Yesterday morning saw me sat behind my desk at work clock watching, wishing all the while for it to be 4pm and god did it drag!
As soon as the clock struck 4pm I was out the door as if the fire alarm was sounding and before I knew it I had pulled into the "Beds Pit" car park, the whole journey was a blur as my mind went over the same questions...would I get in my baited swim? angling pressure? would the fish be on the end of the wind?
I jumped out the van and jogged the 400 yards round the path to the corner of the pit, I could just make out my baited swim on the far bank and it was empty, perfect!
I walked back to the van and loaded the barrow, before the 20 minute mission to the swim.......it seemed further than I remembered!
Once in the swim I got the Oval up as the sky was getting darker by the minute, I manged to get it up just in time as the heavens opened a few minutes later. I took this as sign from the carp gods telling me to relax a bit and have a brew, so I did just that.
Only 10 minutes later the rain stopped, so I donned the chest waders to clear the floating weed in front of the swim, it was solid about 3 rod lengths out and would have made landing a fish next to impossible, 25 minutes later the job was finished and I now had a weed free swim, perfect! I couldn't help but notice the huge amount of small crayfish in the weed, I can see them being a pain next season once they are a bit bigger!
I soon had the rods out on their spots and was fishing, the Coleman was fired up again and I had a brew with a few mates who had joined me for the night, as we sat in my swim we couldn't help but hear the tell tale sounds of a big fish rolling about 40 yards out, it looked good.....very good!
We all retired to our bedchairs shortly before 1am and I was soon in the land of nod, dreaming of a big common.
I awoke this morning at 7am, which is very late for me when I'm fishing although to be fair this week had taken its toll on me so I didn't mind a little lay in, I fired up the Coleman once more and rolled a smoke.......as I sat there taking in the atmosphere I started receiving aggressive liners on my margin rod, at one point I made the short hop down the bank to the rods fully expecting it to rattle off but unfortunately it never did.
Before I knew it, it was 10 am and time to have a slow pack up and do the jungle warfare journey back to the van, despite the blank I left a happy man it was great to be back on the "Beds Pit" and I'm looking forward to gracing her banks again very soon.
I shall keep trickling the bait in and keeping a very close eye on her.....its only a matter of time before she gives up one of her jewels and I want to make sure I am there when it happens.
Until next time,
Smithy