-2 last night!

Just a short post to wish you all a Happy Christmas. I am actually writing this from home as I packed up my equipment at Sierra Brava as it got dark this evening. After two nights with no activity I have decided to move swims so I will be back on the bank tomorrow or the next day at the latest. I am all for fishing through Christmas and New Year but I like catching, and as there is a party tonight in my village, I would rather attend that if I am completely honest – after all it is Christmas and the fishing can wait another 24 hours.

My Christmas lunch was awesome!

All my tackle is in the back of my car ready to go, so it just remains me to say: enjoy the rest of your day and see you back on the bank soon.

Sunset as I left the lake at 7pm.

Cheers

Jake Langley-Hobbs & Flash

I mentioned a while back that it was my intention to fish over Christmas – well here I am. The weather forecast has been monitored over the last couple of weeks, but as the days grew closer to my planned session, and as the weather was not looking ideal, I have still decided to give it a go. After all, you can’t catch unless you’re fishing, and hopefully I will be rewarded for my efforts as a gesture of goodwill to all anglers on earth!

Driving over the dam at Sierra Brava through fog.

Flash loves running alongside me as I drive to my swim.

When cattle are present - he isn't allowed!

As I left my house yesterday morning, loaded to the hilt with tackle and Christmas fayre, I made my way to the lake through thick fog. Was this a good omen? I have just purchased four new tyres for my Navara and my Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx’s did me proud as I drove around the perimeter of the lake; sometimes through water-logged, deep, and muddy stretches of track. These tyres have incredible grip and are an aggressive looking model and not once did I have to drop into 4 wheel mode.

My Navara's Christmas present - 4 new tyres.

I have decided to fish a new swim. I could have gone to my usual spot at this time of year but as it is a Christmas trip, I figured I would add to the excitement of the session by fishing new territories. The swim itself is snag heaven and relatively shallow with fishing depths of 14-17ft out in front. I am hoping the forecast sunny days will bring fish to these wooded hides, and the margins will provide the odd passing shoal. At this time of year and with cold nights it’s all about windows of opportunities. Having a bait in the right place at the right time should see a carp on the bank.

Fully loaded complete with a Christmas Jamon!!

Seven ★ camping underway!

I could fish lightly and with a small bivvy but, as it’s a luxury session during a renowned period of festivity, I have decided to go all out. My colossus sits proud on the side of the lake filled with gadgets and technology to help the long nights pass me by. My Spanish friends in my village just can’t comprehend why on earth I would want to go fishing over Christmas. I know many anglers who would love to be on the bank right now and I know some who already are. If fishing is in your blood then you do it because you want to, not because you have to. My family is in the UK and I have a planned UK visit in July for a month so nipping back for turkey, socks, and a satsuma is something I just can’t afford to do with increased fuel/ferry prices. Having a dog also means I can’t fly. I could but it would mean leaving my companion behind – I couldn’t do that to him!

What a breathtaking view!

Fishing wise I am fishing to the visible trees in front of me. It is relatively medium range tactics ranging from 50 to 90 yards and I have prepared some ground-bait using maize flour, maize and tigers, with liquid attractor to increase the flavour notes. The water is cold and this is proper winter carp fishing. It can be tough going but I have a week’s session planned so I am hoping I can encourage some fish to my spots during that time. I saw fish rolling this morning. They were further out in amongst the snags so I have been given encouragement from those sightings.

One Jamon, one salivating Doberhuman, and fortunately one generous owner who is prepared to share the joy!

It leaves me to say Happy Christmas to one and all. Have a great day tomorrow, wherever you are.

Best Wishes

Jake Langley-Hobbs & Flash.

This post is longer than usual! If you have twenty minutes to spare then sit back and read all about my last year in Spain. I won’t lie to you – it is a promotional article about my business and the trials I went through in setting everything up. Go and get yourself a coffee, return, sit comfortably, and read all about how I have created my dream – Sierra Brava Dreams!

Sierra Brava Dreams.

I have now been living in Spain for over a year. As year’s go it has flown by, it has certainly had its ups and downs, but fortunately it does look like the steep mountain I have climbed, to get where I am, has been worth it. I can now see myself staying in Spain for a long time to come.

I arrived in September of 2010 and apart from doing some fishing, I wasn’t quite sure what else I would do. I had got to the stage where I needed to start earning some money fast or I would be heading back to the UK; therefore I was on the lookout for a business opportunity. As it turned out I didn’t have to look far at all.

I suppose becoming a fishing guide was always the obvious choice and it would give me the chance to put my teaching skills to good use. There is a known saying with regards to teachers. If you teach something you’re passionate about, then you will always enjoy it more. As it so happens I love fishing, so how could I go wrong! Becoming a guide is not that simple however. Firstly you need to find a fishing location that offers good sport. Secondly you need to provide excellent equipment. Thirdly a means of feeding and accommodating your guests will be required. Finally you must provide a service that offers quality and value for money, always aiming to give your guests a ‘holiday to remember’.

