Today was going to be my last trip of the season. As I'd had my best results of the season at Chittenden it was here that I decided to call it a day for 2015.
I was up and out of the house in semi darkness and reasonably pleasant weather. The thirty minute trip to Edenbridge was uneventful and so it was just after 6:45 when I arrived at the lake.
As usual I unloaded the gear and headed off to the far end of the lake. Set up today didn't take as long as usual as I now only had one rod! (See last post).
I was ready to make my first cast at 7:35. As I relaxed in my chair I wondered if just having one rod to concentrate on would improve my strike rate (pun intended)?
I started with corn as the hook bait and had to wait until 9:53 before I netted my first fish. It was as expected one of the lake's bream.
The rest of the morning was very quiet. I switched baits every hour or so but with no success. That is until 13:43 when a carp took my latest meat offering. Alas, it wasn't my day as during the ensuing tussle it managed to break my hook length.
My luck turned 4 minute later when I hooked into another carp. This one took corn and made the net. It wasn't large - about 2 oz!
Just under two hours later I was into another carp. Again this one fell to meat. After unhooking it I didn't bother weighing it as it wasn't a double. I estimated it to be about 8 lb.
About 30 mins previous, two anglers (sorry don't know your names) arrived and set up in the swim opposite me.After a while one of them came round to inquire how I was getting on. I told him the sorry tale. He then asked if I had tried cheese. I said I hadn't and that I didn't have any. He, luckily enough had some and gave me a large lump to try.
After releasing the aforementioned carp I decided to give the cheese a try on the grounds that things couldn't get any worse. Thirty minutes later the float went and I was into what turned out to be another carp of 8 lb. My first on cheese!
I felt I was on a winner so I stayed on the cheese and twenty two minutes later I bagged another carp, this one came in at 5 lb.
Another thirty minutes later and was into another one. This one though was a bit smaller, It came in at 4 lb.
At 17:50 the cheese worked again. This time it turned out to be my best fish of the day, a 9 lb specimen.
I decided to pack up at 18:21 after I landed a bream with a liking for the cheese.
So a bad day turned into a good day thanks to some help from another club member. If you are reading this, thanks very much. Eight fish in the day.
Saturday 14 November 2015
Wednesday 11 November 2015
2015 24 August 29th Nursery Fields, Edenbridge
Today, as it turned out would be my last trip of the season to the club's mixed fishery at Nursery Fields.
I was up and out slightly later than usual as the mornings were now a little on the dark side at my normal time.It was therefore about 7 am when I pulled into the empty car park.
I quickly unloaded the car and headed out to the back stretch of the lake. The water looked very fishy, would today be a good one. I felt like it could.
It was the usual two rod approach again today. One waggler set up and another small leger set up on a feeder rod. I was all plumbed up, swims fed and ready to make my first casts at around 7:40.
I spent an hour on the corn but never even got any signs of interest let alone a bite. I decided to make the switch to meat and was rewarded at 9:20 with my first bream of the day. No blanking for me today.
Sixteen minutes later, still using the meat I was into my second fish. This turned out to be a meat loving roach!
It was now just after 10 am and I was back on the corn. Fish number three was a nice bream.
I had to wait another two hours for my next bite. Again it was on corn however this time the victim was a tench.
Thirty minutes later and still on corn I bagged my first crucian for a long time. I thought they had all emigrated!
Just after lunch I switched back to meat and was rewarded with this fine bream. Twenty five minutes later I netted another one - I was on a bit of a roll.
At 15.29 the tip of the feeder rod went round for the first time of the day. When I lifted the rod I knew straight away that it wasn't a carp. It did fight but not for very long. When it hit the surface I saw it was a big bream. The scales confirmed this as it weighed 3 lb 12 oz which I think is my personal best.
The first carp of the day turned up at 16:54. It was taken on the waggler rod and weighed 1 lb! It liked meat though.
The next carp, also caught on meat,turned up at 18:00 and weighed 4 lb. A good scrap on the float rod.
I decided at that point to give up for the day. It was a decision that would come back and haunt me for ever!
When I pack up I start by draining the excess water out of the bait boxes and throwing the small amount of ground bait that is left into the edge.
Next I fold up the chair and put the bait boxes and terminal tackle back in my box. That just leaves the two rods and the landing net to dismantle.
When I reeled in the float rod I saw a big carp right beneath my feet! It obviously had been attracted by the ground bait and flavored water that I had previously tipped in.
I made the decision to have a go for it, so I put a piece of meat on the hook and gently lowered it over the side. Immediately the line tightened I struck. The fish took straight off towards the island. I managed to turn it and also managed to keep it out of the lily pads to my right. When it was in the net I could see that it weighed about 8 lb. What a result.
Things turned sour when I was unhooking the carp on the mat. I heard a thump and turned to see my feeder rod heading out across the lake. I watched it stop and sink when it got to the far bank.
I was dumbstruck and really annoyed, mainly with myself!
So a day that saw me catch 11 fish ended up with me losing my feeder rod and reel. Lesson to be learnt here I think.
I was up and out slightly later than usual as the mornings were now a little on the dark side at my normal time.It was therefore about 7 am when I pulled into the empty car park.
I quickly unloaded the car and headed out to the back stretch of the lake. The water looked very fishy, would today be a good one. I felt like it could.
It was the usual two rod approach again today. One waggler set up and another small leger set up on a feeder rod. I was all plumbed up, swims fed and ready to make my first casts at around 7:40.
I spent an hour on the corn but never even got any signs of interest let alone a bite. I decided to make the switch to meat and was rewarded at 9:20 with my first bream of the day. No blanking for me today.
Sixteen minutes later, still using the meat I was into my second fish. This turned out to be a meat loving roach!
It was now just after 10 am and I was back on the corn. Fish number three was a nice bream.
I had to wait another two hours for my next bite. Again it was on corn however this time the victim was a tench.
Thirty minutes later and still on corn I bagged my first crucian for a long time. I thought they had all emigrated!
Just after lunch I switched back to meat and was rewarded with this fine bream. Twenty five minutes later I netted another one - I was on a bit of a roll.
At 15.29 the tip of the feeder rod went round for the first time of the day. When I lifted the rod I knew straight away that it wasn't a carp. It did fight but not for very long. When it hit the surface I saw it was a big bream. The scales confirmed this as it weighed 3 lb 12 oz which I think is my personal best.
The first carp of the day turned up at 16:54. It was taken on the waggler rod and weighed 1 lb! It liked meat though.
The next carp, also caught on meat,turned up at 18:00 and weighed 4 lb. A good scrap on the float rod.
I decided at that point to give up for the day. It was a decision that would come back and haunt me for ever!
When I pack up I start by draining the excess water out of the bait boxes and throwing the small amount of ground bait that is left into the edge.
Next I fold up the chair and put the bait boxes and terminal tackle back in my box. That just leaves the two rods and the landing net to dismantle.
When I reeled in the float rod I saw a big carp right beneath my feet! It obviously had been attracted by the ground bait and flavored water that I had previously tipped in.
I made the decision to have a go for it, so I put a piece of meat on the hook and gently lowered it over the side. Immediately the line tightened I struck. The fish took straight off towards the island. I managed to turn it and also managed to keep it out of the lily pads to my right. When it was in the net I could see that it weighed about 8 lb. What a result.
Things turned sour when I was unhooking the carp on the mat. I heard a thump and turned to see my feeder rod heading out across the lake. I watched it stop and sink when it got to the far bank.
I was dumbstruck and really annoyed, mainly with myself!
So a day that saw me catch 11 fish ended up with me losing my feeder rod and reel. Lesson to be learnt here I think.
