Gazlaaar Posted August 12, 2018 Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 18 minutes ago, spr1985 said: Couldn’t agree more! I’ve done three seasons (not exclusively) on braxted back for one tench and one 29lb’er but I agree with your sentiment when the time is rite and you’ve done the leg work things will come good. absolute banger of a fish too 😉 👍🏻 Funny thing is, since I've stopped listening to the other anglers and fished it how I wanted to fish it, I've angled a lot better. yonny and crusian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Well my syndi session this weekend can only be described as BANGING although not without its ups and downs. It's gonna be a long report so I apologise in advance..... I saw the mental carpy conditions coming in last week so spoke to my boss and managed to get Friday off again. Arrived on Thursday afternoon and spent 2 hours searching high and low for carp in the areas I expected them to be. Not a bean. Decided to have a mooch round the other end of the pit and eventually found some carp in front of the only occupied swim on the lake..... typical. Went on another wander until finally I found some carp in a swim I've not fished for a long, long time. The odd fizzer was appearing around 60 yards out. Closer inspection saw a couple of carp roll ever so gently over the fizzing. That'll do me. Off to get my gear. I set up and as I'm doing so I see more and more fizzing. I launch a rod well to the right of this fizzing just to get the distance, then clip all 3 rods up to that distance. Plop, plop, plop, all three rods on singles, one either side of the fizzing and one bang on top of it. I sit there drinking tea and the fizzing continues, the odd roll now and again. Two, three hours go past and no take........ they are feeding on something, no idea what, but it will soon be my bait I decide as I put the spod rod together and mix up a 5kg bucket of bait. I know it could be the kiss of death but I have to bait somehow so I think 'screw it' and fill it in. I recast all three rods ready for the night ahead and put the kettle on again. Two on hinge rigs and one on a ronnie (the spot feels quite clean so I wanted one pop up a little lower to see if it made a difference). The fizzing stopped, as I expected tbf, but they've only moved maybe 10 or 20 yards. The fizzing starts up again and slowly over the course of an hour comes back to my area. As the sun goes down I am looking at the spot knowing full well that either I am going to completely have it off tonight, or they're on naturals and I'll get nowt. Luckily it was the former...... I go to bed at 11pm and snooze for an hour until the first rod goes at midnight. I hit it, and feel the fish on the end for a couple of seconds before it falls off. [censored]. Losses on my hinge rigs are rare but I can't win them all. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, back to bed. About an hour later and the ronnie rod goes, into the waders and out to play... big fight in the dark, nice ploddy fish, feels like a good'n. Well happy when I lift the net around a lump with big scattered scales over the rear of its flanks. I recognise it, one I wanted, and at 31 lb it's a brilliant start I think to myself. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, back to bed. Another hour or so and one of the hinge rig rods goes.... hit it and play what feels like a very big fish for 5 minutes until it nears the bank and....... it falls off. Now I'm starting to worry about the hinge rigs. I put a ronnie on this one, wrap it up, back on the spot, back to bed. Like clockwork, an hour later and the ronnie rod goes again. The fight is over quickly, a little common, maybe 15 lb odd, don't weigh it. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, spod another kilo out, back to bed. 4 am and the final hinge rig goes. This one feels massive, using its weight, typical big fish fight. I play this one for maybe 10 minutes and I'm starting to think I'm into one of the real bigguns as it gets closer to the bank. I think it’s tiring as I begin to apply more pressure to get this fish beaten. The fish then starts kiting left and right very erratically, it goes through both my other lines and all of a sudden I’m in a bit of trouble. I’m trying to thread my rod through these other lines but it’s not working in the black dark. Both other rod tips lift off the alarms and end up in the water. Then one of lines manages to get wrapped around the tip ring of the rod I’m playing. Not good. I get back to the bank with the fish still pulling, put the rod down and tend to the tip. I manage to free the line, pick up the rod, pull hard and…… it’s gone. GUTTED. I redo all three rods and get to bed for 5am having had no sleep all night. I get up at 8am having had 3 hours kip. I’m in a funny old mood, ecstatic to have had 5 takes in a night, mortally wounded to have lost 3 of them. I tie up a bunch of ronnie rigs, all 3 