Spring catch up

It's been a while since I have posted. The reason? Well, I've done very little fishing. The heatwave during early May saw my son and I visit a local fishery to target some surface feeding carp. We managed five to just into double figures, all taken on dog biscuit. My assistant kept the feed going in and hung on to a few of the fish which put up a good battle. We saw a hedgehog and a deer on the way home which added to the experience. 

Next up came a trip to the Birmingham to Worcester canal. I didn't intend to fish but set my son up with a 2m whip and half pint of maggots. Sport was unexpectedly slow with a long wait before the first bite arrived and saw a small perch landed. Unfortunately, bites were not too regular but we were lucky that a family of ducklings kept us occupied. Several more perch arrived as did a beautiful looking rudd of a few ounces that added some variety. Then he hooked something altogether different. Despite hitting the bite brilliantly and hanging on, the fish snapped the light tackle and escaped. I suspect it was a larger perch but he already wants to return with 'thicker line'. It might not be a bad idea as there could be some big perch in residence.

With just two weeks until the rivers opening no doubt attentions will start to turn to running water. I still enjoy the build up and hope that we have a few more years of the close season to go before any changes are implemented. In the meantime, I have promised myself a tench session or two. I have a couple of venues in mind so I will hopefully bring some news in due course.

Carp off the top

This spring has seen a distinct lack of fishing trips but the recent sunny weather afforded me the opportunity to fish for carp using my favourite method: surface fishing.

A trip to a local stillwater saw me settle in a quiet corner that is rarely fished yet always has a few fish present. It always amazes me how many anglers choose their swim by proximity to their car rather than where the fish are. I was in no rush to set up so started feeding dog biscuits. It wasn't long before a few fish started showing interest. By the time I had set up I had a number of confidently

The 11 pounder

feeding carp in front of me. I cast out using an imitation biscuit with nothing else on the line. The weight of the biscuit was enough to get me a couple of rod lengths out and I had no need to go any further. It was no surprise that a fish was hooked soon after and after a spirited battle on a 1.25lb Avon rod, a common carp of around 9lb was banked. This of course sent the other fish to cover and I spent the next half hour feeding to regain their confidence. The next fish arrived in the shape of another common at 11lb 7oz. As the sun set, the fish became more confident and a good fish was hooked that shot for the nearside cover. On this occasion, the fish won its freedom but it wasn't long before I found myself connected to what turned out to be the best fish of the session. The fish rarely displayed any rapid runs but instead stayed stubbornly low. A fat common came to the net and troubled the scales at 16lb 7oz.

The best fish of the session

Two more fish came to the net at around 7lb and 4lb respectively but their splashing about killed the swim and at just gone 9pm I wasn't going to hang around for another one. An enjoyable three hours in the sunshine!

Carp: So near yet so far

Another sunny spell saw me again seeking surface feeding carp. I attempted to set myself a challenge. After four fish around 6-7lb last week, I attempted to search out a larger specimen.

Upon arrival, I was greeted with the sight of about two dozen carp basking in the warm evening sunshine. I didn't arrive until 5.45pm so I was aware I had to get fish feeding quickly to see a return. The basking fish had no real interest in feeding and were almost statuesque. A few chased each other, maybe suggesting spawning may not be too far away if this weather persists. Rather than flog a dead horse, I stationed myself in a quiet corner of the lake where my loose fed dog biscuits were noticed almost immediately. Furthermore, some of the fish looked significantly bigger than the ones I caught last week. A slight breeze had blown the baits to the next swim and it was here a decent fish was lying in wait. I moved positions and put my bait in just the right place. Minutes later, a carp surfaced engulfing the bait. The line snaked away at speed as the fish raced off towards the middle of the lake. It was a very good fish but it found its freedom all too easily when my line snapped. I have to say I was surprised this happened as my drag had been set correctly and I was using 10lb line. It was pretty disappointing as it was definitely the stamp of fish I had targetted from the outset. It was only when setting back up that I realised the problem. A twist in the reel line had caused a knot on the spool. It was obvious that the fish had run until it hit the twist and under the pressure it had snapped. It was enormously frustrating yet it was such a freakish event, the type that only seem to happen when you least need it. The loss was also compounded by the fact the fish were spooked. I did manage to land two carp, both commons with one around 7lb and the other going a bit bigger. Perhaps I'll be rewarded next time?

