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So this weeks re-post is what I look back on as one of my favourite ever sessions. Not because it was a red letter day but because it represents everything I love about carp fishing (highs, lows, hard graft and reward). It was really tough going with several moves chasing showing fish for very little reward - until the final morning when I landed my target fish. I had worked really hard all year for this one and then to catch it after such a ball breaking session was just awesome. This is from October 2016. Just wait 'til you see this fish lads - it's a mind blowing example of a carp. Just done three nights on my syndi and bagged the one I really wanted. I blooming worked for it mind.... Showed up on Thursday and moved straight into a swim I lost a decent fish from the week before. They haven't really been showing in daylight on here for a couple of weeks now so I didn't have much to go on. The swim covers a lovely chunk of deeper water and they were bang on it in there previously. I put out a shed load of bait, I was convinced at nightfall they'd put on a show. I rubbed my hands together as the sun started to go down. Three hours later I'm up a tree staring at the silhouettes of big carp smashing out....... 4 swims away!!!!! Gutted. I sit it out hoping there's still a few milling about in the deeper water, it's cold and I really thought they'd be here. Over the course of the night I get up several times to observe the water. I see nothing at all in my vicinity. By 0800 I'm in the swim they were showing in with my gear. The showing has stopped now it's daylight again, as I expected. With not much else to go on I set up thinking if that's where I last saw fish, then that's where I need to be. It's shallower here but still plenty of depth to go at. Out goes an absolute shed load of bait, new rigs, etc etc - sit back and enjoy the day. The sun starts to go down on my second night and I'm excited again, waiting for that first head to clear the surface, having a brew. It's not too long before once again I'm staring at the silhouettes of carp crashing out........ another 2 swims away into even shallower water. FFS!!!!! Now by this time I know exactly what the score is - they're avoiding the angling pressure - the deeper water has been relatively heavily fished recently, they've clearly pushed out due to the lines. I'm now showing up on top of them and spombing out kilos of bait, this too is pushing them out further and further into the shallower water. I spend the night willing the carp to come closer and although I do see one or two in my vicinity the bulk of the stock are clearly out of range. The next morning, still fishless, I make another move to where they were showing the previous night. I'm not so hasty to start casting all over the show this time and choose to sit back with the gear on the barrow and have a think. Over the course of the day I see three carp crash out within 50 yards of me. These are the first daylight shows I've seen and it convinces me they're here in numbers. I decide to put the rods short of where they're showing in an attempt not to spook them. All three rods fanned out on silty areas at 40 yards. I do get the spomb out (I have no choice, I'm on particle) but I put much less in and feather the casts in order to lay the spomb gently on the surface to reduce disturbance. I'm hoping I aint screwed the swim up again. Up goes the brolly and on with a brew. No more shows as nightfall approaches and I'm starting to get worried. Darkness falls and still no activity, these carp are really sensitive this weekend. Then like clockwork, the same time as the previous nights, they start to show like crazy...... ON MY SPOTS FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT 2 SWIM AWAY!!!! AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!! I've had enough of this - I drag the rods in, pull down the brolly, screw all my gear into a giant ball, dump it on my barrow, and off into the night I go marching. I arrive at the swim and tiptoe to the waters edge. BADOSH! SMASH! They are having it big time. Out come the rods, downsize the leads, wrap up to distance and fresh rigs on - the first rig goes out perfectly first time, I'm well happy. BADOSH! They're still there. The second rig lands too far to the right, I need another cast. Second time it's bang on the money. CRASH! Still there. The third rig takes two attempt too. I wait, and stare, and listen..... nothing..... surely a total of 5 casts with 1.5 ounce leads cannot have cleared a shoal of feeding fish???? Then, silently, a huge set of rings appears over the spot. HALLELUJAH - After 55 hours, 3 swims, 12 kg of bait....... I'm finally on the fish!!!! Up goes the brolly as I do my best to set up the rest of my gear in the black dark without causing too much disturbance. I'm not a fan of moving in the dark but sometimes it just has to be done. That first cuppa/ciggy when I finally sit down is the best of the weekend as I see three more fish roll over the bait. There's just nothing else I can do now, so I get a relatively early night for some well deserved kip. About 0100 I'm woken by a monster crashing out right in front of me. I stare out at the blackness and can still see activity on the spots. I'm starting to get those doubts now... it was too dark to see the rigs as they were cast, maybe they tangled??? I have to tell myself to stop worrying and go back to sleep. 0300 now and I wake up again, I feel refreshed and get up for ciggy, a brew, and to stare at the spots. It's not looking so hectic now but there are still signs, they are still there. I have to go home today so this is my last chance. I sit praying to the carp gods for a couple of hours, willing a fish to hook itself, and would you believe it... it works! Two bleeps on the Delkim to get my attention before the middle rod absolutely rips off!!! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......... Into the waders, grab the net, and I hit the rod - it doesn't feel big but I do not want to lose this fish, I've worked so hard for it, so I'm off into the pond to meet it half way. It bangs its head a couple of times, I find this often indicates a smaller fish, but I'm not bothered. Any fish will do. I feel like I've earned one. It kites to the right which would be an issue from the bank due to a reed bed, but I'm not on the bank so it's not. I wade out further and pump the rod slowly but surely, gaining line. It does go on one spirited run as it nears the net but I deal with it, slackening off the clutch. Then, just like that, its head breaks the surface and it's in the net. Relief..... I thank the carp gods, quickly. I check the fish in the moonlight, in my head it's just a small one. It looks awesome - big apple slice scales running along it lateral line, in fact it looks like a mini version of my target fish. I turn my head torch on to red light and have a closer look, it might not be as small as I first thought, in fact it looks like quite a big version of my target fish, those huge scales glimmering red right back at me. This looks a bit special - I switch my head torch to white light and shine it down into the net. Is that..... is that.... is it????? I turn the fish to get a full view of the flank and lift gently to gauge the weight. OH MY GOD, IT IS! The flank emerges from the water and I am greeted with the sight of what I believe to be the best looking known carp in the whole of the Nene Valley. Rosewood head and back, chestnut flanks, and the most beautiful, huge, irregular linear scales running down the the length of it's body. It looks like a dinosaur, prehistoric, it is the most beautiful carp I've ever seen. I secure the net on two bank sticks, unhook the fish, and let it rest while I sort myself out i.e. have a Fag to calm the nerves. I get a text from a friend asking how I got on, it's now 0600, I didn't realise I'd waited so long for that bite. My reply is that I got on OK of course, and he agrees to pop over to do the photos for me (legend!). Long story short, an hour later the suns up and we're gazing down at this unbelievably immense looking carp, it truly is a looker, and we agree it's the best looking fish either of us has seen in our lives. It weighs in @ 34.10, it's biggest ever weight, not a leviathan, but believe me when I say this capture is not about weight. It is just a stunning, stunning carp. Photos done (which came out amazing!), I sit back and soak up what little warmth the sun provides. I let the mat/net/sling etc dry out then pack up and go home. For many this would mean the end of their campaign, not me, there's a number of fish in here that I can make my new target, I can take my pick, and I can't wait to fish for them...... So check this out lads😮

