Posts Tagged ‘Catfish’

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More Fish – Wrong Variety!

July 13, 2010

Good Evening.

Since Sunday’s stunning common, there has been more action, but unfortunately it seems the lake’s population of catfish have moved onto my spot. This is probably down to the amount of small species the Halibut Pellet has attracted, but it does not have to be seen as a negative. I have fish out there, and as the catfish in this lake are not of a size to threaten the carp, I don’t think the carp will get pushed out of the way. I now just need to use a bait that the cats won’t eat or try to pick up before the carp have a chance to find it, so it has to be the humble tiger nut. That’s exactly what I have done.

Three cats have so far been banked and they took a liking to my pink Squid and Octopus pop-ups, and my orange Tutti Frutti pop-ups. I have also had the rock lead ejected a few times as the aquatic feline species attacks my bait without getting hooked. This has been rather annoying, especially when fishing at such ranges, and it was definitely time to come up with another game plan. The biggest cat has been about 10kg and they don’t really go much bigger in here. They are what you might call an irritating nuisance!

I suppose I could move all of my rods to a brand new area but it seems a shame to have to move after finding some fish. Today I went and fed some more bait, but I put this several metres behind my line of markers to keep the fish activity to the other side of my actual drop positions. I still want to draw in fish of all species as I think the continued activity will keep the carp coming back. I have now dropped three rods all sporting three corked tiger nuts from the Frenzied range, and I have sprinkled tiger nuts of various sizes around each drop position. One thing I did was to make up some tiger nut stringers after first drying out some nuts in the sun. I then looped this over a PVA nugget wrapped around the hook, and tied it off with an additional nugget at the end of the stringer. This extra nugget conveniently pops up to the surface so accurate baiting up can be carried out.

I have a little writing to finish in the next couple of days so I am hoping the switch to tigers will allow me to get on with it, apart from, hopefully, only being interrupted for a carp or two. I am about to start my last ‘No Fixed Abode’ feature, for International Carper, as after two years of contribution, I feel I now need a break from that magazine; plus I have run out of material for the time being. I need a fresh country, some new water, and a new scene. I may return to International Carper – that will remain to be seen. My writing for European magazines, and the blog, will continue in earnest, as they are both things that I still really enjoy doing.

That’s all for tonight.

Cheers

Jake and the dogs.

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Posted in The Italian Job! | 10 Comments »

Do You Remember Your Best Scrap!

March 10, 2010

Good Morning.

The snow is falling outside at the moment and the bad weather is expected to continue for another few days. My timing for once has been perfect as it means I am writing my articles sat indoors and not out on the bank in the snow; and by the weekend I should be ready to go to the next location with everything finished and the weather should have retreated by then too!

My internet stick that I am using at the moment has also run out of credit. You have to wait until the date of your agreement in the month begins (mine is on the 12th), before you can top up your sim card to take advantage of your 100 hour interent time once again, for the following month. If you have some credit left on your card you can still use the interent but at a much higher rate – you will get charged everytime you connect and you can easily spend a small fortune each day, rather than just 20 Euros for the month’s offer. It is worth waiting for the month’s offer to commence. These internet sticks are good value but there are also a few things to watch out for. If you have an internet stick in your home country, always check with your provider before taking it abroad, as you will need to investigate the roaming charges. These can be ridiculously high and if you connected five times one day in France for example, you may get a very nasty shock when you open your next bill back in England or Germany. This is why I use a different stick in each country. You may have to buy the dongle for each country, but in the long run it is more economical to do it this way. I am currently using a WIFI internet connection where I am based, so for the time being I can leave my interent stick alone till my promotion begins on the 12th.

This brings me onto today’s post from the past. What was your best fight with a carp? I remember mine clearly, as if it was yesterday. Fifty five minutes of arm wrenching battle with a brutish mirror carp at Cassien. Some fights stick in your mind for certain reasons, freeing the fish from a snag, having to go out in the boat, this fight however, is remembered for the fish’s determination and power.

I was undertaking my first session at Cassien and was based in Aviron. I had starting catching with some regularity in the month of March and it was quite embarrassing as everyone else was sat behind motionless rods for most of the month. Every two days or so I caught a carp and the average weight for my 14 March carp was over 40lbs!

I had lots of morning action and this carp was no different. The run came shortly after 10am and I was on the rod before the fish really got going. The west arm was fairly full of anglers at this point but I went into autopilot knowing I probably had many eyes watching me, as I donned my waders whilst holding onto the bent rod, and slowly made my way out into the water. I had played all of my carp from the bank so far and had lost nothing. My swim only had a couple of nasty snags lying on the lakebed and these were tree stumps. The only danger was at the beginning of every fight if one of the rods happened to be placed near one of these underwater obstacles and the line happened to get pulled into one of the stumps. Fortunately it rarely happened and on the occasions it did the line somehow managed to come free even without the use of the boat. I did use the boat towards the end of my session but only to get the experience. I landed 69 carp and 67 were from firm ground.

