Catching Wary Carp off the Top

By Martyn Russ, Featuring Brian Chandler

When the sun is out, the weather warm and the wind low this is usually the perfect time for zig or floater fishing especially for the Carp fishermen amongst us. The other day Brian Chandler, admin of Club FAW, decided that when he saw that there was a break in the weather and that the wind had dropped he thought he would sneak in a couple of hours fishing at the local lake that he's a bailiff on. When he arrived at the lake he spoke with a few other fishermen who were also trying to take the carp off the top using floater fishing techniques and they said they had been there for 4 hours but noting was happening. The carp seemed to be very shy and although they were coming up for the odd one or two dog biscuits floating around the lake they seemed to shy away from all the hook baits no matter what the presentation or how good your set-up was.

This didn’t deter Brian one little bit and he started to sling bait out on a regular basis only catapulting two or 3 biscuits every couple of minuets and watching the carp come up and take them but didn’t put his rig in the water he decided to wait. He noticed that the carp were quite a distance away from the swim he was fishing so decided to start baiting up close to them and slowly move the bait across to where he was fishing. This started to do the trick as the carp started to follow the baiting pattern. Knowing how shy the carp were acting today he didn’t want to put his hook bait amongst them or cast to showing fish as this would spook them and undo all his hard work so he waited until they had entered his swim and then using a huge cast he cast way over the top of them into the distance a few meters away from where they had been feeding.

He continued to feed the cap little and often every couple of minuets sending out the bait and watching them slurp them down. He began to slowly increase the amount he was putting in and watched as they were slowly becoming a little more confident and at that moment he begun to move his hook bait little by little every few minuets until it was sitting in the area they were feeding. This was the time he thought and loaded his sling ready with a handful of biscuits coated in his favourite flavouring. He waited for the wind to drop slightly, aimed and fired. The biscuits all landed smack bang on target and surrounded his hook bait and within seconds of them hitting the water the carp were slurping them down. He twitched the bubble float gently not to spook the fish and watched as the mouth appeared up under his hook bait and suddenly slurped it down. Instead of striking at that moment he waited and watched the bubble float and waited for the weight of the float to set the hook and move and then he lifted his rod straight into his capture. He was rewarded with a beautiful mirror carp weighing in at around 15 or 16 lb showing that even when they are nervous and feeding shy you can catch them if you take your time and do it right.

A week later brian returned to the lake again trying to get them up feeding off the top. After a couple of hours on the main body of water only the odd one or two would take a surface bait so he decided to change the area and moved to the back of the island and found the carp sitting in the shade keeping cool. Again using the same technique as he did before he managed to land another beautiful Carp, a common weighing in at 18lb 8oz.

Top Angling Brian. Wet Nets & Tight Lines

First 48 Hours Session of the Year - May 2015 Hendre Lake, St. Mellons. Cardiff

By Martyn Russ

Eager to get our first longer session of the year we decided to go down the evening before and prepare the swim for the night and try and get in a couple of early bites to the session. The actual forecast was for cloudy days with a storm slowly moving in but as we actually found out there was a heat wave set for the second day. Unaware of the incoming heat we arrived at the lake in the early evening and set up camp on a large double swim on the railway bank, as its known to the regulars, and chose the double swim right next to the centre slues. Apparently as the slues brings in natural food it was looking like a good area to target along with a good open stretch of water with and island as a feature and a gravel bar that runs the top length of the lake and partly around the back of the island.

 

 

I set up the Korum Multi Shelter and John put up His TFGear Speed Light Force 8 2 man Bivvi. Camp was up and its was time to get the rods out and start fishing. I had decided to use the Korum Rods, 3.5lb 12 Foot distance rods coupled with the Korum KXI 80 Reels with Subline 15lb that has a slightly deeper spool holding more line than a standard bait runner that gives you that little extra casting distance. Also the Korum 3 Alarm bus bar with the KXI Alarm and mini bobbins. John was using The CK Fusion Experts 2.5 12 Footers with The Grandslam Pro Frees pools with Ultima KR Pro 15lb Silt using the Black Zero Alarms and Dual Rod Stalking Set. As The lake is very silt, with deep silt in placed and soft, we both decided to use as light as lead as possible. Using tungsten tubing and quick change swivels we had a selection of rigs to try ranging from bottom to pop up and rigs and also a couple of zig’s in case they were up in the higher layer of the water.