losses came to the hinges, the 2 landed came on ronnies. Coincidence, maybe, but it’s told me all I need to know. I sit it out until 11 am, the fizzing is gone, the spot is done. Time for a wander. Several hours later I’m sitting next to this little snag tree on the other side of the lake watching plumes of fizzing again. It’s going off down there but I’m not sure if I can fish this spot. It’s next to a pump that’s making a right racket, like fishing on a building site. It’s also a very small area and I’m thinking I’ll spook them just getting rods out. I decide to go and grab a rod to have a lead about here. It’s normally very dirty down there so I need to check. I’m also thinking it’s a good test to see if they spook. I have several chucks around this snag tree and it’s more than presentable, they’ve clearly cleaned it off with all this feeding. I put the rod down and wait to see if they’ve gone. Less than 5 minutes later and they’re fizzing all over and 2 carp have head-n-shouldered on the edge of the tree. Off to get may gear. Typically just as I get the brolly down an absolutely mental storm hits. Thunder, lightning, untold rain, me and my gear get completely soaked and battered, it’s not a nice move but I just picture that fizzing in my head to get through it. Once I make it to the new swim I get the brolly up and it stops raining. You couldn’t make it up….. The fizzing is still there. I set just two rods up, the area aint big enough for 3. I flick one on the tree and one just off it. Easy baiting by catty – 3 pouches of boilie and 3 of pellet over each hookbait. I sit and watch and very quickly I can see there’s a ‘spot within a spot’ that I need to be on based on the fizzing. I recast the one on the tree a yard further to the right – it lands bang on. I sit down next to the rods and start to roll a Fag, I don’t finish it. The recast rod absolutely rips off. I hit it quickly and enjoy a lovely fight at close quarters. It’s explosive stuff I tell you, up and down the margin, it’s a lovely fully scaled mirror looking awesome as it darts back and forth, nothing big but clearly a real minter. I net it and look over at the spot, it’s still fizzing! I set up another net and start to attach a new rig to the rod for a recast but before I know it the rod is launched in a bush as the other one is ripping off! This one’s even more explosive and I see why as this fish is ploughing up and down – it’s a fish I know very, very well, it was my original target fish, the one I caught in October ’16. It is in my opinion the prettiest carp in the Nene Valley and it looks incredible during this battle. Before I’ve even netted it I’m starting to feel a bit bad as I have at least 3 mates with this fish as their number 1 target. I’m dreading telling them I’ve had it again. Anyway, the fish goes in the net and it’s happy days. I get the rods back out and I do the photos of these two fish. The fully goes 19 lb, a real cracker, one for the future. The special’n goes 33 lb which is a decent weight after spawning. As the afternoon draws on the fizzing slows down and the carp appear to move out to a more central area. There’s still a couple about so I’m staying put for the night. I’m happy with another 2 takes, they go some way to making up for the losses, but I’m greedy for more… The sun goes down and I’m absolutely knackered after the previous night so I go to bed at maybe 11 pm. Sleep is difficult next to this God awful pump making such a racket. 1am and I’m away again, this is turning into a red latter session. Another explosive fight and I land a small sparsely scaled stocky. A very pretty fish, maybe 18 lb odd, I don’t weigh it but do a couple of self takes. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, back to bed. 2:30am and another rod goes….. jeez……. another fantastic battle, this time a sprightly 22 lb mirror with big apple slice scales either side of its dorsal. It’s another minter and I’m buzzing, although I think sleep deprivation has something to do with that lol. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, baited up, back to bed. I finally get some proper sleep from about 3/4am. 7am and I’m up and about, I’m surprised I’ve not had another take tbh…. But I stand at the front of the swim yawning and within 10 seconds I know they’ve done the off. It looks dead as dead can be. Devoid of all life. I sit it out drinking tea until 9am then can wait no longer…. Time for a wander. This time I struggle to find anything. The sun has come out big time, it’s quite hot. Shorts and T-shirt are order of the day and I spend hours walking the lake. I see the odd couple of fish milling about on top but nothing worth a move. I visit the other anglers on the lake, sit chatting, having a laugh. I go to the shop. I get back and have a beer with a close mate. About 5pm we have big dark clouds approaching and the wind is picking up – just what I need to find what I’m looking for. Another couple