End of summer

 So I’ve sussed how to catch Carp from the pit, all I need to do is get myself quietly into position in the bay, get a couple of baits out and wait for the Carp.  Yeah right!  Another early morning session with Hemp and Maize proved this theory dead wrong!  I done my bit, stealthily into position, two baits on the spot… but the fish didn’t show up.  After two hours I upped sticks and moved to another weedy corner but an hour spent here did nothing to improve my chances.  At least I learnt a little more about the lake.

The following day I took a slow walk around the lake as the evening light faded.  My intention was to try to find some Carp to fish for the following morning.  The first place I looked was a shady, weedy bay just like the one I’ve been fishing lately and sure enough there were Carp present nudging the weed and shaking the pads.  This is a swim I’ve caught from in the past but can be quite a busy part of the lake, it would do for me if I found nothing else.

I carried on with my slow circuit of the lake which was surprisingly quiet for both anglers and fish.  I didn’t see anything noteworthy until I reached a swim on the entrance to “my” bay; here a couple of fish were cruising around.  This was an area I hadn’t fished before but to my eye it looked good, there were a couple of obvious places to put baits and I liked it more than the first bay.  I carried on to “my” bay and stood for a while watching, there was a loud fishy crash from the corner but I didn’t actually see any fish.  Decision made, if possible I’d fish the entrance in the morning.

The 0500 alarm sounded and I so nearly switched it off and rolled over but no!  I’m going fishing!  Half an hour later I was walking round the lake heading for the “entrance” but as I passed my favourite swim in the bay I couldn’t help stopping for a look.  Before I knew it I was tackling up and dropping baits into the familiar spots, then sitting back with a brew to watch the water.  What a fucking stupid idea that turned out to be. 

I sat for ninety minutes without seeing a sign then wound in and moved along the bank to the entrance.  I chucked a PVA bag of particles along the margin to the right and tackled up the spare rod to float fish a worm in a hole in the weed.  I’d hardly got settled again when I noticed loads of fizzing about twenty yards out between weedbeds.  There was no sensible option other than ditch the float rod and put another PVA bag out to the area.  It proved too little too late.  An hour later I was heading for the car knowing that I’d made a bad decision first up.  When will I ever learn?

A week later and it’s now September.  I had the luxury of a full day on the water so headed out before first light.  By the time the light had begun to grow I was standing on the windward bank of the lake looking for signs of Carp.  Fifteen minutes passed without any clues so I began tackling up whilst still scanning the water.  By the time both rods were ready I still hadn’t seen anything fishy so as the North Westerly was blowing into my face I decided to put the baits out either side of a large weedbed.  The spot I’d chosen gave me a wide view of the water so with a cup of tea in my hands I watched and waited.

Two hours later I had another brew on the go and I still hadn’t seen a thing.  The early morning period had been chilly, I was glad I’d hung the big coat on the back of the chair.  As the sun began to slowly warm the day so it awoke some unpleasant insects, it soon became apparent that my swim was also home to a wasp nest.  I hate these useless stripy little bastards but I wasn’t about to budge.  As the day wore on they ignored me and I ignored them.  But still nothing Carpy showed, not in front of me nor anywhere else within sight.

Once the temperature got to a comfortable level it was a nice day to be out so I made the most of my opportunity and fished through to the early afternoon.  I moved into a quiet, snaggy corner thinking that as the fish weren’t showing around the weed maybe they were holed up somewhere.  I didn’t seen a carp anywhere, it was as if they had vanished. 

By 1500 I was bored I’d had enough, not just for the day, for the summer.  My warm weather season has not gone at all to plan this year but then again I’m not sure they ever do?  Test match cricket has finished for the year, it’s nearly dark by eight o’clock, we’re having single figure temperatures at night.  It’s nearly Pike time and despite the adversity of earlier this year I’m looking forward to the challenge.  Time to sort out the shed.