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Blank

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  1. Blank

    That Takes the Biscuit!

    By Blank,

    I tried to knock January of the list for the Surface Fishing Challenge today.
     
    The weather was cloudy, with little wind. Water temperature was cold due to it being frozen two days earlier, and an air temperature of 5 degrees. I cycled to the venue and scattered a liberal amount of dog biscuits in each of the four bays of the lake, in the hope of getting the fish feeding, and then leaving them to build confidence whilst I went home to get my gear.
     
    As I left the local EA officer called in and we had a brief chat before I cycled home. The fish had not showed any signs of feeding, but I would "chance it"; go back with some gear and hope they were feeding.
     
    I arrived back at the lake around 20 minutes later, to find the lake was still; not any wind whatsoever - perfect. There were ample amount of baits in each of the bays, which suggested that they were not feeding that confidently yet, but as I walked round, I saw fish starting to take the biscuits in a couple of the bays. I crept along the bank, keeping myself hidden behind the marginal cover.
     
    I sat and watched fish feeding in each of the four bays, and saw the two largest residents take biscuits within four feet of me; a common known as "The Eye" and a mirror knwon as "The Pig", of no real size, but of great importance to me, as the venue has a place in my heart; it's where I grew up...with a rod in my hand and carp in my net!
     
    I saw around 12 different fish all between around 6lb and low doubles, with the exception of one small fish, around 2lb.
     
    None of the fish seemed to feed with great confidence, and with fast fading light levels, the feeling that i was going to blank grew. I stuck into until dusk, but unfortunatly blanked.
     
    School holidays over now, so back to school now (please, NO!) and six months of hell! I mean, exams!
  2. Blank
    This carp fishing "lark" in the colder months ain't to bad!
     
    Mananged to squeeze a half-day sesion in between schoolwork, courrsework, work experience, and work!
     
    I woke to hear howlings winds and heavy rain at 6.30am, but when i went outside in just a T-Shirt and discovered how mild it was, I was quietly confident.
     
    The rain subsided for about an hour and a half, between breakfast at home, and arrival to the venue, upon which the heavens opened, and about an hours worth of heavy rain followed, making PVA work awkward. The was a wind blowing straight down into the bay that i was fishing (Foot high waves at one point), and the fact that no other anglers could fish the area I was fishing, made me all the more confident.
     
    After about an hour I started to recieve knocks on my right hand rod, which was on a marginal spot at about 20 yards close to an overhanging bush. The other, fished with a small PVA bag of half and crushed boilies, like the other rod, was cast toward the main body of the lake at about 30 yards range.
     
    I felt confident that the rod placed near the bush would produce a take due to the number of knocks that I was getting, and was therefore suprised when the other rod screamed off! I played the fish quite hard and it basically kited into the bay, and then a little sidestrain soon had the fish at the net with no real battle, I saw that it was a light common and was happy when she was over the drawstring, and was my second fish on my second visit to the venue.
     
    Having caught a mirror around 18lb previously I was pleased that this common also went 18lb on the nose, and made the rain and wind endurance all the more worth while.
     
    The sun then broke through a few hours later and the winded dramtically dropped, and it was once again time to pack up.
     
    ... And as I started packing my rods into the holdall a carp jumped clean out of the water twice, on the exact spot where my bait had been less than a minute earlier, bugger eh!?
  3. Blank

    Update

    By Blank,

    ...I'm back!
     
    It's been a while...plenty of coursework, days at work, and plenty of blanks!!
     
    Finally managed my first carp of 2006 just a couple of weeks ago, weighing in at just a couple of pounds, followed by another of a similar size.
     

    My first carp of 2006
     
    The fish was taken on a local 'runs water' whilst I took a guest. Incidently the lad who accompanied me is a match-angler, so I offered to take him carping and 'show him the ropes', and the cheeky beggar only went and out-fished me...beginners luck and all that....
     

    Ross Woolridge with his first session kipper
     

    ...and his second-session lump!
     
