A Waltz in Three Acts

For several years now, spring has been, by far, my favorite season. Naturally, I try to

dedicate as much time to it as possible. Between rivers and vast lakes, the choices are never easy.

So many big waters make me dream, but in the end, it’s always the feeling that guides my decisions.

DESTINATION:

It’s May 2022, spring is at its peak, and my buddy Nico and I are coming off an emotional session packed with action. But now it’s time to leave the carp alone for a while — they’ve started taking care of their yearly “business.”

Nico has to head home, but me? I’m still hungry, and more importantly, I still have some free time ahead of me.

So now comes the big question: where next?

The decision isn’t easy. At this time of year, on many waters, the fish are deep into their spring spawning rituals.

The choice of venue depends heavily on recent weather conditions: temperatures, rainfall, snowmelt, and so on.

After some hesitation, the verdict is in: I’m heading toward a moody, unpredictable lake where I’ve got a serious score to settle.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

As soon as I arrive, I discover the lake in full glory, carved with endless bays and points… Once again, nature blows me away with its beauty.

What a place. An absolute paradise.

I quickly narrow down a few areas that look promising, only to realize that the exact zone I originally wanted to fish is already occupied by two teams.

No big deal. The lake is huge, and over the years I’ve become pretty used to isolating myself far away from other anglers.

So I begin my first week alone on a stretch made up of two small bays — perfect for rotating between spots and “taking the temperature” of the lake over a few days.

During those first nights, I land around ten fish, but nothing really big — at least not the kind of fish I came here looking for.

It’s obvious I’ll need to search elsewhere. My instinct tells me this zone won’t be the place where I fulfil my hopes.

MOMENTS OF DOUBT!

As I leave my first area, I decide to swing by the original zone I had my eye on to see if there’s been any action.

Out on the water, I bump into one of the anglers fishing there. He tells me it’s been extremely tough for them over the past four days — only one fish between three anglers. They’re planning to give it one more night before leaving.

So what do I do?

Take over the swim or move somewhere else?

Maybe they simply missed the mark. Maybe it’s worth gambling on it after all?

The doubt starts taking over my mind.

Honestly, I have no clue.

Whatever decision I make, I have to leave the lake for the evening because I’ve got a birthday party to attend. The perfect opportunity to think things through over a drink… or maybe two… or maybe three…

Alright, I’ll spoil the suspense: I didn’t return to the lake the next day. The party ended far too late during the night…

So it’s only the following day that I finally make my way back to those winding banks.

After unpacking my mountain of gear at record speed, I jump into the boat and head straight toward the famous area to see if someone has taken the swim in the meantime.

Luckily, nobody’s there.

Maybe it’s a sign. Or maybe not…

But after a few drinks over the last couple of days, my gut — and probably my liver too — is telling me to trust my first instinct and settle here.

Just to completely silence the lingering doubt, Dam’s (AKA “Big D” From The Mother Fucking Place To Be) confirms over the phone that the zone is absolutely buzzing.

A few weeks earlier, he and Rom (AKA “R” From The Real West Coast Nigga) had a seriously good session there.

DINNER IS SERVED!!!

I get set up and begin preparing my fishing calmly.

No stress. I’ve got the entire bay to myself, and I already know I’m here for several days.

I want to build this campaign around what feels like a proper holding area and offer the ladies a real feast.

As usual, before heading out on the water with the boat, I launch the drone to get an overall view of what lies ahead.

It allows me to spot fish on the zone, identify disturbed patches, or locate potential patrol routes the carp may be using.Let’s be honest — in springtime, a drone is a massive advantage.

For me, one of its biggest strengths is being able to locate fish while minimizing the risk of spooking them, unlike traditional boat prospecting.

This time though, nothing to report. No visible fish.

So I hop into the boat to study the snags and check things with the echo sounder.

In front of me lies a jungle of submerged bushes and trees sitting in 2 to 4 meters of water.

Studying the area properly is absolutely crucial in order to fish safely and avoid putting

the carp at risk.

Getting bites is great. Landing them is even better.

We’re not here to damage the very fish we love chasing.

No-kill fishing isn’t just about using a decent unhooking mat and releasing the fish afterward — it’s a whole process, and it starts the moment you begin exploring a swim.

Understanding the terrain precisely and identifying what is or isn’t fishable is, in my opinion, a huge part of responsible angling.

It’s important to remember just how vital this phase is, both for fish safety and for future success.

Anyway, back to the story.

Once the swim is fully analyzed and the spots selected, it’s time to set the table.

I spread 25 kilos of boilies and 25 kilos of tiger nuts across the area to encourage the fish to move and feed over a wide zone.

For the first night, none of the rods are going in.

I like letting the area rest so the fish can gain confidence.

After a solid night’s sleep under pouring rain, I wake up to conditions that look pretty

good.

I’m feeling confident.

