Hi Folks.
I am chomping at the bit at the moment and am desperate to go fishing, but unfortunately it is not as simple as just throwing my gear in the back of the van and driving to the river Po with my boat. I have organised with a friend to go to a certain area that he knows and sadly now this is not happening till Monday. On speaking with a few Italian anglers I know you do have be rather careful on parts of this river if you are not a ‘local’ in the actual stretch you choose to fish; as if you happen to fish someone elses patch or a swim that someone else has been prebaiting for example – you could return to your van/vehicle after your session and find no windows, no wheels or a completely burnt out vehicle and I am not joking either! I have been given these wise words of advice by people who fish the Po. It is sometimes a case of knowing someone who can ensure you are introduced to the right people and they will make sure that nothing untoward happens whilst you fish.It all sounds rather cloak and dagger and I am sure it is not as bad as it sounds but without my van and trailer I would be stuffed as I am sure you all appreciate! I can’t afford to take any chances.
In the mean time I have called someone else I know and we are trying to find somewhere else to fish for a few days. The absence of fishing is starting to do my head in; I need to catch a carp, I need to get the rods out, I need to write the blog. Can you feel my frustration? Part of me now wishes I was set up in Aviron at Cassien!! However, I am thoroughly enjoying Italy and I am really positive that the silver lining to my cloud is close by – I just need to fish in order to find it!
Please be patient for a little while longer.
Jake and the dogs.
Latest Update.
The van is now loaded up and I am off tomorrow morning, nice and early, to look at two small lakes not too far from where I am currently based. I will fish at one of them till the Po happens next week.
A final update for the day
It is now 21.30pm Italian time. I have just been out for a few evening tipples with my new friends, as tomorrow I leave for a couple of weeks fishing. Such is the hospitality of the Italians, they felt it was only right to throw a small party as I am leaving for a short while. I joked with them that if the lake wasn’t up to much, would they throw a party if I returned tomorrow evening – to which they replied: “Yes Jake, of course!”
Joking aside, I am very excited about the prospect of leaving tomorrow morning to meet my friend Nicholas at a secret location, not too far away. I will fish for a few days at either one of the two lakes, and then on Sunday I shall depart and drive to meet my good friend Danilo, to fish at the Po for a week or so, or until my bait and food supllies runs out. I have about 100kg of boilies on board and about 30kg of pellet, and although I don’t expect to use too much at the lake, with river fishing you can never quite tell how much you might need. The plan when I return from the Po is to revert back to my original plan and go and fish the big lake that was frozen over when I looked at it earlier this week. Then a real long spring session will begin and as “Time Brings Fish” I am sure I will catch plenty!!
Catch you all tomorrow evening.
Jake and the dogs!
Tags: cassien, jake langley-hobbs, River Po
February 16, 2010 at 1:43 pm |
Jake , just be patient your self.
B sure you find a good spot to fish.
Rather save then sorry.
Good Luck Hennie.
February 16, 2010 at 3:42 pm |
Can’t you do anything yourself? You are always asking this guy or that guy, or this guy brings this or that guy brings that… Just find a place to fish yourself!
And waiting for the fish moving to the reservoir is no big deal either at Cassien. Time brings fish.
February 16, 2010 at 5:26 pm |
ha ha… thanks Dan for posting the most hilarious comment yet to date on my blog…seriously… well done!!
February 16, 2010 at 6:38 pm |
Hello Jake,
I’ve been reading your bloq for a while, but this is the first comment. I hope for you that the small lake wille give a big surprise.
And the stories the Italians telle you are not far from the truth. A friend of mine fished in Italy and all was fine, till he caught a few big ones. Police came a couple of times per night, about 15 ugly guys stood right behind him while he was landing a big fish, making remarks about his health. By then he knew fishing time was over in that lake. So be happy you have Italian friends to introduce you.
February 16, 2010 at 7:15 pm |
Hi Ruud.
I am happy and very fortunate to have many friends in Italy and I am grateful for their help and advice. No-one wrote in the rule book that you have to do everything by yourself and I am not foolish. Why make life difficult for yourself eh… when someone is kind enough to offer some support and assistance in a country I know little about. I guess some carp anglers are genuine and happy to help each other and some are just bitter and a little bit twisted…as my friend George calls them…the haters!!
Thanks for your comment and I look forward to having the rods out by tomorrow evening. I am now off to buy some food for my trip from the local supermarket, which I might add – I found all by myself.
