We booked this trip early on in April and have been looking forward to this trip ever since, Matt was especially excited as it was the first opportunity to use his bait boat that he purchased nearly 2 years ago. This trip was also Matt's birthday present from Mark, Emma and Kacie-Mae.
Mark arrived at about 5pm on Friday and we had planned to fish 'the beach' & 'snags', 2 swims on the far bank, but when i arrived they were taken. I decided to take the 2 swims nearest the car park 'Caspers' & 'Lazyman'. I set up camp in 'Caspers' and just as i put up my bivvy Matt & Faye arrived and began to set up camp in 'Lazyman'.
As we had both bought new rods and reels it took us a little longer than normal to set up and get the baits in. I got my in the water at about 8pm and Matt's were all in position by 9pm.
The main baits we were using were Mainline 'Cell' & 'pineapple' and the rigs were 'bolt rigs' and Matt decided to have one set up on the 'helicopter rig'. With camp and rods now set for the night we decided to open our first cans of Carling and sit back and relax, we couldnt be bothered to cook so we decided to crack on with the booze and tuck into a couple of sausage rolls for our evening meal.
The weather was getting a little cold so we decided to call it a night at about 1am and both ventured off into our bivvies.
at approx 2.45am i was woken by the scream of my left hand buzzer and i scrambled out of my already run damaged bivvy to strike into what turned out to be the biggest fish of the session a 23lb common carp in perfect condition (caught on 'cell').
i woke Matt of course to help me weigh and land it and we both were happy that the session had started well. we had a celelbratory ciggie and then returned to our bivvies.
I was woken again at about 7.15am by the same buzzer and this time was into an nice looking mirror tipping the scales at just over 18lb again on cell boillies.
We were up now and very happy that on a 'hard lake' we had started very well. we ate one of Matt's big boy breakfasts and spent the morning utilising the bait boat and fish finder to get a picture of our swims depths and features.
we then spent the day talking to regulars on the lake and discovered that we were sat in the 2 most un-popular swims on the lake but hey i had 2 fish and missed another 2 runs and Matt had a couple of unsuccesfull runs so we were optimistic. there was also a famous fish in the lake that had been caught twice from my swim and goes by the name of 'Casper' a powerfull and wonderfull 33lb plus ghostie, and even though she hadnt been seen on the bank for 2 years it was challenge set!.
After a few beers and a good catch up we decided to call it a night and went to bed around midnight. I was woken by Matt standing at the door of my bivvy moaning that i wasnt helping him so i got up and admired his 1st fish again a stunning 16lb3oz common, we had a traditional celebratory ciggie and retired again.
To be continued tomorrow
