PB Bream; double figures finally after 30 years

Yesterday (09/10/10) was a day forecast for sunshine and unseasonably high temperatures, it wasn't. It was fairly windy, overcast and, though still not cold for the time of year, a bit chilly.

I arrived early, it was still dark, expecting the usual October-Weekend-Piker-Influx, which like the predicted hot weather (maybe because of) didn't happen. I had toyed with fishing right round the back of Coate today, in the often unfished, yet very 'carpy' swims. However when I turned up my 1st choice swim was the only one of the 'front' end ones to be taken, so I had a reasonably free hand, gutted though I was to miss out again on the exact one I wanted.

I chose instead the swim from which I caught the 22lb-er on a previous visit; it was the next one along from the elusive fave one, has a lot of water in front of it to fish in and is a very comfortable, spacious swim to fish in.

Still dark as I set up; so out with the head torch when attaching rigs, baiting up, adding stick mixes and, more challengingly, casting out. Having fished the swim before I had targets on the treeline on the opposite bank to aim at, and although, I couldn't see exactly how far the baits went, all 3 rods hit their targets well. I felt the leads down to the bottom and each seemed to land on a soft-ish, but no overly silty or weedy bottom.
I had the following rigs out:
- Right Hand rod: 12mm banana nut boilie, size 10 wide gape, kd-style

- Middle Hand rod: 18mm banana nut boilie (topped with fake corn), size 8 wide gape, kd-style

- Left Hand rod: 18mm banana nut boilie, size 8 wide gape, kd-style

With the rods out, I got on with the usual tidying up, organising and setting up the shelter. As with a previous visit, half way through setting up the shelter, my bobbin on the left-hand rod started doing the "a bream's picked up the bait" dance, and it was so surprise to reel in a less than energetic bream. It looked fairly hefty, possible the double I'd been after since a young teenager? The scales however only gave me an 8lb 10oz, so not quite.... yet.

Re-bait, re-cast to the spot which was obviously right where the bream were feeding, as 5 minutes after it hit the water, the bobbin did it's dance again. Similar fish again, maybe slightly smaller, but it flipped off the hook a foot from the net, no problem though.

Re-bait, re-cast, 10 mins later the bobbin rose slowly, then the bait feeder spun; a carp? Nope, another bream, but this one was energetic and pulled back a bit. At the net it looked bigger; "thicker", and I was convinced, before weighing, that it was finally the double. The digital scales scrolled through multiple values between 8lb 3oz and 11lb 10z, before settling on 10lb 2oz. That'll do me!

The day continued quietly, I stayed until after tea, but no more bream or any carp were forthcoming. I've got another trip at the end of October, am undecided as yet whether it will be for carp or pike; will wait and see what the weather brings.

A busy cold day with a funny ending

Coate Water on a Saturday. Coate Water on a Saturday that was the first (maybe second) weekend of cooler, pike fishing weather. It was busy, I arrived in good time to walk, chose a swim and set up for the day ticket start. 4 or 5 people arrived at the same time, but were heading for the concrete bowl pike swims, so no problem.

I had 3 swims in mind; the first was a small swim between the cafe and the swim I fished (to the left of the island) last time. Gutted to find it was taken. The second choice was the last on the concrete bow before the diving board, I'd already seen it taken. Third was the swim I fished last time. It was not until I was upon it that I saw the  bivvy. Bugger! So decisions, decisions. I decided to try the other side, I toyed with going right round the back, but with an already painful back I didn't fancy a long push, especially to find my 'special' swim taken. Anyway I fancied a swim by the overflow, but that was taken, then the next and the next. Finally the first swim after the park was free. It's directly opposite the island and is at the point where the lake narrows somewhat and almost forms a 'channel' between the two main ends of the lake.

From my swim I had the main, deeper, bowl end to my right and this 'channel'. It seemed a good spot under the circumstances; there's every chance that carp moving from one end of the lake to the other might pick up a bait on the way thru'

So that was the plan. Put out one rod 60 yds torwards the bowl end, one straight out 'in the channel' just short of half way, and the last to my left at a similar distance. 3 casts were spot on, felt the lead down on every cast, and each felt fine.

Rods out (minues any loose feed, continuing a minimilist approach) and I set up my shelter and tidied up. Boy it was cold, about 4 degress but felt colder, thankfully I brought a flask of coffee, which helped.

One aside, I love that Coate is a public park and that it's not just a carp lake; I'll be fishing for the pike once the really cold weather hits, but, when you can see that another angler is casting out carp rigs, and you've seen where, you don't stand 10yds away, cast over his lines and do some spinning for 10mins.

