One freezing cold night in January a few of us were having a social at Sutton and decided that we should have a trip to France during the summer. A week session at Les Teillats was organised and now there was just the small matter of several months of waiting and planning. As the trip drew near I started doing my homework, I intended to do some serious angling and told everyone a 60lb common would be mine. I didn’t believe it for a moment, but it was an integral part of the banter that followed. I found out that a large percentage of the bigger fish had been coming from one area of the lake all year. I also discovered that the same bank hadn’t been heavily fished for the preceding couple of weeks. I knew where I wanted to be and I had over 100kg of bait, including a healthy amount of Poacher Bait’s finest to throw at them. Now it was just down to the fish and my luck in the draw.

Soon enough the 19th August came around and the motley crew of Sutton reprobates gathered at Dover, in persistent heavy rain, awaiting the arrival of the dreaded thrombosis bus. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Cross Channel Carping’s idea of luxury travel, the thrombosis bus is a small minibus that all of you are crammed into like sardines for the duration of the journey, invariably losing all feeling in your legs by the time you arrive. The trailer is equally pint-sized, and we had lots of fun squeezing all our tackle, bait, and Top Rod’s 28 bait buckets into it. The ferry journey soon went by, with us berating the extremely camp barman for supplying us with decidedly flat pints of Stella. Now we just had the small matter of a 5 hour journey through France crammed into a bus the size of a toaster. All through France it rained, I had Bof’s knee poked into my groin for the majority of the journey and our driver kept falling asleep at the wheel. Lovely.

Shortly before 7am we arrived at the lake greeted by, luckily, a brilliant blue sky, early morning sunshine and fish jumping everywhere. Result. Once we had unfolded ourselves from the thrombosis bus, had a much-needed stretch and gathered our tackle it was time for the draw. I have the most appalling luck when it comes to draws, I have never come out anywhere other than the last few. This year would be different though, I told myself, this was my year and I was coming out first. I came out second from last! This wasn’t an unmitigated disaster, however, as my Plan B was still open. The swim I’d originally wanted was the furthest one on the field bank fishing into the bay, and this was where the majority of the big fish had been coming out. Dal, who had come out second, took our advice and went in there, Bof went next door but nobody else fancied the field bank. Surely they hadn’t all swallowed all that nonsense I’d told them about all the big fish coming from the river and forest banks?! The Minge isn't stupid though he didn't believe a word I said and we agreed that the field bank would probably give us the best chance for the week. Plan B involved the field bank, but I wanted to go right in the middle of the lake as I felt the fish would congregate there at some point during the week and I should be able to nick a couple. I got my wish and was soon stood bang in the middle of the field bank faced with a mountain of tackle and bait to sort out.

Whilst everyone else rushed about getting their rods out I just set everything up, tied some rigs and made sure I had a good idea of what was under the water in front of me. There was plenty of time for getting the rods out, I wanted to identify some likely spots first. I had a few chucks with the marker rod and it seemed the swim I was in covered a pronounced drop off from mainly shallower water away into the bay to my left, to the deeper water of the central area of the lake. Mostly 12ft to my left and 18ft to my right with the slope into the deeper water running diagonally across the swim. Interesting.... Further exploration revealed a hump about the size of two bivvies at the top of this slope about 80 yards out rising from 15ft at the back/right side to 8ft on the top back down to 12ft on the near/left side. That was pretty much the only feature in front of me so 2 rods went on the top in 8ft of water and a third went down the left hand side in 12ft of water. I had a reasonable amount of pellet and parti-blend with me so I spread some around the top of the hump, but I baited the rod down the side in the deeper water with just a scattering of boilies. I reckoned the baits on top over the particle would produce the most takes but the rod just off the hump over a little bait might produce a lump or two. Apart from the big hump there wasn’t a lot in the way of features and I settled for positioning the fourth rod along the slope around 60 yards out to my right.

After dinner I got the rods out for the first time and sat back with a Kronenbourg soaking in the atmosphere and the anticipation of what the week ahead would bring. Half an hour after getting the rods out the left rod fished down the side of the hump roared off, I wasn’t expecting action that quickly! I had thick weed on the marginal shelf in front of me and to avoid problems I had to get wet in order to get the net over the weed. The fight felt a bit odd and the faceful of whiskers that greeted me at the net told me why, the cats had moved in already. Still, I don’t mind too much as I think they’re impressive creatures. I’d soon sorted the rod out with a new hooklength and got it back on the same spot. Another take half an hour later, this time on the middle of the three rods, had me taking to the water with the net again. When it rolled by the net it looked like a right pasty but at least it was a carp. When I lifted the net I saw the shoulders on it. Hmmm, perhaps not so much of a pasty after all! My first 30+ common: 31lb 2oz.

After the long, sleepless journey I was exhausted and completely comatose before my head even hit the pillow, thankfully my coma continued undisturbed throughout the night. I was dragged from my slumber at first light by the Minge calling my name. I had a brief unpleasant moment when I woke to find my face cold and wet where I’d dribbled on my pillow before hauling my sorry carcass up to see what the Minge wanted. He had a lovely 35+ common in the net, things were looking good.

