First one from a 100 acre southern pit.

After catching paddle, I had another water at the ready, which contained a two big mirrors. I would fish this water for a few trips until Dinton opened June 16th.

I had two trips gathering more a more info about the water. On the second trip I got my first look at them, close up cruising in a snagy area. I counted 7 different ones, one being a good thirty pound mirror. It was awesome getting my first look and got me fired up to catch one.

I set up in this area for the night, well confidant of a take, I even got woken up in the night by one jumping in close over my left hand rod. All I got was a big old male bream on a chod.

By 12 o clock the next day, they had disappeared, so it was time for a pack up and to go find them again in the 100 acres of vastness they live in.

Barrow loaded and back on the hunt. I fished another area that night but nothing was seen apart from out in the middle of the pond. No good for me as I was fishing it from the bank.

Before going I primed/baited some areas for my return. An area near snags I had seen them in, other areas where the north and south westerly's blow into, areas I knew the carp would visit in certain conditions.

My next visit saw me looking straight into an area where a new fresh wind was blowing into "south westerly" this just happened to be where I find on my last night, so this area was baited with several kilos of dynamites RED FISH in 15 and 20mm.

As I walked along the bank to the swim, it was lovely to have a nice cool wind blowing in my face, then I got a whiff of carp, christ there here, as I got closer to the swim the smell increased, as I looked out tench were rolling like mad and there was fizzing all over the area, but I knew that smell was them "carp" all of a sudden to my left, a carp stuck his head out and then a massive sheet of bubbles, the size of a big bivvy, then another...they were here in numbers.

I put my sweatshirt in the swim, I then legged it to the van to get my gear.

In double quick time as you can imagine, I was in the swim. first thing was to get the rods straight out on them.

The rig as always was my long running pop up chod rig, if you take a look on two of the below articles/features there's plenty of literature on how to set it up etc.

Once again the carp gave me the areas to cast to by their wary activity, rolling, sheeting/bubling, floating weed.

All I had to do was cast to these areas sink the line slowly and put some bait out with a Korda throwing stick, scattered over a big area to get them moving around looking for the boilies.

They were all over the area and seemed to be getting closer to the swim.

Fours rods were cast out and placed on the ground, no time to mess about as these fish wer e real close and I didn't want to spook them.

As you can see, they were close, christ what's that, a big linear, the bigun was here and very close to my right hand rod.

Over four hours I saw so many I was getting very excited, defo gonna get a take soon!

After four hours they drifted to my left, plus the smell disappeared, 40 mins later I had only seen two small carp.

My inner instinct kicked in and I knew they had gone so it was time to pack up and start the hunt again, hopefully they won't be too far away?

Anyway two swims down I found them in a corner, I was watching them at very close quarters, watching/ learning, seeing what they looked like, shape/sizes, I was in owe of them....

I then decided to get the rods out.

I noticed the wind was turning and knew it was gonna blow a big northerly through the night I decided to stay but knew at some point they were gonna leave, they stayed until early hours as I was getting liners through the night, plus I had fox cubes trying to raid my bait and food! cheeky gits, so not a lot of sleep for me that night.

In the morning I knew it was time to pack up and start the hunt again. Christ I was so close, I really thought I was gonna nail one.

Before I left the two swims were baited.

I found some in a savage snag bush but I knew they were there for one thing only, to sun themselves in the calm water in the fallen willow, watch and learn.

Come the evening I decided to set up in a swim where the wind was blowing into, I thought they would like the well oxygenated water after the last few days of calm and sunny weather.

All four rods were fish in the edge and spaced out over 30 yards of bank.

They were all baited with DYNAMITES whole and crumbed 15 and 20mm red fish frozen ready mades.

The wind was warm and it was very moody conditions as I sat back with a nice cool glass of white wine taking it all in.

I fished under the stars that night but had my VISION kenwick bivvy to hand just in case it rained.
I woke up and watched the sun pop over the tree line, I notice the fish eaters were about "grebe" so I knew the small fish were here, saw a few tench close but no mr carp!

I then went back to sleep and the next thing I heard was my phone alarm going off, as I always phone the missus at 7am.

I then boiled some water in my metal cup for a nice strong coffee.

As I was sorting this out my middle left hand rod fired into action, as I looked up the rod was well bent over and the alarm was screaming, christ this carp was on a mission from hell, as I picked the rod up it shot off at an alarming rate and stripped off 70yrds of 20lb Xline off me.

This fish wasn't happy as it powered all over the swim, all I could think about was getting my first one from the pit in my landing net, this happened some 15 minutes after I hooked him.

I left him in the net to recovered as had really gave his all.

I quickly drunk my coffee and then got all the bits ready, I had to do self takes as there wasn't anyone near me.

when I had done the pics, I had too hold the fish in the water as he was so knackered from the fight, I held him in the clear margins, as I watched his gills working to get the oxygen he needed, I was in owe of this beast, his old looking appearance, his rounded of pecs and his massive tail, what a chunk.

He kicked and off he swam back into his watery world, I watched as he disappeared back into the depths of the 100 acre pit to fight another day.

The area was baited for next time, another occurred but I saw several show over the spot.

I couldn't return as I had some personal things happen so it is time to look after my wife Jane until she recovers.
 
Until next time
 
Be lucky
 
Uncle Jim
 
KIR