My first visit Sandhurst!

A month or so ago, I booked my first-ever trip to R.M.C.'s Sandhurst venue with the lads from www.carp-forums.com.

I’ve been a member for a while and always wondered what it would be like to go fishing with the lads I felt I knew, but had not in-fact met!

Sandurst is down south, for me, just off the m25/m23 near Camberly, that was all I knew!

I made the trip in good time and had enough time to walk the venue. I didn’t see one carp show but I saw a few gravel bars and watched the coots dive down and retrieve beaks full of weed.

I selected a peg in the draw at an end of the lake devoid of anglers. As casting time approached the spods started hitting the water. I decide against doing the same and hoped the carp would be spooked into moving from the lakes largest plateau and move to the safe area... yes in front of me.
By dark on the first night a few tench to high singles had been landed elsewhere - but otherwise - nothing!
In the night I was disturbed by a take that screamed a bream... I wasn’t let down - as a 10lb+ bream was landed after a null void fight.

I re-cast and awoke just before dawn to see all the bobbins in the same place as I had left them after the bream. The sun poked its head out shortly afterwards so I started with a good old English breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs, beans, tinned tomatoes, black pudding and bread 'n' butter, all washed down with a few cups of tea.

Ready to conquer the world I set out my stall of baits and sat back. News came through that a 33lb+ carp had been banked, but not much else. Watford lost to Crystal Palace the night before and as the day progressed my own confidence started to slip away.

In the evening, as with the Friday night, a few gathered and had a pizza delivered to the lake and a few beers were drank. I missed out the first night as I preferred to try and catch a wacker - but alas - no day time action meant I was more than keen on the Saturday night to join in.

We had a great time and it was nice to meet and get to know SteveP, Aidy, Thomo, Berkster, Steph, Carpster, Steve89564332 and a few of the others. I didn’t re-cast as I wasn’t feeling so sober.

By 7am I was up and at 'em. Baits out and a big breakfast eaten, unfortunately it was then time to pack away. As I left I said goodbye to the other anglers still on the bank. A great weekend, even if the fish didn’t want to join in at my end of the lake.

I'd thought about my swim choice (like you do) - and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Would I go back, I hear you ask? Well yes I would. bring it on! Watch this space!

Tight lines

David Williams