Good Evening.

As I sit swatting with one hand, and typing with the other, a strong coffee I am drinking will have to wake me from the drowsy afternoon nap I have just had. The temperatures are rising in Italy and I sometimes find the easiest way to deal with the heat is to sleep in the shade. A few hours here and there make up for the night-time activity I am receiving, and as the days are not productive from 9am-5pm, it does pass the time a little. I am writing tonight’s post a little earlier than usual, as in a few minutes my friend is arriving to take me to the supermarket to get some much needed supplies. I have been surviving on basics since I started fishing (apart from one good bbq) and I need to buy and eat something other than pasta with pesto! I am craving a bar of chocolate actually!

Last night's theatre!

Last night’s action started in the hours of darkness at 2am. This take came from my hotspot area on the corner of the pads and the fight that followed was fairly straightforward. When I netted the common out in the boat I could see why the carp had not put up more of a display of strength at the start, as it looked rather deformed; cute nonetheless, so I slipped him into a sack till dawn broke. My friend could sleep through a bomb going off, and as he had to attend work today, and had slept through the commotion, I figured I would do some self-takes once the mossies had buggered off!

My funny shaped common.

After placing the rod back in position I was not surprised when it took off again after the light broke at 4.30am. This time the carp’s strength was more like I expected and it pulled very hard indeed. After ten seconds of battle the rod was pulled forwards and the hook pulled. A small scale returned on the hook from a common carp and this was the tale of the one that got away!

A proper corker!

I heard my friend get up at 6.30am to wind in his rods for the day before leaving for work. No sooner had he gone, another rod placed by the pads signalled a take. A reed fight took place as I drew the fish closer to me and eventually the fish decided to change direction and head out into open water. I could see the beautiful markings of a mirror carp and a stunner at that, so when I pulled the carp into my Sonik landing net, I was delighted to secure the first alternative carp of the session. Oddly enough the beautiful markings only adorned one side and it was this flank that got the picture treatement once I had sorted out my tripod and camera.The common was also photographed and the time was now just after 7am. I got the rods back in place and hoped I might tempt one more before the day really began, but it was not to be. I am very confident I may have another couple, or even three tonight, and once I return from the shops, the rods will go back out, a few kilos of crab & Crayfish boilies will line the length of the lily pad fringes, and another exciting night will beckon.

I set up the shot wearing my mossie protection!!

I thought I would just add a little more tonight after returning from the shops. I have now put out the rods and have just experienced the worst plague of mosquitos in my entire life! It really is not a pleasant experience and although we are using spray, coils, repellent, and other gadgets, they are making no difference to the annoying insects. I am walking two of my rods out to the pads and as you can imagine the watery journey in my waders is a terrible affair. I have to constantly flick them off my hands and wrists, and they are literally dive bombing us, as we both try to undertake any activity. Who said carp fishing is relaxing! Fingers crossed a big carp will grace my net in the next few days and I am sure the bites and unpleasantness will soon be forgotten about…buzzz..buzzz…splat!!

Come back tomorrow to see how I get on carp-wise!

Jake and the dogs.