Not bad,I suppose. 😂😂😬😎🎣

I only worry if the lake is gin clear and I think the hooklink stands out on the bottom, I have a few sharpie marker pens in my box just in case, black, brown and green, you can pick them up cheap on ebay, golfers use them for marking their golf balls most of the time I only use them in winter when the colour has dropped out of the water on most lakes

Yes a great story ,I wish I could write like that

Get a curve shank hook on there. Can honestly say, I've never lost a fish using a curve shank hook with the multi rig. A mate put me on to it. It Doesn't look right I grant you but it works. A bit of food for thought maybe, especially as you like to think things through .

It would be hard going trying to find or more perfect looking carp than that...👌

What a stunning fish yonny. It resembles some of the ones that reside in my old lake (dinton). As you said in your write up, size is irrelevant when you've got a fish like that. Top result. You've certainly had some corkers, fair play.

Unfortunately that's true, you can't catch em all 😕

Natural causes mate. The originals in there are getting on. Nothing lasts forever I suppose.

That must've been a tough call to make, but another good decision, I found a few dead ones last year and it does make it tough, do you know what the cause of death was?

There was actually more to the story. I'd missed out this bit as I'd not wanted to document private syndicate business on the forum. I'd found my target common (a mid 40) dead in the reeds on the 3rd day. I was gutted and nearly went home but decided to stick it out and carry on for one last night. How glad am I that I made the decision lol.

That is an absolute stunner and a great story to boot, excellent stuff

That's exactly the answers I was looking for. I never kill anything and never use anything live to fish unlike other European fishermen (Maggots, worms or minnows). So no keepnet for me. Thxs again and regards Pat

I tie a leader on 1st got to protect the old thing had to do it he’s down to his last 2 legs

I don't think it's half as important as the colour of your leader/tubing etc. A short length of braid will be next to undetectable by man or beast imo, particularly in silt/weed. Indeed. it blends into everything.

If you like your multi rigs I found this an interesting article. 🙂👍https://therigfactor.wordpress.com/