A cracking day!

[Sean Anderson]

Spent the day, last week at a local spot and after a "mild" start which had only gained me a raft of 'bites' and a couple roach! I tried something a little different for me ... on two rods as follows ...

 

1. Method feeder + 3 corn ... rather than ooof it out to the middle of the lake (which does provide well), I just sat the rod on the rests / alarm and lowered the bait/feeder to the bottom. Approx. 5-6 feet from the bank and about 2 feet outside the margin reeds.

 

2. Float + 3 corn ... rather than fishing in the margins, literally dropped the float/bait in (by hand) about 6-12" from the bank. About 18-24" deep.

 

Groundbaited both spots with about two tennis ball size hits of my own mix ... breadcrumb, peanuts, cheese and a few mild spices all blended until smooth with the only 'grain' coming from the ground peanuts. A ping-pong ball size after each catch and a very small scattering of halibut pellets and corn.

 

Within 15 minutes, I'd had my first carp nearing 10lb and was all the encouragement that my mate needed to try the same tactic (his feeder had only been bringing in mid-size bream) ... a few hours later and we'd both taken a carp of 10lb+ and the count had almost reached 30 carp and certainly the best session at the lake.

 

Going again this weekend and will try the same technique ... when I spoke to the bailiff, he's said that his wife had taken 22lb on the edge and had lost one, which seemed MUCH bigger!

 

The moment for me, was to see the reeds move around as a carp barged it's way through, it's tail fin almost come out of the water as it went to the bottom and BANG my float vanished amidst a nice water swirl.

[bluerinse]

well done, I am glad you had a great day, this is a lesson for all fish, I have caught roach and tench with a simmlar method

 

Nice post.

[ColinW]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to fish two rods close in if you are catching that many. It's only a matter of time before the other rod gets dragged in as you are playing a fish. Close in you have no line stretch to help you out!

[Anderoo]

Nice one Sean, I love float fishing in the margins.

[Sean Anderson]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to fish two rods close in if you are catching that many. It's only a matter of time before the other rod gets dragged in as you are playing a fish. Close in you have no line stretch to help you out!

 

I agree with this comment in part, but would note that my method feeder is on a bait-runner with a low clutch setting and my float is similarly on quite a low setting so that both have the ability to take line out quite easily ... and I can assure you that these carp are more than happy to rip some line off your reel.

 

Personally, I nearly always go fishing with a couple of friends and we take consecutive pegs so we are ready to help each other out if needed ... and with the power of some of these carp (and barbel if you hit lucky) it can be a very welcome extra pair of hands.

 

At this particular venue some of the pegs can be a little narrrow, so on a good strike we'll often lift the second rod out of the water or get one of our mates to move it out of the way. As much as noone wants to lose a fish ... we certainly don't want to lose a rod.