The Block Fen Pump Pond is an ideal venue for me. It's a small pond, which I like, and it offers a great opportunity to stalk the margins. The downside is that on some days it can get a bit busy and a fair amount of tromping up and down the bank occurs. This may or may not disturb the carp, who knows, but I always feel that noise and vibration are the enemies of margin fishing.

The other great advantage is that is only about 10 minutes away by car, so a few hours in the evening is an easy option. This is exactly what I did on 1 September. It was bright but quite breezy; the wind hardly seems to have dropped this year. The pond is sheltered but the breeze can cause awkward swirls and drifts that make margin free-lining less easy.

I got there about ten to five. The lake was empty and thus free of any noise or disturbance - great. At ten past I had my first run. On this occasion a mirror of only about 2-3 pounds. On 12lb line (necessary to get the big uns out of the reeds) it was an unfair fight. Soon after it rained heavily so I retired to the car (which I can park at the top of the bank) and I lost about an hour's fishing all in all.

After the rain passed the wind dropped and the remainder of the evening was almost ideal. I had added a small piece of quill to the line as a form of float as the wind was causing the line to sink quite quickly, making free-line indication more difficult. I had put out a piece of luncheon meat on free-line and at about a quarter to eight the piece of quill didn't just run, it disappeared. I hooked a better fish, which actually headed to open water (a relief), but the euphoria was short-lived, as the hook-hold failed.

Light was now fading and with the almost lack of twilight at this time of year I decided to call it a day.