Having sat since first light and with no sign of fish life, I was comforted when the bailiff turned up suggested I was doing the right thing, method feeding towards the island. He suggested I change my pale pop-up hookbait to a fluorescent wafter. In the few minutes that we spoke, three carp jumped clear of the water by the island in front of me. After he left no more fish rose. A coincidence, surely?!?

Later on a chap came and set up along the bank from me. He cast out then turned to start hammer in his umbrella ground pegs. Within five minutes his electronic alarm buzzed and in came an 8lb Common. 'Ha!' he called. 'I only chucked it out anywhere while I was laying my base out.' Of course, as a member of the Great Guild of Anglers, I could only laugh with him at his luck and congratulate him on his catch.

Turning back to my rod, trying hard to hold that smile on my face, my bobbin seemed to be a little higher than I would have preferred, so I pulled a few inches slack from the bait runner. Very slowly, it raised back up to it's previous height. 'Odd?' I thought, and looked to see if any wind was causing the line to drag. There was none. 'I wonder...' I picked up the rod to find a pretty little carp on the end. On a whippy pellet waggler rod it gave a good fight for its 4lbs. 

My session finished 15 minutes later, and I went home for my lunch happy with that blank-breaking fish, and not feeling overly concerned at the incoming rain that would be battering my fellow angler in his tent for the whole afternoon.