Sierra Brava was a lake that struck the right chords with me from the beginning. I caught carp consistently and in my eyes the fishing was not difficult providing you had your wits about you. The carp are incredibly strong in Sierra Brava and they soon sort out the men from the boys. If you aren’t ready for their power they will smash you up or have you scratching your head, as you wonder how the fish made it to the safety of an Oak tree poking out of the water. There are thousands of these trees, in, and around the perimeter of the lake, but fortunately there are also thousands of carp. If you sadly do lose a carp then you normally don’t have to wait long for your next chance!

I now had my venue sorted for my business, and in my eyes, Sierra Brava is the perfect venue. It is the ideal lake for newcomers to big public water carp fishing. Fortunately boats are banned which means you can only cast from the bank; but at Sierra Brava, you can literally catch them from the margins, so the boat ban is a really good thing. Remote control boats are permitted, but again, they’re just not necessary. 90% of my carp have been caught within 50 yards from the bank and the other 10% were caught at longer range in the daytime when the fish seem to move further out into deeper water during this period.

Sierra Brava is a quite a barren place. The terrain can be quite savage in places and the water level drops every summer by approximately 4-5 metres. In the summer it is almost possible to drive around the entire lake, but once the higher water levels return, then access becomes much trickier. Last year I still owned my front wheel drive Renault van, so I very quickly realised that I was going to have to swap vehicles for a tough 4 x 4 that would prevent me from getting stuck in the mud. I hatched a plan and drove back to the UK, returning after Christmas with a superb Nissan Navara – the perfect tool for the job.

Whilst in the UK I also contacted some of my sponsors. I was now keen to make another change in my life; going from a consultant to a business that used their products for my clients. I returned to Spain with plenty of Trakker products, dozens of Sonik rods, and a plethora of quality fishing tackle that I had personally handpicked for Sierra Brava.

Choosing the tackle was a painstaking task in itself. After personally fishing Sierra Brava I soon realised that heavy duty tackle was not actually needed. Instead I chose rods that were more forgiving for close range combat, but were still able to cast in excess of 100 yards in the right hands. I combined these rods with suitable matched Shimano baitrunners. The rest of the tackle was chosen for the terrain. For example: Gardner Scud systems for rod rests, Kevin Nash Monster Coral unhooking mats to protect the fish, and Gold Label Tough for vital shock leaders.

One of the biggest challenges in my guide’s eyes was how to keep clients on the bank for the duration of their holiday and ensure they were happy the whole time and not wanting for anything. The fishing venue was taken care of, as was the equipment. The remaining obstacles were providing quality food and providing facilities for washing and going to the toilet. Sierra Brava is a public lake but it does not have public toilets or shower blocks; and the sheer size of the lake meant I could not be driving clients back to my house every time they needed to relieve themselves. Fortunately a fantastic plan came to me one night whilst I was lying in bed!

I needed a large trailer that not only could carry all of the equipment for my clients, but it could double up as a kitchen, and also provide other facilities such as a hot shower and a toilet. My technology skills were going to come in useful once again! Whilst in the UK I searched Ebay for second hand trailers and after losing out on some auctions at the last minute, I finally won the trailer I liked the look of. A week into January of 2011 I drove back to Spain in my new vehicle, towing my new trailer filled with brand new fishing equipment. Everything was gradually falling into place.

Once back in Spain and after moving into a new house that would sleep up to four clients, I got busy sorting out a website. An old friend from Bristol came up trumps and he soon had all my words and pictures laid out on templates and the website was starting to take shape.

Every business needs a logo, so yet again; I looked at my contacts from the past couple of years and was soon calling on the services of a graphic designer I knew. I had a clear idea in my head of what I wanted, and overnight this guy transformed my ideas onto paper. He was extremely professional and I am very proud of the end result.

Once the logo was handed over to my web guy he soon used the logo’s colours to finish off my website and www.sierrabravadreams.com was launched on the World Wide Web. I had to shell out a thousand pounds for the website and logo but take my advice. Pay the money and beware of cowboys offering cheap websites and cheap promises.

By February I already had a booking in my diary and another two sets of clients were soon to confirm their dates. Things were looking up but I still had my ‘uber’ trailer to convert. I had ordered a lot of equipment to fit inside, including two gas fridges, a host of plumbing accessories which I hoped would produce a hot shower (!?), and various other niche gadgets. With all of my parcels waiting in my rented garage it was time to lock myself away with my tool kit and begin work on my creation.

It took eight full days to get everything bolted down and working properly. The creative technology teacher inside of me did a sterling job; I even gave myself an A star! Allowing sufficient space for the fishing tackle, I self-contained everything to one side of the trailer and plumbed in the two gas fridges after fitting them into a tailor-made work/storage unit; storage for dry food products and wipe-free surfaces for preparing meals.

My biggest headache was creating a shower that not only fed water at a good pressure, but delivered hot water that could be adjusted for temperature. Armed with a 70L Fiammi water tank, a water pump, an expansion tank, and a portable boiler device, and yards of rubber hose and a showerhead, I scratched at the old grey matter until everything slowly fell into place. Providing 12v power to the water pump via a leisure battery ensured everything flowed as it should; and when combined with a powerful flame from a single gas ring that heated the boiler device, hot water suddenly ejected from the shower head. The Fiammi shower system is the same kind you might find in a posh caravan except I was going to feed the hot water outside to a large cubicle that would also double up as a space for the portable chemical toilet I had bought. The solution worked like a dream and combined with my gas fridges to keep drinks cold and food fresh, I could now confidently keep clients content for their holiday.

