Off on the trots.

 With the impending freezing cold weather on course to hit us on Sunday onwards I had to get a session in, so Friday night I packed my gear ready for an early start on the river this morning, with the constant light rain the river was up slightly and a bit coloured.

 My tactic today was to trot maggot and bread for anything that fancied feeding, early part of the session I drew a blank and I didn't get my first enquiry until 2 hours into the day when I landed a small Chub around a pound which was quickly followed by a nice Dace of about 6ozs, then all went quiet again.

 After the two fish the swim died a death so I had to move on down river looking for more fish, but I didn't have a dead Barbel in mind which was unfortunately what I saw on the river bed in a back stream around a pound n alf, never good to see dead fish but I guess it was of natural causes rather than angler error, it wasn't too long until I found some more fish, 3 Carp and a couple of Barbel were cruising around and I put a bait out right in front of them and the float slid away with what I thought was one of the Carp ended up being a Barbel of around 4lb if not a little larger but unfortunately wangled free of my hook thus spooking everything else off.

 10 minutes later I had this lovely Chub on the bank. 4lbs 2oz.

 But the most interesting part of the session was coming up, with what seemed to be an attempt to catch a white Koi Carp of maybe 3lb, so I had got into position creeping very slowly and close to the ground to keeping a low profile not to alert the fish but I only saw one Carp laying up close to some debris, so I prepared everything and cast about 15 foot above it's position and let it trot in front of it, but the bait passed the target and no touch and could visibliy see the fish and then my float buried itself and I struck, then all hell broke loose, a large Mirror Carp had slipped the radar and nailed my tasty morsel with my very light tackle I quickly found myself in a spot of bother, lucky I was on a stretch that was fairly clear so I could grab the gear and follow it down river as I couldn't battle it back up river as it was far too powerful on 4.7lb line and a size 14 barbless hook not to mention a very light match rod designed for Roach and Dace.

 Surprise..... this definitely was after a hard fought fight and after 5 minutes I slipped my net under what has to be one of the biggest surprises of the season. An extremely fat almost leather Mirror Carp that weighed..

...13lbs 12ozs of pure power and obesity.

 Well I certainly didn't wake up this morning thinking that could be on the cards so, very chuffed to say the least and she went back as if nothing happened soaking my jeans in the process, later on in the session I did also manage two Brown Trout both about 8ozs, both of which decided to leap back for the river without a piccy, plus I got my obligatory Barbel that weighed 3lbs on the nose.

Just have to have one a session almost my birthright.