Saved by a Tench.

Friday evening and a very short session at Ryton. After last weekends surprise capture of a couple of small carp I thought I would try my luck again. With Colin on the information desk and another angler on the disabled platform, I suspected that any carp at this end of the lake were probably aware of the angling activity going on around them so rather than add more lines to the same area I thought I would tuck myself away in a quiet swim behind the island and fish a spot that saw a few fish out for me earlier in the year. Just as I arrived at my chosen peg a good fish rolled over a spot where I was planning to place one of my baits and there were a few other fish cruising around the bay, I had to wait a few minutes for these Carp to move off before placing the baits up against the tree line, things were looking good.

A good hour passed before I had the first run, the fish came in easily enough with a lump of weed covering it's head and as I pulled it over the cord I could see it was a reasonable sized Tench, it wasn't the Carp I was hoping for but at least it wasn't going to be a fishless session.

Both rods were recast to the tree line and then began another wait. Using binoculars, I could see plenty of activity around the bay with a few bubblers here and there but as I scanned along the tree line where I'd positioned my baits I could see no signs of anything Carpy going on below the surface. Doubts as to whether I'd cast my baits to the right spot or indeed chosen the right swim began to worm their way into my head but as tempting as it was to make a move and cast a line elsewhere in the lake I stayed put. I know Carp move along here so there's always a chance.

Another hour passed and it appeared to be getting darker quickly but a cloud bank had moved over which wasn't helping with the low light, I was at the top of the bank starting to get my kit packed away when typically one of my rods went off, I struck and felt nothing and reeled in a boilieless hook festooned in weed and no lead on the clip, something had snaffled my bait and got away without getting hooked.