Well, the new water I had found was approximately 25 acres in size and roughly rectangular. Access was difficult due to the number of gates and bridges you needed to get over before getting to the waters edge, but this was also a plus side as it left the lake quieter as people just didn’t seem to be bothering to fish there.

The New Water

The first time I walked round it looked as though no-one had been fishing regularly as the banks were virtually unmarked. This was just the type of place that gets me excited and although I didn’t know exactly what was in there I did know that some 15 years ago around 200 10lb fish were introduced, so who knows what was left in there now and how big they would be?

I was just standing there, in a corner that the wind was pushing into, when a couple of fish started to push their way through the weed towards me. The day was bright but overcast so the light was bouncing off the water’s surface making it difficult to see even with good polarised glasses on, but both fish still looked to be in their high 20’s if not a little larger. They both quickly left but I introduced some soaked Carp Feed Pellets and started another circuit of the lake. The lap revealed no other sightings so a plan was hatched to return the following day when I had more time to fish and that was when everything went a little pear shaped to say the least.

I arrived at the lake early, but the track leading down to it had been closed so I searched around for a suitable place to park up for the day. Luckily there was a car park just a short way up the road, from where I could easily barrow my gear onto the water. As always there was a height restriction, with the usual little sign stating a 2.0metre clearance. Now my car is a rather high Discovery that’s been lifted an extra 2” and I know I need 1.8 metres of clearance to get in car parks, and guess what? The little sign was lying!!! My car is now sporting a rather damaged roof, to be repaired shortly hopefully.

Undeterred I found somewhere else to park, unloaded the gear, crossed the bridge, through the first gate, loaded the barrow, down the slope, through the second and third gates and arrived at the lake, now starting to understand other peoples reluctance to fish there.

The lake looked stunning and as you would I headed for the area I had baited the day before. Baits were quietly flicked out and I sat back to await events. Mistake number two. I had sat in my wisdom directly on top of a red ants nest, and they  weren’t impressed to say the least, so whilst getting stung to bits I packed and thought a move would be sensible. Mistake number three!!

I know I should have unloaded the rods from the barrow to go through yet another gate but after doing it so often I thought I could just make it safely through without going to the extra trouble, wrong! This gate unbeknown to me had a very strong spring fitted to keep it closed and as everything around me slowed to almost a standstill, I watched as it snapped shut onto about £900 worth of rods. I was totally dumbstruck but on checking all the blanks I could only see a small scratch to the varnish of my spod rod. Excellent I thought until I flexed it and watched as it became a 3 piece, not to worry they’re only  £300!!!!

Now I was fed up, miles from the car and wanted to catch a carp more than ever just to make all the other happenings worthwhile. Needless to say that didn’t happen either, so with my tail firmly between my legs I placed the rods next to the gates this time as I made my way back to the car, vowing never to return, but who knows……

Tight lines ‘til next time.

The Stealth Approach