It was quite chilly as I loaded up the car. I took the hint and made sure that I had packed all my waterproof gear and fleece to ensure that I was going to be as comfortable as possible during the day.
I arrived at the fishery about 6:30. I quickly unloaded the car before setting off on the trek to my swim. The lake was giving off a lot of early morning mist which showed how cold it had been the night before. Not a good sign for day's fishing.
Two rods today, a waggler rod with six pound line with, initially, a size 18 hook and a feeder rod with eight pound line and a size 14 hook.
I had been watching Matt Hayes on Discovery Shed over the previous few days and one of his tips was to bait the swim with free offerings of one colour whilst fishing a bait of another colour on the hook. I decided today to give this a go on the feeder rod's swim. First, I fed it with a very genourous helping of yellow maize and then baited the hook with an orange tangerine dream flavoured boillie.
I made my first casts at 7.30 and then sat back and waited for the action to begin. I thought it would be a while as it was still pretty cold but the must had cleared somewhat.
As it happened I only had to wait 20 minutes or so. The feeder rod's buzzer went off and the line started to race off the reel. I struck and immediately I knew it was a good fish. I played it for ages (or it seemed that way) before I managed to get it into the net. When I weighed it the displayed showed 12 lb 4 ounces! My plan had worked!.
Fifteen minutes after returning the fish the buzzer went again. This one came in at 6 lb 11 oz, smaller but just as welcome.
By 9:30 I'd lost another big one, I say big one because it actually broke the hook length.
Just after 11 am I caught my first fish on the waggler rod, not unexpectedly it was a bream. It gave me hope for that swim if nothing else. I also managed to bag my third carp on the feeder rod, this one came in at 8 lb 14 oz. Today was going very nicely.
The first hour of the lunch period brought another carp, this one was not quite a double, 9 lb 3 oz.
While I was eating my lunch I was visited by this fella.
An hour later and I was into my second double of the day. This one just made it, 10 lb 12 oz. Obviously my tactics were working.
The last hour of the lunch period brought me yet another double, my third of the day and for the first time in my angling career (about 50 years!) two on the spin. This one was 10 lb 14 oz.
At 15:01 I had my hat trick as I caught my third double and what turned out to be my last carp of the day. This one was my second biggest of the day, 11 lb 12 oz. I had a smile a mile wide.
What of the waggler I hear you ask. Well aside from the aforementioned bream the waggler had done nothing. Just after 3 pm I switched to baits to single maggot. I did have some success however it wasn't great. Four very small roach and another small bream.
I called it a day just after 17:00. I'd had a fantastic day, thirteen fish in all, the majority of which were good quality carp. I owe it all to the advice given by Matt Hayes. Thank you sir.
