I tried the match pool today for the first time. I went with the intention of using my float rod and not carp fishing. I had assumed that carp would not be the predominant species in the match pool. However, it was soon clear that there were good carp in the lake as they could be seen cruising on the surface.

The swim I chose had good margins to the right and a bed of lilies about 30 feet out directly in front. There were large carp around these lilies so I started with the Avon rod and flake casting to the edge of the pads. I had a couple of good bites but at that range it was difficult to connect. I did ‘feel’ one fish that felt quite large.

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This strategy having not succeeded, I reverted to my original idea and set up my 13ft float rod. I fed the swim with the maggots left over from my Wye trip, sweetcorn, flake pellets and luncheon meat. My first fish, at 14.55, was a small bream of about ½lb taken on luncheon meat. I tried maggot on the hook but only got tiny roach. At 15.20 I landed a lively mirror of about 1½lb that also took luncheon meat.

I had been fishing about four feet from the bank so tried dropping a piece of luncheon meat close to the margin reeds. An almost immediate take was followed by a strong fight and after quite a while I netted a nice 7½lb common. This weight matches the best I have achieved so far at Docklow.

Soon after I had another take in the margin but the hook-hold failed after just a few seconds.

Things then went quiet and unlike on previous days when bites came quick and fast after 17.00, this evening they were few and far between. I landed two small carp of about 1½lb and 2½lb. These were tempted by projecting the rod top under a tree and dropping the bait in the margin. A better fish was hooked in this way just before packing up time, at 19.30, but the hook came out just as I was going to bring it to the net. It was probably about 3lb.

A chap opposite caught a 12½lb carp, proving that there were good fish in this pool. Just before I left some chaps walking around the lake said that somebody had taken a 25lb fish during the day, although I’m not sure from which pool it came.