Breakfast was delivered but I was still knackered so had another kip about 10am. I was having a dream where I had two rods set up on the bank and two set up out on a small island so I had to row out to them when I had a take. The ensuing screamer had me flying out of the bivvy barefoot, past my rods making for the boat. Fortunately I woke up properly before I launched the boat and went back up the bank to my rods and now rapidly emptying spool. The fish felt heavy and kited all the way down to my right, fortunately the bank I was on is lined with rushes and small bushes but devoid of trees so I could just grab a net and follow it. It didn't once take line off me but felt very heavy plodding in the deep water just off the marginal shelf and when I got my first glimpse the old ringpiece started winking like a good 'un. It was massive! Luckily my torment was short lived as the fish decided to play the game and went in the net first time. I had what I went for, a 40lb+ mirror. The scales read 44lb 12oz and my week was complete already. Shortly afterwards the Minge went one better and banked a 50lb 8oz mirror. Time to crack the beers open….

 

It was fairly calm when I got back from dinner so I rowed out with my two rods and dropped both rigs on the hump before rowing back. I got back to my swim and picked one rod up, tightened up, put it on the rests etc, then picked the second up to find line pissing off the spool! It wiped out my marker and the hook soon pulled. Grrr… Once all that was sorted I was sat next door in the Minge’s swim when I had a screaming take. As soon as I’d got to the rod the middle rod was away as well, which baffled me completely but the Minge came to the rescue and grabbed the other rod. After a good scrap when I was grateful I’d brought two nets we got both the fish in, a common of 30lb 8oz and a mirror of 27lb 8oz. I could cope with this all week! The wind had now picked up and was blowing strongly into our bank which made rowing out to the markers hard work but it had to be done after every take as fish of that size would wipe out the couple of kg I was putting out in no time. Casting in the strong wind was also tricky but I got them out there and the conditions looked ideal. I had another couple of fish during the course of the evening, a 19lb mirror and one of the prettiest mirrors I have ever seen about that weighed about 15lb.

2:15am I had another fish and really couldn't be bothered to go in to net it so I just dragged it over the weed and into the net with no problems at all. That made me think, perhaps I could get away with it. I woke the Minge for a couple of snaps of the lovely 29lb 2oz common, suffered the inevitable moaning for waking him for "a mingey 29lber" and climbed gratefully back into bed.

First thing in the morning I had my second cat of the trip which weighed 25lb. Breakfast was delivered and I got all the rods sorted with a fresh helping of bait over the top. I had a pretty 21lb mirror at midday followed quickly by a 22lb mirror. I lost a fish around 3pm after it cut me off on the hump. All the takes were belters and the hump was savage so after that I tightened the clutches right up to encourage them to kite left or right as opposed to going over the back of the hump, and took to cutting a length of line off above the rig after each fish as it was invariably grated badly. My next 30 came shortly after dinner, a lovely 34lb 8oz common that glinted beautifully in the evening sunlight.

 

The evening seemed to be the hot time in my swim and I had a further 4 takes resulting in another lost fish to a cut off, a 15lb common and mirrors of 23lb 4oz and 25lb 12oz before the swim died around 10pm. I was starting to notice the pattern developing.

It seemed that most of the fish spent the day out in the middle of the lake and my swim was where they congregated in numbers during the evening before moving into the bay to my left for the night. That Dal and Bof were getting most of their takes during the night while my swim went dead seemed to back this up. During the morning they drifted back out of the bay gradually, in lesser numbers, and I would get the odd take through the morning and the occasional one in the afternoon. Evening was definitely the hot time though, and they seemed to use the hump as a sort of gathering point before moving on. That morning a mental 28lb 8oz mirror was extremely unhappy about having his breakfast disturbed and decided to have a tour of the bay to my left. I didn’t much fancy wiping out several lines and markers so took to the boat, where it proceeded to tow me around for a further 15 minutes. I then had a 20lb 4oz common that was just mental, it kept flat-rodding me. It was clearly a fish that had come from the Seine next door. That evening was surprisingly slow I only had a 23 mirror and a mid-twenty cat, but the next day got silly.

Shortly after breakfast I had another fast take from the top of the hump. It came in fairly easily and, whilst it felt heavy, when it rolled it didn’t look anything spectacular, a nice 30 maybe. I didn’t bother going out to chest deep water to net it over the weed as I’d been getting away without doing it so I just dragged this one over the top and into the net. I parted the mesh and was somewhat taken aback by the width of it. I'd done it again, I couldn't believe it. On the scales she went 46lb 4oz and I shook my head in disbelief, two mid-forties in a week isn’t something I’d ever dreamed of. I laughed like a madman and cracked open a Kronenbourg, well it was just gone 10am!

