Fishing can be so so cruel........

[Steve Burke]

This is turning into an even more interesting thread as time goes by. I can't wait until you catch one of the big carp, Phil!

 

Sorry to hear about the fish dying. Just in case you don't know this, it's worth moving the bottom shot or ledger weight nearer to the hook to minimise the risk of the bait being swallowed. This way the bites will show up more quickly. On the other hand, if bites fail to develop and for instance you get sucked maggots, move the bottom shot or ledger weight away from the hook.

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Thanks Steve.

 

I've discovered part of my problem was I'd been fishing way over depth. I've never really float fished before and so am rather an amateur at it to say the least.

 

To give you a visual picture, the area I am fishing is the mouth of a kind of overflow area (a bit like a mini inflow only without the flow) which is bordered on the far side by a weedbed. Now to bait up this area I've been taking my shoes and socks off and wading out till the water is half way between my knees and my shorts and then launching my bait out so I can reach and also be accurate.

 

I'd made a mental note of the depth and also from memory remembered I could wade around the weedbed last year so took a mental guess at the depth. Trouble was, the mini bay within the main bay that I ws targetting is only a foot deep and I only discovered this through investigation afterward.

 

So before I go and float fish that area again, I intend going up with my waders and having a good look at the water depths around the bay.

 

The other thing is I didnt use any shots.....it was a pre weighted carp type float so I just used the worm on the hook. Should I still use some small shots to keep the line stretched tot he float?

 

I'd appreciate any help anyone can offer here as I enjoyed catching the litte uns but really dont fancy the idea of killing or leaving fish with hooksin again next time I try. I also would like to revert back to the number 10 hook rather than 14 as my main quarry of course is still any big carp that come rummaging into the margins.

 

Cheers

[Newt]

Phil - for any species with a bony mouth (as opposed to the sucker style of carp) you might want to give serious consideration to trying circle hooks.

 

They very, very rarely deep hook even with species that are prone to swollowing a bait. Almost always a nice lip hook.

 

Gamakatsu does nice ones down to #8 and several other makers go down to #10 and possibly smaller. I don't tend to drop below #6 so can't say for sure.

 

If your rig is done just right, the circles will hook carp as well but they are not an ideal pattern for those fish.

[Jigotai]

Hi Phil, a much safer way of checking your depths would be to use a plummet and waggler float, you will be able to cover a large area without getting wet.

As far as targetting small stuff and larger carp, I would be inclined to set up a rod for the carp ledgering the margin and have a second rod with lighter gear float fishing.

Just a thought.

 

Andy

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Had another crack tonight.........wasnt the best of weather for float fishing with the wind but I persevered anyway.

 

I dropped a ledger out and just left it with the baitrunner set so I could concentrate on the float fishing. I'd not baited this afternoon or yesterday so expected it to be a bit slow.

 

First of all I got a plummet out and sploshed that around to find the depths and set my float accordingly. I also added a hefty shot (about 7mm diameter) about 5 inches from the bait.

 

I caught 2 small common carp - around the 10 to 12 oz mark - the first was hooked in the mouth nicely and the second once the bite indication got real tricky with the wind was deepish into the mouth but still clearly visible and easy to remove so my float fishing is moving in the right direction which has made me feel a bit more relaxed after the last fiasco.

 

Still bemused by this lake though. I've now had quite a number of these young carp, but the next smallest I've had this year is about 8 lb...........where are all the ones in between???

 

I'll 'ave 'em

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Nice still evening so had another crack at my pool tonight with the float. Quite pleased actually.........had 6 of those nice small common carp (no mirrors tonight) and 14 roach. Nothing deep hooked so pleased that I seem to have sorted my float problems out.

 

A young lad had been fishing near my spot today and yesterday. He had 5 of those carp today and 9 of them yesterday. I friend of mine fished the spot wednesday afternoon and had a storming session, baggin 25 of the little blighters!

 

Give them another 3 years and there will be a LOT of 4 or 5 lb carp in there.

 

Sadly there was a common of just double figures on the shore today half eaten............dunno how it had met its end.

 

Tonight I heard 3 carp crash in the distance which you normally wouldnt hear so perhaps a few of the bigger ones are beginning to scavenge for food ahead of the winter.............lets hope so!!!

 

Thanks for reading.

[Steve Burke]

Phil, you mentioned wading out before you cast. Could that be one of the reasons on a short session why the bigger and therefore spookier carp are proving elusive?

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Hi Steve,

 

No, I dont think that would be a problem........I was only paddling up to my knees so I could prebait my area more easily and I was doing that about 4 or 5 hours before fishing. Interesting thought though!!

 

Had a go tonight.......

 

.....a friend of mine had some spare maggots from a weekend match so I raided a few thinking they would help me bag up on the roach, skimmers and those little carp. Also made up a different ground bait mix for a change. I blended up some stale bread, added copious quantities of hemp, a bit of sweetcorn and a health quantity of layers mash.

 

I chucked out the method feed with the mix on and two grains of corn on the hook. I then set about the float set up and duly popped a pair of reds onto a number 14. The float had barely settled when it went kiting away and a few moments later a nice 4 lb bream was on the bank. Great I thought, I'm gonna bag up tonight..........an hour later and the float hadn't twitched agian!!!

 

 

To make sure it wasn't the maggots, I swapped to sweetcorn and duly nabbed 6 roach in the next hour. Clealy the roach in this pool dont like maggot!!!

 

I had one other bream of about 4 lb on the feeder rod and that was it (although I did have one short dead run near the end).......no small carp either. In fact all told it was a pretty slow session.

Edited September 26, 2006 by Brumagem Phil

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

ello all.....just a quick update....

 

I've fished a couple of afternoons and evenings recently and again been catching lots of roach and a handful of those 1 lb ish carp each time. I tell you what, give it another 3 or 4 years and this lake will be quite a nice carp lake in its own right when these critters are in the 4 to 5 lb category.

 

Hadnt had a crack for a week though so decided to dunk the old rods this evening for 3 or 4 hours. The water level in the lake is up a bit now after the rain and the water temperature is definitely a tad on the chilly side. This was reflected in the fishing which was TOUGH. I had a method feed out at a fair disatance after the big uns and fished close around the weeds for the roach and small carp with the float and sweetcorn but only managed 3 roach even though I pre baited it this afternoon.

 

Determined to have some of the lumps out of there, but now thinking that bar doing a proper session on the lake (not my idea of fun) that my best chance will come in the spring before they spawn. I know where they congregate to spawn and that ups my chances big time! (its when i've caught the most in the past 2 years)

 

Thanks for reading.

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

The weather is supposed to be ok for the next week so any evening you fancy a splash, let me know mate (just PM me and I'll give u my mobile number)...........you know its local anyway.

 

Theres plenty of old wood around so when its chilly I just get a little camp fire going.............keeps me occupied too when the bites are scarce, as well as keeping me warm.

 

I've not given up on it by the way, I was just saying that the best chance to consistently catch the fish in this lake (due to their loooow density) is when they are all congregated in a couple of places in the spring when they are scoffing just before they spawn.

Edited October 8, 2006 by Brumagem Phil