Friday 30 October 2015
2015 23 August 23rd Chittenden, Edenbridge
Confidence was high as I leaped out of bed ready for my next assault on the club's carp lake at Chittenden.
I was up and out of the house by 5:45 ready for the run down to Edenbridge. It takes about 35 minutes with a following wind and so it was around 6:20 when I pulled in to the car park.
Full of enthusiasm, I unloaded the car and quickly made my way down to the far end of the lake where hopefully, my favorite swim would be free.
My luck on this occasion was indeed 'in' as when I passed the island I could see that all the swims were free. As soon as I arrived at the swim I fed both my intended swims with generous amounts of maize. It worked before so why not today?
Next, I set up both my rods, a waggler rod for the corner reeds swim and a feeder rod for the maize fed sleeper swim. By 7.05 I was ready to make my first casts.
For the waggler rod I started on corn and was rewarded with a bream, par for the course really. For the feeder rod the first hour brought a carp that I estimated was about 3 lb.
For the next hour I switched to meat on the waggler rod and managed to bag a carp which weighed around 4 lb.
I got nothing on the waggler when I switched back to corn for the next hour. I did however manage to snag a carp of 5 lb or so on the feeder rod.
Nothing on the waggler for the second consecutive hour, I was beginning to get worried. To help keep my spirits up the feeder rod chipped in with another bream.
The next three hours, which for arguments sake we will call lunchtime, was very quiet. The waggler produced a solitary bream. The feeder rod however, produced the best carp of the day so far, a specimen(!) of about 7 lb.
The afternoon session was all about carp, three of them to be exact. A 7 lb one on meat was the waggler rod's contribution and a duo weighting 8 lb and 3 lb was the feeder rod's.
Between 16:00 and 18:00 it all went quiet again. I was back to using corn on the waggler and yes it attracted just the bream. One to be exact.
After 18:00 and before I packed up at 19:00, I went back on the meat and was rewarded with 3 carp, 2 small ones and one about 3 lb. I finished the day off with a small bream.
So sixteen fish in the day, not my best but a satisfying one all the same.
I was up and out of the house by 5:45 ready for the run down to Edenbridge. It takes about 35 minutes with a following wind and so it was around 6:20 when I pulled in to the car park.
Full of enthusiasm, I unloaded the car and quickly made my way down to the far end of the lake where hopefully, my favorite swim would be free.
My luck on this occasion was indeed 'in' as when I passed the island I could see that all the swims were free. As soon as I arrived at the swim I fed both my intended swims with generous amounts of maize. It worked before so why not today?
Next, I set up both my rods, a waggler rod for the corner reeds swim and a feeder rod for the maize fed sleeper swim. By 7.05 I was ready to make my first casts.
For the waggler rod I started on corn and was rewarded with a bream, par for the course really. For the feeder rod the first hour brought a carp that I estimated was about 3 lb.
For the next hour I switched to meat on the waggler rod and managed to bag a carp which weighed around 4 lb.
I got nothing on the waggler when I switched back to corn for the next hour. I did however manage to snag a carp of 5 lb or so on the feeder rod.
Nothing on the waggler for the second consecutive hour, I was beginning to get worried. To help keep my spirits up the feeder rod chipped in with another bream.
The next three hours, which for arguments sake we will call lunchtime, was very quiet. The waggler produced a solitary bream. The feeder rod however, produced the best carp of the day so far, a specimen(!) of about 7 lb.
The afternoon session was all about carp, three of them to be exact. A 7 lb one on meat was the waggler rod's contribution and a duo weighting 8 lb and 3 lb was the feeder rod's.
Between 16:00 and 18:00 it all went quiet again. I was back to using corn on the waggler and yes it attracted just the bream. One to be exact.
After 18:00 and before I packed up at 19:00, I went back on the meat and was rewarded with 3 carp, 2 small ones and one about 3 lb. I finished the day off with a small bream.
So sixteen fish in the day, not my best but a satisfying one all the same.
Thursday 22 October 2015
2015 22 August 14th Nursery Fields, Edenbridge
Although I'd had a really good session the previous week at Chittenden I felt I hadn't really cracked it at Nursery Fields this season, so today I made the decision to try and put that right.
I arrived at the lake at about 6:20, by now you'll know that I always arrive at this time in the summer months - creature of habit or what!
I unloaded the car and set off for the far side of the lake where, in my opinion all the best swims are and (by and large) there are less people.
Same approach as normal again today, one waggler rod swim by the lily pads and a sleeper feeder rod into a swim baited heavily with maize.
I made my first casts at 7:20 and then sat back and waited for the action to begin. For the waggler rod I started with corn as the hook bait.
The first hour wasn't very productive just the one bream however there were signs of fish in the swim so I remained hopeful.
The next hour was pretty barren to. I'd switched to meat to see if that could generate any interest but alas, no, all the swim gave up was a small rudd!
I was back on the corn for the third hour, the result, a bream of around 2 lb and a small roach. I'd doubled my total!
Another switch to meat brought my first tench of the day as the time reached 11:20. I also got my first carp on the feeder rod, although it only weighed about 1.5 lb.
Nothing on the waggler during the next sixty minutes however the feeder rod chipped in with a bream that was about 3 lb and a tench.
Lunchtime brought one fish from each swim, a 2 lb carp from the feeder and a bream from the waggler. Quiet but steady if you get my meaning.
I was back on the corn for another hour. The result was a rudd and strangely a small perch! It upped the species count if nothing else.
The afternoon session, especially the early part was very quiet although towards 16:00 it did pick up. The waggler produced a bream of 2 lb and the feeder rod produced another tench and a brilliant carp of 9 lb 14 oz.Just a few ounces short of being a double! I was made up.
The next hour was my best of the day, a roach and a rudd on corn and a nice tench on meat was the waggler rod's contribution and a two tench, another carp was the feeder rod's. Six fish in a hour at Nursery Fields a miracle by this season's standards.
By the time I packed up at 18:40 I'd added a further three fish to my day's total. Two carp on the waggler using meat and a bream on the feeder rod.
So by my calculation that makes the day's total 24. I'd call that a success in anyones book.
I arrived at the lake at about 6:20, by now you'll know that I always arrive at this time in the summer months - creature of habit or what!
I unloaded the car and set off for the far side of the lake where, in my opinion all the best swims are and (by and large) there are less people.
Same approach as normal again today, one waggler rod swim by the lily pads and a sleeper feeder rod into a swim baited heavily with maize.
I made my first casts at 7:20 and then sat back and waited for the action to begin. For the waggler rod I started with corn as the hook bait.
The first hour wasn't very productive just the one bream however there were signs of fish in the swim so I remained hopeful.
The next hour was pretty barren to. I'd switched to meat to see if that could generate any interest but alas, no, all the swim gave up was a small rudd!
I was back on the corn for the third hour, the result, a bream of around 2 lb and a small roach. I'd doubled my total!
Another switch to meat brought my first tench of the day as the time reached 11:20. I also got my first carp on the feeder rod, although it only weighed about 1.5 lb.
Nothing on the waggler during the next sixty minutes however the feeder rod chipped in with a bream that was about 3 lb and a tench.
Lunchtime brought one fish from each swim, a 2 lb carp from the feeder and a bream from the waggler. Quiet but steady if you get my meaning.
I was back on the corn for another hour. The result was a rudd and strangely a small perch! It upped the species count if nothing else.
The afternoon session, especially the early part was very quiet although towards 16:00 it did pick up. The waggler produced a bream of 2 lb and the feeder rod produced another tench and a brilliant carp of 9 lb 14 oz.Just a few ounces short of being a double! I was made up.
