Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
dmdmdtvs
  • 2 days ago
The Grand Fishing Adventure S01E03
Transcript
00:00Weee, gotcha!
00:05Oh, that was close, wasn't it?
00:07That'd have been as rare as seeing you score at Anfield, that.
00:15Two friends.
00:16I'm glad you gave me the head end.
00:18On a fishing bucket list tour.
00:21Lovely fish.
00:22Footballing fisherman Bobby Zamora.
00:24That is the greatest fishing moment of my life.
00:27And me, Ali Hamidi.
00:29Oh, yeah!
00:31Oh, he's gotcha!
00:32We're kicking off in the Great British Isles.
00:35Look at that coastline.
00:37Visiting some of its most iconic angling venues.
00:40It's more like the Copacabana.
00:42Living it up Bankside.
00:44This is incredible. Ours is not looking like that, is it?
00:47And we'll be catching some of Britain's biggest and best fish.
00:51Wow. UK, thank you.
00:53Got my new PB.
00:55Big gal!
00:56This is the Grand Fishing Adventure.
01:00Well, it's a plodder.
01:01I think we've got a decent fish here, you know.
01:03Go on, Al.
01:04Go on, Al.
01:21Well, here we are in the beautiful village or town of Rautam.
01:26Loudham.
01:27Loudham.
01:28Loudham!
01:32What are the chances?
01:34Get it?
01:35No, I don't.
01:36I'm known for being loud.
01:38Yeah.
01:39Loudham.
01:40You get it though, innit?
01:41No, I don't.
01:42Ah, Zamo.
01:43His head has obviously been hit by too many footballs.
01:46Anyway, we were in Nottinghamshire on our way to the county's most famous river at a stretch near to Gunform.
01:52Here she is.
01:53The mighty river Trent.
01:55I'm excited for this.
01:57I really am.
01:58And so was I.
01:59The reason we were here, the Prince of the River, otherwise known as the Barbel.
02:05This torpedo-shaped river brew is built for power.
02:09To catch a double figure barbel is a massive achievement and this stretch has been known to produce many large doubles, up to an eye-watering 19 pounds.
02:18A fish called Delilah.
02:20But conditions were far from ideal.
02:22The Trent is the UK's third longest river.
02:25Some people believe that the name is linked to the Celtic word for strong flood and it was pretty much living up to its name.
02:32I must say though, I feel like I should probably have my crash helmet and my raft with me.
02:37It does look pretty lively.
02:39The thing is, one of the good things to remember about barbel fishing and river fishing is floodwater fishing can often be prolific.
02:47But it can also be completely the other way and rubbish.
02:50Well listen, I'm excited.
02:52My first time actually targeting barbel out and outright.
02:55So listen, my PB is not going to be hard to beat.
02:59One ounce.
03:00Exactly.
03:02We had two nights ahead of us and we were fishing straight through.
03:05The mission, to both catch a barbel, then hopefully to tick one off over the magical ten pound barrier.
03:11Current barbel experience, Robert De Niro.
03:14But I've come to one of the best rivers in the country, the Trent, to try and catch some.
03:19There's some huge barbel here as well and I'm super excited.
03:23It's going to be hard.
03:24This cold water is definitely going to affect the fishing.
03:27Flooding through, chucking through, white water.
03:30So the targets are modest, you know.
03:32Time for me to show Zammo the barbel rigs.
03:35So look, there's a bit of a theme here.
03:38Everything's big and bulky.
03:39The reason is you've got a ten ounce gripper to hold the bottom because the water's flowing so fast.
03:44A feeder stuffed with stinky ground bait that's eight ounces in weight.
03:48Again, to hold bottom, okay.
03:50But then the bit of finesse, you've got probably two, two and a half foot of fluorocarbon, ten pounds.
03:56Eight, size eight hook.
03:58Could go up to six, the barbel is so big here.
04:00And then really there, you've got, look, these two little, I suppose, 12 mil quad boilies.
04:05And what I like to do, to add to the smell, wrap them in paste.
04:09Okay, like that.
04:10So that gives you a little ball.
04:12And really, with the paste plugged into the big lead, paste wrapped on that one as well,
04:17and that stinky ground bait, everything is geared up to smell.
04:21Yeah.
04:22Yeah?
04:23Bit like you, 90 minutes on the football pitch.
04:25What do you smell like when you come off?
04:26Fantastic.
04:27That's what we want in that ground bait.
04:29Exactly.
04:30So, feeders and leads filled with barbel bomb baits, stinky link hook baits.
04:34Oh, it was time to rock and roll.
04:37Roads are out.
04:44Let's get a bit of grubbing now.
04:47I filled a large feeder on my extra rod to get some bait out upstream of where we were both fishing,
04:53to create a scent trail through the murky water for the barbel to hopefully home in on.
04:59It wasn't long before we realised we faced a battle with the flood water.
05:03Welcome to the jungle.
05:06It's going to be a few days of this, I think.
05:09Plenty of debris.
05:11Such a fun game.
05:12Such a fun game.
05:13Oh, and a bird's point.
05:14Has he got a really high rig?
05:16Just to love it.
05:17Love it.
05:18A shocker of a start.