Cheers
Jake and the dogs
February 16, 2010 at 7:26 pm |
LOL!! Don’t let such idiotic comments like that Dan guy get into you to much Jake, you’re living a unique and awesome few years of fishing and some people just get jealous
Take care and hopefully you’ll be fishing and catching soon!!
Greetings, also to the dogs,
Harmen.
February 16, 2010 at 9:04 pm |
Hey mate, chill, and enjoy, find a nice tobac and buy a big cigar, have a nice glass of red and try not to think about the fishing, you are living the dream, so enjoy it.
I hope all goes well over the next few weeks, however I can tell there are worries at the back of your mind my man, do what your head tells you to do, if you feel France is a safer option go for it, none of use would think any the worse of you mate, sod loosing the van etc……..whatever you decide to do we will all be waiting with baited (no pun intended LOL) breath for you next report of a large fish. Crack on mate and enjoy yourself, remember your doing this for yourself, no one else matters.
Rodders
February 16, 2010 at 9:24 pm |
Hi Jake and Dogs
You sound well mate! Good to hear your getting some very helpful info on a foreign water, sounds harsh.
Getting loads of info from your adventure. There’s a whole encyclopedia in there… ‘Magic’, whole new world opened up (who goes out before the gritters eh?) Looking forward to your Italian common photos.
Cheers, all the best,
George
February 16, 2010 at 9:26 pm |
P.S. My wife, Margherita, says your new-found friend is a ‘testa di cazzo’;-)
February 16, 2010 at 9:40 pm |
Hey Jake
Keep on believing buddy, you give us internet carpers, (as I am at this time of year!), our daily fix of the unknown so keep on keeping on!
Ben
February 16, 2010 at 9:51 pm |
I hope you find a secure location as soon as possible in the Po jake in the meantime good luck fishing in the lake
February 17, 2010 at 10:17 am |
Jake my old pal! Your back…do you realise how dull n boring days in the office have been without the daily update..lol
Seriously really glad things are looking back on track, and goodluck and the new venue, if only for a few days its a smart move using local knowledge whereever you fish…oh by the way theres always one isnt there..let me see…you go on a 5 year mission for big carp…BY YOURSELF….hmmm…
February 17, 2010 at 10:40 am |
Jake,
Yeah, the life of a carpfisher doesnt go over roses. (Its a dutch saying, whicht doesnt hold in english). Too bad that the security thing is the first thing you have to worry about when you think of a place to fish. As you were saying, the soup is never eaten as hot as it is served (hahaha, another dutch saying).
Keep the faith and F*%# the italian criminals, hold on to your friends and you will find a place to fish. Hope frost will go away for abaout 12 months or so.
grtz
Leon
February 17, 2010 at 12:12 pm |
You are definitely not a carper hero like you try to present yourself with the blogs. Yes, time brings fish even with bad plastic marbles from Dynamite. Sooner or later a stupid fish will come, but not very often as you can see in your results of the last months…hmm, last year. You have caught your last decent carp yourself at Madine and before that at Cassien. At the Orient it was Lee’s spot and I bet you just played the carp on Lee’s rod. I don’t want to say anything about commercials, but maybe that is the key word. You should go to Rainbow and catch a few 30kg carp…
Are you really scared of some places in Italy? I mean if you can destroy the environment with your chainsaw a little cheeky gypsy should’nt be a big problem.
I know that you just delete postings with different opinions like you did before. No worries, it doesn’t have to be public as long as you read it. Or let the brown nosed ppl let you back up a bit…
Good luck on your next venue,
Dan
February 17, 2010 at 8:53 pm |
????????????????????????????????
Last time I looked at my nose it was skin colour lol, each to there own mate. Theres always one.
February 19, 2010 at 11:15 am |
Dan has obiously got far too much time on his hands or maybe a cock in one and key board in the other. Try getting out there and doing some fishing yourself rather than worrying what jakes up to. It shows in your comments that you obviously read jakes blog regularly with green eyes I believe.
February 19, 2010 at 12:39 pm |
I think some people are best left alone Luke. The guy obviously has issues so ignore him. Above all, he is entitled to his views. Sometimes I need a good laugh and negative comments like his have a positive effect – they make me stronger as a person and more committed to catch carp. In a way Dan has done me a favour!
All the best
Jake and the dogs