Hatterbarbel , diary of an average angler: Garlic Carp

It had to be this fish next !. I can remember lots of fish Iv caught , even over 30 years later , and one of which I'm going to write about was in 1977 !. One thing is for sure this fish made such a impression on my that I think of that moment a lot , the moment I lifted the rod that had the buzzer turned down so I could hear it , only just . But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit here , it started a few years ago when my son introduced us to his new girlfriend Sarah , it was at Sue's 50th birthday party held at a pub , James was very nervous as he waited around for her to turn up . He need not have worried , there was 60 ish people worse for wear , a bit of a baptism , but Sues party was a classic . When they decided to get married it was no suprise when fishing mad James decided a fishing trip to a lake in France he had fished before was what he wanted for a stag do . There ended up 6 of us which was perfect for the lake we were going to , good choice of swims , traveling in pairs helped with the drive down just past Limoges , with Craig and John traveling down the day before it was late one Friday night in May that me , James , Dazza , and Simmo set off in the rain for the Eruro tunnel for the train trip to northern France . After a massive hold up due to a crash on the M25 , we ended up missing our train but catching another a couple of hours later . This put James in a tizz , wanting to get there as early as possible our convoy of two smashed our way down the coast road to Rouen to miss the Paris perifial , although the bridge closure in Rouen tested the satnav a bit . I bloody loved France , loved the stops for a fag and stretch , loved the massive countryside , loved the trouble free motorways and toll roads . It was a very long drive , I took the opertunity of James driving to take it all in , and I bloody loved it !.

The bay .

We arrived at the lake , fantastic out of the way setting , greeted with a beer by the owner Danny standing on the lawn in front of the lodge where he would feed and water us for the week . We all had a walk around with James , Craig , and John as they had already fished the lake pointing out the spots , but to be fair it all looked good . We had a draw for choices of swims , and got the gear to our ready erected bivvies supplied with bedchairs to save space in you cars !. I had the right hand swim on the dam wall , happy with it , we all spent a mad few hours throwing rigs around !, as I had fish feeding around 90yds out , and chucked baits all over them , with each fish showing I wound in and cast on top of them , thrashing the water !. They obviously did not like this at all , so after a belly full of dinner in the lodge , the long day / drive I hit the sack big style . Dead to the world Dazza fishing next to me woke me somehow in the night with a cold fog around us he had a 48lb mirror on the mat !. The next day James gave me some advice on spots to fish , and I got a bit more accurate around with the marker float , casting and decided that small patches of bait was how I was going to fish until I knew how hard the fish were going to feed . The next night produced a 46lb long mirror in the middle of the night which proved the spot James told me about was a goodun , and I put two rods on it the next day . Most of us had caught , with Craig making hay with the fish in the snagy Pine bay , fish to upper 50 see him ahead in our award of a medal for biggest fish !. We had another meal in the lodge in the evening , the stocks of the little stumpy larger was going down , and despite the rain that both England and France suffered with for good few weeks we were all happy anglers , and we retired for the eve to set our traps .

46lb first fish.

I put both clipped up rods about 10ft apart at the same distance across the bay with a small patch of Cell boilies round each rig , and a third rod off to a tree father into the bay . I turned down the delkims so only I could hear them , just how I like it . I made a cup of strong black coffee sitting in the pitch black , silence apart from the odd comment on the walkie talkies . I sat at the door to the bivvie in my cheap £5 picnic chair late into the night watching hippos sliding out of the water , then to bed . My eyes sprang open with the left hand delkim glowing , I won't lie , I smashed my way through the door !. I picked up the rod and to this day can still remember looking up in the dark to the see the tip of the rod bent over but not moving , just slowly , but unavoidably pulling down as the fish just pulled away from me . The fight was intence , lengthy , not sure how long , all I know is that when it came to within 10 yds of the bank I was bloody knackered . Iv never felt a fish like that before where it uses not only it's power , but it pure bulk , weight . No end of times it looked to be in netting range , only to turn in the deep margin , at one stage ending up way down to my right even with heavy side strain I'm sure it only turned back because it wanted to . If it sound like I'm giving it the big one with the fight it's because I can't describe how powerless I felt at times , but it gave me a chance as in the dark I see her head nodding coming strait at me and I pushed the net right out until the mouth was right up the block . The next thing that struck me was how bloody heavy the net felt as I went to lift it out onto the giant unhooking mat . There in the light of a small torch was a huge bulk of a mirror , quiet obviously a big fish , again I had a good think , I wanted to do this myself , not rouse the lads . I zeroed the giant re tension sling and hoisted her up , a knats cock over 59lb and an absolute creature .

Zoo creature , I will never forget that fight and the shear bulk of the big girl , 59lb.

I made sure she was safe , and woke Dazza . I hate retaining fish so I chose to confirm the weight with him as witness , and do a few pics in the dark . Yes daylight pics would have been nice , but you come to catch them , so you need to give them a bit of respect , so with a few hours of darkness to go we did a few pics and I slipped it back , holding her upright in the water Dazza remarked how wide it was , the she waddled off , and we shook hands both gobsmacked at what had just happened . When it was light John came opposite us , I asked if Craig had caught anything bigger , when he said no I called across " good , I in with the chance of the biggest fish medal !" , he was quiet , not quiet knowing if I was taking the piss ! , all was reviled at breakfast !.

The stalking swim , beer bottle tops for bobbins .

That week we all caught big fish with 5 x 50lb + fish and countless 40lb fish , great fishing , lots of banter with James , and at the local bar at his expense . The rain was a right pain , but we got used to it . I had a little stalking spot by a row of trees , and I had a couple of fish from it , also John had a 30 lb mirror when I left him in charge while I photographed a fish for James !. Awesome little spot where the rods had beer bottle tops for indicators , great fun . I will always remember walking round to James in the middle of the night to see him with a 56lb near leather laying on the mat , what a sight in the head torch .

Me and the stag James with a stalking swim fish , a proper French chunk !.

France was not really on my radar , especially with the stalking me and Sue were doing on the rivers for barbel , but that trip showed I was missing something , it's an awesome place as are hundreds of lakes over there , and Iv got the bug . I might not fish for carp much at home , but I can easily see us traveling over there as much as possible . One day I will go back to meet up with Danny again , with his lovely dog , show Sue the fantastic water , and hopefully James common that will be mid 50,s . France we will be back !.

A trip in pics , boarding trains , James big fish , what a place !.