Winter Chub Tactics by Harry Pardoe

When winter sets in and most species become harder to catch the good old Chub can become an Angler’s best friend. It doesn’t seem to matter how bad the weather gets as long as there has been sufficient time for the fish to acclimatise to however severe the weather may be, the pure greed of the Chub will always bring an opportunity to put a bend in your rod!
This winter has been no exception for me and with January looking increasingly wintery at times I firmly set my stall out for a few Chub.  

There are no complications when it comes to bait for Chub, Bread, Cheese Paste and Maggot are my top choices at this time of year. I will use the bread if the river is running a little clear and I will do this by walking the stretch first dropping a couple of balls of liquidised bread into each likely looking spot as a little taster to get them interested. With this pre-baiting approach any action shouldn’t be long in coming if there is a feeding fish present so I will only give each spot between 15-30 minutes before a move to the next pre-baited spot if no signs are forthcoming. 

I fish Cheese paste very similarly to the bread as with regards to pre-baiting any likely looking spot. Only two or three small pieces of paste is needed but again just giving those fish a little taster so when the hook bait is placed they should home straight on to it thinking it is another freebie. The paste is great to fish in coloured water or if you are fishing into the hours of darkness, it’s also great for fishing tight into any near bank cover where the weight used can be critical. As little as one SSG can be used and is perfect for bouncing that bait right into the Chubs home! For me the choice of quiver tip is also a key factor on seeing and converting more pick ups into hooked bites. As light a tip as I can possibly get away with and it always has to be Glass!!

Since it’s release I’ve been using the Korum Neoteric power Quiver for most of my Chub fishing and have been really impressed with it, a nice soft Glass tip but with plenty left in the butt section to steer those snag loving Chub away from their home.

Onto my final winter baiting application which is the humble maggot and when it comes to Chub very often more is best! However it’s not all piled in at once, a constant stream of bait is best and to let the fish gain confidence at least 30 minutes of regular feed before wetting a line which can take some patience but the effort is very often rewarded when the first run through sails away. I have found that the more patience you can have and the longer a swim is fed before any disturbance the more likely you are to catch a greater number of fish from the shoal as the fish become so preoccupied with competing against each other that they don’t really notice when there mate goes missing! 

Maggots for me are an excuse to get the float rod out, the feeder can be a devastating method but there is something a little special about running a float through in anticipation for any dip or for it to shoot under! Tinkering with the rig or presentation until it all comes right and those cautious old fish almost become easy to catch. 

The biggest mistake I have been guilty of in the past is using floats to small/light for the job!  There is so much more control over a heavier float with a bulk or ollivet around 10” from the hook. It helps keep the bait down if there is a broil to the water and and aids the presentation by keeping the float running along the desired line without a crosswind pulling it off coarse. 

Fishing the float is by far my favourite method of Chub fishing, to be stood in a river knee to waist deep with water rushing around me and very often it’s in the middle of nowhere immersed in stunning surroundings such as the Dove, Wye or Severn valley to name a few favourites is my kind of heaven...especially when that float buries with a solid resistance! Until Next Time……..Harry

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The Sloop on the Sussex Ouse - Colin Etherington

Having joined Hayward’s Heath and District Angling Society back in April 2018 I was keen to fish stretches of the Sussex Ouse. During the closed season I took some lovely walks along the river bank identifying possible swims that I’d fish, it was very interesting to say the least. The upper reaches of the Sussex Ouse isn’t particularly wide and has bend after bend with slacks, glides and faster runs. Then, I came across the Sloop Weir Pool and automatically fell in love with it! I hadn’t even cast a line but I was already fixated by how wonderful and beautiful it looked. I was intrigued to know what fish resided there.

With a new car park constructed by member Ryan Smith it made it even more appealing. In my book there’s nothing better than a nice pint after a days fishing and this pool is fortunate to be very close to the Sloop Inn. I had a lovely pint in there after catching my first Ouse barbel!

The pool itself is only a short walk from the car park and there’s certainly room for two anglers using two rods each. It’s certainly comfortable fishing and I love the fact there’s no high bank thus enabling you to actually net fish right in front of your feet. It’s very picturesque with a lovely willow tree hanging across the pool from the far bank creating shade for the fish on those hot barmy summer days.

