Summer Stalking Begins....

Having started work at 3am and finished at 10:30, most sensible people would have gone home to catch up on some sleep, but no, not I, I had to grab the essentials for an afternoon’s stalking, besides, the sun was shining, and on my local pools I knew just where the carp would be. Plus, the added bonus that most folk would be at work.

I got to Tithe Barn and began trotting around the perimeter of each pool, there were anglers present, but only a couple on the top pools, and nobody on the bottom. The middle looked very quiet, the water was coloured, not much weed was present and without the snags which were recently removed, it was tricky to locate the fish. They’d obviously be amongst the pads, but they were in their prime, and there was no way I’d be trying to extract a carp from them bad boys. They’d also be on the bottom, but fishing blind on these trips isn’t my game.

The top pool, however, showed signs, the same signs I saw a few weeks back, great carp, twenties swimming around in and out of the weed, pausing to nudge the fronds of willow, following each other out into the centre channel and then to repeat the process. They were playing, busy frolicking and certainly not feeding, at least not strongly. I did think though that they might just snatch at a single piece of crust, so toured the lake looking for fish, watching their directions and trying to cast baits a few metres beyond their path.

I gave this a good hour, and in between visited the middle pool also in the hope of seeing something; it only takes that one opportunity to show itself to make a blank day a memorable one. By 2pm I sat with my back against a large oak, ate my sausage bap and drunk some water. It was warm and although I saw plenty of fish, they just wouldn’t play ball. I could have actually fallen asleep against that tree, but I had a job to do, so soon enough I was up and back on my travels. The bottom pool was worth a look.

I was glad to did; the surface was electric, lots of fish moving, and mostly carp. Upon closer inspection is was clear that most of these were small commons in the 2 – 4lb bracket, but I felt sure that with a little searching I could find something a little more worthwhile. Having said that, a fish under my belt would have been a good start, so I selected one of the better commons, gently made a cast and tricked the little blighter into taking it. Minutes later I had a perfect little carp on the matt posing for a photo. It felt good.

 

 

With the little fish released I continued my stroll of the bottom pond, without tackle, just a look. At the far end I stumbled upon a slightly better common, but then caught sight of something larger and darker. It looked as though it could be a mirror, nestled head first into some weed, but the final two thirds of the fish looked very nice. I fetched my gear and made a cast gently just beyond the fish, drew it back carefully and allowed it to settle among some weed a few inches away.

The fish must have smelt it straight away, its tail flicked and as it swam out from the weed backwards it came parallel with the crust. Another fish, a smaller common, came over to inspect too, which could well have spelt danger, but the mirror clocked his advisory and quickly sucked in the crust before the other one had a chance I struck and the fun and games began.

The weed here is much less dense these days but still dense enough for a fish to get wedged in. But, by keeping the carp moving I managed to avoid said disaster and safely netted a gorgeous looking fish. It was a fish I’d caught before, but when they look this good, and things are a little tough, they really can brighten your day. I took a quick self-shot and was back off to the top pools, brimming with confidence.

 

 

Things were pretty much the same as before on the top and middle pools, carp were there, but either inaccessible or just not up for it. I had fun for half an hour watching a shoal of bream try to eat a large lump of crust, but that soon got old. Finally I decided to call it a day of Tithe Barn, but that doesn’t mean going home, it was only 6pm, more than enough day left to tempt one from Carron Row. Just down the road Carron Row was another venue with multiple lakes to wander, and with more familiar spots to search out.

I arrived to find only 2 other cars in the car park, always a bonus. I had a quick look at the first two pools, but it was the third I was really interested in, that’s where the real gems live. I figured that with the hot weather they’d be up at the shallow end, which means a stealthy approach, the amount of times I’ve crept up quietly only to find massive bow waves leaving just as I arrive. This time was no different, I couldn’t have been any softer, but still they knew I was there.

 

 

I sat beside the lake, still as stone and ready to be called into action at the drop of a hat. The fish came back after half an hour, but upon close inspection I realised it was two small common so I upped sticks and went in search their friends. A good stroll looking into all the likely spots releaved nothing, I’ve seen it before where they just melt away and become invisible, but I guess it keep things interesting. If they were easy to locate every time I suppose it would get boring and no longer a challenge.

