In the summer months I tend to target waters with carp to over thirty pounds leaving my ‘action’ waters to the winter months. Well for 2009 I decided I was going to have a change of plan and instead of the single water campaign approach I was going to fish at least half a dozen waters from spring to autumn and see if I could catch a twenty pound carp from all of them. With twenties from my first three I decided to have a night at the well known ‘Messingham Sands’ fishery which although I’d caught hundreds of carp from in winter I’d never night fished it ever and certainly never had a twenty….a challenge indeed….

With the days work behind me I managed to get off work mid afternoon and with the Jeep packed I was soon driving down the sandy track to the water I’d come to love. With the water in its summer glory I was quite surprised to see only six other anglers on and my favourite ‘Copse’ bank free from any anglers at all. The wind was absolutely howling into that bank and clearly the lads on the water had decided to keep out of harms way and were fishing with the wind over their shoulders.Well I wasn’t going to take the easy way out so with barrow sky high with tackle I struggled along the bank to ‘One Down’.The wind was absolutely hammering into my face and once or twice angler and trolley nearly went over in the wind. Luckily the bank has a number of large bushes on it and I decided to set the brolly up behind a bush but allowing me to see the rods and a good percentage of the water. Although there is always a temptation to get cast out as soon as possible I knew I had around sixteen hours at my disposal and with the weather as it was and the likelihood of action quite regularly I wanted to be absolutely sorted before the first end tackle was launched.

Brolley up and Infinity bed chair in position the Infinity rods and Basia reels were taken out. The water is two rods only and soon as I was ready for the fray. Final check….All pegs in, landing nets set up, unhooking gear ready, camera set up for self timer shots….. Lets rock and roll. Bog standard rigs were launched out at 40 yards and 60 yards into a huge headwind and each was a simple semi-fixed lead, flurocarbon hook length and size 8 hook. One bait stringer, bottom bait and lets get the kettle on. A look at the watch revealed it was 5 pm and I had till around 8 am before I had to pack up…

The Carp just kept on coming

With almost an hour gone the first rod at range shot off and after a brief scrap a scrapper double was in the net. The great thing about the Basia clutches are that they are silky smooth and you can literally lead the carp in like a dog on a lead… fantastic… Quickly I did the photos with the self timer and out went the rod again. Although the Infinitys I had chosen were a mere two and three quarter versions the power they develop allowed me to punch the end tackle back into position even though I could hardly stand up in the head wind. Twenty minutes later off it went again..and twenty minutes later then same rod again…

With such a strong wind I expected the action to come to the shorter range rod but they are where they are so that’s where the rods are going. Both rods out to the spots and let’s start to creep in a few free offerings. Normally I am a catapult fan but in this wind it would be throwing sticks or nothing so out came the stick and around 100 x 20mm free offerings were sent out to the 60 yard mark. I guess they spread of bait was in an area 10 yards by 10 yards which may sound hit and miss but I wanted the carp moving around looking for food not gorging themselves in a tight area that may be difficult to hit in the day never mind the night. No point making it hard for myself…..

Well the tactic was obviously working and by 9 pm I’d had seventeen carp most of them good doubles. With the wind dropping I had a choice. Either fill it in or keep on trickling 20-30 baits after each carp. Nothing venture nothing gained so another 200 free offerings were throwing sticked out to my 60 yard spot. Even as the baits were landing carp were head and shouldering all over the place and something told me it may, just may be one of those red letter days (and nights).

Another from a fabulous nights fishing

Just after ten and with twenty carp in the net and two lost whilst trying to land two at once the Infinity hooped over once again and stayed over. It honestly felt like I’d snagged the bottom but as the Basia clutch click, click, clicked, something was on. Even under full compression whatever I had hooked was not happy at all and started running and kiting at once….duh duh , duh duh ( Jaws )…… For the next thirty minutes the fish and I were locked in combat as I’d would retrieve line and then it would take line. The darkness stopped me seeing the fish but huge swirls on the surface revealed it to be a lump… and a bit... Eventually the fish was beaten and with my landing net at full stretch it came over the drawstring…

‘What the heck is that…’

What looked like a cross between a snake and a giant tadpole was safely in the net and there wasn’t much space left…. My first ever catfish and what a whopper…The next twenty minutes were a blur of unhooking, slime everywhere and my first twenty pound fish from the water getting its picture taken. Not the carp I wanted but a monster catfish… elated !!

With the cat returned out went the rods and twenty minutes later off they roared again. By midnight I had decided to fish with one rod and by one thirty I had to wind in for a few hours sleep before the dawn. Up at four thirty and out they went again with the last 100 free offerings.

By 8 am I truly was shattered and I still had work. Thirty one carp, lost four, a solitary bream and two catfish (the big one, and one about fifteen pounds as well).

Sometimes dreams do come true and the monster catfish was indeed my own 'Tales Of The Unexpected'.