RUDD

Surface fishing for carp in this weather? After days of cold wind and a deluge of rain stupid me did this evening. After patrolling a local water the last few evenings I noticed every bit of flotsam from leaves, twigs, pollen and dust was getting pushed into a shallow south corner. Having to go and send an item at the post office I grabbed a rod, net, mat, quarter of a loaf of frozen bread and a bucket of dog biscuits also containing a box of sundries for surface fishing. On arrival at the water I found it to be dark, windy and damp. I also saw a few bubbles in the corner and set about firing out a few mixers and small bits of bread out into the wind. These were pushed into the corner by surface tow and back out along the bank to a small Lilly patch. After a long half hour the Roach found the freebies and started to have a nibble. In turn more Roach showed an interest and the swirls got slightly bigger. In the mean time the light was going fast. I almost went home as their was no sign of the intended quarry and I concluded I had no chance. A pair of lips appeared right under my feet, then another. A few more freebies went in then I retrieved rod, net and mat from the car. On arrival back in the swim I found at least five or six small carp and one much bigger one. A small piece of crust was flicked in its direction and was sucked in straight away. I had not set clutch which was loose and the fish tore straight through a channel in the Lillie's and played to the net in the next peg! A very long mirror that weighed 11.2lbs I tried to get the other fish interested again but they were very cautious. Started to pack up and threw in the last bits of a bread slice which were attacked by Roach. Started to walk away and there was a big sucking noise combined with a swirl. Quickly put on a soggyish corner of a slice and literally dropped it off the end of the rod. It was taken in an instant and the fish run a good forty old yards until I turned it. I had to move two swims down the bank in almost darkness with no head torch as I had put it away. After a good five minute or so tussle a very big fat mirror graced the net. The scales bounced around the 22lb mark but that's the best reading I could get. The fish was heavy with spawn and I just wanted her back where she belongs asap. Two fish for over thirty pounds in very far from ideal conditions for the applied method has made my day, Contentment is an understatement!

http://enterprisetackle.co.uk/the-mag-aligner-rig

A thought: running rig with tight line and just enough lead.Fish picks up bait, hooklink straightens, lead is slightly dislodged causing taught line to move it backwards a few mm causing a self hook rig? An article read lately indicated that many anglers fishing the method use two soft a quiver tip giving fish a chance to drop a bait. Must dash, going for a rare dangle!

Use a foot long hook length tied to a micro swivel. Use a heavy lead on a run ring with a rubber bead in between run ring and swivel. The bead prevents run ring going over swivel. Heavy lead creates a bolt rig. Cast out and wind in all slack. Bait is fishing a foot off bottom. Let out a foot of line at a time until bait appears on surface. You now know depth of water and can adjust rig from on surface to a foot off bottom. Best using two rods and keep adjusting both until you find depth (which will alter during day) that fish are cruising or sitting around at. A fluorocarbon hook length works well and a buoyant bait counters it's weight plus there's only a foot of it keeping its weight to a minimum.

Stop and have a think about a semi fixed bolt rigs mechanics. Compare to a free running set up and a float rig. With the last two a big Roach sucks in the bait, feels resistance and ejects bait in a very fast split second. This can and does happen with a semi fixed bolt rig when using small hooks and baits as the hook does not turn/flip as well as a bigger hook BUT if the hook goes into the mouth at correct angle the Roach still feels resistance, tries to spit out bait, pricks itself, bolts and hooks itself. Another detail to point out is that most Roach on conventional methods are hooked in top lip. Most fish on semi fixed bolt rigs are hooked in corners or bottom lip. If targeting big Roach using a semi fixed bolt rig I personally would use a mag alignier rig on one rod and a semi bouyant rubber maggot on the other to see which works better.

Here goes: Having witnessed similar I would say your venue has over stocked it's self with Roach. This in itself can cause stress. Due to overstocking themselves, when spawning they have become more competitive and damaged themselves causing more stress that leads to secondary infections. What most anglers/clubs/committees fail to realise is that: 1. secondary infections are the ones that cause more fish deaths. 2. Roach can be a pest if numbers are not controlled in any water as they breed and overstock without being noticed!

I have a pair of the deluxe models that I use when dual rod general ledgering (on a pod) without the extension to 13ft and only used the solid tops (not quivers that came supplied). By the sounds of it the extensions and quivers can stay where they are!

A question? We're you fishing the dead maggot on the bottom/deck? A live maggot with a hook in it does not look the same as a live loose feed one whilst dropping though the layers. Yet a dead one on the deck looks the same as any (dead or alive) other.

John Wilson Avon's?