05:20You look like you've just been hit with a wet kipper.
05:25Your body language is disgusting.
05:27What are you saying, pal?
05:29This is like Barcelona playing on a boggy pitch in the middle of January in scumful.
05:38You're negative, I'm positive.
05:43I'm open mate, I'm clutching, come on.
05:45We've just been here a couple of hours.
05:47Stay positive with me.
05:48Clutching some wanderers?
05:49Yeah, clutching some wanderers.
05:51I just wish I shared Zamora's optimism.
06:02Oh yeah!
06:03Yeah!
06:04We're on!
06:06You've been proven wrong mate.
06:09I've been proven wrong.
06:12I have to get down there.
06:13You alright, pal?
06:15Whatever it was, it didn't feel massive.
06:17We'll have to get down here.
06:19Oi, that's a proper surprise mate.
06:21What is it even?
06:23What is it?
06:24A grayling?
06:25I reckon the lead's heavier.
06:27What is it?
06:28That's a barbel.
06:29I'm not even joking, that's a barbel mate.
06:31Look.
06:34That's the smartest barbel in the history of the River Trent.
06:38Oi, this would be your PB.
06:40What are you laughing at?
06:41No, I'm buzzing for it mate.
06:42I'm more pleased that it shut you up to be honest.
06:45You doubted the swim, you doubted the conditions,
06:47and we've got one in the net.
06:48Shush!
06:49Shush!
06:50Shush!
06:51With a finger in the shush.
06:52Shush now, little boy.
06:53Little barbel.
06:54Ah, brilliant.
06:55Well, he's kept his dorsal up.
06:57Well done.
06:58We were at least off the mark.
07:00It was about one and a half pounds.
07:02Perfection in miniature.
07:05Several hours later, another barbel joined the party.
07:08Oh!
07:09Oh, there it is.
07:10Oh, it's a...
07:11Look at that leather.
07:12I know.
07:13Honestly, I told you.
07:18I told you it happened.
07:20I knew it was going to happen first evening.
07:22Eat your words, eh?
07:23Eat your words.
07:24Oh, there we go.
07:26They are growing in size very nicely indeed.
07:30Honestly, you need to be optimistic in this game.
07:34He knows what he's talking about.
07:36We were certainly going in the right direction.
07:39Just needed Zammo to catch now.
07:41The following morning, we were greeted by the sight of the water level having dropped,
07:47which was good news for the fishing.
07:49There was a spot a couple of hundred yards up the river called the Island Swim at the Weir.
07:55Often a prolific area for day bites, we'd been told.
07:58So we decided to give it a go.
08:00The water drop meant it was now just about fishable.
08:04Apparently.
08:05Al, this is looking very much like the river Congo.
08:11Is this actually going to hold bottom?
08:14You are asking the wrong man.
08:16I mean, have you ever fished on the bank with a life jacket on?
08:19That's a great point, actually.
08:23That puts it into perspective, doesn't it?
08:26Well, let's go, let's go.
08:41Al, I'm going to call it a day, mate, on this little stretch.
08:46I'm going to get back down to where we was, mate.
08:48Are you serious again already?
08:49Yes, mate, yeah.
08:50Oh.
08:51Have fun watching that lead bounce about.
08:53So Bob sacked off the Weir, returned to base camp and got the rods back out sharpish
08:58in the hope of breaking his barbled duck.
09:00Quack, quack.
09:01Leaving me to see out the last few hours of daylight alone.
09:08Whoa, look at that.
09:10What about that?
09:13We have caught.
09:15We have caught.
09:17Barely.
09:18I think that's a little barble.
09:20What about that?
09:21Got my new PB.
09:22New PB barble.
09:25Smashed.
09:26Absolutely smashed.
09:27Look at that.
09:28Little barble.
09:29Unbelievable.
09:30That looks suspiciously like a gudgeon to me.
09:34I'll let him know later.
09:37Absolutely amazing.
09:38Go on, off you go.
09:40Meanwhile, back at the Weir.
09:42Oh.
09:43That's a bite, innit?
09:44Yeah, we're on.
09:45Never give up.
09:49Have we got ourselves a double finger barble?
09:55Gab, get him mate.
09:56Just stay safe and stay low.
10:00Luckily, crew member Gabby was at hand to help.
10:04I tell you what, I think this is a good fish.
10:07Oh, they're big lunges.
10:09We might have a proper barble here.
10:12Oh yeah, it's a barble.
10:16Oh, it's treacherous.
10:18Right, Gab, ready?
10:21You got it.
10:22You got it.
10:23Well done.
10:24Well done.
10:25The big question.
10:27Had I completed the full mission with a double?
10:30No.
10:31No, I'm miles out.
10:32I'm miles out.
10:33It is not a double.
10:35A lovely old fish.
10:37That'll warm anyone up on a November's day.
10:40Wicked.
10:41What did it go, Al?
10:438 pounds 11.
10:45Fair play.
10:46Good angling to the man.
10:47Stuck it out in there.
10:48In that white water.
10:50With his crash helmet, his life vest and his raft.
10:52Good angling.
10:53Back she went and back I went to base camp
10:56to get the rods out for the final night.
