Full Moon Party

With the tail end of the hurricane hitting the UK, the weather was not the best conditions that I had been fishing in but with dropping pressure and the new moon arriving on Sunday night – I couldn’t resist.

Not surprisingly finding the lake almost empty with my mate and only one other up there, I had a whole side of the lake to myself. Instantly slipping on the polarised glasses and looking for any tail tale signs of fish movements – 4 fish rolled simultaneously about 50 yards out which I knew was just short of a drop off.

 Loading both rods with hinged stiff rigs and mainline pop ups – I hit the spot, one either side of where I saw the ripples and put just over half a kilo of cell boilies and spread them about the area of a snooker table.

Making sure that the tent was well and truly pegged down and strapped up to the nearest tree – the wind seemed to be picking up and blowing all over the place – had just enough time to bring the kettle to the boil before the right hand rod let out a few beeps and pinned the bobbin tight to the rod. After lifting into the fish the line was kiting back towards the other baited rod so applying more pressure – the fish came in easily and gave a small bulge to the bottom of the net. At just over 10lb, it was a nice start to the evening and as another angler came over to say that that was the first carp to be caught all weekend –I couldn’t complain. Re-baiting and sending the rod back out to the baited area – the next trap was set.

The rest of the evening past with talk of the moon and if it actually made any difference to the feeding patterns of fish. We both came to the conclusion that a lot more investigating need to be done and that we should start a log. The night drew on and nothing but the odd bosh could be heard about the ever increasing wind speed.

Half asleep and still wondering if the tent was going to blow away – the right hand rod let out a series of beeps and stopped, the bobbin remained in the same position and thought that a twig had hit the line. But all of a sudden the line peeled steadily from the reel indicating a fish was on. This fish gave a slow plodding thumping which gave me great confidence that this was much better quality and had thoughts running through my mind that this could be one of the 30lb+. After a very easy battle and practically reeling it straight in, I lifted the net into a very healthy looking common carp.

Dropping the scales at 23lb – this was one of the better looking fish that I have caught. Now all I have to think about is if it was down to the fact that the bait was cast to showing fish or if fishing while to moon is out really does affect the fishing.

More fishing is needed to decide the outcome but one thing is for sure – the pop ups seems to be doing the bizz for me right now!

RED LETTER DAY???

The weekend finally came that we had been planning all year. The chance to fish my mates- work colleagues’ “garden pond”. It turned out to be a 2 acre lake that only had 12 members and stuffed full of carp, tench and bream. They really had no idea how many fish were in there and when asked about the size, they shook their heads and said some nice fish??!

So after our tour of the lake, there seemed to be only 8 swims and were told that we could only fish the two nearest the house as some members were arriving later that day. I opted to fish the shallower end as I had seen several fish moving around on the surface.

Setting Cell pop-ups on each rod and flicking to some showing fish, I had a run a run within 20 seconds, a nice fully scaled 4lb mirror. Not a bad start to 36hrs of some idealist fishing. When the tent was finally up, I had already banked 6 carp to 10lb and each one was a golden bronzed colour - picture perfect fish.

As night fell – I was seriously thinking to drop down to one rod otherwise, if the action was to continue as it had done, I would not be getting any sleep. As it happened, there was not even a beep from either rod the whole night and caught up on some much needed sleep. Re-casting at first light seemed to revitalise the constant bites and this continued throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Fish after fish was being caught all between 10-14lb.

The other members did not turn up and I was permitted to fish further round in the lake and so I opted to move into the deeper water in the hope of attracting some bigger fish. Locating some likely looking spots with the marker, the baits were once again positioned and the wait once again was less than 5 minutes. For the next 2 hrs, all I could catch were bream and tench – was this the right move really? I was starting to have my doubts when the left hand rod screamed off and lent into something a lot bigger.  The fish seemed to come in far too easily and just as the fish was in the net, one last lunge for freedom and ........ The hook pulled and its tail gave me a little wave flicking the side of the net. Felling very down hearten, that fish would have easily gone 20lb+, but at least the fish were getting bigger and the move was worth it.

