Archive for May, 2012

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Fishing, Fitness, Friends and Fiestas!

May 21, 2012

Good Evening.

I am writing this from my bed! Not my bedchair, but my actual bed in my house. I am chilling whilst watching some programmes on Discovery Max, and suddenly remembered the message I received on my blog, whilst I was undertaking my last session at Sierra Brava. The request was would I write the occasional blog when I am not fishing, so here we go.

I have a session planned at Sierra Brava in the next few days, which will probably take me up till the end of the month, give or take a day or three. I am still living by my new rule with regards to my fishing these days, which is ‘I go when I want to, and not because I have to’.  I could be fishing right now, as I have no clients, and therefore have plenty of free time, but I have a few other things I am taking care of at the moment that are taking precedence.

My giving up cigarettes is going very well. I have not had one for over a month now, and I am really chuffed with my effort. I feel healthier, probably look healthier, and I want my new routine in life to continue. In addition, I have almost removed alcohol from my life. Not completely, as I still like to have the odd social drink with friends. However, I feel I am a much better person without alcohol in my day-to-day life. I can take it or leave it in truth, but it’s when I drink, that my naughty side appears, so I now avoid the odd lunchtime beer with my Spanish friends, and I am now throwing myself back into exercise instead.

Fitness is equally as important as fishing.

I have always loved exercise, in particular cycling, weights, swimming, and boxing. With the money I have saved from smoking in the last month I have added a punch-bag to my patio gym/workout space, and a new barbel with weights. I have also taken advantage of a few bargains on Spanish Ebay. After a very cheeky bid in the last two seconds, a second-hand carbon framed bike is now in the post, so I will be out climbing those hills in the next few weeks. At the moment I am slowly rebuilding my right pectoral muscle after an injury last year, so I am taking extra care, and avoiding the heavy stuff! I have added a few kilos to my body weight so I am happy with my progress.

I love cycling and I live in the right climate.

Life is all about balance really, and after all the fishing I crammed into such a short space of time, I need to ensure that when I go fishing these days, I will enjoy the experience. I still love my hobby but I can’t just sit at the lake enduring it any longer, and fortunately as Sierra Brava is close to my home, I can always pack up and go home if I have had enough. One of my dilemmas in life is my very low boredom threshold, and I feel I now have a few extra things to help with that. I would really like a female for company but I am working on that, and that is all I can say on the matter!

My aim over the next few months is to divide my summer time between fishing, fitness, friends, and fiestas! I have a trip planned back to the UK in July for a quick week, to catch up with my family, and my best friend and his wife, as they have had their first baby. I also have my friend Dan popping out to see me in July, so I will take him carp fishing for his first time which should be fun. Also, in July and August they open the municipal pool in my village called Zorita. My daily swimming training can begin once again, even if it is just for ten weeks!

With regards to my previous post about the cattle pond carp, I will update you on my progress. So far I have been observing their behaviour in their environment. Where they like to feed, and where they are generally found. The only cover is the reeds, so generally they are taking refuge in there, but I have also noticed one of them likes to take floaters from the rocky edge. I haven’t seen the larger fish since I last saw him, but I am sure he will appear when I am least expecting it.

An ongoing project!

The good thing about this little project is it can be a labour of love over a period of weeks. There is no rush, and I can fit it in between my dog walks, as I usually have a rod ready in my vehicle. One thing I have noticed is the fish seem to prefer the dog biscuit to bread! The other amusing observation is how many people appear whan I attempt to do any fishing. The other day I had a cheeky little carp taking biscuits at my feet. I was crouched down and out of view, and I was just about to have a go for him when a local appeared! He shouted hello, and then came and stood right at the water’s edge watching me. Not surprisingly the carp vanished!

That’s all for tonight.

Cheers

Jake Langley-Hobbs

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Saving the Carp from a Cattle Watering Hole!

May 17, 2012

Good Afternoon.

I am sat eating my lunch having just returned from walking my dog! I often take Flash in my Navara to an area with a dusty track that leads out into the open countryside. It’s a three-minute drive, and then we can walk for an hour if need be, depending on the time of day, and the burning heat of course.

He loves his bed, but loves a walk too!

The Spanish have a rather unique and direct way of describing the weather. Different regions have different accents and language patterns, but in my village it is either said as: “Que calor!” or “Que frio!” They translate to: that heat, or that cold!

The Spanish really don’t beat around the bush when it comes to their language, whereas the English like to add extra, and quite often unnecessary words into their conversation. For example: “Isn’t is hot today?” Or “The party last night was very good!” The Spanish would simply describe a similar situation as “Que bueno!”

The longer I live in Spain, the more I begin to understand about their language, and it’s beginning to make much more sense in all honesty. Is there really any need for idle chit-chat after all? Just say what you mean in a few words and be done with it!