    Top Guide I say....
  4. Blank

    January Blank

    By Blank,

    The unfortunate, has become reality, a blank on the Surafce Challenge for January
     
    I tried more than half a dozen times over the month to try and sneak one; and have had fish feeding on the surface within just a few feet away from me, but have not succeeded in hooking and landing one, on rod and line.
     
    Ah well, now for the first fish of 2006 challenge!
  5. Blank

    Biddulph Blank

    By Blank,

    Myself and Steve Baker planned another session to Biddulph Grange on Sunday 15th January 2006, in the hope of catching my first carp of 2006, and Steve in the hope of fulfilling his target; to catch the venue biggie known as "Willy".
     
    The on the day previous to our session on the lake, the weather was mild clear blue skies combined with mild night-time temperatures, things look set for the carp to be on the feed. The downside to this however was the unexpected frost the night before the session, and Biddulph being near Biddulph Moor, is very high up, with the downside being it would have been rather 'chilly'.
     
    Nevertheless we arrived full of hope and expectations, and managed to get the swim we wanted, with only two other angler son the lake. Conditions seemed to pick up as the sun broke through the clouds, combined with a nice wind, for me seemed good things to get the carp 'mooching'.
     
    We both decided to try the new Korda Maggot Klips, and combined these hookbaits with PVA bags of maggots. We found the PVA provided by PCI an essential piece of kit, providing a good strong brand of PVA, able to withstanding the dampness of the maggots, without bursting before hooked and cast out - ideal. I also tried what I like to call a 'combination bag' which comprised a small selection of crushed boilies, pellets and maggots.
     

    PCI PVA: Ideal for maggot PVA bags and 'Combination' Mixes
     
    I opted to fish my baits quite close, within thirty yards of the bank in fact, in the hope that the carp would be patrolling the marginal shelf/slope. However we were fishing as a team, so Steve tried to cover the other options by fishing his baits dead-middle of the lake. A tactic which proved successful when he received a carp-like take just 10 minutes after casting, however it was unfortunately a chub. It was between 2lb-3lb, but certainly gave us confidence in the new clips and the rigs, so Steve re-cast to the chosen spot, as we anticipated sport in the day ahead.
     
    After about two hours, we were checked for our licences by the bailiff, and as a result the other anglers were invited to leave the venue, as they had not got the specific ticket. GREAT!
     
    I found this great as one of the anglers was fishing a swim that I wanted to try a bait in. So after they had packed up, I cast a rig to the chosen spot. I had opted for a PCI Pineapple/Banana Pop Up, over a small bed off maggots.
     
    A couple of hours later I received a 'funny' take on that rod, as the line steadily tightened and the run seemed to get faster. I anticipated this turning into a 'full blown screamer' and hit it, however I did not connect with a fish
     

    Fishing toward 'The Boathouse'
     
    This was sadly the only other action of the day. However we really tried that day, trying different spots, and basically covered 60% of the lake with our baits, which either mean that the carp weren't as active as we thought, or they were at the shallow end of the lake.
     
    I have yet to catch my first carp of 2006, my time will come I believe. (PRAY!)
  6. Blank

    The Blank Goes On...

    By Blank,

    After my surface attempt was failed, I was determind to try and catch my first carp of 2006, on Sunday 8th January.
     
    I decided that my best bet for a fish would be a local 'runs water' which holds carp upto around 13lb.
     
    The conditions were quite cold and overcast with what i considered low light levels and chilling easterly wind. The water is usually quite cloudy, and the clarity of the water on the particular day, showed that the carp were much less active, which is not suprising considering that they are cold-blooded, and have been experienceing quite a few frosts.
     
    I opted for a swim known as 'The Pipe' which gives access to a number of features.
     
    On the day, I had my mate with me, and decided to put his bait right into the bay where the wind was blowing. The depth was around 5 feet within just a couple of feet of the bank, and was hopefully going to sneak out a carp that was following the wind (They very often follow the wind in there, as there is very often a wind on the water because it is very open).
     