 

I used one rod to fish the slues to the left of our double swim and the other two out in the mid water. For the first day we decided to divide our efforts with one using Nash Monster Squid and the Other The Red Ball Bait from First 4 Fishing. We baited up our swims and using small PVA's with stick mix and a few boilies around the swim we set our traps and waited. The weather started to turn quite brisk as the night fell and was started to wonder if they were going to feed as they had just started to spawn. Suddenly the rod in the bay ripped into action on the Monster Squid Black and I was into a large carp that bolted straight into reeds 2 foot from where the bait was laying despite the rod being locked up tight to try and avoid the snags. Trying to lead the carp out of the snag the mainline wrapped up and the carp was lost. I couldn’t believe it, devastating when you lose your first carp and wonder is that the only chance you will get on the trip. I re-set the trap in the bay and switched the other rods over to the monster squid black to see if we could entice any others. Hours passed into the early hours of the morning and both myself and John wondered if that was going to be it. Suddenly 1am in the morning the rod on the bay again ripped into action and despite being quick into the strike the carp again bolted into the snag this time tethering up around the thick stem and there was no way of shifting it which meant I was going to have to go in. Freezing cold and right up to your chest I placed the chest waders on and in I went. I slowly released the carp from the snag and just as it got free it shook its head and spat the hook, big and chunk and gone. After all that I wanted to scream. Could this be a sign of things to come, was the session doomed. Around 30 minuets after re-setting the bait again the bay rod went round and I was into a small carp that again got into the snag and was off. My ego was dented and I wanted the ground to open up. This surely couldn’t be happening.

 

 

By the morning I was feeling so low I just couldn't think what to do. It was at that moment Johns Rod screamed off and he was into his first carp of the session, again on the monster squid black he managed to stop it from running around into the bay and finding the snag and was rewarded with a lovely 15lb 4 oz Mirror Carp. This boosted our moods and we started to prepare for the day. We put out a bit more bait and waited. It was a couple of hours and I was again into my fourth and again it tried to get into the snag. This time I clamped down real hard and managed to get it to go around the reed bed keeping it up in the water. John grabbed the net for me and I landed my first of the session, a lovely 12lb , 8oz Mirror. At last the jinx was broken and we had started to get the fish. Unfortunately that was it for the first day and the swims died despite keeping the bait going in little and often. The weather had suddenly changed and the day became so hot I ended up with terrible sunburnt arms despite staying in the shade for most of the day. We were pleased we had finally had some action but started to think what we could do to get then going again. I decided to use the Korda goo to start them off and also a sudden bat change to see if they fancied something sweeter and opted for Mainline Essential IB Wafters on a balanced hook with the IB boilies on stringers covered in Korda Pineapple Goo. Maybe a change in the morning would set them off.

 

 

Day Two – The Swim Just Kicked Off

Early hours came and despite having no sleep the night before due to the stress of loosing the carp I managed a couple of hours and was up at the crack of dawn watching the mist rise from the lake, The sun was coming up and again it was set to warn up. Lets hope they wanted to feed before it gets too hot again. I changed all the rods over to the new baits with stringers attacked and set them out first thing again with one on the bay. Within 30 minuets of setting the new bait out my rod ripped off and was awarded with another. Within 20 minuets of me landing mine and returning it Johns Rod Jumped into action and he was again rewarded with a a nice common of 14lb 6oz.

  

  

  The bait change had worked and we were beginning to catch fish. We continued like this for the entire morning with small intervals and then the bites would go again. The bay seemed to remain dead and we were getting them all from mid water, off the bottom with the balanced wafters in approximately 8 foot of water. The rigs we were both using were Size 6 Korda Krank hooks on the N-trap Soft Semi Stiff Hook link at 5 inches with a size 15mm Balanced Essential IB Wafters with a string of 5 15mm IB Bottom Baits and a small Stick of Stick Mix with crushed boilies. Coating the hook bait with the goo seemed to be working well so we continued doing it the entire day.

  

 

The second half of the day wasn't so hectic as the lunch time became very warm again with no clouds in the sky and the sun belting down but as evening fell the clouds started to come and the winds built quickly making the lake very choppy. The carp switched back on and I was rewarded with my largest of the day 18lb 5 oz plus another 2 and John also managed another 2 with the smallest being 13lb. We were both very happy despite me getting sunburnt with a great result of 18 Carp total with me on 10 and John on 8, we had 4 mid sized bream and I lost the 3 and John also lost 2. Hendre Lake hold a few larger 20's up to 28 and lots of 10 to 20lb Carp so we were very please wit our results from this lake. There isn't 100's of carp and I class this water semi wild as it's still connected to the reams feeding the lake in 3 places so a result like that was really good with them spawning at the same time. I think now they need to be left alone for a month and then we will get back down the lake to have another go.

  

Wet Nets & Tight Lines

Quest for Glory Dampened as did the weather, but still they had a few days of good fishing…

FAW Members enter the W.C.C. by Martyn Russ

Just before 2pm the group of entrants met in the car park just at the back of Hendre Lake, including our very own admins Brian Chandler and Dean Curtis, ready for the all important drawing of the pegs. At 2pm the draw was done and unfortunately Brian and Dean didn't get the peg they were hoping for but ended up on a half decent peg where they could possible work their magic and bag a few bars of gold.

