UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

I am out on a rare Saturday night trip, I tend to prefer Sunday night as there are a lot quieter.  However, with the change in the weather and the fact the lake tends to be harder this time of the year, I felt that the conditions favoured Saturday night more.

After a look around and a chat with a fellow Sydicate member, I found out that there was still not alot going on.  I felt the best option was an area that rarely get fished.  This is where, the fish maybe holding up and with no other signs of Carp, this was my best option.

The swim had plenty of options, I just needed to pick the two best spots, I went for baiting up a gully at the back of a bar with Spotted Fin G02 groundbait and chopped boilies as an attraction for the fish.

(but not much feed) and the other rod was going to be a roving rod.  I planned to cast this at any signs of fish, evening and though the night.  I would then drop it into the margins at first light – if no action was forth coming.  I was not due home until 12.30, so I needed to be packing up by 11 am.

During the night, I had the odd single bleep as I was using florocarbon-line.  This tends to be feeding fish along the path of the line.  This gave me some more confidence, I was in the right area, as I was not fishing that far out .

I was awoken to another single bleep, closely followed by another, the bobbin pulling up to the top and holding there.  I was out the brolly, picked up the rod and pulled into what at first felt like a bream, it then turned into a carp nearer the bank.  I am sure we have all had this feeling, from ‘oh great’ to ‘happy days’.

A nice 22lb 2oz common, very happy considering the slow pace of the lake at the moment.

With the clock ticking it was time for a brew, a slow pack up and home for a walk with the family in the New Forest in the afternoon.

Until next time

Richard

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It’s been nearly 2 weeks since my last trip out and that’s a big shock to some friends of mine (Ian).  But I have set up my own small part time garden business in my local area, as being a house husband (or retired as I try and call it) can involve to much TV.  I thought it would be a slow start, oops wrong, nearly two weeks of solid work and I am only here today, as I put a lot of effort in this week’s job and finished early.

I thought I would spend a couple of hours today in my favourite swim.

With a bag filled with Catalyst Pellets, a FW Friut Zing pop up and a hand full of 12mm boilies, I lowered the bait in position and sat back.

Unfortunately, the carp where clearly not in the mood and after speaking to another angler, it’s been quite hard going for the past week.  I need to put my thinking cap on for tomorrow’s trip.

Until next time

Richard

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I am out for my last social of the year, as November is just round the corner.  We all know what that means… Christmas is coming.  With a young family, its great fun.  Funny to think is they have just only finished half term, boy time flies.

To beat the weekend rush, I have my girls with me and the wife will be collecting them after work.  We all meet up around 9 am and work out the best swim for us and set about getting the camp set up. The weather was still unseasonable warm, no real wind direction blowing this weekend and no signs of any carp.  It was going to be a hard one.

I was going to be fishing one rod in the margins and the other in open water.  With that in mind I was going to adopt some extra attraction this weekend in the form of my stix mix and booster spray.

The catalyst Booster Spray

18 mm bottom bait with a 12 mm Frank Warwick Corn pop, just perfect for those tricky Autumnal days, not that the weather feels like Autumn.

I spombed out a couple of kilos of Spotted Fin Catalyst boilies, mixed-up with pellet and a couple of cans of corn.

The first night and came by with no action, the lake was flat calm all day and no signs of any carp.  We watch into the evening, there was a mist and grey cloud all day long until just before dark, it cleared and the sun nearly showed itself.

The last night it was as quiet as before. There was a possibility for a little wind and some sun this morning, I am hoping that this may turn the fish on.

With absolutely no sign of carp, my friend headed home and I moved onto another lake.  I was going to test some rigs on smaller, easier carp.  This paid off almost immediately, with a small common – rig worked.  However, the aggressive take, caused the extra stiff shrink tubing to snap.

Back to my normal stuff.

Now that’s more robust and not let me down.

Lovely spot for a few hours today and not long after that, another small common graced the net.

I fished for 4 hrs and had 8 fish between the 10/14 lb mark.  All from under this bush and just 4 ft from where I was sitting.   It was nice to get a bend in the rod, however back on the harder lake again soon.  It’s always good to know that everything is fine, it’s just the lake playing fun and games with you.

Until next time

Richard

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