UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

Trip 13 Carp Fishing – 2021

Posted on March 18, 2021 by richardhandel

I was able to get down the School Lake again today and I was there by 0830. I think everyone had had the same plan as me and I found 5 cars in the car park. Luckily, everyone was well spread out and I was able to go back into the swim I started in yesterday. This time, I flicked one across the other side and baited up with 20mm Classic Corn boilies, in the hope of attracting one of the bigger residents.

The other rod was placed up the margins to my right again, I scattered 8mm Catalyst pellets and 12mm Catalyst boilies with a PPS 12mm pop up.

There’s every chance that I will not get the opportunity to move today. So I’m planning on topping both areas will a few more baits every few hours, to build up the swim.

After having had a few liners on both rods, it was looking pretty perfect and then it went all dead. And the rain arrived. I’ve not seen anything at all today which inspires me to move. I think today is all about sticking with it and (hopefully) a fish will come along at some point.

It was noon again when the right-hand rod dropped back, I grabbed the rod, it was attached to an extremely unhappy carp who was shaking its head and trying to get back under the overhanging brambles. Once it was under the rod tip, it slowly gave up the fight.

17lb 1oz Common

I got the rod back on the spot and topped it up with a few more boilies and pellets. I sat back down for a bite to eat under the brolly as the rain came down. Not long after it stopped, the same rod was away again, with yet another extremely hard fighting carp! Who was again, shaking its head and heading out to open water, it was soon under the rod tip, I played it out and slipped it into the net.

20lb 1oz Mirror

Happy with that! And very happy with the results over the past couple of days, with the better stamp of carp.

With only an hour left to go, the mist is starting to come down and there’s definitely a chill in the air. It would be nice to catch another carp, but I mustn’t be greedy.

Until next time

Stay safe

Richard

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Trip 12 Carp Fishing – 2021

Posted on March 16, 2021 by richardhandel

I arrived down the lake at my normal time to find 4 cars in the car park, which isn’t a bad number. I parked up and took a walk about. I worked out an area of the lake which was pretty much left alone and would give me a fair chance of a carp. The weather was pretty bleak, there was a NE wind blowing, which comes down the lake and you can’t really hide from that. I also didn’t want to set my brolly up as I need to keep an eye on the far margins, they’d produced the odd carp recently.

I set up my rods and flicked one to my left and the other one to my right along the margins. I scattered some 12mm Catalyst boilies with 8mm Catalyst pellets soaked in the food dip over each hook bait. One rod I used a pva bag as I wasn’t sure if the pads had stated to shoot or not.

After spotting a carp show just before noon, I was soon around the other side of the lake and set up with two 12mm Catalyst pop ups over a handful of 8mm Catalyst pellets.

Hopefully, this will produce a fish within the next hour or so.

I was getting a few heavy liners again and was also getting worried that I may spook any carp out of the swim; as this has happened 3 times now. I think it may be time to carry my captive back leads with me, I’m not a fan of the running down the line sort, as this has resulted in a few fish lost over the years.

Just after 1230, the right hand rod was away and this was no way a small carp. After getting it back out from under the overhanging trees, it was away into open water and on a mission. As it had been so long since I’ve hooked a half decent fish, I was playing it a bit to carefully than was necessary. It was finally under control after what felt like a lifetime and a few scary moments, it was then finally in the net and I could breathe again!

18lb 10oz Mirror

I was over the moon. It had been some months since a stunning carp was in my hands.

I soon had the rods out again, I very nearly moved, but I was interested to see if this was a one off, or do they move along these margins?

It’s absolutely lovely now with the sun out. I was hoping that another carp would come along this margin and find my hook baits, as this area must be the warmest part of the lake. There’s still a hope as I have just over an hour to go.

Unfortunately, that was that.

Until next time
Stay safe
Richard

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Trip 11 Carp Fishing – 2021

Posted on March 14, 2021 by richardhandel

I’m out for another day on the School Lake, unfortunately, there are 4 others fishing today and this will certainly make moving about fun. I’ve come up by the island as it’s my only real option at the moment. I will be fishing it a lot differently than yesterday as I’m trying to find the bigger carp, they must be on the move. I have positioned one bait off the side of the island on the drop-off, not far from where the carp where yesterday, it’s further along the island away from the snags. The other rod is along the left margin and in front of the outlet. I’m using a bag with crushed Classic Corn boilies and 12 mm pops on both rods.

10.30 and the right rod was away with a not very happy School Lake Common on the other end. It fought like a wild carp, shooting all over the place but I finally had it in the net.

No monster, but very well received in these trying times.

The rod was soon back on the spot and hopefully not too long until the next bite.