I was starting to suffer a bit with line twist; the continuous casting, screaming takes and a succession of hard fighting fish taking line off the clutch was taking its toll on the old faithful 15lb Sensor. I’d started to get a few occurrences of line wrapping round the butt ring and upon recasting after the 46 the inevitable happened. The cast was greeted by an almighty ‘crack’ as the rig sailed unattached toward the middle of the lake. Oh well, if ever there’s a time to do it it’s after you’ve just put back a 46, somehow it seems much easier to take after that. I rowed out, baited up again, retackled the rod from scratch and recast it. I had a 22lb mirror soon afterwards that wiped out my marker. I got the marker rod out to find the hump in order to go out in the boat and reposition my permanent marker but unbelievably that cracked off as well so I had to go out in the boat to retrieve my marker and marker float, return to the bank to re-tie my marker rod, find the spot, then go back out in the boat to reposition my marker and bait up. I then had a double take and both cut me off on the hump. AAAARGH!!!! My patience was being tested to the limit as I went through the chore of completely retackling both rods and rowing out for what felt like the millionth time that day to bait up again. I then had a dodgy bream-like take that I whacked and towed in to be greeted by a little kitten that had taken a liking to tigers. I grabbed the line but it parted where it had grated on the gravel and I lost the entire rig that I had just painstakingly re-tied. Grrrr..... Another complete re-tackle and back out in the boat.

I had another mid-twenty cat (on tigers!!) and a 16lb mirror before dinner. When I got back it was flat calm so I took the opportunity to row both baits out on top of the hump while I was out there baiting up. An hour later my efforts to stop the fish taking so much line were rendered useless as I had another belting take. This one felt massively heavy, but after rowing out in the strong wind up to a dozen times a day my shoulders were in pieces and they all felt huge. This one was though, and if it wasn't for the Immodium I'd had earlier I reckon I would have filled my pants when I saw it roll. PLEEEEEEEEASE don't fall off! It didn't, and I cackled like a maniac when it rolled over the cord. I didn’t quite appreciate the size of it, only when I tried to lift it and realised it was heavier than my earlier 46. I never imagined I'd break my newly acquired 44lb PB, but I'd already done it that very morning and then there I was, stood in the lake with THIS in my net! On the scales it went 52lb 12oz, this was getting silly. I’d rowed out countless times in the strong wind and holding this beast for the photos completely took it out of me, but what a satisfying way to tire yourself out. Stood in the water to release the fish I could only look on in amazement at the sheer size across the head and shoulders before, all too soon, she kicked away from my hands and was gone. Now, where’s those beers?

No resting on my laurels for me though, I was back out in the boat baiting up and had another rig in position, which soon nailed a 22lb mirror. More rowing, and I was rewarded with my first 30+ mirror of the trip at 37lb 12oz. I’m starting to get sick of this boat…

About half 8 I was sat in my bivvy trying to take it all in when I had another take on the now screwed down middle rod. It still ripped line off the spool though and took the marker out, bollards. Luckily it came straight in between the other two lines to under the rop tip down to my left and lost the marker about half way in. I had to go in up to my chest for this one as it got stuck solid in the weed just over the shelf. When I got over the top of it I realised it wasn't stuck in the weed at all it was just that heavy! Ten minutes of extremely heavy plodding under the tip followed before I caught my first glimpse. The Minge was behind me on the bank and when the fish rolled he said "that's a nice common". That was all I needed, anybody who knows the Minge will know what he’s like for slating everything for being a pasty, so when he said it was a nice fish I knew it was a very good fish and the old jelly legs kicked in. It surfaced and went in the net first time of asking and my immediate reaction was that I had a 40lb common. Then, when I pulled the net in, I saw the width of it and thought 50+. Then I tried to lift it, failed miserably and realised it was a damned sight heavier than my earlier 52. Oh my God, what have I done?! When I got a decent grip on the net and lifted it out I was greeted by a barrage of ‘encouragement’ from my fellow anglers. I was having a bit of a headless chicken moment and couldn’t quite hear what they were all saying, although it seemed to be something about a jammy hunt…. Up she went on my Reubens, needle round twice then a resounding 'clonk' as it hit the limit and the fish wasn't off the mat yet! I had the task every carp angler dreams of; shouting across the lake for scales as mine aren’t big enough!

On 120lb scales she went 64lb 8oz, a new lake record. Everyone had taken over at this point as I had turned into a gibbering wreck wandering aimlessly, laughing hysterically and shaking my head in disbelief. Then they called me over for pictures. Pictures? You're having a laugh! How do you expect me to lift THAT?! Somehow I lifted her up amidst the continuing barrage of abuse and the constant clinking as the gathering throng destroyed my crate of Kronenbourg. The fish behaved itself although lifting the 52 earlier had knackered me but I found the strength from somewhere. It totally crippled my back trying to lift her and I was still in a state of shock. She was as wide as my forearm!

 

I then got hit by a wall of water as half a dozen of them had lined up with buckets of lake water. Bar stewards. Back in the water I had a few more snaps and then took her out past the weed and had a quiet five minutes with her while she got her strength back. I cradled her in my arms and stroked her flanks gently as I took in every detail; those enormous shoulders, the scales like fresh two-pound coins, the pecs bigger than my hands. Eventually I kissed her massive shoulders as she kicked from my arms and, as her tail slipped from my outstretched fingers, I watched in silent awe as she glided majestically back into the depths. I whispered a quiet, heartfelt "thank you" before turning around, arms aloft, and let the entire Seine valley know!

