With the promise of strong winds and mild conditions it seems lots of us took to the bank after a lump or two. Some made it and some didn’t! Brolly down, brolly down!
Tony is already down the Club Lake and set up with a great island location. After a quick chat I’m taken with a swim called Little Willow a 
few swims down. Its about 3pm now and looking a lot like rain, so with a little help the brolly goes up and the Top Notch Tackle pegs come out. These little beauties are just the job for weather like this. Even if the brolly blows away these will still be in the ground.
With everything stored away and a little drizzle coming from the heavens its thigh waders on and out for a lead around. Wading out about 20 yards and its more like being at the beach with waves kissing regions I hadn’t planned on getting wet! Anyway it looks like 21 wraps (84 yards) and 18 wraps (72 yards) are going to be the plan of action. Quick scatter of ASBO from Mad baits and the first rod goes out with a proto type pop up from Dispersion. This is a new flavor and colour that has been working well for our Junior field tester Nathan Swindlles. With the bobbin set I turned to the other rod, but before I can even get the rig on the first rods away! Time to wade out and not only battle the fish, but also the weather and waves. The reward was a stunning 24lb Linear and to say I was made up, well that would be an 
understatement. I was buzzing for the whole evening and think I might have told Tony a coupled of times.
Tony also got in on the action with this truly epic almost fully scaled beauty at 14.05lbs
With conditions getting worse its time to batten down the hatches and get the steaks and rice on. Sleep doesn’t come easy with the storm raging and I only lift the door a couple of times to check my rods are still there! On first light the winds are just as strong, but its time for a recast and a new plan of action. The 72yard rod gets moved to a snowman rig and a new spot at 12.5 wrap (50 yards) is found for the second rod. My thoughts are that with the wind blowing so strong towards me the fish could be closer than I think. It’s a fluro pop up on a supple hinge rig for this one. Both get a scattering of ASBO and are set for a few hours while I dry off. It’s the afternoon before the 50yard rod lights up and although a nice fish, it’s a Tench. Still its some excitement and gives me the push to rebait and try something new again. Time ticks on and just before dark the rods go out for the second night and the hope the changes work.
It’s about 1am and with the need to pee too much to sleep I slip my boots on and open the door! At this point I’m sure I’m not the first or the last to do this, but the two clips on the top of the boot decided to join causing me to swan dive out the brolly onto my face! In the wind and the rain….not my finest hour! I’d like to say I wont do that again, but that’s the second time I’ve done that! All I need now is 3 judges and some scorecards.
After two nights of little sleep I’m finally in full warm sleeping bag heaven when at 5:50am the Carp Gods alarm clock wakes me with a single tone! The mad panic of thigh waders and door zip ensued. Head torch on and out surfing the waves to my bank stick some 20 yards out. This one kites left and then right making for the tree line, but finally she is mine. This time it’s a half linear beaut! I did weigh it 3 times but it was 1oz short of 17lbs at 16.15oz. Still no complaints when they look like this.
After several blanks on the lake this was a result I needed. Finally I feel I know the lake that little bit better and understand how she ticks. Heres to many more successful sessions on the lake and I hope a few more of these stunning fish!