Back on the River

Well would you believe it; we are actually having a nice summer for once! As a result my local river is running crystal clear and it’s not carrying much water, which makes my life easier when it comes to locating fish. The Carp are still on the top of the list for me at the moment, but they have been proving tricky to catch.

I’ve enjoyed a few sessions chilling out in the sun, trying to locate the Carp in the several miles river that surround me. Unfortunately, when I have located them, I’ve managed to lose two in snags. It’s my own fault really for fishing too close to them, but when you can see the fish moving in and around the snags you just want to get as close as possible, whilst fishing safe.

The night before my most recent outing I pre-baited an area where I know the Carp ‘live’ with half a kilo of 10mm and 15mm boilies. I had a pretty restless night’s sleep, with my mind thinking about the potential Carp that could be feeding on my bait as I lay in bed. I know that pre-baiting works really well on rivers, and when a few decent fish have been spotted in the area it gives me confidence that the fish will happily eat my bait.

When the morning finally came around I was up early and eager to get out, with high hopes of catching a stunning river Carp. As I was busy in the afternoon and it was forecast to be 32 degrees, my plan was to fish for four hours or so in the morning, before it got hot. For the first hour I couldn’t see any of the Carp that I had previously spotted hidden amongst the over hanging trees. I was hoping they had moved out of the snags and were over my bait. With no action taking place I had to check if the rigs were clean, or whether they had gathered any weeds. I recast both rods to the edge of my baited area, so as not to spook any potential fish feeding, and to increase the chance of a quick bite.

Ten minutes later, I spotted a couple of Carp cruising just underneath the surface, circling where I had my rods positioned. I felt that there was nothing I could do, as the last thing I wanted was to spook them. I didn’t move whilst they were going about their business, I just watched them with excitement, knowing I might catch one. Then, all of a sudden there was a disturbance, and a Carp erupted from the water. My rod tip wrapped around, and line started stripping off my reel. I was in! This Carp knew every single snag, rock and anything else that it could snap me off on. It was full of energy as it relentlessly tore around my swim, trying to get away. The twenty minute fight was second to none, and when it finally gave up I was so happy to get it in the net!

Until next time

Tight lines

Common Occurrence

Welcome back! Since my last post I have continued to target Carp in my local area and have moved onto a lovely lake that holds some stunning fish. On my first couple of trips the fish were still spawning so it wasn’t really the best time to be fishing; as a result I put in two blanks. But eventually, once the Carp got it out of their system, I knew it would be a prime time to get a bite, as they would be out on the feed after all the commotion of spawning. The only down side was that most, if not all of the Carp, would be at their lowest weight. That doesn’t bother me though, as long as I’m catching, it’s all good.

I knew from the off how I was going to fish the lake, and when I arrived it was empty, so had my choice swims too. My chosen swim was full of above and under water features, so all I needed to do was decide which ones to fish and get some bait out.

I usually like to use boilies alone for my Carp fishing because the fish are eating the same size and shape bait that will be on the end of my rig. Also, there is no hassle to apply any amount of bait to an area and it makes little disturbance when you do.

Not long after setting up anglers started arriving, causing commotion around the lake. As I had already set up and baited, the fish started moving into my swim, but I didn’t see any signs of feeding. As the day passed by not a single fish got caught, I often thought about re-casting, but I sat on my hands and left everything how it was.

I knew Lambert was going to be joining for the night, but when he arrived the lake was full and the only option was to fish the smaller lake behind me. Within an hour of Lambert having his rods out, I heard a bite alarm screaming. I popped my head out my bivvy and, would you believe it, he had a fish on. I couldn’t believe it! Not too long after the Carp had got onto my bait and I was in as well!

After taking some pictures and safely returning the fish we just needed to get the rods back out so we could relax. There is nothing like that feeling, when you’ve had your first fish from a venue, and put an end to a string of blanks. It feels like a big weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. It wasn’t dark at this point, so I was feeling confident for another bite through the night, if not before.

