I am back down the lake after doing the school run. After blanking last night on the carp, I am meeting up with a friend for a spot of pike fishing today. We have gone for an area which we both have been planing to fish but never got around to.
This gave us the option to fish a rod in open water each and both put a rod in the bay behind us. We were fishing a mix of dead baits herring, mackerel, I was injecting my ones with salmon Oil.
It was not long before the first fish was on the bank not that big but another pike to add to the list.
With the rod re-baited, it was time to do a pasty my friend had brought down.
About an hour later the other rod was off – well until the fish dropped the bait. This has happen to me before, time to rethink my drop off bobbins.
With the weather so mild, I had to take the opportunity to do a quick overnight. After gleaning some information the other day from a fellow Syndicate member, I really fancied one end of the lake over the other. I had three swims in mind, unfortunately one had all ready got an angler in, the 2nd one a tree really needed a good prune to be able to get the bait in the right area, so (in true Goldilocks style) I settled for option three. I was very happy about this swim. I clipped up the rods on the areas I fancied and put on some small mesh bags filled with my updates stix mix for the winter. I will let you know about in the near future, if I catch of course.
Sorry photo’s may be a bit boring for the next few month’s on my quick over nighters, as I have to set up/pack up in the dark now.
Both rod’s had the Spotted Fin Smokey Jack on. One with a wafter and the other with a pop up. I did stick a few baits out in the general area – to get any carp hunting around for food, let’s see what the night brings. Plenty of sleep or plenty of carp, you never know and that one reason we keep on going week in week out.
With plenty of liners early on in the evening and the odd fish topping it was looking good for a take. This was sort lived it all went quiet and a good night sleep was had. I must say was I bit surprised. I am off home now and then back for a few hour’s pike fishing with a friend today. Let’s hope this is more fruitful, mind you it’s going to be a bit of a struggle on the lake to locate the big pike I think.
As there was an absolute bucket load of rain falling down into the lake yesterday, there was no way I was going to be after the carp today. So pike fishing was on the menu! With the hope of spotting the odd carp, to give me a clue for tomorrow’s trip.
I had absolutely no idea where I was heading for but it had to be somewhere the bream would be. As Mr Pike will never be too far away. I opted for a swim that I had never tried for pike in. In this swim I could cast my baits into a nice warm and calm area of the lake. It had a nice gravel hump where I have caught bream in the winter from before. I am going to sit it out in each swim and not move around (like I have done on here before), as I need to build up a better picture of were and when the pike are feeding.
As before, I left one rod static and flicked the other one around the area. Unfortunately, no pike today. Hopefully next time.
With the temperatures dropping and we’ve had a couple of frosts, it’s time to squeeze in the odd pike trip.
The sun is trying its hardest to break through the morning mist.
I’ve flicked a couple of free lined dead baits out, injected with Spotted Fin salmon Oil, for some added attraction. I have gone for this area as, the other week, my friend and I where watching the a shoal of bream being hit by pike. Let’s hope they are still about today.
One rod was left out in a likely area for the whole time. The other rod was cast out and reeled in a few feet every so often, I find this method can pay off sometime.
Just after noon time a Jack must of had a go at the bait (by the size of the bite marks on the dead bait). It managed to avoid the trees which is never a bad thing when Jack pike are concerned. I think I have managed to cut myself on them over the year’s, more than larger pike.
The sun has finally made it out. That took a bit longer than I thought it would today.
Just as I was about to reel in, the same rod was off and it turned out to be another Jack, probably the same one that dropped the bait, earlier on in the day.
After a poor few days and a chat with a friend who had not been out for a few weeks due to ill heath, I suggest he may fancy a day on here for a change.
The likelihood of a few fish would be a bit of fun. The day started well with my friend getting stuck in a nice big traffic jam. As I was doing the night after our day trip, I suggested we go there straight away. Thanks Ian.
After a look around and a bit of a chat with a fellow Syndicate member, I really fancied this corner. It had not been fished since Sunday and was at the back of all that wind. I had seen a couple top first thing and was very keen to go in that area if the lake. The day proved to be very hard, I had chosen to put the right hand rod, was in an area which felt very fishy looking as it had some nice overhanging trees. The other rod would be out into the lake a bit, where I had seen the fish.
As the day progressed, I had clearly got it wrong. The fished had moved over to the left hand side and a long way along the bank, way out of sensible fishing range. At 4 pm my friend headed home and I flicked the rods (with a natural pop up and a Smokey Jack bottom bait) to the left and put a couple of kilos of a mix of Catalyst & Smokey Jack, both on a Ronnie Rig tied up with semi stiff fin skin and size 6 Long Shank turning point Hooks, this rig works with all forms of bait, not just pop ups.
Would you believe it, just after I reel in, a carp rolls under the trees. You could not write it, I had left it as long as possible. Anyway, I am all set for a glass of red, pasta & meat balls for tea.
As night fell, the carp started to show more and yes, you guest it all to the right side of the swim and even along the tree line. I was pretty confident until I had a bream about midnight and then a tench at 03.30. The night finished with fog and a strong north wind. I woke up to brilliant sunshine at first light.
I had had a few liners on the left rod, so I thought I better reel it in. I was a bit worried that the rig was set wrong (nope all OK, just my luck that was set wrong!). I took this opportunity to change over to a FW Masala pop, to entice the carp.
With not a bleep all day, it was soon time to top up the swim but not too many boilies but a fair bit of catalyst pellets and Betafin Pellets Soaked in Minamino (for added attraction). One rod was fished on a 15 mm catalyst Wafters and the other on a snowman with a nice 12mm white Catalyst to top it off.
The sun was setting and the lake was looking good. The odd fish was showing and I was forever hopeful.
Well that was another rubbish night, probably now to the big drop in temperature over night. This may well have been the coldest one yet.
Gorgeous misty start to the day – let’s hope a can bag one before I go home today. The family are back first thing tomorrow and I need to collect them from the airport. It’s been a very hard week for fishing, as they have clearly started to shut down and adjust to the coming Winter. I wonder if they know what is coming way before we do? Nature certainly does have one up on us.
What an fabulous end to a week out on the lake spread over two sessions. Even though only one carp on the bank for me.