The majority of my fishing in Europe in the previous three years had incorporated the use of a boat. The boat was either used for dropping hook baits in position, for baiting up, for the playing of fish, or checking for features with an echo sounder. I now had a huge lake on my doorstep that offered fantastic fishing without the need for a boat. I have already mentioned that boats are banned at Sierra Brava and this never posed any problems for me whatsoever. Quite often boats can make the fishing more difficult as every angler starts fishing long range effectively pushing the carp, further and further out into the middle of the lake. Carp simply love margins and fortunately Sierra Brava is still one of those lakes where carp can be caught just a rod’s length from the bank.

I soon fine tuned my fishing style at Sierra Brava. My tackle set up always consists of a marker rod and a spod rod. The lakebed at Sierra Brava is fairly uniform in that it is hard, fairly rocky, and as I found out, the carp can easily be caught from open water. Therefore the marker rod is purely used for gauging the depth, and then the marker float is used as a guide for baiting up with the Spomb. Once the baiting up has been done, your rod, complete with hook bait, is cast so it lands to the front of your baited patch. Each rod is then clipped up and marked for distance, either using a permanent marker on the line, or the more traditional method of pole elastic. That’s it – it’s that simple, and now you sit back and wait for a take!

Incidentally I first started using the Spomb last year. I am not going to go into detail about the product except I will say this. I supply and sell them to my clients and I will never use another product for baiting up from the bank side!

I have observed many takes at Sierra Brava. One of the main things I often take note of is just how many fish other anglers seem to lose. Either they are not by their rods, or the baitrunner is set to lose, meaning the carp has taken yards of line by the time they pick up the rod. I have already mentioned the trees. Spanish Oak trees are part of Sierra Brava which is why you see one in my logo; but they can be your enemy, as well as your friend. I do occasionally fish tight to the trees but when I do, I fish locked up, and with the rod at a 90’ angle, so the bend in the rod cushions some of the take. Fishing this style means you are immediately in the side strain position once you have the rod in your hands. You will never ever stop a carp going for a snag with the rod held high in the air. It will just pull you forwards until the rod is pointing at the snagged carp. You must apply side strain, and by doing so, the fish has to eventually move left or right on a tight line, taking it away from the imminent danger. I never give an inch of line until I am sure I am winning the battle. Once the carp is in open water I will allow the fish to take line if it wants to, helping speed up the tiring process, so the carp is beat by the time its nose touches the spreader block of your landing net.

I used to play carp by back winding. The carp in Sierra Brava are a different kettle of fish and they deserve the respect they command. Sometimes it just isn’t possible to stay in contact by back winding and your knuckles end up getting rapped by the reel handle. I now use the clutch for the first 75% of the fight and when the fish is nearly beat, I quite often revert to back winding, knowing the runs from the carp can often be stopped by just using the rod tip alone.

I mentioned rods at the start of this article. I use 2.5lb t/c rods myself, but I equip clients with 2.75lb t/c rods. These are the Sonik SK3’s and they are well suited for the fishing at Brava. I have noticed that the mouths of the carp in Sierra Brava seem to be quite soft, and when combined with the speed that they take off when hooked; I observed many hook pulls from anglers using beefed up rods, especially combined with braid. Stop start runs can happen as the hook is pulled from the carp’s mouth during the run, or anglers heave into the fish with so much force, that the hook is ripped clean from the mouth resulting in another lost fish.

The technique I use and recommend to my clients when a run occurs is to gently take the rod from the rests, whilst allowing the fish to continue taking line. Then without flicking the baitrunner off, they apply gentle pressure to the spool with their finger, slowing the carp down gradually. Only when you are sure the carp has stopped do you wind the handle, disengaging the baitrunner. The clutch, that is properly set, can then take over should the carp suddenly take off again, which at Brava is the norm!

I have perfected my fishing style at Sierra Brava over the last year and I am proud to claim that I rarely ever lose a carp. As an example during my last session I had fourteen takes and landed thirteen carp. It was a fantastic session as not only did I catch my first 40lb carp from the venue, I also pushed the weight of my best Brava mirror carp up to 38lbs.

I am also pleased to report that all my clients to date have good track records with regards to fish landed; and out of the 100 runs they have shared between them (five clients), 75 carp have been banked including four personal bests. Most of the above losses were down to hook pulls during the fight, and not snagged fish, as I don’t actually allow clients to fish tight to snags unless they really know what they are doing.

I am going to finish off this article by telling you, not why you should come to Sierra Brava for your next holiday, but why I like the place so much. You can then make your own minds up!

I have fished many lakes covering France, Italy, and Germany. There are many lakes in Spain to choose from but I always fancied Extremadura as a region to live in. Extremadura is a rural area, it is beautiful, overflowing with wildlife and nature, and I have fallen in love with the place. I grew up in North Yorkshire and I love the fact I can walk my dog in my Spanish village, and within minutes be walking in open fields, with nothing but fresh air to breathe in.

