Boxing Day... Thought I would go and catch myself a Christmas Carp

Arrived at the venue at 2.00pm, knowing that I would have to be off at dusk, around 4.30pm. My plan of attack being a pair of carp rods, and a float rod, in the hope of trying to tempt either a carp, or one of the large roach that reside in the local venue.

I opted for a peg that had a tight group of trees to my left, that were right on the water's edge, providing a slight amount of cover, and with a slightly deeper area of the lake just 3 feet from trees in question. I opted for this particular swim as it stood me well last winter, where I managed a good number of fish right through winter, from three spots around this swim.

The venue is a heavily stocked water, around an acre in size, with a small percentage of the resident carp going over 10lb, witht he lake record at just 13lb 3oz, but at a stone's throw from my house, I was not to overlook it, as "knowing it like the back of my hand" applied in these circumstances.

The carp rods were baited with a small cheese ball on one rod, and a 12mm bottom bait on the other. Both where lowered into the spots, with a small amount of MB Baits pellets over the top. I fished both rods with slack lines as this aproach has proved succesfull for me over recent sessions.

The float rod was baited with a small piece of sweetcorn, and fished again, at the bottom of the marginal shelf, over a *small* amount of sweetcorn.

However these tactics did not prove successfull. Slight adjustmants to bait, and baiting were made, but to no avail, and as the rain subsided at 4.20pm I packed up and left, head down

Fishing 'The Bush Swim' in the hope of a Christmas Carp