Well I’m back again and sooner than expected to be honest but after picking up my ticket midweek for my new venue this year I was desperate to get out and wet a line! So booking on for the Saturday I asked the question of how many others were on for the day to be told ZERO! I was already buzzing but this made my day knowing I would have the full lake at my disposal. Arriving at the venue I knew from the previous weekend after doing a few laps where I wanted to start my assault so before heading round I stopped for 5 to drop some bait in around the snaggy area I intended to fish. It was only reachable from one swim and knowing that no one else was due down I was in no rush and made my leisurely walk round looking out over my second home for the year. Now stock wise I’m told is 20 maybe pushing 30 carp at most but my thoughts are with the lower end with a re-occurring theme from people I had spoken to reporting  20’s even mid to high 20’s. Again this is all word of mouth and obviously the only way I can find out is by spending time there and that is was got me interested in this water and setting myself the challenge of fishing for the unknown. Making my way round to my desired swim choice it was nice to see that all the hard work of last weekend’s work party has paid off and everything looks so clean and tidy compared to what I had been used to the previous season on my estate lake.

So tactics of choice I thought about long and hard about as I would have ideally loved to stick to with what had already been working on my previous venue but being told this water was bogged with real stodgy sticky silt I decided to go down the lines of the Chod Rig and then scattered baiting around that. I thought it would be probably the best choice on my first visit where I would be starting to learn the ropes and putting the pieces together but not only that it would also give me the confidence in knowing that I would be fishing and my bait would be clearly visible to any investigating fish. So with all this in mind bait choice was a Hinders Supreme Cream Pop-Up halved with 3 of the Evolution Carp Tackle Maggot Clusters tipping it off with a generous glug of the New Limited Edition Hinders Betalin Black.

Already clipped up to the right distance after a few marker casts I knew once this was out it was going to be staying out for the remainder of the morning at least until lunchtime as I thought to myself at some point the snag I was fishing to the carp would have to visit it at some point surely. So rod out it was time to make a coffee and watch watch and watch some more for any signs of life and to be honest with the wind sweeping round it was making things a little hard unless one was to proper show itself I didn’t really have any hope of catching a glimpse of any single telltale sign.

So 3 hours had passed coots diving all over my freebies and the indicator pulls up tight and the line from the rod tip arcs round to the right and away from the snag. I stand there what felt like a lifetime but must have been seconds thinking is this a run or a bird whilst I glare over at the snags they were both still above the water’s surface. Lifting and leaning into the fish I 100% believed it was a tench as it wasn’t until I got it closer to my reed lined margins it actually woke up and gave a great little scrap trying to free itself on any root possible. I think it took 3 swoops until I actually managed to net it as it was one of those that you go to swipe and they just bolt over the top of the net cord and your left agonisingly wishing for another chance. I knew it wasn’t big and to be honest at this moment in time that didn’t bother me as only thing I cared about was it was my first fish from my new water and luckily enough it was it mine.

On the mat it was nailed and there was no chance that it would have been coming out anytime soon. It was a beautiful little mirror with some really pretty scales, tiny little scatterings towards its tail end and what beautiful rich colours it was sporting which made me think if any of the larger residents are similar in looks then I most definitely wouldn’t mind meeting them.

Leaving it in the net I retired it to the margin for a few minutes whilst I waited for the next dog walker to pass. Luckily I wasn’t waiting too long before I could coax someone down to my own little secluded photography area to snap me some shots and I on this occasion would not be letting them leave until I was 100% happy.  It behaved well considering it had been resting and allowed us to get some real nice pics against the lifeless background that stood behind me.

With the pics out the way and the fish safely returned back to fight another day it was time to get the rod back out. Same tactics, same spot and around an hour later I received a massive drop back which left me reeling frantically hoping to connect with something and that I did.. A Bream! I know for a fact there is a massive head of Bream in the lake so it was something I was always going to have to contend with so back it went out on the spot again. A couple hours had passed with nothing else to show so I decided to chuck a single straight up to an area that basically is unfishable as it has no swims or platforms so the only way you can reach it is by what I done and launch one up there. Knowing I was only going to give it an hour the time had passed without a sniff so I decided to upsticks and go for a wander. Moving down to a deeper area of the lake I noticed the odd bubble appear and not to be 100% sure I decided it was worth a go at least as the wind had been blowing in this direction for a majority of the morning. I hand baited along the reed line with some crumbled baits and just took the rod and net off the barrow flicked a single choddy over the top loosened the spool and sat back. The odd bubble was still starting to appear and it must have been about an hour until the spool started spinning but again only a bream to show for my efforts. Thing is with all three fish they all had been properly nailed bang centre bottom lip and not budging. By this time it was pushing half 5 and planning to leave around 7 there was just one other swim I fancied after spotting from the other side of the lake in my original swim. It was proper secluded little spot with overhanging trees both sides and what felt like a proper little carpy haven and one I will be pre-baiting over the coming weeks because I can imagine fish getting right in there considering how covered and safe it would feel for a carp to retreat there. Crumbling some baits and lowering a rig over the top I sat back for the last hour n half of my day. Sadly nothing came of the move but I am already in love with the place and already thinking of when I can get down there next. Leaving the remains of my bait scattered into the snags I left more than happy with the day’s accomplishments and already thinking ahead of my next visit. Until then, stay safe!

Martyn