As the night drew in, I could see fish feeding in my swim, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I had my next bite. Eventually, as it does, it got dark and I was left wondering if the fish were still feeding, or had they moved on to another area of lake.

Just as we had decided to call it a night and get our heads down for a snooze, Lambert’s rod screamed off, and he was in to the first fish of the night! It was a lovely little Ghostie, which put up a good fight, but definitely didn’t help Lambert get to sleep!

At around 2am, while I was fast asleep my left hand rod shot off; in an instant I was up and into a fish. With a good bend in my rod, I had a gruelling battle on my hands, in the pitch black, for twenty minutes. I eventually managed to get my head torch on, just in time to net the fish. A lovely Common weighing 19lb 04oz was the prize. After admiring the Carp and taking some pictures, it was safely returned to fight another day.

After a couple of hours’ kip, I had another screaming take that shocked me into action! This time I managed to put my head torch on and could see the fish was heading towards an overhanging tree. It was a good thing I had my head torch on, as I don’t think I would have landed it in the dark, not knowing how close it was to the snag.

As we took some pictures, the sun started to rise behind us and it was a lovely, picturesque morning. What a lovely way to start the day!

Until next time

Patience is a virtue

Hello again, I hope you are doing well and have been out banking heaps of fish. As for me, I have been out targeting a local lake trying to catch some nice Carp. On many of my local waters the Carp are due to spawn over the next week, so are therefore at their maximum weight, or not far off. They need a lot of energy, nutrients and minerals to reproduce which means they are feeding up at the moment, so what better time to get out and target them.

On my first session I could see several signs of fish feeding everywhere I looked which instilled me with a lot of confidence. Choosing a swim wasn’t easy due to the different depths, but I decided to set up in the middle because I could cast to all areas, leaving my options open. Within twenty minutes of having my rods out I had a dropped run which left me doubting my rig. This wasn’t just a one off, it happened several times throughout the day. I chopped and changed my rigs numerous times after each dropped run, but I still couldn’t manage to get a good hook hold on a fish. After a frustrating day loosing various fish, one of my rigs did its job, and I managed to get a fish on the bank.

With so many fish lost in one session I knew I had to make some major changes to my approach in order to improve my catch rate. I tied up some rigs with new hooks so that they were as sharp as could be. I then added some shrink tube to increase the gape of the hook and to make it turn quicker. I also added some shrink tube to the bend of the hook so it would hold the hair in position for perfect presentation.

With my improved rigs I headed back out to the lake with high hopes of catching some plump Carp. I know of a few good features to present bait over, which meant not much water craft was needed, other than guaranteeing my rig would land on the spot.  Once again, within twenty minutes of setting up I had a run, but this time my rig had performed well and the fish was hooked. Even though I hadn’t landed the fish, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and my confidence in my rigs had been restored. As I landed the first fish of the session, my other rod ripped off and in no time I had my second fish on the bank.

It just goes to show how much difference a small change in a rig can make when particular fish are proving to be tricky. If I hadn’t made the change I don’t think I would have landed either of those Carp. I put a lot of effort and detail into my rigs to ensure that they will hook a fish first time and cannot be rejected. If something in my mind is not right or the fish are rejecting the rig and not getting hooked, I will change it. Besides bait and everything else that needs to be taken into consideration, in my mind it all comes down to whether the hook is sharp enough and if the rig will catch the fish.

With full confidence in my approach to catching these Carp, and the rigs having proved to work well, I continued to have a great session banking lots of Carp whilst others were losing them or struggling to get a bite. Every fish that took my hook bait ended up in my net and kept my confidence going.

Lambert also joined me for this session and had some good luck himself. As he didn’t join me for the previous session he had to put a bit more work in. But when he found out what worked well, he had some nice Carp, topped off by this lovely common.

