Trip 42 Carp Fishing - 2025I managed to squeeze in a two-nighter just before Christmas, with conditions looking very promising on paper. Air pressure was rising steadily from 1005mb to 1016mb during the session, with a big jump forecast for Christmas Day itself. Temperatures were set to drop, rain was pushing through early on, and the main concern was a persistent NE, E, and SE wind.After walking the lake twice and seeing very little, I trusted my instincts and settled on the north bank after spotting a couple of carp show. I kept disturbance to a minimum, fishing small PVA mesh bags paired with pop-ups and wafters, rotating hookbaits to see what the carp preferred over the 48 hours.The first bite came mid-afternoon with a welcome 17lb 5oz mirror, followed the next evening by a proper winter reward—a stunning 24lb mirror carp after a tense battle around dead lilies and marginal snags.With fish showing across different areas of the lake, a swim move became necessary, reinforcing how important observation and mobility can be in winter. Despite active carp and near-perfect overnight conditions, it wasn’t to be for another bite—but that’s winter carp fishing.A challenging but rewarding pre-Christmas session, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.Thanks for watching.Until next time,RichardHappy New Year.

Welcome back to another fishing adventure. Trip 41 Carp Fishing - Back down on the club lake for what could be my last carp session before Christmas. This was planned as a relaxed two-night social with a mate, but despite textbook winter conditions—mild temperatures, stable pressure, cloud cover, and a steady south-westerly—we couldn’t buy a bite.In this video, I talk through my thinking, the decisions made on the bank, and why I chose to stick with a proven approach rather than chopping and changing. I also question the pop-up versus wafter debate on this particular lake, make a mid-session tactical switch from solid bags to mesh, and reflect on how rising water levels may be influencing the carp’s behaviour.Another blank, but plenty to learn. The winter campaign continues.Tight lines and be lucky!

Trip 40 Carp Fishing - 2025With December settling in, I returned to the club lake to find the pads dying back and the banks virtually empty—perfect winter conditions for a quiet, low-pressure session. I kept things simple with catapulted bait and large PVA bags, sticking to my usual mix and fishing tight to the pads and margins.Carp finally started showing around mid-afternoon, crashing on the far side of the pads and even out in open water. Despite the promising activity, the heavy cold rain pouring in all day made conditions tricky, and the carp were clearly cautious and hard to pin down.I explored different tactics, including two rods on white Blank Saver PVA bag setups and one rod with a big 24mm hardened hooker to stand out. Signs of fish kept me in the area, especially near the small island, but they still weren’t settling on their usual winter spots.It ended up looking like another blank, but that’s the true reality of winter carp fishing. Still, it was great to be back on this water, and I’ll be returning soon.Until next time,RichardTight lines and be lucky!

Trip 39 Carp Fishing - 2025This week’s session looked absolutely spot-on. I arrived just as the frost was fading and the sunshine pushed temperatures from a brutal -3°C up towards a spring-like +13°C. Dropping pressure, a gentle southerly breeze, warmer conditions ahead… everything screamed perfect winter carp fishing weather.But carp fishing rarely follows the script.With only two anglers on when I arrived, both of my preferred swims were already taken. I trusted my gut and settled in the Duck swim, positioned to intercept any carp drifting out of the sanctuary after the cold snap. After hours of groundwork on my Fish Deeper app, I found a lovely winter spot, spombed out 3kg of Nutrabaits and Jurassic Particles, and fished solid bags with white Blank Saver hookbaits.The signs looked good… but the carp had other ideas.A couple of knocks, a rogue bream, rising and falling pressure, heavier-than-forecast rain, and a sharp increase in angling pressure all combined to make this session a tough one. Despite the effort and optimism, it ended in another blank — part of the real story of winter carp fishing.Thanks for watching, and as always, I’ll be back out next week chasing that first proper winter bite.Until next time,Richard

Trip 38 Carp Fishing - 2025The weather this week was completely different from last week—northerly winds, minus temperatures at night, and daytime highs of only six degrees. With that in mind, I really didn’t fancy being exposed to the full force of the wind. The tricky part was that the wind was blowing from the north and north-west, which affects a lot of the swims on this lake. Realistically, I needed to be up at the north end, but there’s only one proper swim there, and I already knew it was occupied. Another angler was set up on the south bank as well. You can definitely tell the weather is starting to put people off coming out.Tight lines and be lucky!

