Tony and Rob were back… this time an early trip with Carp the target. Factory swim was the prefered place to get started and after getting the bilge pumps going to pump out the water from under the bridge we set up camp. So much rain had fallen in recent days but gladly the sun was out so we could set up in the dry. Boilies and maize were our chosen attack, the lads had their rods out fishing 70 yards to a marker just before dark. Following morning the lads had had some action, Tony had been truly beaten up buy a couple of cats of about 50/60lb and Rob had manged a nice Common just shy of 19lb
Weather really was perfect, overcast and drizzly but not much showing during the day and the alarms stayed silent. Evening was a different story, as usual carp started showing on the reed line and lots of them, expectations were high. Come morning 2 more cats had been banked and a couple more lost. The lads stuck to the game plan feeding maize with boilies over the top, weather remained good but the next few days and nights were all very similar. Nothing happening by day, evenings so many carp crashing, even over our baited area but they were continually plagued by the cats. With two nights to go I suggested they put out a couple of cat rods, although playing the cats on the carp rods is fun it takes forever to get them in and they had lost a couple of fish they just couldn’t stop! To make it interesting we opted to put out the Spod Rods, 4 22mm pellets tied as a block were cast about 30 yards out at the bottom of the margin. At 4 am the left hand rod screamed off, Rob was onto it and at first wasn’t to impressed. If I had a pound for every time someone said “Its only a small one” I’d have a big jar of pound coins!! but it really didn’t do a lot at the start. Only when the fish knew something wasn’t right that it decided to go upstream….. and keep going!! 15 minutes in and Rob was getting well and truly beaten up, by now it was a long way down stream heading out towards the far bank. Although the Spod rods are softer they do have some grunt and with the fish tiring Rob was managing to get the upper hand. Tony was there to glove the fish, he knew it was a good one but as it was the early hours so they roped it up without getting it out of the water. I arrived to cook breakfast and had already been notified that they had a good fish roped up, on looking at it in the water it did look a”Good Un”. Not really knowing just how big it was we set up the mat sling and scales and Rob was in charge of getting it out of the water. Having had a few hours to rest it was a bit lively! but we soon had it safely curled up in the weigh sling. Always funny lifting up the big girls but Tony did stop shaking enough for me to read 156lb new PB for Rob .
Rob 156lb
So, not exactly expected or what the lads were after this trip but ohh what a cracker, one very happy Rob. That afternoon Tony had the first daytime action all week, not a carp unfortunately yet another 60lb cat on the carp rods. Their last evening was an uncomfortable one, the rain had held off most of the week but it poured down all night. 3am and a Cat rod was away! Rob shouting “No Way” as it was hammering down, Tony quickly got the wet gear on and was into what appeared another good fish. Rob on hand as this fish screamed down stream and through the carp rods, no tangles though and after another amazing fight Rob soon had it safely gloved and roped up. Morning was a soggy one, as was the weighting…. but Tony had caught another cracker with the scales showing 120lb.
120lb for Tony
That was the last action, luckily it stayed dry as we packed down the kit, the carp didn’t play ball but we had fun watching Rob try and row the dingy! Caught a couple of cracking cats and great sport playing the other cats on the carp rods….. well done lads .
