Carp Fishing Catch Up - Michael Stewart

This entry was posted on 24th May, 2016

After the capture of Brushstrokes in late March, April was a slow month for me. Poor weather, busier banks, and a couple of wrong moves on my part meant that areas that had been producing for me were non starters. With the additional lines in the water, resulting in three blanks on the trot, it wasn’t until the end of April that I received my next bite!

I arrived at my usual lake mid-afternoon on Friday and, with only one other angler present, I had the pick of the lake. With no shows to go on I settled for a swim on the back of the northerly wind - it felt far warmer in the spring sunshine on that bank.

I put my rods out to silty areas, all around 30-40 yards in 12-18 feet of water. I fished all three on the KD rig and a balanced 10mm boilie/plastic corn hook bait, with two on Dynamite Baits White Chocolate and Coconut and the other on The Crave. All had a small PVA bag of pellet and 10mm whole and crushed boilies. With the water warming up I knew it was time to introduce the fishmeal baits again, so I added The Crave 10mm to the White Chocolate and Coconut pellet, particle, and boilie mix I had created, too. I spombed the whole lot out, spreading the bait between the three spots.

At dusk a fish finally showed not too far from the left rod, but that was the only indication I had for the day. Saturday dawned with clear skies and the sun soon melted the frosty morning away. At around 11 am I wound the rods in and went for a wander to see if I should be making a move to a different area, but after an hour I was uninspired. With nothing to go on I put fresh hook baits on my rods and half a dozen spombs over each spot.

I got my first taste of action at 2.30pm when the left had rod pulled up tight with the tip pulling down. P powerful carp was on the other end, ploughing down the deep margins to my left then across to the island in a bid for freedom. The size 8 Korda Kurv hook wasn’t budging and after 5 minutes a familiar shape was in the net, Lumpy - 30lb mirror. I always say that a repeat beats a blank, and Lumpy came in 33lb 3oz and looking healthy for her battle scared lumpy old frame. No more action came my way, but at least I had avoided a fourth blank!

I had the following week off work and planned to return Wednesday or Thursday, but a relapse of my back problem and a trapped nerve in my neck put an end to that idea – even if I had semi-loaded and unloaded the car before common sense prevailed!

Last weekend I was fully fit (or as close as I will ever get to fully fit!) and back on the bank in Cambridgeshire for my usual two nights. Three others on the south bank automatically had me heading to the opposite side of the lake. It was due to be a very warm weekend and I had the floater kit with me!

I spent a good hour walking the banks and climbing trees. I hadn’t seen cruising carp or a show to go on but I persevered anyway. My third time up a certain tree and I was just about to climb down when three good carp ghosted into the margins below and then ghosted out again before another very good fish waddled in, did a little circle, and swam 15 yards out to drop down into the deep water. I thought I’d very much like to make its acquaintance – my swim choice was made!

The fish had moved off so I had a quick lead about and found two nice silty but clear areas close in left and right. Both rods went out with KD rigs, 10mm Crave/plastic corn hook baits, and a PVA bag. My middle rod was going out towards the point of the island on to a shallow, clearish, but fishable area. I rigged it with a short chod and a 12mm White Chocolate and Coconut pop up.

With the rods out I left the lines to settle and started to make a bucket of mix. I noticed the line on the middle rod flick slightly but I put this down to the 20lb X-line I favour settling on the lake bed. I let off another few feet of line and was returning to the bait prep when I heard two clicks from the clutch. The line whipped up through the water! I picked up the rod, tightened the clutch, and walked back, easing the carp away from the island and into open water before easing off the clutch again. The fish stayed up in the water rather than boring down in to the deep water and fought on the surface all the way to the net – straight in on the first attempt! A decent looking leathery mirror lay sulking in the mesh. On the scales it went to 33lb 3oz, I took a few pictures, and off it went back out into the lake. A very welcome quick bite after weeks of struggling!



I finished sorting the bait and put a dozen spombs over each area and got myself settled for the night. I kept an eye on a margin spot I put a little of the mix on but nothing occurred, not even a roach was visiting the area. I moved one of the rods further out as the fish were not coming in close. At 4.30 am the island rod pulled up again, no line could be taken against the locked up clutch and another carp was soon plodding around in the deep margins and netted without any drama. It was a mid 20 mirror by the looks of it. I popped the hook out in the net, secured it, attached a fresh short chod and 12mm pop up, and got the rod back out before I dealt with the fish. This is something worth doing often, as the fish isn’t going anywhere and gives them some recovery time. It was a familiar scaly mirror of 26lb 4oz. With everything sorted I fired up the stove for that first brew of the day.



The day began to warm up around 7am and by 9am I was introducing floaters by the spomb, as well as a catapult. An hour or so later and the hoards of feathered rascals seemed to be full, I was rubbing my hands thinking I was definitely in for a chance off the top, especially as I had one or two fish feeding in amongst the birds! My anticipation was short lived, however, and the two resident swans turned up. All hell broke loose! Swans on geese, geese on swans, gulls diving the ducks! It seemed as if every water orientated bird was having a pop at another feathered fiend and spooking any carp that fancied a mixer or two! It remained that way for the whole day, although I persevered till mid afternoon before I finally threw in the towel!

I recast the three bottom rods and gave each spot a good helping of the mix, with more going out towards the island. 8pm came around and it looks as if I was going to have a carbon copy of the morning’s take as a carp soon moved away from the island and into open water. However, it wasn’t to be as easy as my morning battle. I loosened off the clutch and off it went – even as I tightened the clutch it kept on going! I could tell by the weight that it wasn’t a big fish but it was packing one hell of a punch! This scenario went on for about ten minutes until it finally ran out of steam and I netted a very angry looking male mirror. 24lb 5oz of pure muscle! It was eventually calm enough for a few selfies before I returned it to the water.

I put the 3kg of pellet, particle, and boilie I had left out to the island spot, as well as a fresh hookbait and rig. Again the night was quiet with nothing showing. I woke at first light, disappointed that I’d not received anymore action. I watched the water for 15 minutes or so before I rolled over, thinking I’d get a little more sleep. At that moment the middle rod locked up. Again I walked backwards easing the fish into open water, after that it basically swam straight in the net! I could see it was another mid-20lb mirror. The rod was recast back to the spot before I held up the 26lb 4oz carp in front of the camera, with its dark flanks and chestnut belly it made a very pretty picture!

With the weather warming up and only a couple of handfuls of floating bait rattling around in the bucket I packed up, leaving the feathered armada to continue its battles.

The Tackle Box Harrison Torrix TE 12’6” 20lb X-line Size 5 ESP Cryogen Stiff riggers Korda Dark Matter Braid 15lb Korda 25lb Mouth Trap ESP Silt Leadcore Advanta Discovery Rehab Cradle Advanta Discovery Rehab Sling Advanta CX Landing net 42”

The Bait Box Dynamite Baits The Crave Dynamite Baits White Chocolate and Coconut