The next hour was my best of the day, a roach and a rudd on corn and a nice tench on meat was the waggler rod's contribution and a two tench, another carp was the feeder rod's. Six fish in a hour at Nursery Fields a miracle by this season's standards.
By the time I packed up at 18:40 I'd added a further three fish to my day's total. Two carp on the waggler using meat and a bream on the feeder rod.
So by my calculation that makes the day's total 24. I'd call that a success in anyones book.
Saturday 17 October 2015
2015 21 August 7th Chittenden, Edenbridge
A disappointing day at Nursery Fields the previous week prompted me to make the decision to give the club's carp lake at Chittenden a go this week.
As usual I was up at 5 am and out of of the house by about 5:45. The sun was shining and it felt even at this early hour that it was going to be a hot one.
I arrived at the fishery around 6:15. I unloaded the car and quickly made my way to my favorite swim at the bottom end of the lake.
Yet again, I was going to use my trusted two rod attack, a waggler by the reeds and a small bomb on the feeder rod a little to my left. I was determined to stick with the maize. I fed both swims heavily on arrival with handfuls of the stuff.
I was set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:22. The session had started, I wondered what it had in store for me today.
I started on corn for the first hour and was rewarded with a couple of the lake's bream. A good start to a good day?
After that first hour I switched hook baits to meat. It was really just to see if any non bream had been attracted to the handfuls of maize. One had, a carp of 6 lb 14 oz! The maize on the feeder rod also went into action, a carp of about 3 lb! My confidence was now quite high.
A switch back to corn slowed proceedings down somewhat for the next sixty minutes. My only capture was a small skimmer bream.
The feeder swim in the next hour seemed to have attracted some bream as three of them were caught on the maize. The waggler chipped in with a couple of fish on meat. A good carp of 8 lb 6 oz and another bream. A day I couldn't complain about so far.
As lunchtime approached I was back on the corn and so apparently were the bream. One on corn and one on it's big brother the maize.
The lunchtime session brought another four fish, two on the feeder rod (a 4 lb carp and another bream) and two on the meat loaded waggler (a 4 lb carp and a smaller one of about 2 lb).
By 14:20 the fish were still coming on both rods, a 4 lb carp on corn and a 2 lb one on the maize. I was enjoying this!
Then it happened, at 15:20 I was using corn on the waggler and when the float went under I thought it would be another bream however when it shot off I knew it wasn't. I played the fish as best I could and eventually it came in the net. When I saw it I suspected it could be a double. I was right 10 lb 6 oz!
Between when I released the carp and when I packed up at 18:00 the carp in the swim seemed to go mad. Five of them made the net, all of which took meat. Two of them were about 3 lb, two were about 4 lb and the last one of the day came in at 8 lb 4 oz.
What a great day I had, 24 fish in all, one of them a double. I shall be back.
As usual I was up at 5 am and out of of the house by about 5:45. The sun was shining and it felt even at this early hour that it was going to be a hot one.
I arrived at the fishery around 6:15. I unloaded the car and quickly made my way to my favorite swim at the bottom end of the lake.
Yet again, I was going to use my trusted two rod attack, a waggler by the reeds and a small bomb on the feeder rod a little to my left. I was determined to stick with the maize. I fed both swims heavily on arrival with handfuls of the stuff.
I was set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:22. The session had started, I wondered what it had in store for me today.
I started on corn for the first hour and was rewarded with a couple of the lake's bream. A good start to a good day?
After that first hour I switched hook baits to meat. It was really just to see if any non bream had been attracted to the handfuls of maize. One had, a carp of 6 lb 14 oz! The maize on the feeder rod also went into action, a carp of about 3 lb! My confidence was now quite high.
A switch back to corn slowed proceedings down somewhat for the next sixty minutes. My only capture was a small skimmer bream.
The feeder swim in the next hour seemed to have attracted some bream as three of them were caught on the maize. The waggler chipped in with a couple of fish on meat. A good carp of 8 lb 6 oz and another bream. A day I couldn't complain about so far.
As lunchtime approached I was back on the corn and so apparently were the bream. One on corn and one on it's big brother the maize.
The lunchtime session brought another four fish, two on the feeder rod (a 4 lb carp and another bream) and two on the meat loaded waggler (a 4 lb carp and a smaller one of about 2 lb).
By 14:20 the fish were still coming on both rods, a 4 lb carp on corn and a 2 lb one on the maize. I was enjoying this!
Then it happened, at 15:20 I was using corn on the waggler and when the float went under I thought it would be another bream however when it shot off I knew it wasn't. I played the fish as best I could and eventually it came in the net. When I saw it I suspected it could be a double. I was right 10 lb 6 oz!
Between when I released the carp and when I packed up at 18:00 the carp in the swim seemed to go mad. Five of them made the net, all of which took meat. Two of them were about 3 lb, two were about 4 lb and the last one of the day came in at 8 lb 4 oz.
What a great day I had, 24 fish in all, one of them a double. I shall be back.
Saturday 10 October 2015
2015 20 July 31st Nursery Fields, Edenbridge
After a very wet trip to Chittenden the previous week it was good to see that the sun was shining as I got up at 5 am to get ready to head off to the club's mixed fishery at Nursery Fields.
The car park was empty when I arrived which was an indication that the lake was still not fishing well. The majority of members clearly staying away.
I loaded up the trolley and headed off to the far side of the island where to be honest most of the swims are isolated from the ones on either side. I like it that way.
Two rods in action again today. The waggler fishing close to the lily pads and a feeder rod about 10 yards away by some reeds, As usual this was using maize as the hook bait.
I was set up and ready to make my first casts by 7:30 am. The sun was shining and I was feeling confident of having some good sport today.
The Feeder swim:
I had to wait until 11:09 for my first bite. It came on meat and the culprit was a small roach. Oh dear.
Over two hours later I got my second bite, again it was on meat and again it was just a small roach.
Half an hour later I caught my first non roach of the day, it was on corn and it was a rudd!
Six minutes later and again on corn I was into another rudd. Boy, could this day get any better.
At 14:50 normal service for the day was resumed. Again another roach and again it was taken on meat.
Between 15:45 and 17:00 I went back on the corn. The action on the waggler was just as sparse, two small roach was my reward.
Also just before 17:00 the feeder tip went round for the first time and I found, much to my surprise that I was into a carp! I did get it in. I estimated the weight at around 7 lb. I had to estimate the weight as the rain last week had killed my electronic scales.
As the session came to a close I decided to have a go with meat down the edge. To my surprise the float disappeared straight away and off went the fish. After a few minutes I landed a carp of 10.25 lb. My first ever double from NF.
So all the action in the last hour! Fishing, that's why we love it.
Nine fish caught in the day. I'll be back as things can only get better, can't they?
The car park was empty when I arrived which was an indication that the lake was still not fishing well. The majority of members clearly staying away.
I loaded up the trolley and headed off to the far side of the island where to be honest most of the swims are isolated from the ones on either side. I like it that way.
Two rods in action again today. The waggler fishing close to the lily pads and a feeder rod about 10 yards away by some reeds, As usual this was using maize as the hook bait.
I was set up and ready to make my first casts by 7:30 am. The sun was shining and I was feeling confident of having some good sport today.
The Feeder swim:
I had to wait until 11:09 for my first bite. It came on meat and the culprit was a small roach. Oh dear.
Over two hours later I got my second bite, again it was on meat and again it was just a small roach.
Half an hour later I caught my first non roach of the day, it was on corn and it was a rudd!
Six minutes later and again on corn I was into another rudd. Boy, could this day get any better.
At 14:50 normal service for the day was resumed. Again another roach and again it was taken on meat.
Between 15:45 and 17:00 I went back on the corn. The action on the waggler was just as sparse, two small roach was my reward.
