10/04/09 - Fishponds

Weight – 97lb 11oz
Catch – 10 Carp, 8 Bream, 2 Tench, 2 Rudd, 1 Golden Orfe, 1 Eel, 1 Roach.
Weather – Cloudy, showery. Breezy start.
Water Temp–

With an exam later this month, fishing has taken a back seat due to revision, but today’s decision to go was a little last minute. I was hoping to catch a few bream, as well as a few carp.

I settled on peg 11 with the wind blowing into my face. Decided on 3 swims, 8m in front of me in 8ft of water feeding with micro pellet, 4mm pellet and corn. Bottom of the left hand margin and next to the reeds in the right hand margin, both fed with mostly 4mm pellet, plus 6mm pellet & corn.

After an hour I was beginning to wonder whether the angling gods were trying to tell me I should have stayed at home. Losing 4 carp, thrashing 2 rigs and 1 only had a 1½lb skimmer to show for my efforts.

I managed to slowly get it together, mostly catching bream & few carp over my 8m line, using sweetcorn on the hook. I found it best to pot a full cup of feed, but the fish weren’t settled and I fouled a few, so I decided to put 2 full pots in and this definitely improved things, producing few liners and better bites.

I kept feeding my margins with pellet and periodically tried each margin whilst resting my 8m line. The left hand margin produced very little, although a 2lb eel provided some amusement trying to get it in the landing net. The right hand though produced 5 carp in 5 put ins for 40lb, including 2 double figure fish, all on triple hair rigged corn. The only other fish from the margin was a 4lb golden orfe late on, bring my total silvers net to 32lb 1oz.

Spring is definitely on its way and I need to start putting the heavier elastic in, because the carp are definitely starting to get a bit lively.