Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Warm and sunny with a light breeze
Tackle:
11' 6" Hardy Marksman Specimen Avon with Shimano Exage 4000 reel. 8lb line direct to a 12 hook with an Insert waggler.
Baits: Hemp seed & sweet corn feed, corn & luncheon meat on the hook.
All fish taken on luncheon meat
Fish: Two carp and one small rudd

After a chilly week with cold winds last week, today we were treated to a glimpse of spring with sunshine and a hint of a breeze. But the fish seemed still to be a bit reluctant after the cold spell.

The caravan site had reopened the day before and when I arrived the visitors' car park was empty, implying that locals had decided to stay away now that the holidaymakers were back. Or at least that was my take on the situation. The shop was open which made paying easier.

Walking around the lake, on the west bank there were pods and rods, carping in progress. I passed a seat and landing net in one pitch, obviously reserving the spot. It is actions like this that upset the locals, who arrive to find pitches reserved but otherwise unoccupied.

I was going to try a different spot having fished the same pitch on three recent occasions, but it was occupied so I dropped into my 'regular' pitch. I was soon to discover that things were going to be a lot slower than last time.

I prebaited with corn and hemp and started with two pieces of corn on the hook. And, simply put, nothing happened! I tried switching to luncheon meat but that also yielded nothing. Back on corn, after quite a wait I had a rudd of about 4oz.

There was movement in the reeds indicating that carp were present but, other than a few touches on the float, it was pretty much dead.

Just after midday, having reverted to luncheon meat and accepted the need just to wait, a solid bite resulted in a good fish hooked. Playing it on the stronger tackle proved to be a lot easier than on the match rod and I safely landed a carp of 10½lb.

Soon after I had another 'fly-away' bite and was into my second carp, this time a fish of 7½lb. While it was smaller it nevertheless fought incredibly hard, at first making a strong bid to get into the reeds on the left, and later making further attempts to gain refuge there. It was an interestingly coloured fish, being brown/golden.

Things then went quiet again, that is until I made what I had decided to be my last cast. I had been getting bites, on luncheon meat, that at first played with the bait then sailed away, but I had been unable to hook any of them. However, the first bite on my 'last cast' proved to be a good fish but unfortunately the hook came away as it made its first run. I think it took me by surprise and I didn't get the rod up quickly enough, thus putting additional pressure on the line and the hook-hold.

But that was that. My last chance blown!

It was a lovely day to be by the lake and although at one point I thought I might blank, in the end things didn't turn out too bad.