3.4.09 - Hopsford Hall. Mild and mostly sunny with a Southerly wind.
Had a day off on Friday with the aim of getting amongst the Wild Carp and possibly Rudd and Perch from the Duckery at Hopsford Hall.
My plan was a simple one; float fish maggots a few rods out and double my chances with a light Carp outfit to the same baited area. Coupled with a carpet of homemade groundbait surely the Duckery would yield a Wildie or two.
I arrived about half past eight in the morning and despite the barrier across the main path made my way to the small pool. I thought the barrier probably meant a tree had fallen or the mud was bad on the path or something.
Once set up I trickled the maggots in over a four ball bed of groundbait. It was quiet. The water looked in good nick, pretty clear and fresh.
After half an hour my mind started to churn as I hadn't seen any sign of the Carp I was after and my float hadn't moved. I started to get that sinking feeling when the variance between actual and plan is polar.
After forty five minutes I caught a small and welcome Roach. After an hour a guy from the main lake came down and immediately asked 'what are you doing'? Thinking him a bit daft I said I was after the resident wild Carp. He quickly informed me that I'd be lucky as the pool I was fishing had been drained down to the mud a fortnight ago and all the fish moved to a nearby holding pool because of a problem with levels on this pool. Who's daft now!?
I moved up to the main pool.
Moving swims is never as easy as just picking up your gear and putting it down somewhere else but after a few alterations I was fishing again on the dam wall. The float went under pretty much every cast from the off and Roach after Roach was swung in. I must have weighed ten fish throughout the course of the day for the purposes of the 'Fishing Challenge' I have with my mate but none would make it over ten ounces.
The Roach were about two to the pound and I had a sack load of them throughout the day. I picked up bonus carp of 10lbs 3oz and 13lb 6ozs on the float rod around tea time and had one on the light lead late on at 19lbs 9ozs, so two points in the challenge. Try and spot the difference between this fish and the big Barbel I caught recently - I think the carp is a touch slimmer.
I gave the wag and mag a go for an hour in the middle of the afternoon after a large ghostie intercepted the maggots on the way down - was hooked and then quickly got off - but no joy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day as the float was never visible for long. I also heard first hand tales of some large Roach which is encouraging.
The scores on the doors after today are.....
Tight lines.
Had a day off on Friday with the aim of getting amongst the Wild Carp and possibly Rudd and Perch from the Duckery at Hopsford Hall.
My plan was a simple one; float fish maggots a few rods out and double my chances with a light Carp outfit to the same baited area. Coupled with a carpet of homemade groundbait surely the Duckery would yield a Wildie or two.
I arrived about half past eight in the morning and despite the barrier across the main path made my way to the small pool. I thought the barrier probably meant a tree had fallen or the mud was bad on the path or something.
Once set up I trickled the maggots in over a four ball bed of groundbait. It was quiet. The water looked in good nick, pretty clear and fresh.
After half an hour my mind started to churn as I hadn't seen any sign of the Carp I was after and my float hadn't moved. I started to get that sinking feeling when the variance between actual and plan is polar.
After forty five minutes I caught a small and welcome Roach. After an hour a guy from the main lake came down and immediately asked 'what are you doing'? Thinking him a bit daft I said I was after the resident wild Carp. He quickly informed me that I'd be lucky as the pool I was fishing had been drained down to the mud a fortnight ago and all the fish moved to a nearby holding pool because of a problem with levels on this pool. Who's daft now!?
I moved up to the main pool.
Moving swims is never as easy as just picking up your gear and putting it down somewhere else but after a few alterations I was fishing again on the dam wall. The float went under pretty much every cast from the off and Roach after Roach was swung in. I must have weighed ten fish throughout the course of the day for the purposes of the 'Fishing Challenge' I have with my mate but none would make it over ten ounces.
The Roach were about two to the pound and I had a sack load of them throughout the day. I picked up bonus carp of 10lbs 3oz and 13lb 6ozs on the float rod around tea time and had one on the light lead late on at 19lbs 9ozs, so two points in the challenge. Try and spot the difference between this fish and the big Barbel I caught recently - I think the carp is a touch slimmer.
I gave the wag and mag a go for an hour in the middle of the afternoon after a large ghostie intercepted the maggots on the way down - was hooked and then quickly got off - but no joy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day as the float was never visible for long. I also heard first hand tales of some large Roach which is encouraging.
The scores on the doors after today are.....
Tight lines.
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