carp....driving me mad!

well lately i have been targetting a few carp,i stalked two on the river lea in hertfordshire at the start of the season,resulting in me losing a possible 20+ common,on the float too!
i then went onto the tidal lea in hackney,right in the east end of london,i found a group of carp,mostly small single figure fish but several were big enough to warrant my attention,easily good upper double figure fish.
so i set up a boilie/bolt rig combo got it in place,all was quite for a while until i went to recast,as i picked up teh rod there was a thump,sweeping the rod back it curved over and kicked then all went slack
i had been cut off on 15lb big game! i havent been back yet but i will be!
i then moved on to 90year old gravel pit,absolutley covered in lilys,stalking amongst them, in a small channel, i waited patiently in 90 degree heat,one jet black carp i estimated to be at least a mid double,cruised in to the channel,sucked my breadcrust in from within a gap in the lilys..i struck...and missed! i sodded up my one chance,oh well back to the predators for a bit!...off perch fishing tommorrow!