First Overnight of The Year

Thursday 30th - Friday 31st April, 16:00 - 15:30. Brook Field with Pete. Rain overnight then overcast. 14>9>14C.

Pete and I did an overnight at Brook field for carp. We thought if we threw time at it, the problem of catching the not insignificant target of 66+lbs would be easily overcome. It wasn't. We didn't.

Because I was fishing into the night I set up two rods on leads with hair-rigged bait. Not my favourite style of fishing and not one at which I excel. I used centrepin reels on barbel rods as I was only fishing a rod length out from the margin.

I know which type of bite alarm I prefer. Analogue.

I had brought that carrier bag full of particles with me (from a previous post) and added some of the seedy liquor and half a bag of fishmeal ground bait which made a lovely slurry.

I used my home made baiting spoon to lob this mix out to where I was fishing.

The ground bait soon brought fish into the area and both lines were twitching a jerking like mad, but nothing picked up either the boilies or pellets on the hook. I have a theory as to why this was which I'll come to at the end.

Big attentive man.

 I worked my way through a whole spectrum of rigs throughout the evening in case there were carp in the swim which I wasn't hooking. Fixed/running leads, short/long and stiff/supple hook lengths, long/short hair.

My bait spoon is next to my bucket in this photo. It's a Wilko's garden scoop on the end of a pinata stick!

It rained heavily almost from the off which prevented Pete and I having the usual social between pegs over a beer or two. Pete usually feigns sophistication by drinking wine from a plastic cup.

I caught three carp during the night but all were small.

Dawn came and we were both up early. I spotted movement along a nearby reed line and was over there with my float rod in flash. Within thirty seconds of dropping my bait near the rooting marginal fish I had hooked it. At 7lbs odd it was by far the biggest yet.

That made my mind up for me. I wound in the leger rods and spent the rest of the day doing what I do best: chasing opportunities in the margins. Baiting here and there and moving between swims looking for signs.

There were a few fish round the edge at dawn.

Warm early morning sun after the preceding nights rain lifted the spirits.

I had four or five more carp during the day but ended with only a thirty pound total weight.

Here are my theories. Firstly the average size of carp in the pool is much smaller than the fish that were  moved into it prior to the ground works. It is likely the carp have bred and the now plentiful younger generations do not have the room to grow like their parents before them.

Secondly, just before the end I emptied the remains of my particle bucket into the margin swim I was fishing. Within minutes the area was totally 'clouded up' by small fish hoovering up the particles. A number of carp patrolling the edge spooked away from the cloudy water, as if they weren't willing to feed blind within it. I'm wondering if I achieved the same effect yesterday evening by spooning out  the bait?

Cheers.