I've been keen to get back to Fields End since the successful trips I had last year. Finally the weather forecast was favourable and off I went.

I got there as it opened (7.00 am) and set off for the same swim as I fished in 2006. The reeds had closed in, leaving a much smaller opening, making what was a tricky swim even harder. After a slow start, when a number of carp inspected my floating crust and shied away, things really improved.

The catch order was as follows:

Roach (estimated 6oz) - luncheon meat
Golden Orfe (estimated 8oz) - floating crust
Mirror (weighed 4lb 4oz) - bread flake
Tench (weighed 3lb 6oz) - luncheon meat
Tench (weighed 2lb 0oz) - bread flake
Mirror (weighed 9lb 10oz) - floating crust
Large carp lost in the reeds
Mirror (weighed 12lb 4oz) - floating crust
Mirror (weighed 11lb 4oz) - luncheon meat
Another large fish lost in the reeds

Now the fishy bit of this tale is that I forgot to take my camera, so I have no lasting record of what must rate as the best day's fishing I've ever had, and I have to leave it to you to believe or not what I've told you. What's even more upsetting is that I had a single use camera in the car that I forgot about, so I'm kicking myself twice over the whole episode.

Photos aside, the day was fantastic, believe it or not!