Catch Report: 30lb Essex Manor

Bait: Mainline Link. Hook bait was Mainline Link boilie critically balance using cork.

Rig: Simple hair rig comprising of Korda Supernatural braid, A size 6 Krank Kamakura. Fished on a lead clip set up with dark matter tubing.

Venue: Undisclosed Essex Estate Lake.

 Having booked myself onto this day ticket only, little Estate Lake, in Essex for the third time, I had already been working out the lake dynamics throughout my time on the bank. The lake has a small stock of fish in an area the size of two football pitches, with the max depth of 6ft in a small area and the rest of the lake rising to 4ft. The lakebed makeup was silt upon silt, at least a depth of a ft covered its entirety.  

I opted to book myself into fish swim 13. This swim commanded the largest amount of open water and had an ornamental aerator, positioned centrally at the far end of the swim boundary that was turned on twice during the day. I had noted on prior trips that every angler in swim 13 was casting to an island spot off to the right of the swim with little or no success at all. 

Reaching the swim just before first light it was time to hatch my plan. The plan had some simple factors. Light lead, so not to drag the rig into the silt, A soft hook link to lay flat on the bottom and a critically balance bait to slow the drop of the rig ensuring it would not get buried within the silt. I would be aiming for that aerator as mentioned previously. My thinking was that when it came on it would mix the lakebed, kicking up the silt and debruise and then settle again when turned off, attracting the beasts within the lake. 

I decided to fish a simple hair rig, a little longer than usual. Roughly 7.5 inches of Korda supernatural braid tied to a size 6 Krank Kamakura. I had been informed that bright hook baits just didn’t work on the lake, so I decided to match the hatch. I went for a 18mm Mainline link boilie, drilling out the centre and filling with cork, just enough cork to ensure that it settled nice and slow once the foam nugget had dissolved.

The early part of the day past with no action for anyone. The sun was blazing down on the lake. I decided to take a little walk, I could see the fish basking in the sun, well away from my swim. I could not help but feel a sinking feeling in that with the hottest part of the day was still to come the fish where likely not to move meaning today was not going to be my day. 

Moving into the late afternoon the aerator began to throw water into the air. I decided this was the best time to refresh the rods whilst waiting for it to finish its cycle and then get them back out there. An hour past and all begins to settle, my rods go straight back out onto the spot along with a handful of loose offerings dispatched by the throwing stick. 

Within 20 minutes the right hand delkim let out a bleep, nothing to get to excited about I thought, but a little inspection wouldn’t hurt. I glare at the bobbin and all is still, then out of nowhere it smashes up hitting the rod and the delkim is singing its sweet tune. Finally, I had cracked the code and battle commenced. This was one unhappy Carp taking me left and right for a good few minutes before settling and allowing me to gain some ground. A few more minutes passed, and the net goes in to scoop up the prize. A lovely prize it was also, a named 30lb Common. Not the biggest resident in the lake but a reasonable start, nevertheless. I will be back there this year with the aim of getting into the 40s.