I now have a very large and impressive lake (embalsa) right on my doorstep. I can be at the lake within five minutes. Learning the access routes to other parts of the lake took time, but was well worth the effort as it allows peace and quiet away from the more popular spots, and quite often better fishing!

The carp in Sierra Brava are just a small part of why I like the place so much. Because the lake it set around mountain ranges, you get amazing views, incredible sunrises, and dreamlike sunsets. The sheer range of bird life is breathtaking. I often see vultures and red kites soaring high in the skies, and combined with the other animals, it really is a slice of heaven. The carp do grow to impressive sizes. Peter Staggs caught a sixty pound mirror a couple of years ago, and James Harrison caught Ramona, the big mirror carp who is affectionately known as ‘tubby’! And there are many others. I will not lie to anyone. I will not claim that you will get fifteen takes in a day. I will not guarantee you will catch a personal best, but I will say one important factor. If you listen to the guide, you will have a better chance than anyone else on the lake! The fishing can be incredible but it is just like any other lake. Any lake can have its off days, and timing and a bit of luck can be everything in fishing.

As with all public lakes there is always the unknown big carp factor; but all of my clients who fished last year, and have booked for the coming year, are not just coming with big carp in mind. They know they have a chance of going home with a personal best, but the majority of my client’s book for all of the above, and more. They are safe in the knowledge that they will get an experienced guide who will get up at 3am to help them land a carp. They know their meals will be cooked fresh on the bank. And they know I will do my utmost best to give them what they came for – The Sierra Brava Dreams Experience.

I fully understand in these difficult financial times that money is tight and I am genuinely not interested in just taking people’s hard earned cash. However, I am interested, and totally committed, in giving clients a proper holiday in return for their money, and I have return bookings from last year, which is always a good sign that you are doing something properly and you’re on the right track.

Please check out my website for more details about Sierra Brava Dreams and I look forward to seeing some of you on the bank in 2012 or in years to come!

Hasta Pronto!

Jake Langley-Hobbs

I woke this morning after another uneventful night, and to another identical dawn. I therefore decided to make the most of my time and packed up my equipment. I could sit it out, but looking at the weather forecast does nothing to get me excited. I have a great advantage in that the lake is on my doorstep and this means I can act on changes in the weather. I don’t mind trying in poor fishing weather but I also know when to throw in the towel, so that’s exactly what I did. However, the next two hours were spent doing a very useful job indeed – especially for my clients for the coming year?

At the moment the water levels are low. The level has started to rise a little but there is still another 4-5 metres required to be at the same level as January this year. This can happen very quickly and as an example, I left for the UK in December of last year. I returned a month later and the water had risen – 5m in height! When you consider the size of Sierra Brava that is an incredible amount of water and the majority of this influx comes from the river/canal system after prolonged and heavy rain. Taking all of these factors into consideration I have decided to act early, so after I packed up my gear I headed for several swims dotted around the lake.

As I said above Sierra Brava is a huge lake, but I have a few areas that I fish and take clients to. I can fish anywhere on the lake but I have my favourite spots and I also have my ‘quiet’ spots. Once the lake fills up, access becomes more tricky, and unless you have access into certain parts of land, which I do, then it is impossible to reach them. Many anglers try with normal cars and they get stuck, but in some cases you need more than a car, you need keys to open gates!

You would not want to fish this swim when the water levels are high - jagged rocks equals hazard and cut offs.

Once I arrived at the first swim I started to take photographs, showing what the lakebed looks like with the water levels low. I take these pictures lining up landscape markers so each photograph makes sense. When I have clients they can then look at these pictures and get an idea of what is in front of them. There are some really nasty areas around the lake which you would never want to fish in a million years. Tall sharp jagged rocks, trees, and other hazards can be a few yards in front of you, submerged by water once the levels increase, yet silently waiting. It is this knowledge that gives me a great advantage and I do this kind of thing for my clients so they get the best from their holiday.

Small branches can cause big problems.

I dragged this large branch out of harms way - look at the line on it.

Another activity I did was swim clearance. In some of my favourite areas there are lots of branches and stumps on the bottom. You are sure to lose some fish as the line will get trapped under a branch resulting in snagged line/tackle, and potentially lost carp. I have dragged these branches up to a safe distance, out of the water’s reach once it rises, knowing the swim will be clear when this event happens. One thing I have to say, is I cannot guarantee the swim will be 100% clear as when the water rises, new driftwood can arrive and existing driftwood can move, but in my mind’s eye, I can do no more. It only takes the smallest branch to cause big problems and I now have a dozen areas that are nice and clean, complete with photographs, matched up to landscape markers that you can see at night – a distant mountain range that is visible from most areas of the lake!

A nice hard patch loacted in a large mud-lined bay. I know where it is and how far from the bank in yards.

I am a guide. I want my clients to catch carp, and I don’t like it when I lose fish, and I always get disappointed for my clients when they lose fish. If you can try to prevent this by doing some of the above, then as a guide you should do it. It is the same as maintaining tackle and equipment, so clients are using quality gear in good condition. It is all part of my job, and if this post helps me secure an extra booking or two, then everyone benefits.

