with it. I was giving it some real pressure but it just wasn't having none of it, thundering up and down the margin tight to the right of me. It was now dark so I couldn't even see the line anymore, I just kept the pressure on. A good 25 minutes had gone by and the fish still wasn't ready to give up the ghost.

After about 35 minutes the fish started to show signs of tiring, eventually I slipped her over the net, it was only when I shone a head-torch down into the net that I realised I'd got a real big girl. Me and Alex were flapping around in the pitch black trying to get my weighing station set back up. finding my scales, finding my sling, it was crazy and while this was going on I was thinking 'shit, we're going to get locked in, I didn't want the owner thinking I was taking the piss'.  

We eventually got everything sorted, as we hung the sling onto the scales I knew I had an upper twenty, the fish was wide and deep. Scales sunk to 29IB, I was over the moon but stressing that we had to get out of there, after a few pictures we got the rest of our gear together and made our way to the car park.

29IB Common, Another Beauty To Fall To My Savory Rig

When we got to the front gates, both of them were locked, there was an emergency number which I called, at first we couldn't get through. I tried a second time and the owner picked the phone up, he wasn't happy. He came out to let us out, saying we were taking the piss, 'if it took me that long to land a carp, then I obviously don't know what I'm doing etc' and said that 'we won't be fishing the place again'. 

I wouldn't usually bring things like this up on my blog but I have to say I felt pretty pissed, many who know me know that I take my fishing very seriously. Firstly it's pretty clear that I do know how to play carp, I have been doing it long enough and I take great care over everything I catch. To be told I'm a piss taker that doesn't know what he's doing was just wrong. It goes without saying that I won't be going back, even if I wasn't banned, I wouldn't go back, the state of the carp is a disgrace and the water should be closed down. In the future I am going to pick my day ticket venues carefully.