The fields around you are home to a herd of dairy cows that will often join you by the waters edge to take a drink of fresh water. They create no problem to the angler and are just inquisitive more than anything.

I’ve always enjoyed fishing deep pools and the Sloop is certainly that, the far bank against the wall has to be at least 12 feet deep. I’ve found that ledgering into the main drag accounted for the majority of my fish. Unless of course the river is flood I’ve found using 2oz of lead more than adequate to hold bottom. I have fished the pool in flood conditions and did well using a 4oz flat lead to hold bottom.

The pool has a wide mixture of species that include barbel, chub, bream, pike, perch, roach, eels, grayling and apparently the odd carp. My choice of Weir Pool fishing has always been on the tip and I personally use 12 2lb TC barbel rods coupled with Shimano 6000 baitrunners. However, you can also trot a float around the pool as demonstrated to me by Darren Larouche, who on his first ever visit banked a lovely 4lb 4oz PB chub.

My first sessions on the pool I used glugged 12mm boilies hair rigged on a short 6” braided hook length and I found the going tough. Albeit I was also using a PVA mesh bag containing three to four crushed boilies as an attractant. My initial sessions I just couldn’t get a proper bite from my quarry. I caught chub on a regular basis but I couldn’t get the barbel to feed and pick up my hook bait. I also managed to catch several wild brown trout on maggot and worm.

I then met another member that was having tremendous success further upstream at East Mascalls and he introduced me to Hinders Elips range of Barbel pellets that are advertised as the Rolls Royce of barbel pellets. I wasted no time in heading to Crawley Angling Centre and investing in some. I bought the small, medium and large options along with the matching paste. I also changed from braid hook lengths to fluorocarbon with a breaking strain of 10lb. The large pellets I use as my hook baits are held on to size 10 hooks with a pellet band. The smaller gauge pellets were used in my PVA mesh stockings which is tied directly on to my free running lead.

On my first cast using these pellets on a gorgeous autumn morning my right rod out of nowhere suddenly hooped over with a belting take from a barbel. You cannot mistake a pick up and I was suddenly playing an angry Ouse barbel. It stripped line of my reel and took me all round the pool before I managed to guide the fish into my awaiting net. It wasn’t a huge fish weighing 6lb 4oz but it was my intended species and I was over the moon! Finally, I was up and running!

It wasn’t long before I returned to the pool with my Hinders pellets giving me confidence. I cast across the pool as usual and eagerly awaited another take. I only had a few hours to fish due to family commitments and with just minutes remaining before packing up I was in again. Another classic bite, the rod hooped over and must have been pulled down nearly two foot. This barbel fought considerably harder than the previous fish and I was surprised when it only weighed 4lb 9oz. But, it was another barbel.

The mighty river Trent at Newark was calling me to take a trip up north, so it wasn’t until early December that I fished the Sloop again. My confidence was high albeit we had suffered torrential rain and the river was in flood conditions. The river looked really angry and was pushing through like I had never seen it before. Where I normally sat was completely submerged in water and I decided that a bunch lobworms would be an enticing bait to use.

My first cast resulted in a lovely winter condition chub that was well over 3lbs. It fought really well in the current and I was excited to get rebaited and to cast again into the angry water that was in front of me. An hour passed and I was considering a recast when once again the rod slammed over with an unmistakable take from a barbel. I had a proper battle on my hands and netting the fish was a lot more difficult as the current kept sweeping the net away from the fish. This one went slightly better than the last one and weighed 5lb 12oz. I smiled all the way home whilst singing Sleigh Ride.

I was sure this pool held some bigger fish and it was my target to get a double before the end of the season. I’d had doubles from the Warwickshire Avon and the Trent and really wanted one from my local river, perseverance had to be the name of the game.

Christmas came and went before I could return. The lobs had given me confidence and on a very cold morning I returned to the Sloop. It was that cold that I needed to use de-icer on my windscreen before setting off. Not ideal conditions and I wondered if I was wasting my time. However, with a PVA mesh stocking containing maggots and Elips pellets I cast out into what I considered a hot spot. Within 40 minutes my rod trembled before slamming over and I was into a crazy angry fish. I knew immediately it was a barbel and after several minutes I had netted my first Sussex Ouse double figure barbel weighing 10lb 8oz.

