It was the tree rod that produced the goods, read on

It was a couple of weeks ago, I had put one rod on a gravel shelf under an overhanging tree, the other rod was on the side of a gravel hump. It was the tree rod that produced the goods, read on.In the torchlight a large flank glistened back. As I peered into the net, even more the flank grew, it had few scales, just a line along its dorsal. Hang on a minute, the lakes 40lber had only a row of scales along its dorsal, no – that would be too much to ask. With shaking hands I readied the mat and sling, for the first time ever it occurred to me that the 40lb scales might not be man enough for the job. I remember the story my mate had told me when he had caught the same carp 4oz short of the magic mark, it took him a couple of hours to locate scales man enough, there was a good chance it was the right side of 40lb when caught. I did not want that to happen. However with all this going through my mind I knew as I lifted the carp in the net that I had jumped the gun, over 30lb yes, but not over 40lb. Was I bothered? Not a bit of it! The carp was in fact no where near as thick-set as I thought and what it had in depth it lacked in solidness, it scrambled its way to only just over 30lb in fact on the scales. I screamed the heavens down just the same. Probably not another human for a mile in any direction, in the middle of a humid mid-spring night I felt on top of the world, if anybody else had been near the moment would have been spoiled. I did not sack the carp up, it did not seem fair, it almost definitely had never been caught before, it had no name, it had no label, for those brief minutes it only belonged to me. I waded out into the margins in the darkness, the carps gills gently fanning. I felt it come slowly to life before, with a kick of its tail, it slid away and disappeared. I stood there for a while, afraid to let the moment pass. The nasty taste of my unpleasant departure from my planned target lake seemingly being exorcised. Would I miss it? Not a chance! A broad smile spread across my face. The cast back under the overhanging branches was impossible in darkness, I knew I would end up snagged in the twigs so I settled for a cast to the edge of them instead, I felt a pleasing thud so I left it there. I wandered round to the branches though and dropped some more bait in there, perhaps the carp would return at dawn, as soon as it was light enough I planned to recast. The rest of the night remained quiet and peaceful, that was until just as the first glimmer of sun rose in front of me, the rod by the hump gave two strangely very loud bleeps, then two more. The rod tip bounced down, it bounced again. Then, with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, it tore off. I fell out of the bedchair and grabbed the rod, the thud on the end was small but exquisite, the fight dull yet exciting, there in the net was a perfect tench, the scales rudely gave it a label of 7lb 11oz. The night was complete. Before I left I put more bait under the branches, despite seeing nothing in there; I would be back in 30 hours. In fact I was back in 25 hours, the swim was still as if nothing had changed. I walked round to the branches, yes something had changed, all the bait had gone and there in the branches were three carp, sunning themselves. Once more the cast would have to be stealthy, I amazed myself as once again the half once bomb landed on target with barely a plop. The other rod went out to the hump again accompanied with its PVA bag. The cloud increased as the afternoon drew on, the carp could no longer be seen, they were down there though I was sure. Evening came far too soon, I was really enjoying myself here, more than I had for a while, though that was doing my favourite lake an injustice, I really looked forward to 1st June to get back on there. In the meantime though this was heaven. The fact that I was seemingly so far away from anyone else was wonderful. I could do anything, anyhow and not have things mucked up by anyone else. I was woken from my indulgence when a carp crashed out far out in the lake again, so far out though this time that it was merely a speck, it had to be a carp though the splash was dramatic. Once more as the sun set the bream came out to play, humping their way along their patrol route.The darkness got more intense, the distinctive branches of the snag fusing together with the bankside vegetation. Midnight was here before I even felt the need to get under the blanket, the stars above me shining, no need for a brolly tonight, I hate the things anyway. However as soon as I closed my eyes I was woken again by a bleep, bleep, bleep. I could see the snag rod bent right round, the very tip bouncing. I was on it again, the bank stick beginning to lean. I love fishing locked up; you are in control before you start. Once more, as soon as it was allowed the hooked carp tore off into the lake. The fight was under way, again I played it gentle, anything from a six foot cliff to a Ford Zephyr could be out there to snag the line. The ploy worked though as the second carp of the week rolled into the net. Another good one showed in the torchlight, another mirror. Fat and deep just like its mate, it lacked length though, weighing ounces short of 23lb. Another uncaught beauty though, just mine for a while. The rest of the night was quiet; I awoke on a misty dawn. Footsteps approached me from up the overgrown path, the incumbent opened his mouth, I held my breath before he breathed those feared words. No I did not have a permit I had to admit, I could not hide my identity, the car gave its numberplate away. Could I be forgiven and gain membership anyway, the odds were against, he would do his best, but he had to do his job, so he said. I scampered away, tail between my legs, would I be back regardless? What do you think!?

Have fun!