Common people

Common or Mirror? How many times have you answered that carpy-est of questions? For me it’s a classics English Common. Having said that some scaley Mirrors are handsome beasts.

This Sunday morning I was back at the lake in the Stage swim, having pre-baited last weekend, and chasing either strain of carp.

I arrived at 5.30am feeling a little delicate after an afternoons drinking at my village fair on Saturday.

The lake looked great and in the light drizzle I set both rods up identically – Baitworks snowmen on KD’s – it worked the last time! Before casting I catapulted about half a kilo of pre soaked Royal Marine onto and around the spot.

By 6.30am the traps were, the kettle was on and I was sat under the brolly watching the lake come to life. A kingfisher darted to and fro as fish topped, and then right on cue a carp crashed out a few yards passed the righthand rod, it was 7.30am.

Despite this show I nodded off. Saturdays antics and the early start had caught up in me. I woke to a single bleep on the left rod, and then after 10 mins another. I was fully awake now.

Then as expected the left swinger was sent crashing into the blank as something pulled line from the spool.

By the time I had scrambled down into the Stage, due to the brolly being set back from the bank, the rod was twisting and bent sharp left as the fish dived for cover.

Lifting and tightening the clutch the fish was quickly under control and eased right into open water. As the fish lunged on a tight clutch and the rod easily absorbed the action I realised it was not going to be huge but would it be a Common or Mirror?

At the first time of asking I netted an angry Common which weighed in at 14lb 6oz.

After resting in the net for a good few minutes the carp was still livid at being caught and wriggled and bristled, dorsal erect, for the pictures!

Once released and on its way I got the rod out again for the last hour as it was now 9am.

Bar a liner on the right rod that was the end for a great short Sunday session. The pre-baiting had worked and I now had had a Common from the lake.

Also I noted that the right rod had some silk weed on the hook link and lead at the end of the session. Perhaps it was not presenting well as there is now summer weed growth here. Might have to adjust the bait presentation for the next occasion.

I will drop some bait in next weekend and then it’s the family holiday so will not be fishing until August.

For the record – bait to butt:

• Baitworks Royal Marine and Scent From Hell white dumbbell snowman
• Korda size 6 curved Krank
• Gardner Ultra Skin silt colour
• Korda lead clip silt
• 2.5oz flat pear
• 12in rig tubing
• 6ft Avid Fluorocarbon leader
• 15lb Fox camo monofilament
• Sonik Tournos 8000
• 12ft Sonik S3’s 3.5 test curve

Tightlines and good times.