I ended on lake two, mostly containing small commons but I was sure there was likely to be a surprise or two still lurking. I fished the disabled swim; the right hand margin is very overgrown, and culminates in a submerged tree that usually holds a few small commons. I made a cast with double mixer and immediately small fish came up to investigate. The issue was that most of the fish were too small to take in the double hook-bait, and it being thrown about all over the place I watched the line instead of the bait.

Sure enough, the line tightened and started to take off across the surface, I struck and wound down, but I just wasn’t quite quick enough, the fish made the sanctuary of the underwater branches and broke me. It’s always a sad affair to leave a hook in a fish, but they were barbless, and sometimes it’s just unavoidable. From then I fished slightly closer to my own position, and tightened the clutch a touch more. It didn’t matter though; two mallards came in and ruined the spot shortly after.

I was stood there, line out of the water swinging in the breeze with just one mixer left on the hook when I spotted a common cruise through just under the surface a rod length out. I crouched down, gently laid the bit on the surface and watched as it rose higher, broke the surface with its quite large shoulders and made no hesitation in sucking in the mixer. I struck and half expected to bundle the fish in the net quite quickly, oh how wrong I was. The water erupted, the tail slapped the surface and I had made a fairly substantial carp very angry indeed.

It ploughed around for what seemed an age, this way and that, out then back in, it was immensely powerful, and the few occasions I did see it I understood exactly why, it wasn’t the longest fish, but it was very deep, chunky and had an abundance of brute strength. It governed the fight from the off, the Elite gave line in a stuttering fashion, not the smoothest of clutches so I used the backwind as well, just as some added security, I didn’t want this one to get away.

It seemed like forever, a friend across the pond came round to see what was happening, my arm was aching and this carp just would not give up. Finally and with both of us beaten I slid the net under a glorious fish, a real bruiser and an excellent way to end the afternoon session. My friend snapped away while I held aloft my prize. Possibly one of the heaviest fish left in pool two, and certainly one to remember. I gave the fish a little peck on the head before returning it to the depths. Session over and mission accomplished.

 

 

A Pleasant Couple of Hours

Having Thursday off work to go crucian fishing for the day, I was quite taken aback when Corrinna told me I could fish after work on Wednesday. I asked no questions, just said thanks and planned where to go.

Tithe Barn seemed a good bet, it was warm still, mid-week so not many folk would be around, and is just around the corner from work meaning I could get there just after 4pm. That I did, and found I was the only one on the venue.

My June 16th Celebrations...

The glorious 16th June, never meant a lot to me before, just another summer’s day. This year it should have meant so much more having removed myself from coarse angling for 12 weeks, but alas I failed shy of the mark with only 6 of those weeks accomplished. Still something that I’m proud of, as an angler who ‘needs’ to fish and with limited time these days I think I did well lasting that long.

I’d already booked the 16th off work for the occasion so relished the chance to spend a day at my favourite local pool during a quieter week day to see if I could stalk one or two of the lovely carp that reside there. The initial plan was to arrive dead early the hope that one might slip up due to not being fully awake.



I told the wife I was going to be up very early in the morning, to which she suggested I stay at my parents so I didn’t disturb her and Jessica, that worked perfectly for me, I did visit my parents, but grabbed a chunk of crusty bread, some tackle and headed for the pond. I arrived around 8pm in the hope of finding no other anglers, oh how wrong I was.

Confessions of a Coarse Fisher....

Yep, it’s confession time. I really hoped I could see it through, and I was doing so well, so where did it all go wrong?

It started easy enough, a little dabble in the sea, there’s enough of it around me living on an island. I think the beginning of the end was the change in weather and the visits to the local moat to observe and photograph the carp there among the out of bounds section. A strong yearning to catch one resulted in a few hours after work just to get it out of my system, but two fish later (one being a mid-twenty common) meant that there was no going back. Like a smoker who says he’ll just have the one then going back to the habit he thought he’d kicked into touch.

