Good Evening.
A quick check on the weather confirmed my thoughts this morning – the weather is dull and it looks like I will have no sunshine for about a week or so. Words like cloudy, showers, sprinkles, and drizzle, don’t exactly have you rushing for the suntan lotion; but it is still early spring and I will have to be patient! The lake I am fishing at is further North than I have fished to date and is closer to the Alpes, which is probably why the weather is as it is. I can’t grumble though! I am in a beautiful setting, I am fishing, and the weather is at least constant, which can only be good for the fishing.
With regards to the carp fishing I have done diddly-squat today. I said yesterday that the rods are staying put for several days and that’s what will happen. I don’t need to introduce any more bait either, but every couple of days I will introduce a very small quantity of krushed baits, around where I dropped my actual hook baits. Someone asked me today on Facebook whether I had caught anything yet? The answer was no! I am not actually expecting to catch for a few days as I don’t think there are carp here in numbers yet. The lake is also very big and deep in places and I am fishing a shallower part. It may need a slight rise in the temperatures to get fish moving into this part of the lake. I am confident I am in a very good place though and this was confirmed yesterday when another carp angler arrived in a boat to fish this swim. He saw me set up, shook his head in dismay, quickly turned the boat around, and zoomed across the lake to look for another spot.
It's a place to sleep, and a place to work!
Because I know there is a waiting process involved in the session I have had a very productive day. I have written my first piece for a Dutch magazine called Spiegel which is the third article I have written in the last ten days. It now means I am up to date with everything. Last week I wrote my first part of a mini series for the Italian magazine Carpaxtutti, and of course there is my ongoing series No Fixed Abode in International Carper, that had to be taken care of. I don’t think I will be sitting in the sun much in the next few days as it won’t be shining, so I might just write some more to get ahead of schedule.
Cooking up a storm!
Overcast weather food..."Perfick," as Pa Larkin would say!
Apart from the writing I have had a little spring clean of my cooking equipment, and I have cooked some lovely food. Today’s dinner had a British feel to it with a beef casserole and mashed potatoes! I have also enjoyed watching my dogs stockpiling sticks from the plethora of wood that adorns the woodland ground. They literally are in doggy heaven!
Charley guarding my makeshift Internet ariel!
I mentioned I was having Internet problems at the start of my session. I have remedied this with an extendable bankstick and some gaffer tape! I attached the dongle to the end of the bankstick, after wrapping it in a plastic bag, and with the aid of a USB extension cable, I now have a pretty good reception. I think the trees in the woodland are the problem and having the dongle a few feet in the air seems to have done the trick. As a test I tried Skyping a few people this evening; the reception was crystal clear which is always a good sign. Skype is fantastic and I was on the phone for over an hour to the UK speaking to family members and friends. How much does it cost? 4 Euros a month for 10,000 minutes – what a bargain!
It is almost bedtime so I am going to call it a night.
Catch you tomorrow.
Jake and the dogs.
P.S Don’t touch their sticks!
Tags: Alpes, Carpaxtutti, Facebook, International Carper, jake langley-hobbs, No Fixed Abode, Skype, Spiegel
March 22, 2010 at 12:25 am |
Hello Jake,
Looks like you are having a nice camp over there, can believe the other carp angler in his boat shook his head, his was thinking one man 3 bivies
The north of Italie is my favourite part, good weather,people, food…..
Your food is also looking tastefull.
Hope the carps are comming soon as the temp rise. Looking forward to read the article in the Spiegel, one of the magazines i’m reading regularly.
Regards Hennie
Stroke the dogs and take care of there sticks when they are sleeping
March 22, 2010 at 11:16 am |
Hennie!
One man and “two” dogs. The dogs bring so much with them Hennie. I tell them to pack their bags smaller, but they both now write their own blogs these days and just like me they each have their own laptop,table and chair. Flash has to send back countless emails from all the adoring bitches he has, and Charley has become a bit of a primadonna and now has to ensure she looks beautiful before she leaves the bivvy each morning just in case she gets photographed….What can you do Hennie!!!!
March 22, 2010 at 10:42 am |
Wow Jake, what a campsite…i mean swim! The lake looks stunning and you seem chuffed to bits, so goodluck pal…got a question for you actually…when fishing close in as you are why do you have your rod tips up so high,..surely you would want em pointing down towards the lake…just a thoughts and what do i know anyway..havent been on the bank since last September lol
Good luck as always mate
Geoff
March 22, 2010 at 11:04 am |
Morning Geoff.
Basically I will be playing the fish from the boat and I have backleads on the lines to enable me to push the boat out past the other rods, without the motor catching the other lines. This is a shallow lake close in and it does mean the boat has to be kept on the shoreline until it is needed. I know English anglers all have their rods 5mm apart with the banksticks as close together as possible and handles folded in (but that’s only because the anglers 5m either side of him are doing it!!!) Wait till you see my new Italian Meccanica Vadese rod pod which is being delivered to me on Saturday by the manufacturers son!! Now that will get people talking!!!!
Have a nice Monday mate!
March 22, 2010 at 4:30 pm |
As regarding the weather in Italy,it’s not much better here in blighty…. Managed two days fishing last week in sunshine,but now the weather has turned for the worse here in Gloucestershire. Keep up the good work (Enjoyable read)….
March 22, 2010 at 8:43 pm |
Hi Jake..loving the blog and im a avid follower. I met your mate, Lee Croson down at Cassien last year as he was running trips for Rob Hughes. Lee actually received your call to inform him that you had a 64 from Gigantica whilst Lee was having a BBQ with our family.
I like the look of the rod pod. I have been reading Tim Paisley’s from the Bivvy. Its amazing how much tackle has developed since he wrote that. He had the old KGB rod pod and that blew over in the gale force wind. Not much chance of that happening with yours I feel.
As you spend some much time fishing, do you feel you can make a existing product better or have any new ideas tackle wise you think would benefit the carp fishing world?
March 22, 2010 at 10:38 pm |
Hi John.
Thanks for your nice message of support. I have plenty of ideas and it all comes from my background in technology I suppose and the fact I am a very creative soul! I found teaching technology to students a drag, but when you can apply your degree to something you love i.e. fishing….then it suddenly becomes very enjoyable! I do pass somne of my ideas onto my sponsors and I give them plenty of feedback on products etc… I am too busy with the fishing and writing to be able to do much more at the moment unfortunately!
I am going to be helping Sonik with a landing net design later in the year as I have found using most landing nets in boats to be rather inadequate and cumbersome.
Cheers.
Jake
March 23, 2010 at 5:11 pm |
Hi Jake and the dogs,
how are you? Now in Milan there is a sun at last! I hope also for you. Every day I reading your blog. Congratulations for the organization, for the food and for the internet connection. Good idea!
Ciao e buona fortuna
Emanuele
March 23, 2010 at 8:59 pm |
Yes Emanuele. Sunshine here today too which was very much appreciated! Especially by the dogs who found a sunny spot to lie in all day! The lake has woken a little just after today’s warmth and already the water temp has crept up. Small fish topping – all good signs for some carp action soon I hope!
Take care my friend.
Jake and the dogs