Choose life. Choose a lake. Choose a swim. Choose a bait. Choose a rig. Choose sleepless nights under the stars. Choose the nocturnal music of branches creaking in the wind, leaves whispering, and the eerie night-calls of owls and wildfowl. Choose bright moons shattered in the rippling surface of lakes, and purple skies at sunset perfectly mirrored. Choose silent mist-shrouded pools at dawn. Choose visions of white-flowering waterlilies turning green-gold in the half-light. Choose the flashing bronze flanks of carp, twisting below the surface, on the edge of visibility. Choose a heightened heart-rate. Choose an emotional rollercoaster. Choose the psychological assault-course of planning, watching, locating, preparing, casting and waiting. Choose the endless hours of strung-out anticipation. Choose the rush of striking, hooking, fighting, and landing (or losing) the fish. Choose to walk the tightrope between desperate failure and the adrenaline-inducing, life-enhancing triumphant high of success. Choose life. Choose obsession. Choose Carp Fishing.
"Greg Freestone, Carpspotting 2011"

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Xmas and new year on the bank

The holidays are here and I've been looking forward to having some time off work, the weather is still mild for this time of year and couldn't wait to get my rods back out to see if i could bag any lumps.

My first trip of the holidays was to the folly lakes for four nights, this would be the first time in ages I've not been at home for Xmas but with empty banks i thought why not.

I arrived at the lake on the Sunday 22nd of December and with most of the swims to choose from i didn't no were to start. I ended up setting in a swim I've done well in over the last winter months and with a few mates down i thought someone had to catch something.

The nights past with out a bite, few guys packed up and went home after a four night blank. Me and my mate nick decided to move swims as the fish just wasn't in the area so the barrow was packed and round to the other side of the lake we went.

The nights kept passing without any joy and catching a Xmas lump wasn't looking to good. Boxing day came and it was time for me to head off as i was heading out to Spain at the weekend to try my luck at a new years fish on the Ebro.





Heading out to the Ebro.




The weekend was here and I was getting excited about my trip to Spain and with a week to play with I thought I had a chance to bag a few before 2014 started.

I was heading out on my own to meet my mate nick who lives out there, he had a bit of time off from his guiding so we hit the banks for a few days. ( http://www.ebrocarpfishing.com/ )

As nick misses was having a baby any day now we had to fish swims with phone signal so up river was a bit of a no go so the first night we headed down to fayon.




The First night came to a blank for both of us and didn't have a nock all night, so we thought we would head up river for the night and see if we could bag a new year stunner.

The gear was packed away and with only the rods to go we thought we would give it just a few more hours before we headed up river, the sun was out and was looking good for a bite then all of a sudden my rod ripped off, what a fight knew it was a good fish from the way it was taking line and fighting.

A new years eve Ebro common was on the bank. Not the 40lb+ i was after but a stunning low 30 was always welcome





Moments later nicks rod ripped off bagging a low 20 for himself. wasn't the best time to leave as it looked like the fish was moving in but we brought the rods in and hit the road on the hunt for a new swim.



Back in the UK.............

Wile i was away few guys were fishing the folly lakes over the new year and one of the most consistent anglers i no mark was doing what he does best bagging a stunner on new years eve.




Back to the Ebro..........

We got to caspa just before dark and found a swim with about 30ft of water to try for the night. Still buzzing from the fish we caught a few hours before we didn't mind if we didn't catch tonight but would take any size fish if they did come.
After a quite night with no bites we packed up and headed off again. We headed down to Mequinenza to check out a few swims but all the best ones were taken so back in the truck and headed back down to fayon for the last night.

Was a good move in the end as it didn't take long for us to start getting the bites with nick landing 12 fish all around the 20lb mark and i bagged another stunner around the 28lb mark and a few smaller ones.I ended 2013 on a high and started 2014 on a high what more can you ask for.


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