The session opener after the disappointing loss

This fish was tempted close in

Carp: Off the top

Warm weather equals surface baits

After the river season closed a few weeks ago, I decided to take a break from fishing. I think I needed it and they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. On the back of a beautifully sunny week, I decided to visit a local stillwater in the hope that the venue's carp would have been tempted towards the surface to sunbathe.

On my 4pm arrival, I walked around looking for any sign of cruising fish. Despite the sun still being quite strong, there was a distinct lack of action. A couple of fish were seen but it was hardly convincing stuff.

Fishing at last

The lack of activity on this site is indicative of how hectic the last few weeks have been. I won't bore you with the details but last week's sunshine finally provided me with the opportunity to visit a local fishery in the hope of some surface caught carp.

Whenever there's some prolonged sunny weather, carp will be seen just under the surface taking advantage of the warm rays. For a cold-blooded animal, it's the perfect way to warm up quickly. By offering them loose fed, floating baits such as dog biscuits or bread crust they can usually be tempted into feeding off the surface.

My setup for this method is pretty simple. Mainline of 10lb, connected to a similar breaking strain of fluorocarbon to form a hooklength of around 4ft long. Using fluorocarbon means that the line immediately above the hook is pretty much invisible and as a result fish are less cautious when approaching the bait.  A size 10 hook and an imitation dog biscuit complete the setup. I also smear a little Vaseline along the hooklength in order to keep it on the surface. Often I will freeline, using the weighted bait to cast since most of my fishing is within a couple of rod lengths. However, a small controller can be added if I wish to fish a little further out.

A pretty mirror around 8-9lb

The key to this method is loose feeding using the 'little and often' approach. The idea is to get fish taking the baits and increasing with confidence. Once this is achieved, you can introduce your hookbait. Takes can be pretty instant and it's great fun (and frustrating) watching fish approach your bait only to turn away at the last second. However, a fish will eventually be fooled as you capture the moment it engulfs the bait or notice your line straighten as a fish moves off. This is the moment to strike!

After a slow start, I eventually found some fish that were cruising the upper layers of the lake. After a few false starts I managed to hook a reasonable fish just shy of double figures.
This went on to to be the largest fish of the session. Four more carp followed averaging about 5-6lb. Although none of the fish were large by carp fishing standards they provided great entertainment on a warm May evening, especially to an angler starved of fishing for the last month. Hopefully I will be able to get a few more times before my attentions turn back to rivers.

The next generation and a new personal best carp

A proud nephew

The start of the week saw me take my nephew you out for a few hours fishing on the Birmingham-Worcs Canal. I set him up with a 2m whip to fish down the inside. Bites soon arrived and he managed to catch almost 40 fish, mostly perch with the odd gudgeon thrown in for good measure. He was very proud of his efforts and so he should be. I'm sure he can't wait to visit in the summer with perhaps the promise of his first river fish.

Yesterday evening saw me looking to take advantage of the recent warm weather by surface fishing for carp. I visited the same pool as a few weeks ago [here] where I managed six carp, the biggest just over 14lb in an evening session. With me looking to emulate that success I set off with hopes high. I arrived at the venue and immediately saw dark shadows sunbathing just beneath the surface. I headed towards the area I had fished last time out. Although I could not see any fish, I was aware that the nearby island represents a carp magnet so remained confident. However, a breeze had started which seemed to cause the carp to be less interested in taking surface baits. I did briefly try a bottom bait but apart from a few liners there was nothing to report so I persevered feeding dog biscuits. There were carp taking them but not with the gusto they had showed on my previous visit. By now the breeze had blown all the tree pollen that had fallen on the water into the area in front of me. This made fishing very challenging since I could not spot my bait easily amongst all the other similar shaped floating objects and it made presentation tricky. I toyed with the idea of moving but two things prevented me from doing so. The first was that although the floating debris was causing problems, it also meant my line was disguised. If only I could keep a bait in the right place for long enough I was sure a fish would take the bait. The second reason, and the one that had even more bearing, was there was a sizeable fish now taking a fleeting interest in the baits. 

