The odd carp was visible sunning itself in the hot sun

Although it had only been a few days since my last session, in the area I had been fishing it did not look like the carp were still around as the water had cleared a little and the weed was very visible, as was the brown sandy bottom in places. Therefore I decided to have a look further around the lake and found a couple of areas in the heavy weed that were a lot more coloured. The odd carp was visible sunning itself in the hot sun. Putting the gear down and recovering with a cold drink I surveyed the area in front of me. There was one channel that was obvious and an area up against a big area of weed where the easterly wind was blowing against. This looked good for the second rod. I quickly set up and baited both areas with hemp and particles and a few boilies. I then cast out with stringers and single bottom hook baits.The evening drew on and a few fish started bow-waving, one good fish spooked on the line that was strung out to the edge of the margin weed 10 yards out. I was sitting back on the bedchair looking at the rod tip of the rod cast against the big weed bed and saw it nod downwards, then suddenly line was ripped off the baitrunner and the buzzer screamed. On the rod in seconds, I connected with a powerful carp that took a few yards off the clutch, even though it was screwed down hard. The carp quickly found a weed bed but under steady pressure I got it on the move again but I could see there was a lot of weed on the lead and leadcore leader. That weed had stopped the carp running but it was hard bringing the fish in with the weed stuck on the line. Soon the fish was in the margins but the weed on the line was too heavy and the carp was floundering around 6 feet behind it out of netting range. I dropped the rod and grabbed the line and tore at the weed to get it off the lead but the carp charged off, nearly taking one of my fingers with it as I was holding the line. I tried again a second time but it was no good. When I had it in the edge again I threw the net into the water and stepped in, it was about three feet deep in the edge so I was safe. Again dropping the rod, I held the line and made my way out to the weed on the lead. Once there I could see the leadcore leading off to the carp so I grabbed this and made my way out to it. When I pulled the leadcore the carp came up to the surface easily only a foot away from me. Quickly I got hold of an arm of the landing net and scooped the carp up, it then went mad.Wading back to dry land through the weed I had a look at the carp, a nice mirror, and tried to get it out on to the grass. The line was still in the weed and the rod was under water so I unhooked it and hauled the net and carp on to the mat. On the scales it was pleasing to find it went 20lb 12oz, a right result! It was nearly dark so I quickly took the photos and slipped it back after a good look at it. Then I sorted out the mess and got a bait back in position just after dark. After that commotion I did not expect much more action but around 11pm I had a run on the other rod and landed a 3lb eel. At dawn the rod I had taken the carp on tore off again and, again, I netted a eel of similar size; a couple of strange captures as I am not usually bothered by eels but it was a close humid night.I came back later the same day and I wanted to fish the other side of the lake but there was a guy stalking so I returned to the same area after a good look around. I cast to the same spots though there was less wind and I could not see many carp. The weed is heavy in the edges of the lake but here and there are clear areas in the margin. I baited up one of these to see what came along as I had seen a couple of carp in the weed very close to the bank on the last session. As dusk fell, at last I saw movement in the weed near the clear spot and as I carefully peered in to the water I could see that it was a lot murkier than before. I quickly dropped a baited rig on the clear spot and sat back. It had only been out there 15 minutes when it roared off as a carp ran off fast through the weed. Fortunately I was on it in seconds so it did not get far and soon I had a nice plump common in the net, not a big fish but welcome at 13lb 3oz.I left a rod on the margin spot for the night as I hoped for some more action at dawn. The night was very warm again and the pump from the river did not make it one of the most peaceful nights on the lake but I was half expecting one of the rods to tear off. Daylight soon came and I went to sit down next to the margin rod. Peering carefully in to the water I could see something was down there but with little bankside cover I could not have a good look. Half hour later the line tightened and I grabbed the rod as the first bleep came. The resistance was not that spectacular and soon I had a nice tench in the net, a female of 5lb 2oz. The tench and carp had been spawning the day before and they soon started again at dawn so I was not surprised to get a tench. In fact the rods out in the gaps in the weed had received some spectacular line bites the evening before, I was up and down like a yo-yo for an hour or two as one or other of them gave a fast short run.As I packed up several good carp heaved themselves up out of the water in the weed as they jostled for position in the mating game, it was time to leave them to it but I was certainly looking forward to getting back to see them when they had finished.

Have fun!