A year or two ago I was told about a little water in North Devon that held some stunning carp to low 30’s and for some reason it was logged in the memory but no session was forthwith. I never really understood my logic of not going to have a look as I love scaley carp and on top of that a thirty is a big fish especially in the South West. Anyway I was getting my gear ready for the forthcoming France trip and didn’t think I would be getting a session in before leaving when a phone call from young James, who was coming on the France trip, changed all that. He hadn’t wet a line in seven months and wanted to get on the bank before we went. As those of you who know me it doesn’t take much to persuade me to get out on the bank so a session was quickly arranged but where were we to go?  Out of the deepest recesses of my brain came the thought of said water and after a quick phone call we were booked on. I picked James up on the way and on arrival at the lake we were welcomed by the bailiff and informed that there was one other angler on and we were free to have a look around and then come back and pay. As it was our first time on the fishery we took our time on the walk round to have a good look at the pegs and water.  We found a lot of carp in the shallows so we chose to fish either side of the lake in pegs 2 and 5 and hopefully pin them in or pick one or two up as they passed by to the deeper water for the night. We went back to the shop and spoke to the bailiff and informed her as to the swims we would like and with this done and money exchanged we grabbed the nets and unhooking mats which were supplied and went and set up.

When I got to the swim there were carp all over the surface so a floater rod was set up and the cat and mouse games started. Well 4 hours later and with it getting dark I was nowhere nearer to hooking a fish as to when I first started. I quickly put the marker rod together with just a lead and then had a quick lead around in the areas where I had seen most of the carp congregated in.  With some spots found and even though we were told not to bait too heavy (I had the inkling that the carp were waking up and wanted a bit of grub) I deposited a kilo of crumb, chops and whole Velocity P-Nut+ with a slight twist over each spot. This was my first time out on this bait as well so I also wanted to see how the carp reacted to it. James managed a stunning 22.08lb mirror during the night and apart from the odd liner I hadn’t had a touch, in crept the ‘I should have listened’ thoughts’ and I had to make the decision to move or sit on the baited areas. Well the decision was made for me really because as I sat pondering what to do the left hand rod was away and after a spirited battle this 24.10lb common was in the net.

I was made up with this fish as it showed the carp liked the bait and I hopefully hadn’t gone too heavy with the bait, I know one swallow doesn’t make a summer but I was quietly confident of more action looking at the fizzing coming from all three spots. I didn’t have to wait long and the replaced left hand rod was away again and yet again after a bit of a battle the carp was bundled over the cord. When I looked in the net and saw my prize I cursed myself for not coming before because starring back at me was this absolute belter at 26.12lb again taking a liking to P-Nut+ pop up. Photos done and rods back out I sat back and watched the water praying for another like the one I had just had. I noticed a lot of fish were now hugging the margins of the island as they moved past my swim so I decided to put a rod on a 3ft zig down the edge of the margin. I sat basking in the early spring sun watching the carp swim up and down the island thinking the zig must go off soon when out of the blue my left hand rod was away again. Unfortunately that one slipped the hook so I re-did the rod and topped up the bait. Just as I sat down the zig rod was away and yet again with these fish fighting so hard it slipped the hook. I was now thinking of changing the right hand rod to a zig as well seeing as no action had come to it and the carp were sitting above the bait sunning themselves. As I waited for the carp to move off so I could reel the rod in to change to a zig it just tore off and battle commenced. The carp in there really do fight well and yet again after a prolonged battle this absolute stunning 28.10lb mirror went over the cord, yet again I thought to myself why hadn’t I visited before. Lol With the session coming together nicely we decided to stay another night in the hope of some more of these stunners, I topped up the spots with some more P-Nut+ and hemp and settled down for the night. Weirdly I didn’t have a touch during the night again but at first light this perfection in miniature decided to have a chomp on the pop up on the left hand rod.

I put the rod back out and reeled the middle rod in and changed it to a zig again so it was in place when the carp started moving through the gap between me and the island as the sun got up. It took a few hours and the last of the bait had gone in (4 kilos in total + hemp) but the left hand rod was away again and the culprit was this 18.00lb mirror. I couldn’t believe how well the session was going as this isn’t an easy water the only downside was that James hadn’t had another touch as yet. We slowly started to pack up and as I was dropping my bivvy the left hand rod was away again and another stunning low double was the culprit but the battery on my camera had died. With the fish put back the rod was put away and I carried on packing up the rest of my gear. I suddenly got the shout from James that he was finally in again but just as I was on my way to help the fish went over the bar at the end of the island and the hook link was cut absolutely gutted for him. All I can say is for an impromptu session it turned out to be a belter and even more encouraging was the carp had loved the bait.

As you can probably gather it won’t be so long before I go back and hopefully see what other gems lie below.

Well that is all for now so until next time stay safe and remember to enjoy it all along the way.

Regards   Arron Fisher