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How Fishing Ended 2021 With a Bang! - With Amanda Hook
A year of being fully immersed in all things fishing has been an emotional roller coaster! I have found my first year of fishing challenging, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing! Like a lot of anglers say; “the harder it is, the more rewarding it is”. I definitely had a lot of blanks and a few mishaps along the way but it just made those really good days, extra special.
I have spent a lot of my spare time carp fishing and I’ve taken a few days off to fit in those extra days and its usually paid off! There is just something about fishing and being out in nature that’s been enjoyable and done wonders for my wellbeing, especially during these covid times. I am so grateful that fishing has been able to help me this way, and it’s great to see on social media that it's doing so for many anglers.
Read more about Angling and Mental Health, here.
Day Trip of Carp Fishing
On my most recent trip, a day before my fishing license was about to expire, I had taken a day off and ended up with half a day spent on local water; Bridge Inn Fishery. I had recently been there for a work trip where Chris Ansell had a really nice common carp catch.
Read more on Bridge Inn Fishery here.
I was looking for local water to join for fishing in the new year (2022) that was close to home and with Bridge Inn still being a day ticket for the moment, it was a good chance to test it out! I wanted to have a go at fishing completely on my own for the first time. It had been a while since I’d caught a carp and I did really want a cuddle with one! As a new angler, I was just happy with myself for plucking up the courage to go alone, let alone catching one!
I used the Nash Bushwhacker baiting pole and I placed my rig and bait perfectly where I wanted it with the right fishing rod. I had another fishing rod placed out with a PVA bag by an island, a good spot for the fish. By the time I was fully set up for the fishing session ahead, it was probably about 12 pm. I sat and waited, watching the water with the weather being spot on. About 2.5 hours into the session, the right rod bent round and it felt like my heart came out of my chest with excitement!
Landing a Big Fish
I could feel this fish was going to be a big one as it plodded along and seemed to hug the bottom of the water. This fish gave me a hell of a battle! When I finally laid my eyes on the fish under the water, & I could see that it was a huge carp! In heated, exciting moments of fishing, I always remember the tip my great fishing mentor; Phil Spinks tells me…
Phil’s Top Tip: Take your time, if it wants to run let it run!
After a long battle, we all know that utter relief and extreme happiness when a fish goes in the net! I set up all my self-photo taking gear and all the fish care essentials. As soon as I felt the weight of it in the net, I thought that’s got to be high 20’s! Low and behold this carp weighed a mighty 31.04oz! I couldn’t quite believe it. After the fish care and weigh-in of the catch, I proceeded with my capture pictures and of course, I was super happy with myself!
Big Catch, Big Rewards!
Not only was I over the moon with the beautiful capture of this carp but I was lucky in that the lake had a competition on at the time. The first person to land a 30lb fish would win a season ticket. It was certainly a happy moment and I did have a little dance of joy (as well as several fist pumps to the air)! This last-minute, opportunist trip could not have wrapped up my year in fishing in a better way. I cannot wait to start fishing at this venue more and throughout the next season.