of hours and it’s clear the stock are all on the end of this big wind. Fizzing, rolling, looking very, very catchable. Problem is, I can’t get near them, it’s stitched up. I think long and hard about what these carp will do next. I check the weather and there’s a slight change in the wind about midnight. Not much, but if it does what I expect it will, I know where they’ll go. I fetch the gear (in another thunder storm!!!!!), get soaked, and set up in a swim which at this point is devoid of fish. I spread the rods out and bait generously. Conditions are awesome and I’m well jealous of the guys on the fish but hey…. I can’t grumble myself either having had so much action. I go to bed early, still knackered, and sleep soundly for once. I get up at 7am, no action but I still have a few hours left. I make a cup of tea and sit at the front of my swim. Its dark with clouds, big winds pushing in to me, and I’m thinking this can still happen. I start seeing the odd carp off the back of me and all of a sudden I’m feeling quite pleased with myself for guessing right and possibly making something out of nothing. I see a few more and they’re swinging over to my right hand spot. I’m now seeing lots, I get a liner on my right hand rod, and I know I must be looking smug as hell with this big cheesy grin on my face. 10am…. And off it goes! The fight is mental. I’m in the waders, out in the pond, the wind and rain are stinging my face, the fish is pulling like hell. I’m ready for home after 3 nights but I really want to land this fish. It kites round to my right towards a snag tree and I have to really give it some stick to keep it out. Luckily I turn it at the last second and it’s back in front. I’m pretty sure it’s a good’n and so it proves as I push the net under another of the big scaley mirrors, another off my wanted list, and I’m happy as a pig in you-know-what. It looks absolutely fantastic in the net, right up there with some of the best fish I’ve ever caught, big scattered scales, lovely dark back and a creamy belly. I call my mate who’s packing up, he comes round to help out. As I lift the fish out I can tell it’s heavily spawned out, nowhere near the weight I expected, but when it pulls the scales round to 28 lb I can’t moan. The pics of this one come out fantastic and I decide this is my favourite carp of the trip. I get some water shots of this bad-boy, it’s a minter, a real gem of the Nene Valley, I’m over the moon. As I’m packing up I reflect on my session. My first season on this water I had a total of 7 takes, this is about average for most guys on here in fact. This trip alone I’ve had 10 takes (!) and landed 7 of them. I’m gutted I lost 3, obviously, but feel I made up for them. I fished 3 swims and caught from them all which I’m particularly happy with too. My last few sessions have been great and I’m starting to feel like those big old commons aint too far away from ending up in my net. I’ll be back on the work overnighters now as I really feel it’s coming together and I need to make the most of any opportunities. Hopefully it’ll not be too long before I have something else to report. Anyway, told you it would be a long report…. Banging session. Happy days. B.C., greekskii, spr1985 and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.C. Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Nice one Yonny, lovely write up mate...… Effort equals reward, those moves paid off...… The last move was a stroke of genius.....Well in. yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 20 minutes ago, B.C. said: The last move was a stroke of genius..... More like a stroke of luck but as we all know you can make your own luck in this game!😀 B.C. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greekskii Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 epic bit of angling mate. Well done!! yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazlaaar Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 @yonny Great write up fella and great angling yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyborx Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 On 09/08/2018 at 20:40, cloud9 said: Size isn't everything, look at the smile on your little one's face ..... haha!! never mind the little one, look at the smile on the hairy ones face On 09/08/2018 at 20:46, PandA698 said: I can't lie it surprised me how much he liked it. Just need to get him brave enough to hold them now! keep on keeping on bud and he will get there oh yeh!! and welcome too the forum crusian and PandA698 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusian Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 Oh my Yonny ! , just to have a fraction of your energy , drive and enthusiasm . Do you add a little something to your fags and / or tea ? . 