Until next time

Perseverance pays

Hello again, well it’s that time of year when the water temperatures are rising and the Catfish have woken from their winter hibernation. Last year I tried, on several occasions, to catch my first cat but never managed to land one. A couple got hooked for a matter of seconds, stripped line from my spool at ease but then unfortunately the hook hold failed. My friend Lambert was lucky enough to land a few with the biggest being 48lb! So I had to get back out this year and see if I could get one for myself. I’ve seen them being played by good anglers, who have caught many over the years, and it’s not something for faint hearted. If you look at a Wels Catfish you can see that it’s not going to give up easy when you’ve hooked it. Just the tail alone is half the length of its body, which makes it one of, if not the most powerful fresh water species in the country.

With all of this in mind, Lambert and I packed the car and set out in hope of landing one of these beasts during the night. It was only a short drive to Angler’s Paradise, which has several lakes holding big cats, but we still had to decide which lake to choose.

Upon arrival, and after looking at the catch reports, it was clear which lake we were going to target. Owner Zyg Gregorek greeted us at the reception and told us the story of his angling in the previous weeks that had lead him to hold a new world record. Very well done Zyggy!

Inspired by Zyg’s tales, we eagerly made our way down to the lake with high hopes of catching. But if you’ve ever tried targeting cats, you’ll know it’s not that simple. Nevertheless, you’ve got to be in it to win it! The tactics for me were a bed of mixed pellet and boilie soaked in salmon oil, and a 22mm Dynamite Baits halibut pellet tipped with a pop up was my choice of hook bait. Once the bait was out the waiting game began.

Catfish are generally nocturnal creatures so we knew during daylight the chances were nothing would happen. As the light started to fade, the nerves rose. At any point either of us could have been called into action by our bite alarms sounding and late that night, Lambert was. With a compressed rod it was clear he had hooked one of the lakes residents. But, unfortunately, the hook didn’t hold. With the trap reset the wait began, again.

With the following 24 hours booked, we had the lake to ourselves and hoped for another run from one of the elusive creatures. A little more bait got introduced over each rod, and then we sat back and enjoyed a nice brew.  The weather conditions couldn’t have been better for the time of year, with the warmest nights experienced so far. During the day there were not any signs of life, but we knew what lurked beneath the misleading surface. As night fell the conditions looked to be even better, with the moon hidden behind a thick layer of cloud, we waited in complete darkness.  

In the early hours of the morning Lambert was awoken by the sound of his bite alarm screaming. This time the cat wasn’t going to evade him. As I got out of my bivvy I could see his compressed rod reflecting the light from his head torch, and I rushed over to help. After the unforgiving battle the beast finally gave in and I had it in the net.

The perseverance had paid off. Lambert landed his first cat of the season and was back on the score board. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t get a run, but I didn’t let that discourage me!

We headed back to Angler’s Paradise a few weeks later to see if we would have anymore joy early on in the season. The water had had more time to warm up in the gap between sessions, which meant the cats should be more active and that we would have more chance of catching. The same tactics that had proved successful before where re-applied and the waiting game began, yet again.

As the night slowly crept up on us, the nerves built and the speculation on whether we would catch began. Hours passed, and in due course we turned in for the night to recharge. Just before the sun hit the horizon I was awoken by my alarms flat lining. I was on my rods in a flash, striking into what felt like the bottom. The next thing I know, the cat shot off and all I could do was hold on! After a harsh battle, which I just managed to win, its head was up and it saw the back of the net.

Besides my arms hurting from the intense battle, I felt on top of the world as all the hard work had paid off.

Until next time

You make your own luck

Hello all, I hope that everyone reading this has managed to get out and land a few fish during the warmer weather that we have been experiencing lately. As for me, I have been lucky enough to get out on the bank and have a few grace my net. But my target species (Tench), at my chosen venue have been proving very hard for me to locate and to get a decent hook hold. My last couple of sessions have been very frustrating due to the hook pulling on what could only be Tench, putting a decent bend in my rod. I have landed lots of Rudd and Roach but can’t get these cheeky Tincas in my net.

