Preparing: Well finally got all my gear together and a good selection of baits and ground bait. Checked that everything works properly and I've got the right tackle to do the job. I have two kinds of set-up one light with 6 lb to 15 lb tackle, and one heavy set with 15 - 25 lb Tackle. The idea is, no matter where i go, if the Carp are bigger than normal i can switch gear with ease.
Very important is clothing as well, as with early morning starts you can find it can get a little chilly out there. Even though the weather is forecast for clear skies and sun shining it's the end of October and the weather will still be cold. Have got myself a good pair of walking Trainers/Shoes. Excellent grip on the rubber soles and completely water proof. Using ex-army trousers and shirts to keep in the warmth with a good sweat shirt to keep you warm and an all weather jacket to keep out any showers. Oh not forgetting my KORUM fishing Cap that i won on an online fishing competition lol.
Well the scene is set for a great days fishing. I will also be doing some normal waggler fishing and maybe a bit of pole fishing as well. As its the first time out with the Carp gear, today is all about getting used to the gear and the way it feels and fishes. Lets keep our fingers crossed we land one of these very shy Carp from the lake.....
4am
............
Just got up and the weather is freezing! So ill make sure to wrap up warn. Time to get some fuel in the body and ready for the off. Will be setting off at 5.30 to get down the lake side to catch the first light. With cold weather like this fish deep and pay attention to the margins the fish will be surely taking cover from the cold, if they had any sense they would lol. Reed beds are their favorite place for cover in the cold. So fingers crossed lets have a great days fishing...... Get Hooked!
at the lake side.....
Got to the lake side by 6.30 and the weather is freezing. I am wrapped up warm but can still feel the cold through the layers and i have quite a few layers. Thank god i built up a bit of a sweat dragging the trolley all the way to the lake, keeps you fit! This was the first time setting all the Carp gear up so it took me a while as i was being fussy making sure everything was right and that everything worked the way i wanted it to. I wanted to make sure i was comfortable and could reach each rod easily and quickly.
It took me just under 2 hours to set everything up and that also included my match rod on a waggler rig. The scene was set and i was all ready to catch those fish. It was such a shame that the temperature was almost freezing, the wind was around 60 miles an hour and the fish were hiding and didn't want to feed in the extreme cold. I managed to catch a couple of what i would class as skimmers, little bream only a couple of ounces in weight. But that was all for the entire day.
Now considering i started at 6.am say and wasn't leaving till 6 pm, i was in for a long day!
The wind almost blew me off the river bank it was that strong and casting waggler in the wind is not a good idea! No matter where you were targeting you missed almost every time. Brian joined me eventually on the trip but he really wasn't well and i think was very brave of him to come down for a couple of hours but the temperature and wind got the better of him and he ended up retreating home half way into the day. A decision i wished i had taken with him! I continued the day, feeding the swim and missing silly minnow bites. I think that was the only fish stupid enough to be trying to feed in the cold.
I did however have a couple of small runs on that Carp rods, but it was just fish picking up the bait and dropping or spitting it out after a foot or two and that was it, oh and a load of fake bites caused by the wind being strong enough to whip the fishing line in the water making it bleep. No one around the lake was catching. There was a few brave all weather fishermen out, only to be leaving with sad faces cursing the cold.
Well as you can see it wasn't a day for catching loads of fish, but it was a day to get used to my new equipment. I got to test all the equipment and check that it works all OK. I am pleased to announce that everything did work, and well. I am all set for next year now to get out and catch me some specimen fish. I don't let a bad days fishing put me off as i still actually enjoyed myself. I spent most of the day organizing my tackle box and testing different fishing tackle but still it was a great day out. I may have caught only 2 skimmers and a cold but at least i still caught on a day when all others came up blank!
Get Hooked!
Got to the lake side by 6.30 and the weather is freezing. I am wrapped up warm but can still feel the cold through the layers and i have quite a few layers. Thank god i built up a bit of a sweat dragging the trolley all the way to the lake, keeps you fit! This was the first time setting all the Carp gear up so it took me a while as i was being fussy making sure everything was right and that everything worked the way i wanted it to. I wanted to make sure i was comfortable and could reach each rod easily and quickly.
Now considering i started at 6.am say and wasn't leaving till 6 pm, i was in for a long day!
The wind almost blew me off the river bank it was that strong and casting waggler in the wind is not a good idea! No matter where you were targeting you missed almost every time. Brian joined me eventually on the trip but he really wasn't well and i think was very brave of him to come down for a couple of hours but the temperature and wind got the better of him and he ended up retreating home half way into the day. A decision i wished i had taken with him! I continued the day, feeding the swim and missing silly minnow bites. I think that was the only fish stupid enough to be trying to feed in the cold.
I did however have a couple of small runs on that Carp rods, but it was just fish picking up the bait and dropping or spitting it out after a foot or two and that was it, oh and a load of fake bites caused by the wind being strong enough to whip the fishing line in the water making it bleep. No one around the lake was catching. There was a few brave all weather fishermen out, only to be leaving with sad faces cursing the cold.
Well as you can see it wasn't a day for catching loads of fish, but it was a day to get used to my new equipment. I got to test all the equipment and check that it works all OK. I am pleased to announce that everything did work, and well. I am all set for next year now to get out and catch me some specimen fish. I don't let a bad days fishing put me off as i still actually enjoyed myself. I spent most of the day organizing my tackle box and testing different fishing tackle but still it was a great day out. I may have caught only 2 skimmers and a cold but at least i still caught on a day when all others came up blank!
Get Hooked!