😄 spr1985 and yonny 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazlaaar Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 I lost a fish early on in the session a thought that was it, gutted, but an hour later I had a little stockie common of 9lb 8oz and I was really happy, then this came along a few hours after. snowmanstevo, chillfactor, The_Viking_Angler and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 Well done Gaz. Gazlaaar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusian Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 5 hours ago, Gazlaaar said: I lost a fish early on in the session a thought that was it, gutted, but an hour later I had a little stockie common of 9lb 8oz and I was really happy, then this came along a few hours after. Another beauty Gazlaaar . That's the size and looks that I would like to target . Would you like to say where you are fishing , you can PM me if you wanted , or after all your hard work do you understandably want to keep it to yourself ? . 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Viking_Angler Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 8 hours ago, Gazlaaar said: I lost a fish early on in the session a thought that was it, gutted, but an hour later I had a little stockie common of 9lb 8oz and I was really happy, then this came along a few hours after. Lovely Fish mate, That isn't a small lake in Wyboston is it? Background looks very similar and the fish looks very similar to the fish i have in one of my target lakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.C. Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 9 hours ago, Gazlaaar said: I lost a fish early on in the session a thought that was it, gutted, but an hour later I had a little stockie common of 9lb 8oz and I was really happy, then this came along a few hours after. What a beautiful fish Gaz...…. Can't see any definite scales in that pic. If it's a true leather, they are pretty rare these days..... lovely mate 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazlaaar Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 1 hour ago, The_Viking_Angler said: Lovely Fish mate, That isn't a small lake in Wyboston is it? Background looks very similar and the fish looks very similar to the fish i have in one of my target lakes. No mate The_Viking_Angler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazlaaar Posted August 16, 2018 Report Share Posted August 16, 2018 26 minutes ago, B.C. said: What a beautiful fish Gaz...…. Can't see any definite scales in that pic. If it's a true leather, they are pretty rare these days..... lovely mate 🙂 Not quite, a single row of small scales either side of its dorsal B.C. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted August 17, 2018 Report Share Posted August 17, 2018 Well I have zip to report after my work overnighter. I did manage to find fish and get on them. I was awoken by liners at 05:30 and had to watch them fizzing and boshing all over my spot with several liners just before I had to reel in for work. Agonisingly close. Another hour and it would have been away, I have no doubt. Now acting like an 8 year old in the huff. "S'not fair"! crusian and snowmanstevo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusian Posted August 17, 2018 Report Share Posted August 17, 2018 5 hours ago, yonny said: Well I have zip to report after my work overnighter. I did manage to find fish and get on them. I was awoken by liners at 05:30 and had to watch them fizzing and boshing all over my spot with several liners just before I had to reel in for work. Agonisingly close. Another hour and it would have been away, I have no doubt. Now acting like an 8 year old in the huff. "S'not fair"! Well of course that's why I don't do quick overnighters - the thought of having to leave feeding / soon to be feeding fish . My aversión to quick overnighters has absolutely nothing to do with ingrained laziness ! . 😁 yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikeyfoley333 Posted August 19, 2018 Report Share Posted August 19, 2018 New pb caught on the 18th of August in Norfolk at 23 pounds well chuffed. chillfactor, PandA698, crusian and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillfactor Posted August 19, 2018 Report Share Posted August 19, 2018 Congrats on the pb fella 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillfactor Posted August 19, 2018 Report Share Posted August 19, 2018 On 13/08/2018 at 11:53, yonny said: Well my syndi session this weekend can only be described as BANGING although not without its ups and downs. It's gonna be a long report so I apologise in advance..... I saw the mental carpy conditions coming in last week so spoke to my boss and managed to get Friday off again. Arrived on Thursday afternoon and spent 2 hours searching high and low for carp in the areas I expected them to be. Not a bean. Decided to have a mooch round the other end of the pit and eventually found some carp in front of the only occupied swim on the lake..... typical. Went on another wander until finally I found some carp in