Still suffering from the effects of the shingles virus, I had decided against a fishing trip two days earlier. Feeling a bit better I went to my nearest water, the Fields End Pit, hoping for some sport with roach and rudd, with the possibility of a carp coming along. As it was the roach and rudd proved to be illusive but a couple of good carp made up for their absence.

I fished what I call the tree corner, the south-west corner of the pit that's closest to the car park. This cut down the amount of tackle lugging. In fact there was nobody on the lake when I arrived despite the very favourable conditions. With a SW breeze the swim was sheltered and I fished all day on a near mirror-like surface.

I had previously tackled with a long antenna waggler, expecting some wind, but I kept with it even though the conditions were calm. I shotted with two SG just below the float and a dropper shot near the hook, which I changed for a smaller size after a while.

I started with sweetcorn having prebaited with hemp and corn. But I didn't get even a hint of interest. Changing to luncheon meat I missed a good bite after sitting watching a static float for quite a while. I had placed the rod in the rest and just wasn't ready for the bite.

Not long after came another good bite,. This time, with the rod in my hand, I connected with what was clearly a carp. I managed to stop it getting into the left margin reeds, which led me to think that it probably wasn't that large. But after a longish battle, when each time that I thought I was winning it powered off again, it became clear that it was a good fish. Finally landed it was a slender but thick-set mirror of 10lbs.

Things then went quiet on luncheon meat so I changed to worm. Unsurprisingly I caught a small perch that had taken the bait well down. I caught a few more small perch and also a very small roach on worm. Not wishing to risk further gorged takes from perch I reverted to luncheon meat, reducing the bait size in the hope of attracting rudd. I had caught some good rudd on this bait on an earlier visit.

The rudd still didn't oblige but a second carp did. Hooked near the left side reeds it tried desperately to seek refuge in them. I turned it, worried whether my set up could take the strain. It then tried for the right side reeds. This was to continue as the fish remained just in front of me, trying first one reed bank and then the opposite one, each time requiring me to exert a worrying amount of restraint. It was a battle fought at extremely close quarters! Finally netted it weighed 10lbs 2oz, a fine fully-scaled fish.

That was to be the last carp although I'm sure that if I had stayed longer there would have been a chance of more, especially in the late afternoon as dusk approached. As it was I caught a fine looking rudd on worm, making a change from the perch. But it was to be the only one. I'm not sure why I couldn't get the rudd and roach to feed but the two carp were more than enough compensation in their absence.

I packed up just after 3.00 pm. I was of course more than pleased with getting two 10lb carp in what was a fairly short session of around six hours. I left admiring the autumn colours on the far (east) bank highlighted and richened by the low sun in the west.