With the fish remaining cautious, I knew that I was only going to get one chance and finally it came. A fish approached where I believed my bait to be and it decided to take something from the surface. I have to admit I was not 100% sure whether my bait had been taken but a mixture of intuition, luck and a vague memory of possibly seeing the line move all meant I swept my rod backwards. The rod hooped over yet the fish itself didn't seem to be aware of proceedings and within seconds it was underneath the rod tip. Then without warning, just as I was reaching for the net, it took off on a blistering run towards the island resulting in the reel screaming; a sound greeted by every angler. A few more surges followed but eventually the fish was beaten and drawn over the waiting net. It looked a cracking common carp, which I knew would threaten my modest 17lb personal best. A quick check on the scales confirmed this at an ounce under 18lb. I had hoped it might be a bit bigger but I could not complain. I fished on with the carp giving my hope that another fish might be on the cards, but despite some interest in the biscuits I could not tempt another. As the light started to fade so did my chances and I left. A PB in tricky conditions, off the surface is a good result in my book and I was very pleased as I made the short trip home.  

My new PB carp at 17lb 15oz

Surface Carp Fishing

Although I love my river fishing, the close season does force me to vary my tactics and species. With cooler weather promised I took advantage to of the final day of spring sunshine to target carp. I returned to the lake which had seen my previous visit punctuated by frustration as I tried to tempt fish from the surface. However, today’s weather was much kinder and I was pleased to arrive just after 4pm to see only one other angler present.

I set off towards the island, scouring the surface for dark shapes basking in the late afternoon sun.  Upon reaching the island I noticed several carp cruising so immediately scattered half a dozen dog biscuits towards the island while I set up. I rarely use a controller. Since most of my surface fishing is done with 3-4 rod lengths, I prefer to use 10lb mainline, a 4ft fluorocarbon hooklength with an imitation biscuit hair rigged to a size 10 hook. Since the imitation bait incorporates a split shot to balance it I find that it provides enough weight to reach my desired spot. The main advantage of this is that it causes little disturbance when hitting the water and is very inconspicuous once in position. The fluorocarbon line again ensures my hook bait looks as close to the other biscuits as is possible. My final tip is to keep out of sight; on this trip that involved squatting, which was rather painful on the thighs but ensured the carp continued to feed confidently about 10m from the bank.

A great way to start the session at just over 14lb

It took about 20 minutes of regular feeding but eventually the carp started to show real interest and baits were being taken readily.  I made my first cast soon after  4.30pm. With the fish feeding well and competing for the bait it was hardly surprising that I connected with a fish within about 10 minutes. The fish produced a dogged and determined fight that seemed to last for ages. I managed to catch a glimpse a few times and could see it was good fish and easily a double. Finally, the fish was landed and the scales showed 14lb 4oz; a great start to the session.

By 6pm I had managed a further three fish of around 4lb, 7lb and 8lb. The fish as expected started to behave more cautiously so I wandered around the lake to give the swim a rest. I did find some fish but they were not really feeding so with about 20 minutes of my session remaining I returned to my original spot with the hope of one more fish to cap the evening. I had to be patient but it paid off as another carp of about 5lb was hooked and landed. The fish was safely returned and with I called a close to what had been a thoroughly enjoyable 3 hours, five carp to just over 14lbs and all off the top. Let’s hope the warmer weather hasn’t left us for too long.