That was when the second wall of water hit me! It was only when I’d hauled myself back out of the lake, dripping wet and covered in slime, and once I’d rummaged through the remnants remained of my beer and fag supply, I realised I'd had a double, a 20, a 30, a 40, a 50 and a 60 in a single day. No matter how long I live or how many years I continue carp fishing I will never manage that again. A truly mad day, I laughed long into the night before retiring decidedly the worse for wear sometime around 2am.

I woke up at 8am to driving rain and a thumping headache. If the taste I was experiencing was anything to go by it appeared that somebody had been using my mouth as an ashtray and then sandblasted it for good measure. I stumbled through the carpet of Kronenbourg bottles that were strewn across my swim and surveyed the devastation; 2 rods in the bushes, 2 on the rests with rigs in the rings and both markers moved way off position. I felt less than fantastic, my swim was in pieces and it was absolutely lashing down but there was still angling to be done. By the time I’d been out in the boat to sort my markers, baited up, been back out in the boat again to re-position one marker after it had drifted, re-tied all the rods and cast them out I'd have been drier if I jumped in the lake! Never mind, effort = reward and all that. Or not, as it would seem, for my only reward was a couple of catfish, a 14lb common that wiped both my markers out, a 21lb common and yet more endless rowing and baiting up.

On the last full day I had a fish just before breakfast that stubbornly refused to nudge 30lb, it weighed something like 29lb 15 and a half oz. I then had another double take, lost one at the net and landed a 28lb mirror. Later in the afternoon I had a lovely 32lb 8oz mirror.

After dinner, about 7:30pm, I had my best looking and hardest fighting fish of the trip. It did its best to take me on a tour of the lake and then continued once on the mat as it slapped me up and down the bank. It was a truly stunning fish though, immaculate in every way; 35lb 8oz of long, lean common that rounded off what had truly been the session of a lifetime.

That was my lot on the carp front, although I had a midnight catfish on the last night that was probably an upper-20. We did the final tally in the morning, between 4 of us on our bank we had caught 75 fish including 21x 30s, 5x 40s, 3x 50s and a 60. All 4 of us caught 40lb+ fish. My personal tally was 30 carp compiling of 5x doubles, 15x 20s, 6x 30s, 2x 40s, a 50 and a 60. It didn’t seem real, that’s the sort of result I read about other people having, things like that don’t happen to me! Prior to the trip I did my homework and I worked bloody hard at my fishing when I was there but the conditions were spot on and for once it all fell into place.

Whoever was smiling on me that week - thank you, those memories will burn brightly forever

 

(September session)

New plan

After my little break from the swan, due to the weed growth I decided to move back onto the water for my first September session. As towards the end of June I had numerous amount of hook pulls as the weed had almost broke the surface, I think I counted about 12 lost fish in 3 weekends. So I decided to pull of for a little break and think up a new plan for September.

My new plan mainly involved my change in rigs, as I thought if I could use a rig that hooked a fish at least half an inch back in its mouth with a strong hook I would have a much better chance in landing my fish.

So I opted for Carp ‘R’ us centurnion 2000’s in size 8, and a simple hook length of magic touch (cheep n cheerful) in 10lb breaking strain. I chose 10lb as it actually breaks at 14lb so I can use a strong hook link at the same time as I’m using a nice thin hook link (get what I mean). The way I tied this rig was also a little different as rather than just whipping it down the shank 8 or so times, I held the bait so it was just touching the bottom of the hook and whipped it down the shank 8 times and on the ninth turn I took it under the hair and whipped it a further 8 times, then I just simply passed it back through the eye. This causes the hook to sit at a 45 degree angle from the bait meaning the rig should hook a lot better.

Baiting

This is the thing that’s confused me most about this lake, the baiting. As you get a few anglers doing one thing another few doing another and so on. I mean I’ve caught all my fish so far doing things a little different so I think that’s what I’m going to stick to, but if the fish want the bait then they will get it. I think its really a case of getting up in the old trees, watch and observe the carp find out were they like feeding and when they feed there try for them.

So far the fish have been liking my bait as I have caught at least 1 fish every session (48 hours), but I suppose that’s Premier baits for ya!

First session

As we approached the swan car park (which is a good old trot from the lake by the way) I looked over the lake to see if the swim I wanted was free, and not to my surprise it was taken out of all the other swims why that one, I was thinking. The reason I wanted swim 1 is because I checked the weather and the wind had just started pushing a NE down towards the bay and if your in this swim you’re the only one who can fish there, and if there’s not to many lines in the water then you’ve got your self a good chance. There was 4 more swims up from the swim I wanted, but me thinking that I wasn’t going to get the swim pushed the barrow full of gear right up to swim 6 (the end swim) as I thought that’s the swim renown to produce the capstan which weighs 42lb, so you know. My mate mat was already hear so I never bothered putting my rods out, me and Andy spent the first night at mats bivvy catching up with each other and taking the piss, as usual. When the slaging off had finely stopped and the laughs began to drown out I decided to retire to my bivvy for the night. After I had stumbled over a few times due to the mole hills and the thick fog I finely made it to my bivvy. I flicked my baits out and slept like a baby.

