The beautiful Oakwood lake
Ron and fishing partner Dan arrived bright and early on the morning of 10th May they were eager to look round as they tried to sneak a better view of the lake beyond the first island. We set off on our walk around the lake and they were soon taken back by its beauty. They were keen to get their rods straight out and opted to fish an area at the far end of the lake. I decided to fish the middle of the lake where some weed beds were starting to grow as I was banking on this drawing the fish in as a natural larder.
The weather had turned cold with some rain forecast for the coming week and with a downturn in pressure these were not great carp fishing conditions after the recent run of hot weather. As I rowed across from the house to my swim I could see that Dan was already into a fish after just an hour, so I didn’t waste no time in getting set up as it looked stormy and I was already one down!
The rods were carefully positioned and the action started after a 3 hour wait, the first fish being a small but extremely attractive 14lb fully scaled mirror but more importunately I was quickly off the mark. I recast the rod and after only one hour it was away again this time a good scrap delivered a gorgeous 22 lb common into my net. I put the kettle on and made myself a well earned cup of tea and retreated to the bivvy as the temperature had really dropped, as soon as I had climbed back in my sleeping bag my near margin rod was away. As I leant into the fish this one felt a little better and resulted in a 26lb linear a real cracker.
No more action followed that night until 7 the next morning my weed bed rod was away and a 26lb common graced the net. As fishing was kind of work this week the better half delivered breakfast to my swim in the shape of a hot baguette with bacon and egg I was really being spoilt and this was quickly devoured and I was ready for work. We were busy landscaping around the cabin so like normal work in the day and put the rods out in the evening not a bad deal as I had been promised breakfast everyday and my dinner bought down to my swim at night!
The day passed quickly and I walked down to my swim and got the rods out at 9pm. Again action was quick to come at 10:15 line pilled off the reel and I was into a good carp, a hard fight followed by a 27lb common. I was just taking some pictures of the fish when my other rod screamed off! The original carp was safely on the mat so I hit the run and shouted for Ron or Dan to come down and help me out as I was worried about the fish on the mat flipping off. Keeping one eye on the fish and the other on the rod which was now bent in two, Dan appeared weighed the fish and slipped the carp back as I proceeded to play the 2nd fish. Dan kindly netted her for me and she was weighed and photographed another stunning linear of almost 29lbs. With this Dan was off and straight back to his rods!
As I climbed back into the warmth of my sleeping bag after my double success I started to read an issue of carp world when my third rod jumped into life unbelievable 3 fish in under an hour and half, this one results in the form of a high backed mirror at a few ounces short of 30lb.The rod is cast back out and all goes silent once more as I drift off to sleep. Nearing 1 o clock I’m woken again this time by another linear of 25lbs. There are at least 10 linear’s in Oakwood fisheries but I seem to be getting through them quickly back to sleep and no more action and I am woken by the smell of my bacon sarnies arriving so again its time to pull the rods in.
I manage to get the rods out a little earlier today after a short working day and cast out at 5pm Ron keys has moved spots and is now fishing next door, we have a cup of tea and a chit chat about various subjects when I proclaim “I’m going to catch one on my left hand rod in a minute“ It’s been my most successful rod so far and I got this kind of sixth sense when it comes to carp fishing but even I was amazed when it was away and the left hand rod after only 30 seconds!! I take the rod and it bends into a good carp a long fight follows as the fish has immense power and has certainly been eating its spinach. Ron asks how I knew I was going to get a take he thinks I’ve seen a fish feeding over my bait but it’s just one of them times when you know something’s just going to happen. The fish weighs just over 28lb and another real beauty.
I retire to bed and get a couple of hours sleep before I’m woken up by a 27lb 12oz mirror. A grass carp follows at 3:15 am at 25lbs and my nights fishing is complete in the shape of a 21lb common at 9.45 am which weeds me solid and I have to take the boat into the swim to free it so after I wind the rods in and call it a day.
I start fishing quite late as we were visited by our friend for dinner as his wife has been in England all week and I bet his been living off bake beans. it’s a quiet evening not the usual 11pm fish so I crash out and sleep through until the first take at 3.45am God it’s cold tonight and I waste no time in landing the fish it is quickly photo’d and weighed at 25lbs 5oz. The 2nd chance of the night comes at 4:30 and results in a 19lb common only my second carp under 20lb of the whole session. The rods are re baited and cast back out and at 6:45 action again and this time it’s nice to be able to see in daylight and a lovely golden common of 21lb soon sits on the mat. Breakfast arrives and time to go to work.
The last night I manage to get the rods out by 8:30pm its Ron and Dan’s last night tonight but Dan’s chuffed having had a 32lb mirror the night before. Tonight I’m trying a new spot over by the iris’s I have located a nice spot with a couple of meter’s of gravel. I wait 4 hours for the first take of the night, my new spot over by the iris. A good fish is wallowing on the other end I keep her clear of danger and play her out under the rod tip before slipping the net under my biggest fish of the session in the shape of stunning mirror of 31lb 11oz taken on my homemade boilie as have all my fish have been. A 21lb grass carp follows at 4 am along with a common of 26lb to complete the session at 6:45 am.
In summary I fished for a total of 63 hours in not ideal conditions very cold nights and low pressure and caught 18 carp one thirty, 15x 20’s and only two carp under 20lb, with an average weight of 25lbs.
Daniel Allen, Oakwood, May 2010
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