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I’ve decided to look back over 2019 as part of my Podcast series and will feature multiple trip in one long podcast, from pike to carp fishing and easy lakes, to the big water I love to fish so much.
With another rubbish rainy day for gardening, it was perfect for a spot of fishing (before the pressure goes sky high over the weekend). It’s a great opportunity to get back on the School Lake and this time try something different. I’ve baited a lot more than I have been doing and also off the pads a bit. I’m convinced the bigger carp will feel the pressure of everyone casting into the pads and I’m hoping as this is a very popular venue in the Summer months. There will likely be a fair bit of bait accurately going in and will fall short (where no-one fishes) and the bigger carp will feel a lot safer feeding there.
They will be less active, but hopefully bigger carp – 20+ I’m am aiming for! Sticking with the same color & flavor pop up (being PPS & Pineapple N-Butyric acid) and large PVA bag filled with Catalyst pellets soaked in the syrup.
Which smells fantastic. I will just have to be patient and see how it pans out. There has been a fair few Carp showing along the far margin and I have decided that if by 1230 I’ve seen no action, I will move the right-hand rod closer in and see what happens. Most of the carp showing, have been to my left and right, maybe the bait application, pushed them away and they could well drift back later.
Well that didn’t take long after moving a rod close to the dead pads and the far bank. I have only switched one over, which now tells me there are fish in the area and hopefully a bigger one off the pads more and over my baiting area. I’ve had a liner that is very positive on the left rod.
For an hour and a bit I really thought the sun was coming out, but alas it’s pouring down again.
With only twenty minutes left on the pack up clock, it certainly looks like just 1 Carp today and this was due to the location change. I was really hoping the baited spot would produce, not going to give up on that one and will have the Deeper next time. It’s time to get mapping the lake as the pads have mostly gone. I will stick some screenshots of my findings.
I am down on the Syndicate lake this weekend for two nights. I was unable to get in the same swim as last weekend – which would have been nice, after bagging a couple of Carp. I looked at another option nearby, but with a strong easterly wind forecast that just didn’t float my boat. It would be pushing hard on to that bank.
I arrived after dark, so there was no real rush to get set up. After two laps around the lake and a fair bit of standing listening to absolute silence, I finally settled on a swim that I felt would produce a fish or two.
Now to get some bait and rods out. As I’ve fished this swim many times, it does help things a bit and knew exactly where I was heading. I clipped on a 3oz distance lead from Touchdown leads and counted out the number of wraps on my marker poles. I flicked the rod out and sure enough, there was a nice tap tap of gravel from the right-hand rod. The other was on a lovely smooth patch of silt, just of the gravel. Both were very close to each other. I find this helps when spombing at night, you’re only really baiting up one area. With a PPS & Pineapple pop up on, the rods where done. You have to be confident with your casting and baiting up when setting up in the dark. If it’s always perfect in the daylight, why would it not be at night? As we have light pollution, this does help with those horizon markers!
The night drifted by with a fresh East wind picking up through the night and died down by first light. The sun is due to make an appearance then its going to turn into a grey Winter’s day, just in time for the 1st December tomorrow. May catch a Winter carp tonight?! The wind is still due to blowing from the E then swing NE later on with the pressure up to 1018 from 985 two days ago, I’m sure this will affect the Carp. These big girls have to feed and its more likely to be today/tonight as the pressure will have settled.
Ian popped down for a few hours Pike fishing today and we spent it chatting away. His time was soon up and he headed home. Unfortunately, the Pike rods were also silent. I rebaited the rods and settled down for an evening of Netflix. The wind was now from the N/E and it was pretty fresh out there.
With a liner in the night around 10 pm, I was feeling pretty confident. However, it’s now afternoon on Sunday and with not a carpy sight – it’s looking like a blank. The sun has been up and along the treeline since 10 ish and I was hoping for a take. When they ventured out of the sanctuary it’s very sheltered from the sunshine and that spot is also on the back of the wind.