The next morning and Ring ring, Ring ring, it was mat saying that the geezer in swim 1 was going at about 9 o’clock and without making to much noise the words yessssssssssss left my mouth.

After I had loaded up the barrow and pushed it to mats swim (swim 2) the geezer in swim 1 was just reeling in, so I went over and laid my rods on the floor and put my bank sticks in the same holes as he had his in, trying to make as less noise as possible. As there had been fish cruising up the margin all morning (as he said). I also got a sore hand trying to force the bivvy pegs in!

I see a few fish move through over the far margins in the shaded areas under the trees, but after getting numb legs from being up the tree for so long I finally climbed down to get ready for putting my baits out.

I never ended up putting my baits out until about 10.30 and even then I only put two rods out, as I really didn’t want to spook any fish away. I fished one tight under the trees on the far margin, and the other just up the margin close in. Both spots were clear just behind light weed so I decided to fish a nice slack line.

Also the pressure was very high hitting about 1029 mb so it was single bottom baits that I placed out, as I thought that most fish would be in the upper layers of the water due to the pressure and the odd fish that wanted a little munch would drop down and have a little pick about.

Lucky phone call

I had just walked over to mats bivvy to say that all has been completed after the hour in the tree. I sat there for a short while before my mate rung me, I must have been on the phone for 5 minutes before the left had far margin rod melted of (1 toner).

I threw the phone to mat and shouted talk to her, and as I ran up from mats swim and turned towards my bivvy I slipped straight on my face which was quite embarrassing, but, my mind was set on the rod so I got up and carried on running.

I got to my rod and bent into a lively fish which took me in a weed bed to the far left but I got him out with a little ease, it kited me to the right and then finally I got it to the bank, when it bolted of again trying to get under the branches of the tree to the left but I turned her and mat slipped the net under a lovely looking common, (nice one mat). On the scales she went 19lb 11oz I was chuffed with that as it was the second fish out since Thursday night.

Sadly as much as I kept my eyes on the water it was the only fish of the session for me, but………………………

Capstan

A guy named Nathan was fishing swim 3 and he had kept a margin spot baited for a while and on Sunday at 11 o’clock the capstan decided to take interest in his hook bait, after a 10 minute battle Kevin (another mate of mine) slipped the net under a 37lb 8oz beast. For Nathan it was a new PB, but capstan her self seems to have been on a diet, or she was caught at 40 plus when she was spawned up because she has lost a bit of weight.

But anyway well done Nathan! (I wish it was in my net)

Conclusion

This is the first article that I have wrote so I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have writing it for you guys. And sorry I haven’t written about every weekend but I’ll let you in on what I catch for the rest of this month in October’s article. And as from November onwards I’m going to be writing a winter diary piece (monthly) about me fishing the colder months on swan. And I hope that some of you have realised that doing things different can sometimes produce the extra takes when the going gets tough.

Extra

A few of the other MKF lakes have also been producing well with tonford throwing out the odd carp hear and there. As for Chilham

Mill it seems to be producing loads of fish, I think it may be due to the rain they had a few weeks back.

I would also like to say well done to my mate Tom who landed his new PB the other day from a local lake of ours in Sidcup, it was a lovely common of 22lb 8oz well done mate. And also to my mate bill who has been fishing the same lake as tom, well done for landing a few carp over the past few months and I know you’ve found it hard this past month or so but its good that your putting the time in mate, you will have them carp don’t you worry!

But as for now tight lines and happy hauling!!

Lee gennings

 

 

 

Sutton, home for ten years.                                        By Spencer Humble 2004                              

In the next few paragraphs, I hope to give you an insight into a great, beautiful and historic water, where Carp fishing as we know it was pioneered.  In its heyday, it was at the forefront of the carp scene in the famous Darenth valley in kent. The fish present have been angled for by some great and well known anglers, such as Bob Morris, Fred Wilton, Alan Smith, Lee Jackson and many more. This water has been my favourite place for the past ten years. I hope, that by telling you about some of my fishing and telling you what I can about Sutton that, you too will appreciate this special venue.

 

Sutton at Hone or Sutton as it is generally known, consists of two wonderful lakes separated by a footpath and a narrow stretch of the river Darent, owned and maintained by Dartford and district angling and preservation society. It lies next door to the better-known RMC fishery where Basil and other well-known great Carp once swam. The Dartford piscatorial society was formed on 9^th April 1931 and in 1932 became known as D.D.A.P.S as it is today. The clubs home water at this time was the famous Brooklands fishery. Leases were taken up on other fisheries in the area including Sutton. Negotiations to buy the lakes began in 1959, with an eventual purchase in 1965 ( just in case you wanted to know!)

