11th September - Private pond - Holland, nr Oxted, Surrey

This year's summer was showing no signs of breaking so on Friday September 11th, I decided to suspend my carp fishing and have a day float fishing on the club's private pond, just outside Holland in Surrey.

I arrived around 7am and my favourite peg (number 1) was free so I made way round to it and contemplated my plan for the day.

The water was dead calm so that made my mind up to fish a very light waggler tight to the lily pads in the corner of the pond to my immediate ight. The depth there is about 18 inches or so. I would also feed the margin swim to my left in the hope of picking up some bonus carp later on in the day.

I mixed some groundbait and fed two generous balls into the first swim. Coupled with this I also fed some maggots and a handful of hemp. To both swims I added a few grains of corn.

I was using my 12 foot float rod which is better suited for the bonus carp than my match rod. I had 5 lb main line to a 4 pound hook length on size 16 wide gap hook. A 2bb waggler dotted down completed the set up.

I started on swim 1 with a piece of strawberry flavoured corn. Although I could detect life in the swim nothing initially showed any interest in my bait. I put this down to either small rudd and roach or my grounbait doing its job so was not particulaly bothered.

As the first hour drew to a close I hadn't had any action at all in swim 1 on the corn. I decided to have a go in swim 2. I'd been feeding it a couple of grains of corn every 10 minutes or so.

Within seconds the float disappearred and I was into a fairly good fish. I played it within a couple of yards from the platform directly in front of me so I knew it was no monster. A couple of minutes later into the net came a very nice tench of around 2 pound.

Back to swim 1 and a change of bait brought me a few small (very) roach and the occasional small carp (mirror and common). None of them more than half a pound.

On the grounds that the corn and to a certain extent then maggots wern't working I decided to try bread. I wasn't using a punch so the flake on the hook was quite large which gave me the problem of small fish nibbling but not taking the bait. However when I did hook into a fish it invariably was a crucian carp. I couldn't keep count of them but it was something like a fish a cast for the next hour or so.

The only drawback was that once when I put my hand in the bread bag a bolt of pain shot up my arm. I withdrew my hand pretty quick to discover that I had been bitten by a wasp!

The pattern was set for the remainder of the morning. From the margin swim I managed to get another two good (for me) tench and the occasional better quality roach and from the main swim small carp, small tench and a load of crucians.

During the morning I had left the luncheon meat in the sun so that the outer skin hardened enough for me to use it on the hook. I'd been feeding the occcasional lunp or two in the margin swim all morning and at about two thirty I decided to give it a go. I was rewarded with a beautiful common carp of around 5 pound.

For the rest of the day I fished swim 1 with corn and bread taking crucians and small carp mostly and then every hour or so I would dip in the margins and take a bonus carp.

I did lose 2 good carp later on in the day.

I packed up at 7pm having had a great late summer's day. I must have caught around 70 fish including crucian carp, roach, rudd, tench, mirror and common carp. I'd learn't that if one bait doesn't work -try something different, in this case - the magic bread!

Till the next time.

Sorry about the lack of photos but my batteries went in my camera!

28th August Boulthurst Farm, Nr Limpsfield Surrey

The summer (pre global warming) should have been coming to an end but the weather was still great so off I went for another session at Boulthurst Farm.

My usual swim on the far left hand side of the pond was free and within 30 or minutes or so I had set up and begun fishing. See picture below:

By now I'd expanded my bollie bait collection to include:

Tutti Fruitti

Monster Crab

Chocolate

Pineapple

Seafood Feast

Carp Pellet.

I'd learnt over the previous weeks that no one bait is 'the killer' at this venue and that finding the one for the day is the trick. To that end I'd decided that if a bait flavour went for an hour without a bite I would change it for another. If a bite was registered or even a fish caught the clock was reset so to speak. This would ensure that I was always on "the bait of the day" at some point.

The first rod I cast down the margins just where the tree reaches over the water at its furtherest. See picture below:

The pond is not too deep (around 2 foot where I cast into I suppose although if I'm quiet I can often see them patrolling along the bank by my feet.

The second rod was cast towards the middle of the pond to the right of my pod. See photo below:

I started to catch almost immediately on both rods - here's an example of the carp that were being caught. Sorry it decided to move at the wrong moment!

I ended the session with about 6 carp.

A nice return on a late summer afternoon and evening session.

Till the next time.