    1.Check the depth, and lower bait to suitable spot...
     

    2. Introduce small amount of bait around hookbait...
     
    I then walked back round the bay and put the rod on the rest, and setup his hanger with a semi-slack indication setup, whereby there was just a couple of inches of slack line to be taken up before the line would tighten and pull the indicator up.
     
    I opted for two approaches on my rods:
    1. A 'roving' single hookabit that I would cast to different areas and depths every hour, in the hope of finding a feeding fish.
     
    2. Fishing the bottom of the marginal shelf with a small particle bed and particle hookbait.
     
    A few hours passed and my companion recieved a few inches movement, however nothing came of it. I recieved the occassional bleep but nothing specific, and even a roving hookbait and stringer approach proved unnssuccesful. We persivered with the boilies hookbaits, and also tried counterbalanced baits with pop-up foam in the centre, but still nothing.
     
    We also tried small PVA bags from PCI, known as the 'Ready Bags'; ready made small PVA bags of pellets, a winter-luxury to save tieing up bags with cold hands, you can just hook one on!
     

    Fishing 'The Pipe' at a local runs water
     
    We also tried fishing a bay where there was little surface wind in the hope of catching a carp off the surface, however I was doubtful due to air and water temeprature being cold, and low light levels. And unfotunaltly we did not catch.
     
    The six-hour session was soon over, and am I now left as little bemused:
     
    Temperature?
    Inactive/Non-Feeding Fish?
    Low Water Level?
    Bait Location?
     
    I cannot really decide which if any of the above are a factor of my blanks - that's winter for you.
     
    Hopefully I will end my blank soon with my first 2006 carp!
  7. Blank

    Biddulph Blank

    By Blank,

    I ventured out to a totally new venue today. Had never before seen, let alone fished the venue in question, Biddulph Grange.
     
    I arranged the session with a mate, and both myself and Steve Baker arrived at the venue by around 9.00am.
     
    Upon arrival we noticed that around three-quarters of the lake was frozen. Fortunately, an area around the inlet was free; and was the area that we wanted to fish. I placed my baits at points in the overhanging trees that came from the island in front of me. Steve placed baits off the trees by the inflow, and in the middle of the bay, which was to my right. The weather conditions were quite mild, and as a result the lake steadily defrosted, and the like was ice-free as we left. It was cloudy, and quite misty, and we were quite confident in catching a kipper.
     
    A few hours passed, and we had recieved no indications whatsoever, until Steve recieved a series of bleeps. He left it as the line had stopped moving, and this payed off when it rattled off "good 'n proper" around 10 minutes later. The fish scrapped well and was in the net within a minute, and on the mat lay Steve's first fish on his home-made boilies - a chub!
     
    The rest of the day was very much unproductive, and the day soon passed without so much as another bleep. Temperatures started to drop steadily and we felt the cold more, as we began to see our breaths. We knew it was getting cold and that another fish was surely not to be, and we were right!
     
    Another successful blank for me, but a first for Steve, well done fella!
     

    Fishing to the Island at Biddulph
     

    Steve Baker, with a not-so carpy Chub
  8. Blank

    F F F FROZEN!

    By Blank,

    Intended to fish a pit local to my home today, for both Carp and Roach.
     
    Armed with a pair of Carp rods, float rod, and a bag of dog biscuits for the Surface Challenge, plus other tackle, I walked to the venue in question.
     
    The walk is probably just under a mile, although it felt like a hundred miles as my tackle bag dug into my shoulder during the journey!
     
    After anticipating the sport of the day ahead, I was then very dissappointed to see the water, which hardly ever freezes, frozen
     
    By this time, the rest of my family were awake, and I managed to get myself a lift home - thank god!
     
    Lets Hope for some better weather tomorrow, I want to catch my 2006 kipper soon!
  9. Blank

    F F F Freezing!