Two days later I felt I had to get back on the bank and try again. It was somewhat milder and using exactly the technique my rig was under arm lobbed back into the swirling current of the pool. It didn’t take long before the tell tale rattle of tip developed into a complete pull round and I was battling another barbel. This fish fought harder and longer than any other barbel I’d caught before on the Ouse. The water was gin clear and as it finally came up I could see it’s beautiful bronze colours. It weighed 9lb 4oz and I was delighted and I’d classify it as the prettiest barbel I’ve ever caught.

I’ve totally fallen in love with the Sloop Weir which is available to fish on the Hayward’s Heath and District Angling Society ticket.

I’m very keen to put some time and effort into landing a carp from the Ouse and the Sloop stretch can certainly deliver as demonstrated by Ryan Smith.

My next post will be concentrating on the weir pool above this stretch at East Mascalls. So, if you want to experience fantastic fishing in peaceful, beautiful surroundings whilst listening to the sound of running water and birds singing get yourself a membership. Tight lines to all members of Haywards Heath and District Angling Society.

Reel Fisherman - Free to read Angling Magazine

Cunning Crucians by Mark Dunwell

At the back end of the river season I decided to target a fish I’ve not caught or seen since I was a kid the humble crucian.

This small member of the carp family has in recent times been overlooked or forgotten about in the world of more commercial angling and clubs moving with the times wanting what anglers demand stocked natural lakes with hard fighting large growing carp. The crucian carp for years faded into the background and was replaced by carp that formed crucian hybrids or brown goldfish as they are known. Luckily recently the love for true strain crucians have got some forward thinking clubs restocking these little bars of gold. The trouble is they don’t mix well and some clubs have gone to the extreme of digging crucian lakes and thank god they have. One such club has a lake only thirty minutes from me so my mind was made up. This closed season a big crucian was the target but how big?

Being bold I decided three pounds would be my target but realistically a two pound fish would be a fish of dreams. So how would I achieve my target? I had not had a crucian for over thirty years so catching one would be a start. Luckily the methods used are quite simple and this is a theme in all my fishing that I put more thought into my location and feeding than I do fancy rigs. Understanding your quarry is the first step and crucians are well known to be delicate feeders with only small mouths so big hooks and thick lines can be left in the tackle box. 

Thankfully they don’t grow to a great size so using smaller hooks and lighter lines are not a problem. Where to fish dictates that we still need to use line suitable to land a fish if we are lucky enough to hook one. My choice of hook link is the Korum power mono in four pounds this is a abrasion resistance line perfect in case it rubs against any pads or branches in the water. This is tied to a specialist size sixteen hook a perfect size for a variety of baits. I use a medium power type float rod with the perfect match of a soft tip so I don’t suffer hook pulls but a bit of backbone in case I need to bully fish. Three floats cover all conditions two insert waggler's and a pole float fished on rod and line. The pole float I favour is one where the line runs through the body I find some floats with a small glued in eye has a tendency for the eye to pull out when used with a rod while the inline pole float has no eye. My two waggler's both have inserts one thicker than the other. I always start on the thinnest insert but if the wind picks up or causes undertow I will switch to the thicker insert to stop the tip pulling under. I lock my floats with two float stops and attach my float via a quick change swivel. This serves two purposes one its easy to change patterns and secondly the float collapses on the strike meaning a more positive contact with the fish.  

Shotting again is simple both wagglers take the same amount of shot so I bulk my shot at three quarters depth then add a couple of number eight or ten droppers spaced below. The float is always fished at dead depth or if im using the thicker insert a couple of inches over depth.  On the subject of depth I carry two sizes of plummet the reason been I want to find the area of clear bottom where the lily pads end and to do this I use a light plummet to find the depth. The light plummet is perfect as it will sit on any underwater obstructions and allow me to find the clear areas.  A heavy plummet would drop through ant branches or cabbages on the bottom giving the impression that the area is clear and there’s no point trying to feed of fish in the middle of snags.  The heavy plummet has its place though because once I am happy with my spot I put on the heavy plummet and drag it around the swim to make sure the area is clean of detritus. The small plummet would just bounce over snags and give you the wrong impression. So where to target the fish? I always look for features either lily pads overhanging bushes or a marginal shelf these areas id target. However some lakes have very shallow margins and no bankside features so how would I approach these?

