Time to find your favourite! Perfectly prepared pellet filled with attractive liquids. Won’t turn to mush on the bottom like hard pellet and will explode out of a PVa Bag due to their springy liquid filled structure. Just take your tub to the bank, use as needed, pop the lid back on and stick in a cool place, like a shed or cupboard and they will be ready for the next time you go fishing. Whether in a week or the next month !
With home-schooling for the next few days and the likely hood the lake will freeze over, this was my only opportunity realistically. Despite the freezing conditions and the fluttering’s of snow, I headed down the lake half expecting it to be frozen, hopefully the wind would stop that from happening. This turned out to be correct.
With the wind pushing hard up towards the island and there being another angler between me and there, my only real choice of area was between him and the shallows. I would be fishing over the dead pads, not too far off the margins.
I would be using solid pva bags filled with Catalyst pellets and a pop up on one rod and the other would be a wafter. I also threw a small handful of crushed boilies about in the margins. I sat back under my umbrella and hopefully a carp will come my way.
After spotting some carp way down to my left and would you believe? A lot closer to the shallows and just under the surface. I scattered some 3mm Catalyst pellets in the hope it wouldn’t spook them too much. I then set about getting around the other side of the lake and putting the rods out, with the least amount of disturbance and hopefully if I’ve pushed them away, they will drift back, find a small amount of food and fancy picking up a hook bait.
Fingers crossed for the next few hours.
15 minutes later, I had a massive liner, I pulled into thin air, as you do. I couldn’t ignore it as the tip was starting to pull down. At least it shows I’m in the right area, just hope I didn’t spook them this time, only time will tell.
It’s not going my way today, as I was having a wee, the same rod ripped off and the carp managed to shed the hook in a dead pad stork. I quickly got the rod back out and was really hoping I hadn’t completely blown away any chance of banking a fish.
Unfortunately, despite all my best efforts, it was not to be today.
Until next time
Stay safe
Richard
Method Ready Groundbaits. A 50:50 mix of already prepared groundbait and 2mm method ready pellet. Perfect for an alternative feeding option and long shelf life. Pop the lid, use and put away for next time. Easy to use, stays on the method, however far you can fling it, balls lovely for cupping in. Another unique and innovative product from Spotted Fin !
Bag it, Boat it, Ball it, Stick it, Cup it, Feed it.. The new Halibut Method Ready Pellets… .. Already prepared and sticky, will sit punching out flavour and attractors on the bottom for much longer than hard pellets which turn to mush quite quick…and with 6 months shelf life in a reusable tub, a lot easier than making your own.. Available now..
Method Ready Bait Soaks. We have taken the key to our Method Ready Pellets, bottled it and it is now available to buy. Sold in large 500ml bottles for only RRP £4.99, This is the same liquid we use, so when you can only use fishery pellets and have to leave your trust method ready’s at home you can now give them the same luxurious service. With strong flavouring and colouring, you can soak those little beauties and stand out from the crowd. Plus of course it includes all the lovely attractors and success our method pellets are famous for.
Buy Deeper Chirp+, Deeper PRO or Deeper PRO+ and get neck gaiter for free. Deeper – smart fishing comes with gifts.
A number of new products and ranges will soon be available from the brand in 2021 but lets start with some meat and two veg … The revitalised and the new, Method Ready Pellet Range – a subset of a larger range of method ready products coming your way soon..
My original plan was to get out on the bank on Monday, but this all changed as one of our computers had a blue screen of death over the weekend. It just happens to be the one my wife uses, so she spent Monday sorting it out, so that meant me doing the home-schooling that day. I had a day’s work booked in Friday, so my only day free was now Wednesday and the forecast looked horrible – heavy rain all day. Thankfully on Wednesday morning the front had moved through overnight more and it was due to be sunny by noontime. After a late start this morning, I didn’t get to the lake until 10am.
There were only two other people fishing here and as I don’t particularly like fishing anywhere near other people (it’s just not necessary), I pitched up roughly in the middle and walked around the other side of the lake to drop some bait in the margins. I was planning on casting across the lake today, as we are all on this side and very likely to push the carp over that side.
I’m still mixing up the pop up colour, to see if there is a more prominent colour than the standard on here. Today I’ve gone with pink and yellow and we will see how we get on.
By 1pm and with only a couple of bleeps, I wasn’t sure what to do next. There were now five people fishing – including me and not many options open. The island was the only place free and there was every chance someone would move up there as well. I’m starting to regret the cast over to the other side, but these margins are known for not producing bites other than at night.
Well, its looking like a blank today and I will not be back until next week. Unfortunately, it’s looking like ‘The Beast from the East’ is on its way back, bleak times ahead.
Until next time
Stay safe and warm!
Richard
With the weather conditions still very mild, it had to be worth another go on the School Lake again. There was also a chance of sunshine later on, this would be nice and could certainly get the carp moving more.
I arrived just before 9am, I’ve never felt the need for an early start here. The carp switch on to feed mid morning onwards and if you’re lucky, there’s a good chance that one or two will stick their heads out and will give away their location. You can simply head to that area straight away without any bother.
This time I’ve gone for the island as I’m hoping that when the sun arrives, it will bring them up to the margins and into the shadows around the island. I’ve placed my rods at the bottom of the shelf to start with and will swap things about as the day goes on. I’ve catapulted the last of the casters, maggots, some 8mm Catalyst pellets and a few Classic Corn boilies just to mix things up. I’m sure they’ll be back on the feed, as they never really slow down here.
I was starting to wonder if I was going to get a bite. The sunshine had come out and I had moved one bait up the margin shelf and still no joy. I’d started to think of moving but hadn’t spotted any carp and it was probably best I stick with the plan.
Just after noon, the left hand rod was away, with a small bar of gold, which was a start.
I’m happy with that one and hopefully there may be a chance of another one.
It was getting closer to pack up time and the other anglers fishing had moved to the other side of the island. It felt a good option to stick it out, in the hope of them pushing the carp around my side. Unfortunately, this had yet to happen and I was running out of time.
Until next time
Richard
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is illusive but attainable. A perpetual series of occasions for hope.
Fishing and Canoeing Adventures in Coastal and Northern Maine
My adventures of camping, fishing, and hunting in Utah. Subscribe to learn about new and amazing places to visit and fish.
Reel Life- Reel Stories- Reel Things
Keen angler. Match and pleasure fishing
Flylords Mag
Fishing adventures
There's more to it...
Fly Fishing & Tying Blog - Fly Fishing Tips
Hotel, Restaurant, Bar and Lounge, 24 Hour Fitness Center, Indoor Swimming Pool and our Outdoor Spa, 24 Hour Business Center, Conference and Banquet Rooms
River stories to inspire stewardship.
Your Adventure Starts Here
Fishing trip inspiration, travel guides & tips
www.davidtrippart.com
Carp fishing exploits from 3 idiots. Brews, beers, insults, laughs. Carp not guaranteed.
Tips and tales about keeping water clean
