Looking Back Over 2015 Part 2 of 10
With the success of the previse session of looking back over the year’s, I’ve decided to go back even more. This series off podcast will feature 2015 grouping multiple trips in one long podcast, from pike to carp fishing and easy lakes, to the big water I love to fish so much.
Trip No 11 Carp Fishing (2015)
I will be back on the big lake next week. They have been doing a lot of work on over the Winter months. I can’t wait to have a look.
I have picked a swim away from the prevailing wind, as there is still a bit of a chill in the air. A very friendly syndicate member has helped me out with a few spots in the swim.
After a good lead around, I picked a couple of likely ones and flicked a couple of pop ups out with 2 bait stringers on and after dark, baited up with the throwing stick. I did not wish to use the spomb, as it would make too much disturbance near the sanctury area.
My first fish turned out to be a bream and after quick recast I was back in the sack. At around 0245, I had a slow take on the same rod and this was most definately a carp and after good battle, I had a nice 18lb 2oz common in the net.
0630 The alarm was off again, unfortunatley, this was my phone and the call to work again.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No12 Carp Fishing (2015)
The weather is not quite what I expected after 14 degrees and sunshine the last 3 day’s. Admittedly, there was a frost one night, however we are getting cold North East winds.
Anyway, I have picked the most shelterd area, this would have also warmed up nicely over the last couple of day’s.
With the kettle on I sat back to forget about all about work things I need to sort before I am off.
I have a few liners in the night, but that was that and off to work we go.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 13 Carp Fishing (2015)
Bit out of my range, however, a good sign that there are starting to move.
I had a good look round all the lakes and a chat to a couple of people. The only fish which have come out this weekend, have been on the bottom section. Unfortunately, there were still 4 anglers on the lake fishing and I don’t fancy the swims which were free. Also, other parts of the complex were completely free of anglers.
I finally settled for a swim, a small bay which was in full sun light all day and had been sheltered from the N/E wind. It had a good depth of water, well for here anyway, 5ft.
Both rod’s had small bags with pop up rigs. Cast 10ft off the islands to my right and left and the bottom of the margin shelve, with 6 pouches off boilles over the top.
With the sun going down it was getting very cold. I tucked myself up the the bag and watched the lake until I fell asleep.
I was woken up by a couple of beeps which turned out to be a coot. Joy.
Time for work
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 14 Carp Fishing (2015)
And after some practice and changing over to my 13ft marker rod, I made it. Think I may need a pair of 13ft rod’s now, ssh don’t tell the wife. (She is my editor anyway, so may find out!)
And with a bit more effort, I also managed to get the spomb out as well with a little bit of bait out. I was feeling happy with myself, even with arm ache! I also may need some casting lessons from Mr Rob Nunn, he is pretty awesome when is comes to getting baits past 200 yard’s.
At around 1630 a couple of fish rolled and one of them was a very nice mirror. Now this give me even more confidance, with the sun setting, the temperature was doing its normal thing of dropping fast.
At around 2230, I had a slow take on the right hand rod’s. As I pulled into the fish, I could tell it was a big lump as it plodded along. After about 1 minute the fish become firmly stuck behind a bar, there are still some large lumps of stone lying around the lake bed, I think the fish had found these. The only option was to loosen off the cluch and put the rod down, after what felt like a life time, the line was off again. I pulled into the fish again and could feel the fish, the line was still lodged round a boulder. I could feel the fish shaking it’s head, the line went slack, the rod tips pulled back and the fish had shed the hook. Oh drat and bother I said to myself (or words to that effect!)
And that was, for the rest of the night.
Till next time, better luck.
Richard
Trip No 15 Carp Fishing (2015)
Wow, the weather is just perfect this Sunday – a big storm is pushing though from the West, it has strong winds with it, hopefully it will stur up the Carp. There has also been a lot of rain, I am hoping that’s not going to put them off too much. The temperature is also up and it all feels a lot more like carp fishing weather.
I have picked a swim on the side of the wind, so that there is a nice blow on the water in front of me. I am also in casting distance of the east bank, this is taking the full force of the Westerly.
I am only using single hook baits and small bags until this evening as the clocks changed today I have an extra hour of day light before I need to settle in for the night.
I woke in the morning and couldn’t believe I blanked with these weather conditions. It may have been too cold in that wind for them, perhaps I should have been at the back of the wind?
With the barrow loaded, it was time for work again.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 16 Carp Fishing (2015)
The swim I am in gives me access to the right margins, this is full of overhanging trees and the margins are very deep here, some are 8ft .