Last Day Success...

Last day of the season, for me anyway, for this season I’ll be hanging up my coarse fishing rods, packing away the creels and for three months I’ll spend any fishing time chasing bass in the creeks and harbours local to me. It feels good too, to let the rivers and lakes I love heal themselves after nine months of constant pressure. So today was originally going to be spent fishing a river with a good friend, but at the final minute the trip fell through and I had to make other arrangements. 


Right up till this morning I still wasn’t sure where I was actually going to fish. I thought about Waggoners, I thought about the clear pond I’ve been fishing for big perch and dark scaly beasts, but with a cold and foggy morning I opted not to travel too far, thinking that it wouldn’t be until the afternoon when the sun shows its face that I’d get any action. So Tithe barn was settled upon, and after a quick visit to Tesco for bait and Handsfords for hooks I made my way to the venue through an extremely misty Fareham. 



I couldn’t see from one end of the ponds to the other such was the thickness of the fog, and it felt very cold with it. The first pond had a fellow angling the far corner, so I left him to it. The middle pool was devoid of anglers, but the surface (what I could see if it) looked deathly still. When I got to the top of the top pond and scanned the weed I saw a couple of pieces starting to move, the carp were stirring. 


I set up the 10ft Sharpes Cane Stalker, added a Mitchell 300 and a size 4 hook was about as complicated as the rig was going to be. On went a chink of tin loaf and with a quick dip in the margin I hoofed it out as far as I could, which landed with a plop about 15 yards out. That cast was wayward and went the right distance but in the wrong direction. I quickly wound in, cast back out and this time got it spot on. I gently teased the crust back to where the fish stuck its nose out and waited, and waited, the fish had obviously moved on. 



I stood watching for a while but it went quiet. I walked the rest of the pool looking at all the likely spots but the fog seemed to be slowing things down. I decided after an hour of searching to have a drink from the flask and revisit the middle pool. On the swim opposite the island I spotted movement in the weed just a few rod lengths out. There were a handful of fish visible all working the weed trying to sniff out some breakfast. With a chunk of soggy crust on my hook it was just a case of which fish to cast at. 


One particular snout looked to be quite substantial, visibility still wasn’t great but I could certainly make out carp noses pushing up through the weed, which still hasn’t died off since last year and is still top to bottom. The cast I made hit the channel on the other side of the weed; I drew in back gently but too far as it dropped into the channel my side of the weed. I thought for a second about winding in and trying again but the carp came out of the weed, through the channel and after a few seconds under the crust moved forward and sucked it in. 


I knew from the off it was a hefty fish, very powerful were the lunges but by keeping it on the move I avoided letting it get stuck fast in the weed. Surprisingly it was ready for the net quite quickly, for which I was very thankful, and upon netting it she came to life beating the hell out of me on the bank. A wonderfully framed fish a little over 25lb who behaved tremendously for the self takes. I released her and dipped back into my flask. 



With the day made I fished on with much less urgency. If the day had ended right there it would still have been a success, but minute by minute the fog lifted a little more and the sun finally started to shine through the haze warming the morning nicely. I revisited the top pond hoping the carp there would have woken up a tad, but all was as quiet as before. On the way back I spotted a carp in a weed gap through a small stalking gap that occasionally works for me. I cast the crust, drew it back and with no hesitation the carp took the bait down, I watched as the line crept across the surface, struck and was puzzled as all that came back was a bare hook. 


Back on the middle pond I spotted from my earlier pitch two carp swim towards the inlet in the far corner. With net, bread and rod in hand I tiptoed round to investigate and saw the two fish join three others. I threw out four small crusts to see their reaction; one common came up twice but turned away both times. As the shoal moved a lone mirror happened upon the free offerings and swiftly gobbled down two crusts. I quickly attached a chuck, swung it in the carp’s path and after one more freebie disappeared the hook bait was taken. 


In the water the carp looked a scraper double, which was very confusing as once it was hooked it doubled in size and gave me a right old run-around. Thankfully there is no weed in this corner, it’s usually stuffed with pads, but they aren’t up yet, so I had plenty of room to play the fish out and gradually draw her closer and closer to the awaiting net. She glided in nicely and took quite some lifting ashore. I half expected another twenty, but the needle settle a few ounces over 19lbs. Another corker of a carp, I was over the moon!



