[Fish disease]

Hi,

 

I was fishing a pond local to me the other night and caught a bream with a white fungus type thing on it, the best way of describing it would be to say that it looked and felt like someone had superglued rock salt ( the unground salt ) to it all over it's body. I'm pretty sure it's not rock salt for obvious reasons but I was wondering if anyone knew what it was?

 

Errrm

[Uncaught Fish]

Isn't the fishery private, and no angler gets to fish it, except for Matt Hayes?

You can book tickets to fish there here The Monument

[Uncaught Fish]

To add a bit more information I think it was Matt Hayes who said in on the programme "Record Fish" filmed at The Monument fishery. I didn't understand it either.

[Groundbait]

Errm

Expo is one of my favourite Tench groundbaits and I normally mix it 50/50with plain brown crumb and I use it on any water over 3-4 foot deep without a problem.

 

Tony

Thanks, do you add anything into the mixture i.e. casters, sweetcorn etc... it seems like a good groundbait for tench not too mention it smells really nice aswell :-)

[Groundbait]

Hi,

 

I haven't used groundbait for ages until last week when I was going fishing to a local pond which contains bream and tench to about 7-8lbs so not knowing what to get I spent ages looking through the groundbait section at the tackle shop before choosing Expo. It seemed to work ok, but since that weekend I've read that Expo is suited more to waters which are over 6ft deep, why is this? It seemed to work ok so would it be the case that a different groundbait would work better or is the 6ft+ a general rule? i was planning on using a mix of brown crumb and expo next time, would this have any effect on how the groundbait performs with regard to depth?

 

Errrm

[schooling carp]

I've seen this on commercial carp waters, groups of maybe 20 carp swimming around on the surface. The groups were mainly the smaller carp, the bigger fish generally swam in either very small groups or by themselves. I had never seen this before though either until this year.

[surface bait]

Hello

I've spent the last 3 days down my local pond trying to catch carp on the surface.At times there must be 20 of em on top but they just will not take my bait which is expander pellets on a bait band with a controller float.

But I had no luck and had to watch the carp just swim by my bait an take no notice.

So my question is what are the best baits and how are they presented?

I had a similar problem at a commerical carp water using dog biscuits on a hair rig, the carp were taking all the baits apart from the one attached to the hook. In the end I decided to cast out without any loose offerings and I started catching.... the only reason for this that I can think of is that the carp can see the difference between the bait on the hook and the ones without the hook. Maybe get them used to the bait with some free offerings and when they have all been eaten cast your rig in and wait.

 

Errrm

[Beginner needs help]

Yep I've just seen some bobbin indicators on an online shop.I was wondering if the baitrunner on y reel would do the same job when it makes the clicking noise as for the indicator to move the baitrunner would have to make a noise.Or will this not be sensitive enough?

As regards to the float fishing I have had some luck with smaller fish but wanted to try something new to make a change:).

Without the bobbin you wouldn't be able to see a drop back bite i.e. when the fish picks up the bait and moves towards your rod. Does your carp rod have a screw in tip for a quiver tip to be added? If it does then this would also be cheap... a few pounds probably.

 

Errrm

[Pike fishing - when to strike?]

i tend to livebait most of the time while pike fishing, there is no feeling in the world like the 20 or so seconds after your livebait obviously shows signs of being agitated, it works the float harder as it is obviously scared of something, this is the time when a pike is present in the vicinity and a proper 'take' is imminent. when the pike 'takes' the float moves either sideways or downwards with an agressive 'thud' followed by gentle movement. i wait a few seconds, reel into the fish then set the hooks home with a sharp strike in the opposite direction of the movement of the float. hopefully the fish will be well hooked and only in the mouth.

 

livebaiting is not everyones cup of tea, but in my experience its the only way of fishing that warns you that a bite is imminent !! i love it !!

When live baiting .... this is probably a stupid question :-) but does the livebait ever swim into snags? Or does it stay away from snags because this a generally an ambush point for predetars?

 

Again thanks for all the advice, there still seems to be no agreed time at which to strike, someone seemed to indicate for dead baiting when the float goes under and other people when there is siginificant movement on the float that couldn't be cause by line biites of a pike nudging the bait. But it seems that the general idea is that you should be able to wind up the slack and feel if something has actually grabbed the bait.

 

Errrm

[Pike fishing - when to strike?]

If the float is moving or line is being taken on a ledger rig, then the pike has the bait in its jaws. Try using 'normal' sized baits of 6" or so and put some thought into how your hooks are arranged. If the fish is 4lbs or over, and you've arranged the hooks correctly, it should be possible to virtually gaurantee that it has at least one hook in its mouth the moment it picks up the bait.

 

You should hook most fish if you point the rod at the fish, tighten up and strike sideways, preferably in the opposite way to which the fish is moving. Obviously you can't tell which way it's travelling if you're using a running ledger, but it's best to strike before the fish has moved too far, otherwise when you try to tighten up, yards of line moving through the lead will often spook the fish into droping the bait, leaving you striking into thin air and thinking you should have given it longer! A semi fixed lead will get round this problem to some extent.

Ok thanks, I should be going fishing tomorrow night for a couple of hours after work so hopefully I'll have a chance to see how that works.

 

Errrm

[Pike fishing - when to strike?]

It all depends on how you're presenting the bait.

 

If you're fishing a float ledger then the float may not be able to go under because it's likely to be set a foot or so over depth. The float should be set so that it moves when the bait is picked up, in which case it will probably lift up or lie flat, then move along the surface. I'd normally check which way the float is moving, then stike in the opposite direction if possible.

