In a brief summary, the new water I started on held some truly stunning carp, up to mid forties. Things started slowly and it took a couple of trips to start understanding the fish and the patterns and how to fit these in with the constant pressure from some people doing a lot of time.

On my second visit I managed to get a bite in the early hours of the morning. The fish belted off to start with and then started kiting right, luckily, as there was a buoy to my left. I let it have its own way and was playing it as though my life depended on it (you know how you do with the first fish from a new water) and then the hook fell out. Gutted. That never happens, and I have complete faith in my hook choice and presentation… well, normally.

Next session, I had 3 days ahead of me to find the fish and hopefully nick one so on the first night I settled for a swim with the warm wind hacking into it, got the rods out and sat back to watch the water. Nothing happened apart from hearing one during the night not too far away. In the morning, it just didn’t feel right and so it was off round the lake for a look.

I just could find anything to go on, but I thought the fish may have got fed up with the pressure and moved to the opposite end of the lake. I took some  4mm Carp Feed Pellets with me as usual and was hoping to introduce them to a couple of spots and then returning later.

I stepped into one ‘swim’ and out of the corner of my eye I saw a shape disappear to my left. There was light coloured stone on the bottom which I used as a handy marker and around which I put in a couple of handfuls of pellets.

The area was left whilst I checked out the second spot but on returning I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were 3 commons absolutely ripping the bottom to pieces for the pellets. I just couldn’t get back to my previous nights swim quickly enough to pack my gear and move round to where the fish were feeding.

I got packed up in record time and was soon swinging two rigs no more than a rod length out, onto the baited spots (after spooking the fish from the area with a few pellets thrown over them), and sat done quietly to wait. No more than 15 minutes later the left hand rod took off like a stabbed rat! I picked up the rod and gently eased the fish back towards me. It hit the surface and then the hook bloody fell out, AGAIN!

Well. I just sat there. I couldn’t believe my luck. Anyway, the rod was re-baited and put back on the spot followed by a couple of handfuls of pellets. Nothing further happened apart from the heavens opening during the night and as I lay there around 7am the next day it was bucketing down, I was sure the fish wouldn’t feed until it eased off and as the thought left me I was away on my right hand rod. 

No time for shoes, jacket, hat, nothing. I had to get to the rod. I picked up the rod, the fish came up in the water, moved to the right slightly, and then fell off!!!!!!!! From the bite to the holding the rod in the storm, and then to getting back into bed, took all of 90 seconds. I was devastated.

All I wanted to do was pack up and go home, but on looking at the spot it was clear that the fish had eaten the bait as the spot had gone from the size of a dinner plate to the kitchen table.

Rods were sorted out for the afternoon, and as I was laying there feeling very sorry for myself I was away again. Usual story, almost. This one stayed on. A beautiful common soon lay in the net and all the bad luck was forgotten, and all I had done differently was to lengthen the hook length to around 14 inches and remove the small sliding ring of the shank and replaced it with two pieces of silicone so that the hair left the hook opposite the eye, right round the bend. The addition of a variation on a pva stick theme also helped and for more details of this keeps an eye out for my article in Total Carp soon.

Tight lines…