Also just before 17:00 the feeder tip went round for the first time and I found, much to my surprise that I was into a carp! I did get it in. I estimated the weight at around 7 lb. I had to estimate the weight as the rain last week had killed my electronic scales.
As the session came to a close I decided to have a go with meat down the edge. To my surprise the float disappeared straight away and off went the fish. After a few minutes I landed a carp of 10.25 lb. My first ever double from NF.
So all the action in the last hour! Fishing, that's why we love it.
Nine fish caught in the day. I'll be back as things can only get better, can't they?
Thursday 24 September 2015
2015 19 July 24th Chittenden, Edenbridge
Well today didn't turn out like I planned but let's start at the beginning and work up to it.
After a disappointing visit to Nursery Fields the previous week I decided today to visit the club's carp lake at Chittenden.
I was up at 5 am to ensure that I got a nice early start which hopefully would enable me to get my favorite swim down at the far end of the lake
I arrived at the fishery just 6 am with the sun shining on the sheep in the nearby fields. "What a glorious summer's day" I thought to myself as I drove down the track to the car park. Only a car or two in the car park so my plan was coming together.
I unloaded the car and made my way down to the dam end of the lake where my favorite swim was awaiting me. The lake looked in fantastic condition, I was anticipating a great day.
As usual today was going to be a two rod attack, The first would be a waggler set up of 6 lb line to a size 16 16 hair rig hook on a 6 lb hook length. The second was a straight bomb using maize as the bait fished at an angle of 90 degrees to my left.
With the swims fed I was set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:05. The sun was still shining.
I got off to a flyer on the waggler rod. I started on corn and immediately the bream were on it. Five of them in the first hour,to be exact. It had now begun to spit with rain.
I switched to meat for the next hour and was rewarded with one of the lakes smallest catfish! The rain was getting harder and the skies were very dark.
It was quiet for the next sixty minutes, the only action was that I missed a good carp with a liking for corn. The rain was really coming down now. It was time to put the umbrella up.
Between 10:00 and 13:00 the rain really came down. The wind also got up to make matters worse. Most of the people around the lake had packed up and gone home. Only the idiots remained! Still one bream in three hours kept my spirits up!
Just after 1 pm the feeder rod's tip went round and I was into a fish. It didn't dash away with any power so I knew it wasn't a carp. I was right as when it broke the surface I saw it was a bream that weighed 3 lb exactly. Nice one!
On the waggler I was still using meat as my bait. I was rewarded with my first carp, which came in at 6 lb. I and everything else was totally soaked by now.
They were going mad now, a few minutes later I was into another carp with a liking for meat. The one was bigger coming in at 9 lb 7 oz, almost a double.
My 13th fish came in soon after, this was another carp with a weakness for meat however at 8 lb 10 oz it wasn't as big as the previous one.
The rain was really crashing down now and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and cold. Did I pack up and go home? No, this moron stayed on. By 15:00 I'd added another four fish, three bream and another carp, this one came in 2 oz under 10 lb. Not my day was it?
I was back on the corn for the next 90 soaking wet minutes. I did get a couple of fish, both carp and both estimated as it was now too wet for the digital scales. The first was about 8 lb and the second a bit smaller at 5 lb.
Between 16:00 and 18:00 when I packed up I managed to get another five fish, four of them on meat. Three bream and a carp of 9 lb. The fifth was my second fish on the maize, a carp of 8 lb 6 oz.
I did have a bit of luck at the end of the day, the rain stopped when I was about to pack up!
So despite getting absolutely drenched I finished the day on 22 fish, one of them almost a double. Not too bad, Sting in the tail when I got home it was raining again so got drenched unloading the car!
After a disappointing visit to Nursery Fields the previous week I decided today to visit the club's carp lake at Chittenden.
I was up at 5 am to ensure that I got a nice early start which hopefully would enable me to get my favorite swim down at the far end of the lake
I arrived at the fishery just 6 am with the sun shining on the sheep in the nearby fields. "What a glorious summer's day" I thought to myself as I drove down the track to the car park. Only a car or two in the car park so my plan was coming together.
I unloaded the car and made my way down to the dam end of the lake where my favorite swim was awaiting me. The lake looked in fantastic condition, I was anticipating a great day.
As usual today was going to be a two rod attack, The first would be a waggler set up of 6 lb line to a size 16 16 hair rig hook on a 6 lb hook length. The second was a straight bomb using maize as the bait fished at an angle of 90 degrees to my left.
With the swims fed I was set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:05. The sun was still shining.
I got off to a flyer on the waggler rod. I started on corn and immediately the bream were on it. Five of them in the first hour,to be exact. It had now begun to spit with rain.
I switched to meat for the next hour and was rewarded with one of the lakes smallest catfish! The rain was getting harder and the skies were very dark.
It was quiet for the next sixty minutes, the only action was that I missed a good carp with a liking for corn. The rain was really coming down now. It was time to put the umbrella up.
Between 10:00 and 13:00 the rain really came down. The wind also got up to make matters worse. Most of the people around the lake had packed up and gone home. Only the idiots remained! Still one bream in three hours kept my spirits up!
Just after 1 pm the feeder rod's tip went round and I was into a fish. It didn't dash away with any power so I knew it wasn't a carp. I was right as when it broke the surface I saw it was a bream that weighed 3 lb exactly. Nice one!
On the waggler I was still using meat as my bait. I was rewarded with my first carp, which came in at 6 lb. I and everything else was totally soaked by now.
They were going mad now, a few minutes later I was into another carp with a liking for meat. The one was bigger coming in at 9 lb 7 oz, almost a double.
My 13th fish came in soon after, this was another carp with a weakness for meat however at 8 lb 10 oz it wasn't as big as the previous one.
The rain was really crashing down now and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and cold. Did I pack up and go home? No, this moron stayed on. By 15:00 I'd added another four fish, three bream and another carp, this one came in 2 oz under 10 lb. Not my day was it?
I was back on the corn for the next 90 soaking wet minutes. I did get a couple of fish, both carp and both estimated as it was now too wet for the digital scales. The first was about 8 lb and the second a bit smaller at 5 lb.
Between 16:00 and 18:00 when I packed up I managed to get another five fish, four of them on meat. Three bream and a carp of 9 lb. The fifth was my second fish on the maize, a carp of 8 lb 6 oz.
I did have a bit of luck at the end of the day, the rain stopped when I was about to pack up!
So despite getting absolutely drenched I finished the day on 22 fish, one of them almost a double. Not too bad, Sting in the tail when I got home it was raining again so got drenched unloading the car!
Tuesday 15 September 2015
2015 18 July 19th Nursery Fields, Edenbridge
After my somewhat unsuccessful trip to Boulthurst farm a couple of weeks back, I decided today to return to the club's mixed fishery at Nursery Fields.
For a change today's main bait tactic was the small (6 ml) halibut pellet banded on a size 18 hook. I would still use a feeder rod with maize as the bait as back up in case the pellets failed.
For a change today's main bait tactic was the small (6 ml) halibut pellet banded on a size 18 hook. I would still use a feeder rod with maize as the bait as back up in case the pellets failed.
I was up at 5 am and out of the house around 5:45. The drive was uneventful despite the rain! I wasn't looking forward to setting up in the wet.
I arrived at the venue at around 6:15. I loaded up my trolley and headed off round the back of the lake.
The rain was still coming down as I set up my Shimano float rod and my Maver feeder rod. It generally takes 45 minutes to an hour to set up which includes, mixing the ground bait, setting up the two rods, plumbing the depth, feeding the swims and organizing the peg so that everything is to hand.
