Even better, when I put some trout pellets in they almost immediately started feeding

As I drove through the gate a few of the guys were there and before long the car park was full. After a quick stroll round the lake the draw was made, I drew 9th out of 11 so my choice of swim was made out of guesswork of where the carp may end up rather than where they were. At the swim though, before I settled I had a look round at adjacent free swims and in front of a small one I found what I was looking for, a couple of carp kept visiting the same area amongst heavy weed near a set of lilies. Even better, when I put some trout pellets in they almost immediately started feeding. I knew the area had been baited by Geoff so the fish were confident. I quickly moved my gear into this swim and at the allotted time everyone cast out. Not surprisingly, most of the carp that had been visible around the lake soon disappeared but by using light leads and slack lines I knew they would be back. Time drew on, I had cast the other rod near to the end of an overhanging tree just to the swims right, the bottom was not clear so I used a pop-up surrounded in trout pellets. It was this rod that roared off an hour after casting out. The carp went right across the mouth of a small bay to my right so by sinking the rod tip I pumped it back until it was in front of the small swim. After a bit of a scrap a nice common rolled into the net. The first fish of the season is always pleasing and a cracking looking common was just right, it weighed 18lb. After a few photos it was soon back in the water. I wandered round the lake to give the swim a rest to find that a 29lb plus mirror had been caught from up the other end of the lake, the season was starting well.Back at the swim I considered moving as the common had created a lot of disturbance but considering everything I stayed there and recast to the same spots. All remained quiet until a 4lb tench took the bait by the pads in the early hours. This I was sure had ruined any further chances of a carp from that swim so when a carp stuck its head and shoulders out in the mouth of the bay to my right I moved as the dawn slowly appeared. From this new swim I could cast to two spots of clear gravel so I changed to bottom baits, something I much prefer to pop-ups. The day was cooler than the day before with a cool wind and spasmodic rain. No more carp showed but all other areas of the small lake were sewn up so I stuck with my plan, I was sure the carp would visit this bay some time during the day as there had been several around there the day before.Finally around 8:30 in the morning the rod cast to underneath an overhanging branch burst into life. The strike met with a solid resistance and a titanic battle began. The carp kept deep out in the mouth of the bay only begrudgingly coming in, even under the rod tip it refused to give up. I could see it was another common but significantly bigger than the last. Finally it rolled into the net and I gave out a sigh of relief, I was getting concerned about the hookhold. On the mat the fish was a much darker fish than the double had been and looked quite fat. Hooked neatly in the corner of its mouth I had no worries about the effectiveness of the rig. On the scales it weighed 26lb 14oz, the day had turned into a special one already. One of the guys came round to do the photos and we both admired a cracking fish in perfect condition, not a mark or split fin to be seen. All the carp are in fantastic condition in this lake, a real credit to the anglers who have fished there over the years.Once returned I felt that the carp had made far too much commotion and doubted that anything else would be coming into the bay for a while, so I wound in and wandered round the lake. I climbed a few trees and visited all my usual margin stalking spots but there was not a carp to be seen. The day was far from pleasant with a cool wind and a heavy blanket of cloud. No one else on the lake had a clue either so all those who were left stuck with the spots they had settled on. The carp were in effect just keeping their heads down after the start of season intrusion of anglers on the peaceful life they had led over the last two and a half months.The day stayed the same until late afternoon when some glimpses of blue sky finally appeared, with this and the associated glimmer of sun, the temperature recovered and as if by magic some carp started to appear. Rather pleasingly most were in the vicinity of the bay I was fishing. I quickly rebaited the areas and recast and sat by the rods expectantly. Over the space of the next hour several patches of bubbles appeared in the mouth of the bay, initially I tried to ignore these not wanting to move the cast rods. I only managed to this though for a few more minutes though so I wound one rod in and put on a small PVA bag full of trout pellets and crushed boilies with a bottom bait and cast it out to land in a amongst the bubbles. I only had to wait ten minutes before this rod tore off and I hooked my third carp of the session. Another hard battle ensued before I netted a short fat mirror that was all browns and yellows. Iím not sure who was more surprised, the carp or me. Again well hooked it weighed 17lb 12oz. A nice result from a bit of opportunist fishing.I was getting some strange looks from the rest of the guys by now so I sat in the swim reflecting on a great result. The bait and rig were obviously still doing the goods and hopefully I could just pick up from where I left off last March. The rest of the session though was completely dead before I packed up early the next morning to return to work. Thanks to the Carp Company for rolling excellent bait and to Relum for keeping me dry, oh yes and thanks to Geoff for trickling the bait in.

Have fun!