10:59Coming up, Bob's barble bubble bursts.
11:02He be broken?
11:03Yeah, mate.
11:04It's up to bits.
11:05It's in it.
11:06So you've never had a gudging before?
11:07Barble.
11:14Less than 24 hours remained on the trend.
11:17I'd come the closest to completing our £10 barble mission.
11:20No, I'm miles out.
11:21It is not a double.
11:22And Bob thought he'd finally broken his lifelong barble blank.
11:26Look at that.
11:27Little barble.
11:28Unbelievable.
11:29What an absolute banger.
11:39Absolute chuffed with myself today.
11:42Look at it.
11:43Perfection.
11:46PB broken?
11:47Yeah, mate.
11:48Chuffed.
11:49Chuffed to bits.
11:50Seen it?
11:51Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:53So you've never had a gudging before then, no?
11:55Barble.
11:56Barble.
11:57No, no, no, mate.
11:59Have a close look.
12:00Little inspection, look.
12:01That's it.
12:02Have a look at that tail.
12:03Look at that tail.
12:04Barble have dots on them, do they?
12:05On their tails?
12:06Do they have, like, bright black marks?
12:08Never caught one, pal, so.
12:09Still haven't.
12:11Must try harder, Zamo.
12:16I thought I'd join the barble club.
12:19A few hours later, he was into something else that looked small.
12:25Another specimen gudging?
12:27No, it's a barble.
12:31Get in there.
12:32Hallelujah.
12:33Hallelujah.
12:34And there is my PB.
12:38What a cracker.
12:41It's the size of a cracker, more like.
12:44The following day, it was our last chance to hit the double figure mark.
12:53So, we headed back to the weir for one final roll of the dice.
13:06Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
13:13Swimming upstream.
13:14I like that when they do that.
13:16Only a big fish could swim against an immense current like this.
13:20Don't like the grating, though.
13:24Ah, it's off.
13:27Cut off, I think.
13:29No!
13:30So, what's happened is, where he's bouncing on the bottom, the point's been damaged, which happens out there.
13:40So, then you haven't got good penetration with the hook.
13:43When you do hook a fish, the hook is only just in.
13:46That is gutting.
13:49Do you know what?
13:53I don't normally get too upset when I lose a fish.
13:55I always think, oh, I'll get another bite.
13:57But when you know that bites are going to be very hard to come by.
14:00Today, when I lost that fish, I sort of felt like that might be our only chance.
14:05That could have been the big double I was waiting for.
14:08It wasn't to be.
14:10Gutted.
14:11For the remaining few hours, we swapped sides to give Bob a go on the more fruitful left area.
14:18Whee!
14:19Gotcha!
14:20Oh, that is close, isn't it?
14:22That'd have been as rare as seeing you score at Anfield, that.
14:26But the day flew past with, unfortunately, no more pulls.
14:32Oh, well, looks like we have missed out on the dream big barbell.
14:42Dream big barbell, yeah.
14:44But personal best barbell, I've achieved.
14:47Let's wind him in.
14:50On to the next one.
14:52I really didn't fancy to catch anything, actually, and we ended up catching a few.
14:56So, proud that we caught on our first trip to a river.
15:00I've never fished before, but just didn't get that monster.
15:03But it sets it up.
15:04We can always come back.
15:06That's what fishing's all about.
15:08But for myself, I'm a happy chap.
15:10I've caught my first ever barbell and two species on this trip as well.
15:14Since our barbell trip, the winter passed and spring had arrived.
15:25The reason for the wait?
15:27Ah, this is funny.
15:30I've managed to secure exclusive permission to fish in untapped private water,
15:35one of many in the UK.
15:37This particular top secret lake just happened to be owned by a good friend of mine.
15:41This venue is so far under the radar that even Bob couldn't know the details.
15:53Rubber.
15:54What's happening?
15:55I'm very sorry to have to do this to you.
15:58Give me your phone.
15:59OK.
16:00Give me your phone.
16:02Lovely.
16:03Now for the best bit.
16:06Batman.
16:07Think Batman.
16:08Come here.
16:10Mate, honestly, I'm not...
16:12I'm not a good...
16:15Oh.
16:16Car sickness is going to kick in, I think.
16:18Come here.
16:19OK.
16:20So, can you...
16:21Can you definitely not see?
16:22Mate, can't...
16:23Did you see...
16:24Honestly.
16:25Bruv.
16:26Did you see that?
16:27Right, OK.
16:28Honestly, you're definitely going to have a bit of my porridge over the dashboard.
16:31You definitely can't see that.
16:33Don't.
16:34Alright, no, no, just checking because this is important.
16:36It's a sharp turn.
16:37I'm really, really, really not enjoying this already.
16:41But I was loving it.
16:43We had a long drive ahead of us to somewhere here in England.
16:48Location classified.
16:50We're going to somewhere very special, mate.
16:53It's a big mystery because you don't really know what's in it.
16:58Flip it.
16:59Oh.
17:00Hey.
17:01Mate.
17:02You got this for about two and a half hours.
17:07Actually, it was only a 40 minute drive.
17:09I was winding him up.
17:11Listen, your van is going to absolutely stink if you carry on like this, mate.