The days of split cane rods and center pin reels are lovely to think about but not always practical, that’s when I move to a more “modern “method of light Avon type rods and small method feeders. I still like to keep things light and use a six or eight pound mainline to the same hook link as I use on the float. Bait wise I hair rig my baits and find the thirty gram Korum dura feeder or grub feeders perfect.  Hookbaits and ground bait are the same as my float fishing.  Baitwise is really simple always red maggots to start with but if silvers become a problem I will switch to a single piece of corn or a soft pellet. I always use ground bait when fishing but mix it very sloppy I find this way the bait spreads over a larger area and stops the crucians feeding in a really tight area. My choice of ground bait is the Sonubaits worm fishmeal its dark colour helps to blend in with the bottom and is packed with attractors. To this I add a good quality micro pellet such as the DNA crayfish mini-mix or any decent two mill pellet will work. I add the pellet directly to the sloppy ground bait as I’ve always found the odd micro pellet will float so adding them to a sloppy ground bait makes them damp so they sink.  Groundbait for the method is exactly the same just mixed dryer.

So my closed season has drawn to a close now and I am pleased to say that I completed my mission not only to get a two I ended up with nine over two but I managed to get one at bang on the magical three pound target. All the fish falling to the float less than a rod length from the bank.  Mark Dunwell

You can read Marks latest articles in Reel Fisherman magazine each month by clicking the link below:

Reel Fisherman Magazine

A New Era

Its fair to say that, not for the first time, my blog has taken a back seat in my ever changing world.  Although my passion for writing and fishing is as strong as ever, if not more so, my focus has been on other projects, including the start up of a new free online magazine, aimed at the specimen and pleasure angler, called Reel Fisherman magazine. 

My reason for starting this publication was due to the lack of magazines aimed at these anglers, with the majority of them very much carp based nowadays, my intention was to gather a team of experienced anglers from all over the UK who enjoy writing about the sport they love, who target a variety of species, such as barbel, tench, pike, zander and of course carp and anything else that has fins for that matter, even sea fishing.
It is an exciting time for Tales of a Fisherman blog as it is here I will publish articles from the magazine, fantastic offers also unique articles not published in Reel Fisherman and the chance to read a glimpse of future articles before anyone else.  
This means that my blog will be updated weekly as a minimum with fresh vibrant content.  

Our readership is growing every month, so if you havent read it yet, click the link below to read the latest issue.

Reel Fisherman magazine issue 6

Here at Reel Fisherman we also want to give the opportunity to all anglers/writers to have their work published and read by thousands of like minded anglers every month, regardless of ability, so if this is of interest to you, get in touch for more info.

We hope you join us on our journey as we want our readers to be involved as much as possible by submitting catch reports, sending in articles and finding inspiration within our pages.

Tight lines Darren

Cefn Mably - A Red Letter Day carp fishing

Cefn Mabley - Spring Carp fishing

Fishing The Dream - A Year Chasing Big Fish

Fishing The Dream - A Year Chasing Big Fish is now available to download from Amazon for just £2.50.  

Or if you prefer to flick through the pages of a book, it is available to buy in paperback also from Amazon for just £6.99.

Covering a campaign throughout the seasons, the book covers Carp, Tench, Catfish, Pike and Zander plus many more and includes several PB's along the way.  It is a read that will reignite your passion in angling.

You can read a preview by following the link below.

Fishing The Dream - read preview

Forgotten Carp - In Search of Uncaught Carp

Forgotten Carp is now available to download from Amazon for just 0.99p.  Click the link below to read a preview of the story.

It covers a short campaign in which I targeted an old estate lake for some uncaught, forgotten carp.  Tactics and baits discussed as the story unfolds through the months of summer.

