I have copied this in from a different thread as I was aware I had taken it slightly off subject...
We actually had to close one of the syndicates I fish on 21 st April as they were in full spawning mode and looked like most of the population at it too.
It's the earliest I have known and only a week or so from the last frost. i'd not known them that early before or indeed with the temperature only just reaching what could be considered the lower end for spawning with no stability in it at all.
It is a water that has been heavily predated by otters with us losing several of our big fish, one a gorgeous 30 lb plus linear that had lived in there for over 50 years only to have it's face ripped up and a tiny part of its chest gone. 50 years plus finished eaten alive for a couple of mouthful's. It did cross my mind that it was possibly an inbuilt instinct coming in, seeing many of their various age family being hunted and killed (they successfully reproduce each year) knowing they needed to reproduce as early and as fast as possible.
Real old strain carp fighting for survival and spawning real early.
The old warriors have been eager to get at it.
Pleasing fish on pleasing methods.