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I felt with the success of my
first session of the year on the Africa Pit, I definitely owed the
large gravel pit a bit of time. After a hectic year of working
(loads of websites), DJing (loads of beer) and local carping
(loads of fish!), I decided a break was in order so arranged for a
two week break from my workload.
 Arriving on the Friday night, I decided to take
a walk around the lake for a reccie (I was itching!). After
hammering down the quiet lanes as fast as the Golf would take me,
I pulled in to the car park to be greeted by Phil & Jasper, who
were there for a couple of nights. I had arranged to hook up with
Phil for a social on the Saturday night at the lake, but was not
entirely surprised to see him there on the Friday.
I spent the evening helping Phil reduce his beer
supply and we discussed the session ahead, Phil had chosen the
"Boards" swim. With the bar running parallel to the wreck and the
plateau to the right there was plenty to go at from there. After a
good chat, I left to get my gear together for the start on
Saturday.
The Saturday morning arrived, and I shot over
Norwich to get some tackle, namely the biggest unhooking mat you've
ever seen in your life, a Chub one. Then it was over to the
beautiful Taverham Mills near Norwich to say hello to bailiff
Simon and grab some extra gear I needed for the session.
Simon was entertaining the Wychwood boy's that
day so I met and chatted to Paul Garner and Colin Davidson (of
Anglers Mail & Total Carp fame), nice couple of lads. This was my
first visit to Taverham, what a pukka looking carpy place, I'll
certainly pop up for a session soon Simon ta!
On to the Africa Pit then! Deciding to do things
a little differently from the norm, I sat baits over a bed of
response pellets, hallibut pellets, sweetcorn and hemp on two
rod's without touching the rod's for four days. BLANK!
To keep myself sane I decided a move would have
to come soon, so dropped in to the Horseshoe swim for a night
until the swim I fancied (the lawns) became free the following
morning. I was up early to help Jason (who was occupying the
Lawns) photographing an 18lb common.
Then it was time to lug some gear! Round to the
lawns I trundled, barrow overflowing. Later that day, I managed
what, at the time, was a blank saving fish off the top. At 12.07
the pretty fully scaled mirror wasn't the lakes largest resident,
but I was still skipping around the bank!
Later in the day after feeding a corner for four
hours with floaters, I had a take from a 20+ mirror amongst the
weed. I saw the fish plainly take the mixer, get hooked, then it
dived through a channel in the weed, when it surfaced again, it
seemed to roll on the surface, then drop down again, my whole
setup went solid. Initially I thought it had weeded itself up, so
was preparing for the swim (much to Trevor's amusement), then a
raft of weed freed itself and floated towards me, not a carp in
sight. I was truly gutted.
After a lot of activity in my area the following
night, I turned in with a few scraps of my carp confidence intact.
For the first evening in the session (the tenth night) I wasn't
kipping under the influence of alcohol. There must've been
something in the food tho, coz the next morning I awoke in the
middle of one hell of a racy dream about an ex of mine!! As I
woke, thoughts were just turning towards the kettle, when there
was a bizarre bleeping noise that I hadn't heard for some time...
my middle alarm was lit up!
 Getting onto it in a flash (would've been
quicker if I'd waited for a bus!), I wound down and felt a lump
kick. There it was, for a second, then the line locked solid, it
felt exactly the same as the situation I had been in the day
earlier. My mind was obviously in a bit of a spin at this time,
especially as to add to the variables I had a new rig on with a
new hook pattern for me. In the end I let my anger turn into brute
force, believing it to be an all or nothing situation I pulled.
Thankfully, the hook held. Soon the carp was
through the weed and in a clear channel between the bank and the
weedy area. I then realised this was a decent kipper. The fish
awoke, and ploughed up and down the margin hellbent on getting
away. After a spirited fight it finally succumbed, and in the net
it went.
Looking down on exactly 26lb of pure English
mirror was a great feeling, I felt I had deserved this capture
just for stubbornness alone! My thanks go out to Wayne for giving
me a hand with the photo's, sorry for waking you up so early mate!
Basil
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