How far would you go.

Imagine the scene. A lovely hot summer's day. Sun beating down, the lake looking gorgeous in all it's leafy glory. A carp angler, supposedly watching the water avidly but actually dozing in the sunshine. He's pretty sure that nothing is going to happen until this evening! The fish are basking in the sunlight and there's no way they are going to be feeding off the bottom. He SHOULD be trying to tempt them off the surface, but hey, it's hot and he's comfortable and he's dozing.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gawd Almighty! Where did THAT come from? The carp angler stumbles to his feet, slightly disoriented, and certainly not fully awake. The left hand rod is RIPPING away, line flying from the reel, and the alarm making one helluva racket. Carp angler gets into gear! This is getting embarrassing! Lifts rod high, which promptly takes on a full battle curve. All 3.5 pounds of test compressed to the max. Luverley! Fish is in the clear, feels good size, obviously well hooked! All under control. He's already celebrating the capture. Several other regulars have heard the commotion and come along to watch. This is text book carping. Large fish well control on tight line. Net waiting, confident enough to ask someone to get the scales and weigh sling ready. And then.......what?
NOOOO!!!!! Line slack! Have I lost it? Where is it? Pump rod high again, wind furiously! Keep winding, keep winding! ahhh there it is! Fish has decided to make directly for me at max speed! Thought it had dropped off. Still on, good, but wait! Heading straight for the sunken tree! gotta turn it! Heave rod round to the side! Maximum compression again....DAMN! Fish has made it to the snag. What to do.....?
Can't pull fish through the snag as it's on the far side. Can't get around the snag to change the angle. Rod back in the rests, kettle on. Give it five minutes, see if it will free itself. Force myself not to touch rod for a while. Cuppa. Not the most enjoyable I've ever tasted but everyone else seems to find the situation highly amusing.
CRASH!!!! SPLASH!!!!! Fish is trying to free itself right on the edge of the tree line, is plainly visible wrapped and looped around a couple of branches. No way out from there. Houston, we have a problem! Thoughts of capture now forgotten. Thoughts of fish rescue come to the fore. Fish is well snagged. Left there, it will certainly die. Still hooked we can see the hook in the bottom lip. Good fish too upper 20! Hmmmmm....
Half naked angler takes to the water. Despite the sun, it's COLD! Within two steps of the bank, out of my depth. Smallford is DEEP! Treading water, rod in hand. Plenty of anglers on the bank watching and ready to assist. Safe enough. Swim out to snag tree and around it to change the angle of attack. PING! Line comes away from first branch. Bit further. Not easy swimming with a fishing rod and a fag on he go! PING! Line frees from the second branch. One more to go. Reach out with the rod and the last bit of line clears the branch. Fish moves out from the snag, shakes it's head, and NOOOOO!!!!!! Hook pull!!!! It-free. It looks at the angler disdainfully, and slowly sinks from sight.

High hilarity on the bank. Friendly stick from all sides. Very wet angler climbs ashore to a round of applause. But he's happy. The fish is safe. Another day..