‘O’ what a week “take two”
Mick Mann - DreamLake 3

We arrived early at Lake Three this year just as the previous week guys were packing up, apparently the catches had all been good from all areas of the lake, and the lad in peg nine had banked a sixty! My enthusiasm sank, thinking that if they had caught them all the week before, then the fish would be very twitchy this week.

By the time the draw came round, I was on tenterhooks, so much so, that when I suddenly heard my mates saying “Wake up Mick which peg do you want?” in a panic I looked at the board and shouted out “14”. Despite all the planning and thinking that had gone in the hour before, it was the only numbered swim that seemed to jump out at me, most probably because it was the swim I had fished in “Oh what a week” tale 2007.

The three of us plus Gary and Zoe, who we had enticed to join us this year, set up in our respective swims. Gary had joined us this visit with a target of a forty common and by mid-afternoon his mission had been accomplished with a forty five on the bank before us three “old hands” had even smelt a fish!

After tea we were summoned by Zoe; we arrived at Gary’s swim to see him wearing a very big smile and with his arms wrapped around a gorgeous looking fifty five common. I thought this is the last time this guy gets an invite to join us “only jesting”, good angling and some very fine landing net work by Zoe accounted for these two beauties and many more good captures during the rest of the week.

Sunday arrived, still with nothing to show for my efforts; I sat bent over in my bivvy, making up some new rigs, when I became aware that I was not alone. I looked up and to my horror Porky was standing in front of me in what can only be described as a lime green loin cloth with braces. We both burst out laughing and he turned to walk away to reveal two large half moons; I grabbed the camera and chased him up the road, clicking the shutter repeatedly and finally left him heading up towards Gary and Zoe. I hope that he did not venture too close to poor Zoe.

Looking at my photos on my return home I realised that Matt must have seen Porky’s pictures in his suit on my camera when he collected the weeks catch photos, he never said a word but please note Matt, Porky and I are not lovers I am strictly a one WOMAN man.

By Monday I think, Gary was still catching and Bill was off the mark with me and Porky still blanking so I decided to quit the swim and move over to peg seven which had been on my original first choice list.
The move became my best decision since Bill and Porky had a relative slow week, although as usual Bill or “puffing Billy” to some started to get to grips with his swim as the week progressed and in the end had his best haul on the last night.

On the other bank I met up with some great guys, Tom, Gerry (alias Twiggy) and Aarran (watch out for this chap in the future, when he eventually told me he was eighteen you could have knocked me over with a feather; he has a very wise carper’s head for such a young man) who without their help, I would have been in a right pickle on more than one occasion.

By Monday evening having put on my lucky tee shirt, I was off the mark and continued to catch some really good looking fish for the rest of the week. My lucky tee shirt is pictured way back in my fishing photos and I think Porky and Bill now know the power of this tee shirt, to the extent that one day I fear it will go missing, unless of course it ends up resembling Porky’s skimpy lime green suit as it is already very frayed around the edges to say the least.

Young Tom (the pup) seemed to enjoy matching me (the old dog), fish with fish. Not sure when, but towards the end of the week he came round as I was playing a fish and said he just knew that I would be in. He looked at one of my other rods and said what’s going on there, to which I replied “It’s a fish, and you had better take it but if it turns out to be a fifty be prepared to go for a swim.”! As it happened, both fish turned out to be low twenty’s many thanks to Gerry who rushed to the rescue with a second net.

By Friday dinner Tom and I had landed 23 fish each, of which mine included four forty’s to 44-03lb and eight thirty’s.
Following my return from dinner I played a very steady plodder and as I eased the fish over the net, the net cord got stuck on the underside of the fish and the hook pulled, the big deep mirror sat there balanced on the net cord looking at me. I pushed the net forward but it just bent the net over and the fish slowly turned and with a slow wag of his tail disappeared. A Fifty who knows, as always the big one got away.
Unfortunately for Tom there was still some life left in the old dog because following a Delkim alarm call at 05-20 on Saturday morning a 33-10 had graced my net.

The fishery is a credit to the staff that run it. As I mentioned in my first tale the fish are the hardest fighting carp that I have ever fished for, the 35 and 36 (see photos, pure fighting machines) each took an hour to land. The meals were excellent in every way, the whole complex is very clean and tidy with friendly helpful bailiffs. I will be making a return, booking in the near future in search of that fifty and would recommend Dream lakes to any one who enjoys carp fishing.

Mick Mann
24th September 2009