Bad day at the office

[carpin mad]

I have recently been fishing at my local fishery ( Thorpe Lea fishery ) and didn't catch anything. The day before i had gone to my local tackle shop and bought new hooks ( size 7 ) and a bait feeder with a 40g weight attached to the feeder. I was using pinapple and maple popups, most of the time having one of each on at a time. In the feeder i had groundbait ( which i mixed when i got there in a bucket with fresh water ) with some red maggots. I really cant see why i didnt catch and i cant believe i wasted the whole day and £9 to sit and watch a lake. I thought fisheries were much better than free lakes yet i have cought around 20 pound carp in free lakes in a day and nothing in a fishery. PLEASE HELP!!

[Rigg'd]

I was with him. We cast our feeders and Maple 8 & Pineapple boilies just in the middle of us, and an island. We re-casted every hour - hour 1/2, but still nothing for 6 hours.

 

What are we doing wrong?

[lyn]

With the ever chaning weather at the moment fishing will be hard. I would say your main problem is constantly recasting as you are probably getting the fish over your bait then disturbing them by lobbing a 40g feeder on their heads! You will have to be prepared to wait in the colder temps.

 

I remember my eldest going there in the colder months and blanking.

 

lyn

[corydoras]

I was with him. We cast our feeders and Maple 8 & Pineapple boilies just in the middle of us, and an island. We re-casted every hour - hour 1/2, but still nothing for 6 hours.

 

What are we doing wrong?

Nothing much, you blanked, it happens. To me angling is sitting all day looking at the scenery, enjoying being outdoors. Catching fish is a bonus.

[Rigg'd]

We've had 3 blanks in a row :/

[Anderoo]

Despite being heavily stocked, at this time of year there will be areas where there are either no carp or very few. I wouldn't worry about tackle, rigs or bait - I expect you were just fishing empty water. Also, don't worry about blanking, it happens all the time.

 

Next time I'd try to spot some fish before picking a swim, and move swims if you haven't caught by the time you expect to. Not to the next swim, a proper move, to a different area of the lake. Try different depths, open water, under your feet, etc. Something will work.

 

PS I agree about club lakes - far better value than day ticket places.

[Peter M]

For me the carp season is over, now the weather has turned i target roach, perch, chub and sometimes pike. If you are going to target carp with bolies in the winter prepare for a blank. Mind you i have caught carp in December on worms when targeting stillwater chub and perch at my local commercial fishery.

[corydoras]

Also, don't worry about blanking, it happens all the time.

If you fish for mullet like I do, blanking is the norm

[Anderoo]

For me the carp season is over, now the weather has turned i target roach, perch, chub and sometimes pike. If you are going to target carp with bolies in the winter prepare for a blank. Mind you i have caught carp in December on worms when targeting stillwater chub and perch at my local commercial fishery.

 

Good advice - however my last perch, chub and pike sessions have all been blanks

[musicmick1973]

I was with him. We cast our feeders and Maple 8 & Pineapple boilies just in the middle of us, and an island. We re-casted every hour - hour 1/2, but still nothing for 6 hours.

 

What are we doing wrong?

 

 

I have now fished it 3 times, the guy that runs it recons that you should fish open water swims, my friend

has fished over the back by the motorway for a night sesson, in August used a spod and method feeder tactics and did well. seems open water and finding the features is your best bet, best areas are so I have been told, the beach just to right of carpark or over by the motorway.

 

The 3 times I have been, I have ended up at the end of an island, first time I was lucky as i jumped into a swim which had been baite over 3 days, the guy had loads out, I ony managed 1 at 17lb 4oz, 2nd time was on method had loads of bites but only one fish 17lb 5oz. 3rd time i blanked.

 

found it very strange when we got back to the car, we spoke to guys who fish it all the time, who could not believe that we had blanked, but I think every one around our side had, the guy next to us had been smashed a couple of times.

 

mick