Result on my first trip to my Cambs syndicate water...

On arrival to the Cambs syndicate I was greeted by the car park flooded. So as I walked through the water to open the gate I then realised I wouldn't be fishing where the complexes big girl lives.

A plan was needed quick, as I was going to be doing a 24hr tuition trip. So I decided we would be fishing lake 7 near a flowing pipe, fish normally home in on these sorts areas for food items and high oxygen levels.

Anyway we blanked but he came for the knowledge which he got to further his carping.

After the client left I walked about looking for some signs that might give away where I might spend my last 24hrs before returning home.

As I walked up the causeway in-between lakes 7 and 8, I noticed some tench rolling out about 50 yards, so I sat down and watched for a while to see what else might show, hopefully a carp! All I saw was 7 more tench but mostly in the same area, so thats was all I had to go on, so I decided to setup in this area and fan the rods out around where I had seen these tench roll, plus I knew this was an area Mr Carp liked as Andy Stafford the fishery owner had told me many times, you should always log these bits of info as it can be starting point until you gain more knowledge of the water!

Gear loaded on the barrow and now a long walk to the swim.

First things first...most important...get the rods out first, I laugh when I see others wasting time setting up a bivvy etc, before they get the rods out, good angling in my book, fishing time lost!

As I was getting the rods out the wind out up, a very cold easterly, but I just happened to be on the back of it, sweet.

I saw the odd tench about but no signs. Andy popped in for a coffee between all the work he's doing on the complex of lakes.

He told me that a few carp were seen in the area I was fishing over the weekend! So if this info was pukka, I was in with a chance - flooding, a very cold wind etc, not the best of conditions I might add.

But I am a hardened hardcore carper with a one tracked mind, out there somewhere there's a chance of a carp!

I did notice up this end of the lake the water was clear, unlike down the other end by the pipe.

I once again I had dynamites flouro orange Tutti Frutti pop ups on all rods, so I had the visual pull towards the hookbait in clear water.

Plus these pops ups stay up unlike some others, as I've left them out before for two and half days and they were still popped up pukka, this is a must when using pop up chod rigs..

Anyway night came and it got really cold and by morning there was a heavy frost.

So on with the kettle as I needed a nice warm strong coffee to sort me out.

I was booked in with rich Stewart the editor of advanced to do my next monthly instalment.

As I watched the day start to unfold in front of me, my phone rang as I asked rich to get here early as I wanted to get back home.

As I was on the phone to rich, he was telling me he was here, I had a few bleeps on the left hand rod and a screamer, got to go I am in mate, or something like that.

Before I got to the rod I had to put my chest waders on first, as the lake was flooded.

As I pulled into the fish, he had gone well left, so I waded out a bit so I had a better angle on the carp, as there was some bushes to my left hand margin,as I played him I kept the rod well out as I didn't wanted the line snagging up!

There was no need to worry because as soon as he came close,he bolted out into the lake over the deep margin shelf, sweet!

So all I had to do was play him out and hopefully he would be mine.

All of sudden he came up and there was a swirl on the top, so I knew I was close now. He then came into my margin, I then placed my landing net ready and not long after he was mine,an awesome looking long common.

I then rang rich and told him where I was fishing and I had a carp for the feature... more brownie points for Uncle Jim.

I unhooked him and he weighed 24.4c. I then put him back into the landing net in the margin, until rich turned up to do the honours.

The common was the first one caught from the complex that year.

Happy days again, plus that was my 34th carp of the year so far, the coldest weather for 30 odd years didnt stop me and many of them were caught from frozen lakes that had to smashed.

Springs here, so it's time to get those rods out!!

Until next time.

Be lucky.