The only other trip I really had was just after the big freeze a few weeks ago when I made the trip with the Baitcraft camera guy up to the prolific Thorpe Lea fishery in Surrey for a twenty hour session and a spot of filming for the Baitcraft YouTube channel. Gary and his team looked after us really well at Thorpe Lea and if its lots of bites and hard fighting Carp you are looking for then this has to be the place for you. A simple solid bag set up saw my alarms going into meltdown and after casting out just before dark I was forced to reel in at 3am totally exhausted but with happy with nine carp landed and one lost up to 21lb 1oz with two other twenties. Big thanks to the guys at Thorpe Lea for their help and hospitality.

I made a start on a cracking local lake late last autumn. The Top Lake is part of the Cleverley Fisheries complex in Essex and also happens to be just less than five miles from my house which I have to admit is very handy. Another thing that is very handy is that the Top Lake is also home to a truly stunning forty pound mirror which I would dearly love to catch if the carp gods see fit at any point soon.  Ben Lofting who owns Cleverley Fisheries runs his lakes exactly as lakes should be run in my opinion. No silly rules, just common sense, great members and a top class team of bailiffs, not to mention some of the awesome carp that the various lakes hold. Cleverley Fisheries comes highly recommended from me that’s for sure.

Last autumn was a slow start for me on the particle dominated Top Lake with only one bite in my first five nights, and I even managed to lose that one. But within a short time and a lot of pre-baiting with Baitcraft Halo boilies the bites were soon coming thick and fast on most sessions and I ended up with around fifteen carp and well as a couple of losses with fish up to thirty pounds. The big girl made two rare appearances in that time and it was obviously just not my turn.  If I’m honest I got sick of photographing her for other people and decided to call it a day on the lake for 2011.

My first session in 2012 was looking very bleak and wintery a couple of weeks ago until the biggun cleared the water twice less than a rod length behind my left hand rod but sadly no action followed. On the advice of a good friend of mine who tore the place to pieces this time last year my second session of 36 hours saw me fish long zig rigs in deep water. The first night passed with no action but just on dark on the second night a 12ft zig in 16ft of water suddenly ripped off and I was into my first Cleverley carp of 2012. The 3oz drop off inline came off straight away which made life a lot easier and I was soon staring at a pug nosed 16lb 12oz common in the bottom of the net. It was my first carp under 25lb from the lake but who cares? I’m off the mark now and the confidence is high on the zigs. A quick shot was taken on the mat before slipping her back looking none the worse all things considered. I have two nights available this coming week….I will keep you posted.

Until next time, be lucky!