Soon after I had lunch which consisted of cheese and pickle sandwiches. Whilst enjoying lunch and the day I removed my jacket, the sun had really started to get warm and I was licking my lips at the thought of just how good the afternoon would be. Unfortunately the second half of the day never lived up to expectations, but I couldn’t complain, I’d already had a day to remember. I did have one more chance, at the opposite end of the pool where another area usually covered in pads had a handful of fish cruising around. Most fish were low in the water, but an immaculate fully scaled mirror was milling around looking well up for a crust. I cast too close to the fish and spooked it, and that was my final chance gone. 


It was around 5pm when I packed away and loaded the car for the journey home. The temperature had started to drop and the fog returned. I closed the gate behind me and closed the door on another season, only this time I’ll not angle for carp, crucians or tench throughout spring. I’m sure it will be hard at times, especially on nice days, but spinning for bass is a challenge I’ve been meaning to take on for a while, and this year I’ll get to remedy that.

Damn Fish!!!!

Sometimes you just want to say “Bugger!!” at the top of your voice, and this afternoon I did it, twice.

I finished work early at around 11am, headed to Tithe Barn and after parking next to just the one car in the layby I made my way along the path and to the top pond. At the head of the pond is the weedy end, and in gaps in the weed I spotted a few carp moving around. The wind was heading for me quite strongly and pretty much every cast I made (free-lined crust) went wayward. The ones that did stay on course resulted in the fish moving of course before I could drag the bait back. So, with all that and the added bonus of a mother mallard and six ducklings scurrying around all over the place, the first part didn’t go too well. But there’s always the middle pond.

The middle pond had three bivvies on the left hand bank but the head of the pool was free and after standing like a heron for a few minutes I was exciting to see a couple of fish to cast at. The first three casts I made were perfect and each resulted in the carp sucking in the hook-bait, but for some unknown reason I managed to miss each strike. The last one looked a bit special, the coloured water meant I couldn’t see properly, but I was sure it was a fully scaled mirror. I made the cast and waited a little longer for the fish to take the crust in properly,  it did and when I struck I felt an immense lunge on the rod tip.

The fish felt a god one and certainly knew how to call the shots where weed was concerned, but I was starting to get the upper hand and as the fish rolled two rod lengths out I was stunned by the sheer beauty of it. A big plated mirror of around 20lbs was boring away into the weed head down and tail waving. I reached for the net just as the hook slipped and the rod flew back over my shoulder. I threw the rod into the reeds in disgust and stomped off up the bank muttering a few unpleasant words. That loss hurt, a lot.

I stood a while longer but failed to spot anything so I had a quick fruitless peek into the bottom pond and returned to the top pond for one last try. The head of the pond was now being stalked by another angler so I concentrated on the dam end near a snaggy bush. There were ripples coming from under it and after watching a while I was certain they were carp. The trouble was, the bush was just out of casting range, unless I hooked a massive crust and dipped it, but then the carp had trouble taking it, and at that range I couldn’t see properly whether it was gone or not. God I wish I’d had some babybell wax with me.

So, a larger crust was chanced which landed a few inches off the bush. I looked at my watch and realised I’d have to be getting off in ten minutes, look struck, hoping the fish had the bit with the hook in its mouth and was soon old it was when line started to pour from the 300, and pour very fast. I held on trying to apply as much pressure as possible in the hope of slowing it down, this end of the lake is clear apart from the iron bar ad snaggy bush on the dam margin, but it isn’t too far until you reach the head of the pool and lots of weed.

Moving three swims to my right, lifting the rod high over four short trees to keep the angle, I eventually found myself winding like mad to keep up with the fish, it was headed right for me. When  made contact again it was headed back to the right and as I had so much line out I just couldn’t stop it getting dangerously close to the snaggy bush, that’s when the hook slipped out and my world came crashing down. The rod was once again thrown into the reeds and with my head in my hands I stormed along the bank muttering more choice words, I actually think I may have scared the other angler a little in doing so.

