First Session

[Crispy]

Hi All

 

I have posted the odd thing in the Coarse Forum before as a fisherman returning to the sport after far too many years of absence, and have found the response extremely helpful, so here goes on a new tack.

 

I am going on my first "session" (two nights only) this weekend with a friend of mine and have two questions:

 

1. What are the "essentials" for a couple of nights on the bank? I have the obvious shelter, bed, sleeping bag, stove and kettle, but is there anything that over the years people have found makes life just SO much easier that they would not be without it?

 

2. The lake is a private one (no clues, sorry) of about 2 acres or a bit more that has effectively not been fished in the past, containing carp only (stocked several years ago). It is well tended, but otherwise the fish have been left to their own devices - certainly they have never seen a boilie. Now for me much of the enjoyment of fishing is just sitting by the water listening to the birds and relaxing, but I would like a fighting chance of catching something too. Any thought on tactics/baits for a "virgin" water?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Chris

[Dick Dastardly]

Hi Chris,years ago the advice would have been to use natural baits as the carp wouldnt know what a boillie was. These days weve learned that isnt strictly true.Carp will switch on to a new food source quite quickly.

 

That said in the situation you are in ie only carp and I presume from your coments they are rarely fished for you are in an envyable situation.That being you can use any one of the thousands of all ready proved baits! daft going straight in with the latest baits when there is 40 years worth of proven ones to try!

 

I wouldnt hesitate in saying to use sweetcorn (for its convinience) or maize (for its cheapness) both will catch more or less straight away,easy to use,easy to prepare and easily avaiable.I would still use a hair rig as it gives you better hooking and as you will be fishing over large beds of free oferings stick with a simple bolt rig so you dont suffer lots of "twitchs" from confidently feeding fish.

 

Keep it simple mate and good luck.

Edited June 28, 2006 by BUDGIE

[trevor2003]

Hi

If your fishing 2 rods or even 3, why not try natural baits like mentioned, corn/maize and then a boilie on the other, so you can see what perfoms best, it's all ways good if using more than one rod to try different baits, also you can see if they are responding better to a single hook bait or heaving baiting up of the swim.

It's good if you have a small private lake and it doesn't get very busy, so you can experiment to see what they are responding to best, also if others are on the lake, have a chat with them and or the balif to see if they will give away any info on baits, tactics and swims.It's a good idea to walk the lake before you fish and see where they are hanging out, feeding, crashing etc, if you get the chance, do it several times and at different times of day, check out features, pads, reeds,overhaning trees/bushes, gravel bars, silt weed etc

As what to take, depends on how far you have to cart your gear, so you might want to travel lite if you can't park near your choosen swim, but a lot depends on your own ideas of your creature comforts, like lights, bivvy table etc, not all essential, just luxuries and if your a heavy sleeper as to wether you feel a need for a sounder box for your alarms, I don't use them myself, so a lot is down to personal preferance, but I think you got the basics right, good shelter,bed and a brew and don't forget the other essential thing, the bacon, unless your veggie.

Hope you have a good time, good luck mate.

[medwaygreen]

Toilet paper and if no fixed toilets a shovel.

[trevor2003]

Toilet paper and if no fixed toilets a shovel.

Good call medway

[Crispy]

Thanks for all that

 

Carryign te gear should not be too much of a problem, since although we can't actually park too close, we can apparently drive up, unload and then drive the car back off a little.

 

However, as to the bacon (which I WILL be taking!), if we have a couple of very hot days as apparently forecast, how do I stop it going off? I don't really want to cart a big camping fridge (which I have from our family camping days) and a bottle of propane even a short distance, but I doubt a cool box with a couple of ice packs will last long enough. Any thoughts?

[trevor2003]

Thanks for all that

 

Carryign te gear should not be too much of a problem, since although we can't actually park too close, we can apparently drive up, unload and then drive the car back off a little.

 

However, as to the bacon (which I WILL be taking!), if we have a couple of very hot days as apparently forecast, how do I stop it going off? I don't really want to cart a big camping fridge (which I have from our family camping days) and a bottle of propane even a short distance, but I doubt a cool box with a couple of ice packs will last long enough. Any thoughts?

 

I got a little fridge, takes 4 cans of beer size, my son got it from Argos for me for christmas, for about £20, it is AC or DC so you can plug it into the car cigar lighter, great for bear and bacon on a hot day

Edited June 28, 2006 by trevor2003

[Dante]

Baby wipes, cheap as chips and nothing better for cleaning your hands before eating or after baiting up.

[cidermonkey]

Mozzie repellent is a must. Something like this should do the trick. Also some plasters and some antiseptic cream for those little accidents! That may sound a bit namby-pamby but there can be Weil's Disease in the water and you can die from it!

[Dick Dastardly]

Re keeping fresh food fresh,I freeze my bacon,sausages etc that I take for short sessions.Kept in a cool box with several freezer packs/bottles of frozen water/squash will extend the usable life to easily last a three day session. Ive done week sessions ok at the very most in even really hot weather.Just dont keep opening the box!

 

Longer sessions? then tinned Bacon Grill is king!