 

Sutton lakes are disused strip-mined gravel pits which, as we all know make excellent fisheries with all sorts of wonderful features. Now fully mature, they are truly beautiful places to fish. Consisting of two lakes, the Big lake and the Little lake (or car park lake), both contain specimen Carp as well as lots of other fish, particularly the dreaded Snotties, which make life difficult, as  they particularly like to feed at 2am when it is peeing down!!

 

In 1994, I spent my first Sutton night on the Little Lake, bivvied up next to the only angler I knew, in probably the worst swim available and one, which did not usually see a bivvy, pitched in it! This would explain the funny looks I was getting. Or was it because I was a new Sutton angler and was not in with the clique?

Needless to say I received the old Blankety Blank chequebook and pen that night. My next available night was spent on the Big lake in an equally pants swim. It was this session that Sutton face, Phil Cool, showed me a photo of a fish called Arfur, a Little lake fish, possibly the largest in there, caught from his favourite Night tree swim. It was then that that I decided to set my sights on this fish and the Little Lake was to be my new home until I nailed the bugger.

 

On 21^st of July 1994 I caught my first Sutton Carp, all 11lb 2oz of it! To say I was chuffed would be an understatement of massive proportions. In August I raised my personal best to 21lb 8oz with the fish known as the Italian and then on the 4^th August after a violent storm whilst bivvied up alone, I had a ripper of a take resulting in Arfur, the one I had wanted at a spawned out 23lb 10 oz. Hoorah for me then!!

 

My preconceptions about the Sutton clique were unfounded. The anglers at Sutton are a good bunch of blokes, of course there are some colourful characters as Carp fishing appeals to a pretty broad spectrum of people. People such as the flight Lieutenant, Daylight Bill AKA Billy Joe Jim bob, Big Bill, The Hillbillies (funny!) Munchkin, John the Baker, The Lisp, Mexican Pete, Scruffy Bob (RIP Bob) and Nookie Bear, The thumb, The Minge, Boff, Judy Dench, Vinny Jones plus many more that I am probably forgetting. It is the anglers as well as the fish that make a venue special and this motley crew certainly liven the fishing up.

 

Whilst enjoying my fishing surrounded by these characters, other target fish from this lovely Little Lake were one by one nailed. Ludicrous, The immaculate common, Bruno, Lin and more were all landed over the next few years culminating in Bruno who fell to my rods at just over 30lbs in 1997. It did actually take me 6 years of trying to land Ludicrous, the big common, which cheated me slightly at 29 lb 8oz. I did not care though as this fish is awesome and enough of a reason to fish this lake even if it was the only one in there. Bruno the big mirror did actually break the 40lb barrier, but has unfortunately since passed to the great Carp Lake in the sky. Although there are plenty of back up big 20s and low 30s that will no doubt follow in his footsteps.

 

The Little Lake is a wonderful place, in my opinion better looking than the Big Lake and contains the better looking fish. It has some terrific hot spots, including lots of lovely over hanging bushes and trees and an area known as the Banjo, a snaggy bay which has recently been opened up a bit, making it more accessible by the club. If you can get this area to yourself, the fish can get in here in numbers, stealth like approach often brings a result. Swims such as the old Bottles, the Weed beds, the Silt swim, the Plateaux, Car park, End gravel and Lighthouse are great swims with an abundance of features. You either like or loathe small waters like this, but once they get hold of you, you can think of little else. No wonder it took me 7 years to walk past the lake and venture onto its bigger brother. The only fish that evaded my mat was The Unknown, a real old warrior and in excess of 30 pounds. He would have to wait….

 

After a near fatal car crash in 2001 (if I ever find that drunken driver…), I could only make a single night session, in March 2002, which was the soonest that I could carry my tackle on my back. Of course God carried on kicking me and proudly presented me with the poxy chequebook and pen again that night! It was this single night though which, for some reason was spent on the Big lake, that made me turn my attention to fishing on this side of the footpath for the foreseeable future.

 

The Big Lake is not actually that big at, around nine acres but in comparison is quite an open lake. At one end is a broken island area with a lovely bed of lily pads and a recently erected fence, which divides the Garden swims water and the Side snags swims water, making both of these swims both productive and very popular with the anglers. If you can get a bait close to the fence, next to the pads, then a take is virtually guaranteed. By sitting on your rods fishing locked up style, fish can easily be landed without causing danger to them. The Garden is certainly one of the swims that I head for, as there is always fish present.

The Brambles is the next hot swim and has the longest cast on the Big Lake and certainly has its moments of greatness. A small island is located further up the lake, which provides a feature for the Pipe and imaginatively named Front of the island swim. It is however the next two swims that I prefer. The Hump and Humps swims fish to large gravel features in open water with a nice fresh weed bed present in the summer. It is these areas that I have had my better catches from.

 The remaining swims on the centre path bank all have their moments, although it is these first few which, I am drawn to more. At the far end of this bank, is the so-called Leisure sport bay, named because it is just a boilies throw away from Leisure sport, now RMC Sutton fishery.

