Looking Back Over 2015 Part 8 of 10

Posted on May 9, 2022 by richardhandel

Looking Back Over 2015 Part 8 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 81 Carp Fishing (2015)

With the weather so perfect today. I had no option other than to go fishing (and put the housework on hold). The next couple of days are looking perfect and I wish I was out for a few days, I will just have to wait until Sunday afternoon.

I have been looking at this area for sometime and felt this was my opportunity I had been waiting for.

It’s a small bay area with plenty of overhanging trees.

The right hand rod was cast under the overhanging tree, just to the left of the bush.

My left rod was in the corner, flicked in the gap between the two overhanging trees.

As another day session draws to a close and the third blank in a row (with the day trips). I had better get my thinking hat on, before my weekend night trip out on Sunday.

Till the next time
Richard

Trip No 82 Carp Fishing (2015)

As the weather has been perfect for a couple of days, I was surprised to find only one other angler on the lake. Was this a bad thing or a lucky start? Even though the wind had been pushing down the lake into the bay area, that I had fished before and knowing that there had been someone in this swim since last Monday. I still felt that this was my best option. There were waves on the lake which were pushing down and crashing into the reed’s. I thought, there just has to be fish still there.

And the corner looked just perfect.

Despite the angler pressure, the incredible numbers of Roach and Rudd in here. I felt that the bay rod would have a good amount of Poloni boilies scattered around with my ground bait mix. I spombed out 8 loads and fished a 14mm poloni pop up over the spot.

The right hand rod was cast over to the same margin but along near a gap which leads to the sanctuary area of the lake.

This rod was a single 18mm poloni pop up with a Godman Angling verseacat filled with Bait-tech Hemp oil. This added a tiny bit of attraction to the area because of the possibility that there may be too much bait out there or the fish had been hammered. I thought this would be the best approach. I didn’t feel that I had over done the bait as my mixture is pretty much all ground up.

And is mostly for attraction and a small amount of feed, for the Carp.

It was a pretty grey day and looking very wintry however, I was certainly not dressed like it was winter!

Much to my amazement, other than a couple of beeps that was it. With the sun coming up, it was time to pack up and head home.

Just an amazing time of the morning to be out there.

Till next time
Richard

Trip No 83 Carp Fishing (2015)

Over the next couple of trips I will be concentrating on the margin snags. I heard the other night a few fish along that bank and I feel it’s time to have another go.

All very close quarters fishing and an amazing adrenaline rush when you get a take, let’s hope so.

After about 1 hour, the rod bust into life with a very unhappy carp attached. It was doing it’s best to gain some ground and get back under the trees and there was no way was I letting that happened. After a few bids for freedom from the fish, which included a pretty big attempt that nearly had the fish out in the main lake. This would have been a disaster, as the trees stick out about 30 ft or so and I’m not sure if the fish would have got itself round the tip of the trees. Once under a bit more control, the fish just plodded under my rod tip in the deep margins until it finally slipped over the cord.

27 lb 6oz of stunning Mirror Carp.

Once all the photos and videos had been done and with 3 hour’s still to go, I moved onto my next swim which was some 40 yards down the bank.

This swim has had a well needed haircut.

I used the same tactics as before, a few handfuls of chopped up Bait-tech Poloni Boilies with a 14 mm pop up and a small Godman Angling mesh bag filled with micro – my new stick mix, that I have made up using Bait-tech products and some of their micro pellet range.

Unfortunately, that was the only fish of the day, but who cares? It was a beauty.

Until next time
Richard

Trip No 84 Carp Fishing (2015)

Today’s trip is another session along the tree lined margin bank. I have noticed that things are slowing down on the lake and this has been backed up by other angler’s.

I am feeling quite confident that there will start to be more action along this bank, as the fish move out of open water and head for the safety of the tree’s and warmer margin bank.

I have adapted my stick mix for the winter, which I will get round to posting a blog on that soon.

According to the weather man it’s going to be sunny today.

Not quite there yet, as it’s pouring with rain and my coat is in the car – oh well I will dry out when the sun does arrive.

