First forty of the year!

Before I left the lakes last session, I decided to have a walk round and put some choco malts in the right areas! There was no one about, so pukka to get a few areas primed ready for my return.

I had to put my chest waders on, in order to do this. The water was dropping fast so I knew I would be fishing for a possible 50lb common next week.

Monday was a 24hr tuition with Mike, he's been with me several times now and gaining more and more knowledge.

Anyway Tuesday was my time and Mike left with the chod knowledge, so now it was time to focus on my fishing, I had 2 days, in my words to find them/cast to them/bait them and catch them!

Nothing had been out since last November, so there was nothing to go on and not many had fished it by then.

So all I had to do was locate them.

So I barrowed my gear round and picked a swim where I could watch the whole lake. Location is the name of the game and if nothing was found I would use my inner sense "hunting skills" or my baited areas I primed last week - always have a backup plan! Like baiting areas NO-ONE else fishes etc.

As I watched a few tench started to show over an area to my right, 35 to 50 yards out.

All of a sudden a carp stuck his head out, I couldn't believe it and I said my many thanks to the carp gods once again!

I was buzzing so no time to loose, get those running chods out there double quick Uncle, theres carp to be caught!.

As I started on rod number two another carp showed in the same area, come on, sweet!

It's always nice when you're on them straight away.

I had marked the area in my head, so I then made the first cast, as I felt the lead go down...it went donk. No thanks, I reeled it in and made another cast just to the right, looking for dirty ground.

It was all clean so I decided to spread the rods around with a few baits in the area.

After this the area went quiet apart from a couple of tench.

I was knackered so I decided to have one of my power sleeps and when I woke up, time to plan my attack.

Anyway two hrs later I was back in the land of the living, with a plan...

All I had to do now was find the feeding area.

I quickly downed a tin of red bull to liven me up a little.

Next thing was to reel the rods in and go have a cast around with a two and half ounce square lead until I found the area where the carp would be feeding in, the dirty/weedy zones, full of the naturals.

As I made my way down the lake casting a lead about, trying to find the zone, half way along the bank I started getting softer drops, there must be weed about and a little further I found it, weed and full of natural food.

I left the rod in the swim. All I had to do was pack up and move further down the bank to the chosen area.

Once in the swim I got things ready, as I always get my rods out first, so I am angling..

A few more casts around and the areas were found.

I then cast each rod out with long running pop up chod rigs at ranges from 50 to 80 yards.

As I was going to be fishing over a mixture of dynamites groundbaits "hemp/tigernut groundbaits with crushed hemp seed and dynamites original tinned hemp, with whole and crumbed up 10 and 15mm malts.     As i was fishing way out, I needed the spod rod to get the groundbait mix etc out to my spots.

Five spods of mixture over each rod with the use of kordas skyraider spod, these spods are mega accurate.

I don't like fishing over tight baiting patterns at all.

So when using a spod I don't want tight baiting, so just before the spod hits the surface I snatch it back, I then get the spread I want.

It was late evening and darkness was fast approaching, so I then set my bivvy up.

As I watched out across the water, as it was dark by now, the first bats of the year were flying, I thought to myself they have had it hard this winter like a lot of creatures.

It was nice to be chasing bigguns again.

I watched for a few hours while I had a nice glass of red.

Nothing was seen, but at first light I had a single bleep, I watched and then the blue led went out.

I then put my boots on and checked to see if the tufties were about, NO.

I looked down and noticed one of the lines as it entered the lake was tighter by about 8 to 9inches, as I have them set at the same distance on all 3 rods...I then thought liner..

I then put the kettle on to get my first caffeine hit of the day.

10 mins later I was standing in the next swim drinking my cup of coffee, when I heard a series of bleeps, as I ran back, there was odd bleeps on the right hand buzzer, the line was just twitching where it entered the water, defo something on..

I quickly put my chest waders on as the swim was flooded, I then picked the rod up and started to reel the slack line in, as it was clear by now the fish was kiting from right to left.

After about 20 yards I could see the line running well left, i now knew it was a carp.

All of a sudden my rod started to take on its full battle curve as I was well in contact with Mr Carp!

I started to think, I wonder which one it could be?

He then came in close and then he decided to plough up the margin, heading for a reed bed.

I stopped him before he got in there, he then went out into the lake for a play around but I had him well under control by now.

I then grabbed the net and placed it ready.

After a couple of mins, he came up and then I could see he was a big common, which one was he?

He looked a nice one in the net, but not the biggun.

I then unhooked him in the net, as I looked at him I didn't know which one of the A team he was, as it was clear he was around 40lb by the bulk of him.

As no-one was about and I wanted to keep this one quiet for abit, as I didn't want the sheep/followers descending!!!

I then set the tripod up ready for the self takes and got all the other bits ready.

I then went to collect my prize, as I broke the net down I noticed it was a carp called Willy, as he has a knob thing in the middle of his tail!

As I carried him across to the unhooking mat, he felt big.

He was like a breeze block laying in my cradle.

I then weighed him and he went 40.3 - pukka.

I am loving these Dynamite choco malts, onwards and upwards.

As I did the self takes, I had a cheeky grin on my face, I just kept thinking please don't let anyone come round.

I then sneaked him back to his watery home unbeknown to the sheep...

I stayed another 24hrs but no other carp were seen.

I had to pack up early the next morning and head back to Waveney to do another 24hr tuition with Dave.

Anyway Dave had several to 25m/plus gaining the knowledge.

Until next time

Be lucky.

Uncle Jim

KIR