With the pellet safely banded on the hair I made my first cast at 7:13. The first hour passed without any action. It wasn't until nearly 9 am that the float finally dipped and I was into a fish. The result a skimmer bream of about a pound.
The going was tough, I began to doubt whether or not my choice of tactics for the day was correct as first one hour passed and then another without a bite. It wasn't until 11:49 that the float went away again and I was into another skimmer bream.
After another two hours of inactivity I put a piece of corn on the hook and was rewarded with another skimmer. It was now just after two in the afternoon and I'd only caught three skimmer bream. Oh dear.
The pattern was now fully established as I had to wait until nearly 16:00 before I was into another fish. This one was taken on the pellet and was indeed another bream however the good thing was that it weighed 2 lb 13 oz very nice.
At 16:31 I caught my first tench on pellets. So that was something to be proud of!
For the last 90 minutes of the session I decided to fish down the margin using cubes of meat. This was fairly successful as I caught three fish of differing species: a bream, a tench and a barbel. None of them unfortunately were of any size.
That's was it for the day. eight fish caught, none on the feeder rod, half on the pellets. Was it my tactics or something else? I shall have to go back.
The rain was still coming down as I set up my Shimano float rod and my Maver feeder rod. It generally takes 45 minutes to an hour to set up which includes, mixing the ground bait, setting up the two rods, plumbing the depth, feeding the swims and organizing the peg so that everything is to hand.
With the pellet safely banded on the hair I made my first cast at 7:13. The first hour passed without any action. It wasn't until nearly 9 am that the float finally dipped and I was into a fish. The result a skimmer bream of about a pound.
The going was tough, I began to doubt whether or not my choice of tactics for the day was correct as first one hour passed and then another without a bite. It wasn't until 11:49 that the float went away again and I was into another skimmer bream.
After another two hours of inactivity I put a piece of corn on the hook and was rewarded with another skimmer. It was now just after two in the afternoon and I'd only caught three skimmer bream. Oh dear.
The pattern was now fully established as I had to wait until nearly 16:00 before I was into another fish. This one was taken on the pellet and was indeed another bream however the good thing was that it weighed 2 lb 13 oz very nice.
At 16:31 I caught my first tench on pellets. So that was something to be proud of!
For the last 90 minutes of the session I decided to fish down the margin using cubes of meat. This was fairly successful as I caught three fish of differing species: a bream, a tench and a barbel. None of them unfortunately were of any size.
That's was it for the day. eight fish caught, none on the feeder rod, half on the pellets. Was it my tactics or something else? I shall have to go back.
Friday 11 September 2015
2015 17 June 29th, Boulthurst Farm, Oxted. Surrey
Today I decided to take myself back to one of my old favorite venues, the Holland A.S. controlled small pond at Boulthurst Farm in Oxted, Surrey.
Today's target was not the carp that everyone goes for but the crucians. Could I get one and if so could I get a good sized one?
When I arrived at the small car park (there are only 5 swims on this pond) I was glad to see no one else there. Choice of swim was therefore all mine. There is only one swim with lily pads to fish to and it was this one that I chose.
I was set up and ready to make my first cast at 7:05. For bait I started on single maggot. Immediately I could see fish activity in the swim. It was however only the usual small roach, I caught two of them in the first hour.
It seemed to me that if I stayed on maggot I would always be bothered by these small roach so for the next hour I switched to corn. The result was another roach albeit slightly bigger than the previous two and the first small skimmer bream of the session.
I used the same tactics for the next hour however my reward was less, just the skimmer bream. Perhaps it was the heat. Today felt like it was going to be a really hot one.
Due to the slow going I set up a feeder rod, baited a swim with maize and cast that out. By noon I'd only added another four fish, three roach and a skimmer bream. I think the extreme heat was affecting the fishing.
For the next three hours I decided I would try small cubes of meat. I did get five fish, four roach and a carp but not the crucians I was looking for.
The next two hours was just the same, blazing heat and next to no fish. One small roach and that was it.
Just before I packed up, the feeder rod's tip went round and I was into a carp. They like maize here apparently.
Sorry about the photo, I had to use my phone as my camera has broke.
I decided at point to call it a day. Sixteen fish in the day wasn't what I was expecting. I think the sun and the heat had beaten me on this occasion.
Today's target was not the carp that everyone goes for but the crucians. Could I get one and if so could I get a good sized one?
When I arrived at the small car park (there are only 5 swims on this pond) I was glad to see no one else there. Choice of swim was therefore all mine. There is only one swim with lily pads to fish to and it was this one that I chose.
I was set up and ready to make my first cast at 7:05. For bait I started on single maggot. Immediately I could see fish activity in the swim. It was however only the usual small roach, I caught two of them in the first hour.
It seemed to me that if I stayed on maggot I would always be bothered by these small roach so for the next hour I switched to corn. The result was another roach albeit slightly bigger than the previous two and the first small skimmer bream of the session.
I used the same tactics for the next hour however my reward was less, just the skimmer bream. Perhaps it was the heat. Today felt like it was going to be a really hot one.
Due to the slow going I set up a feeder rod, baited a swim with maize and cast that out. By noon I'd only added another four fish, three roach and a skimmer bream. I think the extreme heat was affecting the fishing.
For the next three hours I decided I would try small cubes of meat. I did get five fish, four roach and a carp but not the crucians I was looking for.
The next two hours was just the same, blazing heat and next to no fish. One small roach and that was it.
Just before I packed up, the feeder rod's tip went round and I was into a carp. They like maize here apparently.
Sorry about the photo, I had to use my phone as my camera has broke.
I decided at point to call it a day. Sixteen fish in the day wasn't what I was expecting. I think the sun and the heat had beaten me on this occasion.
Friday 28 August 2015
2015 16 June 20th Chittenden, Edenbridge
Today it was time to return to Chittenden in an attempt to correct the mistakes I made on my previous visit.
I was up at 5 am and on the road by 5:30. It's brilliant driving down to Edenbridge at that time of the morning, you hardly ever see another car.
I arrived around 6 am and quickly loaded the trolley and headed off down the lake to my favorite swim.
As usual I first mixed the ground bait so that I could get the swim fed. A change I did make was that for the leger rod instead of fishing directly in front of me I was going to try about 15 yards to my right and about 5 yards out. This swim I fed with handfuls of maize which I topped up every hour.
I had the two rods set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:10 am. Learning from last time I had both clutches set very tight so that only a really good fish would be able to take line.
I started with corn on the waggler and maize on the feeder. The first hour was quite productive, at least on the waggler as I caught one good skimmer bream and a 5lb 12 oz carp on the waggler. I did find that I was able to bully it away from the reeds quite confidently.
By the end of the second hour I'd added three more bream to the virtual net, one on corn and two on meat. A good start to the day.
At the close of hour three I'd managed to get another two on meat, one bream and a very small carp.
By 11:05 I'd only added another carp to the total, It did weight 5lb 13 oz and it did fall to meat again.
Leading up to my lunch I had another carp, this one was slightly bigger at 6 lb 7 oz. Again, this one fell to a cube of meat.
It must have been the smell of my lunch because another hour later a caught an even bigger carp, this one came in at 8 lb 15 oz. It also fell to a cube of meat. I was doing well. This carp was accompanied by a 2 lb 6 oz bream, very nice.
Here's the bream.
For the next three hours I went back on the corn as the bites seemed to dry up. Two bream were tempted by it. Close to 16:00 I switched back to meat again and almost straight away a carp of 4 lb 4 oz came in.
Thirty minutes later another carp weighing 4 lb 8 oz was in the net, Yes that one fell to meat as well.
At 17:00 the feeder rod went off and I caught my first Chittenden carp on maize. It was a good one as well, 9 lb 2 oz, almost my first double of the year.