The day passes by, and in late afternoon I finally drag myself off the bedchair to position the rods, topping things up with another 15 kilos of bait spread over the different spots.

The drags are locked up, the rods secured…

Now all that’s left is to stay alert for the slightest beep.

A SLOW START!

The first evening is quiet.

It takes until midnight for the first bite to pull me out of bed.The rest of the night remains painfully calm.

At dawn, my Delkim finally screams again, leading to a hard-fighting battle with a lovely mirror carp.

Another fish visits me during the day, once again on the same rod, while the others remain mysteriously silent.

As evening settles in, nothing else happens.

What should I do?

On paper, three fish in 24 hours is already decent, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s far more potential here.

What if they’re simply too wary to leave the snags?

Several friends and anglers I know are scattered around the lake, and everyone reports the same thing: the carp are buried deep in the snags, comfortable in their sanctuary, and extremely difficult to pull out.

So before nightfall, I head back onto the water and introduce another 20 kilos of boilies and tiger nuts.

To many people, that might sound completely insane considering the limited results so far, but my gut feeling tells me the fish might finally leave their comfort zone if I increase the temptation enough.

The night is quiet… once again.

It’s 4 a.m. and I suddenly wake up, unable to fall back asleep.

I’m lying there wide awake, questioning my entire approach while dozens of thoughts race through my head.

Did I make the right call?

So far, it certainly doesn’t look like it.

Time for a coffee while staring at the rod tips in the first light of day.

I check the weather forecast for the coming days.

Intense heat is on the way, with not a breath of wind expected.

This could get seriously complicated…

30 DEGREES AND A GLASSY LAKE!

Biiiiippp!

The coffee flies across the bivvy floor and I’m suddenly locked into a brutal battle.

This time, a beautiful common carp opens the day.Barely enough time for photos before another rod tears off.

And just like that, chaos begins.

Without warning, the fish suddenly switch on, allowing me to chain together six bites throughout the day.

The heat is crushing, the thermometer reads 28 degrees, the lake is completely flat calm — yet somehow the fishing is now fully alive.

What an incredible feeling.

As the sun begins to drop, it’s time for another round of bait over the zone.

The night passes… and NOTHING.

Again.

What the hell is happening down there?

At first light, it all starts over exactly like the previous day: regular bites, even hotter temperatures, and another six fish joining the sling.

Perfect.

Even better, the average size keeps creeping upward, which obviously doesn’t disappoint me.

PILI-PILI-PILI!

It definitely seems like the ladies appreciate the buffet, and that appears to be one of the keys to this session.

Daily ration: around 20 kilos of bait (boilies + tiger nuts).

The days pass and start looking identical.

Still no bites during the last five nights, but daytime action remains hectic with an average of five to seven fish every day, all under blazing heat nearing 30 degrees.

And guess what?

Still not a breath of wind.

Honestly, it makes no sense at all…

More and more quality fish begin showing up, but the real big girl still hasn’t appeared.

This session has completely turned into what we’d call a “camping session,” and for once, the urge to move barely crosses my mind.

As long as the bites keep coming like this, I know there’s a very real chance I’ll eventually connect with what I came for.

On top of that, reports from the rest of the lake are extremely quiet, which reassures me that I’m exactly where I need to be, at exactly the right moment.

Late one afternoon, I lose two fish back-to-back.

In fact, they’re the only two fish I lose during the entire session.

But honestly? That hit me hard mentally.

I’m convinced they were proper units.

Yeah, I know… everyone always says, “you only lose the big ones.”

But this time, I’m almost certain of it.

What if the famous “big-fish train” had finally rolled into the station?

Unfortunately, nothing else happens that evening…

But by now, you already know how the next morning goes.

DREAM DAY!!!

By this stage, I’m fully dialed in and ready.

I wake up just before sunrise, smash a strong coffee, and wait for the first take.

7 a.m. — RUUUUNNNN!!!

Game on.

I jump into the boat and immediately feel heavy resistance.

Exactly the same sensations as the day before.

The fight drags on, the fish powers deep, and after several adrenaline-filled minutes, the verdict arrives:

First proper lump of the day!

An hour later — here we go again!!!

Looks like the train I’d been waiting for over the last few days has finally arrived!!!

That gut feeling from the previous evening was absolutely right.

Still under blazing summer-like heat, I go on to land seven more fish over the next few hours, averaging more than 21 kilos!!!

Absolute madness.

I don’t even know where to look anymore.

A proper, proper buzz.And to top it all off, the day ends with an enormous two-tone carp weighing over 26 kilos!

What a feeling to experience moments like this under such incredible conditions, in such a stunning setting.

I know I’m repeating myself, but the combination of all these elements made this session truly unforgettable.

One of those magical springtime feeding frenzies we’re lucky enough to experience when every single factor aligns perfectly — and when you have enough time and bait to fully embrace it.

Another unforgettable memory gifted to me by public waters and vast wild lakes…

Fuel for the dream machine once again.

Dylan

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