Two rod’s have been placed along here, my third rod is on a very nice clear bar, with weed on each side.
I have spomded out and catapulted out a smallish amount of bait over all areas I have chosen for the first night and I will see what happens.
Night/Day 1
The first night past with no activity, other than the odd beep. The temperature had dropped a lot and there was thick fog. It must have arrived at some time in the night and finally burnt off late morning.
In the afternoon (when the fog had burnt off), I had a walk around the lake and was very pleased to find a fair few fish sunning themselves. Also, the water temperature had risen from 8 degrees to a tiny bit under 10 degrees (c), not that the carp wouldn’t feed when the temperature is as low as 8 degrees, it just lifts the anglers confidence level up. I am hoping tonight should produce a fish or two, as the night temperature would not be dropping so much.
Night/Day 2
Now that was a big shock. I was hoping for some action last night and especially with all the movement in the day time. Last night was not what I expected…. I had a great night’s sleep with no so much as a bleep! There was less fog this morning, the sun was already out and by mid morning I had seen a fish move along the bar. This was a good sign and I was hopeful, this weather would turn them on a bit more.
Night/Day 3
Last night was my best chance of a fish, the night temperature did not drop below 8 degrees. Around 8 am the wind picked up and a strong S/W wind blew a big rain storm though. Dispute all this, I had a three night blank. I did have a very enjoyable trip out fishing and it was nice to relax and not think about work.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 17 Carp Fishing (2015)
I have found two very nice humps to fish, which have some very smooth silty areas at the bottom of the drop off. One rod is at the bottom and the other is on the top of a bar on very clear gravel.
I have baited up with solar baits, MLX boilies and Bait-Tech ground bait mixed with chopped boilies all spomb out. With a mix Bait-Tech pellets and Polony oil.
Time to sit back and enjoy the view.
Unfortunately, it was a very quiet and cold night, the first frost for a long time.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 18 Carp Fishing (2015)
Any way, I am out fishing again. I am also hoping that the Carp like the sunshine, as it has been a few trips since a carp graced my net, it could get a bit embarrassing soon.
I had a good walk around and found some fish. They were moving up and down this margin and along the tree line.
I have got one rod in the middle of this small bay, with a load of chopped boilies and ground-bait all mixed up with a load of hemp oil.
The other rod is off the end of the island. This is a very popular patrol route, I lost a fish from here the other month.
I awoke first thing (around 6 ish) and was surprised not to have had any fish in the night. There were a few fish showing out by the island, I was still feeling confident that I may pick up a fish – before work time.
The conditions had chanced for the better as well. All was looking good and no sooner than I had thought this, the right hand rod was off. It was attached to a very unhappy mid double common, these fish fight very hard due to the shallow water, it fantastic fun.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 19 Carp Fishing (2015)
I have picked a different swim this time as I felt much more at home in this one and the swim I was in on my last trip was looking very worn out by angler’s. That’s never a good thing in my book.
I have cast a single hook bait out by the entrance to this bay and spombed out two small loads. On my other rod I have found a very smooth silty area in between some very thick silt and put about a kilo of mixed size baits out, we will see what the night brings.
The sun is off for another day.
Unfortunately, I had no joy in the night and it was soon work time again.
Till next time
Richard
Trip No 20 Carp Fishing (2015)
I baited up with a mix of boilies and ground bait, it had oil’s and other stuff mixed in, to complete the big attraction that I like to have.
My rod’s were placed to the right and left of me just at the bottom of the margin slope.
I settled down to watch the lake and read my book.
At about 2015 hrs the right hand rod was off, it was attached to a very unhappy common around the 14 lb mark, very pretty looking fish.
I recast the rod with another bait and a small bag of pellet, soaked in bait-tech Polony oil (boy that stuff smells great).
I turned in around 10 pm anticipating another take through the night and was rudely awoken by a half pound Roach. Now don’t get me wrong, that’s a nice fish and I do plan on fishing for them this year, however, on carp tackle it’s not really cricket, is it?
Anyway I redid the rod again (same rod as before in fact), did think the other rod would have gone off by now. Anyway, as it was only 0445, I thought it best to try and get my head down again. Well I had forgot how loud the bird’s are this time of the morning. So loud, I am typing this at 5 am. I was hoping to be asleep. I know some people say watch the lake, but when I am fishing the margins, I find if I am asleep and making no noise (as in making a brew and walking around looking for fish), I don’t disturb the swim. As I am no more than 10ft away from one bait and 20ft away from the other.
Till next time
Richard
Part 3 of 10 will follow in a couple of weeks
Until then Richard
UK Carp & Coarse Fishing 