He Who Dares!
Let me start by saying I was absolutely buzzing when Con asked me to do the first piece for the new area on his website! A place where a few of the boys are going to share some tales from time to time to get those juices flowing! I struggle to find stuff to read now, with the "new school" ramming all sorts of nonsense down ya Gregory Peck. So personally, I'm looking forward to reading and finding inspiration from what gets uploaded as the year unfolds! Big ups Conor, you ledge!!
I thought seeing as it's the start of the year, I would outline what exactly gets me into full Ant Middleton mode!

Firstly, and the most obvious is the carp. Although, from time to time there will be a certain "one" I would like in the album. For me, it’s the looks, the age, the history and how rare they are or have become! There’s no feeling like it, more than the one you get when you've dug in on a lake that has broken people down and you’ve pieced it all together. Sheer grit, determination and outright stubbornness!! The punishment us anglers put ourselves through is ridiculous at times, just for those quick few moments we have them in our possession, but it’s all worth it when you’re caring for one of those ultra rare ones! I’ve probably become a product of my environment, as most of us local lads have just naturally found ourselves down this path. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to catch the “Biggun”, but normally it’s the smaller ones that don’t come out as much. They get overlooked and under appreciated, as everything is dominated about weight on social media these days. I’ll give you an example of one - a few years ago my pal Jake was getting right amongst them on Larky, regularly baiting & doing those killer midweek overnighters before work. I sat with him chewing the fat until about 9ish one evening, then got on my toes to get in so I could get a decent kip before work the next day. You know how it is, so easy to get carried away! Anyway, I’m just drifting off when the blower’s gone, “Matty boy you alright to come back and take some pictures, it’s the Iron Mark you’ll want to see this one”. Half 11 and I’m on my way back down the lake buzzing knowing it’s one of the proper rare ones, it didn’t matter about work it was worth the lack of sleep! That carp properly beat Jake up on the mat, I couldn’t stop laughing whilst I was trying to get a few shots of it. We didn’t bother weighing it, it was around mid 20ish, but this is what I’m getting at, that carp is ridiculous! A real leathery one, tiny head, over-slung top lip and tiny heart shaped tail. Then, on one side, it looks as though someone has pressed a hot iron onto it from its dorsal line to midway down its flank! You’ll see from the photos, an absolute belter, a proper sick carp. One that I would love in my album, but I’m just glad I got to see it on the bank man. We’re coming up to 3 years since Jake caught that carp and it still hasn’t been out! Houdini of a fish!
Moving on from the carp, next is the atmosphere of and around the place I’ve chosen to fish. I couldn’t think of anything worse than spending my time around a hole in the ground surrounded by 3 man bivvy’s. Looking out on the lake watching Robot Wars Live, as SunTan John & Tiger Nut Tim fight it out with their bait boats. Battleship to B1!!! I’m lucky that I live smack bang in the middle of an area in Kent, that’s surrounded by historic pits. Each lake feels alive, like it’s got its own soul. I have touched on it before when I’ve spoken about the Ocean lake, but the lake that gives me the shivers even still, is the Railway lake. I remember a few years before I decided to get my ticket, I had gone for a walk around the larkfield complex one Sunday afternoon. Walking down the causeway in between Larky and Railway, I stopped in the Bridge Swim which is midway along that bank. That particular swim gets a good look at the whole lake, a good vantage point! I had been admiring the willow littered bank on the opposite side, when the lily pads to the left of the swim started to rock. As I switched my attention to the pads, one of the good commons came cruising out from underneath and bolted off! I couldn’t believe what I’d seen, knowing that the stock was around 20ish carp left at the time! I lived off that buzz for weeks!! The history of those lakes are instilled into you from a young age growing up in that area, which made it feel so daunting making that jump to angle there. Knowing what’s at stake and what it takes to catch them!

Fast forward a few years and after a winter of plotting, I was ready for when the new ticket was due to start. I had been finding them regularly, then Covid hit! After the initial gut wrenching heartache, I used the time off during furlough to get down there. An hour before first light, then again at sunset. I was seeing them everyday, they knew they weren’t being angled for and they were enjoying it. No one else was about seeing what I was seeing, it felt epic. I used to sit there watching them with goosebumps. So when the time finally came for us to be able to angle again in May, I knew where I needed to be! The opening night was rammo, the lake seemed void of carp as all of a sudden there were so many lines in the water. A few days later, I pushed my barrow into a swim known as Brambles just as it was getting light and it didn’t take long for one to come head and shouldering out. Within 5 minutes I was greeted with what I had been witnessing during those weeks of full lockdown. Big displays in areas of thick eelgrass. I got the tea kit and a bucket off the barrow and sat there all morning into early afternoon watching them, there was no way I was going to ruin this chance! There is a time and a place for putting a rig over a show but this wasnt it! Once they moved off and with a light lead on I had a quick flick around the zone. I found that sweet spot, got two rigs on it then baited with some chops. Now you do not need me to tell you how confident I felt but I had no right to feel that way, it was my second night on the Railway Lake!! Honestly the atmosphere of that place heightens every single one of your senses. I was wired that evening, pumped full of adrenaline, charged full of nervous energy, eyes constantly scanning the water. A few hours before dark they started to show themselves again, the odd show in and around the area. Then wallop, straight over the spot Scaley came out like a Tarpon. You know the sort of show when they seem to hover for what feels an eternity! I remember picking up my phone and messaging a few of the boys: Garth, Nath and Choppa. Each one of them pretty much said the same thing, you’ll have that by the morning!! It took me forever to get to sleep that night, then at half 4 the receiver started to rattle about on the bucket. My alarms were on mute, as was the receiver with just the vibration setting on. I didnt want to risk letting the lake know if I found myself lucky enough to trip one of these old fossils up! I poked my head out of the sleeping bag to see the right hand tip bouncing, the bobbin was erratically moving up and down and instantly I thought, Tench. However, as soon as I picked the rod up the fish flat rodded me as it surged off the spot, my knees went straight away! I was playing a Railway carp at sunrise, one of the most magical but stressfully tense moments I have ever had!! I saw what was on the end early on in the fight, and after a real epic battle in close, that resulted in me jumping in to net it... Scaley was mine!

Once I had made sure the fish was safe and the phone calls were made, I had a good five minutes of being sick in the wooded area behind the swim. All that adrenaline, the sheer buzz, every emotion I was feeling, it was although I had overdosed on it all and my body couldn’t take it. That is what I am looking for from the venues I chose! I always say I wish I could bottle those moments in liquid form, imagine being able to take a swig of that on a down day!
I’ll finally end on the other anglers that are also angling on the lake. Although ultimately we go for ourselves, to hit whatever targets we have set out to achieve, a good group of boys (or girls in case the snowflakes get on my back!!!) adds to the lake's atmosphere. BBQ’s and a few beers in the warmer months and copious amounts of tea huddled around a small fire in the colder months. Sharing the buzz when one of the gooduns have been out, to sharing stories which keep each other inspired and motivated throughout the hardest of hard spells. Which is what Conor is creating for you on this website. I always touch on it but the true essence of why we go gets lost as anglers battle it out with each other. Jealousy and bitterness replacing what should be pure happiness, as you enjoy so many sunrises and sunsets in some magical places! Get lost in the journey, share in the buzz and most importantly enjoy every bloody moment!!!
Much love Matty Hennon