Forgotten Carp - Preview

Autumn Carp - Short Session Success

Fishing & Family - Fun on the Float

As an angler of more than 30 years my aim whenever I set foot on the banks of my chosen venue, as well as enjoying my surroundings, is ultimately to catch fish.  The only situation that can top this would be when I assist other anglers to catch, seeing the happiness on their faces is priceless.  That feeling is only intensified when the other angler is someone close to you, in this instance, my son William. 

Since he was born, as all parents do, I have been teaching him life skills to build his knowledge and character such as walking, saying "please" and "thank you" and I have encouraged him to enjoy the outdoors which he has embraced with open arms.  So when he turned 4 I decided it was time I introduced him to a sport I have been passionate about since I was 10 years old.  Accompanied by his big cousin, Isaac, who already had a few carp under his belt having been shown the ropes by my Dad (his grandfather) last summer, we planned a trip in the school holidays.

The idea was to introduce William to float fishing for silvers which would hopefully keep him entertained, while Isaac fished 2 rods using helicopter rigs for the carp that average about 4lb.  As we approached the carp park which is in the grounds of an old estate house in the Monmouthshire countryside the boys were keen to get going and William spotted horses and sheep in the adjacent field.

As I unloaded the gear from the car, myself and Isaac started to gather up the bags and rods however not to be left out William insisted on carrying something to the lake, so he was allocated with taking the unhooking mat which is nice and light.  The field that leads to the lake descends a gradual slope and William had a few slips and trips on the way.  

William sat still, well still for him as hes such an active child, while I rigged the rods up, I cast the carp rods out for Isaac as he isnt confident enough yet to cast close to the overhanging foliage which is often the best place for a quick bite on this venue.  As I turned my attention to Williams float rod one of the bite alarms burst into life however as I was tying on a small hook to complete the float set up, by the time I picked the rod up the fish was snagged in the roots of the trees that lined the far bank.  It was my own fault I forgot to set the bait runner to locked up and it was easy for the carp to take line and reach its sanctuary.  I had no choice but to pull for a break and the hooklink snapped, so after replacing the hooklink and rebaiting, the rod was soon recast to the same spot, this time with the bait runner done up tight!

Isaac sat close to the carp rods as I started to teach William how to hold the float rod and on out first cast the float dipped and we pulled in a pristine rudd.  I was fishing about 3 feet deep in about 5 feet of water as there were plenty of rudd up in the water and with every cast half a dozen grains of sweetcorn were flicked in around the float with a single grain on the hook.  I was using the rod like a whip with enough line let out o as not to use the reel, however as boys do, William could not resist turning the reel handle when the float dipped, so since then I have bought him a fishing whip which he should find easier to use on our next trip.

So it was time to hand the rod over to William and he grasped it in both hands, with a few strikes that were a bit premature finally the float dipped and he timed a strike perfectly to meet with the rudd lips.  He lifted the rod and swung in his first rudd, I took the rod as he grabbed the line and held the fish up to admire it appealing colours.

It was soon Isaacs time to shine as the same rod went into action he picked the rod up and with a few pointers on the best way to hold a rod when playing a fish and few tips on adjusting the drag he soon had the carp splashing by our bank as both myself and William netted the fish.  A lovely carp about 3lb was soon on the mat and both the lads held it up for a photo before gently releasing him back to the water.

William soon got the hang of feeding sweetcorn every so often when suddenly the float shot away, not like the dozen or so rudd we had already managed this fish meant business and as Isaac was sat with William at the time they both played a small carp into the waiting net, it gave a good scrap on the light float gear and I was proud of them both for staying calm as they played the fish.  

The plentiful rudd kept the boys entertained in between the carp runs and William was obviously enjoying his first fishing session the excitement at seeing another rudd take his sweetcorn never wavered and in fact asked if he could stay the night! Perhaps next time I will need to take the bivvy!

Then all of a sudden the float once more shot away with vigour and it was obvious another carp had taken the single grain of corn, Isaac called for my help as we were using light line on the float set up, I took control of the rod as William held the butt section, the carp gave us a merry run around as he dived for the wooden platform before we guided it over the waiting mesh as Isaac did the netting honours.  It was beautiful carp to catch on the float and a testament to lads with keeping up the feeding all day which had obviously attracted the carp into their swim.