I was packed up by just after noon time and drove around that lake. I stopped in one of the days swims that looked incredibly Carpy, so I parked up and set up one rod for a couple of hours, but there was no joy in the end.
I’m back on the school lake today for a few hours gardening and the pads have completely gone. We are now getting frosty mornings, Winter has set in. It’s time to be a bit more mobile in my approach and may start using the Deeper to find their secret hideaway.
After seeing absolutely no signs of Carp, I’ve set up in peg 10, it has been the most productive area and I can see a large part of the lake. Hopefully, I will spot something to move on to, the opposite bank does get the morning sunshine.
By 2pm there had been no signs of Carp and I’d not moved swim, there had been a couple of other anglers walking around and setting up. They had also not seen a thing. I had recast and changed over to different color pop-ups, but still no action. My next trip, I will be changing one rod over to Catalyst wafter, I had had a couple of single bleeps and that was that.
Winter has certainly arrived and it’s going to be hard work at times.
With another opportunity to get on the lake again today. It was going to be another cold start to the day, but sunshine was forecast.
I came armed with my Deeper Chirp and slowly walked around the lake. I was more or less sure where I would find them. It would be nice to start mapping the lake, as the lilly pads had just about gone. I’d been watching the Grebe over the past few trips and I’m sure that he had found Silverfish and they would certainly be in a warm part of the lake. This meant that the carp would not be far away. Once I came to that area, sure enough, the Deeper picked up the shoal of fish.
Not 100% sure that any are Carp, as they could be balled up tight together. However, I’m always confident that if its a good spot for them, the Carp will never be far away. I flicked out two small bags with pop-ups on, sat back and we shall see. I like to have the tips up in the water, as you can watch the line for any signs of Carp and it did twice a couple of times, which kept me in this part of the lake.
I decided around noon time to bring the right-hand rod close in as I had seen a bit of movement and felt it needed to be closer rather than in open water. Just after that, the left-hand rod was away without any warning and a small battle ensued as the fish was determined to get in the overhanging brambles. However, I had the opposite opinion and finally managed to get a low double into the net.
11lb 14oz
Very happy with that as the Deeper had recorded a surface temperature of 5 degrees, not too conducive for feeding carp. After finding those fish on the Deeper I was ever hopeful and it paid off.
I very nearly moved to swim up to the island, but just felt comfortable here, I had another liner, but that did not materialize into anything, unfortunately.
With a change in the weather conditions; from freezing to +8 degrees C overnight and S/W winds blowing there was no stopping me getting out. This did involve setting up in the dark to take full advantage of getting two nights on the bank.
I did two laps of the lake and could only see one other angler on the lake. After my last blank trip on here and a few discussion with other syndicate members over the week, I was heading for a couple of areas. Lucky for me, my first choice was free and after not seeing any signs of Carp on my travels around the lake, it seemed like the best place to start.
I selected my spots and check them out with the marker – they were still nice and clean. I then spombed out 15 or so medium on to one spot where I was 100% confident in, then settled on the next. I only chucked out six spombs, as I would fine-tune that rod tomorrow morning. I was using my trustee Ronnie rig with a PPS pop up on one and a Catalyst wafter with a 12mm PPS pop up on the other. The traps were all perfectly set.
The night was very uneventful from a take point of view, however, the location of the Carp’s whereabouts was certainly discovered. As the morning progressed, a Carp stuck its head out. The downside of this, I was close to their location (but not too close), however, I was the only night angler who could put a bait near them. I really need a day angler to go in one of the days swims, however, they are mostly underwater. It was very nice to see signs of Carp moving and maybe tonight I may even catch one? There was a heavy band of rain due to push through, which I’m not a fan of here.
Just after noon, I set about getting the rods all done for the night and top up the spots with a little more bait. I then sat back and relaxed watching the lake all afternoon.
