Catching Carp Part One.

 The past week or so after work I have been after Carp and when I've been off I have patrolled a couple of local pools around dusk to try and find out where they may be held up, leaving myself with about an hour to spare each evening I began to build up a picture of usual spots where the Carp frequent and also what they were feeding on, as the weather has cooled recently the Carp come off the Daphenia and have now dropped down in the water and now ploughing through the bloodworm on the bottom, this gave me a much better chance of getting them to feed on baits like bread and worms.

 So after a couple of pilot runs I tackled up with a 9ft Greys Outkast Carp rod 2 1/2tc, with 8lb line attached a crow quill float and a couple of dropper shot, baited with a generous piece of bread flake on a size 10 barbless.

 On my first trip I was accompanied by my Dad who fancied a wander around and ended up being my ghillie just before we were due to pack up when a Carp tore off with me in tow, after a few minutes of constant surging runs a 12lb 4oz Common lay in the net, a perfect conditioned fish and certainly full of fighting, I must admit as soon as I hooked it I knew it was a Common, as the Mirror Carp don't tend to charge off like a fish possessed.

Not big but good fun.

 The next evening I did the same again and left with the same minimal tackle, armed again with a half loaf of bread I was back on the search. After 20 minutes or so of looking around in the likely swims Richard and I bumped into a shoal of 5 Carp, 3 of which stopped feeding as soon as I cast out my bait, which left 2 Carp both of which were Common's one a mid-double and the other looked an upper-double maybe even a twenty pounder, so I cast my plumbed set up out and awaited the bait to hit the bottom and cock the delicate quill, 10 seconds or so of the bait being in position the bigger of the two Carp circled my bait and put it's head down and I watched in anticipation as my bait disappeared with quill laying flat it was time to strike and as I connected with this Common a fantastic battle which took me to the limit, a proper fight ensued, one that makes you wish every Carp was this hard, nearly 10 minutes passed which was definitely a mix of terror and excitement, so when it did finally give up the net couldn't have been put out quick enough, my prize was finally beaten, much to my relief, so here it is.

A twenty at last.

 A fin perfect Common Carp of 20lb 8oz, my brother Richard was impressed at just how well proportioned it was and the fight it gave, after I had rested her for a couple of minutes I dropped the lip of the net and it stormed out and soaking me and Richy in the process as punishment for catching her, after that well, there was no point carrying on so we headed home, all good. Tight Lines.