Well I am truly gutted and more, as I have had my first hook pull for sometime and the power of the fish tells me it was certainly a good one, aargh.

I have moved swim to where I had the 27 lb from the other day and still not happy. The sun has come out, so at least I will dry out.

Unfortunately, even with a change of swims my luck was not on my side today.

Till next time
Richard

Trip No 85 Carp Fishing (2015)

After yesterday’s disaster, there was only one thing to do. Come back and get revenge – well hopefully. It’s been sometime since I have lost a big fish and it’s still hurting today. You have to move on and catch another one as quick as possible. Then all is forgotten, well sort of, it helps.

I have gone back in the same swim as I am feeling very confident with this area of the lake.

The sun finally arrived, unfortunately, because of the angle of the swim, I don’t get the sunshine, however the margins do.

Perfect spot for a bait. By 12.45, I was thinking oops the revenge maybe on me. I had until 14.00 before I needed to reel in, so I had my fingers crossed.

Well, unfortunately no joy today.

Until next time
Richard

Trip No 86 Carp Fishing (2015)

I had intended to fish Saturday night. However, with the weather forecasting rain and both myself and my friend, not be able to arrive until noon time. We didn’t fancy getting completely soaked to the skin. So we both stayed at home and had some fun with our family’s and for me that was a trip to the theatre to see ‘There be Monsters’ and my youngest loved it.

Anyway here we are on a nice calm Monday morning down the lake again, after those carp. Can’t believe it’s so mild and we are still in November. If this carries on, not sure if I will get Pike fishing.

I am in the same swim as before and using the same approach as normal.

I was getting a bit worried I had selected the wrong swim again, when a small common of around 12 lb saved the day.

Till next time
Richard

Trip No 87 Carp Fishing (2015)

This trip I have moved back to another swim, I think it may get the sunshine a bit better first thing in the morning. It’s a bit hit and miss at the moment, as this is only my first year on the lake and I need to work out which part of this bank produce more fish over the Winter months.

This swim is just a perfect spot. It has a nice overhanging branch with a u shape that you can drop your bait under.

Quite like this photo, directly taken into the sun and with no effects used.

For my first take of the day, I was rewarded with a fish stuck in the snag, after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, and sitting and waiting and after 30 minutes, I had a nice fat branch to show for my efforts. So time to move and by just after 11 am, I was back in the same swim as my last trip – hopefully with a better results. I never even had a chance to feel the fish because as the rod hooped round and I pulled into it, it was already locked solid.

Coffee time and some reflection.

Not my day at the moment, just had a tench of about 6 lb. I was going to move, however decided to stay put for the last hour & a half and see what happens.

Well as time draws ever closer to my packing up time, I was typing this blog up and the rod hops over in the rest. I have the clutch done up tight, there is a single bleep as I grab the rod and sink the tip under the water. I pull the fish gently out from under the overhanging trees (no tench this time), it was a nice fat 21 lb 4 oz common.

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It just proves that anything can happen in the last few minutes.

Till next time
Richard

Trip No 88 Carp Fishing (2015)

With the weather as it is, I just can’t get enough of this place and I have a feeling there is a big fish due out of this swim soon.

I am in the same swim as normal to start off with and we will see how it goes. I am still using 14 mm poloni pop ups over a bed of chopped up Bait-tech Poloni Boilies and a Godman angling mesh bag filled with a new mix of Bait-tech products, that I have made up as a winter bag mix. I will get round to doing a blog soon about them but I just keep forgetting and as I make the mix up at home, I need to do it there and as I do all my writing on the bank it keep slipping my mind.

Weird sky’s as the wind changes to a NW and the cold front arrives.

Luckily for me today I have an extra two hours as the kid’s both have an after school activities today, otherwise it would be a blank trip out. Let’s hope the next couple of hours changes this.

Unfortunately, no luck today.

Until next time
Richard

Trip No 89 Carp Fishing (2015)

This trip is the weekend of the Bait-Tech social on Suffolk Water Park. This is going to be a fantastic laugh with a great bunch of people.

We all met up between 0830/0900 and were all treated to a breakfast courtesy of Bait-Tech’s very own Hayley Goldsmith and that was a great start to the day.