19th August - Boulthurst Farm, Limpsfield, Surrey

Couldn't waste the good weather so decided to set off to the pond for another afternoon/evening session.

I suppose, because of the good weather it was no shock that I found that all of the swims that you can fish using two rods were all taken. Therefore I had to take the lily pads swim and fish one rod. See photo below:

I fished about five yards the other side of the lily pads using tutti fruitti boillies. The plan was to stay in the swim until someone went. The odds on me being the last out were good so I was confident that another swim would become available.

I set up my usual rig, 6lb main line to a size 14 hair rig on 5lb hook length. The bait was cast and the waiting began.

After half an hour in the intense heat I began to realise why this swim was the last one taken - it was completely barren of any shade! Now I was prepared as far as liquid refreashment went - I had a bottle of Coke plus there were several bottles of water in the car. What I didn't like was warm Coke!!!!

To my immediate left, separted by a tree and a bush that was overhanging the water was a father and young daughter. He was floating some bread on the surface and she had a buzzer rod set up. To be fair the rod was enormous compared to her. After an hour my buzzer went off and I struck - nothing happened and then a voice said "I think she's cast over you!". Anyway 5 minutes later I had sorted her (the tangle not the girl) and myself out and all was well. There was no harm done and everyone was ok about it.

Around 5pm the father and daughter left and I moved into their swim. I was still able to fish the original swim but now I could also fish the margins on the left with my second rod.

Within 20 minutes of having the far side of the pond to myself I began to catch. Choice of bait didn't seem to matter as they took everything I put in. The margin swim producing first and eventually the most fish however as the light began to fade my original swim started to produce.

A great way to spend a summers Sunday afternoon and evening.

Till the next time.

17th August Boulthurst Farm, Limpsfield, Surrey

This is another of my carping sessions at Boulthurst Farm.

Slight detour from the usual format I think is due this time. I think it's time to have a look at the progress I'm making in my carp fishing skills.

I believe, as with everything in life practise makes perfect. I started carping only 4 weeks previously and to be honest I've found it does bring a bit of variety to my fishing.

I like to float fish, as it is what I started off on. There is however something different about a Sunday afternoon sitting in the sun watching the wildlife going about their business while waiting for the rods to bend round that is really relaxing. For a full days fishing though I will always go for the 'traditional' method.

As far as the carp fishing goes, in terms of weight I'm no better off than when I float fish. The best fish I've had this season using both methods is about 7 pound. The difference being that because of the extra strength of the carp rods I can get the fish in easier (and more confidently).

Here's my opinion of where I am in my development:

I think I've got my set up sorted with the exception of the rod pod - to be honest it only cost a tenner and after 2 months use, 3 of the legs are super-glued on!!! They are not strong enough to go into the ground during the summer so when I do get a bite if I'm not quick enough everything heads towards the water.

I've also been experimenting with different boillie flavours. For this session I'd got some carp frenzy flavoured ones. On the first cast a carp took it while I was still putting the line through the buzzer! I did get it in once I'd got over the shock!

Anyway here is my favoured swim for the day:

I actually fish to the right and to the left of where the rods are pointing.

By the end of the session I'd bagged about 9 carp - no monsters but very satisifying all the same.

Till the next time.

Ken

10th August - Boulthurst Farm, Limpsfield, Surrey

Having got myself in a bit of trouble last time with tangles etc I decided a change of swim was on for my next visit.


I arrived at the pond about 3pm and intended to fish until the light went which was somewhere between 8 and 9 at this time of year.


I decided to fish the swim at the opposite end of the pond from the one I tackled last time. I was very wary of getting into line tangles when fish from one rod ran over the line on the other one.


This is view down the pond from the swim I chose:


The good thing about this swim is it gives me two clear options, the first a margin swim of about 20 yards until the bend in the pond and the second being the clear open water of the pond.


I'd taken a tin of sweetcorn with me as groundbait and emptied half of the tin in each of the 2 swims in an attempt to draw the carp in, or failing that the roach which in turn would draw the carp in through thier uninterrupted feeding.


The first rod was set up to fish the margin swim. It is the stronger of the two and I was sure that if I was going to get anything approaching really heavy it would be on this rod.


The second rod was set to fish the open water swim. I was just hoping for some passing trade!


Both rods were set up with 6lb main line. On rod one I had a size 12 hook to 6lb line and on rod 2 I had a size 14 to 5lb. Both were set up using the smallest leger possible (1/4 ounce?).


