1998 was my first year as a member of the Anglers Paradise 5C's, otherwise known as the Crazy Crafty Cunning Carp Catchers. After taking a regular holiday in April for a couple of years and attending a week long netting party in November I was invited to join. I had met a whole bunch of the syndicate during the netting week and at a subsequent social weekend. They all seemed like a good sociable bunch of anglers who enjoyed their fishing and Zyg Gregorek the Anglers Paradise owner made a real effort to make everyone feel welcome at Angler Paradise. I did not hesitate in accepting the invitation, as it seemed the 5C's weekends would be a break from the regular fishing back home.

Before I could become a fully-fledged member I had to be initiated to the 5C's. This is a process all members go through and for me would take place the first Sunday in June. Before that I had a couple of holidays planned. There was the usual Pickled Carp Crew trip in April, followed by a week in May with Pop, mother and Jane, my girlfriend. The lads holiday proved to be its usual hard work! Drinking too much and catching a few fish. The May trip was a more relaxed affair and I did not actually do much fishing, opting to use Anglers Paradise as an ideal base for sight seeing the Devonshire countryside. I did manage a couple of short sessions and even Jane joined in the fun.

The June weekend soon arrived and I was one my way. The previous week had seen some horrendous weather, with a lot of rainfall, a pattern that followed for the rest of the summer. On my arrival at 9pm on the Friday evening it was pouring down, so I selected to go straight to the bar, with the intention of sleeping in the car and moving down on to Main Lake in the morning, to set up camp. Most of the syndicate attending that weekend were already in the bar when I got there, and a couple of hours later and after many ales, we left to find the rain had stopped. The guys offered to help me carry my gear down to the lake, an offer I could not refuse, especially in my pickled state. I got the umbrella up, erected the bedchair, rolled out the sleeping bag and chucked the rest of the gear behind me to be sorted out in the morning, as I was in no fit state to try and put together any rods!

The following morning I woke quite early considering and managed to have a couple of rods in before the sun had finished rising. The Main lake is very pretty this time of the year and I was enjoying the quiet with a cup of tea at about 7am when the left hand rod went off. A few minutes later and I had a nice double figure fish on the bank. Less than half an hour later I was in again, this was a different fight and proved to be a personal best Orfe of 5lbs 8oz. Nev, one of the other 5C's came to photograph the fish for me.

During the day I had a couple more fish. I was visited by the other members for cups of tea and little chats about fishing and life in general. Later, as evening crept in I decided it was time to go and visit the other lads, and share a glass or two of bubbly with them. So the rods were wound in and off I set. By the time I got back to my swim, and four bottles later I was slightly pickled and looking forward to my initiation the following morning. I slept well and was up bright and early Sunday, managing to sneak another fish before the syndicate meeting started at 11am.

On my arrival in the bar I was made to sit in a chair at the top of the table. Zyg got through the initiation and within a few minutes I had a pile of fresh weed from one of the lakes on my head, a not so fresh Emu skin as a cloak and pair of even less fresh, maggot infested pair of Emu legs in my arms. Oh yes I nearly forgot the bag of ice cubes down my shorts. Charming I thought, what have I done! An hour later I was released from the grips of this torture, but not before the whole event was recorded on film.

The first Sunday afternoon of every month is the 5C's match and this weekend was no exception. I was pleased to have got through the mornings proceedings but knew that it was not over yet as I still had to walk the rope bridge. The match went well and I soon had a nice 16lb common under my belt, but Doug stole the day with a lovely 20.

The match finished and it was time for me to walk the rope. I did not last long and was soon in the water! Fortunately it was not too cold. Another part of the initiation into the 5C's is you get to plant an Lilly bed on one of the islands, I used the opportunity to have a good 'feel' around the lake bottom.

I left later that evening and had really enjoyed myself, I had not caught any monsters, but had met some great guys, who went out of their way to make me feel welcome. The 5C's is more than just a fishing syndicate, its a release from day to day life and I am so looking forward to the 1999 year as a member of this bunch of ever so slightly pickled carpers. Oh just as a finishing note, at the beginning of October I did manage to catch one of those monsters. Over three years I had fished 21 days on Main Lake, and in the 21st day at 21.45 in the evening I had a 21.12 Spooky!

If you have any comments or suggestions email me at pickled.carp@btinternet.com