Anyway, moan over. The trip was unsuccesfull for carp, it was interesting having a few of a number of carp anglers setting up in the afternoon, watching their spodding and bait boat tactics. None of which I can do or really compete with; going to have to find my own way.

Anyway the day wore on, and at 5.0pm I started packing up; usually order, day shelter, main holdall, then pod etc until I was left with 3 rods on the deck and the landing net. I reel in one rod, rig looked fine, not probs. The second felt 'heavy' as I reeled in; then pulled back a bit, then swirled a little. A bream! No sign of a bite at my end; either it had just picked it up, or it had sat hooked, doing nothing for some time.

However it went 8lb 4oz and saved me from another total blank (there's a carp blank and a total blank!). Next visit, I want to go mid-week again, and am really aiming for that small swim, I'll be aiming for the diving board to my left and a long chuck to mid water, plus a 30yd cast to my right. Unless it gets really cold and I may go for pike, though I'm not feeling it yet. 

Finally a carp..

My swim for the day, perfect.

Form my most recent session I'd decided to fish a swim at the very rear of the lake, after a long and painful walk with my barrow, I found the swim already taken - it was never taken! Disappointed I trudged back round to the second swim I fished, between the concrete bowl and the island. I put one rod 10yds from the island, a second in the same spot I caught the bream from, and the third quite far to my left towards the diving board.

Each rig had a stick on plus a small bag of chops.

I set up my shelter, half hoping for even some bream bites whilst I did so, but no luck. I resisted putting bait out, and settled down to watch the lake and wait.
But by lunch I'd had no bites, but maintained my approach of leaving alone, not even sticking out some boilies. I'd been watching other anglers who'd be spodding and sticking out bait, hoping that any disturbance might push fish from their side of the lake to mine, wishful thinking, I guess.

By 3.30pm, and with my time running out, I was giving up hope. Drinking up the last of my coffee, I started to txt home to say when I'd be returning, when I was rudely interrupted - my middle rod roared off, the bait runner screaming as a carp took off out into the lake.

Tightening up to fish I soon realised the fish was kiting to the right towards the island. Knowing that I didn't want it getting to, or round the back, of the island (both would mean I'd lose it) I put a fair amount of pressure on - walking down the swim away from the island, and giving as little line as possible.

22lb 12oz cracking common

The rod was bent at a fairly severe angle, but it turned and headed out into the lake, straight ahead. I let go a little while maintaining some pressure to keep it working! It turned again, then headed to the left, towards the diving board, I gave it some line, as it was still a fair way from it, but soon it turned, and from then on, it was a trouble free landing into my net.

It looked a clearly large fish. Beautiful too, a deep brown/gold, fin-perfect Common Carp. When weighed it went 22lb 12oz, new PB (Common, carp, any fish!), but then I panicked; there was noone else to take a photo, I needed a shot of me with it. I quickly took a pic of it on the mat, then covered it, and ran up the bank to the path. Got the attention of a bloke walking his dog, who happily came down to the swim and took the snaps. Hero! The fish went back strongly, after a small crowd had gathered!
I cast the rig back out, but time was ticking and soon I packed up. My plan came together, and I'd got a lovely fish. Next time I'd have even higher expectations, I'm guessing they'll not be achieved, but I can't wait to be disappointed...

Tactics, lessons learnt, decisions...

Although I'd been unsuccessful in my attempts for Carp, I'd still learnt some valuable lessons and come to some important decisions.
Although I'd not seen any fish I had watched other anglers go about their business. Many would use a marker float and spod out bait; putting out quite large quantities. They'd also use bait boats to do much the same thing. Chod rigs (not just the one I'd reeled in) also seemed popular, as did casting out reasonably long distances.
Most dedicated carpers appeared to bivvie up and stay for overnights/multiple days; a luxury I can't share. This help them overcome putting out large quantities of bait without worrying too much about disturbance, as they're around long enough to wait for the fish to be tempted back in.

I'd also struggle to put out large amounts of baits as I 1) don't have a spod rod, 2) am not up to repeated long casting (shoulder and hip probs) and 3) can't afford the volumes of bait for this tactic.

It seems therefore both impossible and, indeed, foolish for me to try to copy their tactics. Indeed, there is a lot of good evidence that NOT copying what other anglers are doing can reap real benefits, especially if fishing short, day sessions.

I've therefore decided that I should use my limitations as positives. Use them to shape my tactics and make best use of my time on the bank.

Firstly I should just cast out my baits with no additional loose feed, just a stick and/or bag
Secondly I should only put out loose feed after I've caught, or after I've been there fore 5hrs+ and even then only small amounts of scattered bait.
Thirdly I should try different rigs, forgo the popular chod rigs for now...