Night was fast approaching and the fish were still coming think and fast but nothing of any substantial size. Still persisting with the Cell pop ups and putting out a kg of cell 14mm over each rod I hoped to feed off the smaller fish and get the big boys in on the action. Sadly, all this did was to increase the number of actual fish I was to have in the evening. Morning broke and 15 more fish had graced the net but nothing larger than 15lb.

Packing up in the afternoon and tallying up the list of fish and weights, my mate had caught 35 fish but I had caught over 50 fish with a personal total weight of 500lb. This must be the best total weight I had ever caught.  I don’t think that I would be able to fish like that every time i went fishing but was a very special trip none the less.

As near a red letter day as I have come close to! All down to the Cell and its Mainline magic.

Sunday 17th July

Armed with about 5kg of particles (hemp, pigeon mix, maize and a few bolies) and the rest of my gear – I was ready to go. The rain was pouring but as I had 36 hrs of fishing, I really didn’t mind.

Choosing one of my favourite swims which were already showing signs of fish movement and feeding – I felt that I would be able to get a quick bite. After boating both baits out with a good helping of particles – nice and tight to the lilies, I felt confident that the bait was in the perfect place.

Watching the water like a hawk I could see loads of movement about 6-10 feet away from the lilies but nothing tight against them. But within the hr, my left hand rod pulled tight but no line way being taken, beam on!

As the sun began to drop – the feeding and movement intensified but only resulted in the odd line bite. Just before 11 (as I was just falling asleep) the left hand rod screamed line and ran straight into the lilies. After a 10 minute tug of to get it out the littlies, the fish swam straight towards me and kited left behind a big overhanging tree! The fish was snagged – I could feel the line grating against the branches but I knew my rigs were strong enough to cope with applied pressure. One branch was all that stopped the fish coming in and I decided to get to see if a better angle was achievable. Stripping to my boxers and wading out as far as I could (just glad the water was warm) the fish suddenly lurched free from the snag and came in with ease. Totally exhausted, it turned the scales round to a 15lb but this was a scale perfect common and I doubt it had even been caught. It was a long lean machine and I’m sure it was spawned out and would have gone 18-20lb if caught a few days before! The next few hrs turned out to be a good feeding spell and within the next 2 hrs I had a total of 4 carp and one that was lost, which was the biggest, as always!!

The rest of the night went by and I woke quite tired at 6am to have a look at the lake and see what’s going on. There were a load of bubbles all over the lake and the fish were obviously on it! A spoded out the rest of the particles and sat back with a re-found confidence that I was defiantly going to catch. Much to my dismay, there were no bites until midday when a torrent of bubbles erupted all over both baited areas and both bobbins simultaneously raised into a double catch. Although both were bream, the action was constant for the next 7 hrs with a few tench showing up as well. Every few hrs I would spod another few out to keep the swim topped up and keep the fish interested with the minimum amount of disturbance.

BY 9pm, the bites had faded and the bubblers had stopped. Stringers were attached and a early night was in order if it was going to be anything like the night before. But with a few liners and the odd bream – the carp didn’t show and I was left quite refreshed in the morning.

So 4 carp, 17 bream and 2 tench were what I had taken and I would say that the fish were defiantly feeding well. But until next time – its off to work  went, but at least I had a smile on my face!!!

3 Lakes in 24hrs

So on finished work and travelling the 20 miles to Tonbridge - brimming with all sorts of thought of big fish and multiple catches, I could not wait to set eyes on the new lakes that I have just joined. I have heard and read some good things about Barden and Ballast Pit and the big fish count had made the choice easy to join.

Ballast Pit was the first lake to fish as I am not allowed to night fish Barden without a special night ticket – but at least im on the waiting list. So walking round there was no movement at all apart from the odd showing of small bream. This was discouraging and talking to the only other angler on the lake and getting the helpful response “its been fishing bad” so my confidence took a little tumble. 