The temperature has really climbed in the last week. It was 37 C at Sierra Brava at the weekend and 41 C in Andalucia! This kind of heat can quickly reduce water levels, and on my walk there are a few small ponds, or man-made watering holes for grazing cattle. There are two just on the outskirts of my village, and amazingly they both hold carp. The fact the larger of the two holds carp is not so surprising, but the second tiny one beggars belief really! I don’t know if an angler added some from Sierra Brava, but I spotted a carp that must be upper-double size last year, and I spotted him again just yesterday, along with a few other scamps.

Low water levels at the drinking hole.

Normally the water level is a good metre higher than what it is now, and with the very hot weather that is imminent, I can see this watering hole drying up over the summer. I can see the carp perishing as oxygen levels decrease, so I have come up with a plan, to catch the carp in the watering hole, and then move them to the larger pond up the road.

Before anyone reads this post and screams that you can’t move carp – it’s illegal! Firstly, I am not doing this for financial gain, or to boost day ticket numbers. These are two stagnant holes in the ground that cattle drink from, and no one actually fishes. I am doing this mission solely for the welfare of the carp. They will no doubt flourish and grow larger in their new environment, and I am sure their lives will be richer and extended, rather than face a certain, grim and painful death later this summer.

Carp love them!

What is my plan? To catch them on floaters of course! I have a lovely little Sonik stalker rod – 9ft 2lb/tc which I will use, and I started the exercise off today, introducing  few handfuls of Flash’s dog biscuits (much to his disgust). They soon started eating them off the top, so I don’t think catching them will be that difficult. I will keep you posted on my progress and photograph the carp as they are caught and released into their new environment.

I spotted an upper-double carp in here yesterday!

I may have my first go for one this evening at dusk, as the sun sinks.

I am off for a siesta now. It is Spain after all!

Cheers

Jake Langley-Hobbs

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Carp fishing, but with added steroids!

May 16, 2012

Written by my weekend client – Barry Aldridge.

Second fish of the day was a new PB common.

So, I’ve just got back from a long weekend on Sierra Brava with Jake and his dog Flash. I have enjoyed it enough to want to write about it, and to let anybody else out there who is thinking about booking, to stop thinking about it, and get yourself booked! You won’t regret it.

I live in Andalucia so it was just a case of getting in the car and doing a 4 hour drive to his house. The Tomtom took me right to his door and the drive is enjoyable in itself, a truly beautiful part of the world. I left work early on the Thursday and arrived around 9 pm. A few beers were in order to get to know each other and see a bit of Zorita, a nice little pueblo where everybody knows everybody.

It was hot weekend – Flash loved it!

Friday morning started with us loading up the 4by4 after a coffee and breakfast and off we go to get a good spot for the weekend. Jakes knowledge of the lake is as impressive as the size of it and we were soon in an idyllic spot that looked full of potential for the fishing ahead. It being May the carp were spawning amongst the trees about 60 yards or so in front of us so there was no doubt that there were fish in the area.

It seems Korda has produced another clanger of a product. Remember Hybrid Stiff – this isn’t any better for sudden breakages.

Jake helped me out with the tactics for the weekend and got to work on improving my casting accuracy and distance straight away. The first day was an ok start with a lower double as a first fish, and then a lovely looking common that just tipped over the 20lb mark. I had two savage takes during the night, one at 2 am and one around 4 am. The first got off and the second managed to snap my 25lb braid Korda Super Natural hook link! The power of the fish before it managed to snap me was extremely impressive and although I was disappointed it had got off it also got me excited with the potential of the fish that were clearly out in front of us.

Barry was treated to a new PB mirror too!

The fish spent most of Saturday spawning but the takes started again just as the sun was going down. I landed a beautiful mirror, just over 27lb, after a long and enjoyable fight and just had enough light left to get plenty of bait out for the night with the Spomb. A 23lb common woke me up at 4am and then around 6 am I was into what I knew was a good fish straight away. A little while later I was holding a PB common of 29.7lb with Jake taking the photos. A perfect start to the day.

Awesome fish to begin the day with – 29lbs 7oz.

I lost a few fish after runs that were hard to stop, the carp are amazingly strong, it’s like somebody has been putting steroids in the water and the carp love it. I am sure that I will top the 30lb mark on my next visit.

Jakes food was top notch and he was good company for what was a great fishing weekend. On top of that he is very knowledgeable and patient enough to work with you to get the most out of you and improve your fishing. I have come away from the weekend happy with some good fish netted, more knowledge, and a better angler for the tuition. I still have some things to work on…..Jake will see the difference when I am back in November.

Thanks Jake!

Barry A.

 

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