Get yourself to Rossmere, it's the new clanfield.
Not seen him this season, doesn't mean to say he's still not a bailiff on the water. The water has been stocked recently with a good head of bream and roach.I used to fish Rossmere nearly every weekend many years ago,it was a great water with a good head of nice bream and some great rudd fishing,almost overnight it turned into a carp water with bivvies all over the place.I don't know if it was netted but the silvers seemed to become a lot harder to catch.Is Martin still the bailiff on there?
Great post, mate. I read it all! Fuck me, you have caught some of the most famous carp in the country from the most iconic lakes. I also do a lot of long stay fishing for big carp and find it very hard to find the tranquillity you describe, because there are too many who see it as a social activity. It's even worse in the North of England, where the fish are smaller and the banks more crowded. In fact this is the first year in probably 20 years where I haven't been carp fishing at all, preferring to fish for big perch during the spring.
Fishing gives you real memories, and you've described them beautifully. The giggles, the drama, the excitement, the beauty.
I was lucky Dave to be around just before the carp boom when some of those lakes were easier to get on and fish and then lucky enough for some cracking ones to pick my bait that day. I did my time on some tough lakes though, I live in Nottingham and spending 3 hours driving for a quick overnighter to not even see a fish let alone catch one did test me a bit,times it by 50 or more makes me think how driven I was at the time to catch certain fish.Unlike now some of those places I fished would be empty which sounds great for a nice relaxing few days fishing but I'd be bloody moving around so much chasing the fish I'd come home shattered. When I first got on Sonning there wasn't another person on.I set up for a week after a few hours looking and moved the next morning when seeing them miles away from me,this continued nearly all week the place is quite big and any wind change virtually did you for the day. I came home vowing to never fish it again but was back the following weekend when a mate sent a pic of some fish cruising on the top. Before I caught The Eye I would have sworn it was 60lb plus, it's a strange fish very deep and long but not as wide as it looks in the water. I actually thought there was a couple bigger in there which made me go back a few times, as if 46 wasn't big enough, crazy when you think about it.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of a social with mates while fishing but some take it too far and don't care about ruining everyones day.
It's the peg and lake lock up that I hate and like I said those people you see in the mags every week are more guilty than most along with other shadey stuff to make sure they have a good pic for their next feature. I was on Horeshoe a few years ago for long weekend,there was a few on not catching anything so not being able to get on a decent spot I went out of the way, As luck would have it I got a decent one straight away and then a few more,that is Horseshoe if you get lucky and they are in front of you. The next day was the same and I got a visit from a high up member of the then Carp Society who I knew who'd popped by for a cuppa or so I thought until he asked me if I'd do him a favour and let another very well known bloke drop in the peg to get one out for a feature he was doing which was going down hill as he hadn't caught. I think get fucked got the message over quite clear. I'd seen this happen before with the same bloke who was blanking and went round and gave him and his mates with cameras a mouthfull about the shadey stuff he gets up to, There's not doubt in my mind some young lad would have let it happen.
Because of the stuff above and not being able to get on places when I can I now have a much more relaxed hobby, a few days local with the odd days with some mates further out.
There are Barble, double figures a plenty right here in Nottingham and you can have the bank to yourself most days. Get on the stick for the day time and at tea time a dozen orange sized balls of halibut and hemp two of the biggest halibut pellets on the hair and chuck it a rod length out, bait runner on then hold onto the rod, it's simpler and basic running drop of lead. I used to go at the side of clifton bridge after work and with the road lights you can fish till 11 without a torch this time of year. I agree what you said about the 8lb hook link it's not enough when you have a good one tearing down with the flow although the bottom is quite clear at Clifton bridge. A mate of mine still fishes it the same and as had countless doubles up to 17 when I last asked him. Let me know if you fancy a crack at it I'll pop down for a tea. I think it's still on day ticket £3 or £40 for the year.
Hi, allAnyone doing any good ? Had some decent barbel and chub on the Wye but water low and fish spooky.
Had the day off yesterday so thought I'd be smart,go after the busy weekend and get a whacker out.
Using my knowledge of the lake,unequal watercraft, studying the movement of the weather and confidently predicting exactly where the fish had decided to be I confidently lay my totally perfect traps for them. I made a tea and sat back with a smug grin waiting for the first fish which would no doubt be along shortly.
I BLANKED.
Shame. Think we can all identify with that. Bizarrely, and unusually for me, I landed on the fish today. After a couple of days being spooky, the barbel and chub cast caution to the wind and were hitting it on the drop all day. Very little skill involved but great to have the odd day like that to counter-balance the blanks.
Lake of Menteith after trout last Saturday. Tough day but managed to take 4, 2 on a candy booby, one on a buzzer and one on a cormorant. It rained all day heavily. The boat ended up with a few inches of water in the bottom and my waterproofs started to leak big time. It’s horrible having damp tackle! What make of waterproofs do others use and are they truly waterproof?
I have a hardy jacket and ocean trousers. It was the trousers that leaked. I have a couple of mates who swear by an American brand kobella or something like that. Goretex. As soon as you talk about Goretex you are talking silly money though. Think I might look at sailing trousers. Surely they must be waterproof!Depends what time of year. In winter I have the prologic jacket and bib and brace combo which is only £89 from Go Outdoors. I've used it for years and it's never let me down. I always think Irish weather is the ultimate test and it's always been fine.
A bit too heavy duty though for Summer and I haven't quite sussed that yet.
I have a hardy jacket and ocean trousers. It was the trousers that leaked. I have a couple of mates who swear by an American brand kobella or something like that. Goretex. As soon as you talk about Goretex you are talking silly money though. Think I might look at sailing trousers. Surely they must be waterproof!
I have a hardy jacket and ocean trousers. It was the trousers that leaked. I have a couple of mates who swear by an American brand kobella or something like that. Goretex. As soon as you talk about Goretex you are talking silly money though. Think I might look at sailing trousers. Surely they must be waterproof!
There is a debate that chesties are not a good idea in a boat. If you fall in and they fill with water you aren’t getting out easily. For as many that say they are dangerous there are others that say they aren’t. Until now I’ve kind of tended towards safe rather than sorry.Sitting here on the banks of the Wye with my mate who's a fly fisherman and he reckons the best bet in a boat is chest waders and a waterproof jacket. He wears Taimen stuff which he reckons is good quality and good value.