Posts Tagged ‘Mussel and Oyster’

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The Wall of Carp Begins!

November 11, 2010

Good Evening.

It feels like the good old days at the present moment! I am fishing, I have internet on the bank, and I am writing a blog from the bivvy! After the past few weeks of hard work, and serving clients, a welcome break on the bank is just the tonic. I can’t wait for the next group of clients to arrive, but till then, I am enjoying a break.

I am set up where two of the Danish lads were fishing. Claus and Martin had some terrific action from this swim and although they failed to land any big kippers, they certainly enjoyed the regular action they received. The action did slow for them for a day or so, but after a strategic move (ten metres to their right), they were back in the thick of things in no time at all.

I am actually fishing the same three areas I fished, when I last reported from my bankside action. The swim produced my Spanish PB, and I am hoping that over the next few days, another large fish will turn up. So far I have had four smallish commons. I am quite competitive in a friendly manner, so I have decided to dedicate an individual wall of my house to my individual captures. The rules for a deserving picture are very simple. Over 10kg and the fish is photographed, and any under are released without. However, if one of the pretty mirrors are caught and they weigh more than 7kg, they will still be photographed, and included on the wall of glory. Game on…

Currently on two of my rods I am using the Monster Tiger Nut pop-ups fished over tigers, hemp, and chopped boilies. I had two of my fish from the small tree to my left on a single 20mm pop-up. The first take came minutes after casting out! With my 2.5lb/tc rods the battle was delightful. It is my first day-time carp, and it was a pleasure to play the carp on the softer rods.

Speaking of rods I have a few important choices to make with regards to the new tackle I will be purchasing. Rods are obviously a very important piece of tackle for the angler, so which rod is right for Sierra Brava considering boats aren’t allowed, and most of the fishing is executed close range from 20-80 yards? A playing rod is really needed at Sierra Brava, as the fish go off with tremendous power and speed. The problem with a fast tapered stiff rod of 3-3.5lb/tc is when you try to stop the fish reaching snags, you can suffer from hook pulls or breakages in weak points of your end tackle. I personally think a through action 2.75lb/tc rod will be best suited to Sierra Brava. It will minimise hook pulls, allow the angler to apply more pressure safely, and more fish will be landed as a result. That has to be the ultimate goal. Plus, with a 2.75lb/tc rod, a competent caster could still cast a 100gr lead over 100 yards. After speaking to several anglers on the bank, it seems this type of rod is the prefered option and it is the customers needs that you must cater for.

Cheers Marco!!

Three sizes - this is the 75cm version which extends to 150cm.

Similar to my Nick 95 rod pod, the buzzer bar folds neatly into place, secured by large quality bolts.

The double-pronged foot plate is a separate attachment.

First the solid pole is pushed into the ground.

The foot plate slides down the pole to be pushed into the ground for extra stability.

Just like that!!!

Then you slide on the external stick complete with buzzer bar.

It can be set low...

or high, depending on your style of set up.

Another choice I have to make is pods or banksticks. The ground at Sierra Brava is actually bankstick friendly. The problem with rod pods, unless they are put up properly, and staked or pegged down, the fish will certainly pull them into the water. To minimise this a better and more secure solution must be found. My associates ‘Meccanica Vadese‘ have kindly sent me some new products to use and test – the NickEtto. This sturdy bankstick, complete with folding buzzer bar, has a thick, solid construction, the engineering is superb, and the double-pronged foot plate, adds extra stability for those knee trembling takes. I am going to test them out for the next few days, fishing locked up, and I will make my decision based on the results.

Incidentally, my third rod is sporting my old favourites – the Mussel and Oyster boilies. My hookbait choice is a 20mm pop-up combined with a 15mm bright green Mussel and Anchovy. I had my first take on this rod at 3am, followed by another one at 6am. Four takes and four landed – is an imminent loss on the cards then? Let’s hope not! As I write this post the fish are quite literally crashing out in front of me. It is quite unnerving as I am expecting one of my rods to surge forwards at any moment. I am as always ready though.

Fingers crossed more action will be reported tomorrow evening.

Carp number five.

N.B As I expected a take did occur, just as I was re-reading tonight’s post. The carp put up an awesome fight, forcing me to furiously back wind on several occasions. The fish was caught from open water on the mussel bait combo, and it is always a relief when the fish is away from snags, as you can relax a little, and enjoy the action as it unfolds. Would it make the picture wall. Not this time, but it was definitely still worth a picture for the blog!

Cheers

Jake and the dogs.

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The First Spanish Carp!!!

September 30, 2010

Good Morning.

I am already losing track of which day it is, which is a sure sign I am settling in! I have got plenty done since I arrived including gathering various documents and pieces of paper you need in order to function. Firstly you need a ‘patron’ which shows where you live. An NIE number is needed, and I am now officially registered in Spain. In order to open a bank account or do other useful things, these documents are required and the sooner you get them, the quicker life can begin. All that remains for me to do is to buy a year ticket for Sierra Brava. I have the national license for Spain which cost me 5 Euros and I will buy the Sierra ticket today. So I could fish this morning, I purchased a day ticket for the princely sum of 1.35 Euros – that ain’t bad really?

A nice looking spot me thinks?

On Monday evening I took a stroll down to the lake. I decided to pre-bait a swim I liked the look of, and introduced 4kg of 26mm Mussel and Oyster boilies from the DB range. I smothered these with the liquid attractor and fired them in with a catapult. I covered a good area surrounding a few visible trees sticking out of the water. This was to be the first attempt at nailing a Sierra Brava carp. That attempt would have to wait till this morning though, as I was going to try my short morning session approach.