17:15Honestly, I guarantee you...
17:16How is it?
17:17We're on a straight road here.
17:18Yeah.
17:19Badger.
17:20Badger.
17:21Badger.
17:22Badger.
17:23Honestly.
17:24Massive badger.
17:25I thought it was a little extreme.
17:26The distance I had to go with a blindfold on.
17:28To be honest, as soon as I put it on, I felt sick in the van as well.
17:32I mean, it just wasn't a nice feeling at all.
17:37You've arrived, you know.
17:40We're here.
17:41Can I take it off?
17:42No.
17:43I'm going to come and help you out.
17:44Don't want you to walk into a tree.
17:48God, that's over.
17:49Don't be silly.
17:50No, man.
17:51I'm not going to be silly.
17:52Wait there.
17:53Right.
17:54I'm going to guide you.
17:55We're going to go onto black ground.
17:56Sit, mate.
17:57Just walk steady.
17:58Nice clean walk here.
17:59Don't.
18:00Nice clean walk here.
18:01Sorry, sorry, sorry.
18:02Move.
18:03Sorry.
18:04I didn't see the rocks, mate.
18:05I didn't see the rocks.
18:06Honestly, I didn't see the rocks.
18:07You're so big.
18:08Change of footing coming up.
18:09You're always on holiday, so you'd be used to this feeling.
18:10Right.
18:11Stop there.
18:12Mr. Zamora, I'd like to welcome you to Carpe Corner.
18:13Mate, a carpe-y corner is more like the Copacabana.
18:14I'd like to welcome you to Carpe Corner.
18:19Carpe Corner?
18:20It's more like the Copacabana, I would like to welcome you to Carpe Corner.
18:24I'd like to welcome you to Carpe Corner, mate.
18:26You're always on holiday, so you'd be used to this feeling.
18:30Right, stop there.
18:33Mr Zamora, I'd like to welcome you to Carpy Corner.
18:39Mate, a carpy corner, it's more like the Copacabana.
18:43Is there actually carp in here?
18:45Not half, mate.
18:49This secret lake appears to be a carp angler's dream.
18:53Gin clear water, tree-lined margins, weedy areas, clear spots and supposedly some very stunning carp.
19:03Only one man has info on it and we've been told to keep his identity anonymous.
19:12I got the lake about ten years ago, since I started fishing here.
19:17A hundred plus good carp have come out of there.
19:21Good carp, pretty carp and good nick.
19:23Total number, we don't know.
19:25If we did, probably wouldn't tell you.
19:27The biggest one that's come out there is forty-plus.
19:30But if you ask me, I think there's fish in there that might be bigger.
19:33I've seen quite a few mystery shadows floating around in areas that are quite inaccessible, hard to get to.
19:41I was going to give some advice, I'd say target snags.
19:44Don't put too much bait in.
19:46You sit on your rods, tight lines, you haven't got a lot of time when a fish does take it.
19:52I'm very lucky to have access to such a special water and hopefully we can keep it a nice secret, even after this video comes out.
20:01Only one gentleman has been fishing this lake for three or four years.
20:07So it really, really is an unknown what is actually in here and that's the exciting part, you know, us being able to fish it hard for a few days and really see if there's something special in here.
20:18I don't think the stock in here is that high, it won't be easy, every bite is going to be exhilarating and size, well, that's the whole magic of coming to somewhere mythical.
20:32You never know what's going to bite.
20:35God, look at that.
20:38So many options, I really don't know where to start but it's very exciting.
20:43It was a very special venue that even comes with bankside quirks.
20:49For example, it has wood carvings all over the shop.
20:52Hang on a minute, they look familiar.
20:55We had four nights ahead of us with limited intel, therefore timers of the essence and rigs were top of the agenda.
21:02Fluorocarbon D-rig, completely invisible.
21:05Needs to be as well in this gin clear water and if they are a little bit spooky, this will do the job.
21:13Bob was going for the same stealth D-rig on all rods but with different coloured and flavoured higher tracked hook baits and I'd gone for two similar D-rigs and a spinner rig, which would sit the bait up just off the lake bed.
21:26Neither of us would be casting as we needed pinpoint accuracy to find holes in the weed and to get some rods tight to the snags.
21:34Good thing about gin clear water is you can see the bottom.
21:39I'm certainly going to get out there on the boat, have a look for some spots, find some clear areas and try and drop the rigs to start with by hand.
21:48We were both looking for spots clear of weed, either right near the snags where the carp would be hiding and visiting or clear areas just off the bank.
21:56Well, I'm going to put the first rod out.
21:59We've got a lot of stumps in that here.
22:02They come a long way out and then there's a big shallow area just down there.
22:08Perfect for presenting one of my hook baits.
22:11Let's get the rig out.
22:14I very gently placed it onto the clear spot.
22:18Bob did the same in his swim, which was about 150 yards to my right.
22:22We scattered a few cell boilies, particles and pellets to hopefully draw in the carp.
22:28We just hoped it wouldn't attract any unwanted species.
22:32We've both repeated the process for all rods.
22:35All three rods out, obviously very happy, hand-placed myself, so fingers crossed for the evening.