I will be back soon with another session, once the weather looks more favourable!

Thanks for reading my blog – your support, as always, is appreciated.

Jake Langley-Hobbs

Nothing much to report on the fishing front. I think the phrase ‘not a beep’ springs to mind! The weather has been as forecast, and this morning was very sunny and clear to begin with. The day has been identical to yesterday and this afternoon light easterly winds picked up once more. I did hear several fish crash during the night but I don’t think much feeding was taking place on the lakebed.

You have to remain confident when the conditions are like this or you may as well pack up and go home. I have seen on FB that Tim Paisley and Tom Duncan-Dunlop have both caught massive commons from Rainbow; 65 and 82lb respectively!! If they are catching, then we all have a chance, as I imagine most of us are experiencing this cold front with high pressure. Last night got rather chilly and there was lots of humidity; however, as always I was snug as a bug in my sleeping bag!

A new hook bait combo!

I have made one change to one rod this evening trying a new hook bait combination, just to be different. A Macadamia nut along with three grains of maize and a piece of plastic pop-up maize. Macadamia nuts are buoyant anyway so the whole lots sits nicely on the bottom, similar to a snowman in fact. I am fishing this rod not far from a tree, about five yards away from it, and this is on the same line as my other rods. I have not touched these or added more bait to this spot as I am confident they are fine, and I equally confident that there is still bait sitting on the lakebed.

Apart from that little burst of activity the rest of the day has been spent working from my bivvy. I have written a new blog piece for my sponsor Sonik, and taken pictures for an article I have just written. This is titled ‘Playing fish like a Pro’ and its aim is to give advice about what to do, and what not to do when playing fish. I see many anglers lose fish and usually it is down to the angler and not the fish; their poor choice of rod, or inadequate mainline, or other contributing factors. Playing fish is a skill and it is something we can all improve on in certain areas. I make no secret to the fact I use SK3 2.5lb t/c rods at Sierra Brava, and I equip my clients with the 2.75lb t/c version; where as most other anglers use 3.5lb t/c rods at Brava. Which anglers do you think lose more carp? Many anglers rush out and buy the latest beefed up rods without stopping to think about the water they fish and what the rods will primarily be used for. Think before you buy!

That’s all for tonight.

Back tomorrow.

Jake Langley-Hobbs

I am all set up and waiting for action! It is about ten days since my last session finished and I have five nights planned for this trip. What lies in store? The weather is dramatically different compared to my last outing, and not perfect conditions in the eyes of a carp angler who likes to fish in the brunt of a storm. Clear, sunny days, easterly winds, and cold temperatures don’t exactly signal screaming bite alarms, but you can only try, and it beats sitting at home behind my laptop in my kitchen!

Five nights of blissful sunsets and hopefully some glorious carp!

Due to the climate change I am baiting on the side of caution. I am fishing with maize and tigers as my bed of bait with a light scattering of boilies. Carp love maize, carp love tigers, and I like the visual factor that maize offers. Many anglers use huge amounts in Sierra Brava; and although I don’t often rely on it as a hook bait, it is great for drawing in fish, and keeping them in your swim, until they start picking off boilies, then eventually your hook bait.

Have you heard of TOKS? It’s the on-line carp fishing competition where you enter your four biggest carp during the timeframe of each competition. It is free to enter which is one big plus point and there are some great prizes to win, for regional and overall winners. David Fort from the Czech Republic won the last world title with four carp amounting to an impressive 83+kgs. I have been on the panel of experts for the last couple of years, but the organiser of TOKS is in the process of adding me to his staff, and awarding me a title, yet to be confirmed. This now means I can enter TOKS. I am doing so to help promote the competition, and to be a role model for the Big Four International contest. I spoke to Ken Keene in America, yesterday evening, and I made it very clear to him that if I do happen to be lucky/jammy enough to win a prize, then I will donate it to a fishing charity of my choice.

Fully prepared with my TOKS badges which must be displayed in submitted carp pictures. These can be downloaded once you register. Print and your ready to go!

Check out the TOKS website if you are interested in having a go. The current competition runs from November 15th to February 16th. You can join on-line at anytime during these dates.

That’s it for tonight’s post.

Back tomorrow.

Jake Langley-Hobbs

I am back at my house after packing up early this morning. After nine night’s I decided it’s better to be happy with your results and walk away, rather than stay on in the hope of catching more, and possibly be faced with packing up in the pouring rain. I also had another reason to pack up a night earlier than expected, as at 9pm last night I caught a new personal best mirror carp from Sierra Brava! A regular reader, Martyn, commented earlier in the week how my carp senses seemed to be functioning well during this session and I guess he was right. In yesterday’s post I made the bold comment that it would be great to finish my session off with a 30lb+ mirror – I got it right again as my fishy prediction came right!

I made a couple of subtle changes to two rods yesterday and placed them about five yards further out than they had been throughout the whole session. I did this because I had a hunch that it may produce something larger, as quite often big fish can be in the vicinity of smaller feeding carp, yet they can often hang back, almost watching their counterparts feeding, but possibly not wanting to join in due to sensing danger! People often talk about fishing off their baited patch, and what I was doing was essentially that.

