NEVER GIVE UP

It has been a great fishing year for me so far, with many trips made individually and with other anglers. Fruitful trips which resulted in many great experiences and many great catches. This country has so many amazing fishing places to offer, fishing places full of carp – that beautiful fish we all love to catch. I remember few weeks ago when my wife Maggie asked me a question; “Why do you go to so many different places to fish if you have great fishing spots close to home?” That made me think… she is right. When she travels from work she is always taking pictures of lakes and sends them to me as a suggestions for next fishing trip. I have decided to do some local scoping to pick my next target and I have settled on the lake which I already fished in past.

Knowing that carp is present in this lake, I have decided to prebait the desired spot before the session. Baiting campaign started on Monday and continued every day for next four days until scheduled session on Saturday. I have picked a Friday to be a day off from baiting because this baiting pattern worked for me in the past. Many people follow many different baiting patterns, mine works for me. Each day I have spombed in the water 5lbs of 18-20mm Fruity Peach flavored boilies, one of my favorite flavors which worked for me many times in the past. This swim, not being far from home allowed me to be there each evening with fresh boilies at hand ready to go to the water. It is funny how your arm hurts after couple days of spombing, I guess I am getting old or just don’t spomb enough.

Saturday morning came and at 5:30am I was at the lake. Quick set up and rods are in the water around 6:00am. Waiting game has begun. I had planned a 30 hour session until morning hours on Sunday. As my personal preference I tend to fish one rod in the baited area and two rods outside. For the next 9 hours I have caught catfish after catfish but no carp and then around 4:00pm I had first screaming run, carp run. Nice 21lb common, caught outside of baiting area lands on the mat. Few pictures and fish is returned safely back in the water. For the rest of the session, I have not caught any more carp just catfish after catfish. Catfish was hooking in the baited area and outside of it, with larger percentage being from boilie carpeted bottom. 30 hour session and one carp, it felt like fishing back in Europe, people who fished on the other side of the ocean know what I am talking about.

After that trip I was a bit discouraged but I do not have a personality to give up that easily. I have made a decision to come back to this lake in the next weekend and try again. Knowing that catfish in prominently present in the water and knowing that carp is in the water, I have decided to change my baiting pattern a bit. Previous week I did Monday-Thursday boilies, and this week I have decided to load the swim with cooked corn and bird seeds flavored with vanilla extract Wednesday-Friday. The reason for this was simple, I needed to overfeed the catfish so once they are full they will move on and let carp move in. I believe that in lakes which are populated with carp and catfish, fish swims in patterns. First catfish moves in the baited are and once full moves on and room is made for carp. But once carp is in, they are in for good and will not allow cats to move back in.

I have done what I have set to do and baited the area heavily for three days offloading about 20lbs of bait each day. Previous week I thought my arm was hurting, haha, this week it was killing me. Persistence and perseverance won and I have done it and Saturday morning I was ready to fish again. Four hours have passed and to catfish on the hook, disappointed but any day fishing is a great day either I catch or I don’t. After second catfish my alarms went quiet and I have decided to add some boilies to the swim. After couple of hours as predicted the carp moved in and I have landed my first carp that day, beautiful 17+ lb. male. After couple hours second a bit bigger, 21lb amused me with its beauty. Weather has changed after the second fish and bites subsided to zero. Clouds have moved in, wind changed direction and barometric pressure started to drop. I knew that this will impact the rest of my session but decided to stick around and enjoy time at the lake. For the next 9 hours it was quite, nothing.

Night came and steady wind continuously was blowing on the lake, nicely moving the water. At about 2:30am there was an alarm scream on my left rod for about a second and big splash in the distance. I have lift the rod quickly and I have caught something. It felt weird, like pulling a sack of potatoes on the lake bed. Closer to the shore I have noticed a mouth above the water and I knew it was a fish, but in the darkness I couldn’t tell what it was. Net in the water, trying to lift up and it came a huge splash with a massive pull on the line. I knew it was a grass carp and open quick drag safe the day. Another try to pull the fish in, so close to the net and again massive splash wets my clothes and fish swims away. It took three tries to put this fish in the net before I could fully take a look at it. Massive fish put a great smile on my face. My previous largest grassy was little over 35lbs and I knew this will be bigger. Knowing how fragile this fish is, I knew that I had to move quickly with pictures and scaling. The scale showed 39lbs and 3oz, I had my new Personal Best Grass Carp. What an amazing feeling, being an over a year trying to beat it. Quick photo session and fish went back to the lake. Few moves back and forth were needed to move water thru its gills to regain strength. Such a powerful fish yet so fragile when outside of the water.

I have been reminded, yet again how proper swim preparation is. Not giving up, not letting no runs or weather impact your fishing trip. All these things are all known to us carp anglers but at times we all get to quickly discouraged with no results and we tend to move to other swims, saying “there is no fish in the lake”. The fish are there, they are everywhere and they waiting to amaze us with their beauties. Never give up on the lake, never give up on the river because nature will take it’s time to reward you with its beauties and when it does, it might be a catch of a lifetime.

Tight lines everyone and see you on the bank.