Follow the footpath around to the riverbank to find similar swims fishing similar areas of the lake. The better swims here in my experience are the Wide, Dugout, the Barge and Bear swims and the previously mentioned Side snags, which is probably pole position at most times of the year.

 

The fish in this lake are old warriors and certainly like a scrap, regularly kiting left or right to cheer your neighbouring angler up no end! They were, until recently, mainly 20 lb plus fish and if you landed one it would usually break the 20lb barrier. However recently the club have had the sense to stock some Mark Simmonds fish. If you have not caught any of these Carp, they are wonderful shaped fish and I am pleased to say doing well in the Sutton lakes and will, I am sure provide some Lumps for the future.

 

The Big Lake has some of its own better-known Carp, Beauty, captain Mannering, The big Leather, The leather, Dippy, The Armadillo, Sue and many more big 20s and low 30s. One fish, which is certainly on my wish list, is one of the two or three resident 30lb Commons, which is just stunning and rarely caught. It will be mine!

 

My fishing in the last few years has consisted of opening week, beginning June 1^st, and then one or, if my lovely wife permits, two nights per week. Unfortunately I work until 7pm so my time is limited to say the least. However I would like to think that I am fairly successful on these lakes and put this down to a mobile approach and the use of lots of bait (by Sutton angler standards). On Sutton as with many lakes up and down this country, a great many of the anglers fish over very few baits. Well if that works for them great, but for me lots of lovely Poacher baits boilies has stood me in good stead. 5 Kilos for a night is my normal but I have no problem with putting out more if need be.

Some of my better catches have included some cracking fish, including 3, 23lb mirrors in a night, The Armadillo at a tad over 24lb and recently a lovely 26 and a Clayton (half) Mirror, which looked a true warrior. My eleven year old step son has stuffed me though, when I took him for a day session in August of 2003, The big leather took a liking to his hookbait and smiled for the camera at a weight of 28 lb plus! He says it was good angling, I am saying nothing!

 

I must finish with a happy ending. After a three year break from the Little lake, I decided a couple of nights spent back on that side of the footpath was called for and set the Dillo up in a swim known as the breeding bay. To cut a long story short, 15 kilos of bait and 3 nights later I finished with 16 fish including the one that had evaded me for so long, The Unknown at a new PB of 31lb 8oz. Proper angling!

 

Well that gives you a brief insight into this not so well known Club and fishery. D.D.A.P.S also have venues at Horton Kirby, which, can be fished as well as Brooklands, in Dartford, all on the same ticket. There is a waiting list but it is well worth getting your name on, especially if you are a local. Check out the DDAPS website for details. Good luck and if I see you at Sutton you had better get a sprint on, because I will be running, heading for the Side snags, hoping to bag that 32 common……………

The Unknown from Sutton 31lb 8oz YEEESSSSS

This is an account of one of those sessions that you only read about, you know the ones that dont happen to you, in the real world. Well I can tell you they do, but it took me twelve years of angling at Sutton DAPS to achieve what for me is my best ever result.

The session began on 22nd of August 2004 at about nine in the morning. I had actually arrived at first light to give me the chance to walk the whole of the big lake and to try and nab a swim from the overnight anglers when they began their early pack up, to head for work, poor buggers!

The Sutton fish tend to show mostly at dusk and first light, more so dusk, with only the odd show during other times. After a complete lap, I actually decided on one of my favourite swims, The Humps, in between The Hump and The Front of the island swims on the center path. Not only was this one of my favourite areas, it also seemed to be holding a good amount of Carp, holed up in the dying weedbeds to the center of the lake. These weedbeds are minimal and are only in place for the early part of the season, hence the Carp liking them so much.

My previous sessions had highlighted to me once again, that the Sutton Carp avoid lines like the plague, as they had shown a distinct preference for any areas where anglers were not present, usually in front of The Bream or Two step swims. So finding them in front of me already, I decided to pass on our old friend the marker float. I knew the area like the back of my hand anyway.

One hookbait was launched skywards to land on the last of the gravel humps, which is quite large and flat. Twenty accurately placed freebies were dispatched via the throwing stick . The second hookbait was cast into the dying weed on a slightly longer hooklength held up initially by Solars wonderful foam with an additional piece wrapped tightly around the hookpoint. Over the whole area, approximately 25 yards square, I spread approximately 5 Kilos of frozen baits, being careful not to drop any short, where my lines would be laying. The attraction and dinner plate theory!

At about twelve noon, the angler fishing directly behind me, announced that he was packing up. He was angling in The Breeding bay swim, which was one of the best on the complex. This is on The Little lake. He had recieved only two takes during his week session. Normally I would have been in there like a shot, but as he had recieved so little action..................

Little Frank appeared shortly after, for just the last couple of hours of his session, to be spent in the now vacant Breeding bay swim. Half an hour after casting he recieved a take and unfortunately lost the fish that had snaffled his bait. Interesting.......

Frank was duly edged out of the swim, as I had decided it was to be mine! Ok, I was not quite as blatant as that but, I asked if I could set up my Carp house whilst he was still fishing. You get the picture Im sure.