Enough was enough, when I retrieved the rod I broke it down and made my way back to the car, apologising to the other guy for my language on the way. I now have some more crust, some babybell wax and a few other things I could have done with today, and at the crack of dawn I intend to get back to the pond and put right what went horribly wrong for me today.......

A Short Stalking Trip....

I don't call myself indecisive for nothing!! Originally I'd planned to fish the moat, but when I visited to bait up yesterday it was wall to wall and top to bottom with weed. Not only could I not find any fish, but if I had hooked one, I doubt I’d have landed it.

I woke this morning with a weird feeling in my mouth, and upon inspection I found that an old filling in my front tooth had come loose. An emergency appointment meant I couldn't fish directly after work as planned and it was almost 1pm when I finally left the dentist with my smile back again.

I headed for Baffin’s pond, reports of some good carp cruising around the margins was just the challenge I needed and fitted perfectly into the few hours I had spare. When I got there I was horrified at the amount of bird-life present. So many different species all congregating on this tiny pond of just over an acre, and a quick tour of the margins revealed that there was nothing cruising anyway.

So, Tithe Barn was the next bright idea of mine, the previous two trips had been fruitless, but with this prolonged warm spell, they had to start moving sooner or later. I was surprised to find nobody on the whole complex, so three pools all to myself. The top pond is the first you come to from the car park, and the weedy top half of the pond showed signs of having fish present, they were on the move after all.

I fished various swims, cast at various fish but it was down in the left hand corner where the first take came, a powerful surging plod that really tested the old Mark IV. The reel I was using was a Mitchell 300 loaded with 12lb line, mainly due to the weed situation. Well finally, after a lot of persuasion, the fish flopped over the net and I hoisted her ashore. A lovely long, lean common of mid to upper doubles was photographed and released back into the warm water.



Happy with my achievement I wandered down to the other two ponds, and had half a chance with a fully scaled mirror on the middle. But I managed to spook the fish before it could snaffle the bait, so once again I was back on my travels.

Back on the top pond I found a fish I'd been looking for, a linear mirror of over twenty pounds. It was nestled among weed with its back showing and I caught a glimpse of one of its flanks revealing that row of apple slice scales. I gently flicked the crust past her, drew it back level with the fish and as the lips opened and the crust sucked in everything went into slow motion. I should have struck right away, but instead I waited for the fish to close its mouth and turn away. It didn't, just spat the crust back off and bimbled away through the weed.

Soon after Danny arrived for some stalking. We chatted a while and he told me of a lovely common he'd caught recently at 26lb 2oz. I told him I'd seen a big common which looked all of that, and maybe more. After our brief chat I left Danny and fished a gap in the trees opposite him. I spotted a few carp channelling between two weed beds, flicked out a crust and within minutes I had a powerful carp surging its way down towards the dam end.

Danny rushed around to help with the netting. As the fish drew closer and the runs became shorter he caught glimpse of it and said that it could be the big common. A few more seconds and it was revealed that it was indeed the big girl. She didn't much feel like swimming into the awaiting net but on the third attempt Danny scooped her up and she was mine. As I don't carry scales Danny fetched his, just to see if she was up or down in weight. In fact she was exactly the same weight as when he had her, 26lb 2oz. Danny took some photos for me and we released her into the deep margin.



I fished on for another hour or so, had one more take but lost whatever I'd hooked in the thick weed. At 7pm I bid farewell and good luck to Danny and headed for the car, very happy indeed.

A Delightful Evening...

Last evening I set off for Tithe Barn after work with the sun shining and thoughts of surface cruising dark shapes etched firmly to the inside of my eyelids. I arrived at the lay-by and could get the kit out of the car quick enough; the lay-by was empty too which is always a good sign. Through the archway of trees I marched, out into the field (where the sun’s intensity on my head had me reaching for the flat cap) and onto the head of the top pond. There was nobody fishing, but also a distinct lack of carpy activity. This end of the lake is weedy so I expected, as many times previous, to find carp sunning themselves among the think Canadian pond weed. I stood for a few minutes, realised that nothing was around (at least not high up in the water anyway) and headed off to the clearer, deeper end for a looksy.

