Home|
News|
News Stories

Father and daughter enjoy perfect carp session on famous water

A 72-hour trip to one of the UK’s most famous carp waters proved to be an unforgettable adventure for eight-year-old Amelia Rose Jervis...

by Freddie Sandford |

Updated on9th April 2026 at 11.19am

Some fishing trips stay with you forever, and our recent session at Yateley Pads Lake was definitely one of those.

My dad had told me lots of stories about the lake before we went. He said it was a really famous carp lake with loads of history and some amazing fish living in it, so I was really excited when we planned a 72-hour session there.

There were five of us on the trip – four adults and me. I was the youngest at eight years old, and I was fishing with my dad and some of our close friends, including our mate Michael.

It already felt like it was going to be a special trip, and we were all excited to see what the Pads might give us.

When we arrived, the lake looked amazing. Even though it’s such a famous place, it still felt really peaceful standing on the bank and looking out over the water.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN CARP FISHING, HERE IS A GREAT BEGINNERS GUIDE...

Fishing photos don't get much better than this!

Working it out

Before we even put the rods out, my dad and I spent time watching the lake for signs of fish showing.

We spotted some jumping towards the far bank, so we knew that was where we needed to focus. We chose a swim in the middle so we could cover a big area between us and, because there were two of us, we could spread the rods out and try different spots.

Instead of putting loads of bait out with a spod, we kept things really simple. We used catapults to introduce small amounts of bait across the area. The idea was to get the fish moving around and feeding confidently, rather than just sitting in one tight spot.

For rigs, we used spinner rigs with yellow Sweetcorn Pillow pop-ups from Elevate Baits. They really stood out in the water, and we felt confident the carp would find them.

THESE ARE THE ONLY CARP RIGS YOU'LL EVER NEED!

The rods were soon out

Session of all seasons

The weather over the three days was all over the place. We started with a bit of sunshine, but that didn’t last long. Rain rolled in, and then we had a big storm with winds of around 40mph pushing across the lake.

By the final morning it had turned freezing cold – our landing net and unhooking mat were actually frozen! But none of that really mattered. We were fishing, and we were loving every minute of it.

My first thirty

Soon after getting everything set up and watching the water, something truly amazing happened. My rod screamed off! The alarm was going crazy and I grabbed the rod straight away. As soon as I lifted into the fish, I could feel it pulling hard. My heart was beating really fast and everyone started watching.

Dad stayed close to help me, but I really wanted to play the fish myself. It fought hard, but slowly I brought it closer. Then it rolled. Suddenly, everyone got really excited. Dad slipped the net under the fish, and we had it!

When we lifted it on to the mat, I couldn’t believe how big it was. It was a beautiful mirror carp, and when we weighed it, the scales went round to 30lb. I had caught my first-ever 30lb carp! Everyone was cheering and congratulating me, and I couldn’t stop smiling.

Dad told me that catching a ‘thirty’ from Yateley Pads is something really special, especially at my age. I felt incredibly proud, and it was a moment I’ll never forget.

THE BEST CARP RODS WILL HELP YOU TAME EVER THE BIGGEST CARP!

Amelia hitting a milestone with her first 30!

Double trouble

I didn’t think the trip could get any better, but the next day things got even more exciting. The wind was pushing across the lake and the conditions were pretty rough, but suddenly both rods went off at the same time.

Everyone rushed to help and after some tense moments, both carp were safely in the nets. The first was a lovely 20lb linear mirror, but the second fish was something really special.

When Dad weighed it, it went 38lb 9oz – a new PB for him. Even better, the fish didn’t have a name yet and he said we could name it. We decided to call it Rose, after my middle name – Amelia Rose.

THESE ARE THE BEST WATERS TO TRY AND CATCH A CARP OVER 20LB...

A memorable moment for the duo

Everyone got in on the action

Our friend Michael had been watching where we were catching from and decided to move closer to us. It turned out to be a great decision as, not long after settling in, his alarm screamed off and he was into a powerful fish.

We all watched as he carefully played it through the waves and wind. When it finally hit the net, it went 35lb 2oz – another new PB! It was a stunning common carp, and everyone on the bank was celebrating again.

But the session still had one more special moment in store for us. On the final morning, at around 3am, Dad’s alarm went off in the freezing cold. I jumped up to help. The net was partly frozen, which made things really tricky, but I helped guide it while Dad carefully played the fish. Together, we managed to land a lovely mirror carp.

Even though we were cold and tired, it felt really special helping Dad land a fish in the middle of the night.

Looking back, the session had everything – sunshine, rain, storms and freezing cold mornings.... my first 30lb carp... Dad catching a new PB and naming a Pads Lake fish. Not to mention Michael landing his PB common and helping Dad land a fish in the freezing dark.

Fishing trips like this are about much more than just catching fish. They’re about the memories, the excitement when the alarms sound, and the time you spend with the people around you. I can’t wait to go back.

The view on the final morning

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us