a swim I've not fished for a long, long time. The odd fizzer was appearing around 60 yards out. Closer inspection saw a couple of carp roll ever so gently over the fizzing. That'll do me. Off to get my gear. I set up and as I'm doing so I see more and more fizzing. I launch a rod well to the right of this fizzing just to get the distance, then clip all 3 rods up to that distance. Plop, plop, plop, all three rods on singles, one either side of the fizzing and one bang on top of it. I sit there drinking tea and the fizzing continues, the odd roll now and again. Two, three hours go past and no take........ they are feeding on something, no idea what, but it will soon be my bait I decide as I put the spod rod together and mix up a 5kg bucket of bait. I know it could be the kiss of death but I have to bait somehow so I think 'screw it' and fill it in. I recast all three rods ready for the night ahead and put the kettle on again. Two on hinge rigs and one on a ronnie (the spot feels quite clean so I wanted one pop up a little lower to see if it made a difference). The fizzing stopped, as I expected tbf, but they've only moved maybe 10 or 20 yards. The fizzing starts up again and slowly over the course of an hour comes back to my area. As the sun goes down I am looking at the spot knowing full well that either I am going to completely have it off tonight, or they're on naturals and I'll get nowt. Luckily it was the former...... I go to bed at 11pm and snooze for an hour until the first rod goes at midnight. I hit it, and feel the fish on the end for a couple of seconds before it falls off. [censored]. Losses on my hinge rigs are rare but I can't win them all. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, back to bed. About an hour later and the ronnie rod goes, into the waders and out to play... big fight in the dark, nice ploddy fish, feels like a good'n. Well happy when I lift the net around a lump with big scattered scales over the rear of its flanks. I recognise it, one I wanted, and at 31 lb it's a brilliant start I think to myself. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, back to bed. Another hour or so and one of the hinge rig rods goes.... hit it and play what feels like a very big fish for 5 minutes until it nears the bank and....... it falls off. Now I'm starting to worry about the hinge rigs. I put a ronnie on this one, wrap it up, back on the spot, back to bed. Like clockwork, an hour later and the ronnie rod goes again. The fight is over quickly, a little common, maybe 15 lb odd, don't weigh it. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, spod another kilo out, back to bed. 4 am and the final hinge rig goes. This one feels massive, using its weight, typical big fish fight. I play this one for maybe 10 minutes and I'm starting to think I'm into one of the real bigguns as it gets closer to the bank. I think it’s tiring as I begin to apply more pressure to get this fish beaten. The fish then starts kiting left and right very erratically, it goes through both my other lines and all of a sudden I’m in a bit of trouble. I’m trying to thread my rod through these other lines but it’s not working in the black dark. Both other rod tips lift off the alarms and end up in the water. Then one of lines manages to get wrapped around the tip ring of the rod I’m playing. Not good. I get back to the bank with the fish still pulling, put the rod down and tend to the tip. I manage to free the line, pick up the rod, pull hard and…… it’s gone. GUTTED. I redo all three rods and get to bed for 5am having had no sleep all night. I get up at 8am having had 3 hours kip. I’m in a funny old mood, ecstatic to have had 5 takes in a night, mortally wounded to have lost 3 of them. I tie up a bunch of ronnie rigs, all 3 losses came to the hinges, the 2 landed came on ronnies. Coincidence, maybe, but it’s told me all I need to know. I sit it out until 11 am, the fizzing is gone, the spot is done. Time for a wander. Several hours later I’m sitting next to this little snag tree on the other side of the lake watching plumes of fizzing again. It’s going off down there but I’m not sure if I can fish this spot. It’s next to a pump that’s making a right racket, like fishing on a building site. It’s also a very small area and I’m thinking I’ll spook them just getting rods out. I decide to go and grab a rod to have a lead about here. It’s normally very dirty down there so I need to check. I’m also thinking it’s a good test to see if they spook. I have several chucks around this snag tree and it’s more than presentable, they’ve clearly cleaned it off with all this feeding. I put the rod down and wait to see if they’ve gone. Less than 5 minutes later and they’re fizzing all over and 2 carp have head-n-shouldered on the edge of the tree. Off to get may gear. Typically just as I get the brolly down an absolutely mental storm hits. Thunder, lightning, untold rain, me and my gear get completely