Falling between two stones

After the 8lb 8 Zander PB of last week my appetite was well and truly wetted, so a couple of days later I finished work early and got on the Soar, with no rain she is rather slow and clear , and with temperatures in the high teens and the promise of a cold front moving down the country in the next couple of days I didn't want to waste the opportunity. On my trip earlier in the week I'd seen a couple of carp showing and with the area having quite a few features I thought I'd split my options and fish one rod for carp and the other for the Zed's. Carp wise it was hemp, maize and pellets for freebies with either maize, 14mm Halibut or boilie on the hook, my record for Soar carp isn't the best, some 15 rod nights and one 16lb common to show so I'm used to blanking (apart from bream, chub and tench disturbing my sleep ) and suffice to say this rod stayed unbent again.
 The other rod however didn't ,  in fairness I wasted the Zed rod because it was in the river , primed and ready at about 4 pm, several hours too early for my quarry to be feeding, time would have been better spent carp/bream fishing, but hey ho. So the Zed rod didn't move till 8pm when a lean mean pike snaffled my half roach on retrieve, I had a 5lb 8 zander at 9 and then at 11pm a very quick bite was met with solid resistance that then moved off, after a good tussle in the dark , a white submarine glides to the waters surface and slide into the now , a bit too small landing net. I must admit I thought I'd got a double as the fish lay in the net, the scales scoffed me as she went 8lb 12 ,

a new PB and that warm feeling you have when you succeeded in your quest, if only I'd have had both rods out for Zander.........Doh,  I stuck it for all of half an hour then shot off before the chippy shut lol. I did meet a like minded soul on the bank that night, Dan had fished a couple of nights before and had a 4lbish carp after some prebaiting which spurred me on too, on the night in question we had a chat and his fish tally stood at one bream, but as they say, you don't catch fish sat on the sofa, nice to see you Dan keep in touch.
So with autumn really rolling in I'm thinking the carp wont feed quite as freely as the predators, Zeds and pike fpr me for a while then.
AMAL BUSINESS
This time of year brings the Soar Valley Winter League to the fore, and I received the match dates and water booking's from Loughborough Soars Brian Hull, this series of matches really does bring the prime east midlands river anglers together and believe me the competition is fierce. I fished this league for quite a few years and I thought I could fish, but some of these guys could catch fish in Beaumont Leys Leisure pool. So to date the following AMAL stretches are booked for matches , so please don't use them on these dates.


Water Booked                                   Date of Booking         Club Booking Waters Fishpool                                                          26/10/2013       AMAL
R Soar Mounsorrel 1860+waterside               27/10/2013       Jones and Shipman
R Soar Barrow Deeps                                     27/10/2013       SVWL
R Soar 1860 and Cobbles                               3/11/2013         SVWL
R Soar  Deeps                                                 9/11/2013         AMAL
R Soar 1860 + Cobbles                     17/11/2013        SVWL                                          
Fishpool                                                          17/11/2013       Jelson AC
Barrow Canal                                                  24/11/2013       Jones and Shipman
R Soar 1860 and Cobbles                               24/11/2013        SVWL

As ever guys your input adds an extra dimension to the blog so any pictures/catch reports/reminesence's are all welcome, cheers for now Ian