My neighbour, Steven, mentioned a local pit to me the other day. He has been fishing it since he was a lad, and work is currently under way to improve the banks, access etc. It's only about 8 miles away.

I went for a ride over there on my bike and it certainly has some character. Much of the bank is reeded and there are also reeds across the lake. They have formed some access ways out into the reeds and it was on one of these that I tried my luck.

The weather was bright, if cold, and the water was clear, without a ripple in the bay where I fished. Much to my surprise as I was tackling up a carp of about 5lb just sauntered past in front of me; just below the surface. I thought my luck was in. I only went for the afternoon and over the next few hours about six carp, up to about 8lb, cruised back and forth in front of me but refused to be tempted by the bread crust or flake I threw in.

About an hour before I left a chap turned up who was one of the working party restoring the lake. He told me that they had introduced 57 carp three weeks ago, imported from Israel of all places, and that the fish I had seen were probably from that batch. He thought that as farm-raised fish they were unaccustomed to bread, or any other baits for that matter.