July 26th Boulthurst Farm, Oxted, Surrey

Every season I like to spend at least one session at Boulthurst targetting the crucians that live there.

I arrived early (6:45) to ensure that I got the lily pads swim as I knew from past experience that that was where they were the most prolific.

I was first there as usual but the sight that met my eyes was most disconcerting. The club supply 2 bins, one in the carpark right next to the pond and one actually in swim 1. These bins were close to overflowing and the area all around them was covered in litter and even discarded articles of clothing! I had a quick walk around the pond and all the swims were in the same condition. How can people not leave things as they find them?

Anyway the swim I chose only had a few empty cans and a discarded loaf of bread in so I cleared that away and set up my tackle for the day.

I had no choice but to use my 13' match rod as my Shimano float rod was broke (see previous blog entry). On the 5lb main line I attached a small 2 bb waggler and a size 16 hook with a 4lb hooklength.

I mixed up my groundbait - 75% brown crumb with 25% carp/tench/brem attractor together with a handful or 2 of sweetcorn. I threw a couple of balls to the farside of the lily pads. (See photo below).

When I've fished this swim previously I've always managed to bag a bonus carp or 2 in between the lily pads and the bank. The water is only about a foot deep but if you feed it enough they will come in at some point during the day.

To this end I set up my feeder rod with 6lb main line and a size 14 hook to a 5lb hook length. While I was waiting for the crucians to be attracted to the groundbait I thought I would feed the margins swim with some corn and have a dabble.

While I was setting up my match rod the tip shot round and I struck expecting a carp but no, it was a roach of about 4 ounces!!!

By 7:45 I was ready to cast into the swim for the first time. I initially used corn as bait. I didn't have to wait too long before I caught my second roach of the day. This was followed fairly quickly by a crucian of around half a pound.

I tried corn in the margins every hour and at 9:00 I landed a 2.5lb common.

The next 3 hours were pretty slow in terms of the number of fish caught but I did have 4 crucians, sadly none made the magic pound mark. I did pick up a carp on corn which was a pleasant surprise. The margins swim produced another carp and another roach.

The afternoon session was not enjoyable for me at all. Around 3pm a group of kids turned up - 4 went in one swim to the side of me and one went down the far end. For the next hour they cast out the biggest float I've ever seen attached to a massive bit of bread. This fell off and so they reeled in and re-cast.

Of course one had to come over and ask me for a light - I don't smoke so couldn't 'help'.

There was a member of the committee fishing at the pond that day but when I spoke to him after they left (having cast into the tree over thier heads) he said that 'it wasn't worth the hassle to challenge them'. I tended to agree.

Anyway after they left I regained some composure and fished on. By the time I packed up (about 6:30) I added 4 roach (1 from the margins again), 1 more crucian and 2 carp (using a large piece of bread flake).

The largest one is shown below:

I did meet fellow Maggot Drowner Mr B Largus today but as we didn't realise it for several days we didn't chat. Oh well there's always next time.

I packed up at 6pm and headed home.

July 7th Boulthurst Farm, Oxted, Surrey

It was back to Boulthurst for another carping session on this lovely summer's day.

It was early when I arrived (I love an early start) and as expected there was an empty car park. I quickly made my way to my favourite swim. The photo below shows what it was like at 6:30 in the morning.

I set up my 2.5tc carp rod with the usual 6lb main line and 5lb hook length to a size 14 hook. I was going to use 10ml seafood and tutti fruitti flavoured boillies.

One set of boillies I put under the tree and the second in the clear water on the opposite side of the swim. Each set no more than 15 yards from the bank.

Thirty minutes after my first cast I had my first run. I played the fish fairly hard as I had to stop it getting into the roots of the tree. Uunfortunately for me it managed to get there and eventually spat the hook. 

I had to wait a further hour and fifteen minutes for the second run. This one I landed - a nice common of 1.5 pounds. It fell to a seafood boillie.

Forty minutes later it's twin brother succumbed to the same flavour!

Twenty minutes later (9:30 by now) I lost another one as it buried itself in the bank under my feet. I went for the net which must have slackened the line and the hook came out. Silly boy.

The weather was warm and the sky quite overcast so I was a bit disappointted with the action to date. I thought there would be more activity than this. 

10:30 arrived and so did my biggest fish of the day - a 3lb common with a liking for seafood.

For the afternoon session I thought I would concentrate on the tutti fruitti swim. Just before one and just after my salmon paste sandwich I landed a half pound roach!

Fifteen minutes later a 3lb common fell to the fruitty bait. I did begin to wonder why the larger carp were not showing as I could see them on the surface all over the pond when the light was right.

Both swims then went through 3 hours of calm before a 2lb mirror grabbed a tutti fruitti boillie.

Just before 5pm I had another small common before finally calling it a day at around 6pm.

I did enjoy the day (I nearly always do) however I was disappointed with the results.

Better luck next time me thinks.