Soon Isaac was into his third carp, a little bigger at about 4lb and he played it away from the reeds with some side strain and his use of the drag was encouraging as he did battle with a spirited common.  Again William and myself were on hand to help with the net as I placed the carp on the mat.  William was impressed by its size and admired the fish as it lay there in the afternoon sun.

It was the last carp of the day, 5 in total, 3 on the helicopter rigs and an uncountable number of obliging rudd fell to the float rod.  My biggest concern was keeping William entertained throughout the session however not once did he complain he was bored and hopefully this is good sign for his new found love of fishing.  Every fish made his face light up and having now bought him a fishing whip I am already planning his next session.  It was an enjoyable day with memories that will last a life time.

Forgotten Carp - Planning a Campaign

Spending time on a venue observing is just as important as time spent fishing.  Not only is it enjoyable to sit in the warm sunshine on a summers evening watching the kingfishers dart across the lake, buzzards circling high above and the rabbits venturing out from the safety of the hedgerow for a quick nibble on the dandelions, you also gain an idea of the carps habits, patrol routes their numbers and size.

When conditions suited I spent many hours watching the carp in the lake prior to fishing for them.  My main aim was to roughly work out the number of carp present as my tactics would vary depending on the stock.  On sunny afternoons some of the carp would behave as expected and visit the shallows, enjoying the warm water, here I could observe their feeding habits.  The most carp I saw at any one time was 4!  They generally visited in twos or threes, a few of these fish I could identify as the same fish on different occasions however these areas where never “black” with fish and on days when the conditions were perfect to see carp basking in the shallow water, I still rarely saw more than two at a time. 

Other waters I have fished with much higher stocks of fish I have witnessed dozens of carp in small areas of the lake as they enjoyed the summer sunshine, I guessed the stock of this captivating water at maybe a dozen fish, I am certain I would have observed more carp in these areas if they were present.  As I was only fishing for a handful of carp I started to put together a plan to catch them.  At the time it felt as if I was attempting to pot a snooker ball on a table the size of a football field!

When starting a campaign on your chosen water you have to decide what is going to be your ultimate goal.  Whether you are targeting the biggest fish in the lake or simply trying to increase your catch rate you will require a plan of attack.  For instance, if I was targeting a specific fish in a venue I would gain as much knowledge as possible on that fish, where it is most often caught? What bait was it caught on? What time of year did it mostly make an appearance on the bank?  In my case I had no other anglers to exchange knowledge with, these fish had never been angled for so I had to rely on techniques that had served me well in the past.  Thankfully carp are generally creatures of habit and behave similarly on different venues.  I had decided to catch as many of the inhabitants as possible, I had already gained an idea of the numbers of carp in the water and had started to build a knowledge of some of the areas they visit.  The best way of finding feeding areas is by spotting carp head and shoulder or crashing out of the water however these wily carp rarely showed themselves and I only witnessed one carp crash out during daylight hours and that was in a small bay just above the shallows.  So with this in mind prebaiting would probably be my best option, creating feeding areas attracting carp to my chosen spots.

Using a marker float and rod I spent several hours accurately finding the depth from the margins right out towards the middle of the lake and locating any clear areas between the weed.  Although local knowledge is always helpful I take such advice with a pinch of salt until I have investigated the information personally.  I remember standing on the banks of a water some years ago having a conversation with a grizzly faced seasoned angler who had been born and raised in that particular area, he commented that an overgrown corner of the lake was famously “bottom less!” Once the aged angler had left I was intrigued to find out the cavernous depths on the venue.  Within 3 minutes I had accurately plumbed it to just over 9 feet!  Not quite what I was expecting!  Local knowledge can be helpful and also misleading and in most cases it is worth investigating personally to give yourself peace of mind.

My venue was fairly uniform, margins shelving down to 6 foot with around 8 foot towards the middle of the lake with the odd deeper area reaching 9-10 feet.  The shallows were 2-3 foot, a depth the carp enjoyed on summer afternoons.  Making a detailed map of my chosen venue is something I have done since I started carp fishing many years ago and they have proved invaluable throughout the seasons as a reference.  I will map a new water within weeks of fishing it to help me build up a picture of the lakes features, the rest of the season the marker rod can stay in the holdall, when I arrive in my swim for that particular session I can refer to my map and if no fish are showing work out the best areas to place a hook bait.