Taking a break from my local canal has been a good choice in my mind, as a couple of my friends and I have had fish on the bank from other waters.

On one of the days in question we headed out to try to tempt a big Perch out of the murky depths of a commercial lake. Perch are in most waters, all around the country, getting fat on the small silvers that over run a lot of lakes. Most people wouldn’t think of targeting Perch when there are big Carp to be easily had, but if you put the time and effort in, the rewards can be much greater.

Based on previous visits we knew the water held some good fish. We also knew it wasn’t known by many, so the fish should still be alive, and the chance of landing one looked likely. So the rods went out to what looked to be holding areas, and the day began. The chosen bait was glugged prawns with a sprinkling of maggots over the top, to keep the smaller fish busy and hook baits ready for a big cavernous mouth. Throughout the day we had many bites and the fish we were waiting for eventually screamed off with my mates hook.

What a cracking fish to see in the flesh, and I had the pleasure of taking the photo to preserve its glory for many years to come!

The next session saw Moxey and me heading out on an afternoon for a spot of surface fishing, in search of some lovely Carp. My approach was to use bait whereas Moxey was on the fly, so we had a big variation of tactics. We were both very confident of catching, but whose methods would come out on top?

After an hour or so it was clear that the Carp definitely preferred my scattering of glugged pellets over the natural appearance of the fly, but I still managed to loose a few. My next thought was to see if the Carp in the lake would be confident enough to come up for a big chunk of bread. On many waters this technique is just too blatant and you’ll waste your time, but I find if you can get them on it, it’s a winner.

In the end we successfully managed to gain the confidence of the Carp and we had a fantastic afternoon’s fishing, seeing lots of pristine little carp in the net.

All in all, both methods proved to be very good at catching, but the Carp in this water just couldn’t resist the bait approach. The main thing is we had a fun day out on the bank catching lots of fish.

Until next time.

Tough Times

Hello again, I hope you are all doing well and have been lucky enough to have some fish on the bank. I’ve managed a few, but haven’t been out much lately due to work and the savage weather. When I have made it out, the fishing has been hard, causing me to have a few blanks. My last few sessions on the river before closed season started saw me land a few decent fish, especially considering the harsh conditions were not in my favour.

15lb 15oz

8lb 1oz

Since the river has been closed I haven’t been fishing much at all; I have had a few trips to a small commercial lake in search of a big Perch, but to no avail. The only fish that I had managed to land were not much over the 1lb mark, but I did enjoy a bit of sport, catching silvers and small Carp on maggots and worms.

As it’s spring and the weather is kind of getting warmer, my attention has moved on to targeting Tench on my local canal, which I really enjoy at this time of year. The baits I generally use are red maggots, hemp or particles, ground bait and a liquid attractant, with three or four maggots on a size 16 hook.

Normally I would use a cage feeder, but recently I’ve been adding fast break down bloodworm pellets to the hemp and maggots. I then use PVA mesh to ensure the hook bait is fished tight to the free offerings. When I attach the PVA stick, I put a squirt of liquid attractant on the hook bait, to ensure that it is taken first, or soon after. As the bait sits on the bottom, the attractant leaks up through the water layers, hopefully attracting any fish in the area to it.

On my last outing to the canal it was a cold day with a strong north easterly wind, which typically isn’t good for a bite. Nonetheless, I was going to give it a good go. You can never tell if the fish are going to feed, so I didn’t let the poor conditions get me down.

After the struggle of setting up in the 15mph winds, it was a slow day, as you would expect. There was no indication of any fish throughout most of the day, but I was out and I knew a bite could come at any time. Then would you have guessed it, my quiver tip sprung to life. A couple of sharp knocks, and I had a fish on! As I played the fish, it became clear that it was a Tench, due to the way it was fighting. When it came close enough to see, I was relieved that it was indeed, a Tench.

