More adventures in fish-watching

[TrevBoy]

Taking my new-found stalking skills (!) to the canal today I happened upon what I was pretty sure was a "good" carp. Alright, so Dick Walker wouldn't have been that interested but, as someone who has never caught one, I just had to have a go at it.

 

I spent 20 minutes watching the hulk circling an area of I would say 1m x 1m. Maybe it was someone's swim from earlier, who knows what was attracting it. Every now and then it'd get its nose down into the gunge on the floor, so I presumed it was feeding. It didnt seem bothered by me, so I slipped two grains of corn on the hook and flicked the light float tackle over its head Still it didn't spook. I gathered from this that, if a fish is hungry, nothing much will distract it.

 

Anyway, there I sat for another 20 minutes as the beast gobbled up each grain except mine. I doubt there's much in this world as frustrating. Finally, when I was about ready to beat the dog with a bankstick, the float slid away and I struck like a pro into some quite solid resistance. At last, I thought, I'm into a carp.

 

The only trouble was, the beast was not moving. It still had its head down and seemed oblivious to the hook and the barking of the dog. It was then that it dawned on me that I had, in fact, hooked a different fish and the carp had foiled my pathetic attempts to snag it.

 

Long story short, with a gathering crowd of Sunday strollers, I eventually netted the 4lb tench.

 

I swear I could hear the carp laughing through corn-soaked lips.

 

Why do we do it?

[starlight]

nice one! i know the feeling, stalked an easy 4 pound plus chub once, flicked a slug about a foot from its nose ducking down as i did so, the rod tip instantly hammered over and imagine the look on my face when a 5 inch chub came flying out of the river!

[Ken L]

A 4lb tench is still a very good fish for a canal.

[Janet]

Finally, when I was about ready to beat the dog with a bankstick

 

I usually just stamp my likkle feet in frustration. Perhaps I should get myself a dog? Sounds like MUCH more fun!

 

Trev, a 4lb tench from a canal is one heck of a catch, despite it not being the carp you were after. I've never managed to catch one that size. I'd consider a 4lb tench to be much more of a result than a big carp....

 

Well done, and thanks for the good write-up!

 

Janet

[TrevBoy]

I usually just stamp my likkle feet in frustration. Perhaps I should get myself a dog? Sounds like MUCH more fun!

 

Trev, a 4lb tench from a canal is one heck of a catch, despite it not being the carp you were after. I've never managed to catch one that size. I'd consider a 4lb tench to be much more of a result than a big carp....

 

Well done, and thanks for the good write-up!

 

Janet

Yeah a 4 is good, no doubt. Mind you, the bailiff (remember those?) tells me there's bigger tench than that in there. Trouble is that stretch is so overgrown that yeah, they get big but there's only a few pegs you can actually fish. Makes one wonder what me license fee goes on........

 

Will be trying again for a carp soon, as now I know they are there I can't turn down the challenge. I tried flicking some flake onto its nose but it didnt sem interested, despite the large numbers of ducks on this stretch. Is it worth a boilie if corn fails? Never used one so don't even know how to hook one! Ah, so much to learn.

[gozzer]

Yeah a 4 is good, no doubt. Mind you, the bailiff (remember those?) tells me there's bigger tench than that in there. Trouble is that stretch is so overgrown that yeah, they get big but there's only a few pegs you can actually fish. Makes one wonder what me license fee goes on........

 

Will be trying again for a carp soon, as now I know they are there I can't turn down the challenge. I tried flicking some flake onto its nose but it didnt sem interested, despite the large numbers of ducks on this stretch. Is it worth a boilie if corn fails? Never used one so don't even know how to hook one! Ah, so much to learn.

 

One of the reasons why they are so big, could be the covering of weed, which apart from the obvious, also cuts down on the angling preasure.

 

Well done for finding, and fishing to a specific fish. I know a lot of more experienced anglers who can't, or wont do that.

Don't be disappointed by a 4lb tench, it's a good fish, dispite all the stuff you read about 8lb+ ones being caught.

You've shown that you are thinking about your fishing, and where to find them. Please don't succomb to the mind set that so many newcomers have, where only fish of a certain size count. Enjoy every fish you catch, even if it's not the one you hoped for.

 

John.

[Ken L]

Also, don't fall into the trap of thinking that carp are the olny fish worth catching.

In mant waters these days, the carp are so stupid and easy to catch that there's more merit in avoiding them and catching a 1lb roach than from any number of double figure carp.

They're not even a native fish !

 

Oh, and don't tell Tigger about the bankstick

[Dunk Fairley]

At least you saw that the carp may have wised up to your hookbait, so ignored it. It's observation that tells you this. Imagine how long you might have waited, with a bait a long way away, without even knowing it was being ignored. Now, you can experiment with methods and watch the fish to see their reaction.

 

If you see a Carp feeding in a similar situation, I'd do away with free offerings and see what happens then. The fish is obviously there anyway, possibly feeding on bloodworm or very small snails. It'll probably pick up a bit of sweetcorn, as a matter of course. If it has more grains to choose from, the odds aren't in your favour. Just try it, you can then see if it doesn't work.

[TrevBoy]

At least you saw that the carp may have wised up to your hookbait, so ignored it. It's observation that tells you this. Imagine how long you might have waited, with a bait a long way away, without even knowing it was being ignored. Now, you can experiment with methods and watch the fish to see their reaction.

 

If you see a Carp feeding in a similar situation, I'd do away with free offerings and see what happens then. The fish is obviously there anyway, possibly feeding on bloodworm or very small snails. It'll probably pick up a bit of sweetcorn, as a matter of course. If it has more grains to choose from, the odds aren't in your favour. Just try it, you can then see if it doesn't work.

OK that sounds like good advice.

 

I'm not suddenly obsessed with carp, but I've never caught one and would like a go at the challenge - they sound like the canniest of fish.

[goosequill]

Trevboy

 

Well done with the Tench!!

 

Keep at it - every hour spent doing what you did at close quarters is worth 10 hours of reading anything in a book and you will become a better angler for it.

 

P.S. Try a juicy big lobworm if you get another chance!!

 

Good luck.