UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

Trip 26 Carp Fishing- 2019

Posted on April 16, 2019 by richardhandel

I have the chance of another weekend, just as the school Easter break starts and my Dad is down to help look after the girls. This is so I can carry on gardening and the kids don’t have to go to a holiday club. I was on my way once the wife was home Friday night.

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When I drove around the first lake to the Tower car park, I was amazed to find about 10 anglers on that lake. I was starting to panic a bit, so I drove on to the next car park to find only 2 cars on there, phew. I headed off to find the location of the owners of the cars, one was doing the weekend and the other was just packing up which gave me the choice of the middle lake or the top lake.

The top lake is always my first choice if I can get a swim. I was in two minds as to fish the same swim as my last trip, go into another one or even go to the swim I fished last weekend as no-one was on there.

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After looking and waiting on the long point between the middle and bottom lakes. It meant I could see both lakes and any signs of fish. The one issue was, I was certain I only had my large spomb, as I had carried the other one about for so long without using it, I had taken it off my car bag. This is a bag which has a lot of kit I may need but don’t necessarily need it in my swim. This is the beauty of fishing a safe place off the beaten track.

So it’s single hook baits for me this weekend, as clearly the carp are here and any overactivity could push them out of the area.

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It’s starting to come a bit of a habit, another blank night has passed by. I just have to stick with it and have faith that I am getting closer, things will come together very soon and I just need to stick to what I know best. I shouldn’t start changing things around and panic, as this tends to result in you continue to blank. You change too much all at the same time, it’s best just to alter one thing at a time, as you will never know which factor has caused or affected your results.

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Once 11 am passed, it was time to get thinking about where to put the rods tonight or not move them at all.

I decided to move the right-hand rod a lot closer to the channel which runs between the middle lake and the bottom lake. This was one of the areas I had seen fish in when I arrived yesterday. Not sure if I will leave it there at night yet. Hopefully, it will catch a carp and see how it behaves. The left-hand rod will be moved slightly right, as I have found a harder bottom to fish.

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I just about managed to get some bait in the area with my large spomb (that was fun), maybe its time to have some casting tuition.

All was sorted out by 1 pm, so let’s hope that the carp move back into the area, as they where there last night when I arrived and we can pick one up.

Last night was action free and with an early pack up, I was off by 8am and heading home.

Until next time

Richard

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Trip 25 Carp Fishing – 2019

Posted on April 13, 2019 by richardhandel

Now that the clocks have changed, it’s full steam ahead on the Airfield Lake. They spawn in early May, would you believe? But yes they do. It’s because it’s so shallow in the main lake and it warms up very fast. It’s hard going at the best of times but after they have spawned they spread out more.

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With a definite plan already formulated, there is a definite pattern to this lake – well to a point anyway.

I pulled into the car park just after 1830 and was very happy to see that there was only one car in the car park. I knew where he would be, so I loaded the barrow and headed off for a long hard walk, this certainly takes it out of you but effort = reward.

Having fished this swim a number of times over the years, it was a very straight forward set up. I was fishing 1 rod on the back of the bar and the other over the top. I had spombed out about 8 loads of a mixture of Smokey & Catalyst 12mm boilies. I was fishing a size 8 turning point hook ronnie rig style using stiff finskin and a 3oz zipp lead from monster leads. With a pink pepper squid & a natural Catalyst wafter on the other.

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Let’s hope tonight bring me some better luck.

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Other than the odd liner in the night, that was it. I had a few hours in the rain before I needed to pack up and am hoping it will have eased off some what by then.

I’m more and more convinced that the carp are happy feeding on the hatches. Until that dies down a bit and they discover boilies again, it will always be hard going at the start on here.

It’s certainly looking like another Spring blank is coming my way. It’s sort of to be expected but it still surprises you every time, especially when you feel it’s the right conditions.