These are the baby snags!

I set my alarm for 4am and already had the van loaded. The access round the lake is actually quite good and it is done by driving along tracks. These are not the most friendly for small vehicles but my van can cope adequately. I trundled slowly along to my spot and pulled up. Now it was time to fish!

It was still dark as I flicked out my baits to my marks. I say my marks… in all honesty I cast them to areas in front of the dark shadows that resembled trees in the darkness. I felt each cast down and got a satisfying thud. The water was obviously quite deep here as the lead took a while to touch down. I heard a carp crash in the distance and eagerly got the kettle on for a brew. I looked at my two rods resting on front backsticks only, with the baitrunners done up to the maximum, and a large rock resting on the butt. This would be hit and hold tactics and I was looking forward to an early morning tussle.

The distant barrage.

At 5.30am my right hand rod signalled a take. The fish had obviously got some steam up as a short burst of line was stripped off the tightened baitrunner. Positive I already had a good hookhold I pulled the rod to my right hand side and held on. The fish pulled forwards and I could feel a snag grating on the line. The fish lunged again and I took my chance to walk backwards and got the fish free from the spindly obstruction. I kept the pressure on for a few seconds as there was a another tree to my right. The fish boiled on the surface in front of me and I was sure I had done enough to secure my first spanish carp and a new carp from a new country. I slid out my net and in she went. Victory felt sweet!

Off the mark...sweet!

I quickly got the carp sorted and left it in my Armo weigh sling, staked in the water. I cast the rod back out and fired in another handful of bait. After a celebratory cup of tea, and watching the lake come to life, I figured I had done enough for my first short session – it had been a success.

The carp weighed 10kg exactly and reminds me very much of the carp you see in Bin El Quidane in Morocco. I am sure someone will tell me they are of the same strain! I did some self takes as the sun appeared over the hillside in the distance. I slipped the carp back and watched it bolt off. He may not remember the incident for long but it is a memory I shall hold for years to come. Catching your first carp from a new country is always special and I have a feeling there will be plenty more to come.

The hookbait incidentally was the 360 rig with two 20mm pop-ups. I was using a Mussel and Oyster combined with a fluro white Coconut Cream. A strange combination you might say, but one this carp obviously favoured!

Catch you soon.

Jake and the dogs.

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Posted in Sierra Brava | 3 Comments »

Good Old Tigers!

July 15, 2010

Good Evening.

Thanks for your patience! My writing is done and I am now very relaxed. My final chapter of No Fixed Abode was sent to Angling Publications today with a slight tinge of sadness, mixed a sense of relief. Two years of writing for a magazine is a two-year long committment, and although I am positive I will return to the pages of Carpworld, I am looking forward to a few months off. My European magazine contributions will continue, and as I am now using the Carp-Tec range of bait that Dynamite produce, it makes more sense for me to focus on promotion where it counts.

A repellent that really works.

The move to tiger nuts was a good idea and yesterday morning my middle rod took off. A common almost exactly the same as the first carp of the session was on the other end, so I released it immediately, straight from the boat. The cats have not bothered me since the change of bait, although this morning something did manage to pull my lead from the clip on one of my rods. Interestingly when I put the rods out on Tuesday I tipped each tiger nut presentation with imitation corn. Green, orange, and pink, was used as a visual aid to help produce a take. The carp was caught on the pink rod! So far all my takes have come to presentations with pink involved. Pink pop-ups, a snowman with a pink pop-up, and now pink corn along with the tigers. I don’t know whether the depth makes this certain colour stand out better than others, or it is just a coincidence, but then I had a take this evening on the pink rod again. What is it with these Italian carp? They love pink!

Pink baits work well in Italy!

Unfortunately the carp I hooked this evening was not landed. As I made my way out in the boat to my distant marker I could feel the fish occasionally tugging. As I got about 100 metres from my marker the braid was caught around an underwater obstacle – probably a large branch or log sat on the lakebed. As I neared the spot I felt the fish pull a little, and I suspect I pulled it into the snag and it then shed the hook. In the end I could feel nothing on the end, so I had to wrap my braid around my arm and pull for a break. Oh well, you win some and you lose some. To be realistic, at this particular lake, this is par for the course, and you will never land every carp. The lakebed is littered with snags, and I would use my pike controller idea to try and keep the braid off the bottom, but then the frequent canoeists and boats that literally pass your rod tips would catch your line, especially if the pike controller bought it up to the surface.

A large rock used as a lead substitue to achieve more weight.

Here is the rock lead I am using for my long-range fishing. It is a simple method, which means you can get a very tight line back to your pod, you can also tighten up any bow, if you were unable to return in a straight line, without the fear of moving a lighter lead; and the hookhold you obtain from the rock is much more secure. You can also guarantee that the rock will release after the take bringing the carp straight to the surface.

My braid of choice and with the 25lb version it is possible to get 600m on a big baitrunner spool.

I now have three of four nights left of my session. The rods are all in position, but I have stuck boilies back on two rods, leaving the middle rod sporting the pink tipped tigers. I am hoping the cats have buggered off, and I won’t be bothered by them anymore. To try some old tricks, and tempt a final big fish, I have stuck a big bait presentation on one rod, consisting of two 26mm Mussel and Oyster bottom baits, tipped with a 15mm pink Squid and Octopus pop-up. I caught a 23kg common from here in 2008 on a similar sized offering; so you never quite know do you?

Happily, my mate got off the mark this morning with this pretty common.

I will be back tomorrow with a Friday afternoon post.

Cheers

Jake and the dogs.

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Posted in The Italian Job! | 2 Comments »

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