This morning’s run started off no differently and for the first few minutes the carp just plodded around going from left to right. A German angler fishing to my left had a visitor in his swim and I could see them observing the ensuing battle as it took place. I prepared the net thinking the carp was coming when suddenly it took thirty yards of line rather violently and I was forced to backwind with some velocity. What an earth had I hooked? I started to retake some line and thought I had tamed the beast when the same thing happened again. This time the fish shot off to the left hand side and I realised the German visitor had left. I glanced at my watch and noticed I had been playing the carp already for over twenty minutes and I was making no progress. I started to think maybe a catfish was responsible, and every time the fish came near, it took line with so much power, that I was helpless to stop it. My rods at the time were a Century model and I could feel every flick of the tail as the fish surged away. Thirty minutes ticked by and my arm was now beginning to ache.

The sun in March was strong in the morning and combined with the sweat pouring from my brow, the sun and the fight was making me feel dehydrated. Apart from splashing my face and arms with lake water there was little else I could do and the fish kept going like it had only just got started. Forty minutes passed and I still hadn’t got a glimpse of the leviathan. I started to think that maybe this was the one, was it a hard fighting sixty or seventy that was refusing to give up? I certainly wasn’t going to throw in the towel and neither was the carp and for the next ten minutes nothing changed.

Finally the bouts of anger were subdued and I eventually got my first sight of the responsible creature. This saga was nearly over and the net was ready and waiting. In a fitting climax to the bout, the fish had one final lunge at freedom. I was now holding the fish on a tight line and letting the rod do the work, my arm was killing me, my fingers had pins and needles and my vision had black dots flickering in front of my eyes.

Ever so slowly the carp tired and begrudgingly turned on one side, it rolled precariously as I drew it towards the net and five minutes before the clock struck one hour, I had my prize tamed and caged in my landing net. I let out a massive cry of relief and punched the air. Two anglers were already making their way over to see exactly what I had caught; surprisingly though this was one of the smaller carp of the month and just below average; he weighed 39.5lbs or 17.8kg. Without a doubt it was a male carp and its tail and wrist were enormous. This explained where its indescribable power came from and even though it lay exhausted and sulking in the mesh, it still looked like it was ready to go again.

What a brute!

Fifty five minutes of arm wrenching power!

The carp measured over a metre in length and was solid and like a well trained athelete – a true fighting machine. What a fight and I doubt I shall forget it in a long time.

Back tomorrow, with more ‘tails’ from the past!!

Cheers

Jake and the dogs.

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Posted in The Italian Job! | 2 Comments »

The Weekend Draws to a Close.

January 24, 2010

Good Evening.

I am sat on my bedchair in the bivvy just finishing off a mug of steaming hot latte (two expresso shots/topped up with hot milk). The temperature and weather today have been very similar to one of those typical winter Sundays when you want to put the heating on, close the curtains and curl up on the settee to watch a film. Yesterday was a little better and a glimpse of sunshine broke through for a few hours in the afternoon, but today has been foggy, cold and rather miserable. I have made the best of it though and that is all one can do.

Saturday morning started off early. I noticed two pike anglers out in their little green boat and knew what was coming. One of my rods knocked as they just missed catching the line, but the middle rod was not so lucky. I hopped in my boat and reeled in the line as I steered towards the boat in distress. When I arrived the older of the two had a big tangled ball of traces, trebles, deadbaits, livebaits and lures in his hand. I could see my braid in amongst it and as I was only yards from my dropped rig, to their amazement, I pulled a pair of scissors from my boat and cut the braid either side of the tangled mess. I pulled my rig off the lakebed by hand, bundled it in the boat, said good morning, and returned to my swim. I was sure they expected me to be angry or annoyed with them and I even surprised myself. I must be getting slightly more mellow in my old age!

Before they had a chance to take out my next rod I went out and retrieved that one too. I now had to find two new positions for them so I decided to put one rod off some reeds to my left at the bottom of the steep shelf in 16ft. The other rod was put back out behind the plateau area in 22ft. I was now sorted again and could relax.