Settling on peg 9 – lilies either side made an underarm cast easy. Putting rods both side and a few boilies out coupled with a small amount of pellets, I was ready to get some bites. On talking to my mate on the phone, the left rod ripped off, dropping both the phone and my tea - a small beam wet the landing net. I just hoped that this was the start of some big fish moving in! Sadly this was the start of more small fish and line bites for the rest of the night. The beam had well and truly moved in and were going to stay. At 4am – and after another 3 small bream – it was time to pack up and make the 10 minute walk to Barden Lake.

As soon as arriving on the lake the heavens opened and making sure the barrow was watertight – walked around trying to spot some fish movement. An hr went by and the rain easing off still did not show any fish movement and with a large part of the lake taken up by other night fisherman – i decided to fish close to an island and one in open water to optimise my chances of getting a run. The wind and the rain came down all day and i was unable to make out any fish movement for the duration of the afternoon – even standing out in the heavy down poor for the tale tale sigh of fish did not amount to anything. With no bites and the option of moving not really one that i wanted to take – i decided to give it will 4pm and head off to an old favourite lake which was on the way home.

Arriving at lake F – i was confronted with an odd sight, everyone fishing down the shallows and no one in the main part of the lake! I had seen fish moving and feeding in a certain swim every time I had been there and so this was going to be my target. On talking to the other anglers and a regular –he stated that there was no one up there for the last few nights and only a few pleasure fisherman during the day! Deciding that I was going to fish a few rod lengths out and put a large amount of bait in to try and feed off the bream and keep some carp in the swim.

Sitting back with a cup of tea and talking to the other anglers – i could not think that it was only a matter of time before the alarm was to sound and let me know that the fish were feeding. The hours past and my confidence slipping all the time, I didn’t have a line bit of any movement at all that the fish were in the swim. Darkness approaching and thinking that i was doing something wrong – there was a few little bleeps on the left hand rod and the bobbin pulling ever tighter to the rod. Just waiting for the line to fall back down again but it started to strip from the reel in a slow and confident manner of a carp that didn’t know that it was hooked. Once leaning into this fish, it began a 20 minute fish and believing that I was into one of the big ones i could not keep the thoughts of how big this must be. I was duly disappointed when in came a fish that must be no bigger that 12lb! The best fight of the year and it was tiny! Well at least a little confidence booster and knew that the fish were at least feeding on this lake!

Within the next few hrs I had taken a total of 5 carp all low doubles – and with the ever decreasing weather conditions I decided that enough was enough and packed up to go home. Arriving home at just before 5 and needing some well deserved sleep before starting work at 8 – I reflected on 3 lakes in 24hrs! Not a bad start but many more days to come on Barden where the monsters await.

Lake F - 2 days and 3 nights

Finishing work and knowing that I had 3 nights and two full day of fishing, it must be the best feeling in the world! But how many people would be up there? The lake was nearly full the last time and I don’t much like combat fishing to get a swim!

Arriving I was relieved there were only 3 cars and one I knew was a day session bloke that is up there most times. Quickly walking around the lake it revealed my worst fear, 3 young gentlemen/children J were fishing on the bank that I wanted to go on and casting across most of the lake! Speaking to another angler he said that he had moved due to their noise and was woken up at 4am by their chatter! Even though I am up watching the water by then, it did make me chose the other side of the lake to what they were fishing.

Getting the marker out and having a feel around, 6-8 foot of water was about there in the middle and a very hard plain bottom. Deciding to bait up a large area of 15 foot square, so to have both rods right on top of the bait and have the fish cruising in and grazing the free offerings, well, this was the plan. Putting out 2kg of both 14mm and 18mm homemade boilies with a further 2kg of maple peas, the trap was set!

The night came and went and all I had to show for it was a few line bites and an annoying mouse that kept rustling my bad of rubbish. Waking up at 4am to watch the water, there were fish all over the swim feeding on the bait. I just couldn’t believe that I hadn’t had a run yet but a half hour later, the right hand rod roared off and was into a nice low double figure carp. A nice start and at least I was not going to blank!

