I was going to spend the evening at Alders, but when I arrived there was quite a breeze rattling from the west causing quite a chop. With showers planned, I defaulted for the sheltered north corner of adjacent Willows. For the second consecutive week, I watched the carp mouthing at the surface just yards from my feet. With no biscuits/bread/pellets, I suspended a pop-up on the surface from a bomb, but they weren't interested. While the pop-up bobbed on the surface, even the terns ignoring it,  I gently loose fed corn in the margin to my right and eventually put a float out.  

I had a few bites, none connected, and the corn was nabbed each time. Finally I hit one, and whatever it was took off towards Reading. It took me right so far that I looked down to make sure I had enough line on the spool. Then it went across to the far bank, and turned left making for the reed bed some distance away. All I could do was hold on, my heart jumping a couple of times when the line slackened for a moment before the fish took off again. 

I just about managed to turn its head with max pressure as it neared its destination, so it changed it's mind  and went for the overhangs to my left. Whatever it was, it was clearly bigger than the 10lb intended maximum for the lake. Holding the rod as far out as I could, I managed to keep it in open water and suddenly the fight was out of it. As I wound, I noticed it was coming in backwards and my suspicion was confirmed - I'd foul-hooked it in the side. The Mirror came in at 'only' 14lb 10, I thought it would be bigger, but foul hooking always makes for a double-hard fight. Having spent the afternoon on my own, I was surprised when at that moment a young lad came up to me and agreed to take the pic. He said he'd come to fish for half an hour, and then went. Very odd. 

That was the last bite of the evening, but meeting a member as I closed the gate who'd endured a biteless blank at Warwicks, I was even more grateful for that little bit off luck.

I'll be off to the pet shop for some doggie biscuits anon.