Lunchtime arrived just as the sun broke through the clouds. I got my fire started early as I was expecting some guests to arrive. While I was building up the heat I noticed my friendly Robin kept landing near me. This little character is a regular and quite cheeky. I decided to try and get a really good shot of him so I set up my camera with my remote control, I crumbed some boilies and put them on a perfect spot, and sat back and waited. Now it is always typical when you try to do something like this as the subject usually disappears for the rest of the day and this is exactly what happened. However, I kept the remote in my pocket just in case!

My posse of friends arrived so I got some coffees made and one of them opened a big bottle of red wine. I was actually striking a deal with one of them over four rods I own that I no longer use – my Imperial Legends! Once Ludwig had checked them over, run his fingers through the rings, given them all a quick swish in the air, he was satisfied and we shook hands! It is good news for me as it makes room for my new arrivals – my Soniks. I am currently using a Sonik prototype. This new blank utilises a new kind of carbon which is lighter, stiffer and stronger. I just have to give them some serious stick over the next few months to see how they cope with the work load and to see whether or not they are durable. The prototype I am testing may or may not go into production and it all depends on its performance and reliability.

One of the lads, Emanuele, bought a host of goodies for me which was very kind. An Italian apple cake which I (and the dogs) have been enjoying today. He also produced a very special jar of tomatoes which I can use for a sauce for pasta. They are his grandmothers secret recipe!! (I can just picture the Dolmio adverts now.) I was given strict instructions how to cook them so I explained that I actually used to teach cooking and I thought I would manage okay. It does make me laugh actually as the Italians do love their cooking and food and I do think they imagine the English are appalling at cooking and we eat awful food. Our coffee is a big joke to them and I have to say I agree with them there. I have always enjoyed strong coffee and I don’t think I could ever go back to instant ever again. The Italians drink expressos primarily, and very strong short ones at that which literally pick them up throughout the day. After visiting Italy before in 2008 I now have to admit the Italian food is definitely my favourite so far, with France in second place and Germany comes in last place…sorry Germany!

This brings me onto Spain. I will be going to Spain later this year. After I have worked at the WCC I may fish for a month or two somewhere in France and then I shall make my long way down to the Extremedura region. I am hoping that my third winter’s fishing will be more successful and slightly warmer. Saying all of that though, you have to experience these things or you will never know and I don’t have any regrets at all about fishing Cassien last January and fishing this lake for this January. I have to live somewhere through this cold time of year and it is that simple. I am getting through the weeks and days and it is nearly February already – Spring will soon be here. Time sure does fly and I remember fishing at Gigantica last year in August when I noticed the days were suddenly getting shorter. Compared to now the days were still very long and it was still light at 10pm, but by the end of the week it was getting dark by 9.45pm, a few days later and it was 9.30pm and I knew the dark long nights would soon be here. When I started fishing the Moselle in October that was when Autumn was in full swing and I knew then that I had a long journey ahead of me. I now feel I am coming out of the tunnel though and I can see the glimmer of light beckoning me forwards. Good times lay ahead and some good fishing too.

I made a plan with Emanuele yesterday to go and look at my next water of choice after the Carp Italy show. We will drive the short distance to the lake, taking with me my inflatable and outboard motor. The plan is then to bomb round the lake with my echo sounder and explore the place very quickly looking for a swim for my intended ten week session. If you thought this session was a long one, then think again, this was just the warm up! My friend knows the lake fairly well and it will be a great help to have some knowledge with me for the day. It will also be nice to be set up at the lake as winter turns to spring. I will be there to witness as everything begins to wake up from a long sleep. Aviron in the spring is one of my favourite places in the world. You begin to notice the buds on the trees, the fry in the shallows and the crayfish returning at night, the birds begin to get quite vocal and the carp begin to get more active. Spring is a magnificent season and by far my favourite.

Last night I had a small fish on one rod. The rod I put in 22ft at the back of the plateau. It was desperately cold last night by 9pm and I knew a small fish had hooked itself. The question was do I go out in the boat and free it or leave it to try to free itself? I tightened up the slack line and noticed the rod tip knocking every few seconds. I decided to give the fish the benefit of the doubt and returned to my warm bivvy; either unhook yourself or I may have a catfish run! In the morning at 9am the fish was clearly still on, so I rowed out and freed the greedy culprit. The rod is now back out and that is all the rod work I have done today.

Did I get my Robin picture? I ended up with a few…have a look. The speed of a Robin is lightning quick and he was very aware of the camera. I had to adjust my shutter speed to 1000th of a second and as a result I had to use some flash. As soon as I clicked the remote button he was gone but I got some interesting results.

Look at his eyes...he isn't too sure!

Nice wing action!

Looks like he is about to land!

At least someone is enjoying my boilies!

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Catch you tomorrow

Jake and the dogs.

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Posted in The Italian Job! | 3 Comments »

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