22:48Ready to rumble, hopefully we get to unveil some of the lake's mysteries.
22:53There's a chance on lakes like this that you get a quick bite, one of us gets a quick bite and then that could spook the fish out of the area.
23:00Because I have fished virgin lakes before and it's the opposite of what people might think.
23:05They don't just hang themselves and get bite after bite.
23:08The fish move off as soon as there's danger in the area.
23:12I'm just so excited for what's in this lake and what we may catch.
23:17We were setting our fishing mission high.
23:20The ultimate goal would be to catch a 30 pound plus carp.
23:24But could we do it?
23:26Well, we're away.
23:33That was a bolt out of the blue.
23:35I don't think this is a carp.
23:38How's in?
23:40I'm guessing probably a tench.
23:44Looks like a small fish, though.
23:47Tench.
23:47Ah, well, we did say it was going to be a guessing game.
23:55Need a landing there.
23:58There we go.
24:01Well, it's our first fish from the secret lake.
24:09Fair play.
24:09Well, our first fish.
24:14And it was a tinker.
24:16The Latin name for the humble tench.
24:18Tinker, tinker.
24:19A lovely species.
24:21I just hope we don't get bothered by them.
24:24Coming up.
24:25Bob becomes bemused.
24:26What have you got, Bob?
24:27Sun, sea, sand and tench.
24:30We were at a secret lake somewhere in England.
24:41Even Bob didn't know where it was.
24:43It's more like the Copacabana.
24:44Our mission?
24:45To catch a 30 pound carp.
24:47But so far all we'd caught was a tench.
24:50It's our first fish.
24:55Oh, oh.
24:56Oh, there you go.
24:58We're in.
24:58Yep.
25:00I think I'm dragging weed.
25:04Rather than a fish, I can see bubbles coming up from the bottom.
25:09But it's, yeah, I don't think there's a fish on here.
25:13Are you sure it's not one of our friends with those cute little teddy bear eyes?
25:18I seem to have myself a nice tench.
25:21What have you got, Bob?
25:22Sun, sea, sand and tench.
25:26He told me it's a carp lake.
25:28He told me it's a carp lake.
25:29Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
25:35Was this our first carp?
25:36Surely it couldn't be a team trio of tench.
25:39He's in again.
25:41I think I've got another tench.
25:42Tinker number two for me, it was tench-tastic all around the gaff.
25:50Not really what we wanted.
25:52Sorry, Mr. Tench.
25:55Oh, OK.
25:56It's like that is it.
25:59Naughty little so-and-so.
26:01A nightmare start.
26:02Where were these mysterious carp?
26:04Had we been given false intel?
26:06Rigs were refreshed in the hope we hadn't.
26:09Surely not the quadruple.
26:19Definitely not a tench, I don't think.
26:22And then there's plenty of weed everywhere, so you can feel it every now and then catching the weed.
26:27Come on, Zamo.
26:29Guide it through the weed and snags.
26:31What was the mystery lake going to throw up this time?
26:34Yes, that's what we want.
26:36Nice one, son.
26:38Our first...
26:39Little carp.
26:44Nice.
26:46Get in there.
26:47£14.1.
26:49It's not going to beat my PB, but it's a start.
26:52Let's get you back.
26:55We were finally off the carp mark.
26:58Hopefully we'd seen the back of the tench too, at least for now.
27:02I then had a bite that I was certain was a carp, but it got instantly snagged and I went out in the boat to try and free it, but to no avail.
27:10No fish on that.
27:12So I rigged, snagged fish, gone through the trees.
27:17An hour later and Bob was in again.
27:21A mysterious shape emerged from the depths.
27:25Another carp and this one looked bigger.
27:28They'd obviously now found the bait and were bullying the tench out of the way.
27:33And the branch as well.
27:35So just shy of £20, but a mint, a mint little thing.
27:41So I'm over the moon with this.
27:43Excited to see what else we can catch.
27:45Another mystical piece of the jigsaw was returned to the secret lake.
27:53The Dazzler was on fire.
27:56Another one safely in the back of the net.
27:59A carp hat trick for Zamora.
28:02Only small, but a massive achievement and one more step closer to that £30 carp.
28:07Just after first light, I got another chance.
28:18This one, I'd manage to safely guide away from the snags.
28:22Right, let's see if we can get this in the net.
28:25Look at this scaly fish.
28:26Look, that's a mega.
28:29Come on, come on.
28:31Look at that net.
28:33Ready?
28:34Yes.
28:36Woo!
28:39Nice carp.
28:42Nice.
28:42A beautiful landmark carp.
28:46Our biggest so far.
28:50Look at that carp.
28:53How should you start with that?
28:56Well, we've worked through some tench.
28:59Had some dramas.
29:01Had no sleep.
29:02We caught a carp like that.
29:05That'll do.
29:06That'll do lovely.
29:08Yes.
29:09That is a proper leany.
29:12You know, small, tiny fins, fully scaled, a proper mega carp.
29:18I am really, really happy with that.
29:21The leany strain of carp is one of the original, most beautiful strains in the UK.
29:26We seem to have caught the carp well and truly off their guard.
