With the weather hotting up over the weekend, I hadn’t planned to go fishing. However, with a breeze picking up and if I could find a shady swim, it would be worth a go. I may even get more sleep than at home!
Swim choice was made easy. I was clearly not going back to the same swim as before and the other area was occupied by 4 other anglers on a social – probably watching the football.
I opted for what I hoped would be the cooler end of the lake for me (and the carp). With a cool northerly blowing down the lake and according to the Deeper the surface temperature was 28 degree.
I was using a single bank stick as I was after any signs of fish and this would hopefuly show up on the Delkims. I had got the Deeper out as this end of the lake is very much flat and I needed to find a feature of some sort. The marker rod had only picked up the odd bit of weed with the fox marker lead on.
Finally, after a good couple of hours, I was happy with these spots. It’s a funny swim this one at times, but with the wind pushing down here, I was feeling confident with my choice. I was using the same tactic as before as I have confidence in my bait & rigs.
It was not to be. The night past with on action on the fish front but I did catch up on some well-needed sleep! I was up early and home by 9am.
I was a fruitful trip on an understanding of features in the swim. I always take something from each trip and build upon.
Some years ago, when I was working long hours and needed to make sure that every trip fishing counted, I put together a number of steps together to make my life easier going fishing. In ensured I was not just going through the motions. I am sure that at some point I was this and it affected my catch results.
1. I always keep my kit organized and ready to go. Make sure you are topped up with any important item replaced or topped up. I do this as soon as I get home from my last trip before it all gets packed away in the cupboard.
2. I have found that doing the bait a few days before, will help you be confident that it’s all perfect and it can then be kept in the fridge or freezer until you need it.
3. Make your rigs at home. You can then make sure they are to your standard. This is so much easier than trying to do this on the bank. This way, there is no need for all that extra rig kit on the bank.
4. Take the minimal about of kit you need e.g rig boards, a few leads (there is no need for more than 10 leads). I use a small tackle box with enough rig bits for 10 rigs.
5. On my journey to the lake, always zone out of work and into fishing.
6. Check the weather beforehand. You can start to build up a picture of where the carp may be and swim option. Don’t get to carried away with the swim options, as this is never a good thing, you will never decide.
7. I always load and unload the car in the same way (I even store my tackle in the same way and also set up like this), this will form a pattern which then becomes normal and will help you.
8. When I am fishing, I write a list of things that need topping up or replaced.
9. It’s very important not to rush, take your time and get into a routine when baiting up.
A. Always have sharp hooks
B. Check rig presentation in the lake
C. Pop up/Wafter check
D. Run the line through your hands to check for any abrasions or nicks in the line
10. My bivvy/brolly is laid out the same way each time. You will always know where everything is every time, day or night.
Doing this will help you through the winter months when you need to set up and pack up in the dark.
11. Every so often, sort your tackle bag out, overtime stuff slips back into your tackle bag and you find yourself taking more than you need.
12. If possible, have separate bags for bits of kit, so if you are only doing a day, you can remove your brew kit or cooking kit and torch etc.
These things are very simple, however, they will help you and make fishing much easier and you will enjoy it a lot more.
As part of my beginner’s guide to carp fishing, I will stick to the simple answers regarding leads.
Casting leads or distances leads –
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 –
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 complecate things.
Another great feature of the Deeper is the ability to view your data that you have mapped out, either on your own personal computer or tablet, on the Lakebook map page.
You can rename each download, by clicking on the Info button and highlighting the recording you wish to rename.
You have the ability to view the full record of your mapping as one big map or the individual recordings you made if each swim.
On the individual recording, you can access the sonar feature of each area you have mapped.
You also have the ability to measure the distance to your favourite spot. This can be done using map or satellite mode.
I find the satellite mode quite helpful as you can find your horizon markers.
You can access the depths as well.
You will need to set your Deeper to shore mode and create an account on the lake bed page. https://maps.deepersonar.com
I hope you found this very helpful in your Deeper journey.
I had a lucky call from the wife this afternoon, saying she had to pick up a workmate in the morning and didn’t need to go to work until after 9 am! As this is after school run time and would I like to fish tonight? There would be no need to come home until before school collection time at 3pm the next day. Well, I jumped at the chance, quickly sorted my kit out and once she was home, I was on my way. When I arrived there were only 2-day anglers fishing and they were all in day swims.
As my favorite swim was free and the wind was pushing from the south, there was no other choice. My Deeper lake book map had certainly paid off the other night and the spot was looking good.
The spomb was still clipped up from my last trip (which was a help). I got about 10 Spombs of a mixture of SF tiger & hemp Particle, a mixture of the pellets I have been playing with and some catalyst boilies all out there. I then did the rods with a mixture of the same in small bags with 15mm catalyst Wafters on both and to my amazement, the first take came about 2130 to the left-hand rod (again) and after a very hard fight, I had a nice 22lb common sitting in the Nsr 50.
22lb Common
Not a bad start, I was feeling very happy with myself after throughs hard months.
The second take came on at 2330, around the same time as my first take the other night. As I was playing the fish, the other rod pulled up and then slowly dropped down, after another good fight the next fish was in the Nsr 50. I picked up the other rod, unfortunately with no fish on but the rig was in a right mess, the fish had managed to shed the hook.
22 lb Mirror
The fish in the Nsr turned out to be another 22lber on the dot. I’m glad I use digital scales and a zero them every time otherwise I would have thought I was seeing things.
I got both rods back out there again and settled back on my bedchair, thinking this is more like it.
This is turning into one of them trips to remember. Well in fact it has. My next take came sometime around 0045 and it was a pretty good fight. I avoided the tree to my right and the fish slipped over the cord of the Nsr very easily. When I looked in the net, oh wow now that’s a lump and when I lifted it out the water, oh boy. After three times of checking the weight of the sling and zeroing the scales again, I settled on a weight of 40lb 1oz and the joy filled the air.
40-1 Mirror
I was well over the moon and this had been a long time coming. No sooner than that fish was back in the water, my right hand rod was away and with an amazing battle this time another fish was in the net and ready for some snaps.
22.12 common
This one was like a torpedo, which was why I had much difficulty getting it in the net. With both rod’s back out, it was time to spomb some more bait out to keep them in the area. Not sure if I will get any sleep tonight, it’s just after 0200 but I don’t care – I’ve just had a 40lber and a new PB.
I think the next run was about 0245, it was a very hard fight avoiding the overhanging tree to my right. Which unfortunately resulted in me picking up the right-hand rods back lead, oh boy but the fight was soon done and a lovely 29.6oz common was in the net.
29.12 Common
The next take came along at about 0340 with another nice common gracing the net.
24.11 Common
There was a break in action until about 7am, which gave me the chance to a little bit of sleep until the next run arrived. I also took all the rod’s out again the fish kitted left under and around the tree.
24.2 Common
With the rods back out, I topped up the swim with a few more Spombs of the particle mix, I was low on boilies and pellet, so I had only for bags now. As I really needed to use them as I was fishing weed, there was an amazing amount of weed floating around, (which was partly due to me and the rest due to the carp ripping up the bottom), there were still signs if fish, so you never know. The sun was very much up and on full blast.
Well, folks that was it and what a night it was. I’m not going to forget that for some time to come.
Think the pictures are all in the right place, does get a bit hard with these common carp.