soaked and battered, it’s not a nice move but I just picture that fizzing in my head to get through it. Once I make it to the new swim I get the brolly up and it stops raining. You couldn’t make it up….. The fizzing is still there. I set just two rods up, the area aint big enough for 3. I flick one on the tree and one just off it. Easy baiting by catty – 3 pouches of boilie and 3 of pellet over each hookbait. I sit and watch and very quickly I can see there’s a ‘spot within a spot’ that I need to be on based on the fizzing. I recast the one on the tree a yard further to the right – it lands bang on. I sit down next to the rods and start to roll a Fag, I don’t finish it. The recast rod absolutely rips off. I hit it quickly and enjoy a lovely fight at close quarters. It’s explosive stuff I tell you, up and down the margin, it’s a lovely fully scaled mirror looking awesome as it darts back and forth, nothing big but clearly a real minter. I net it and look over at the spot, it’s still fizzing! I set up another net and start to attach a new rig to the rod for a recast but before I know it the rod is launched in a bush as the other one is ripping off! This one’s even more explosive and I see why as this fish is ploughing up and down – it’s a fish I know very, very well, it was my original target fish, the one I caught in October ’16. It is in my opinion the prettiest carp in the Nene Valley and it looks incredible during this battle. Before I’ve even netted it I’m starting to feel a bit bad as I have at least 3 mates with this fish as their number 1 target. I’m dreading telling them I’ve had it again. Anyway, the fish goes in the net and it’s happy days. I get the rods back out and I do the photos of these two fish. The fully goes 19 lb, a real cracker, one for the future. The special’n goes 33 lb which is a decent weight after spawning. As the afternoon draws on the fizzing slows down and the carp appear to move out to a more central area. There’s still a couple about so I’m staying put for the night. I’m happy with another 2 takes, they go some way to making up for the losses, but I’m greedy for more… The sun goes down and I’m absolutely knackered after the previous night so I go to bed at maybe 11 pm. Sleep is difficult next to this God awful pump making such a racket. 1am and I’m away again, this is turning into a red latter session. Another explosive fight and I land a small sparsely scaled stocky. A very pretty fish, maybe 18 lb odd, I don’t weigh it but do a couple of self takes. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, back to bed. 2:30am and another rod goes….. jeez……. another fantastic battle, this time a sprightly 22 lb mirror with big apple slice scales either side of its dorsal. It’s another minter and I’m buzzing, although I think sleep deprivation has something to do with that lol. Wrap it up, fresh rig, back on the spot, self takes of the kipper, baited up, back to bed. I finally get some proper sleep from about 3/4am. 7am and I’m up and about, I’m surprised I’ve not had another take tbh…. But I stand at the front of the swim yawning and within 10 seconds I know they’ve done the off. It looks dead as dead can be. Devoid of all life. I sit it out drinking tea until 9am then can wait no longer…. Time for a wander. This time I struggle to find anything. The sun has come out big time, it’s quite hot. Shorts and T-shirt are order of the day and I spend hours walking the lake. I see the odd couple of fish milling about on top but nothing worth a move. I visit the other anglers on the lake, sit chatting, having a laugh. I go to the shop. I get back and have a beer with a close mate. About 5pm we have big dark clouds approaching and the wind is picking up – just what I need to find what I’m looking for. Another couple of hours and it’s clear the stock are all on the end of this big wind. Fizzing, rolling, looking very, very catchable. Problem is, I can’t get near them, it’s stitched up. I think long and hard about what these carp will do next. I check the weather and there’s a slight change in the wind about midnight. Not much, but if it does what I expect it will, I know where they’ll go. I fetch the gear (in another thunder storm!!!!!), get soaked, and set up in a swim which at this point is devoid of fish. I spread the rods out and bait generously. Conditions are awesome and I’m well jealous of the guys on the fish but hey…. I can’t grumble myself either having had so much action. I go to bed early, still knackered, and sleep soundly for once. I get up at 7am, no action but I still have a few hours left. I make a cup of tea and sit at the front of my swim. Its dark with clouds, big winds pushing in to me, and I’m thinking this can still happen. I start seeing the odd carp off the back of me and all of a sudden I’m feeling quite pleased with myself for guessing right and possibly making something out of nothing. I see a few more and they’re swinging over to