Welcome back to another fishing adventure. I wasn’t originally due out until Wednesday afternoon this week, and even then, it was only going to be a quick one-nighter because of family commitments. Over the weekend, I’d glanced at the weather forecast, but these days I’ve lost all faith in their ability to get it right beyond 12 hours. So, I didn’t pay it much attention.By mid-afternoon on Sunday, I’d already cancelled my Monday gardening job, and it soon became apparent that rain was on the cards pretty much every day until Friday. After lunch on Monday, I had another good look through all my weather apps, comparing each one to try and gauge what was actually going to happen. That’s when the idea hit me — maybe I should just go after all.The wife was happy for me to get out for a couple of nights, and it actually suited things better if I was back home from Thursday onwards. I’d already started sorting my gear on Sunday evening anyway — the rain was hammering down outside, and with the wife out with a friend, there wasn’t much else to do until the F1 started at 5pm. So, the session started taking shape, even if it wasn’t exactly planned.Tight lines and be lucky!

The weather’s been playing havoc with my gardening jobs this week. Monday was a complete washout — I got rained on everywhere I went. Tuesday turned out better though, and as I’d managed to move a job forward, I suddenly had a free afternoon. Perfect timing, because the forecast showed a good blow coming in from the south — rain from noon onwards. These carp love a proper wind pushing down the lake, and it looked ideal for the next few days.

I’d already spent Saturday morning going through my Fish Deeper app on the computer, marking out a handful of potential winter spots. I wanted to familiarise myself with the lake again and explore a few new areas, so I’d dropped several pins on the map as possible targets.

When I arrived, there were only two swims available from the shortlist I’d picked out — one near the top of my list and one right at the bottom. Luckily, the better option was free, so I slipped straight in. First thing I always do is boot up the weather forecast again to get the most up-to-date information. As luck would have it, the rain had been pushed back by a few hours — which turned into about six — giving me plenty of dry time to set up properly and get everything sorted before the heavens opened.

This trip didn’t get off to the best start. Before I’d even wet a line, one of the back wheels on my barrow had a puncture. Then, as I started unloading, I realised my bank sticks were still at home in the fishing cupboard — the very cupboard I’m meant to empty completely before every trip to avoid this exact situation. Clearly, a bit of fine-tuning is still needed in my system.

Thankfully, things soon took a turn for the better. Ian, ever the legend, brought down his pike pod to save the day, and to my relief, the swim I’d been baiting up all month was free. You guessed it — the same one as last week. History tells me this swim produces well at this time of year, and I’d have been daft not to fish it again.

My original plan was to spend a few nights up in Suffolk with my oldest friend, Rob, but unfortunately, things didn’t quite line up. Instead, I found myself with four nights on Airfield Lake. The conditions weren’t looking great, with heavy rain forecast — though apparently, we still need it. As far as I know, there’s still a hosepipe ban in place.

I’d been up in Rutland last week, visiting family, staying in one of the lodges at the Rutland Hotel — absolutely fabulous spot. The water levels there were low, but not quite as bad as I expected.

Regardless of the weather, I decided to get set up today. Getting the rods out early gives me an extra chance of nicking a carp or two.

I had a couple of swims in mind, but in truth, when I arrived, it was easiest to set up near the car park. As luck would have it, that spot turned out to be one of my planned options — the double gravel swim I fished last time. The other option was the swim I’d used previously when the wind was pushing hard onto that bank.

Lately, I’ve been thinking more about fishing on the back of the wind. With a strong south-westerly due to blow through all week, the double gravel swim felt like the better choice. The low pressure, however, had me slightly concerned — I’m convinced it’s been putting the carp off feeding. Oddly enough, the so-called perfect carp-catching conditions don’t always seem to be the best ones.

Sometimes, the best sessions happen when you least expect them. As luck would have it, I managed to squeeze in a couple of unexpected nights on the bank this week. After finishing my gardening jobs for the day — plenty of lawns cut and borders trimmed — I packed up the tools, swapped the mower for the rods, and made my way down to the lake.

I nearly drove to Meadow Lake out of interest, but deep down I knew I had to stick to my October plan: make the most of Airfield Lake before it closes for the winter. By 1:30 p.m., I was pulling into The Tower car park, which, to my delight, was completely empty. That sense of peace and opportunity you get when a lake lies still before you never gets old. I’d been on the same swim for my last few sessions, but I fancied a change of scenery — something to refresh my perspective before the gates shut until March.

Spotting Something Special