As night closed in another Carp rolled not to far away from my spot and I hoped this was a sign they were getting closer to my baited area. I was also hoping other anglers would turn up and push the fish towards me. Unfortunately, the reverse happened and I’m the only one on the lake tonight.
Just after 11pm the wind really picked up and the heavens opened for a fair few hours. I think spoilt the best chance of a bite last night. I hoped that once the storm passed there would be a possibility of a take at first light, this was not to be. I really felt that the conditions changing this weekend would put them on the feed, they may well have had been on the first night. I was just too far away and they just didn’t move to the bank far enough and just stuck it out on the sanctuary.
With high winds and heavy rain at the beginning of the week and not that much motivation after the hard going on my last trip, it wasn’t until Wednesday that I finally got the rods out.
And after an hour and a half of searching for good signs of Carp with the Chirp. I finally settled on a swim by the island, my previous trip on here had revealed either a shelf for the Carp to feed on or an amazing drop-off. Both these features would produce Carp in the right conditions over the Winter months.
I set up my rods as normal and flicked them out both with PPS pop-ups. One on the bottom of the drop-off and the other on the shelf and catapulted some 8mm Catalyst pellets.
I’d purposely got these for this lake with my last order. Within 10 to 15 minutes, I was getting liners and not long after that my first take.
A lovely Mirror, but before I got a chance to do anything the other rod was away with a Common!
I quickly sorted out the photos and got the fish back. I sorted the rods out and was just catapulting more pellets out and the right rod was off again, with another Common.
Wow, that was a mad 30 minutes, may get a chance to finish my cold coffee!
It all went a bit dead when the rain arrived and I had to wait until 1230 for my next take.
Another small Common to the list and that was the last take of the day. This was a good 4 hrs worth of fishing and I was just hoping for one fish.
With gardening nearly done for the Winter months. I’ve now got the opportunity to pick and choose when I go. Obviously, with the exception of the school holidays over the Christmas period. This will be a great bonus for my fishing, but it’s still certainly going to be hard going (as you would expect this time of the year).
I’m back down the School Lake today. Unfortunately, where I located some Carp on my way out the other day, there is a guy fishing two swims down. In my book, I can’t set near there, so I headed for the island again and the way the wind was pushing across I felt it to be the best area. It was the same spot as before and this time I had come armed with Catalyst boilies and pellets, I catapulted a good load of them into the margins around the island. As the wind was very fresh and all the rain yesterday, I’m sure the lake will be colder and it may be a bit harder today.
The first take happened within the first hour, which I was surprised about and it was a very hard fighting fully-scaled Mirror.
14lb 1oz
The second take was about 10 minutes after getting the rod back out on the spot. It was all happening on the right-hand rod again and I was considering moving the left rod.
16lb 1oz
A lovely Common this time and also a good size again, which was nice and want I’m looking for. After getting the rod out again, it was definitely time for a few more pouch fulls of bait out there, just as I had finished that, the rod was away again. This time to a smaller Common, never the less the third fish of the day.
I was now really thinking that the left-hand spot may have been blown from all the pressure over the year’s or do I hold out the bigger fish?
After all that action it completely died and I even moved both rods around, but I can’t really complain about today’s results.
This is probably my last night of 2019. The kids are off next Friday for two weeks and it’s family time over Christmas – I may slip out for a day Pike fishing.
I arrived to find only one other angler on the lake and a day angler looking round. After all the heavy rain last night, I was not surprised to hear he had blanked.
I needed to be off by 6 am tomorrow morning so I was looking for a swim I could park near and as the track goes all the way around the lake. I spoke to the other angler, who had heard Carp in the night to his left. This was also the swim I had fished on and off over the past month. It felt like the right area to finish this year’s campaign.
The swim choice was made and the rods were soon on the spots. I put both rods out into the same area and as its quite big I would put 6 small spombs out later on this afternoon and unless I spot anything else.