 

If you're fishing a suspended free roving bait, then the float can get pulled under but it might not. It all depends on how fast the fish is moving, the depth of the water, the size of the pike etc. In any event I would do the same as before, and aim to strike in the opposite direction that the fish is heading.

 

Look at your bait sizes and hooking arrangements before you think of delaying the stike and even then don't delay the strike unless you seriously know what you're doing.

 

Anderoo beat me to it

Thanks, for the advice. When you say 'delay the strike' when does it become delayed I guess is what I'm asking. At the moment I am not likely to be using anything too complicated there is a lot of weed currently in the pond I'm fishing expicially on the bottom so I am suspending a bait via a pike float at about half depth. From what I have read so far once the float has actually gone under anything after that would be considered a delayed strike, is this right?

 

The other method I might fish with is a buzzer using a simple ledger with a popper up bait to once again lift the dead bait above the weed, when does the bite become a delayed strike in this situation? After the pike has made a definate movement with the bait?

 

 

Thanks for the help everyone, even if I am a bit alow on the uptake

[Pike fishing - when to strike?]

generaly speaking you should strike when the float goes under, in my own experience a float bobbing about and getting tugged slightly isnt a 100% accurate indication of a hooked fish they could be sizing up the bait and seeing whats what. where as a float going right under would indicate to me that the fish has fully taken the bait and the hook. i tend to leave for a few seconds 3 at most (not long dont take all day) just to be on safe side then strike

Ahhh ok thanks, that explains when to strike better.

[Pike fishing - when to strike?]

Hi,

 

I know this has been brought up before in this forum but I am slightly confused by something I saw recently. From what I have read you should 'strike' ( just wind into the fish? ) as soon as there is any indication of a bite, I generally float fish for pike is this first indication the float doing something weird i.e. moving when using a deadbait, or is it when it goes under? I assumed it meant before the float goes under when it has started moving off or has obviouly been pulled downwards by something, is this right? I then watched a Matt Hayes program on Discovery Real Time about a week ago inwhich he waits for the float to go under before striking.... have I understood it correctly, or should the first indication be the float going under?

 

Thanks

 

Errrm

[Lidl Fishing Tackle is back!]

Certainly are good! Just bought a box and I reckon they are excellent. Also bought starlights and large landing net, which I also thought very good. Not impressed with much of it this time though. Had hoped the gear bags would be well suited to lures but too many small compartments for my taste, good quality though.

I was going to buy a landing net but I was a bit worried that it wasn't strong enough for normal fishing, anyone used it for pike/carp fishing?

 

Errrm

[Lidl Fishing Tackle is back!]

Hi,

 

Any idea if the box of assorted 12 lures are any good?

 

Errrm

[Coarse fishing near Ashby De-La Zouch]

Re the "I have fished it once and it was good, I'm going again this sunday.", how was it for species variety and sizes?

 

I was only there for about 4-5 hours and hadn't really got the right tackle to catch, but I managed a few car up to about 2 pounds and a few crusician carp and skimmer bream. The people across the lake where fishing with method feeders and caught better with some fish that looked like they might get to 4-5lbs. I went for a second time last weekend and there were a couple of matches on ~70 people in all, I saw only about 3 fish caught all day

 

It's a really nice venue though so I'll probably go again to see if I can do any better this weekend, also the cafe is open in the morning now.

[toilets betwen nottingham and tamworth]

Hi,

 

The ridding at 2 miles from Junction 10 M42 has a brick building toilet there. This address should give you some more information about the fishery, I've been told the folley pool is the best, I have fished it once and it was good, I'm going again this sunday.

 

http://www.fisheries.co.uk/riddings/index.htm

 

Errrm

[Method Feeder/Hermitage Lake, Whitwick]

Hi all,

 

I was wondering if anyone has any tips for fishing with a method feeder at this time of the year. I was thinking about fishing a park lake ( Hermitage Lake ) which holds carp to about 30lb and tench and bream to about 10lb.... apparently. I wanted to fish some sort of feeder rig because it's 18ft deep outside of the council required margins because it was previously a gravel pit and I'm assuming all the fish will be there during the colder months. From what I've read the method feeder works best when carp are fighting over the ball of ground bait, is this correct? Would it work in a lake which perhaps doesn't have the same density of fish compared to more commercial lake. Any help would me much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Errrm

[Coarse fishing near Ashby De-La Zouch]

Did you read the details of that on http://www.fisheries.co.uk/riddings/index.htm?

 

That seems a fair way to travel. If we keep bumping this to the top maybe the North Leicestershire posters will eventually respond with more local advice . Or you could pretend you are an exotic foreign female to get more responses .

lol

 

Yeah I've read that page, it's where I got the initial information from and it's only about 12 miles from where I live so it's not too bad.

 

I think I'm going to try it this saturday unless I hear it's really bad.

 

Errrm

[Coarse fishing near Ashby De-La Zouch]

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

Another lake I'm thinking about trying out this weekend was The Riddings Fisheries near Atherstone, has anyone ever fished there? Is it any good?

 

Errrm

[Coarse fishing near Ashby De-La Zouch]

Hi,

 

I've trying to start fishing again after about 10 years and after moving to a new area I have no idea of the places to fish ( I have moved to Ashby De-La Zouch ). The places I have found on the internet so far appear to be day ticket carp waters which is fine but I'm worried that only modern carp tactics would catch ( ledger, bollies etc ). I want a place to fish that I can float fish with fairly basic baits maggots, lunchmeat, sweetcorn etc. Does anyone know if these tactics work on venues such as Springwood Fisheries, Willesley Lakes or Groby Lakes ( all near where I live ) or can you suggest a better location.

 

Thanks

 

Errrm