One particular area on this venue was a clear patch towards the middle of the lake which was surrounded by weed, if this was not already a feeding area I felt I could persuade the carp to feed here away from the sanctuary of the nearby weed beds.  

The other spot that I fancied introducing some bait into on a regular basis was a crater like area the size of a pool table, 9 foot in depth it was a clear depression as the surrounding depth was only 8 foot.  This raised a few questions, with the lake bed being so soft had the carp created this depression with regular feeding here?  This was worth further investigation.  These were the two areas of the lake I decided to prebait as I did not want to bait too many areas as I required the carp to visit more often, returning for food once they had accepted my boilies as part of their diet.

There were other obvious clear patches amongst the weed in the shallows however I decided these would be best left for any opportunist fishing, mostly stalking, that came my way during the hazy summer afternoons and not to be prebaited.  I required a couple of lines of attack, prebaiting and stalking would be my best options and believed these would give me results and if not then reassess the situation at that point. 

Time would also be a factor, being a single parent, sessions would have to be planned in advance and if an opportunity to go fishing presented itself my gear would have to be ready to be loaded into the van at short notice.  I had to make the most of my situation and as I worked within a mile of the lake when time permitted during my lunch hour I would nip to the lake to throw in my freebies knowing I had a session planned within a few days.  On my shorter day sessions stalking would be my main tactic and the prebaited spots would be fished during my longer sessions.

All that was left for me to do was to start prebaiting at least a couple weeks prior to my first session and put my plan into action, I was excited at the prospect to hopefully tempting some uncaught forgotten carp to the bank.

To be continued……

Carp Diary - The Syndicate - Episode 2

Ronnie Rig Package - Carp Fishing

Winter Campaign Struggles

December marks the start of winter and usually by the middle of the month even the most stubborn trees have lost their remaining leaves, revealing the twisted antler shaped branches and bark that looks colder than a toads back is ever more present.  This was my second visit to the syndicate water after having blanked the first time, this session had to be rearranged due to the lakes being frozen over the previous weekend due to the temperatures plummeting to minus 4. 

On my arrival the conditions seemed good for a bite, so feeling quietly confident I loaded the barrow in the carp park, signed in at the lodge then headed to the lake to watch for any signs of fish.  I left all the gear on the barrow as I observed the water for half an hour and even though dusk was just a few short hours away it is normally time well spent, especially if you spot any activity in the colder months.  That has to be my number one tip in winter, watch the water as much as possible.  Unfortunately I saw no signs of fish, no bubbling and certainly no head and shouldering so I decided to start in the swim I fished on my previous session, purely because this is where I saw signs of fish just a couple of weeks ago, hoping they have not strayed to far from their winter haunt.  It is the furthest swim from the carp park, so I started my trek through the sodden grass

I punched the rods out carrying chods on each one to the  likely areas I thought the fish may be holding up, sat on the bedchair and enjoyed a quick brew.  I had no intentions of putting the bivvy up just yet, I was going to keep watching the water and if I saw any fish movement was more than happy to relocate to a swim from which I could reach them.

Fishing for carp in winter can be classed by many as boring and I will be honest many years ago I was one of these anglers, however my approach to winter carp has changed over the years and I work harder for bites in winter than at any other time of the year.  Observation is my main activity at this time of year and spotting a carp not only gives you confidence it also tells you that the carp are active and possibly feeding and more importantly in which part of the lake.  

On this occasion the carp were proving elusive, so as the light started to fade I popped the bivvy up and had a bite to eat, recast both rods and spread a handful of boilies over each spot ready for the hours of darkness.  For me the hours of darkness are not an excuse to jump into my quilted sleeping bag zip up the door and wait until I'm awoken by the bite alarm or first light.  Alot of carp anglers take portable tvs or their Ipads and Im not knocking this, winter night are a long affair, however im just saying that is not for me.  My time spent fishing is limited so I want to know if the carp are boshing down the other end of the lake regardless of what time of day it is.

I sat outside the bivvy until gone midnight hoping to hear the tell tale splosh of a carp breaking the surface and then using the moonlight to spot the ripples to reveal its location however this never happened so I retired and set the alarm for an hour before first light.  