The weather was mixed with sunshine and light shows, the pressure was rising – however slowly. I felt I was certainly in with a chance of a Carp and a few had been out over the weekend.
As the day turned into the night there was an amazing sunset with an orange glow over the lake.
I was happily watching Netflix and listening to the rain on the brolly when the right-hand rod burst into life. I was straight out there and pumping the fish in desperately, hoping it hadn’t kited left, as it was trying to find the margin with the overhanging bushes/tree. Once I had the Carp in front of the swim, I loosened the clutch on the reel and played the fish out under the rod tip it had a couple of lunges towards the right-hand bush. This had me worried for a moment but the Carp was under control and soon in the Nsr50. Boy, was I happy!
26lb 3oz Common
That’s a peach and will do me nicely. I sorted out the photos, got the fish back, the bait was back out on the spot and I was hoping that another one may come along before dawn.
My next take happened just after 2145 and it was pouring down. Oh, well had to happen one day. I followed the same process as before and soon netted my second Carp of the night, wow I was over the moon.
19lb 13oz Common
I quickly got the rod back on the spot (after a very wet photograph session) and I was back in the bivvy warming up with the stove on.
The third take of the night came just after 2 am, this was another hard fighting Carp that pulled the dial round to 24lb 12oz
24lb 12oz Common
This has turned out to be the best night fishing of the year and it also my last night. Absolutely amazing. I’m buzzing so much, I doubt I will get any sleep. With the hook checked and a fresh bait on, the rod was back out there again.
The alarm clock was soon sounding and it was time to head home. This has been a brilliant night and it was time to say goodbye to my syndicate water until next year. Hopefully, I may fit a few short day sessions in before the kids break up for Christmas.
With another rainy day on the cards, it was time to get down the school lake. There’s never a great deal of gardening to do this time of the year; once everything is all cleaned up, I just have a couple of big gardens which take me some time to get there and its been a lot longer this year with the weather.
There were two other anglers on the lake when I arrived and to set up in areas where they’d seen Carp. After a chat with one of them, who had seen no other signs except in these areas. I had my work cut out and with a long period of rain due, I was hoping to settle in one spot for the duration. So, I spent the first hour with the Deeper looking for a group of fish, which was not that forthcoming but I did locate some.
I set about getting a couple of small mesh bags made up, filled with 6mm Catalyst pellets and attached them to my Ronnie rig with solu-ties. This prevents the hook beads being moved in the cast and PPS as hook bait.
Bag set up.
I had set up 30 or 40 yards away from the other anglers, but in the middle of them and just under arm swinging the bags out. I then scattered a few Catalyst boilies and pellets to encourage a bit of feeding. I set back on my chair under the brolly as the rain had properly arrived.
Well, it’s starting to look like a blank for me today and could turn out to be my last trip before Christmas. I have a bit to organize before the kids start their two weeks off.
I did think I was in with the chance of a pickup, but perhaps the rain fixed my fate. Perhaps not, the rods ripped into life with this lovely blank saving Common.
Only a small one about 10lb, but very happy with that fish.
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I arrived down the lake at about 4 pm and did a loop around in the car – if you watch my video you will see how close the track and the lake are. I was convinced that the carp were about in their normal autumn/winter holding area, after seeing them last week. So, with that in mind, I had two swims in head and a backup.
I did my best to fish another swim this week, but alas I was pipped at the post by two other anglers and yep, you have guessed it, they were in those very two swims. I don’t blame them, as I would have been in one of them given half a chance.
Night Shot
I then quickly had a look about and without any signs of carp in any other areas, headed for my backup swim. Being my other faithful, the Gap swim, also the spomb was still clipped up from last week. I got out a mix of crumb and 12mm Catalyst boilies with some small pellets soaked in the Catalyst syrup.
I’d also switch over to Catalyst natural wafters and pop-ups – just to keep switching things about until the carp start eating some bait and not the natural stuff they must be munching on.
