Snitterfield Reservoir - 23.08.12 - PB Carp on the float.

With rain due the weekend I decided to wait till next week to go back to the Avon, it should have some much needed colour by then. Back to Snitterfield for a couple of hours before dusk, the usual set-up sleeper rod for the carp and a float fish small bits of meat for the crucians.

Fishing tight to a weed bed I caught some nice roach from the off, the biggest I weighed and it was 1lb 3oz's, seems everything likes this garlic spam, I saw the tins reduced in Tesco to a quid to I bought a job lot. I've been impressed with the quality of CC Moore bait so I've bought some different pellet mixes to try, the scalded pellets wrapped around the lead on the sleeper set-up also makes a nice loose feed and I fed the float swim with small balls every 5 minutes.

Around 8.15pm, with half an hour fishing left and with the light was slowly fading I was getting crucian bites. You can tell crucian bites, their mouths are small so they mess around with the bait for ages before deciding to take it, however the crucian bites stopped for a few minutes and the float dived violently under, a fish hooked itself and the rod bent double and I was hanging on for dear life with the clutch screaming, this was no crucian but a King Carp. I gave it as much sidestrain as I dared to try and keep it out the weeds. With 5lb mainline and a 4lb hooklink with a size 14 hook it the set-up I was undergunned to say the least, I was winning though and eventually got it out in to the open water.

A memorable fight and a PB carp that after leaving resting in the landing net for a while I weighed and photographed, I'm no self take expect and shame it was nearly dusk as the flash doesn't show the background, oh and I should smile next time :)

18lb 7oz's