29:30We needed to make the most of it.
29:32In case these wily old warriors wised up.
29:35I'm really happy with the start because Bobby's caught.
29:39So his confidence will be high.
29:40He'll be happy with his swim.
29:42And then I'm off the mark as well.
29:44So we couldn't really have wished for more than that.
29:47What an electric 24 hours.
29:49And of course, we were now hungry.
29:52I had just the answer.
29:53I smuggled carp angler and two Michelin star chef Daniel Clifford into the secret venue.
29:59Be careful, though.
30:00I'm going to walk you around the wing mirror.
30:02Yep.
30:02That's it.
30:03On the, on, there you go.
30:04Lovely.
30:05Right.
30:05Lovely.
30:06It's very smooth on the feet.
30:07No rocks on this part, boy.
30:09No rocks on this part, no.
30:11Ah, we take you to some nice places, don't we?
30:13You never expected this, did you?
30:14What a beautiful location.
30:16So we're going to do katsu chicken with pilar rice and a nice sauce to go with it.
30:20It's very, very simple.
30:21I'll take you through it and then you both can cook your dinner.
30:24So we're going to start.
30:25A little bit of oil in the pan.
30:27So onions and garlic.
30:29Now the rice.
30:30500 mils of chicken stock.
30:31The whole bottle?
30:32The whole bottle.
30:33It's all weighed out for you.
30:33That's easy for you.
30:34See, the problem is I didn't concentrate at school, I just spoke all the time.
30:38Yeah, we know that, mate.
30:40We know that.
30:41Right, so now we have the chicken breast.
30:43That goes straight into the flour, the egg.
30:46Yeah.
30:47And then that goes in there.
30:48Right, rice is coming up.
30:50Timer on for that for four minutes.
30:51Some lime yoghurt, the cucumber, coriander, shallots that have been cooked in white wine vinegar.
30:56Right, this is butternut squash.
30:58Yeah.
30:58I've diced.
30:59That goes in when we get down to a minute.
31:00What are you laughing at?
31:06Too much to take in.
31:08I mean, yeah, it's going to be fun.
31:10Right, and what we need to do is wrap this up.
31:12Right, this is really important for the rice.
31:1420 minutes on the timer.
31:15Chicken in.
31:16About six minutes cooking.
31:17Chicken's resting.
31:18Now we have the sauce.
31:19That looks like a baby poo.
31:22Rice is ready.
31:23Now we've just got to fluff it up.
31:26Put the sauce on first.
31:29Cucumber and me.
31:30There you go, katsu chicken.
31:34Ours is not looking like that, is it?
31:36Oh, I hope so.
31:37It might look like that, but I don't think it's going to taste like that.
31:40It's not going to be easy, no, but like Daniel said, it isn't rocket science.
31:45So it's just getting the right order for the right amount of times.
31:49It's whether I can remember that.
31:50Do you want some of this, because this one's edible?
31:52No, I'm going to try yours.
31:54I'm really looking forward to see if you've paid attention.
31:57I do fancy myself in the kitchen.
31:59I ain't bad.
32:00I'm above average.
32:01Better than Bob.
32:04Right, boys, let's see who the better chef is.
32:05So the cook-off was on.
32:12Wish we had a screen in between, to be honest.
32:14It's just going to copy me the whole time.
32:17Bobby, you look like you really paid attention.
32:20Yeah, well, one of us was.
32:21The other one was just talking the whole time, wasn't it?
32:22Look at the way I'm sprinkling this in.
32:25Look at the TLC.
32:27This part, I've nailed.
32:29Add four items to it.
32:33Snow in.
32:34Look at Zamora.
32:35Or dandruff.
32:36Thinks he's Ainsley Ariat.
32:39Woo!
32:42Now, you need to boil for four.
32:45Yeah.
32:45Boil for four.
32:46No, it's boiled for four, no.
32:47Is it?
32:48Yeah.
32:48No, it wasn't boiling, it's just started boiling.
32:51No, it's just started boiling.
32:52Yeah?
32:52Yeah.
32:53You need to add the butternut squash now.
32:55Yeah, you told him, man.
32:55I think that's boiled.
32:57For four minutes.
32:58No, I think so.
32:59Really?
33:00There was bubbles at the start.
33:01Yeah, that's sweet, man.
33:03Get them in there, slam them in.
33:05Yeah.
33:06I'm okay with that.
33:07Oh, shoot.
33:09That flour first.
33:14That's an interpretation.
33:17Interpretation of the Lord.
33:18Don't, don't, don't say any, don't say anything.
33:19It's fine.
33:20It's fine.
33:21He's gone for the go slow and copy and hope.
33:24I haven't got, I haven't copied anything you've done, mate.
33:26I, why do I want to copy that?
33:28Flour in second.
33:30Let's have a look.
33:31Might as well throw an egg on your head.
33:32Let's have a look.
33:33Listen, you just go second and copy me.
33:35Mate, I'm not, trust me.
33:36100%.
33:37There's nothing to you I want to copy, yeah.
33:38100%.
33:39I like my food salty, so.
33:41Oh, your attention's here.
33:42That is amazing.
33:43Yeah.
33:44Is it all right?