  

The first day they weather seemed perfect and they we all off to a flying start and wasn’t long before everyone was catching. The hot peg, opposite the bay at the front of the island, was holding true to form and the lads that were on that peg had landed a few fish more than everyone else and ended up in an early lead. On the first day report Brian and Dean were in fourth position after both bagging a carp each and of course a few bream that didn't count. By the end of the day they had slipped down into fifth place and were in for a long night ahead.

The tactic of feeding small and often with just a couple of freebies didn’t seem to work so Brian took it upon himself to lay down a a small bed of boilies and placed his hook bait over the top and as was expected his rod ended up screaming off and he managed yet another fish. Buy this time they were into the end of the second day and the weather had changed for the worst with high winds and a lot of rain. All anglers started to struggle to get those bites but 2 swims seemed to stay alive.

   

By the last day the mood was low and everyone was sat around trying to work out if there was anything else they could do or try to gain those few extra fish on the bank. The swim opposite the bay at the front of the island continued to produce fish as did the swim in the lower part of the lake just at the entrance from the lane. This swim had a good run of reeds along the opposite bank and although it should have been fished by the guys next to Dean and Brian for some reason the lower swim was fishing that area and due to that reason they were catching a lot more fish and ended up taking the lead. It was a very close first round to the welsh Carp Championship but only the top 2 teams of people could go through from Hendre Lake and the Top one from Cefn Mably Lakes. Tony Jones & Mark Dickinson with 183 lb 6 oz came in first place and Mathew & Gareth Gronow with 175 lb 14 oz were second and went through to the final as did Gavin James & Josh Boyes with  95 lb 11 oz  from Cefn Mably. Dean Curtis & Brian Chandler finished with a respectable 34 lb 2 oz that gave them a 7th place standing on The Hendre Lake Qualifier so well done guys.

Good Luck in the Final Guys ……..

Welsh Carp Championship – Round One Results

Hendre Final whistle
------------------------------
1. Tony Jones & Mark Dickinson 183lb 6oz (Through to Final)
2. Mathew & Gareth Gronow 175lb 14oz (Through to Final)
3. Carl Dummet & Jason Parry 145lb 10oz
4. James Howarth & Mike Claypole 66lb 14oz
5. Mike Elwell & Peter Jones 54lb 14oz
6. Mathew Pugh & Craig Evans 40lb 2oz
7. Dean Curtis & Brian Chandler 34lb 2oz
8. Robin Rhys & Shaun Jones 27lb 10oz
9. Josh Bowley & Dean sinikas 9lb 8oz
10. Mark Wozencroft & Stewart Jones 8lb 6oz

Cefn Mably Final Whistle
-------------------------------------
1. Gavin James & Josh Boyes 95lb 11oz (Through to Final)
2. Graham Andrews & Colwyn Jones 68lb 12oz
3. Stewart Little & Chris Elliot 56lb 11oz
4. Craig Thomas & Philip Griffith's 53lb 3oz
5. Liam Smith & Jamie Collins 17lb 6oz

Next up is the The Fendrod 5th June till 7th June

NEW Fishing Adventures Wales Digital Magazine

SPRING EDITION – OUT NOW

http://joom.ag/IwPb

Making Sense of he Noise by The Crafty Carper….
Consistency = Fish by Stewart Jones………..
New Member to the FAW Team – Dean Curtis……..
Club FAW visits “The Big One” Fishing Show and meets some of the biggest names in Carp and Coarse fishing ……………………. 
New Product Reviews on Tackle and Bait
Improve your Water Craft with our Winter Fishing Tips
Beginners Guide & Rig Guides , plus lots more…….

F.A.W. Members Preparing for the W.C.C

by Martyn Russ

With the Welsh Carp Championship fishing competition just around the corner and the first round set to kick of on the weekend both Brian Chandler and Dean Curtis, admin of Fishing Adventures Wales and Bailiffs at Hendre Lake, Cardiff, have been getting in a few hours here and there catching some lovely carp off the top in the sunny weather. With such a mild winter and warm start to spring we have seen the carp waking up earlier than usual and seem to be feeding quite confidently.

 

Knocked out in the first round last year, Brian & Dean are determined to do well during the competition this year and have been getting in as much practice as they can on their local water. Fishing Adventures Wales would like to wish them all the best and lots of luck during the comp and hope they bank some nice bug bars of gold. We will be following the competition and the results of each contestant during the next couple of months so watch this space......

 

The welsh Carp Championship is Sponsored by Fox and many other fishing tackle and bait companies with some amazing prizes up for grabs. It is a pair competition so if you didn't manage to get entered this year then make sure you get on the list next year as is set to become bigger and bigger each year with the amazing prizes getting even better, if that’s possible!

Wet Nets & Tight Lines