Late February and finally some proper winter weather is forecast, a big change from the big Southerly winds that were currently blowing. Down at Linear, St Johns is closed due to a pike match but I decide to wait for the match to finish whilst watching the lake.

Around 4pm the hooter blows and we can go choose a swim. Having spent the afternoon observing the water I knew where I wanted to be, having seen a couple of fish show throughout the day. Heading for the point, an area of the lake I had never fished before, I knew with 48 hours in front of me that I had to take the risk of leading around for some spots. An hour or so later I had a good idea of the swim and had found a lovely little area out at range.

Keeping it simple I decided to drop my middle rod bang on the money and the other two rods 6-7ft either side of it……job done, now for some bait. My mix consisting of CCMoore’s Live System crumb and mashed corn, with Amino 365 liquid. By now darkness was nearly on us but dropping 7 mini spombs of the mix out there wasn’t going to be an issue, or so I thought. Just as I leaned into my 4^th cast, my right hand rod gave a bleep, the line tightened and I was into my first fish. A cracking mid 20 was the result, a very good start to the session.

25LB

After returning the carp to the cold water, I finished off my baiting up and quickly got the house up as the temperature was dropping very quickly. Around midnight, I put out another 5 spombs on one spot, then jumped back in the bag for a warm. My sleep was interrupted 3 times during the night by a couple of doubles and another 20, all very welcome in February.

As day broke, the wind was now coming from the north and felt very cold. Everything was covered in frost and nothing was showing, this continuing throughout the day with no signs of carp at all. Every few hours I put 2-3 small spombs out to the area, hoping to slowly build the swim. As the cold day came to a close and the light starting to fade, my left hand alarm sounded and I was into another fish. Immediately this felt a lot bigger, kiting on a long line until I managed to turn it away from my mates lines next door. The fish gave a superb account of itself close in and after 10 or so minutes in the deep margins I slipped the net under a big carp.

39LB

Going 39.3 on the scales, I was elated to catch another big fish from the venue, especially in what was now very cold conditions. The temperature continued to fall throughout the night, eventually getting down to -5ºC but this didn’t stop the fish from feeding as I landed 4 more carp between 18-22lb all from my middle rod!! At around 6am I was up and packing my gear away having to be off the lake first light, when yet again my middle rod gave a few bleeps and I was in. After a very good battle in the early daylight, a mint scaley carp was landed weighing in at 27lb exactly.

27LB

Yet again, the new white Live System hookbaits continue to do the business for me, even in the worst of conditions….

Paddy Ramsden