    By Blank,

    Boxing Day... Thought I would go and catch myself a Christmas Carp
     
    Arrived at the venue at 2.00pm, knowing that I would have to be off at dusk, around 4.30pm. My plan of attack being a pair of carp rods, and a float rod, in the hope of trying to tempt either a carp, or one of the large roach that reside in the local venue.
     
    I opted for a peg that had a tight group of trees to my left, that were right on the water's edge, providing a slight amount of cover, and with a slightly deeper area of the lake just 3 feet from trees in question. I opted for this particular swim as it stood me well last winter, where I managed a good number of fish right through winter, from three spots around this swim.
     
    The venue is a heavily stocked water, around an acre in size, with a small percentage of the resident carp going over 10lb, witht he lake record at just 13lb 3oz, but at a stone's throw from my house, I was not to overlook it, as "knowing it like the back of my hand" applied in these circumstances.
     
    The carp rods were baited with a small cheese ball on one rod, and a 12mm bottom bait on the other. Both where lowered into the spots, with a small amount of MB Baits pellets over the top. I fished both rods with slack lines as this aproach has proved succesfull for me over recent sessions.
     
    The float rod was baited with a small piece of sweetcorn, and fished again, at the bottom of the marginal shelf, over a *small* amount of sweetcorn.
     
    However these tactics did not prove successfull. Slight adjustmants to bait, and baiting were made, but to no avail, and as the rain subsided at 4.20pm I packed up and left, head down

     

    Fishing 'The Bush Swim' in the hope of a Christmas Carp
  10. Blank
    Went stalking for an hour today after work. Had seen the forecast mild temperatures in the week, and was gagging to get fishing as I neared the end of my day at work.
     
    I arrived at a local pit at 3.15pm, and was packed up by 4.30pm.
     
    Firstly, I walked around and scattered a few dog biscuits in each of the four bays. It took a long time for the fish to come up and feed confidently. I was stood well back from the water’s edge, and groups of fish would come and feed in a “spell” whereby each fish would come up a few times and pick off a few mixers, before swimming off and not returning.
     
    As the light levels became less, the fish started to come up and feed confidently. I stood in a good vantage point, being able to place a hookbait to any part of the two bays (where the fish were feeding) in a mater of seconds.
     
    I watched a few small mirrors come up and pick off some mixers, before watching a better sized fish fully extend its lips to take in a number of mixers in just a few second son the surface. I cast my mixer past it and gently pulled it to within 4 inches of the feeding fish. My hookbait had been in the water for a while and had expanded; making it less buoyant; with an end result being my hookbait was hard to see as it sat lower in the water. I saw the fish turn its head away from me; in the direction of my hookbait. I knew that in such poor light it would be impossible to see the fish take my mixer, rather than a freebie, so instead I watched the line that lay across the surface. The fish took in two mixers before taking in the one I thought was mine, and it did so pulling the line across the water.
     
    I bent into the fish and I made a massive disturbance to the surface as it bow-waved across the surface and then dived down. She hardly took any line, and I bullied it into my net, after what seemed like a minute of being hooked. I was surprised how easily it came in, considering it’s shape: long and thin. In my past experiences these shape of fish have fought much harder than the more plump residents. However I was not complaining as it gave the fish less time to try and ditch the hook.
     
    She went 10lb on the nose, and I was pleased and amazed to catch a fish in December from the surface.

    A December Surface Carp - with the help of PCI's floating baits
  11. Blank

    December Surface Capture

    By Blank,

    I managed to sneak an hour session in on a local pit on Sunday (December 4th) afternoon.
     
    When I arrived i walked round the lake, which basically consists of the main body of the lake with an island, and then four small bays in each corner.
     
    I walked around and scattered a few freebie dog biscuits in all of the bays and set up ready for action. The fish came up feeding confidently, and I stood for a few minutes and watched a few fish around 5lb pick off my biscuits by some reed stems.
     
    This was enough for me and I lowered my biscuit hookbait into the area! The fish came back and picked off the remaining freebies, all except mine and one other freebie. The fish must then have been aware of my (or my hookbait's) presence. As they started to feed in other areas, and the only other fish to investigate the bait was a common around 8lb.
     