We all drew swims and I was out 5th and picked peg 9. This would put me on the other side of the spit and sheltered from the cold NW wind. On my drive up here, there had been sleet showers and one of the guys was stuck for a couple of hours due to snow. It was the first weekend of really Wintry weather. However, the fish where still showing and it was not long before the first fish was on the bank (but not my bank).

The swim I had picked gave me access to the golf bank. This is out of bounds and had a nice reed lined bank, which is where I put the first rod. The second rod was off this margin shelf in 8 ft of water.

Both had 14mm poloni pop up on with 4 spombs of chops over the top.

With no action over night and a nice sunny day approaching I was hoping for a mid morning take.

Unfortunately, that was not meant to be.

I had a fabulous time with all the Bait-Tech crew and a great laugh to.

Until next time
Richard

Trip No 90 Carp Fishing (2015)

I am down the lake today in one of the day swims, it is along the snaggy bank. I had the pick of the lake, however I still feel these areas are the best for short day sessions, as I know each swim very well and have started to understand the fish a bit. That said it’s a long bank and they are funny things carp, as you don’t know what has happened to them the day before, being Tuesday I am hoping that there should be a good chance.

As the leaves are dying back, you can now clearly see where I am placing my bait in this swim – just under the arch of the tree. All baited up with a couple of handfuls of chopped up Bait-tech Poloni Boilies and a godman angling mesh bag filled with micro pellets soaked in Krill and Tuna oil, it has a 14 mm poloni pop up over the top.

It’s now 1 pm and with no action and an hour to go, I am thinking I may have picked the wrong spot, which is a bit of a surprise but that’s fishing for you.

Unfortunately, today was not to be

Until next time
Richard

Part 9 of 10 will follow in a couple of weeks

Until then Richard

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How Fishing Saved Me

Posted on May 9, 2022 by richardhandel

Mental Health & Fishing

I thought I would share how I believe fishing has helped me get through all the years of suffering and into many more.

My depression started, way back when I had no idea what was going on. It is only in the past twenty years when the illness has been brought out into the open and less of a stigma attached to it.

Unfortunately, there is still a vast gap between people who suffer and people who don’t. There is just no real way to explain that one second I can be perfectly ok and the next unbelievably sad and wishing I could burst out crying. Which in a nutshell, is how I have lived my life for decades, there is no trigger that I can spot.

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I was prescribed medication a good number of years ago and took them for about a year when things were really bad. But after reading lots about the long time side effect, I discided this was not the way forward for me and I just have to deal with this down moments in time my own way.

What I (and my wife) noticed it never happened when I was fishing. In some ways, I thought was odd, as I generally fish alone and have done for many years. I think we fish better like this; don’t get me wrong, you can see from my blogs over the years I have started to fish more, with other people. I often wondered whether it was due to having fewer things going on. Which can’t really be the case, when you consider how much time I have spent by myself before I took redundancy. Work was so full-on, over 12 hrs a day and my mind was occupied with work 24/7, it still would kick in but a lot less. However, over the past 4 winters, since finishing my shipping days and doing gardening now, the Winter months have become less active for both work and fishing. There is a clear difference between the weeks where I can fish and the weeks I can’t. I have come to realize that fishing is definitely my happy place or it could be just getting out into the countryside and the freedom of it all. For me it’s the best therapy there is and I’m not sure where I would be without fishing. There has been the odd time where I just could not get out of bed, but I found that I just had to go and tell myself, just go for a walk around the lake. Inevitably, I would stay and fish, probably not to the best of my ability, however, I was out there. It also goes without saying that my wife & family have been so understanding and letting me out in the bank all these years.

I have also found that it’s a great satisfaction for seeing my friends catch carp – it must be the emotion of the moment which rubs off on me. I get a great sense of well being.

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I do hope this helps people and maybe, it’s worth taking up fishing of some sort. It may just turn out to be the best therapy you can ever get.

