09.06.12 All Quiet On The Felthorpe Front...

6am start on Mirror Lake, Felthorpe.

Avon rods and 40 Okuma Epix V2's were used along with a carp pole for around an hour or so (with no great results)

A great run missed around 9am ish. It went off like a missile. My hooklink broke where i'd pinched a shot on to stabilise a buoyant bait. Savage was the word.

Foxy was in early on with a 4lb 14oz tench. He was more than a little chuffed....

superman vs supertench

I continued to try all manner of different methods and baits, but alas no. I could see fish moving in my swim, but there was just nothing happening. Most annoying.

Chris had a bizarre common catch in the afternoon. His line became snagged on a branch, which had a 7lb common attached to it via someone else's broken off rig. It's not the first time that it's happened to him either. I'd buy a lottery ticket if I were you Chris!

Gobby....

I had a tench later on in the afternoon. No as big as Foxy's, but welcomed nonetheless. It was on a "spare" rod and 30 okuma. Nice little fight. I was using an "alternative feeder" with fake corn.



So that's it really.

Packed up around 5pm and headed home. Didn't blank, but didn't set the world alight either.I think i've been spoilt over the past few trips.

Hey ho... Onwards and upwards....

13.05.12 - Felthorpe

Early start for Foxy and Paddy. We met at 6am to have a crack at mirror lake.

Within 7 minutes I had my first fish....

An hour (almost to the minute) passed and I was in again.

This fishy didn't want to hang around..... I just had to hold on and hope really.

I was on my 1lb test curve avons and my size 30 Okuma Epix V2's.... 6lb hooklink and a size 12 hook. Such Fun! :)

Eventually I started to gain line. Foxy went for the scales and the big net..... Thank God there aren't many snags in Mirror lake. It's pretty shallow where I fish too - around 3 feet maximum.

I didn't see the fish for what felt like an hour, but after 5 minutes or so, it was heading towards the smaller net.

I managed to squish it in somehow. Foxy commented on its size and then it hit me.... This was a very, very nice looking Common...

Scales out next...

We had to take the net off.... It weighed 1lb 2oz, so the fish was 16lb 14oz - My PB since I began fishing again!

Great picture - Thanks Chris!

It didn't really hit home until i'd returned the bronzed beasty, just how lucky i've been in the past few days. A gorgeous Ghosty and a stunning Common! Still, i've put the hours in so......

All in all, I had 2 Carp and 2 Tench. My day was done by 09.30 or so. I stuck it out until 5pm, but alas it wasn't to be....

I'm getting closer to my goal now.... A 20 will be mine before the end of 2012 :)

I've also bought the Size 40 reels now.... I must be mad, but they're so so good! Bargain price too!

Not sure where or when the next trip will be.... I need to get that 20 in the net ASAP. Then I can concentrate on my next goal.... A 5lb plus Tench...

Tight Lines! :)

Felthorpe 08.05.12

I had a day off work, so decided to go fishing (what a surprise)

I'm glad I did...

You know when things just fall into place every once in a while? It was like that....

I fished Mirror lake. I felt it was time for a change, so headed to a new swim... One that doesn't seem to get visited very often....

I decided to aim for the tench. The water was bubbling away merrily as I set up my gear.

I began by fishing the lift method in 2.5ft of water and was rewarded pretty swiftly with a chunky little greeny...

I also took a rather fat common on a method feeder

The Tench kept coming

Some pretty nice looking roach too (My big fat hand shown for scaling purposes... I do own a thumb....)

I had another run on the feeder rod and thought i'd hooked another decent tench. Then I saw a flash in the water and began to panic. I'd hooked one of the Ghostys!

A ten minute fight on 4lb line and she was in the net. 13lb 5oz of gorgeous Carp! My best fish since I began fishing again recently.

Most fish were taken on my hair rigged maggot/corn combo. It's a new rig for me and involves a size 10 hook with a hair, onto which a size 14 hook is tied. a piece of corn is threaded on the smaller hook. You then thread the maggots on and then turn the point of the hook into the corn to prevent any "double hooking". It work perfectly and it's a technique I intend to use again very soon. It seemed to work better than the korda maggot clips I tried later in the day.

I eventually changed the float for another feeder on a 10ft ledger rod (my first ever rod) and a £19.99 Drennan Red reel (superb for the money) I fished tight lines and watched the tips for signs of activity (of which there was plenty)

There's something about the sound of a clutch that just injects that dose of adrenalin around your body. The "unknown" factor is a real buzz and it's something I never tire of.

I can heartily recommend Felthorpe lakes. Steve and Charlotte are great hosts and they really look after their water.

Visit their site by clicking this link

I was rewarded with another Common towards end of play too...

So, all in all I had...

3 Carp
5 Tench
3 Good Roach (definitely the biggest i've ever caught)
Zillions of Perch....... :(

Light/Cheap/Old gear, basic baits, no bite alarms, no rod pods, no bait boats.... just simple fishing

You know what? In my eyes, it beats all that techno guff any day of the week ;)

Roll on the next session.

Reely Good Stuff

I just had to post a couple of pics of my okuma reels.

One is a 55 series and and the other is the teeny 30 series.

I reely like them.

Amazing that the 55 was cheaper than the 30!

The only downside to me is that the 55 has one of those HOOOGE handles on it.

I prefer the 30's handle.... Still, it fits the 55 too.....

They may not actually catch more fish, but they'll make me "feel" like i'm going to ;)

I've now put 8lb Sensor on the 30..... Was going for 6lb, but I had miles of 8lb in my box....

Must stop buying tackle now.... although I need a mid-sized landing net after my last carp had to be folded in order for it to fit....

Nice! So smooth!

Clunky handle on 55..... Hmmmmm

Birthday Boy!

It was Foxy's birthday this weekend, so my lovely other half made him a cake.....

Good innit???

No fishing this weekend. Just roller skating and eating lots...... ;)

I just had to share a picture with you of my LOVERLY Okuma Epix V2 reels.

I bought 2 recently and think they're superb.

Good build quality, ultra smooth and a brilliant price.

Loaded with 12lb sensor.... Much heavier than I would normally use for carp, but am hoping to fish for some big lumps during the summer.

I've order the 30 series this week too.... Think one of those on my 10ft ledger rod will be ideal for dragging mirrors out of foxes lake....

Highly recommended!

8th April 2012 - Roughton

The Sunday of the Easter break saw yours truly and a long haired Dr Fox heading for Chapel Road in Roughton for some entertainment.

I decided to opt for an early start, but it didn't assist my catch performance.....

Foxy however, was on fine form!

Foxy had three carp in total. We didn't photograph the first one as he was camera shy....

I had to wait until the close of play for my one and only run of the day. Dr F had headed home for family based BBQ duties. I was alone and with only a match net to try and squish the fish into.....

I was rather pleased though. This little chunk took a lump of luncheon meat fished in the margins....

I also fished a light method feeder with maggots on a quivertip to ease the boredom and took a few tidy looking bream too. Shame they're such rubbish fighters.

Then the drizzle came...... so I went.....

A good fun day. I likes Roughton. It's a nice water.

Roll on the next trip!