Eight minutes later and the waggler rod was off again. The result was another carp. This one was smaller than the previous one, 8 lb 2 oz, nice all the same.
Was that it for the day? Absolutely not, there was one more card to play. It was 18:00 and I was thinking of packing up for the day when the float dipped and I struck. Very slowly the fish moved away. It took line quite easily despite the clutch being very tight. I began to have flashbacks of my previous visit however this time I managed to turn it, although by that time it was a good distance out. I played the fish for what seemed an eternity before I first got a glimpse of my quarry. By my standards it was huge. I struggled to get it off the bottom, finally when it did come up I saw it was a catfish! I prayed the hook would hold as it came nearer and nearer. Soon it was close enough for me to reach for the net. Don't panic, Ken I thought just relax and don't rush. How I did it I don't know but eventually it was in the net! It weighed, 14 lb 2 oz, needless to say it was a personal best!
At that point I thought it couldn't get any better so I packed up and went home. Eighteen fish caught in the day including a personal best catfish. I'll be back.
I was up at 5 am and on the road by 5:30. It's brilliant driving down to Edenbridge at that time of the morning, you hardly ever see another car.
I arrived around 6 am and quickly loaded the trolley and headed off down the lake to my favorite swim.
As usual I first mixed the ground bait so that I could get the swim fed. A change I did make was that for the leger rod instead of fishing directly in front of me I was going to try about 15 yards to my right and about 5 yards out. This swim I fed with handfuls of maize which I topped up every hour.
I had the two rods set up and ready to make my first casts at 7:10 am. Learning from last time I had both clutches set very tight so that only a really good fish would be able to take line.
I started with corn on the waggler and maize on the feeder. The first hour was quite productive, at least on the waggler as I caught one good skimmer bream and a 5lb 12 oz carp on the waggler. I did find that I was able to bully it away from the reeds quite confidently.
By the end of the second hour I'd added three more bream to the virtual net, one on corn and two on meat. A good start to the day.
At the close of hour three I'd managed to get another two on meat, one bream and a very small carp.
By 11:05 I'd only added another carp to the total, It did weight 5lb 13 oz and it did fall to meat again.
Leading up to my lunch I had another carp, this one was slightly bigger at 6 lb 7 oz. Again, this one fell to a cube of meat.
It must have been the smell of my lunch because another hour later a caught an even bigger carp, this one came in at 8 lb 15 oz. It also fell to a cube of meat. I was doing well. This carp was accompanied by a 2 lb 6 oz bream, very nice.
Here's the bream.
For the next three hours I went back on the corn as the bites seemed to dry up. Two bream were tempted by it. Close to 16:00 I switched back to meat again and almost straight away a carp of 4 lb 4 oz came in.
Thirty minutes later another carp weighing 4 lb 8 oz was in the net, Yes that one fell to meat as well.
At 17:00 the feeder rod went off and I caught my first Chittenden carp on maize. It was a good one as well, 9 lb 2 oz, almost my first double of the year.
Eight minutes later and the waggler rod was off again. The result was another carp. This one was smaller than the previous one, 8 lb 2 oz, nice all the same.
Was that it for the day? Absolutely not, there was one more card to play. It was 18:00 and I was thinking of packing up for the day when the float dipped and I struck. Very slowly the fish moved away. It took line quite easily despite the clutch being very tight. I began to have flashbacks of my previous visit however this time I managed to turn it, although by that time it was a good distance out. I played the fish for what seemed an eternity before I first got a glimpse of my quarry. By my standards it was huge. I struggled to get it off the bottom, finally when it did come up I saw it was a catfish! I prayed the hook would hold as it came nearer and nearer. Soon it was close enough for me to reach for the net. Don't panic, Ken I thought just relax and don't rush. How I did it I don't know but eventually it was in the net! It weighed, 14 lb 2 oz, needless to say it was a personal best!
At that point I thought it couldn't get any better so I packed up and went home. Eighteen fish caught in the day including a personal best catfish. I'll be back.
Sunday 16 August 2015
2015 15 June 13th Nursery Fields, Edenbridge
After a disastrous session at Chittenden the previous week I needed the confidence boost of a good day so I decided to pay a visit to the club's mixed fishery lake at Nursery Fields.
I was up at 5 am and on my way by 5:45 which meant that I arrived at the fishery about 6:15. Only one car in the car park so effectively I had a free choice of swims. Just how I like it.
I went round the back of the lake and chose a swim that had lily pads to fish to but more importantly some that allowed me to fish right handed. On the left hand side of the swim there were some reeds jutting out that I thought would be a perfect place to drop a small leger. I think it was peg 12.
I had both rods set up and ready by 7:15. The waggler swim had been fed with a genourous helping of ground bait, corn and meat plus a few halibut pellets. The feeder swim had been fed with three or four large handfuls of maize.
I started the session with corn as my hook bait and the initial going was slow. I did catch though, one solitary bream.
The next two hours was much more eventful. On the float rod I had another skimmer bream plus a carp of 2 lb. The feeder rod though produced this bream of 3 lb 1 oz on maize. I was really happy with that one.
Things quietened down for the next hour. I was still on the corn and the only fished tempted by it was a small tench.
It was the feeder rod's turn to produce in the next hour, and produce it did. Another good sized bream (2 lb 13 oz) yet again on the maize
.
The lunchtime section of the session saw the arrival of the small roach, two of them to be exact with a liking for the corn.
I switched to meat for the next hour and was rewarded with another tench and a skimmer bream. the feeder rod chipped in with my first tench on the maize.
The next hour was all about the maize on the feeder. Another tench and surprise surprise a barbel. Neither were of any real size but fish caught nevertheless.
Between 16:15 and when I packed up around 6 pm I caught a mixed bag of fish on the waggler and the feeder.
This included a tench and a barbel on meat, two bream, two roach and a barbel on corn.
So my first day at Nursery Fields for the season ended with a total of 19 fish. A good start. I will return.
I was up at 5 am and on my way by 5:45 which meant that I arrived at the fishery about 6:15. Only one car in the car park so effectively I had a free choice of swims. Just how I like it.
I went round the back of the lake and chose a swim that had lily pads to fish to but more importantly some that allowed me to fish right handed. On the left hand side of the swim there were some reeds jutting out that I thought would be a perfect place to drop a small leger. I think it was peg 12.
I had both rods set up and ready by 7:15. The waggler swim had been fed with a genourous helping of ground bait, corn and meat plus a few halibut pellets. The feeder swim had been fed with three or four large handfuls of maize.
I started the session with corn as my hook bait and the initial going was slow. I did catch though, one solitary bream.
The next two hours was much more eventful. On the float rod I had another skimmer bream plus a carp of 2 lb. The feeder rod though produced this bream of 3 lb 1 oz on maize. I was really happy with that one.
Things quietened down for the next hour. I was still on the corn and the only fished tempted by it was a small tench.
It was the feeder rod's turn to produce in the next hour, and produce it did. Another good sized bream (2 lb 13 oz) yet again on the maize
The lunchtime section of the session saw the arrival of the small roach, two of them to be exact with a liking for the corn.
I switched to meat for the next hour and was rewarded with another tench and a skimmer bream. the feeder rod chipped in with my first tench on the maize.
The next hour was all about the maize on the feeder. Another tench and surprise surprise a barbel. Neither were of any real size but fish caught nevertheless.
Between 16:15 and when I packed up around 6 pm I caught a mixed bag of fish on the waggler and the feeder.
This included a tench and a barbel on meat, two bream, two roach and a barbel on corn.
So my first day at Nursery Fields for the season ended with a total of 19 fish. A good start. I will return.