The following morning turned out to be dank, overcast and wet although the temperatures still remained favourable the bobbins remained still.  I felt as if I should of received some action from my couple of sessions so far however having no prior knowledge of the venue until I set eyes on it just a few weeks ago so it was a case of learning the carps habits from scratch.  I stuck with a chod on one rod, made with my favourite chod material and opted to change to a wafter on the second rod and have bit of a cast about during the day trying to drop a bait on a carps nose.  The venue is fairly uniform in depth with an average of only 4 feet no real areas stood out for me, apart from fishing close to features such as the reed mace.

It turned colder overnight revealing a beautiful bright morning, droplets on the bivvy sparkled in the sunlight and spider webs glistened along the otter fence.  I was told when I joined that they were challenging lakes and it is certainly turning out that way.  Given the conditions, I believe the fish would of been feeding at some point during the last couple of days, so perhaps it was wrong swim choice or wrong tactic and with Christmas just around the corner time was running out for my first fish from the venue before the 6 week close season that starts early January.  I feel I am learning about the venue with every visit and am hoping to return before the new year.  What I do know is, whenever that first fish does fall it will be a fish Ive worked for and certainly earned.

 The video diary to accompany this piece can be viewed on my youtube channel by following the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdj-O8gBxa4

A New Campaign and a Fresh Start

Its fair to say my writing has taken a temporary back seat over the last 12 months which was not my intention however as I embarked on producing videos of my sessions during that period it naturally fell that way.  I always wanted to produce films and vlogs if you like, of my fishing and early this year saw me start this long awaited project.  I have to say I really enjoyed the filming, especially the wildlife which was now captured on film and not just a memory fused into a fishing session and although I made my best efforts for it not to affect my sessions it was inevitable that some fishing time was lost when setting up the cameras and locating ideal filming positions. The editing was a real eye opener, removing unwanted footage, choosing the best scenes and deciding the pace at which the video took was intriguing as well as time consuming, so almost 12 months down the line with a few videos and a short barbel film under my belt my passion for writing has been reignited and I aim to marry both the filming and writing together on a regular basis.

My intention is for the two to compliment each other, going forward my filming will be more about being on the bank, capturing the atmosphere, highs, lows and wildlife and not really instructional.   I am hoping that is where the blog will fill in the gaps detailing more the tactics, rigs etc.

I will carry on filming my fishing adventures making short vlogs of my sessions so regular content is being added to my youtube channel, however I will have one or two bigger projects ongoing, one of which will be my time on a new syndicate venue.  The venue in question comprises of two lakes both being renowned for being tricky waters, even the smaller one at 4 acres does not give up it residents easily. This is what my video diaries will mostly be based on, the smaller more intimate water with monthly updates on my progression trying to work out the lakes secrets.

 The larger lake at 18 acres offers a real challenge, being shallow, weedy and rather wind swept at times seems rather daunting however due to its location, I will be able to do quick overnighters which will help me in the long run I'm sure, in learning the carps habits.  This will be an ongoing project which I am hoping to produce a full length film which will feature some stunning footage as well as some stunning carp that reside within its waters.

My first video diary will be ready prior to Christmas, with the ticket starting in November its not an ideal time to start a campaign on a new venue however I am building up a picture of the water already which I'm sure will stand me in good stead for the Spring.  The close season on the lakes are for 6 weeks running from January until mid February in that time I intend to do some pike or chub fishing so look out for those on my youtube channel.

I have set myself a target of landing at least one carp from the water and I will be trying my best to do so, however with these plummeting temperatures and only a few sessions between now and the new year it will be a real challenge however, that is what I enjoy.

I managed to film some of the carp head and shouldering on my last visit, it was great to watch albeit very frustrating being just yards from my bait!  This short video can be seen on my youtube channel by clicking on the link at the top of the page.  

So there we have it, I'm hoping to make it "A Season to Remember", I hope you enjoy reading about it and also watching it, as much as I enjoy making it.  Tight Lines

River Wye Barbel - Summer/Autumn

Trailer - WyeanglerTV

Summer Carp - Fishing the Margins

Spring Tench - Baits and Rigs

Winter Carp Fishing