33:44Yeah, it's all right.
33:45I'm impressed.
33:45Yeah.
33:46How are you getting on there, Al?
33:49Beautifully.
33:49I feel very confident.
33:51What have I got left to do?
33:52Not a lot.
33:53Just got to wait for my rice in 24 seconds.
33:57Right, it looks like you're both at the same spot now, so let's get the dishes put together.
34:00I'm going to be honest with a pair of you.
34:07What's impressive is they both look really, really good.
34:12Ah, but the true gauge of quality would be the taste test.
34:16Which one of us had it in the bag?
34:18Right, Bobby, let's start with yours, shall we?
34:21The chicken's perfect.
34:23Your rice is raw.
34:24You wouldn't moan if you was on the bank, like Russell.
34:29You would, shall we?
34:29Probably, yeah.
34:31Considering it's the first time you've cooked it, I think you've done a great job.
34:35Right then.
34:36I was worried it was too salty.
34:39The chicken's perfect.
34:42The excitement in Ali's face.
34:45The rice is perfect.
34:47Oh, man, I'm going to slip you that fibre after this.
34:51There is a clear winner.
34:53Bobby, I would eat that all day long, but I would pay for that.
34:57That is as good as mine.
35:00Oh, wow.
35:01Wow.
35:02Mum, are you watching?
35:03You've blown me out of the water, because we've come here.
35:06I didn't expect you to achieve this, and what an amazing afternoon.
35:11Thank you very much, sir.
35:12Ali, congratulations, mate.
35:14Fair play.
35:14From now on, you're cooking on the bank for us.
35:16Of course, wicked to win, but the compliment from Daniel that it was as good as his, that
35:24was some accolade that made me feel good.
35:27The rice let me down.
35:28The rice let me down.
35:30Gutted to lose, but if I come up against him again and a little cook-off on the bank, give
35:35it a good go.
35:35I'm always in with a chance, pal.
35:36I wasn't far off there.
35:38Coming up, the secret late picks a big fight.
35:42Oh, this is hairy.
35:43Pulling them back from snags.
35:45We'd already caught a few gems from the secret lake.
35:55Nice.
35:55I'd beaten Bob in a carpy cook-off.
35:57That is as good as mine.
35:59Oh, wow.
36:00And it was now back to the mission in hand, catching a 30-pounder from this mystical venue.
36:06Having caught carp, but also a hat trick of tench, Bob and I hatched a new plan to use bigger
36:13hook baits and just feed with boilies to hopefully avoid the tension to just target the carp.
36:18Would the new tactic work?
36:20Only time would tell.
36:33Oh, this is a proper one.
36:34Oh, my God.
36:35Proper fish, this.
36:37Oh, this is hairy.
36:39Pulling them back from snags.
36:40That fish was right at the back of these snags.
36:43I don't know how I got that out.
36:48Go on, Al.
36:50Excitement on the mystery lake.
36:51Oh, it's a plodder.
36:54I think we've got a decent fish here, you know.
36:57This could be a possible target for me.
37:01A 30-pounder from here would be absolutely amazing.
37:05Gone on to the bigger white boilies, matching the loose feed, and you see it, look, popping
37:10out of its head.
37:12It's another scaly one.
37:13Look at that.
37:14Oh, there's something really magical about fishing these places you know next to nothing
37:23about.
37:25You don't know what's swimming in here.
37:30Don't go around the prop.
37:31Snagging on my own boat.
37:34Absolutely nailed in the bottom schlops.
37:36Look at that.
37:38Yes.
37:40Oh, he's got it.
37:44Lovely-looking fish.
37:49As we say in the game, a scaly banger.
37:53Oh, what excitement.
37:54That was unbelievable.
37:55Honestly, I thought I was hooked into something really big, boiled up the back of the stags.
38:00I actually thought I'm going to lose it.
38:02And then I thought it's going to be the biggest fish of the trip.
38:04It is the biggest fish of the trip, but not as big as I thought it might be.
38:09Look at that.
38:11We're getting bigger.
38:12And they're not.
38:14I can't say they're getting more beautiful, because this is pretty much a carbon copy of
38:19the one I caught earlier.
38:21Unbelievable-looking fish.
38:23It was safe to say the new baiting regime was working.
38:27We just hoped it would last.
38:35Another carp.
38:36Zamo's fourth.
38:38Albeit small.
38:39Here you go, Cal.
38:40A mid-double cricket bat-shaped common.
38:44They all count.
38:48A much quieter night.
38:50No tench, but less carp too.
38:52The lake now seemed eerily quiet, with no sign of carp rolling or breaking the surface anywhere.
38:58There, with rising air pressure, maybe they'd just gone off the feet for a while.
39:05The whole day passed by with nothing.
39:07Maybe our honeymoon period with the secret lake was over.
39:11Where were the carp?
39:20Would the hours of darkness see any more action?
39:28In the dead of night, Bob was into what looked like a very decent common.
39:33He just needed to net it.
39:35Silky skills, Zamora.
39:42Well worth being woken up for, that is.
39:45Beautiful.
39:46£24.7.
39:48Golden chestnut common carp.
39:51You have made my night.