Bivvy and Rods
Let’s hope something comes of this week’s trip, as it’s been hard graft recently.
Autumn leafs
Last night was bleep-free for me and as far as I’m aware only one carp has been out this week. This is despite their actives over most nights. I’m convinced they are stocking up on natural food as they appear to do this every year on here, maybe a different approach is required in the future.
A day angler has set up on the opposite bank to me in one of the days swims and could help push the carp out into more open water – with any luck a bite may occur. I may consider a move of swim later today, but there’s a good chance of an influx of weekend anglers which would work in my favor where I’m currently pitched up.
I had another large bream at just after 8 30 am and was still thinking of moving. The angler that was in the swim across from me, (which was my first choice) moved down the other end. I can only assume he blanked last night, the fella on the end of the point had blanked, which was a surprise as I had heard a few carp that way. It can be deceptive here, as they could’ve been in the bay behind me. Which after a chat and a couple of daytime shows is clearly where they were. There’s a guy doing the day in a swim which gives better access to the area and someone else had turned up in another day swim nearby.
Swans
I really wasn’t sure what to do. The one thing that was obvious to me, was that more people would arrive over the course of the day and my peaceful water (as always) would be at least disrupted. I had no intention of recasting unless I caught and no more bait would be put out unless I felt the need.
Door view
At around 10 am when I was on the phone with Ian discussing my options when the right-hand rod burst into life. I pulled into a carp this time, it proceeded to kite to my left and was on a mission. As I know this swim very well, I needed to get the carp a lot closer in before it could connect with the overhanging trees to my left. I pumped the carp in and walked backwards many times, but it was still going left, regardless of my efforts. The time had come to walk up to the edge of the swim, get that rod tip down to the bottom, keep pumping and gaining ground carefully avoiding those snags that hide beneath. I honestly couldn’t believe how far it had gone under as it felt like I was doing this for a fair few minutes before I finally spotted the carp on my side of the tree in the lovely gin-clear waters.
The Overhanging Tree
I breathed a sigh of relief once I saw the fish, it was clear, I slackened the line off and played the carp out under the rod tip. With a couple more attempts to get back to its sanctuary, it was safely in the Nsr50.
One of each side! To say I was over the moon was a bit of an understatement. It had been hard going these few weeks, with trying conditions as the pressure was high, over the 1030 MBs and I do believe I may just be staying in this swim for tonight.
After yet again spotting a carp showing in the same spot, I just had to reel my left-hand rod and give it a few hours, or until an angler sets up in the swim nearby.
Nothing happened this afternoon, there were still a few fish showing, they were very well spread out, and with the reduction of night anglers, I rebated both rods’s a put them back to where I had reeled in from, hopefully this evening may produce a bite or two after today’s activities.
Traps all setPassing Swan
After hearing a few carp top more over to my right, I decided at about 9 pm to move the left rod over to that area as well. This would also save me any issues with some going into one of the swims and casting over my line tomorrow morning, it would be a bit of a shame for both parties.
The night was completely bleep-free, which is definitely a pattern for me these days.
Early hours
The above shot and all my recent photos have been taken on a Samsung S21 Ultra, the night shot feature is awesome and will definitely make a difference to my winter’s blogs. The purists out there will be totally against phones as cameras, but I did start using an SLR back in the early 90s and then switched over to a DSLR sometime in the day to Canon 350d. Over time with the development of technology camera phones are something to behold. It has a 108-megapixel camera, I hate think how much a DSLR would set you back. I ended up switching over simply because of the amount of kit I was carrying about, I take photos, videos, write all my blogs and features on one device these day’s. It fits in my pocket compared to huge camera bag and laptop bag, so you can understand why, I’m sure.
I’m very hopeful of morning take today and I’m going to hang around until 11 am in the hope of getting another bite.
I gave it until 11 am, but other than the bream first thing this, that was it and I headed home.
Until next time
Richard
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