Good Evening.
I hope you are all well and have enjoyed a good weekend wherever you are. Thank you for all your messages of congratulations on my first carp and let’s hope there are more to come. Last night started off in similar fashion with some chub action. I immediately redropped the rods back in position after each fish had been unhooked and carefully put back into the water! This is the beauty of having all the essentials with you in the boat and I carry a small pack in my boat containing a few terminal tackle items, and a few bits of bait. This makes the process of rebaiting and redropping your hookbait after each caught fish, much more straightforward, and it also saves on your boat battery as everything can be done in the one journey.
Trakker's little cups are okay, but I prefer my monster half litre mug!
No carp arrived in the night and apart from a bird pick up at 7am this morning (coot), that was all that happened. I had my morning coffee and some pastries and after having a little think about the situation I decided not to rest on my laurels; I needed to make a few changes. As much as I like to catch chub if I am chub fishing, they are a nuisance and it does mean potentially they are taking the hookbait before a carp has a chance to find it. I decided to up the hookbait offering and have added a 26mm bottom bait along with the 20mm pop up – a proper shaped snowman! On one other rod I have swapped from one pop up to two. All of this means it should be a little harder for Mr Chub to hook himself by accident and might allow a feeding carp to take the bait instead. I am encouraged by the fish activity though and feel I am on the right track and am now offering my baits at a good level in the water. The humps or bars that I am placing my baits on are not that big in fact, about the size of a dining table, and it is in fact like laying out the table for dinner! I can see everything from the boat and it is very satisfying to drop the rig slowly, carefully watching it land so the hooklink is straight, and then finally dropping boilies and crushed boilies around the neighbouring area. After each rod is finished it is lovely to look at your handiwork and you can just imagine a carp swimming in the water column and coming across this carefully laid out feast on a towering table; in theory it all sounds too easy!
Emmanuel and Stefano arrive for an afternoon chin wag!
Bearing gifts too!
Cake...I just love the cake!!
Once I had finished my work for the day I was just about to start writing my diary piece for Korda when two friends arrived. (Make note to self…do diary piece tomorrow!) Stefano is someone I featured in the first part of the Italian episode in No Fixed Abode, and he was accompanied today by his friend Emmanuel – both very keen carp anglers. They appeared bearing a gift which was a nice surprise! I opened it and it was some traditional Italian cakes; perfect timing as I was just thinking about some coffee. Stefano is going to let me fish at a private section on a smaller lake not far from here in May and June. It holds some stunning looking carp and I can’t wait. It is a long way off but it is good to have some future plans. After this lake I am heading off to a slightly bigger water about 50km from here. This lake is approximately 1200 acres and the next one I fish at is around 1800. Lots of water to angle at and it holds some whackers too.
Even the Colonel would have been proud of my chicken!
So much infact, he told me to show you two pictures!!
I am really getting into the fire cooking. Last night saw three chicken drumsticks sizzling away and I have my technique down to perfection. A good bed of hot embers needs to be built up first and as you are in Italy…there is no rush. Time builds a good fire and quality embers are what’s needed. Once the bed of embers is glowing orange, I place my cooking grill on two supports. It is crucial not to have the grill too close to the embers or burning will take place and the dripping fat will ignite in the fire. Regular turning is very important and moving the meat off the flames is wise or you may have black bits that once resembled edible food. It is just like a bbq of course but much more satisfying. Oh…tonight I had steak!!!
Well that is all for this weekend. Thanks for tuning in and catch you tomorrow with more from Jake’s Daily Carp Fishing Blog!
Cheers
Jake and the dogs