    They were slurping like mad in a bay in the opposite corner of the lake, so I walked round to investigate. Upon arrival I saw a nice-sized fish picking mixers off a tight patch of bait. Rather than nailing a biscuit then diving back down, this fish had confindence and just moved its head and stayed in positon whilst it started mopping them up. I was within 4 feet of the fish and lowered my bait right "on it's nose". It took my mixer in with another, and closed it's lips. As it did so, I struck and battle begun.
     
    It tore off and I was sure that I had hooked a mirror aroun 11lb. Only after around 5 mintues of heavy fighting did it surface and totally surpise me by being a common!
     
    I quickly scooped her with my net and was over the moon to catch my December target so soon in the month.
     
    She went 9lb 6oz on the scales and I was chuffed to bits. It came to the photo and there was hardly any daylight left!
     

    My Prize on the mat; modern reels not needed with such quality in the shape of the Cardinal 66
     

    My December Surface Capture
    This Challenge is Rocking and Rolling now!
     
  12. Blank

    New Top Lake Experience

    By Blank,

    Well after a somwhat "tense" build up to my holiday, I'm off at 3.00am tommorrow morning. I'm going to a different part of the River Ebro, a different section, known as The Top Lake or Upper Lake, where the cats are more in numbers and lesser in weight. However it's a new experience and challenge and with a good bunch of people, it's set to be a good old trip. Adios!
     
    - Blizzards when I get back, what a lovely welcome home!
  13. Blank

    Ice Fishing Anyone?

    By Blank,

    Well, the plan was to try and sneak either an overnighter or at least a day session this weekend!
     
    But unfortunatly the frosts took over, and unless I went Ice Fishing I would be unable to get on any of my target waters

    A frozen local venue means no fishing - thanks to the harsh frosts
     
    Hopefully this snap of clear skies and frosts will subside soon and allow me to maybe sneak a few more kippers before the real "Freeze Up" of winter
  14. Blank

    Snowy Session

    By Blank,

    We all cheered as the teacher said we were having to leave school - great shame, not!
     
    One of the many great things about snow is the fact that when we get a flake or two, our school seems to shut, so I thought what I perfect opportunity it would be to catch a fish and have the snow in the backgriound - wishfull thinking.
     
    I got home and grabbed some lunch before stepping into my lockup to grab a rod, bag full of bits n bobs, warm clothes and seat.
     
    I arrived hoping that it wouldn't be frozen over, fotunatly it wasn't with over 2/3 of the lake ice-free. I opted for a swim that had the wind blowing toward it, with a bay to the lift, and and island out to my right. It offered a few different options with a steep marginal shelf quite close, and is one of the only areas of the lake that held any form of life, by that I mean the only form of weed underwater. I often fish the swim on the float with great success, and opted to fish at the bottom of the marginal shelf in hope of some action.
     
    I was using a 6lb mainline and 1.5lb test curve rod, through to a size 12 barbless hook with a few size 4 and size 6 shot to make the bait sink quickly and hopefully stay in position against a strong undertow and surface wind.
     
    My choice for bait was only really between two baits, sweetcorn, or bread. I opted for sweetcorn for its ease, and introduced a light scattering into the area; about 6 feet from the bank. I started fishing and struggled to get a clear image of what was happening due to the float never being still from the waves.
     
    However not long after I sprinkled a few more freebies, I recieved a few indications on the float; a steady pull downwards and sharp shoot back up. I was fishing slightly differently to my normal approach, and was fishing at the exact depth with the float, rather than overdepth, and so left this as I assumed it was a line bite.
     
    The fishing was still slow, and really depressing:o . I had been fishing for about 2 hours and only had a line bite, which meant the fish were active, but I was not convinced. It was starting to get dark so I looked at my watch and gave myself 10 more minutes of fishing.
     
    Just after intorducing more bait into the siwm, the float sailed away and I immediatly bent into the fish. It kicked a few times as it swam out toward the middle of the lake. It was fighting quite hard on the balanced outfit, and I was praying that it would stay on.
     
