2013 Fishing Round Up… What a Great Year

by Martyn Russ

What a start to the season with a visit down to Cornwall's White Acres fishery kicking off one of the best fishing seasons i have had so far. Ok we didn’t catch the monster we were after but talk about quantity and quality. Cornwall started the ball rolling with a 7 day fishing session with an average of 20 to 30 fish per day. Now for match fishermen it doesn’t sound a lot but as i wasn’t match fishing but actually Carp and specimen fishing i was very pleased with the results we had. During the 7 days visit to the south we managed to catch not only Carp but some quality Tench and Bream as well as the usual Roach, Rudd and Perch.

     

As we began our journey and started visiting the south side of Wales we managed to visit a few of the best Carp and Coarse fisheries in the area. Cefn Mably, Peterstone Lakes, Lamby Lake and Hazel courts are just a few of the venues we planned to take on and what a variety of venues these were. Each lake was different and presented us with different challenges that all the members were able to take on and with great results. Trish and John both managed personal best’s as well as me getting my biggest Perch so far.

      

Over the summer months we were able to try our hand not only at Carp and specimen fishing but also did a lot of match and feeder fishing just for the fun. john took to the feeder like duck to water and was constantly catching fish no matter what venue he attended. Myself i preferred a more relaxed approach and still managed to catch loads of fish but mainly Carp.  Also 2013 started our field testing for the company Total Outdoors and we have the opportunity to try out many new Carp Force Products and G-Core luggage with great results and reviews.

        

One of the biggest talked about products of 2013, that we found everyone talking about, was the Fluorocarbon Fishing line from Carp Force. A Great line that is half the thickness of standard line and just as strong if not stronger. I had the honour of testing this line to the max by using it through the whole year on most of the fishing sessions we went on and i can honestly say it lives up to its claims. The bites were plenty and the fish fought hard but the line didn’t give one bit. I think that this line will be around for quite some time to come and i certainly will be using it again next year. I was also the winner of a big selection of lures and plugs, witch are also available from Total Outdoors, and will be trying them out this winter. As we draw towards the end of another year we see the start of Predator fishing and trying to catch a big Pike, Perch or Zander.

        

When i was younger, living in St. Neots just on the side of the river Ouse in Cambridgeshire, i saw some of the best Jack Pike and Pike fishing in the UK. You could say i was spoilt. Now after 10 years of having a break i get to have another go and am really looking forwards to this winter and some of the Pike and Perch i will be catching and the new plugs and lures i get to try out. I am also looking forwards to doing some dedicated Carp fishing through the Winter and into the new year as we are going after the big ones next year and see if i can get a new personal best. I would like to thank all the other members of Fishing Adventures Wales for making 2013 a brilliant year for fishing and now i am looking forwards to seeing what 2014 brings and another great fishing year.

Wet Nets, Tight Lines & Have a Great Christmas.

Fishing Adventures Wales 2013 Yearly Round-up

Cefn Mably, Willow Pond–Weds 25th Sept 2013

by Martyn Russ, Trish Lloyd, Brian Lloyd & John Rees

         

After a slow long days fishing at Peterstone we fancied trying some where with a bit more action and fun with the smaller fish so we opted for the Willow Pond at Cefn Mably Lakes in Cardiff. Known for its Carp fishing it has a good selection of coarse lakes as well as it’s 2 main specimen lakes. The Willow pond is well stocked with carp and Bream up to a maximum weight of 15 lb. When the fish get over that weight they are then moved to the main specimen lakes. We chose this lake as bites are always plentiful and the last couple of visits we had great fun.

       

The fishing was a bit slow to start with and it seemed like it took ages to get the swims going but as soon as we did and the fish were biting we had great fun. Trish was the first to catch starting with a nice Carp followed by a couple more and then a couple of nice size Bream. Brian was soon to follow and so did John both catching some nice Carp but my swim was yet to start.

 

When it did start it exploded into action with my first fish weighing at least 6 - 7 lb., not massive fish but they don't half put up a good fight. Brian was also catching some quality Carp and even managed a few large ones on the pole when he switched from feeder fishing. We all settled into a steady rhythm and were catching some lovely specimen all between 2 and 8 lb. with a few bigger ones every now and again. Trish’s legs ended up soaked where she caught so many and kept resting the net on her lap to unhook the fish.

   

There were a couple of times where i lost a large one and became frustrated but i wasn’t the only one as Trish also lost a couple of big ones as did John. We were very lucky as the day turned out to be lovely and sunny and what started of slow turned out to be a great days fishing. I am sure you have much more fun catching the smaller fish and especially some of the carp as they put up a good fight. But it is nice to get the big ones so i think my next trip here will have to be a Carp one and try out the specimen lakes to see what they have in there.