39:53The biggest carp of the trip today and a belt or two.
39:57Top angling from the Bobby Dazzler.
40:05I'm really happy, you know.
40:19I think I'm probably happier now than I was at the early part of the session when I had a couple of absolute bangers.
40:27Because I feel like they're a pretty big achievement.
40:29And I think the dream of a 30-pounder might have been a bit excessive.
40:34Just the one carp in the last 24 hours.
40:40And with the air pressure and temperature rising, you'd now expect to see them cruising.
40:44But we were seeing nothing.
40:46So Bobby went on a recon mission to see if he could find any carp.
40:53Out in open water, I haven't seen anything at all.
40:56The only place I've seen them is in and around the snags, which obviously makes it very tricky.
41:01They know they're safe and they don't really want to come out.
41:04It looks like they'd gone on edge and were using the dense foliage to hide away from their unwelcome visitors.
41:1524 hours remained and we needed to make one final plan of attack to try and snare another carp.
41:25Honey?
41:26I lent you a phone, didn't I?
41:28Thank you, mate.
41:29It's like I'm stuck on Mars or something.
41:32This secret lake is...
41:34You're taking it to another level.
41:37Now, not long left.
41:40This weather's changed as well.
41:41It's not great.
41:42Horrible fishing conditions.
41:44And they're all in the snags.
41:46How do we coax them out, mate?
41:47Listen, this is what we're going to...
41:48This is how we're going to coax them out tonight.
41:51Oh!
41:53That's some...
41:54Pellet, oily mixture.
41:55That is some soft pellet in there now.
41:58I'm going pellet, corn,
42:01boilie,
42:02bit of tiger nut.
42:04And yeah, I'm going to go for the whole...
42:06Just see if I can bring the roach in, bring the tension.
42:10And then plough through them.
42:12Give it a go, mate.
42:12Give it a go.
42:13Here's a little toast to sleepless nights.
42:16Not filled with tench.
42:19Cheers, bro.
42:27So the new baiting tactic to try and encourage a feeding frenzy was put into action.
42:33Rods went out nicely on the previously successful spot,
42:37followed by handfuls of boilies, mixed particles, pellets and tiger nuts.
42:41Surely at least one carp would trip up.
42:44Anticipation levels were high for what the night may bring.
42:48The entire night passed by without a bleep, let alone a carp.
43:05Bob and I reeled in and ventured out on the boat to have a closer look to try and work out what was going on.
43:13He's done this deliberately, the boy.
43:21Yeah.
43:23See any corn down there?
43:24I can't see any bait there, Bob.
43:28I can't see any.
43:29Is that a boilie up there?
43:30Might be one boilie.
43:31Is that a boilie or a stone?
43:33That's one boilie.
43:34So what you're trying to say is they've had everything but one boilie and yours.
43:38Yeah, it looks that way.
43:39Well, Bob, I think it's safe to say we've outstayed our welcome.
43:47Yeah, I think so.
43:48We had the element of surprise day one and they've cottoned on, mate.
43:52And it's not an easy water.
43:53Doesn't see any pressure.
43:55I suppose our lines in the end has been our downfall.
43:59You've just got to know when to cut your losses.
44:02I'm happy though, aren't you?
44:03Yeah, mate.
44:03Amazing what a place this is.
44:05What an opportunity.
44:06Like you say, never fished really.
44:08And to come here and catch a few is very, very special.
44:12Yeah, Mr X's secrets will remain secrets.
44:20We got off to an absolutely flying start.
44:22Probably better than we could have ever imagined.
44:25Then, with hindsight, looking back now, we should have expected it for it to tail off.
44:30But the reality is we've caught some amazing carp and it's been a very, very successful trip.
44:37For myself, it's been nice.
44:38It's been refreshing to go off-grid as such.
44:40Not really knowing where I am.
44:42Not having contact with the outside world.
44:44But I'm ready to go back to that now.
44:47So, gentlemen, you've come to the end of your time here at the lake.
44:51Sounds like you've done quite well.
44:53Pulled out a couple of old wily ones.
44:55Hope you had a nice time.
44:56Maybe you'll be back.
44:56Maybe you won't be back.
44:58Put it there, my man.
44:59Mr X doesn't fist bump.
45:02Oh, we've left you hanging.
45:03So, unfortunately for Bob's, I think there's just one thing left to do.
45:08Ah, yes.
45:09Bob, let the fun and games begin, but you might need to come down a little bit.
45:18Car sickness.
45:19I've got a sick bag for you for the journey back.
45:21Mate, don't.
45:22How are you?
45:22Ready?
45:23It's been good.
45:24Thank you, Mr X.
45:25Thank you, Mr X.
45:26We're on the road to nowhere.
45:32Come on inside.
45:37Take a night ride to nowhere.
45:41We'll take that ride.
45:45I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:48And you know...
45:51And you know...
45:52I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:53I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:54I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:55I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:56I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:57I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:58I'm feeling okay this morning.
45:59I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:00I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:01I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:02I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:03I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:04I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:05I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:06I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:07I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:08I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:09I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:10I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:11I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:12I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:13I'm feeling okay this morning.
46:14I'm feeling okay this morning.