I also did something I haven’t done before on one rod, also to try to tempt a larger fish. I am not going to say what it was, which is unusual for me, as I don’t normally have secrets! However, as it worked, I would like to see if it works again on my next trip, before I reveal what my simple change to my hookbait turned out to be!?

After I ate my dinner last night, I was hoping if I had a run, it would be on this very rod. Five minutes later, as I was sat outside, the rod took off – don’t you just love it when that happens! The fish powerfully took a lot of line in a short space of time, and then slowed down. I gradually bought it back towards me as it kited inch by inch to my left. I was expecting the fish to put up more of a battle to be honest after its initial surge of strength, and then I heard a small splash a few metres out, and my heart sank a little. I suddenly thought the fish had fooled me completely, and it was in fact another small carp, but then it bobbed to the surface and stayed there. I could see a pale and large shape that grew and grew as it got closer to me, and realising I had a big mirror coming straight towards my net – I was then completely gob-smacked!

I broke the net down quickly and carried the fish to the unhooking mat. My size 2 hook was securely in its bottom lip, so after gently removing it, I transferred the fish into a retainer and weighed her. The needle swung round and settled on 38lbs or 17.23kg to be exact. My previous biggest mirror at Brava was a mid-thirty so not only did I get my 30lb+ mirror, I also got a new pb mirror from Sierra Brava. What a result!

A two-tone mirror from Brava weighing 17.23kg

I left the fish to settle in the retainer, secured against a bankstick, and got the rod back to the mark. Three spombs followed and then I checked on the fish. She had tilted to one side and wasn’t looking comfortable so I guessed that she was having problems with her swim bladder. I never like to unnecessarily retain fish for long periods of time especially when the fish looks in distress, so I quickly got my camera equipment sorted out, did the deed behind the lens, and carried the fish back to the water. I stayed with the fish for twenty minutes until she seemed to let out a big burp of air! Only when I was satisfied, did I let her swim off, and happily, she looked okay, and was not tilting to either side as she waddled off into the depths.

It is very important when you have a carp in this condition that you don’t let it swim off until you are completely sure it has recovered. The best technique is to hold the carp under the surface and gently let go. If she rises to the surface and tilts to one side then there is obviously still a problem. The danger sometimes is the fish can seem okay and swim off quickly, partly due to stress, then once the fish has swum a few yards it can suddenly resurface; meaning the fish is now out of your reach, and you are now unable to help the fish recover. Carp care is not just about unhooking mats and miracle anti-septic products(!), and it is always your responsibility as an angler to return a carp that is healthy and strong.

Finishing my session on a high with my new personal best Sierra Brava mirror carp!!!

Nothing else happened for the duration of the night. The weather is not exactly how I would like it as the winds are easterly for the next few days, so once morning arrived I made the hasty decision to call it a day. Packing up took about two and a half hours, as I like to pack everything away, so it is ready to go at a moments notice. My house is now set up so I can quickly unload everything straight through the front door into two different rooms: a tackle store, and a bait room. I even have a drying room outside for smelly items such as unhooking mats and slings. It is just as well that I currently don’t have a girlfriend, as although it might be the carp anglers dream house, I am sure a female would have other ideas!!!

My next session is planned in a weeks time. I will be doing another longish session and will continue my mission to catch my first twenty kilo carp from Sierra Brava. A fifty pounder would be nice, but one step at a time!

Thanks for following my blog during this session. I hope you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have enjoyed writing about it. Finally, enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Cheers

Jake and Flash!

I am now into my ninth day and approaching my ninth night. Two more carp have been caught. A mid-double common was captured at 4am yesterday morning, and a dinky low-double mirror was caught yesterday afternoon as I was taking my siesta! I suppose after my 40lb common I should expect to catch a few smaller ones, as that is how it goes at Sierra Brava, and it makes you appreciate a big fish so much more, when they do finally end up in your net!

Not much for the cows to graze on!

The weather! The weather has been a little inconsistent over the session as a whole. Yesterday the weather was great as far as fishing goes, except the wind was more easterly than I would have liked! It certainly wasn’t cold last night as I was sat outside my bivvy, on my chair, listening to the occasional flock of cranes, as they flew above my head. Thousands of them migrate to this region every year, and now they are beginning to turn up in numbers. They make an odd noise really but when it is so quiet at the lake, so quiet in fact that you could hear a pin drop, they bring a welcome sound to break the eerie silence.

Last night was eventful yet uneventful! I had a few quick beeps from one alarm and the line had been pulled from the line clip on one of my rods. Unsure if a bat, bird, or other foreign object had flown into my line, or I had a strong line-bite, or a false pick-up, I nevertheless put the line back in the clip and returned to my bed. I was extremely tired last night, I haven’t been sleeping well due to my arm, and as it was fairly cool throughout the night, I opted to sleep under my bedchair cover, rather than inside my sleeping bag – much more comfortable and far less restricting! I definitely want to purchase the new Kevin Nash bedchair with the mattress and duvet-type cover; I see a personal Christmas present beckoning in the not too distant future or I could always say it was from Flash, seeing as he spends most of his time on my bed anyway!!