I call this my ‘Celestial Garden of Piscatorial Freedom’…


Peering into the margins all the way (as we do) I got to the end of the lake and still hadn’t spotted anything remotely fishy, apart from the odd shoal of miniature rudd. The corner is always a good bet but upon inspection I only spotted three or four small commons, and these were deep among the snags just lying motionless. A quick scan of the water’s surface and it was off to the middle pond for a brief look, this pond is smaller, more enclosed, has an island and as much weed as pads. Three bivvies were nicely spaced out meaning they commanded all the best water, I looked around the other areas anyway but the only fish I saw were where they had their rods pointed to.

The bottom and final pond is the one that really has me excited and, in a way, I was quite pleased that the other ponds had drawn a blank. I soon remembered just how overgrown this pond is, the smallest and weediest of the three, and the most little fished. After fighting my way through brambles and other thorn ridden beasts, all with the sole intention of causing me harm, I entered the clearing at the head of the pool where I caught the scaly mirror a few weeks back.

Through the Willows…


I spotted one carp nudge the underside of the weed whilst I was setting the rod up. I felt like a Hit Man setting up the travel sniper rod he has just taken from a little black suitcase. When the crust was attached to the hook, I looked up but the carp was gone. Over the space of the next hour I saw three separate carp rise through the weed and nudge the weed, but each time my cast was too accurate and landed too closely, spooking the fish. Then, just as I thought things couldn’t get any worse, a guy started throwing a ball into the pond, which his two dogs jumped in to retrieve. This went on for half an hour or so and after that I saw no more fish.

A quick peek into the middle and top ponds on the way back to the car and the decision was made to visit Carron Row for a peek to see if the opportunities were any better there. The ponds were fairly quiet, but it was apparent that here also there was very little action on the surface, and this was a very hot summer’s evening. It was 6pm so I had a few hours still at my disposal. I wandered the ponds looking for something to cast to and found it on pond 4 among the reeds where there was some disturbance. I set up the Mark IV, attached a small crust to the hook and cast a foot or so from the reeds that were twitching all the while.

Light beginning to fade…


Something made me jump; it was a rudd leaping clear of the water. I’m not aware of any predators in this particular pond so thought maybe he was trying out for the “Rudd Arrows”. I snapped out of silly thoughts when I heard a cloop, looked down and saw my crust disappear. I struck and felt an almighty lunge as whatever I’d hooked decided it was going to be landed and shot off through the reeds at an alarming pace. The line broke and so did my heart for a moment. Then the rudd jumped again and I managed a little smile. Off I went, new hook tied on hoping for another chance but more than happy enjoying the evening.

After an hour or so and with the light fading I spotted a few carp, albeit small ones, I felt sure they’d be great fin on my relatively light tackle. I threw out a few crusts, sat back among the long grass and watched as the small wildie looking carp circled, observed and finally decided to begin feasting. I waited until they started to compete for the bread until casting among them, it landed, two carp headed straight for it and within seconds a feisty little scamp of a common was doing a great impression of a 20lber. I unhooked the pretty little fish in the net and released her back to her buddies. Before home time I caught two more similar sized fish, spotted two jays and a kingfisher and left for home at around 8:30 with a lovely big smile on my face.

Great fun…

After Work Result...

At last I was finally granted permission to send the evening stalking. I had some time owing to me at work so left at 3pm still unsure of where to go. Carron Row was a good bet and usually throws up a fish or two at this time of year, Oaks Melt was another option and being a new venue for me it was a very close second, but the car headed in the direction of Tithe Barn, local to work and with the chance of a nice scaly mirror, I’m a sucker for a scaly mirror.

I parked in the lay-by, donned my fishing clothes, grabbed the gear from the boot and set off along the well worn path. I was travelling light, a large unhooking mat, net, Mark IV and a bucket with my Delmatic, some hooks and floats and a loaf of bread. I arrived at the top pond, saw two guys fishing and had a quick gander at the available swims. There was a ripple on half the water and this blew into the bottom left hand corner, a favourite spot of mine.