11.15 and the left-hand rod was away, with what felt like a better fish this time. You could certainly tell from the fight.

Lovely looking mirror carp and just over the 10lb mark. It’s going to come as a shock when I get back onto my syndicate waters and hook into a 30+. I will probably be completely overwhelmed with the fight and the size.

I made up another bag, dropped it down the margins again, sat back to write my blog, and have a brew.

Note to self ‘must try Zigs’, as in the last 2 hours I’ve had two heavy liners, where a carp had swum into the line. I’ve seen the fish and they are not a pike. This can happen at this time of the year, when the fish start to spawn, not 100% confident will zig but worth bringing the kit next time.

I’ve moved the bait from the side of the island into the deeper water and attached a bag. You never know, there could be other fish lower down in the water and there could be a chance of a pickup. It’s got to be worth a try over the next few hours and if I see signs back near the island, I’ll move it back there later on this afternoon.

At 2pm, I moved the right-hand rod back to by the island, as there were clearly carp moving about over there again and with a chance of sunshine, it should be a good shout for a bite later on this afternoon

With only an hour left to go and the sun on my back, it’s certainly starting to feel a lot more like Spring in the last few days and hopefully a sign of things to come. You can still get the odd glitch in the system, but it can only get warmer. There’s no going back into Winter once Spring has arrived. March is one of my favorite months as nature starts coming to life, slowly but surely the place will become green again.

With no more joy, it was soon time to head home.

Until next time

Stay safe

Richard

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Trip 10 Carp Fishing – 2021

Posted on March 12, 2021 by richardhandel

I’ve finally made it into double figures on the number of trips I’ve done this year! I must be grateful for this, as there are some people unable to fish locally and are really keen to get on their syndicate water when travelling is allowed again (but we all play our part).

I arrived just after 9am to an empty car park. I took this opportunity to walk around the lake and scatter some Classic Corn boilies in a few swims. I will set up at the back of the island where I was last time, to keep an eye open for carp. Given the opportunity, I will move.

Just before 11am, the left rod was away and felt much better than any of my previous carp on here so far. I was very keen on keeping this fish away from the snags, within a few seconds, I was definitely in control and playing the carp towards the waiting net.

Wow! What a lovely mirror carp. It probably weighed between 11 and 12lb. I was very happy with that.

A fresh bait was put on and the hook touched up, so it was needle sharp. I then catapulted more Catalyst pellets out and sat back on my chair to take in the moment.

Just after noon, I had a heavy liner on the right hand rod and then lost one just before 1pm. There are carp feeding in the snags, so I’ve put some more pellet over them and a trail to my baited spot, in a hope of drawing them my way.

Unfortunately, it was not to be today.

Until next time

Stay safe

Richard

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Trip 9 Carp Fishing – 2021

Posted on March 10, 2021 by richardhandel

With yesterday bucketing it down for most of the day, today was certainly the better option after the rain had passed. It was forecast to be a lovely sunny day and the first for some weeks but there was still a bit of a blow.

I arrived just after 11:00, there was certainly no rush today and I planned on staying until 5ish, in the hope that I will finish my blank run. This is certainly not the same lake as last year, which must partly be due to the pandemic and the cold weather we’ve had, as last winter was very mild.

After looking about and not a hint of a carp but there were a couple of other anglers up by the island, I positioned myself with a good view of both ends. I dropped a couple of baits in the margins and will hopefully either spot some carp and move onto them or they will pick up a bite of one of these rods. Just after 1330, I decided it was time for a move and the back of the island looked ideal. It was at the back of the wind and in the sunshine, so would definitely be warmer than where I was. I had a great view down the lake, to spot any signs of carp showing and I would stay here for a couple of hours. If there were no signs of any fish I would then move again.

14:15, the right-hand rod was away and off around the corner of the island. I had to run down the bank, so I could get into direct contact, it was heading into the bay. I turned the carp and it was now running towards me and off to the left, it was only small, but it wasn’t giving up that quickly.

It was just after 14:30 and the other rod was away, attached to another hard fighting demon, that was also trying everything it could to find a snag.

They are both pretty small, but as this is the only lake I can fish at the moment, it’s certainly better than sitting it out at home on the sofa! Hopefully, things will start to return to normal soon, not sure what the new normal is at the moment though, just a little bit more freedom will be nice over the coming months.

Within the hour, the left rod was away again, but this one dropped the hook soon after the take. I checked the hook, which was still needle-sharp, and flicked it back on the spot, just as the heavens opened again. This shower didn’t last long and I was treated to a rainbow.

Which is always a good photo opportunity.

With 3 takes and 2 fish landed, I was very happy. I was only aiming for just one carp, after the last few trips, great results and I will be back soon.

Until next time

Stay safe

Richard