Sunday 9 August 2015
2015 14 June 5th Chittenden, Edenbridge
The new club season was upon us and today I chose Chittenden as the venue to make my seasonal debut.
I arrived at the fishery just before 6 am. There was one other car in the car park and the sun was shining. It couldn't have been a better start to the day.
I loaded up the trolley and headed down the lake to my favorite swim at the bottom. When I got there the lake was flat calm, the surface only broken by the bubbles caused by feeding fish.
Two rod attack was the plan for the day. A waggler by the reeds and a small leger about a third of the way across. For the first time this year I was going to use maize as a hook bait. I intended to use it on the feeder rod. For the waggler I was going to use corn to start with and then meat later.
With the swims fed I was ready to make my first casts of the season at 7:10 am.
The first hour proved I was right about the feeding fish as I had three good bites, two of them spat the hook but the third made the net. It was this 6.5 lb carp. I was off!
For the next hour I switched to meat. I only caught two fish, the first was a 3 lb 9 oz bream which I believe is a personal best for me. The second was a catfish weighing about 4 oz!
I stayed on meat for most of the next hour and was rewarded with a carp of 4 lb 3 oz. I did swop back to corn for a bit which attracted two hungry bream.
Between 10 and 11 am I blanked. I was not expecting that. The feeder rod had been motionless all the morning so far as well.
The next hour was going the way of the previous one when all of a sudden the float went away and I was into a carp of 6 lb 11 oz. That however led into the situation that ended my day but strangely improved my season.
About 13:00 the float dipped away and I struck into a fish. It ran away from the reeds and out into the center of the lake.As it ran I started to tighten the clutch however this had no real affect. I tightened it more and more until I thought something must give. Eventually it did, I looked down and saw that the fish had emptied the spool. I was gobsmacked, sickened and annoyed. My attention had so been on tightening the clutch I hadn't notice that the spool was getting empty. My spool only takes 100 meters of 6lb line.
Worried that it may happen again I reeled in the feeder rod and packed up. I left the fishery about 13:30 totally cheesed off. I had no one to blame but myself.
Postscript
On my return home I logged onto WWW.MAGGOTDROWNING.COM to seek advice as to how this situation could have been avoided.
The solution most offered was that I should have had the setting of the clutch much stiffer as a starting point than I had so that when I tightened it further if the fish didn't stop the hook length would have broken.
Also I think I lacked confidence in how much I could pull on the rod.
Since this incident I have taken the advice given and it has helped me out. I can now bully the fish away from the reeds and into the open water quite easily. As a generalization, the clutch will only release line when fish 8 lb or over run.
I arrived at the fishery just before 6 am. There was one other car in the car park and the sun was shining. It couldn't have been a better start to the day.
I loaded up the trolley and headed down the lake to my favorite swim at the bottom. When I got there the lake was flat calm, the surface only broken by the bubbles caused by feeding fish.
Two rod attack was the plan for the day. A waggler by the reeds and a small leger about a third of the way across. For the first time this year I was going to use maize as a hook bait. I intended to use it on the feeder rod. For the waggler I was going to use corn to start with and then meat later.
With the swims fed I was ready to make my first casts of the season at 7:10 am.
The first hour proved I was right about the feeding fish as I had three good bites, two of them spat the hook but the third made the net. It was this 6.5 lb carp. I was off!
For the next hour I switched to meat. I only caught two fish, the first was a 3 lb 9 oz bream which I believe is a personal best for me. The second was a catfish weighing about 4 oz!
I stayed on meat for most of the next hour and was rewarded with a carp of 4 lb 3 oz. I did swop back to corn for a bit which attracted two hungry bream.
Between 10 and 11 am I blanked. I was not expecting that. The feeder rod had been motionless all the morning so far as well.
The next hour was going the way of the previous one when all of a sudden the float went away and I was into a carp of 6 lb 11 oz. That however led into the situation that ended my day but strangely improved my season.
About 13:00 the float dipped away and I struck into a fish. It ran away from the reeds and out into the center of the lake.As it ran I started to tighten the clutch however this had no real affect. I tightened it more and more until I thought something must give. Eventually it did, I looked down and saw that the fish had emptied the spool. I was gobsmacked, sickened and annoyed. My attention had so been on tightening the clutch I hadn't notice that the spool was getting empty. My spool only takes 100 meters of 6lb line.
Worried that it may happen again I reeled in the feeder rod and packed up. I left the fishery about 13:30 totally cheesed off. I had no one to blame but myself.
Postscript
On my return home I logged onto WWW.MAGGOTDROWNING.COM to seek advice as to how this situation could have been avoided.
The solution most offered was that I should have had the setting of the clutch much stiffer as a starting point than I had so that when I tightened it further if the fish didn't stop the hook length would have broken.
Also I think I lacked confidence in how much I could pull on the rod.
Since this incident I have taken the advice given and it has helped me out. I can now bully the fish away from the reeds and into the open water quite easily. As a generalization, the clutch will only release line when fish 8 lb or over run.
Sunday 26 July 2015
2015 13 May 31st Silver Lake, Gabriels Farm Fishery, Edenbridge
Today was my second visit of the year to Gabriel's Silver lake. I was really looking forward to it as I always seem to do well on that particular lake.
When I arrived I was almost shocked to see three or four cars already in the car park. I unloaded the car and set off for my favorite swim, which on Silver lake is peg 1.
When I arrived at the lake I discovered that the owners of the cars in the car park were on the first four pegs having a match (the keep nets gave it away). What to do now? I decided to have a stroll up the far bank. One of the first swims had a nice looking reed bed to fish to. I decided to give that one a go.
One rod waggler set up was to be my tactic of the day. Bait wise I was going to fish corn over a base of maize. I had fed the swim and was ready to make my first cast at 8 am.
I forgot to mention that although the spot I was fishing was about midway across the lake the depth was barely 2 feet. The first hour brought a solitary roach however undeterred I fed the swim some more and kept on fishing.
Another hour passed and the only other occupant of the virtual net was a skimmer bream which also fell to corn.
For the next four hours and ten minutes I couldn't buy a bite. The wait was ended when the float dipped and I was into a fish that took line! The culprit was a 3 lb carp. Small by carping standards but a welcome relief.
It was nearly 2 hours before I had another bite. It was back to the bream again.
Nothing happened until about 6 pm when the float shot away and I was into something a bit more substantial. Unfortunately for me it managed to get into a snag on the far side. Try as I may I couldn't get it out. The result a broken hook length.
It was then that I decided to call it a day. Not one of my best, just four fish in the day. Obviously the very fishy looking reed bed wasn't quite what it seemed! I shall be back.
When I arrived I was almost shocked to see three or four cars already in the car park. I unloaded the car and set off for my favorite swim, which on Silver lake is peg 1.
When I arrived at the lake I discovered that the owners of the cars in the car park were on the first four pegs having a match (the keep nets gave it away). What to do now? I decided to have a stroll up the far bank. One of the first swims had a nice looking reed bed to fish to. I decided to give that one a go.
One rod waggler set up was to be my tactic of the day. Bait wise I was going to fish corn over a base of maize. I had fed the swim and was ready to make my first cast at 8 am.
I forgot to mention that although the spot I was fishing was about midway across the lake the depth was barely 2 feet. The first hour brought a solitary roach however undeterred I fed the swim some more and kept on fishing.
Another hour passed and the only other occupant of the virtual net was a skimmer bream which also fell to corn.
For the next four hours and ten minutes I couldn't buy a bite. The wait was ended when the float dipped and I was into a fish that took line! The culprit was a 3 lb carp. Small by carping standards but a welcome relief.