The bush I fish to is connected to the out of bounds bank and I fish to it from the last swim. A quick trot round to the bush enabled me to see if there were any fish surrounding it and to throw a few crusts under it. Whilst letting the carp find it I had a quick walk around the middle pond but again, all was very quiet and there were no fish cruising, this didn’t bode well at all. Incidentally there were two anglers fishing this pond, with bottom tactics and they’d had a fish apiece during the day.

Back at my swim I noticed some disturbance, watched and spotted a pair of big rubbery lips break surface and gulp down a crust. I quickly set up the Mark IV, attached a crust to the hook and after four bad casts watched one land sweetly and on the money. The first take I managed to pull the hook from him before it was set, and the second take resulted in a hooked fish that took off like a steam train with me hanging on for dear life. I gradually made some line back but the hook pulled as I reached for the net. The fish was a common around 10lbs.



After my failure I must have made three or four circuits of the ponds, with the other anglers poking fun telling me I’d wear the banks away if I wasn’t careful. But I can’t keep still during short stalking sessions, not unless I have feeding fish in front of me. I have to be on the move, looking for that opportunity. I found myself back at the same swim an hour later topping up the bush with bread. I stood well back and waited to see what occurred. At first I thought the disturbance was caused by a small carp of 3 or 4lbs, but as the sun reappeared from behind the clouds I saw it...a vision.

It was a crucian, I’d estimate at the weight above, it was huge, it was beautiful, it was all my dreams rolled into one. I watched as it delicately nibbled the crusts hardly making them move, no wonder we never hit the bites. But this fish would have to wait for another time, a dedicated trip for this day I was nowhere near ready for them, or tackled up for them, I was already hatching the plan for my return visit.

No more carp visited the bush and I thought about calling it a day for a brief moment, but one of the guys fishing the middle pond mention the bottom pond. Now not a great deal of folk fish the bottom pond. It’s quite a bit smaller than the other two, being around three quarters of an acre, and it is wall to wall with Canadian pond weed, top to bottom all year round. Couple this with a veritable jungle to manoeuvre to get to most of the pitches and you get to understand why most don’t bother.



Soon enough I was fighting my way through blackthorn, bramble and all manner of other bushes I don’t know the names of. Eventually I got to the area I liked the look of, the end pitch with fresh grass and reeds signalling that nobody had been here for a while. I looked out across the pool and shuddered at the amount of weed, but I had confidence in my tackle and methods so felt comfortable about fishing, especially off the top.



I stood with my hook baited and watched for a while before making a cast. There was a small amount of disturbance around half way across in a small gap among the weed. I cast just beyond, teased it back and observed. Within a few seconds there were loads of small silver fish attacking the crust and within a minute it had been devoured. This was going to be fun.

I re-baited the hook and looked up just in time to see a carp’s dorsal fin break surface. I cast once again just beyond and teased it back, but I must have done so too quickly as a bow wave soon shot off and all I was left with was the shoal of silver critters munching away on my crust. I stood a while longer looking for something else to cast at and it came in the shape of yet another dorsal breaking surface. I made the cast, this time much further past the fish and teased it back extra carefully.



This time the fish didn’t appear to spook, but I did lose sight of it. Sure enough the silvers were at it again, but for a split second they stopped, all went quiet and the half crust I had left on the hook disappeared down the throat of a carp. After the strike I lost a few yards of line ad when I gained control all went horribly solid as I suspected it would. I leaned both sides and kept the pressure on, pulling from one angle and then another and I was sure that I was gaining some line back. Slowly but surely I coaxed my prize towards me and reached out full stretch and netted a massive ball of weed.

I hoisted the net and weed up onto the bank and on the unhooking mat. When I finally got through the weed and found the fish I was quite pleasantly shocked. Not a massive fish, but a very pretty one, the scaly mirror I was looking for was mine. I took a few self takes on the camera and put her back into the margins. I had a big smile on my face and kept saying “YES” whilst looking around to make sure nobody was watching.



