Drive and Survive

For any carp angler, the highlight of the year is the solo fishing trip. It’s more than just a break from the usual routine for us; it’s the chance to indulge ourselves in our passion. 

 

The fishing trip is something we can geek out about, take our time over and meticulously plan every detail. A place where we mix with other anglers who share our passion. We can talk rigs, baiting strategies, tales from previous trips. 

 

It’s a fisherman’s paradise. 

 

There’s nothing quite like sitting by a picturesque lake, watching the world go by at a snail’s pace whilst nature does its thing. The occasional (wanted) interruption from an obliging carp breaks the peace for a few moments. Whether you’re a prince or a pauper, it’s a feeling only carp anglers will truly understand. 

 

 

The planning is half the fun. Searching the web for possibilities – the country, the region, the style of water. What have others had to say about it? Do the reviews back up your gut feeling? Have you been there before? What tactics and baits should I employ? What’s the head of fish like? 

 

For us carp anglers, the night before a fishing trip is reminiscent of childhood Christmas Eves. The excitement, the wonder, the final preparations. The early night, struggling to sleep with excitement. 

 

You’ve been through your checklist. You’ve packed the car and you’ve made sure the gear is in place and ready. You’ve remembered everything – this trip has been in the planning for months. It’s a military operation as far as you’re concerned! 

 

The essentials are taken care of. Your cool box is full to bursting the essentials – the food and the bait. Nobody is going hungry on this trip - fish and fisherman alike are going to be well fed! 

 

 

The day has finally arrived! The alarm goes, you spring out of bed, shower, throw some food down your neck and jump into the car. The packed car is started, the sat nav is set and that’s it – you’re on your way. 

 

You arrive at the lake and mill around. You talk shop with the other guys, learning about the venue through the tales of others. You’ve got an idea of what works, what doesn’t and where you’d like to be. You’ve done your research and you know how you’re going to attack this. 

 

The draw is done and it’s time to set up camp, your home from home for the near future. 

 

The bivvy, the bed, the table, the cool box. There’s a place for everything and everything has its place. Cool box is popped open and the food and bait for the next 24 hours is removed to defrost. 

 

Rods are set, rigs tied, hooks baited and swims have been fed. The first cast of the day goes in, the alarms are set and it’s time to sit back and relax. 

 

This is it. The serenity you’ve been waiting for. The long days at work, the overtime, the bad weather, the early mornings, the emails, the late nights. All of them are worth it for this moment as you relax, drink in hand, watching the world go by on the lakeside. It’s not for everyone, but to you, it’s the most enjoyable way you could spend a few days. 

 

Now it’s time for the carp to keep up their end of the bargain. 

 

 

Not everyone understands this love for carp fishing, but they don’t need to. You do, and that’s all that matters. What’s fantastic about a trip is the chance to spend time with likeminded people. 

 

After a quiet few hours you reel in and set off to talk with the others who have made this trip. Enjoy a social beer or two whilst you compare notes with other anglers - the kind of chat you just can’t have with your wife! 

 

An hour or two later, you return to camp. You cook some of the food from the cool box, enjoy the sunset and turn in for the night, hopeful the fishing gods are smiling down on you. Surrounded by the sounds of nature, you’re woken with a start by the screaming bite alarms. As you fumble around for a head torch, you make it to the rods and strike! You’re into a fish. 

 

Now this is why you’re an angler…