commonly

I'm sure we will go again @dayvid That venue won't be doing lake exclusives until the spring, as he's doing a winter syndicate. If we find a venue, set a date and off we go... If only it's that easy

Definitely mate. This lake seems to hold a few gems. Do what you think and adapt to what you learn. Good luck

Ideally start putting bait in now & just trickle a bit of bait in to try and get a winter spot going. I'm only just starting myself mate. I don't get the time to get any spots going. I just listen to what and where other anglers have done and apply it to how I like to fish. Going to the social last week on a day ticket, really showed how my approach has changed a lot to how I fish at the reservoir. At the end of the day the fish still feed the same, its just a case of finding them😄

Sounds perfect for a winter campaign, if you're up for it? If not go next spring mate Lovely fish, I bet thers a few more like that too!

Mate I'd fish every spare day for that 40 if I could. What a fish. U lucky bar steward!

Do they look like the 40 too?

That's a stunning fish. Easy to see why it's your target. Stick at it mate, you'll soon bag it

I think it's fair to say none of us would be very good influencers/bloggers. Not sure why, but I think this maybe my longest write up. Sorry if I'm waffling on. Hopefully one of the others can fill in some of the gaps?? So, we arrived Friday morning to glorious weather, carp showing all around the horseshoe shaped lake. A bit disappointed to discover we would need our own boat to get to the island swim. Walked the lake a few times, and did a draw. Surprisingly, we drew 1-5 numerically.?? It seemed a good omen. In 2nd place I was lucky enough to pick one of the favoured swims. It had a bit of everything, overhanging trees in the margins, 2 channels opening into the rear of the lake, off the back of the island with a long chuck of around 20 wraps. Rods set up, time for the marker to find some spots. Oh! Every chuck for the first 20 minutes plugged in thick blanket & Canadian weed. When I say plugged, I had to line the rod up with the lead and walk backwards?? This wasn't going to be as easy as I'd first thought. Luckily it was clear in the channel to my left around the lillies, so put a bit of bait out & a rod on each side of the channel. I flicked around a light lead with 1 ft zig on the 3rd rod to try and pick off the fish that had been fizzing in the swim. @kevtaylor went in next to me on the gate swim, with the road bank to himself. Fish showing at range, but not safe to fish for them due to the channel & island. Rods out, set up camp, sun was out. Just messaged the others how nice it was to do a bit of sunbathing & it poured down for half hour😄 We ordered the kebabs that Elmo kindly went to collect, had quick munch, beer and a chat. Then back to matter in hand. Elmo had a mid double that night, fishing in the garden swim on the opposite side of the lake to me. Well done mate. Next morning, no shows in front of me so I went for a wander. @chillfactor had a small tench & similar issues with the weed, that we were told was upto 8 ft deep!!!! @dalej2014 was having a nap, so went round to see Elmo. Interesting to watch his approach with the boat and Deeper. As far as I could tell, the baitboat was a very effective way to fish this venue. I could just see @chillfactorwith a nice bend in his rod, so made my way back to see his capture. Which turned out to be another little tench with 10 times its weight in weed. Headed back to my swim with Elmo to find @kevtaylor bent into a lovely looking mid double mirror. Nice one. We ordered fish n chips, delivered to the gate. Chewed over a few stories between us and thoughts for the night ahead. I had a lead around at the long chuck and found a clear spot. Put 2 rods out there and about a kilo of chops. Woke up Sunday about 6.30, looked around. Beep, pause then a screamer, the bobbin hit the rod hard and I soon had the 19lber on the long chuck. It was an unusual scrap as the fish tried to bury itself in the weed. But I had a good hook hold and soon had it in the net. It was a big relief having been in the favoured swim and not caught yet. Everyone had had a carp (or tench) by then. Elmo & @dalej2014 were heading home that day and everything went really quiet. The wind had picked up & changed direction. That was enough to make @kevtaylor & @chillfactor make the move to the middle of the lake. @kevtaylor had quick payback with his mid 20 cracker. Well done sir👍& thanks for getting out of bed to take a few pics of my fish. I didn't have much activity in front of me and considered moving, but felt it was silly to move having caught this morning. So I continued to keep the chops going in every few hours on the long chuck, occasionally a sprinkling on my margin rod. The lads had spotted an otter causing havoc at their part of the lake at dusk. I was woken around midnight to a screamer on my margin rod. Without my head torch I proceeded to trip over my other 2 rods and grab the screamer. I had a lovely bend in the rod, but something felt strange. Rubbing almost. I played the fish until I saw the surrender of his mouth out of the water. I couldn't quite net it??? I jumped in and scooped the net under the fish. I could then see that during the fight my line had wrapped around an overhanging branch. Fish secure I cut the line. Quick weigh up without my glasses looked around 14lb. Quick mat shot, didn't seem fair to wake anyone up for this little fella. All quiet for therest of the night and morning. I had small fish showing on the long chuck, but no bites. Slow pack up and home for dinner time. It was the first time on this type of social for me. It was kind of like meeting up with old mates after so many years on the forum. I'd definitely go again, take care gents and be lucky!