By late afternoon I was set up and angling. Once again on The Little lake, where I had not fished properly for three years. I had however fished for seven years previously, catching all of the bigger fish except one, The Unknown, a thirty pounds plus Carp that is a true British warrior of many years.

The swim itself never used to be anything special and was known as The Silt swim. However a roped off breeding bay had since been opened up, giving this swim direct access to it, one of the Little lake Carps favourite haunts. It is however a difficult swim to fish, as your hookbaits need to be placed accurately, tight to the bank between two sets of Lilly pads, maybe five feet apart. One foot can make a huge difference to your results in this swim. You can walk around and place your free baits by hand, infact you can cast your rig over and drop it in but, thats not my way of angling.

I dispatched two Kilo of Halibut pellets and around 2 kilos of the R and R baits as before and settled to await events. Thunder raged over head that evening and before dark I unfortunately lost two fish. Not a good start but, the fish were not left trailing any tackle. It was now too dark to recast to the pads, so I put one rod down the left hand margin and one to the right, with twelve free baits around each hookbait.

At five thirty am amazingly both margin rods roared off at the same time! This was a first for me at Sutton, my first reaction apart from swearing, was that something was wrong, perhaps the fish had picked up one bait and tangled the other but, both tips were bent to bursting point in different directions. Panic! I struck one, loosened the clutch , then struck the other. There I was standing in my now wet socks with two angry fish attached to my rods. The Thumb a.k.a Matt King, answered my call for help and thankfully held one rod, whilst I played the other fish as hard as I dare. Halfway through the fight I told Thumb that I thought the fish I was playing was a stockie, he then followed by saying the one he had was not! A quick swop of rods and the fights continued. I got the bigger of the two in the net, grabbed the other rod and played that one to the now fish filled net. They weighed 17lb 2 oz, an original Sutton fish and the other a 12lb 8oz Simmonds stockie. I just had to have a brace shot. Not the biggest fish in the lake but an exciting capture that I wanted on film!

The Sun was now up so I placed one rod back to the pads channel and the other back in the margin just in case any late margin cruisers were still around. The session was still to unfold. I had set myself a target of three fish in three nights fishing, I would be happy with that..........

Fish of 12lb 8oz, 17lb 10oz, 10lb and a beautiful 21lb 4 oz linear Mirror fell to my rods, all from the pads. This was getting silly. I was now ten Kilos of baits down! Fish of 13lb 4oz, 14lb 10 oz and 17lb 4 oz and two losses kept me busy still. That night I once again put both hookbaits down the margins along with the lucky twelve freebies each. I settled with a can or 5 of Stella, helped as usual with beer burglar supreme, The Thumb, to await the hoped for five a.m take.

A 19lb Common came just before dawn during a rain storm. It was lashing it down and as usual I had run out from my slumber in just my socks, straight into the puddle that gathers in this swim. In the rain , with wet feet and dressed in only a tshirt I was not about to find myself smiling for the camera , as pretty as the fish was! Matt was up as well, fishing behind me (over my old bait!) and infact had a small common on the bank. Now picture the scene, rain, storms, small Common, darkness. The fish was well hooked, so well in fact that Matt decided it would be easier to ease the hook right through, cut the hooklink, freeing the fish with no damage done. This didnt quite go to plan though! Matt got the hook through, Mr Common flapped, Matt hooked himself in the THUMB with the hooklink still threaded through Mr Common. Hence the nickname The Thumb!

I replaced my right hand rod down the margin followed by another twelve baits. Matt soon packed up and left for work, he he.

At seven a.m I had two bleeps to the replaced right hand rod, followed by an absolute belting take. By the time I hit it, which was only seconds, it had passed underneath Kevin Hillbillys rods, which were hopefully attached to baits fished way out in the lake. A good fight ensued, straight-forward but a good scrap none the less.The now tired Carp hit the spreader block and was engulfed by the mesh of the net. I screamed to Hillbilly to come and help, as I knew this was a lump!

At 31lb 8oz, the fish was a new personal best. I hadnt recognised her at first, but realised this was the fish that I had craved, The Unknown and in great condition, especially given her age, certainly older than me. Photos done, I held her in the water and lovingly stroked her head to say goodbye. What a session this had been, Stella for breakfast then!

I fished on, following the same pattern, pads during the day and margin fished baits at night. I landed further fish of 22lb 10oz, 16lb 10 oz, 11lb 8oz, 13lb, 17lb 10oz and lost a few as well. Purple patch or what? In the end I finished the session of 3 nights and days with 16 Carp and a few losses, which I could not help. Some anglers had only had two fish so far that season, so to say I was chuffed would be an understatement of massive proportions. The weather had been right, the fish were absolutely addicted to the bait and my location had been spot on. It had all gone so well and I knew it would be a long time before I would emulate this result.

To anybody that plans to fish DDAPS Sutton, I hope that the fish bring you as much pleasure as they have given to me. My time there is now at an end, leaving me free to have a crack at the other waters in the Darenth Valley. See you there...............

Spencer