            Getting the rod back out and putting a small amount of maples out there, I felt sure that it would not be long before another one graced the bank.

Sure enough, at just after 6am, the right rod again went into melt down and in came another carp of about 12lb. Not the best fight and had a horribly conditioned mouth, looking like it had been caught many times before, but still the fish were feeding.

Then the rain came in and the bites dried up. After yet another heavy down pour and even the odd rumble of thunder, I could see the fish had stared feeding again but no bite materialized. Mid afternoon – out went another kg of mixed boilies, knowing that there were feeding fish on the spot.

Once again, the night went by with only the odd line bite to break the otherwise silent night. The rain was still lingering but there seemed to be a different feel to the morning. Bubbles and fizzing were going on all over the baited area and had the feeling that one of the many bream shoal were feeding on my bait.

            The left hand bobbin pulled tight and could see the line kiting to the left of the baited area, fish on! Cranking down into a hard fishing mirror was a welcome sight after a long wait, at a little over 15lb, it was an absolute beauty.

Over the next 12 hrs, I had a further 10 carp all weighing in between 10lb and 14lb, with the bonus of a cracking little boilie munching mirror at 17lb 20oz and my first 20 of the season at 20lb 2oz.

I continued to feed the swim all through the day and into the evening, to encourage one of the monsters that lurk in the depths of this hungry lake. No more fish came but at 2am the alarm sounded and I hit into a large lump that unfortunately was the only fish that the hook pulled. No idea why but i had put this down to possibly having the drag tightened a little tight from my previous fish on that rod.

Overall, 12 fish landed, and all at least 10lb+. Caught far more than the other people on the lake and just shows that sometimes, fishing away from the obvious “fish holding” areas, does pay off.

Catch up

Right –I have been a little slack with what I have been up to since the last posting and the beginning of the season!

Here is a list of what I have been doing and more importantly, what I have been catching!!!!!! As I have already said – I am not allowed to publicise any of the lakes so I have decided to call them as follows:

1 – Lake M – this is about 4 acres with a depth of 1.5 – 4 feet and full of silt!

2 – Lake F – this is about 2 acres with a hard bottom and some lilies but has water to 8 feet.

3 – Lake B – this is the largest water of 10 acres and has about 12 feet in some places with a nice pad of lilies running all the way down the middle!

4 – Lake H – this is one of the smallest at an acre, but is full of lilies and is a real hard water to fish!

So – here goes with the catch-up! Lake F was the next one on the list to fish as I never really managed to get up there last season because of the distance (it’s the furthest) and because every time I went there, practically every swim was taken! I am not into combat fishing and fighting for the swim so I targeted the less fished waters! But knowing that there were some big fish in there, it seemed silly not to fish it this season!

 So..... Off I went for a few nights after taking a day off work. Would you believe it, after being there for about an hour, I landed my largest bream! Not at all my target fish but at a little over 7lb it was well worth the nonexistent fight. A few little commons and a huge number of bream hitting the bank made my first 6 hrs very memorable and a little after 3am, I hit into a solid lump that did not want to come in! A healthy scrap and me thinking it must be a low 20 – it came in at 14lb 12oz ghost carp. Another new record for me and still having over 24 hrs there, wondered what else I could break!

The business was being done on plastic tiger nut popped up over a lot of freebies. I couldn’t go wrong and continued to catch even though other people struggled to get runs! Another lumping hard fighting fish turned out to be an 18.2oz mirror carp that capped off a nice trip out! I may have to fish this lake again!

Lake M was the next one on the list as it’s the closed to work and I can have my rods out within 30 minutes of leaving work. Shifting down the bottom of the lake in the shallows I could see fishing moving and feeding – although not very big, it’s better to fish on something that’s feeding and moving around than nothing!