I hung around for a little while later but everything was quiet, the rest of the fish must have sunk down into the depths after all the commotion. But I’d be back, this weedy little haven s just the quiet little paradise I’ve been looking for, another one of those hideaways I can escape to any time I Please. I stopped off at Carron Row on the way back, just to see if I could sneak a common out to complete the set, but it was just as moody as the other place. I fed a few swims with bread but nothing rose so I headed home with a smile and couple of nice future sessions to look forward to, the return on the bottom pond and the big crucians.

A Jubilee Carp

Bank holiday weekend usually means lots of fishing, but not this one. The weekend started with my birthday celebrations, a trip to the zoo and a friend’s party on Saturday followed by a day out with the parents on Sunday, although I did visit Winchester so stopped by to tip my hat to the great man and ask if he might bless my rod for today.

I arrived at Carron Row early, around 8:30, but it wasn’t nice at all. Cold wind, damp in the air and all the usual spots looked devoid of fish. Before putting a rod together I climbed back into the wagon and headed to The Barns in the hope that the carp might be in a more generous mood. First signs were much the same as the Row but eventually, whilst eating an egg and cress sandwich, the sun began to break through and a few fish started to move amongst the pads.

A mirror in the sunshine.

At last weekend’s work party I asked if I could tag along with Pete and Jan on their weekly Friday night jaunt to one of the local ponds. They agreed and we arranged to meet at The Barns at midday on Friday, the plan was to fish through the afternoon and night and leave early to get to the work party, we didn’t want to miss the last one, one final push to have the water ready for the June 16th start. I hoped that there might be a chance of something from the surface during the afternoon but worried it might be too hot for them. Perhaps the night, once things started to cool down would be the best time, but a social with a few buddies was sounding better and better by the minute, and fish would be a bonus really.

I got to the layby and found Pete’s car already there, I walked down to the ponds and found him having a look around. We spoke about swims and decided on the left hand bank where the three of us could set up stall and command the majority of that side of the lake. We got back to the cars to load the barrows just as Jan arrived. The short trek to the pond was fairly tiring work in the midday sun but as excitement was high it didn’t seem too bad. Jan opted for the bottom dam corner by the overhangs, I went in the middle and Pete chose the top weedy end of the pond. Everyone set about getting things ready, houses built, rod out, but I just fired out a few mixers and watched the water in no rush to get rods out of put up the brolly.

Return to the Barns

Sunny, that’s not something that had been branded about for a while, but that was the outlook for most of the week. “Floater weather” I thought whilst trying to persuade the Mrs to let me get a few hours in after work. As Saturday afternoon proved successful I opted for the same venue and the same tactics, I arrived just after 4pm and found only one angler on the top pond, but he was in the spot I had the fish from on Saturday. It didn’t matter too much, there was evidence of fish cruising and topping around most of the pool, but the wind was on the other guy’s back and that always helps when floater fishing with fine gear. I browsed various spots and set up in the corner furthest away from the weedy swim, a large tree hangs over the water to which I saw a group of fish swim under and back out again. As soon as they’d swam out and into open water I made a cast just a few inches from where the lowest branches almost touch the water, the wind was swirling but this corner was sheltered so it had little effect on my free-lined crust.

A weekend of ups and downs...

On Friday I’d planned to fish for a few hours and after finding that my chosen venue was too busy I opted for Carron Row Farm. I managed one tench but lost a very special fish. I had been told that pond three held a linear but hadn’t seen it or even a picture, but a few anglers assured me that such a fish existed. Well on Friday afternoon I was float fishing alongside an island when I noticed the float slide away, I struck and was connected to a carp that hadn’t quite realised it was hooked. As it rolled just out from netting distance I spotted that tell tale row of linear scales along it’s flank, I couldn’t believe it, after all this time, maybe five seasons, I’d finally found her and she was drawing closer to the net. She looked a decent size, not massive but I’d estimate around 18lbs, but she’d started to wake up a bit and started trying to bore deep into the pads. I got really close with the net a few times but one time just as I was reaching out the rod tip sprang back and the hook had slipped. That loss really hurt, but I vowed to make amends the following day.