Until next time

Richard

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Basic Guide To Leads

Posted on April 10, 2019 by richardhandel

As part of my beginner’s guide to carp fishing, I will stick to the simple answers regarding leads.

Casting leads or distances leads –

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These are the pointed ones, which look like bullets and used to be known as Zipp leads. They are perfected for casting great distances due to the shape and also make less noise when entering the water. Regarding lead size and the heavier the lead, the further you can cast – this is true to a point but you need to match up the correct lead to your rod and your ability to cast. You may well find that you can cast further out with a light lead than with a heavier one. You have to remember, if you’re fishing silt the lead will go in very well, however, because of the shape can easily be pulled out.

Flat leads –

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These are perfect for slopes, where you don’t want your bait to roll down e.g margin shelf, sides of island and gravel bars. They are very effective as bolt rigs, they sit flat on the lake bed. They will make more noise going into the water. Anglers like to use these in PVA bags but I prefer the Zipp style, as it makes the job much easier due to the shape. You can easily push them into the bag. These are best fished on gravel or perfect for clear water as their profile is very slimline.

Pear leads –

Very good for casting but not up to the standard of the distance leads, as it’s all about aerodynamics. The shape of the lead has most of the weight at one end, this helps the carp prick itself a lot quicker than distance leads and these leads do plug themselves in the silty bottomed lakes. These leads can be used in most carp fishing situations and is a very universal lead if you had to pick one.

There are plenty more choices however, I don’t wish to over complicate things.

Hope this helps

Richard

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Trip 24 Carp Fishing – 2019

Posted on April 9, 2019 by richardhandel

I’m finally back out on the Airfield lake, after two weeks and it’s also the last time of setting up at dusk, the clockS change to British Summer Time. Which is just great news.

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I had spent 4 hrs on Thursday having a good look around the whole complex, instead of going fishing. I just felt that it would be more beneficial for me and formulated a plan for the weekend. It was going to be very dependent on where other anglers were set up. I would not arrive until 1830, which would just about give me 30 minutes to decide what my best options where. I settled for the second point of the middle part if the complex. With the lack of time, I’d planned on finding one spot and point both rods on it with about 8 spomb’s of a mixture of 12mm Catalyst and Smokey. I would fish a Natural wafter on one and a masala wafter on the other. Both rods were fished with a large pva bag filled with pellets soaked on Catalyst particle syrup.

With a few fish showing on the far tree line, I was pretty happy with my choice. Let’s hope the next 48 hrs turns out that way.

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The night passed me by, with just a few lines and a lovely Spring day arrived again. This must start waking them up soon. I say waking them up but they’re pretty much on it as normal – just all under the overhanging tree. This comes out into the lake some 20 ft, just need the carp to venture out into open water more.

Another night passed me by again and a very early pack up. I need to get back for Mothers Day, head off for lunch with the family and the Mother in Law.

Until next time

Richard

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Trip 23 Carp Fishing – 2019

Posted on April 6, 2019 by richardhandel

After my day trip today, I put a lot of thought into where I should go fishing tonight. My original plan was to fish on the Airfield Lake, but this would mean a bit of a rush job on finding a suitable area to fish before darkness arrived. This is never ideal on a venue that I’ve not seen or fished for the past few week’s. Reports are that the lake is pretty hard going and I felt that a return trip to the Estate Lake would be more productive and informative as it would be my second night on there.

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My swim choice was made more or less at home, I really needed to fish a different swim/area at night. After seeing all the fish out in the main part of the lake, it had to be that area. I knew from a previous day trip which area was clean from the weed and as I had the time at home to rebait my rods with free hook baits (as the kids were eating their tea), I was already prepared and I catapulted a few small pouches of 12mm Smokey & Catalyst boilies out. I soon had the camp set up and all sorted for the night.

I awoke in the night a couple of times as there where fish crashing. Due to the size of the lake, they could have been anywhere. I didn’t walk about, as this may have disturbed the carp.

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