This was just going to be a quick over nighter so a little particles were put out  tight to the rigs and the think silt would help the carp to having to munch through the top layers to find the freebies.  Fish were on the bait within the hour and bream were lapping the bait up as much as anything! The shoals are big in most of the waters and I like to fish a lot of bait to try and feed them off! Sometimes it works and other times you just catch bream!

But at 1am – a real rocket of a fish picked up my right hand rod and did not want o come in! After taking out my other rod and a massive tangle occurring, a very ugly looking common weighing in at 13lb 12oz was all I had to show for my troubles. I couldn’t believe how big its tail was! So promptly naming it Rocket, I slid it back and left both rods out as i needed some sleep.

So there it is, I have fished another couple of nights but nothing very exciting happened and the fish went small too!

Next trip is booked in for 20^th Monday night! Can’t wait!

New Season

So here it is, the 31^st May and on leaving work at 4ish I remembered that I hadn’t pack my tent or even my unhooking net! Was this a good or bad sign??? There was only one way to find out. Let’s get fishing……

Picking on of my favourite lakes and is actually the largest the water has for my first night – my thinking was that I hadn’t seen really that many people up there all last season – but meeting someone at the gate, I had a feeling that everyone had the same thought!!! To my relief, there was only 3 other keen anglers looking at the lake. After a quick chat we all decided that there were not going to be that many people arriving, so we each picked the swims that we thought would have the most fish in.

I had a look round the other side of the lake and decided upon swim 7 that I had not fished much but my mate has had quite a bit of success. This was slap bang in the middle of the lake with good indentations of the lilies that run the whole length of the lake. Also, this part of the lake is quite hard to fish from the other side so I was sure that no one else would cast to the back of the lilies.

Loading my barrow up I realised that over the closed season I had accumulated more un-necessary stuff, and while passing the 2^nd swim, the wheel seemed to fall apart (note to self – new barrow needed). After a lot of grunting and moaning, I managed to get all the gear there.

A few rumbles of thunder and a quick superman impersonation, the waterproofs were on and the brolly system was up! After picking out the rigs and setting the rods up, I was 98% there. Now all I had to do was kill 5 hrs before the season actually started!

By 8.30, the water seemed alive with fish boshing and the air was full of spring midges!!!!!! I had had enough waiting and I know I was breaking all the rules, but I couldn’t wait any more. The bait boat was released on the new season and dropped the payload swiftly just off the lilies.

The trap was set and I was ready for a night full of commotion, excitement and non-stop hulling. By 11pm, I had received 3, yes 3 small line bites and I was not sure if this was due to fish movement or the many bats happily enjoying the midges and other flying meals that kept flying into the line.

The next thing I know its 1am and I my alarm gives off a few notes of life. Before I have even stood up, the bobbin hits the bottom of the rod and line starts to peel from the real. FISH ON!! J then, the line goes slack and the bobbin falls back down to earth with my hopes of my first fish. A second passes and whack, the same thing happens, line tight and slack again……….. I suddenly realise that I have hooked one of the many bream in this lake. Not that I am against bream, but they are just such a boring fish. After practically reeling this fish in, all 4lb of it, I am a little more optimistic as I know my rig is working and the fish are feeding!

After getting the rod back out to the danger area, I climb back into bed and give a little pray that that not my only fish of the evening. Would you know it, within 5 minutes, the alarm is singing again and I am into another fish. AND yes, you would have guessed it, the shoal of bream that the first one came from must still be in the area and I have caught another 4lber!

Within the next hour, I have a total of 4 bream, all about the same size and I am not thinking that this is a good thing as I have work in the morning. But as quickly as it all happened, my rods went quiet, I didn’t hear the other alarms at all during the night and I managed to get a good few hrs of sleep in before I needed to leave the lake for work.

In conclusion to the first night of the season I would have to summarise it up into a few points:

1.    I didn’t blank

2.    My rigs and new bait DO WORK

3.    I got some sleep in so not as grouchy as I could be at work

4.    Most importantly – the new season is here so more fishing means more fish!!