my right hand spot. I’m now seeing lots, I get a liner on my right hand rod, and I know I must be looking smug as hell with this big cheesy grin on my face. 10am…. And off it goes! The fight is mental. I’m in the waders, out in the pond, the wind and rain are stinging my face, the fish is pulling like hell. I’m ready for home after 3 nights but I really want to land this fish. It kites round to my right towards a snag tree and I have to really give it some stick to keep it out. Luckily I turn it at the last second and it’s back in front. I’m pretty sure it’s a good’n and so it proves as I push the net under another of the big scaley mirrors, another off my wanted list, and I’m happy as a pig in you-know-what. It looks absolutely fantastic in the net, right up there with some of the best fish I’ve ever caught, big scattered scales, lovely dark back and a creamy belly. I call my mate who’s packing up, he comes round to help out. As I lift the fish out I can tell it’s heavily spawned out, nowhere near the weight I expected, but when it pulls the scales round to 28 lb I can’t moan. The pics of this one come out fantastic and I decide this is my favourite carp of the trip. I get some water shots of this bad-boy, it’s a minter, a real gem of the Nene Valley, I’m over the moon. As I’m packing up I reflect on my session. My first season on this water I had a total of 7 takes, this is about average for most guys on here in fact. This trip alone I’ve had 10 takes (!) and landed 7 of them. I’m gutted I lost 3, obviously, but feel I made up for them. I fished 3 swims and caught from them all which I’m particularly happy with too. My last few sessions have been great and I’m starting to feel like those big old commons aint too far away from ending up in my net. I’ll be back on the work overnighters now as I really feel it’s coming together and I need to make the most of any opportunities. Hopefully it’ll not be too long before I have something else to report. Anyway, told you it would be a long report…. Banging session. Happy days. Epic read as usual mate ... Big congrats 🤘 yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smufter Posted August 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Last chance for an August fish tomorrow as the wife kindly booked me a dentists appointment next Tuesday (she's the nurse!). 12 hour session booked, weather looking absolutely spot on, and back on my favourite bait. Really looking forward to it and feeling kinda confident... but I've felt that before lol! Will let you know. My "target" fish was out over the week-end. On the basis that it doesn't come out that often, I don't think I'll be catching him.....What a cracking looker. 😉 Edited August 20, 2018 by smufter PandA698, yonny and finchey 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikeyfoley333 Posted August 20, 2018 Report Share Posted August 20, 2018 9 hours ago, chillfactor said: Congrats on the pb fella 😎 Cheers mate about time I got over the 20 mark haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted August 20, 2018 Report Share Posted August 20, 2018 On 17/08/2018 at 08:25, yonny said: Well I have zip to report after my work overnighter. I did manage to find fish and get on them. I was awoken by liners at 05:30 and had to watch them fizzing and boshing all over my spot with several liners just before I had to reel in for work. Agonisingly close. Another hour and it would have been away, I have no doubt. Now acting like an 8 year old in the huff. "S'not fair"! Well my close mate showed up on Friday and I directed him to the spot that I so nearly made the most of on my work overnighter....... and he ended up with a 27, a 28, a 30 and a 35 with 2 losses over the course of the weekend! Good angling and juts goes to show how close I was! crusian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusian Posted August 21, 2018 Report Share Posted August 21, 2018 On 20/08/2018 at 05:58, smufter said: Last chance for an August fish tomorrow as the wife kindly booked me a dentists appointment next Tuesday (she's the nurse!). 12 hour session booked, weather looking absolutely spot on, and back on my favourite bait. Really looking forward to it and feeling kinda confident... but I've felt that before lol! Will let you know. My "target" fish was out over the week-end. On the basis that it doesn't come out that often, I don't think I'll be catching him.....What a cracking looker. 😉 What a distinctive Carp , I've never seen one like it , no wonder you're after him , Smufter ! . 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smufter Posted August 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2018 49 minutes ago, crusian said: What a distinctive Carp , I've never seen one like it , no wonder you're after him , Smufter ! . 😊 I couldn't catch a cold at the moment geezer yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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