Before the clock struck midnight I had a run that stopped no sooner had it started. I reeled in quickly and everything seemed fine, but for the sake of it I replaced the rig with a new one from my tackle table, and rapidly cast the rod back to my spot. I was soon asleep once again until  single beep on another rod had me sitting up in bed like a rabbit looking into the headlights of an oncoming car! I waited for the rod to take off but instead, the two glowing leds on my two receivers disappeared as I fell back quickly to sleep!

There were certainly lots of fish in front of me last night. As soon as it fell dark they started crashing and rolling, many over my baited spots. I personally prefer it when they stop this activity however, as I know they are then on the bottom feeding, and not showing off on the surface.

The wind has now swung around once again, and if anything, is how it was when I arrived the last week. If you can imagine lying on a beach somewhere and listening to the sound of the gentle waves lapping the shoreline. That’s exactly how it is today with some sunshine and blue sky thrown in for good measure!

Sharp and nasty hazards that can cut your line very easily!

I have taken a picture of some rocks that are fairly typical at Sierra Brava. These rocks are your enemy as they can very quickly cut you off if your main-line manages to lay in between two slithers of sharp stone. The fish can sometimes pull your line across these jagged hazards causing the same effect, which is why I always use a slightly longer than normal shock leader when fishing at Brava. I always prefer to fish with my rod tips high to keep as much line away from the margins as possible. I have seen many people use low rod set-ups and even backleads at Brava and I just think you are asking for more trouble by doing so. The rock problem can also jam your lead weight very easily so a reliable lead-release system is also good insurance ensuring you have a chance of retrieving your tackle incase it becomes snagged, or the fish can release the lead if the fish becomes tethered or the line happens to break. Also by ensuring the lead is released after a take usually guarantees that the fish will come up to the surface removing any dangers of your line getting caught up on an underwater obstacle.

I have two nights left folks. I think a fish or two are still out there with my name on and it would be really nice to finish the session off with a 30lb+ mirror before I leave. Only time will tell…

Cheers

Jake & Flash!

I can’t describe how happy I am this morning! I have finally achieved my first milestone at Sierra Brava and broken the forty pound mark and it feels fantastic to do so. I remember when I caught my first 40lb common at Cassien and feeling pleased about it; this however means so much more, as it is my local water. I really do think on a personal level that this could be the start of things to come, and as I am planning on fishing as much as I can over the next four months, I am hoping there will be more big fish to show you all.

It is now tipping it down with rain. The weather actually changed yesterday evening, just before it fell dark. I checked the weather forecast and sure enough, it confirmed a low front was moving in, bringing slightly warmer temperatures, cloud cover, low pressure, and rain. The weather for the past two days has not been brilliant, and this favourable change until the end of my session, might help me out a great deal more.

Due to the sudden change in climate I was on the edge of my seat for most of the night. I ate early again, conjuring up a chicken curry with rice (there is a familiar pattern emerging here)! My first take came at 10pm and after a spirited tussle I netted a common which weighed 18lbs. I returned the rod to the mark and quickly topped up the spot with my spomb.

No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. It is as if I knew something good was about to happen. At 3am I was actually sat in my porch on my chair when a single beep alerted me. I watched the rod in question as the tip bounced back slightly. Another beep followed as the tip slowly pulled forwards, by which time I was already on the rod. Nothing really happened to begin with until the fish woke up and then it took line. There was no need to try to stop it so I let the fish chug away like an underwater barge. Finally it slowed down by which time I had switched my boots for my waders and was now stood in the water. I could feel the fish kiting to my right. The fish had taken a lot of line and the danger to my right was a tree. The fish clearly knew where she was heading so I quickly had to get some line back on my spool. I heard the clatter of my stop-knot through the rod rings and breathed a sigh of relief, as I know the tree is slightly farther than the distance of the stop-knot. The fish continued to kite right and then as I wound in line I experienced that horrible feeling as everything went solid! The fish suddenly and very powerfully went on a ballistic run. Whatever was caught before had now been pulled free by the fish and I breathed another sigh of relief. The fish slowly changed direction and started to head for the shoreline to my right. I was trying to pinpoint its precise location when it suddenly boiled a couple of yards from the bank. Realising it was now in shallow water it then slowly headed back to open water.

I now felt like I had things under control with the fish in front of me and the shockleader knot almost on the reel. I still hadn’t caught a glimpse of the fish and was starting to wonder what was attached to my hook. Three times as I heard the shockleader knot rattle through the rings, the fish decided to have another go and forcefully took line. On the third attempt however, I could feel her energy reserves were waning. Out of nowhere I saw her come to the surface. She stayed there, so I slowly drew her towards me, and into the net she went, first time of asking.

I peered into the net and saw a fish that was definitely a good thirty. I waded along the margin with my prize in the net and left her in the edge whilst I put the rod down. I rolled the net down to carry her to my unhooking mat and now my estimates suddenly changed. Was this possibly my first forty in fact?

On the money!!!

