Another wet night

As usual I was in two minds whether to go?

I had walked nine acre pit on Friday evening to see a friend that was carp angling but also to see how many were on the lake and where they were situated.

A quite large north easterly wind was blowing up the lake but more importantly there were thirteen carp/cat anglers pitched up all round!

As well as being a tad on the windy side, the forecast was also giving persistent rain for the next twenty four hours!! After scrounging a couple of teas I bid the lads farewell and headed back to the gate to ponder on my way home as a few of the lads were departing on the Saturday but at this point I was still unsure as to what to do?

Saturday arrived and as promised the sky was full of rain and for a full view all I could see were clouds, big old dark ones!!

Out to the shed I popped, grabbed my tackle and bait bags... I wasn't planning on rushing "I'll get there when I get there" I muttered to myself even if it was evening time.

I eventually arrived at just after three that afternoon and again before doing anything else I went on the scrounge for a brew and also to find out if anything had been caught during the last twelve hours? As it happened a new member that was fishing the windward end of the lake had managed to hook himself his first wels catfish, all 63lb of it!!

The previous week a couple of tench had come from the shallower end of the lake and on this day it was also looking nice and sheltered,comfy and cosy (this thinking was probably against the grain but to be honest I didn't fancy the cold wind battered end of the lake!!).

It was with all this in mind that I headed for a nice little secluded swim that has of a channel of water between the bank and the island in front of me.

House erected, bed made and kit all put in its usual tidy place that it goes in most weeks (the OCD comes into place so that I know where to find it during the hours of darkness).

The left had rod was placed to the island margin and the right was under armed just down to my right to the left of the marginal snags in six feet of water.

By the time I had completed all this it was now time for a chillie that would be sat nicely on a bed of basmati rice!

By 9.30 I was tucked up in my bag with a niggling headache having a cuppa and a smoke just watching the world go by but not long after that I drifted off to sleep.

Just after 10.30 the left hand bobbin was up and away and with this I was out there bringing a bream of around the 7lb mark to the net.

Had they found me again?!?

The rain was still falling and had not really let up since I had arrived.

Rod re-baited and I was soon back in the warmth of my sleeping bag, the same rod was away again at 1.30am and led to the same outcome as before and at this point I had imagined that this was how it was going to be for the rest of the session.

All went quiet then and I awoke just before first light, rolled over, flicked the kettle on to await enough light to be able to see enough to replace the baits back on the spots, just after 5am I was back on the bed and I then dozed off until 7.15 am when I was ripped from my sleepy state as the right hand rod bounced into life.

Straight away I could tell that this was no bream as the fish was darting around all over the place with its tell tale twisting and turning.

After losing one the week before at the net I decided not to give it too much wellie at the dying stages.

All went to plan and soon enough I'd scored my first intended caught tinca since them early days some twenty years ago.

The weight (although it did not really matter) came in at 5lb4oz and was a female, but guess what? It had stopped bloody raining and the sun was poking through!!

A quick couple of self takes were done and with one last look the fish was soon returned.

I held on to try and dry the gear and had a slow pack up before quitting at just after 1 o'clock with no more action.

Did it matter? Did it hell!!

I'd had one and the sun was now shining!!