It was nearly 2 hours before I had another bite. It was back to the bream again.
Nothing happened until about 6 pm when the float shot away and I was into something a bit more substantial. Unfortunately for me it managed to get into a snag on the far side. Try as I may I couldn't get it out. The result a broken hook length.
It was then that I decided to call it a day. Not one of my best, just four fish in the day. Obviously the very fishy looking reed bed wasn't quite what it seemed! I shall be back.
Sunday 28 June 2015
2015 12 May 25th Hare Lake, Gabriels Farm Fishery, Edenbridge
Today was going to be my second visit of the year to Hare lake on the Gabriel Farm complex. The earlier visit hadn't produced the expected haul of small roach. Instead it had been small carp on banded pellet. What would today's trip bring?
Yet again I was at the gate at 7 am and after being let in I made my way down to the car park. There were only a couple of cars there so I knew I would have a good choice of swim.
I loaded up the trolley and made my way round to my favourite swim on Hare. When I got there the surface of the water was covered in blossom and lots of other flotsam and jetsam from the overhanging trees. Little did I know how this would affect the day's fishing.
The set up today would be a one rod with a simple waggler set up. I mixed the ground bait and then let it stand while I set up my match rod. I was all set up and ready to make my first cast at 7:50 am.
The first two hours was very quiet. I only managed to catch one small skimmer on the corn. I did however lose a carp which spat the hook when it reached the far side. I can only put it down to the fact I wasn't yet warmed up!
Five hours passed and I'd only added a couple of carp to the total. They were caught on banded pellet. Why was I having so much trouble you may ask?
Here they are:
The answer was this aforementioned flotsam and jetsam. It kept sticking to the line which among other things made casting difficult. It also more importantly meant that every few minutes I had to clear the rod and line of debris which wasn't as easy as it sounds. It really stuck to the line. By the end of the day I was extremely frustrated with the situation.
Another hour passed and another two small carp made the virtual net having again fallen to banded pellet.
By the time I packed up at 18:10 I'd caught another three carp on pellet plus one on meat. This made my total for the day a mere nine. Perhaps when I saw the state of the lake I should have moved to another one, then again hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Yet again I was at the gate at 7 am and after being let in I made my way down to the car park. There were only a couple of cars there so I knew I would have a good choice of swim.
I loaded up the trolley and made my way round to my favourite swim on Hare. When I got there the surface of the water was covered in blossom and lots of other flotsam and jetsam from the overhanging trees. Little did I know how this would affect the day's fishing.
The set up today would be a one rod with a simple waggler set up. I mixed the ground bait and then let it stand while I set up my match rod. I was all set up and ready to make my first cast at 7:50 am.
The first two hours was very quiet. I only managed to catch one small skimmer on the corn. I did however lose a carp which spat the hook when it reached the far side. I can only put it down to the fact I wasn't yet warmed up!
Five hours passed and I'd only added a couple of carp to the total. They were caught on banded pellet. Why was I having so much trouble you may ask?
Here they are:
The answer was this aforementioned flotsam and jetsam. It kept sticking to the line which among other things made casting difficult. It also more importantly meant that every few minutes I had to clear the rod and line of debris which wasn't as easy as it sounds. It really stuck to the line. By the end of the day I was extremely frustrated with the situation.
Another hour passed and another two small carp made the virtual net having again fallen to banded pellet.
By the time I packed up at 18:10 I'd caught another three carp on pellet plus one on meat. This made my total for the day a mere nine. Perhaps when I saw the state of the lake I should have moved to another one, then again hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Wednesday 10 June 2015
2015 11 May 22nd Swallow Lake, Gabriel's Farm Fishery, Edenbridge
Today was my first visit of the year to Swallow lake at Gabriel's Fishery in Edenbridge. The lake is the fishery's small carp lake so I was looking forward to getting loads of bites.
The weather was rain free if a bit chilly when I left home around 6:20. The roads were relatively clear which meant that I arrived at the fishery a tad before 7 am. On the way from the barrier to the car park I saw literally hundreds (well a load) of rabbits all out enjoying the early morning peace and quiet.
I parked the car in the top car park and made my way round the lake to the back where there are swims that offer easy access to the island. The car park had been empty so I knew the swims were available.
I used my normal waggler set up and was ready to make my first cast at 7:45. The swim had been baited and so I sat back and waited for the hungry little devils to show up.
Show up they did, as after the first hour I'd bagged five of them, two on maggot and one on corn. Confidence was high that today was going to be my day.
The next hour showed that the first was just a flash in the pan as I only landed one and that was on corn.
The next hour was exactly the same, one small carp on corn. My initial confidence had now left town.
Just before lunch there was a bit of rush on - four of them fell to the corn. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. This lake is normally a banker!
As it was quiet on the fishing front I was glad I had this family for company:
It was now noon and I had a decision to make, should I persevere with corn or should I go on the pellet? Well corn was't working so pellet was really the only answer.
Well my plan seemed to work as in the first hour after I changed to pellet I caught 10 carp, 1 less than I'd managed in the entire morning session!
The next hour was even better, eleven of the little scrappers made the net. Now I was becoming bothered that I couldn't catch anything of any size! What a moaner.
The pace slowed down around 3 pm. I think the fish were there I just wasn't getting them. Still five in the hour wasn't bad compared to the morning session. I felt a change of tactics was required.
I decided it was time for some meat. Yet again the change of tactics worked as I caught eight in the first hour using meat.
The next hour they went completely bonkers. They started taking the meat on the drop. I stopped watching the float and just struck when the line tightened. Sixteen of them made the virtual net in the next hour.
This was the biggest carp of the day:
Before I packed up at 18:30 I managed to catch another seven which made my total for the day, 73! Eleven before lunch and sixty two after.
I will be back.
The weather was rain free if a bit chilly when I left home around 6:20. The roads were relatively clear which meant that I arrived at the fishery a tad before 7 am. On the way from the barrier to the car park I saw literally hundreds (well a load) of rabbits all out enjoying the early morning peace and quiet.
I parked the car in the top car park and made my way round the lake to the back where there are swims that offer easy access to the island. The car park had been empty so I knew the swims were available.
I used my normal waggler set up and was ready to make my first cast at 7:45. The swim had been baited and so I sat back and waited for the hungry little devils to show up.
Show up they did, as after the first hour I'd bagged five of them, two on maggot and one on corn. Confidence was high that today was going to be my day.
The next hour showed that the first was just a flash in the pan as I only landed one and that was on corn.
The next hour was exactly the same, one small carp on corn. My initial confidence had now left town.
Just before lunch there was a bit of rush on - four of them fell to the corn. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. This lake is normally a banker!
As it was quiet on the fishing front I was glad I had this family for company:
It was now noon and I had a decision to make, should I persevere with corn or should I go on the pellet? Well corn was't working so pellet was really the only answer.
Well my plan seemed to work as in the first hour after I changed to pellet I caught 10 carp, 1 less than I'd managed in the entire morning session!
The next hour was even better, eleven of the little scrappers made the net. Now I was becoming bothered that I couldn't catch anything of any size! What a moaner.
The pace slowed down around 3 pm. I think the fish were there I just wasn't getting them. Still five in the hour wasn't bad compared to the morning session. I felt a change of tactics was required.
I decided it was time for some meat. Yet again the change of tactics worked as I caught eight in the first hour using meat.
The next hour they went completely bonkers. They started taking the meat on the drop. I stopped watching the float and just struck when the line tightened. Sixteen of them made the virtual net in the next hour.
This was the biggest carp of the day:
Before I packed up at 18:30 I managed to catch another seven which made my total for the day, 73! Eleven before lunch and sixty two after.
I will be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)