What is the best groundbait?
One question we always get at the shows and put simply, it’s not that simple! The time of year, venue, species and all sorts of factors come into play, but that’s why we have our team of experts on hand at all the shows.
So if you are at The Big One – Stoneleigh this weekend, pop over to our stand for a chat and we can work out what is going to suit your angling the best.
Did you know that at Spotted Fin, we offer much more than superb baits? Check out www.spottedfin.com to see clothing, terminal tackle and much more including plenty of superb videos to help you get the best from your #Fin products!
We’ll be there, and we know you’ll love our brand new Classic Corn boilies, so you can buy shelf life baits on the day, or order your freezer baits for posting! www.spottedfin.com
Location – School Lake
Hours – 5 Hrs
I’m back out on the School Lake for a few hours today and was quite surprised to find 4 other anglers on the lake. They, however, were all down the other end. I headed up to the island end of the lake and set up so I could cast to a couple of the corners. I could also get a good view of the lake, just in case, it was worth moving, later on. I’m 100% sure there will always be carp down this end, so I was very confident in my choice, but it still Winter and you need to keep your options open.
I was putting out 8mm Catalyst pellets with a 12mm CC pop up over each area.
After watching 3 or more fish crashing out further down the lake, I couldn’t help myself and was soon on my way. I had to stealthily get the rods back out; on lakes like this I’m never sure it’s worth the move as you could end up chasing carp all day. But with no signs my end, it just had to be worth a go and I was soon picking up liners, I just need a pickup.
The move finally paid off. I had to adjust the baits after realizing that the carp were a lot closer than I thought, they were fizzing up right off the boards.
With no more action and zero signs of feeding carp, I headed back to the island but not the same swim as before. I wanted to present a bait on the front of the island on my side of the lake and the other rod was put where my left hand was, first thing this morning. Hopefully, I will bag one more before 2 o’clock.
It didn’t take long, a bit of a small one, but you can’t choose what bites!
The next fish was a Mirror and absolutely stunning. This take had come from the spot off the end of the island, they clearly were in more open water more than normal. And I was very happy.
I’ve about 15 minutes before pack up time and I’m very happy with my results. It was hard going, I moved 3 times but successfully banked 3 carp today, which was looking very unlikely at one point.
After spotting another fish roll on the same spot, I quickly moved and put one rod on the spot, in the hope it rattles off in the next fifteen minutes, you just never know.
Until next time
Richard
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The new Classic Corn boilies will be available in all the usual sizes with the addition of a new 12mm pillow!
With their flattened profile, pillows are perfect for flowing water and marginal slopes to prevent them rolling or simply if you are looking for something which the carp won’t have seen thousands of times before.
Our Method Ready Pellets are amazing when compressed into a PVA stick! You can compress them down without them turning into a paste, once the PVA dissolves they explode giving you the perfect spread of pellets.
4 X 30s & 9 x 20s and a far few doubles all on the New Boilies range from Spotted Fin has been working wonders for me over the past few weeks. Which is available NOW
In all honesty, I’ve been overwhelmed with the success of this bait and with the results over the past few weeks. This has been my best Winter by far for many years.
Until Next Time.
Richard
Don’t worry, we’ve got loads of other additions to the Classic Corn range to compliment the boilies! We’ve got you covered…
#ClassicCorn
Location – Meadow Lake
Hours – 38 Hrs
I’m back out for another 48 hours and the conditions are pretty perfect. Unfortunately, the other 5 anglers set up before me thought so as well! But that’s fishing. Mind you it’s good to see a bit of pressure on the lake and some bait going in.
There was really only one option where the selection of swim was concerned – I was in the same swim as last week. The water level was much the same, it had also been raining for the last two days on and off, so it was like a swamp.
Bait up was going to be fun – there was a strong southwest wind blowing down the lake but I felt that I had done a pretty good job. The baits were on their spots and I was a very happy camper. I had baited with a mixture of 12mm & 15mm Catalyst, Classic Corn boilies with and few scoops of particle blend. Pop-ups were my choice of hook baits, both 12mm, but one CC and the other PPS.
My first take of the weekend belted into action just after 0315. I was soon out of the bivvy (with the waders on) and pulling into a nice lump who was on a mission to go right which is always a worry. There is a small bay there with a lovely overhanging tree and I’m sure it very nearly found it. Saying that it had certainly found a weed bed on the way in. The thought of this worried me until it was under the rod tip and I could play the fish out. Fewer obstructions were about at the end of the swim as it was some 3ft underwater. I safely neglected all this and a lovely Common was on the Nsr.
31lb 6oz Common
That will do me! It was definitely worth all that effort to set up in the dark and rain. The rod was back on the spot and I was soon back in the warmth of the bag.
The second take happened before I had even settled down and turned the bivvy light off. It was a hard-fighting Meadow Carp, but less of a problem with the tree than the last. Very much over the moon with these two fish.
19lb 6oz Common
It’s now coming up to 5am, after I got that rod back out on the spot and wrote the blog while it’s fresh in my mind.
I was up quite late, about 0930, I must have been tired after all that action! I got the kettle on, got my head together and topped up the swim. There where clearly a few fish crashing about out last night and if the same happens tonight I need to hold them there. It’s a pretty windy day out, but with a good deal of sunshine, which is certainly nice to see.
The day passed by as normal. The sunset and it was Netflix time. I had a minor disturbance at 1950 with a Bream on the left-hand rod but I was all set for the night. Unfortunately, there was a band of rain moving through in the early hours, right on feeding time, so we will see how that affects their feeding pattern.
The next Carp take happen just after 0615, interestingly not long after the rain stopped. It was the left-hand rod again, after another hard fight (avoiding the huge tree in the water to my left), it was under control and in the net.
23lb 6oz Common
It must be the weekend of the lbs and 6oz fish! I was very happy with my result. With first light arriving at 7 am, it’s nice to see the days getting longer. It’s going to be one very muddy pack up.
I was halfway through packing up and the left rod ripped off again! I was into what felt like another lump and it was certainly nice to play a fish in the daylight. After another encounter with the overhanging tree, it was soon in the net but after a good battle under the rod tip.
34lb 10oz Common
What a cracking weekend on the Classic Corn. After setting up in the dark in the swap, I was certainly a happy man today.
Until next time
Richard
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The deeper power lantern is now available, check out the link below for a full list of its features.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is illusive but attainable. A perpetual series of occasions for hope.
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