Colnbrook Challenge

How have you all been since I last spoke? Sorry it's been so long but I have not long finished my year in college, results due in August! Now that I have got some free time I have finally been back lakeside and thinking about what I can do new for this season. For the last couple of years I have spent most of my time on Colnbrook Front Lake, however of the 20 to 30 swims I have only fished from 5 or 6. So there was my new challenge, the Colnbrook Challenge, my mission to catch a double figure carp from each of the swims available. I say available as after the storms last year a couple of the swims are now occupied by fallen trees that have yet to be cleared. Who knows maybe I could uncover a new fish holding spot not yet known to me?  Incidently the picture you see on the top of the webpage is of Colnbrook Front Lake last season. 

Aerial view of Colnbrook Lake (courtesy of googlemaps)

So last week and eager to get started I made off to Colnbrook. My intial plan was to start near a corner so I could feed an area that was accesable from a number of swims, cheating or common sense you decide! The ledger didn't make a sound and all I had to show for my waggler was a roach and perch, it was like my childhood all over again! I packed up my gear and started walking the lake with my stalking rod and landing net (and unhooking mat of course) and went back to the same corner where I had been placing pieces of bread along the weeded margins. I noticed a few had gone so placed a few more pieces in and it wasn't long before I heard the tell tale slurping of a couple of carp. On my first cast I had banked a common of around 7lb. Not a double but my first carp of the season. 

My first Carp at around 7lb

As the carp were a bit slow in feeding, maybe due to cold wind that blew that day I moved swim rather than pursue a bigger carp from the same swim. As I normally do when the lake is all mine I feed three swims and wait in the middle one for the fish to reveal themselves. I had heard a few swirls coming from under an overhanging tree and loose fed a couple of pieces of bread, soon after they were disappearing. I delicately placed by bait over a twig that would hold my bait in position as I didn't want the bait drfiting too deep under the branches. A few ripples told me that a carp had surfaced under the branches, a pair of lips came up and took my last freebie before seeking out more food. It's search led it out of the safety of the branches and towards my bait. Without hesitation it swallowed my bait and with a tight line I was able to guide it out into open water before the carp could turn it's head and return to the safety of the snags. After a few minutes I had banked a larger Common, this time only around 9lb........Maybe I should have taken my friend's advice and tried to catch a carp from each swim rather than a double! Still, what's a challenge if it's too easy?

On the other side of the Overhanging trees was a tight swim but one I had lots of success from, especially the larger carp. Although I had fed a few pieces of bread into the trees it was the other reed lined side of the swim that showed signs of movement. I stepped away from the bank a dropped a couple of pieces just a couple of inches from where I had been standing, margin fishing taken to extremes!!! A couple of slurps later and I dropped my bait in by hand. I couldn't see my bait as I was kneeling away from the bank put paid close attention to my line drooping off the bank. a slurp followed by the straightening of my line let me know I was in, this time I knew it was a bigger carp, all I had to do was land it.  A noticably harder fight was rewarded by a 13lb Common Carp, my first double figure, chalk off swim 21 from the challenge!

My Common Carp from swim 21.

As well as the Colnbrook Challenge my rod race had also started off slow with only three species on my first outing, still my solitary Perch was a Venue Best

although it still has some way to go before it reaches the size of Perch I do know reside in this lake. Until next time........ Tight Lines everyone!