    This is the part where I go on about it coming in an being scooped into the net, however after turning her, she started to come towards me, and then: PING! the hook pulled. Gutted.
     
    Devastated I put the bait back out in faith that there may be one last chance in the five minutes left, wrong.
    Nothing more for my efforts than a lsot fish.
     
    The snow picture would have been nice but it just wasn't to be.
     
    Please don't melt the snow yet!!
     

    Cold? -Freezing!
  15. Blank
    On 15th November I had a school trip to London to watch Journey's End, for £30 it seemed like a good scive off school
     
    Two buses set off, and just 45 minutes down the A50, bus number 2 breaks down
     
    Fortunatly they sent another one out to replace it, and off down to the hussle and bussle of London we go, quite a site really. Enjoyed going past the likes of Wembley and Lords, and to be honest the tour around London was better than the actual play at the theatre!
     
    To cut a long story short, a 2-hour play and a few hours queueing on the M25 later, we were on the M6 at 11.10pm, and the bus broke down!
     
    Stuck between the motorway and a slip road, we had no-where to go and just sat there with our hazard lights on, waiting for another bus and mechanic! The teacher phoned 999 and the Police came out and closed Lane 1
     
    So rather than being home for 10pm I was home for a modest 00.30am!!
     
    Not bad for a school trip, eh!?
  16. Blank

    First Proper Frost

    By Blank,

    Last night I stepped outside briefly a cuple of times and saw the clear skies with the bright moon shining. I knew it would be a cold night, and the heavy ground frost this morning as I awoke proved this
     
    ...Here we go agian, another harsh few months of rubbish cold windy weather, where fishing seems like a waste of time, aaaaah don't you just love winter sessions, lots of brews, lots of blanks,
     
    -don't you just love the british weather!?
  17. Blank

    November Surface Capture

    By Blank,

    As you all probably know, Julian has come up with the idea of the Surface Challenge, whereby we aim to catch a carp from the surface in each month of the year.
     
    The day started in quite a comical way, getting to the venue with the rods tied to mountain bikes!
     
    My campaign was kicked off with a lovely 10lb Common taken from the surface on a local pit with the daytime temperature of just 5 Degrees!
     
    After feeding a bay where there was little wind for a couple of hours, the fish steadily came on the feed, eventually showing confidently and in numbers, this suprised me due to the temperature, and I was determind to catch!
     
    After gaining a good vantage point behind some long grass and dieing reed stems I was able to clearly see across the bay that I was fishing. I was a few fish between 3 and 5lb confindently took the dog biscuits on the surface, but ideally I wanted a bigger fish. I then saw a common with a big mouth quietly take a mixer from the left margin, as apposed to the normal "SCHLURP". I watched the fish pick off some mixers in a small 5 feet area before lowering my mixer onto it's nose. She sat there and looked at my mixer for a minute, as I wondered if my new presentation would be better than the old one. I previously used Artificial Dog Biscuits by Enterprise Tackle and hooked them straight onto the shank of the hook. I now use an Ashima C-310 size 6 hook, with a John Roberts bait band around my flavoured biscuits. Back to the fishing.... She sat there looking for a matter of seconds, before gently wafting her pectoral fins and easing up to the surface, where she hardly broke the surface and gently sucked the bait into her mouth, and closed her lips. I immediatly bent into the fish as it tore off across the bay. And after a frantic 5-minute fight, and a spot of good netting by my mate Adam, she was in the net, and the only fish I have caught on the surface after around September - To my memory anyway!
     
    She weighed fractionally over 10lb, but weight was irrelevant, I couldn't believe the temperature, and the fact that they were feeding, and I was just chuffed to have caught one!
     
    ...Bring on December!
     

    Cycling to the water - all part of the adventure!
     

    On the mat: First attempt, First Fish and job done!
     

    My First fish of the Surface Challenge
     

    The bay where I tempted my first Carp of the challenge
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