July 7th Boulthurst Farm, Oxted, Surrey

It was back to Boulthurst for another carping session on this lovely summer's day.

It was early when I arrived (I love an early start) and as expected there was an empty car park. I quickly made my way to my favourite swim. The photo below shows what it was like at 6:30 in the morning.

I set up my 2.5tc carp rod with the usual 6lb main line and 5lb hook length to a size 14 hook. I was going to use 10ml seafood and tutti fruitti flavoured boillies.

One set of boillies I put under the tree and the second in the clear water on the opposite side of the swim. Each set no more than 15 yards from the bank.

Thirty minutes after my first cast I had my first run. I played the fish fairly hard as I had to stop it getting into the roots of the tree. Uunfortunately for me it managed to get there and eventually spat the hook. 

I had to wait a further hour and fifteen minutes for the second run. This one I landed - a nice common of 1.5 pounds. It fell to a seafood boillie.

Forty minutes later it's twin brother succumbed to the same flavour!

Twenty minutes later (9:30 by now) I lost another one as it buried itself in the bank under my feet. I went for the net which must have slackened the line and the hook came out. Silly boy.

The weather was warm and the sky quite overcast so I was a bit disappointted with the action to date. I thought there would be more activity than this. 

10:30 arrived and so did my biggest fish of the day - a 3lb common with a liking for seafood.

For the afternoon session I thought I would concentrate on the tutti fruitti swim. Just before one and just after my salmon paste sandwich I landed a half pound roach!

Fifteen minutes later a 3lb common fell to the fruitty bait. I did begin to wonder why the larger carp were not showing as I could see them on the surface all over the pond when the light was right.

Both swims then went through 3 hours of calm before a 2lb mirror grabbed a tutti fruitti boillie.

Just before 5pm I had another small common before finally calling it a day at around 6pm.

I did enjoy the day (I nearly always do) however I was disappointed with the results.

Better luck next time me thinks.