Wet Nets & Tight Lines

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Peterstone Lakes–Monday 23rd September 2013

by Martyn Russ, Trish Lloyd and Brian Lloyd

    

Another drop of the hat decision to go fishing landed us back up at Peterstone Lakes for an afternoons fishing on the Pencil Lake. There is a good stock of fish in the pencil lake including carp up to the High 20’s and Barble up to 8 lb. +. There is also a good stock of Rudd, Roach, Bream, Perch and Tench lurking in the lake but are rarely caught let alone seen. Sometimes you just get days where no matter how hard you try you only get a couple of bites and a few fish but all count, well that was the kind of day i ended up having. Don’t get me wrong i caught a few quality fish and had a great time including a Carp of about 6 or 7 lb. and a dinner plate of a bream but i just couldn’t seem to get my rhythm going.

    

Trish and Brian were a different story as soon as they chose there swims and set up they were into fish almost immediately it only had to be 10 minuets of setting up and Trish was landing her first Bream and Brian followed with a nice Barble. With constant feed they managed to keep their swims fairly active, they were still finding it a tough day but managed to keep the fish coming.

    

They both managed to land some nice Barble and Carp and Trish also managed a nice little Perch making it 3 of us now have caught Perch on the Pencil lake at Petestone. She also managed a monster of a Carp that was well over 10 lb. as it was so thick and stocky. You have to see the lakes to realise how big they really are as the lay out is long and shapely with an island at one end for a feature to fish to. There are lads of over hanging trees and reeds around the margins making it one of the best all method lakes we have fished in south Wales and have decided to use it as the FAW official meeting lake for fun and competitions.

Wet Nets & Tight Lines

Peterstone Lake- The Pencil Lake18th Sept 2013

Trish Lloyd & Brian Lloyd

With a break in the weather and the afternoon forecast to be clear and sunny Trish and Brian decided they fancied a Trip up to Peterstone Lakes just outside Newport for an afternoons fishing. Deciding on the feeder rods for the day with the Fluorocarbon & Camouflaged fishing line we got from Total Outdoors they both set up and off they went. They noticed it was extremely quiet upon arrival and a few of the other fishermen told them it had been dead all day so far.

    

This didn’t put them off one bit and within 10 minuets of setting up and casting out Trish was into her first fish of the day, a nice bream caught on halibut flavoured meat. Brian soon followed with a nice size Barbel and then another one a few minuets after.

         

The afternoon was turning out to be a great afternoons fishing as Trish continued to catch bream while Brian managed a lovely Common Carp of around 8lb with a perfect mouth and pattern showing that this carp hadn’t been caught that many times and considering this is a fishery with loads of visitors every day its quite rare to get a clean fish. He then soon followed with his third Barble of the day, only a small one but still very welcome. As the evening drew in the bites still kept coming and so did the fish but not as many as when they started then Trish soon hooked in to her best of the day a nice Common Carp of about 12 + lb.

Wet Nets & Tight Lines

Hazel Court Lakes–Bridgend 14th Sept 2013

by Martyn Russ, Trish Lloyd, Brian Lloyd & John Rees

    

After a few days of non stop rain and showers we were happy to find a break in the weather and decided we would try a new venue for a change to see what it’s like. Hazel Court Lakes is a small complex of 5 different lakes all set close together with a small farm house/tackle shop at the main entrance. Our first opinion of the surrounding was positive as the place was a pretty little complex and the lakes had plenty of features that you could fish to. I found it strange for a Saturday and to be sunny that there was only a couple of other fishermen around the lakes and they were Carp fishermen.

    

We set up in swims close to each other and all of us seemed to opt for feeder fishing as it seemed the best way to approach this new venue. We baited up our swims and waited for the bites. John was the first to catch a fish a nice little Ide and then Brian soon followed on the other pond with a nice Bream. Apart from johns first fish that he caught on flavoured meat there didn’t seem to be any action at all on the lake myself and John had chosen, not even line bites indication feeding fish in the swim.

    

Around lunch time we decided to change swims and go fins the fish and ended up on fishing the same lake the Brian and Trish. It wasn’t long before i had my first fish, only a small roach, witch mean the fish were starting to feed in my new swim. I shortly followed with my second fish a nice Ide of a couple of ounces and then suddenly Trish leaped into action as she struck into a beautiful white Ghost Carp of about 5 or 6 lb. Brian soon followed with a nice little mirror and a couple of smaller skimmer bream.

    

It wasn’t until just after lunch i managed to strike into my first and only carp of the day that turned out to be a lovely White Ghost Carp of 8 or 9 lb. Trish followed me with yet another carp but this time it was a Golden Ghost Carp of around 6 or 7 lb. in weight. The fishing turned out to be very hard and although we caught a couple of fish we have to admit it was one of the hardest venues we have fished so far. The fish just didn’t seem to want to feed no matter what we tried.

    

I honestly think Hazel courts is more of a “Carp Fishing” venue and should be advertised as such due to the lack of action when trying to fish it match fishing style. We may have caught it on a bad day and that can sometimes happen but from what we saw none of the other fishermen around the entire complex were actually catching any fish and most just seemed to be wandering around the lakes talking to each other and taking in the nice scenery rather than actually fishing. I will have to plan a proper Carp Fishing session at this complex as i believe that is the way these lakes need to be approached.

Wet Nets & Tight Lines