I was quite lucky to be honest as when I went to unhook her, the loose hook and bait was rolling around in her huge cavernous mouth. I transferred her into a weigh/retention sling and hoisted her up onto the scales. Well would you believe it – forty pounds exactly – on the nail. I had to take a picture as I couldn’t quite believe it myself!

The smile says it all!

My new Spanish PB - Happy Days!!

At first light I self-took photos and released her to swim free once again. She looked magnificent as she sat in the water preparing herself to swim off. Certainly not a young fish by any means and on closer inspection her mouth was in excellent condition, still sporting the curtains in the upper part of her mouth. As public water carp go – they don’t come much better than this!

Blow-back rig, size 2 hook, and big baits. The perfect combo!

The rig I used was the blow-back rig with a snowman for bait; a 24mm OR-O bottom bait and a 20mm Strawberry Scopex fluro pop-up and the carp was caught from my open water spot, no more than fifty yards from the bank.

I am now going to have a siesta!

Back tomorrow with more news from Sierra Brava.

Cheers

Jake and Flash.

Yesterday was a day of patience. I left my rods where they were, just topping up the spots with a few spomb loads at approximately 4pm. Approaching my fifth night I was keen to see if the previous quiet night would be a stark contrast and this night would be a night of runs. I prepared my dinner slightly earlier than normal, a meal consisting of chicken, rice, and finely sliced cabbage, essentially stir fried with lots of black pepper; simple yet delicious and great fodder for the colder nights.

Defrosting chicken breasts after five days...gas fridges are fantastic devices!

It now gets dark at approximately 6.30pm. It gets light at around 7.30am. This means the hours of darkness have extended so it is important you have some entertainment to stop you going stir crazy. I have a new book I am reading which unlike the last one, is quite tough going, so it should last me until the end of the session. I also have a few episodes of some series on my laptop, enabling me to pass the time whilst waiting for a run.

The first run arrived shortly after my dinner had been eaten. I was just flicking a page of my book as the alarm went into a one-toner and the reel engaged into meltdown. I stumbled into my waders and grabbed the bent over rod and started to do battle with the first carp for 28 hours. I had been waiting patiently and now I was into what I had been waiting for – a carp.

The fish put up a good account of itself and after walking to my right as it kited in that direction, I slipped the second mirror carp of the session into the net. Another lovely looking example of the mirror strain in Sierra Brava. I weighed the carp (17lbs) and admired her scale pattern as I released her. The rod was soon returned to the spot, the spomb was dispatched a few times, and I was soon back in the world of imagination, bringing the characters and scenes of my book to life.

After a spot of Facebook I called it a night. I now have a new account exclusively for anglers at http://www.facebook.com/thebigcarphunter If you want to add yourself click on the link and send me a friend request – it’s that simple.

Happy to use a stone for a pillow!

I woke at 2am as Flash returned to the bivvy after a call of nature no doubt, or he just fancied a sniff and a stroll in the dark. I fell back to sleep until I was woken by another blistering run. I have fished many places in Europe but I have never experienced runs like the ones you get at Brava. This fish probably took about twenty yards of line by the time I got to the rod, and then another thirty yards in an impressive burst of power and speed. After controlling the run I started to claw back some line and after about three minutes I heard my powergum stop-knot ping through the rings of my rod. I was now back to where the fish started from. After another five minutes or so I had the fish boiling in front of me, and I now knew the fish was close to giving up after its display of sheer courage. I drew the fish towards the net and saw a deep set of shoulders as the folds of the net closed around the common. Very nice indeed!

This carp took 50 yards of line in about thirty seconds.

Carp number eight - 28lbs.

At 28lbs this is now the biggest of the session. Eight carp, five over twenty, and I am getting closer to the 30lb mark with half of the session left. On public waters such as Sierra Brava, you often only get a brief big fish window. A small period of time or one night when you might have the opportunity to catch a really big fish, or two, or three. This is not a small overstocked commercial venue, don’t forget, and the fish have many hectares to swim in. Law of averages tells you that the big fish are never far away, but when you get your chance, you must ensure things go smoothly, or you may not get another window during your session. Unlike a lake such as Cassien, which has a smaller head of carp, but there certainly seems to be a better average in Cassien by a country mile. In my first session at Cassien and after 29 carp, my average was 41.5lbs. At the end of my session and after catching a total of 69 carp, my average was still an impressive 36.5lbs. The big carp are certainly in Sierra Brava, but the sheer numbers of carp, and the large head of back-up, smaller sized, yet fast growing commons and mirrors, just means catching a big fish is a little bit harder. That factor for me though, is why I like this water so much. If I wanted easy fishing with a massive fish every chuck, I wouldn’t be sat here now.

The Sierra Brava theatre of dreams.

The sun's on fire and giving off smoke!

I love Sierra Brava!

Sierra Brava has the scenery, the wildlife, the ruggedness, the impressive sunrises and sunsets, the carp fight for all their worth, and I simply love the place. There are plenty of other waters within an hours drive but I don’t want to fish anywhere else. I have a slice of heaven right here on my doorstep, a stone’s throw from my house. I am very lucky indeed!

I will be back tomorrow.

Jake & Flash