The weather forecast is a load of carp!

After being soaked twice whilst fishing over the last few days on Monday night I checked the weather forecast for Tuesday, my first day off work for over a week. It didn't look good with rain forecast all day so I decided just to have a lie in. When I got up though just before noon and looked out of the window the weather looked quite nice so I thought I'd go and take a look at a small burn I plan to fish at some point in the future.

A short drive later and I was enjoying the sunshine, had a nice walk along the burn and with just a solitary very light shower I thought sod it, I'm going fishing! I headed home, grabbed my gear and headed to Orchill Coarse Fishery in Perthshire. My target for the evening was crucian carp. It took me just over a hour to get there. Upon arrival just after 16:00 I got my permit, a pint of maggots, a can of sweetcorn and drove up to one of the ponds I was told contained my target and picked a peg. Being able to park right next to my peg was unexpected but great as it meant that if the rain was going to appear I could jump in it and keep dry. In the pond there were lots of fish cruising around and there was plenty of surface activity going on with fish splashing around feeding. As a result I started fishing fairly shallow and was soon catching plenty of small chub a rod length out in front of me. Whilst I fished away I fed up a swim in the margin to my left. I switched to that after about ten chub, plumbed up and started fishing on the bottom. This saw me catch a few fiesty little F1 carp.

F1 carp are pretty cool little fish. Little scappers too. They look a bit like small commons but an easy way to tell they aren't is a lack of barbules.

After three or four of these I hooked a bigger carp which tore off to my right. I took my time playing it, letting it take line when it wanted and it was on for about five minutes when the hook suddenly pulled. I was quite dissapointed but at the same time hopeful I could get another. I carried on fishing catching a few more F1 carp in the process. After a quiet spell I decided to switch from a standard waggler setup to a float ledger rig. This saw me catch even more F1 carp and then my float shot under, the fish hooking itself against my rod tip as it swung around to my left, I quickly picked up the rod and I had another nice fish on. It didn't feel as big as the one I lost earlier and after a few minutes and a few short runs I brought it to the surface. I could see it was a common carp and after a few nervous moments it was safely in my net. The angler along from me very kindly came along and took a photo for me with the fish which was in very good condition.

Chuffed to bits. My first common carp. It gave a good account of itself on my float rod.

I got chatting to the angler who told me he had been fishing a method feeder and asked me what I was using so I showed him my set up. I cast it back in and tightened down until my float was just under the surface. As I told him a little more about the technique, explained how I'd just started experimenting with it and so far was very pleased with the results my float shot off again and I quickly lifted my rod which by that point already had a nice bend in it. A nice mirror carp was the culprit and after a short fight and with a bit of assistance from the angler who netted it for me it was soon being photographed before being returned.

Float ledgered double maggot takes another carp in nice condition.

I then switched to sweetcorn on the hook and caught a few more F1 carp and a very small mirror carp. The owner of the venue then came around walking his dogs and asked me how I was getting on. I told him what I'd caught and what I was after at which point he chuckled and told me there were no crucian carp in the pond I was fishing! Oops! Oh well, I had forgotten about trying to catch them to be honest, I was just enjoying the session so much. Anyway, the capture of my first common carp was my tenth new freshwater species this year which was the target I set myself so all in all a successful evenings fishing and it hadn't rained once either! Besides my mistake means that I'll have to visit a nice venue again to try for crucian carp in a pond that actually holds them which isn't a bad thing!

Tight lines, Scott.