Spring Madness Wesley Lagaert

Wes's latest diary piece and as per our team member from Belgioum has had a busy spring. 

After a busy winter with no fishing at all, not even a few hours out in search off some proper pike, it was finally time to get the rods prepared for the coming fore-season.  March was well and truly upon us and I knew the carp would be starting to wake up in a couple off weeks time.  The weather wasn't to bad either in comparison to last year when it was really really cold with only easterly winds for a long period.   Early March some carp where caught and a few could be seen jumping clear out off the lake.  With that more anglers where trying there luck but as usual the carp were venturing the same area over and over again.  Ofcourse an area hard to reach and almost out of bounce for most off us.  The weather was just spot on and I was hoping like previous seasons that end of March beginning April I was able to land my first carp off the year, but it wasn't meant to be.  Despite the weather being spot on the carp still loved spending loads off time in there safe corner.  As long as I didn't see any signs off carp movement in my area I was simply using singles or perfect pop-ups on different distances in the hope bumping into some moving carp rather then baiting up the swim and piling some bait in that most likely wouldn't been eaten.  Then finally end off April (a month later then the year before despite the weather being a lot warmer) my first encounter with a carp was a fact.    Right under the rod tips there was already a nest off 13 ducklings and they made a sport off always touching lines...producing every now and then a couple off bleeps.  In the middle off the night I went to have a look at the rods one again and saw that my left hand rod had a little drop back.  I started tightening up the line and it pointed left straight into my neighbours swim.  I started reeling in only to hear a couple of seconds later my neighbour shouting he was hand playing a carp which was attached to my line.  The carp was safely netted so I went round to have a look but and tried to found out what just had happened.  On arrival I was just in time to see a  mid twenty mirror (I think) on the unhooking mat before being put back immediatly by my collegue angler...So that was my first encounter with a bite/carp off the year 2022.  Luckily in the early  hours the silence was broken once again and after a spirited fight I was able to catch my second carp off the year in the shape off a mirror just shy off 33lbs.  Well no pics off my first carp off the year 2022, but definitely some pics from my second carp off the year were taken.  Now, this was the sign the carp were leaving there safe-area in search off food so I started trickling in some Tunamino and E12 boilies on a regular basis.  A couple off days later, again early morning a take occured resulting in my first 44lbs+ carp off the season backed up with a lovely scaled 30lbs+mirror.  Happy days!  By now it was time to get my fishing head on and put the pedal to the metal in search off some more underwater gold.  The weather kept being warm and stable so I was well confident there was more to come.  A couple off days later a short night before work resulted again in an incedible catch. It turned out to be a carp with my name on, as last 3 captures were done by yours truly.  What make's it even better, is that this carp hadn't been out the previous year and kept under the radar for almost 2 years.  The beauty weighed 23.8kg which was a weight gain off 3.8kg over this periodand  was of course an extra bonus.  Fish were by now being caught from every other swim around the lake which was a really good sign.  Just into the month off May and looking at the weather forecasts I expected the carp to be spawing pretty early so that meant I didn't had much time left before they would venture the shallows and being completely out off my reach.  Before spawing there is always a window off opportunity where the female carp have a pré-spawing feed up and then move to the shallows for there annual sex-up.  With that in my mind I took a gamble!  Meantime I'd landed a couple more 20 pounders but I felt/hoped maybe there was still a chance for another big one. I'd baited the swim quite heavily for 2 days on a tuesday and wednesday evening and would be fishing the swim the whole weekend.  Finally the weekend arrived and hope's where sky high. Sundaynoon still completely fishless but I had quite a lot off shows over or near the baited area so I knew I had been baiting to much but, once they got trough it, it would be pay back time!  I'd put another 5kg out on the same spot and was convinced that it was only a matter off time.  Exactly 3 days later I was back and I just knew it was about to happen, and oh boy it did happen!  Just after midnight a steady take occured and the carp simply felt heavy.  Half an hour into game she finally surfaced and went straight into the net.  Lightening up the torch (I always play/net my carp in the dark without leaving my light on) I saw a perfect row of lovely scales meaning I just landed one off the lakes jewels and most wanted, the linear.  Again a carp that hadn't been out the year before and at just over 50lbs it was just another incredible catch!  Well over the moon and the carp crapping bait out, just how I like it!  Self-takes and big smiles all around!  Shortly after re-casting the rig I'd got another bite but lost it due a hookpull.  A shame as this carp didn't felt that bad either.  Early morning almost time to pack up when another rod bursts into life resulting in another mirror off 48pounds.  Well that was a proper nights angling in anyones book. It was like it was meant to be as shortly afterwards the fish could be found on the shallows on the other side off the lake.  With all these lovely carp under my belt I stopped fishing for a couple off weeks untill they have well recovered from spawing.  Well, it was definitely a fore-season to remember and one I will cherish! I gambled, I won and it was just great!
Regards
Wesley