We'll see if this works..

2 more visits; no more fish!

The first of this two visits saw me fishing a known hotspot, and a swim that's often taken. It's on the concrete bowl as close as your allowed to fish to diving board. I cast two rods close to the diving board and the third out into open water. I baited with loose boilies and chops in groundbait
With the help of some water carriers I managed to set up my shelter on the concrete, which gave me some protection from both the showers and the rampaging public (I'm not complaining really, the shared nature of the park keeps prices down, but after 78 "caught anything mate" you kind of lose your perspective.)
It was a quiet day again, people apart. No runs and no signs of fish. On reeling in at the end of the day, my rigs all seemed in good conditions and should have been sitting perfect.

The second visit allowed me another chance to fish one of the very popular swims; this one was round the other side of the island and nearly always has an angler in situ. I cast one rod to the island, reasonably tight, one around 20 yards off it, and another out into open water to my right.
Baits and rigs were basically the same, and I again baited with sticked-out boilies and pva sticks.
Again no bites were forthcoming, although I could only stay until lunchtime, and I again reeled in fishless, although I did manage to reel in someone's broken off chod rig. As well as no runs, I also was not able to see any signs of fish; rolling, bubbling etc., which obviously makes deciding whether there are fish in front of you difficult. the gulls were again a problem in baiting up, but more of that in the next blog

Second visit: some bites!

This time I decided to fish in one of the popular swims; a lovely long swim, sheltered by trees with the island to your right and the diving board and concrete bowl to your left. I'll call it Tree-Island-Bowl-Swim, which is wrong in so many ways, not least of all 'cos I'll abbreviate it to TIBS.





8lb 10oz Bream



Anyway, enough nonsense. I fished 3 rods again, one again with the KD rig and a pop-up and bottom bait, one standard hair rig with a tiger nut, and one KD rig with a bottom 18mm boilie. I cast one rod close to the island, on about 35yds out, 20 yds to the left of the island and one far to my left and about 40yds out.

9lb 4oz Bream



After casting out my rods, I began tidying up my usual 'set up in a hurry' mess, and began setting up my day shelter. Half way through that I looked at my rods, and the middle bobbin was hanging very low, it then slammed into the rod blank, then dropped low again. Shocked somewhat to have a bite; excited also, though tempered slightly by the obvious 'Bream-like' nature of the bite, I eventually got to the rod and tightened up to the fish.
It felt heavy, but gave no fight, and it was no surprise to pull a Bream into the landing net. However I was still pleased as my previous biggest fish caught 30yrs ago, was 6lbs, and this looked bigger. It went 8lb 10oz, so a new PB. Photo done and after it shared some lovely Bream-slime with me and the net it swam off strongly.
I cast the 18mm boilie rig back out on the same spot, and turned to finish off the shelter, all done, and I began packing my kit away inside it... one I noticed the middle rod's bobbin doing it's dance again. Leant into the fish; it felt very Bream like again and this proved to be true as I drew another large Bream into the net



This one looked bigger, and I hoped for a double figure fish, but it only went 9lb 4oz but a new PB again, so all good. No more bites came my way, I had another doggie visitor to the swim, but just the one, so an improvement

First visit



My swim for the day



It's July and my first chance in the new season to fish Coate. I decided to fish the bay at the rear of the lake; carp definitely congregate there in the close season, they may (or may not) be still around. they will certainly be more secretive.
I chose a swim with a stage on the edge of the bay; allowing me to fish the bay itself and more out into open water. it was a lovely day, with a cooling breeze. I arrived at 6.50am and after the weary barrow bush round to the swim I was set up and cast out by 7.40am. I fished 3 rods, with 3 different rigs. My first rig was a KD rig with a pop-up and bottom bait plus a shot on the hair, nicely balanced. my second was a simple hair rig with a bottom bait; the hair coming off the bend of the hook. the final rig was another pop up fished about 3 inches off the bottom. I cast one to my left into the bay, one straight out about half way across and the third out to open water to my right. I baited with a throwing stick, laying 30 or so boilies (gulls notwithstanding) around the 3 rods in a fairly haphazard pattern. Each rig also had a small stick mix.
The day past quite quietly, as in I had no bites. I did discover, however, a few of the joys of fishing a public park lake. First a woman arrived with 6 dogs, all of which she allowed to swim in the bay; no reason or rules prevented her from doing this, but 6 dogs swimming 20ft from 2 of my baits probably did little for my chances. Second, some kids set up on the other side of the bay and spent a happy, for them, couple of hours, throwing stickes, branches and lumps of mud in the lake.
Anyway I packed up at 4.0pm not entirely miserable but decided I'd fish in a different swim next time.