Richard

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Trakker® Tempest Composite MB Bivvy (201699)

Posted on May 8, 2022 by richardhandel

Trakker® Tempest Composite MB Bivvy (201699)

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Transform your Trakker® Tempest® MB Bivvy into a double-layered shelter, with the “Cap-Wrap”, which almost eliminates condensation and offers extra protection from the elements by creating an overhang on the front of your bivvy.

Description

Its extended sides and back provide full double layer coverage from top to bottom. The Cap-Wrap can be easily installed in seconds via a system of spigots on the three front masts. It is then simply secured with sardines around the bivvy. It has rear openings at the back to allow air to circulate through the shelter in hot weather which in turn will help reduce the temperature in the summer. It also includes two velcro straps for convenient and secure placement of your rods and comes with a water drainage gutter.

Features

Designed specifically for the Trakker® Tempest® MB Bivvy Offers better protection from the elements Reduces condensation and increases shade Gutter against water Easy and quick to assemble Double straps for the rods The ventilation system helps air circulation, reducing condensation 20,000 MM HH Hydrotec ® fabric – Super waterproof, breathable, and hydrophobic (Same as Aquatexx ®) Supplied with a zipped bag

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Material: HydroTec ® (Same as Aquatexx ®) Weight: Approx 5.5kg Transport size: 68 x 40cm

Disclaimer

TRAKKER/TEMPEST is a registered trademark of Cipher International Limited. Use of this trademark does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by Cipher International Limited.

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Skull Cap For the Trakker Tempest ® Composite MB Bivvy made by Cyprinus®

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Trip 19 Carp Fishing – 2022

Posted on May 7, 2022 by richardhandel

This will be my last few nights on Meadow Lake. I very nearly headed down to Airfield Lake, but as Ian pointed out on the phone this morning, discussing our options, this will be the last chance for a monster or two before the battle against the 15lbers to capture an Airfield 30. The ratio is much better here (Meadow Lake). You are certainly up against it there.

There was really no other /better option than returning to this swim, after my results over the past 3 weeks. So, that’s what I did. There were 8 other anglers on when I arrived and by nightfall, it was 10! I’m hoping this doesn’t affect the fishing too much.

The afternoon was spent in the sunshine with a couple of glasses of red, and then it was tea time (cooked on the Weber).

This is certainly the lifestyle I like. It seems a lifetime ago when the UK was put into lockdown and I was forced to stay at home. It seemed to last forever at the time.

The sun was setting, and we were heading into the first night, full of anticipation of what was to come (after what has happened in the last few weeks). We’d seen plenty of carp activity over the whole lake today and there’s every chance of a bite tonight.

The night was a non-event for me, I’m not sure about Ian yet, as he has not made contact with me this morning. Hopefully, we are still in with a chance for a morning bite. I have a feeling the guy to my right is cutting the fish off from my spot unless they approach from a different direction. He is off today and that should up my chances. My long rod should hopefully pick up any fish coming off the plateau and is well away from any other anglers. This is my reason for putting that one out there again; despite the lack of action over the past weeks.

With the lovely sunny day not producing anything, I changed over my hook baits and got them back perfectly on the spot. Fingers crossed for a bite tonight.

What a stunning evening it is, I wonder if the carp will come out to play. It’s certainly looking like it could be hard work this week, fingers crossed for tonight.

Well, another night passed by with no action, which really isn’t good news. I need to put some thought into how to approach the last night of my trip, try to turn things around, and get a fish on the bank. It would be nice to get one more before the lake closes at the end of March. I’m unable to return before that, which means today and tonight will be my only hope.

The last day went by (as always) peacefully in the sunshine, with fewer anglers and the ever possibility of a take at any moment. I opted to not put any more bait out and not even reel my rods in. I’m 100% confident they are all perfect and the least disturbance out on my swim the better. I’m up early tomorrow morning, it’s Mother’s Day (in the UK) and we will be off to the seaside to visit my Mother-in-Law and then out for tea.

Well, that was a pretty rubbish 3 nights on the bank for me and Ian. I was up early and home by 8am. Ian messaged me that he also had no bleeps last night, he has a few hours left, so I’m even hopeful that he will catch before he reels in.

Until next time

Richard

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MATCH ANGLERS

Posted on May 6, 2022 by richardhandel

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