A must read

[RUDD]

Yesterday evening travelled light with just the essetials single rod light pod and 10ft method rod to the very clear stillwater with no fish in it!!!!

 

Straight away I found a group of approx 5lb - mid teens carp in very shallow water amoungst weeds.

At first I thought they were spawning - but after watching I discovered they were picking off the odd morsal of food they found.

 

I found a clear spot of about a meter squared and chucked in one handfull of dry 4mm pellets then sat back and watched.

At first one fish came in and gently sucked in the occasion pellet - none of this get their head down and hoover up everything lark oh no - I have never seen (not even wary roach) a fish feed so delicately, it hardly disturbed the bottom.

Soon another three fish joined it - no barging about, bullying etc - all four just took their time mooching about picking up the odd pellet until there were none left.

 

It has taught me that sometimes when you dont have any indication on your float, bobbin, tip or indicator and dont see any signs of fish - they could be there feeding.

 

I started fishing (after bream) with a method feeder of soaked 2mm pellet with a size 14 and two hairrigged 10mm sonubaits krill boilies.

A few casts of the feeder attracted every bit of waterfowl on the pit - the buggers were giving some great wrap rounds and even taking baits off the hair!!!!

I noticed the carp returned to the spot looking for more food every so often and even had one or two swim past my feet.

I feed them a bit more which they took, got more frustration from the ducks then decided after alot of debate with myself to how sporting/unsporting it may be to place the method in the feed clear spot where I could watch what response it would bring and I am glad that I did.

 

15gram prestons inline flatbed method feeder, 2mm skettering coarse fish pellets, size 14 drennan method hook, 8lb double strength line with two hairrigged 10mm sonubaits krill boilies.

 

The spot was about half a meter from the bank in a square meter clear spot, approx 10-11 inches deep sloping off into deeper water. There were a few of the earlier pellets here and there but not many.

I placed the feeder gently so it flipped and landed correctly then knealt down out of view about two meters away. The position and angle of the late evening sun combined with polaroids gave me a granstand view and also caused my shadow to fall away from the water.

 

The feeder landed as it should and for about a minute nothing happened.

Then the pellets shifted as they took on water exposing the tops of the two boilies and even from where I knealt were very visable amoung the pellets.

I could see a few Carp swinming up and down in the deeper water and I am certain they could see the pile of bait.

After a few more minutes the pellets had expanded some more and started to collapse around the feeder. I could now see about a third of each boilie.

One carp could no longer resist the pile but did not come in and hoover the bait as I would of expected it to.

It circled the feeder fives times (forgot to mention I had lighly pinched on a couple of number 8 shot to pin down the line above the feeder) and I am certain it was looking/feeling for line.

It then very slowly altered its angle (head down) as it slowly moved towards the feeder.

I am convinced it was trying to check if this was some sort of trap.

When it reached the feeder it slowly extended its lipped and started sucking in pellets, it must of taken 20 seconds before the boilies were sucked in, the line tightened, the fish bolted, the rod arched round and the line broke!!!

In the aftermath I did not move a muscle, the silt settled and I surveyed the spot.

Pellets all over the place and the method feeder siting there down the slight slope towards deper water.

 

Conclusion's:

 

1. The fish is safe due to a safe rig being used.

2. When fishing the method your groundbait/pellet must go all over the place as above when a fish gets hooked feeding a wider area than intended.

3. I should have used far stronger main line for such short range work.

4. Stronger mainline would very possibly have been spotted as the fish checked the spot.

5. I doubt the fish had ever seen a method feeder before but still was wary and seemed to have half an idea it could be a trap.

6. You never stop learning.

7. Experimenting is fun.

8. Learning is fun.

9. Ducks may be annoying but have every right to be there!

10. Stealth and camoflage work.

11. We may have an idea of how fish feed but they have another!!!

12. you never stop learning.

13. I am more convinced than ever that small baits will catch you more fish than big ones.

14. You never stop learning (could not leave it on 13.)

 

I did manage only my second tench from that water half an hour later with exactly the same set up but fished out past the weed bed along the shelf.

The carp wandered in and out of that spot right into darkness picking up the occasion freebie I gave them.

I could of tried again with a baited hook in that spot but was very happy and I feel privalaged to watch them feed in the way they did.

I am more convinced than ever that small baits will catch you more carp than big ones where conditions allow IE other species (fish or otherwise) do not interfear with them.

 

I hope anyone reading this thread has enjoyed and digested it - belive me if you can find a place to watch fish feeding in clear water do it - you will learn alot.

[AddictedToScopex]

A great post. Would love to have a clear water nearby but no such chance. Not as far as I am aware anyway. Most lakes/ponds around me tend to be a dirty mud colour. A very good reason for confining myself to rivers and canals.

[BoldBear]

belive me if you can find a place to watch fish feeding in clear water do it - you will learn alot.

Great post.

I spend most of my time fishing clear streams and rivers where I can sit and watch the Barbel Carp and Chub; and you are right you do learn a lot more about their antics when you can clearly see them without giving away your presence, but as you say you can never stop learning; if you could then fishing wouldn't be half as much fun.

Edited June 21, 2012 by BoldBear

[Puzzled]

I hope anyone reading this thread has enjoyed and digested it - belive me if you can find a place to watch fish feeding in clear water do it - you will learn alot.

 

Enjoyed it? I was on the edge of my seat all through your story!

 

Great stuff and how amazing to be able to watch the fish as you did.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience Rudd, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Phone]

RUDD,

 

I agree with #13 except for this. I think you will catch bigger (but fewer) fish on large baits. Just an opinion - no science. Did you notice a difference in fish size and "shoal leadership"? (Did you even identify any shoal leadership - I certainly don't know if it exists in all fishes be I've read it does exist in some fishes. Koi guys say they have "leaders"(?)).

 

Phone

(I suppose I don't have to reiterate my opinion that fish are very stupid. We are 180 degrees apart on "line shy".)

Edited June 22, 2012 by Phone

[Dales]

Great post Rudd

 

It is amazing how much you can learn when you get a chance to see fish in clear water, they do not always do what you expect.

[Grumpalot]

Well done indeed for reporting your observations; many do not get the chance to watch fish in clear water, and many who do keep the knowledge gleaned to themselves (rotters!).

 

It's probably safe to assume that cloudy-water fish spend more time and effort feeling for danger, as they can't rely so much on sight, so I shall be trying to tweak my laying-on rig to keep more line on the deck.

 

Many thanks!