14 lber late last night. Mat shot as I don't do self takes & didn't want to disturb the others for this little one. Last few hours fishing, so hoping to meet his granny🤞

Quite common around these parts I'm told. It's from the Mainline family😄

Yep, thanks to @kevtaylor who kindly got out of bed to do the honours 👍

Nice to be woken up to this little 19lber. Not often I get in a catch report.

I haven't had anything. A few have, but fair to say nothing big. & few tench (better than bream) I'll leave it to them. Very, very weedy so hard to get spots where you'd want to put a rig. It's not a runs water by any stretch, but hopefully we all have one by the end🤞

Just got set up. Lovely little venue. Nice to put names to faced on the social

Well done sir!!! Lovely result. What a fish. I bet you are buzzing??

As Ian said, the water you are fishing would very much affect your catch rate. Rig wise I prefer to keep it simple, a stiff fluorocarbon 6-8" hooklink, curved (krank) size 4-6. Hook swivel and stop. Running rig lead set up. Great for a bottom bait or snowman (bottom bait & pop up) this makes the hook more buoyant if a fish is sucking at it. Loads online about different rigs. It can be confusing. So pick a rig or two, try it, tweak it and you'll soon know if you're on the right track. Carp fishing is a journey & a puzzle, from your kit, the venue, to your experience. Its good to learn something even when you don't catch and put it to use the next time. Underwater 7 & 8 definitely worth a watch imo. 😉enjoy

20k of boilies, £40 worth of rubber & plastic, £40 worth of grub, £30 worth of beer. All packed and ready for the social this weekend. Shame some couldn't make it. Maybe next year????

Weather looks a lot better than yesterday. It'll probably change again tomorrow

Maybe next time buddy??? It would be good to have regular socials

Sorry to hear that pal. Bivvies are silly money now. I got my JRC 10 years ago £200 with rain/winter skin and ground sheet. It seems you need to spend 5 times that for anything half decent. I may go second hand, but there's not a lot of choice for around £4-500. The weather forecast looks OK now on my app. Bit of rain Friday afternoon and Sunday night.

It's a JRC STI. its not that big. But this place sounds rough n ready. I'll bring a saw I do need a bigger one for my Belgium trip next year. My 11 year old son wants to cone. It's a squeeze with 2 beds in.

I've only got a 2 man. So, hopefully they're not too small. A draw would seem the fairest way, but happy to go with whatever. Hopefully a few days of this type of weather will get them feeding🤞

So I got a circular from the fishery manager. Seems a few have been sending a bait boat well into the out of bounds nature reserve. Fair enough, bait boats are now banned from that end the reservoir. I don't have one so doesn't bother me. The bailiff who is due to take over as the old boy is 80, has now decided he wants to do rig checks, as he's found someone using a 6oz lead. The rules are 3oz? I use a 4 & curved hooks. Again no curved hooks allowed. So I'm going to have to conform until I think he's done checking my rigs. He's mentioned a few do's & don't's to a mate. Which I think he's just making up as he goes along. This bailiff is a bit of a busy body know it all & I'm concerned once he takes over the management, it won't be the same tranquil fishery. Anyone else left a venue due to change of management?

Looks a comfy spot for eating kebabs

Some of us are doing 3 nights