Another nice day. Again the lake was calm throughout the morning and although a light SW breeze blew up later, it was on and off and didn't cause too many problems. For the first two hours I was the only one on the lake and when people did arrive they stayed on the west and south banks, leaving me virtually undisturbed in the reed corner.

I started with the 13ft float rod and luncheon meat, and after some missed bites landed a 10lb 2oz leather at 08.00.

This was the first of a succession of fish during what was, I think, the best day's fishing I have ever had. I caught a splendid 2lb 2oz crucian carp at 08.40, this being a personal best.

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Soon after, at 08.55, I was broken trying to keep a fish out of the reeds. At this point I noticed carp on the surface so started catapulting out some biscuits. I changed to my 10ft rod with a controller float and took two carp on this set up, a 11lb 14oz mirror (09.30 - picture) and a 9lb mirror (10.00). I was using pellets I had bought in the fishery shop.

The carp were feeding freely but avoiding my bait. I had found a carp pellet waggler in the swim (someone obviously lost it) that was lighter than my controller float so I gave it a try. I took another fish, a beautiful 9lb 12oz common (11.50), but they were still shying away from my bait. I therefore took a bold step and changed down from a 12 to a 16 hook. This immediately improved the bite rate although there were of course risks with such a small hook.

The first fish on the new setup was a 6lb 12oz mirror (12.45) followed by a mirror of 12lb 4oz (13.00).

I then lost a fish in the reeds (13.25). An 8lb 5oz mirror followed but unfortunately was foul-hooked in the underside. I then lost a fish at the net, the first misfortune attributable to the small hook. It was a mirror of about 7-8lb. The next fish slipped the hook, making me start to doubt the wisdom of the small hook. However, I stuck with it and had a run of fish, all taken on biscuit:

Mirror 5lb 10oz (14.45);
Leather 7lb (15.00);
Leather 12lb 13oz (15.15);
Mirror 6lb (15.40);
Leather 10lb (16.05);
Mirror 8lb 12oz (16.55) that was foul-hooked in the pectoral fin;
Leather 5lb 8oz (17.10).

Having kept the fish feeding on the top throughout the day, at about 6 o'clock they finally seemed to go off the boil, so I reverted to my waggler setup on the 13ft rod and this proved to be a good decision.

Things started with a 3lb 12oz tench taken on luncheon meat (18.00). Then, 10 minutes later a beautiful roach of 1lb 7oz, a personal best.

This was followed by a 14oz roach (18.35), and then two more tench of 3lb 12oz (18.55 - picture) and 3lb 8oz (19.10). I then had another roach of 1lb (19.25).

The next bite (19.30) was a larger fish. It didn't feel like a carp but seemed too powerful for a tench, unless it was a big one. However, the fight was different from that of a tench and when I finally had sight of it I was surprised to see a barbel. I had caught smaller barbel at Fields End but this was a good fish. When landed it weighed in at 3lb 14oz, a beautiful fish.

Next cast I tangled my line around the rod handle and as I was untangling it a fish went steaming off, and although I had cleared the line, I was too heavy on the rim of the centre pin and the line broke. Almost certainly a carp.

Shortly after a 2lb 12oz tench came to the net (19.50).

I had set 8 o'clock as the time to stop, so had one more cast. The float shot away immediately and after a hard battle (on 4lb line) I landed an 11lb mirror (20.00).

All fish taken on the waggler were on luncheon meat.

So, what a day; 15 carp (5 lost), 4 tench, 3 fine roach and other smaller ones, a good crucian and a barbel; and a small perch on luncheon meat!

The total weight of carp was just under 135lbs and including the other fish the catch was nearly 158lbs.

A true Red Letter Day.