A Rest Is As Good As A Change!

Many things have conspired towards my absence from fishing for a while, my ongoing aural problems after a perforated eardrum meant my balance wasn't so great, not ideal if you are fishing alone at night. Also, we are currently in the stages of opening another shop, busy times and then there is the good Lady, to be honest she'd have no problem with me angling at any time, but it is nice to spend time with her. I suppose, I'd probably be fishing for Chub or Barbel on the rivers or Roach on my syndicate water in a normal year. I've blocked those thoughts out, kept the focus, in my quest for The Common, I'm back at her home.
The Good Lady Sarah had dropped me off after the usual after-work dash and I set out once again over the muddy terrain, laden like a Himalayan Sherpa, still no barrow.
 I arrived to find that once again I was the only angler present, no-one else cares much for my solitary pursuit, no-one else cares to pursue my prize at this time of year, the peace and tranquility of early Carping never lasts, I make the most of it while I can.
 I've recently acquired quite a lot of new kit with my quest in mind, firstly a new bivvy. One that suits the trek and my usual overnighters,Trakker's Pioneer Ultralite. Its ability to be erected in quick-time a bonus.
 Darkness came faster than expected, I needed to re-rig all three rods, Two with maggots fished Mag-Aligner style and one fished Snowman style.
 The "Snowman" is my take anywhere rig and has accounted for the vast majority of my Carp captures, this is what mine looks like.

I use a Nash leader (leadcore is banned on the water) and Atomic Nobbler leads, these leads are great, they're supposed to be used for 'The Method' but I use them because they are aerodynamic, they don't look like other leads and I can tie PVA stocking full of goodies to them via the hole and nick the hook in the bottom. This is a Carp's eye view of the rig.

Setting up the rigs unnerved me slightly, it is not wise on this lake to draw attention to yourself after dark with ones headtorch, especially if you are alone.
 Fortunately all three rods were set in their spots and Steve (the kettle) was soon
singing a happy song.
 I watched over the water, just looking for a clue, nothing, after about two hours my eyes became heavy and I jumped into the sleeping bag.
 1.00 am, I wake with a start...not a run....footsteps, FOOTSTEPS, behind my bivvy.
For the first ten seconds I felt that someone was going to stick their head in to my open door, friend or foe ?, I thought, but then, when nothing happened I deduced that it must've been a badger, a noisy one at that.Shortly after this incident, as I lay in a half-sleep, I heard a noise that all Carpers love, the splash of a huge fish. I looked out over the lake, the ripples eminating from a spot no more than fifteen metres in front of my swim, I had a dilemma, reposition a bait to this area but risk spooking the fish or leave well alone and hope that this leviathan would search out my bait, I chose the latter.This proved to be the wrong choice, I drifted back to sleep until morning, runless.

I fished on until 11 am, up to this time is often good for a run, but nothing happened.

 I wound in and donned the polaroids for a mooch around the lake poking my nose through bushes and throwing a bit of bait onto spots that may come good later in the year.

I also took time to meet up with some old acquaintances, though they seemed more interested in my leftover maggots than me.

 After a while the relentless seagulls busted me and I called it a day...Homeward bound, she'd won again.