Just back from Greece and it's definitely otter over there. Thousands of immigrants have not decimated fish stocks either, saw plenty while snorkelling. A water near me now has very healthy fish stocks again as well as plenty of other aquatic life one such species being a pair of nesting bitterns. As said, fish get old and die, trouble is anglers do like a bit of gossip with plenty of additives to spice up a story! Just back from Greece and it's definitely otter over there. Thousands of immigrants have not decimated fish stocks either, saw plenty while snorkelling. A water near me now has very healthy fish stocks again as well as plenty of other aquatic life one such species being a pair of nesting bitterns. As said, fish get old and die, trouble is anglers do like a bit of gossip with plenty of additives to spice up a story! So much so as I had to tell you twice

The UK has a zero tolerance of cannabis in the blood stream whilst driving. Swab tests can detect THC for up to 12 hours after smoking/taking and can be detected in blood / hair / fat samples for up to three weeks. I work for a company with a zero drugs and alcohol tolerance and could be sacked if tested positive. Wonder how long before the negative effects of E cigs start to show?

Put in a small bait bowl full of water and freeze. No bag or freezer burn this way.

Remove mussel's, water gets coloured, no plants grow, oxygen levels drop, heat wave - fish kill. Match anglers blame committee, committee resign, match anglers take over and mess up every club water.

OK - one bait. A maggot or worm will not last long but should se you net a few fish, a mepps is a lure not a bait, you only get one cast with a bit of bread before it falls off - the same with meat or paste - its going to have to be a boilie for its durability. Now if I could use two baits......

No need for any type of spring/mould.Tie a hair rig with a small baitband. Put a pellet in bait band then mould paste round pellet and hook.

On more than one occasion that little spring has gone ping - richocheted about and been found quite some time later

If you cant get maggots / casters I have found corn husks (sqeeze out middle) or bread flake work well for decent sized Rudd but beware - Big Rudd are very wary, you may only get the chance to hook one or two before they all spook.

Make sure you get a licence.

And if they lose a few million will start full on riots in every one of their cities.

Beach reels are subject to salt and sand on every outing, a decent cast can see a multiplier reaching approx 33000 rpm (source Abu). Bearings need cleaning/re oiling on a regular basis.Course reels, I service all of mine including my pin once a year - OK there may not be much need but myself and many others do like to tinker!

If fishing very close to margins (yellow flags where I fish as well) and to avoid small silvers feed a small pot of micro pellets - and I mean micro pellets - nothing over 1mm Fish a very light F1/pencil type pole float or a tiny still water blue and use punched bread or DEAD maggots as hook bait. The bait needs to be just touching bottom but on some days they want it (or you see the bites better) with bait just off the bottom. Never found a way of putting off the Tench BUT you could always feed a Tench line with worm/meat/hemp etc down the other margin to keep any coming from that direction occupied - and to catch a few later on after the Crucians have had your hair out

Caught two pesky bootlaces the other night on the drop with a pellet hook bait

Another very happy vt1002 owner here. When they were first on the market I got brand new from ebay for around £65.00 all in. Think I posted last year on best way (I have found) to clean reel bearings - same way as I do my Abu multipliers. Soak bearings in petrol/lighter fluid. Air dry on some kitchen roll. Put on a teaspoon with choice of oil (I use the abu oil on pin (very smooth) and car oil for multipliers to slow them down)). Heat up teaspoon with a lighter until oil starts to bubble. Job done.

Are you pole fishing or using a pole/paste float? If so shot float with a bulk of shot six inches from hook. Use enough shot to get body of float just under surface so bristle is right out of the water. Plumb until a flat area is found and only a few mm of bristle is showing. Use a paste that is as soft as possible with a 10 or 12 hook (I use a paste pot to ship paste out). Put on a big lump of paste and gently lower in. The bristle should then settle with a few mm showing as the paste acts like telltale shot. As paste dissolves the bristle will slowly rise until all of it is showing - rebait. Bites are either sailaways or quick lift bites. You soon get to know lift bites as opposed to the bristles slow rise as the paste dissolves. Feed, not really needed but to start - use small balls of paste or very wet pellets paste is made from. Your dissolving hook paste is also acting as feed just like a ground bait.

British Values: Drive a German made car then pay some Eastern European bloke to clean it. Go on holiday abroad, Tunisia and Turkey fav's at the moment - you cant class the Eurozone as abroad anymore Wear the latest Italian designed cloths or French fragrance Use Asian made phones/tablets designed in California Watch programs from the USA on a TV made in Korea Eat a favourite British meal - Indian or Chinese anyone Need I go on?