As before I used 10mm boillies, tutti fruitti and monster crab. The Monster Crab on rod 1 and the Tutti Fruitti on rod 2.


The first hour was fairly uneventful but the second brought my first run. A nice common of around 3 pound on rod 1.


The rest of the day was really split into 2 halves, rod 1 was productive until the last hour or so then it went quiet. Rod 2 on the other hand was quiet all afternoon until the last hour. In that last hour I managed to bag a nice 7 pounder.


At the end of session I'd bagged about 8 carp ranging from 2 to 7 pounds. The only disappointing thing was that I lost about 3 good fish when they ran into the snags under the tree. I know I was applying too much pressure all at once as the hooklength generally broke. I need to learn to calm down and gently apply the pressure as the fish heads towards the snags which hopefully will force the fish into open water.

Till the next time.

Sorry about teh lateness of the report but I've been busy fishing!

7th August Boulthurst Farm, Limpsfield, Surrey

Time for another session fishing for carp on the pond using standard carp tactics.

A change of swim this time. The favoured one on the far left of the pond was free, which for a Sunday afternoon was a bit of a surprise. See photo below:

The first rod I set up with Monster Crab boillies and cast about 20 yards to a spot about 6 feet parallel to the fallen tree. The second rod I set up with Tutti Fruitti boillies and cast about 10 yards to a spot under the tree.

Having learnt from my mistake on the previous carp outing I'd gone and invested in 10mm boillies! Which one would be the most successful?

I didn't have to wait too long for the first run. The buzzer went off and a small carp of around 3 pound was in the net. It fell to the Monster Crab boillie.

I think that at the end of the session I'd bagged about 5 good sized carp. These were the best of the bunch:


Both swims produced some carp and because I was using 10mm boillies a few roach as well!

A lot of angling is about learning your lessons. One run took me through the line of the other rod and caused a great big tangle (birds nest) that had to be dealt with after I landed the fish. How could I solve the problem? I'm not sure as the bank is about 2 foot above the water level so there this a fair amount of line out of the water for the fish to run across. I was fishing the 2 rods at 90 degree angles so had a good starting point. I suppose I'll have to visit the forum for some help.

And so on to the next session.

5th August Boulthurst Farm, Limpsfield, Surrey

My last few trips to Boulthurst I'd been targetting the carp either by free-lining on the quiver tip or using the buzzers and boillies however today I decided to see what I could catch using 'conventional' float tactics.

The swim I selected was right by the entrance (there are only 5 swims) and is the only one with a set of lily pads to fish to (See picture below).

The plan of attack for the day was to fish on the far side of the lilys for the roach and crucians whilst feeding the margin swim between the lillies and the bank for any patrolling carp.

For bait I'd taken the usual suspects - maggots, bread, sweetcorn and meat for the hook plus brown crumb, carp/tench attractor and hemp for groundbait.

For the first hour I used flavoured sweetcorn but never had a bite although I could tell from the float movement that there were fish there. Also during that first hour I fed the margin swim with three of four pieces of corn every cast. I had an initial go in there but nothing showed any interest.

I fed more groundbait and switched hookbait to maggot, which to be fair got me fish but they were all small roach. I was however searching for something a little bigger. Another switch, this time to bread and away we went. I had, for about 30 minutes a crucian a cast! Lovely.

As the second hour drew to a close, I tried the margin swim again and managed to land this common carp.

The margins went quiet for the next 6 hours although I did continue to feed the line. The lily pads swim was still producing roach and some nice crusians, bread still being the bait of choice.

I still continued to test the margins through the quiet spell and eventually something arrived and took the bait, this very nice common carp:

Another hour and a half of silver fish followed before the margins swim produced this common:

The most memorable thing about the day was the debut of my new box. As stated before, I'd taken a 15 year break from fishing and since returning I have had to replace some, if not all of my previous equipment. My birthday was in February and I'd been promised a new box. It finally arrived at the end of July - see photo below:

Oh the increase in comfort, absolutely bliss for a man of my age.

Eleven hours after arriving at the swim I landed this final carp of the day again from the margins!

What a day - one of my best at the venue. I must have caught in excess of 70 fish. Roach, Rudd and Crucian Carp mainly but topped off with some larger carp all through the day from the margins.

Till the next time.