After taking some pictures the Tench was safely returned to fight another day. The fish wasn’t weighed, but I would give it about 2 ½ lbs. I was really happy to have landed anything in the poor conditions, so this Tench was very welcomed, and made my day!

Until next time.

Plenty of pike

Hello again, I hope you are well and have been out catching lots of fish. As for me, last week was great because I managed to get out on the bank on three separate occasions, in which I landed at least one fish each session. With the weather being cold, the target fish at the moment is still the ever illusive pike. Last week my local area didn't see a lot of rain, so the river has been in top condition. The pike are also feeding in preparation for spawning, so when has there been a better time to go in search of a lump of a pike?

On Monday last week I set out in the mid morning to an area where pre-bait had been introduced to try to hold the fish until I could get a rig out. On this rather mild day I didn't have ‘that feeling’ which anglers thrive on. I'm not sure what it was, however I was out, and fancied my chances of landing a fish. As the day passed by nothing happened, no sightings of any species at all. However, there was lots of other wildlife around to keep me occupied and keep my mind off the fact that I hadn't had a bite yet. Eventually, when I got a bite it was a screamer of a take and I could see the line shooting off to the other side of the river as I picked up the rod. After an epic battle, full of tail walks and daring dives towards the snags, the pike was subdued and it was in the net.

12lb 04oz

I was so chuffed that the pre-baiting had worked this time. After admiring and weighing the fish, and taking my pictures, I safely slipped her back into the severely cold water.

Unfortunately I didn't have any more action for the rest of the day, but I was happy, as always, that I had caught my target.

The next session saw me head to the same swim to see if the pre-baiting had lured in and held a bigger fish. Again it was a slow day, there was no indication of fish in the area, and not the best conditions but I was out and this time I did have ‘that feeling’.

As the hours passed with no action and several re-casts to try to attract a fish, I saw a huge tail brake the surface leaving a big wake; it was heading towards my bait. As you can imagine I was excited and expected a bite soon. Ten minutes passed, and my nerves where building. When my alarm finally sounded, it wasn't a fish, but a somewhat large raft of sticks which had accumulated around my other line as it entered the water. As I cleared the debris from my line I heard a single click of my bait runner; I stopped what I was doing and stood staring at the rod tip to see if it would show any early indication. Within a matter of seconds the fish had picked up the bait and darted towards a scary looking snag. I knew I had to bully the fish a bit to turn its head and keep it away, but that was easier said than done! I knew it was a good fish as it didn't come up to the surface and it hugged the bottom as it pealed the line off of my spool. My heart was racing as I played it; there was always the chance I would loose it, and I couldn't bare that thought. After a good fight, when it finally tired, and rose to the surface, I didn't waste any time getting the net under it.

20lb 04oz

I was ecstatic when it just pushed the scales over that twenty pound mark, and as usual it was safely returned, to fight another day!

My next session involved teaching a good friend of mine how to find, catch and handle pike. It’s very important to me that people who fish for pike know how to handle them, so that they can be safely returned. Although many people think of pike as creatures made for killing, with savage teeth (which they can be), they are also fragile, and need to be handled correctly. This is what I showed my friend, and he was very happy to learn as much as possible. He has only been angling for a year or so, but has caught the bug, and is loving fishing.

With all the basic knowledge I thought was relevant to explain, we set up our rods on a bitterly cold morning. I don’t think there could have been a better start to the day, because as soon as the first bite alarm was switched on, there was a fish on the line. With a pike on the bank we could have a proper look at it and put theory into practice, and my friend watched carefully to see how I dealt with the fierce predator. After a short amount of time out of the water, the fish was safely returned. The action didn't stop there; all in all we landed eight fish, plus we had three dropped runs, in a five hour session.  

Well what can I say! He was over the moon with the busy day we had, and so was I, to be honest. By the end of the day he was handling the fish with so much confidence that you wouldn't have believed that he hadn't landed a pike previously.

Until next times guys, good luck out there.

Tight lines.