Good Evening.

I have had some great mirrors this session and I already mentioned that Craig caught a 36lb common yesterday evening. I have also been after a well sized common this session,but in fishing it doesn’t always work like that! I love fishing when the moon is in the waxing/full/waning stages, and this session has been no different. I find the time when takes arrive can be quite dependent on where the moon is in the sky, and I have noted this on several occasions.

On the eve of the full moon I caught a 25lb common. This fish was caught at approximately 2am and the moon was a quarter of the way across the sky. I find this a good time to start receiving action. Last night I was hoping for more action and it arrived, bang on cue at approximately 2am again. The moon appears in a different position in the sky every night. Once the moon is full it appears from the east after it gets dark. This appearance happens later and later each night, until the moon becomes a new moon and the phase begins all over again. Obviously I have fished more moon phases, than most other anglers on this planet, so I have noticed patterns emerging over the years.

Last night’s take was savage. The power felt from the fish was extreme to say the least, and I had to move to my left and apply side-strain to get the carp to kite away from danger. I was huffing and puffing as the fish pulled harder and harder, with my hand on the spool, and occasionally a small burst of line was pulled off the tightened baitrunner. Only when I felt the carp had eased did I disengage the baitrunner, and gradually reeled line onto the spool. It was intense!

The fish started to come towards me but not without a stubborn show of defiance. Now the fish was in front and away from danger, I allowed the fish to take line off the drag, and it did this on several occasions. I drew the fish closer, and it aggressively pulled the rod tip repeatedly down. I felt in control as I watched the rod tip from the glow of the moon, and then I caught a glimpse of the carp. I could see it was long, and I knew it was powerful, and I was pretty sure it was big too!

The fight seemed to go on for an eternity, and I estimate the battle lasted a good fifteen minutes. I finally drew the fish into the net, and let out a sigh of relief. Most other folk were asleep, or out at late night drinking dens, or in some countries with different time-zones, people were having their lunch. I was stood in the margins of Sierra Brava, looking down at my second largest common carp, I have so far caught at Sierra Brava.

My second largest common carp from Sierra Brava.

The thing I am enjoying so much about my fishing at Sierra Brava is the way I am slowly achieving my goals and bettering my weights. I certainly did it differently at Cassien when my second carp caught was 55lbs. I think a 55lb+ carp will be caught by myself, one day from here, but I am working jolly hard for them. That’s how it should be, certainly in my book. Paso a paso!

I had a proper fight on my hands with this one.

37lb 8oz was the weight of the fish and as Craig was sleeping and his rods were out of the water, I let him sleep and put the fish in a retainer. At 6am I had a take on another rod, and after dealing with a small common, Craig and I did the pictures of the large common. A cracking looking fish, I am sure you will all agree.

Craig’s 36lb common yesterday evening, was also a fine-looking carp. His carp however, was literally bursting at the seams, unlike mine; so the pictures were done very quickly, and the carp was released. Craig rarely smiles in his fish pictures by the way!

36lb common from Sierra Brava.

I have had another common today which was around the mid-double mark, and apart from that, my rods sporting the big-bait offerings have remained untouched. The thing I like about fishing with a large offering, is it means many of the smaller fish, can’t actually get the bait in their mouths, so you don’t get so many takes, but avoid the smaller fish. My plan certainly seems to be working with the number of better sized carp I have caught during this session.

I will write tomorrow’s final account from my house, as tonight is the final night of the session.

Cheers

Jake Langley-Hobbs