Like many other like-minded anglers at this time of year I’ve endured a run of blank day sessions, sitting through the inclement weather, hoping that any second the bite alarm will chirp into life, the line will tighten and the bobbin will hit the carbon!
However, over the bank holiday weekend as I sat at the gate of Aspen Lake Fisheries eagerly waiting for it to unlock little did I know that this was all to change. The weather was warm and overcast after a previously warm 24hours and anticipation and confidence were in equal measure as the ronnie rigs were set and baited with a mix of crushed boilies, Elips pellets and some prepared Buckwheat particle all premixed together and covered in lashings of C-Food oil.
Within 40 minutes of setting the alarms the middle rod was away and after a short fight a stocky 29lb 4oz Mirror was resting in the net saving me another blank. It was a great relief to make contact with an Aspen Carp again. The rod was soon repositioned and rebaited and as the weather started to change with low cloud moving in and a bitter cold easterly wind a retreat to the shelter was in order with a celebratory cup of tea.
Another two hours passed with no action but then out of nowhere the left-hand rod shook, the alarm screamed once again and the buzz bar trembled in excitement as we were connected to another powerful Aspen Carp.
This time it felt different, it wallowed rather than running for the hills and there was very little I could do to steer whatever I was attached to towards the net. After an extended fight the fish finally took a gulp of air and I had my first look at the fish and then I wished I hadn’t – it was big, big from every angle – its tail was like a paddle as it slapped against the surface, the thickness across its back and the depth of its belly had me now shaking in my waders! After a few more powerful surges it was finally in reach and I slipped the net under a new PB at 44lb 7oz smashing my previous PB by over 7lbs.
As well as the PB this was a very special fish for me as I have been targeting a ‘40’ from here for the last few years all I need now is the ‘Big Common’ to complete the set.
Mark
