UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

Deeper

Posted on February 9, 2018 by richardhandel

My New toy has arrived today and I cant wait to get on the bank at the weekend.

Thank You Deeper

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Trip 6 Carp Fishing – 2018

Posted on February 8, 2018 by richardhandel

Not sure if the weather is in my favour tonight, however you have to be in it to win it. I have my bait in deeper water, at the back of the wind and hopefully in the warmest part of the lake.

The wind chill is not to pleasant but I am quite sheltered and tucked up in my bivvy. I have the stove on, the door half down and when the sun is out it’s lovely.

I’ve been playing around with this combination – FW Miracle berry wafter with a Evolution Carp tackle washed out pink maggot Clusters on a Ronnie Rig and a single 12mm natural pop up on the other rod.

They all have a mix of Betafin Pellets and Particle blend, with a few dead maggots and some Catalyst stix mix to bind it up a bit. I have put 6 small Spombs on each spot and hopefully it will produce me my first fish of 2018.

Don’t let the blue sky trick you – it’s pretty fresh out.

At around 1545, the left hand rod gave a few bleeps, the swinger pulled up and stayed there. I was out the door like a whippet and on to my first fish of the year. After a long fight (and an argument with the right-hand bush, which is normal in this swim), it was safely in the net.

19.11 lb Common, that will do me. The rod was re-baited and back on the spot. It was time for a brew and with in less than an hour the same rod was off again.

Which was a nice surprise, I got the rod out on the spot again, did the photos and slipped her back.

This little combination is doing me well today, don’t forget the party mix and the stix. This is all in the lake and I am hoping for something bigger through the night.

With not a single bleep through the night, it was soon pack up time.

INSIDE

And it was a cold pack up with a very wet and smelly car. It was nice to drive home and arrived in day light. Spring is not too far away folks.

Until next time.

Richard

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Pike Fishing Today

Posted on February 8, 2018 by richardhandel

On the Hampshire Avon after the pike today.

Richard

Posted in Course Fishing, Dead Baits, Delkim Buzzers, Diawa, Finygo, Fishing App, Hampshire Avon, photography, pike, Pike fishing, Pike Floats, River Avon, river level, Salmon Oil, Spotted Fin, winter fishing | 1 Comment

The Specimen Angler

Posted on February 5, 2018 by richardhandel

After a friend of mine caught a PB perch and was feeling that buzz. This reminded me of when I had my PB Chub, the buzz of that moment was amazing. I was just desperate to tell people. This made me think, you don’t get many specimen anglers anymore. I had mentioned this to a couple of mates of mine late last year. Obviously, a few other people have also been thinking this, as low and behold on a number of social media platforms there are a few people out there doing this. Therefore, in the coming years, we may well see a drift back to carp angling roots and the hunt for our own specimen fish.

I think this will be good for the industry as a whole and bring more anglers to the bank. Now, I am sure some of you will not like this but you have to look at it as a trade off. The greater the number of angler – the bigger the industry will grow. It will not reduce itself or stagnate. This must be also good for the anglers themselves, as I was once completely put off lake fishing by arrogant carp anglers. I also think it will be good for fisheries, as they will become more diverse, which again is good on a nature point of view. There will be more of a power behind the industry and maybe a chance to take action on matters which need to be resolved before ‘our dear fluffy friend’, the otter destroys it all.

I may have gone a bit off course here a bit. It’s good to see that all species of fish are fished for and that people are not stuck in the past anymore. I must say from a personal point of view I do find it hard to pull myself away from carp. This year, I am going to change that (I hope), well at least try.

Until next time

Richard