So it’s been a couple of weeks since my last blog and if I’m honest I’ve had a right couple of results from the new water. The week before last I was on a day session which was the Saturday and I managed to bag this stunning 20.12oz mirror on the Bradwin Rods. They once again haven’t let me down and really did handle this fish perfectly in what was an epic scrap.

20lb12oz’s of unfished Park Lake Mirror.

Tactics wise I opted for a single Supreme Cream on a short choddy with a scattering of approx. 30 baits in a shallow bay just as the morning sun started to get up and hit the shallow reed fringed bay area. After this fish the area was well and truly died off but it didn’t surprise me after the battle it gave and the long hard runs it was taking me on.  So I decided to fish off the barrow for the remainder of the day baiting up the area before leaving and then returning for the sunset period to see if any fish had decided to mooch back in but it was just to be the one fish that I finished with.

So it was now approaching the Easter break and I had arranged another visit to the Park Lake on the Friday. This day panned out to be what you call a day from hell in terms of fishing! Well it wasn’t really my fishing actually that was the problem it was more everything around me that was causing me grief. Having dropped back into the bay area as the conditions were very similar to the last visit so it would have been stupid to drop in anywhere else and find although this area is surrounded with deeper water it always is my first choice of place to start. So following suit as the week before I went about business in exactly the same manner. This time the swans decided to make my life shear hell picking up pretty much every bait the could get their noses on taking liberties with my more than visible white pop up moving it at every opportunity. Deciding enough was enough after them doing constant laps and re-visiting the area at every opportunity is early afternoon and I decided that it was time for a move.
The sun had really got up by this point and although there was a cold wind blowing there was a spot I really wanted to get onto but realising someone literally moved in there 20 minutes before me making the judgement call so I opted for the opposite side of the bank fishing into a shallower area that I had my original fish from on the first visit.

After 2 hours in this area all I had was a tench for my efforts and in desperate need for the little boys room I decided to again grab the barrow and go for a wander in search of these carp.  By the time I had got back round to where I originally wanted to be I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was packing up! I stayed and hung around whilst I tried to egg him on and send him on his way! Instantly I felt so much more confident. The sun was beating down into the reed lined margin, I was on the back of the cold wind and somehow this area of water was not being hit by it which started to warm me up almost straight away. I thought to myself this just had to be right and must be like a magnet to the carp considering how warm it was. Out went a good spread of baits whilst I got the rod slid together. With one cast I managed to get a lead to the right distance and pulling back it did not plug in at all and came back with a nice clean sweep in which considering 90% of the lake is really sticky and silty I felt I would be bang on the money to present a bottom bait rig which had done me so much damage at my previous estate lake. So reconstructing the rod set-up I could not get a rig out quick enough. After patiently watching fish cruise in over the area I just watching the black shadows disappear I sat around just playing the waiting game until 20 minutes from the end I received an absolute one toner on the delkim!

After an immediate 40 yard run up to a shallow area I finally managed to gain such line back and the fish gave me a mental scrap that I haven’t had before. Thing is they are unfished for and I don’t think they know what hits them when they suck up my bait as my god do they charge off like rhinos!!! Eventually in the cradle and weighed it pushed 23lb exactly! I was ecstatic to say the least!