Spring tench session

After a three day blank at Chertsey I decided I needed a bend in my rod so I set of to Beaver Farm Fishery to catch tench. I am not a big fan of the venue but the small pond right at the back of the complex holds some good tench and is usually fisherman free. I called my mate Karl and headed for a quick half day session in poor tench conditions. The North East wind was still bringing in the cold weather but it was more a bit of fun than serious fishing. The pond is very small but holds some large tench to 11lb plus quite a few back up 5lb ders. Tactics would be basic waggler set up with 6lb line straight through to a size 10 specialist hook. Bait would be luncheon meat and sweetcorn, a tench favourite. Karl was the first to catch and he landed a couple of small roach and a small tench from the swim next to be. I decided to fish a small patch of reeds in the middle of the pond which were constantly knocking about where the tench were moving through them. At about 12.00 the float finally slid away and I was in. I landed a small but perfectly formed tench of around 2-3lb. It put up a great fight on light tackle and reminded me of what tench fishing is all about. Cant wait to do some more tench fishing this summer at some gravel pits I have in mind. I will keep you posted.

3rd Session at Chertsey

My third session at Chertsey came about quickly. I planned to use the same rigs that I had previously caught the common on during my last trip. The session was to be a long three day trip. On my first night I caught a bream which woke me up at 2am (yuk). The session passed quickly and another bream went in the net and on the last day a double figure pike caught on a boilie!!!!!!!!. It was one of those sessions that didn't go to plan and I felt that I wasn't fishing at my best. As soon as I arrived the south westerly wind changed to a north east which brought the bad cold weather with it. I settled in the swim that I had previously caught my common which was a mistake. It seemed as though the fish were holding up in the deeper water. Steve the bailiff had a great 26lb common so they were still on the feed. I hope to get back down there as soon as possible so will update you on my next trip.

Tight lines

14/08/10

Completed a two day session on Chertsey. Fished the furtest swim from the car park and blanked. Decided to have a go for the roach and caught a few to about 6oz. I was really hoping a 2lbder would pick up my sweetcorn but it did not happen. Cant wait to get back there are winkle out another carp.

Chertsey 2nd session

After my first session and blank on Chertsey I decided on a different approach. Both rods were to be rigged up with hinged stiff rigs on leadcore leaders with fluro pop ups. I arrived at the lake Friday around 2pm and made my way round the right bank. I decided to settle in a swim that overlooks M3 (lovely) . The topography in my swim was uniform and I was fishing in 5ft of gin clear water. I walked around and gathered some information from the syndicate members on where the carp were showing etc. I flicked out both rods feeling down the leads until I hit solid ground, this was followed by 20 trigga ice baits scattered into the ripples that the lead had left.

At around 7pm whilst looking out over the water for fish a carp rolled over my left hand rod. In anticipation I hovered my had over the rod expecting a take. 15 minutes later the it screamed off and I engaged th

e bait runner to have the horrible sensation of slack line. I was gutted to think I had missed out on my first elusive Chertsey carp. All I could put It down to was that the carp had been nicked in the mouth and the hook had pulled. Back the rod went on the same spot. During the night I had a take on my other rod which resulted in a bream of around 8lb (It even took my baitrunner!!!).

The next day dawned and I re-thought my tactics. It was a hot day and the carp were cruising around on top, a floater rod was quickly set up and my right rod reeled in. Whilst in the swim next door trying for a take on the surface my delkim screamed for help so dropping my tea I ran to my swim, engaged my baitrunner and was attached to my first Chertsey carp. The carp scrapped hard for the first part of the fight and then surrendered to my net. She didn't go in first time which caused a bit of panic but eventually she was mine. The fish was a common of around 22lb but the size wasn't what excited me (I and the other members estimated the weight as my scales had broken on a previous trip) . The carp was long, dark bronze with a heart shaped tale, an immaculate fish. I had trouble taking pics as all the other members were on the other side of the lake so I chanced some self shots. Luckily after cutting my head of on the self takes a member arrived and took some great pics (cheers mate). On only my second session I had bagged one of the elusive fish that swim in Chertsey. From what I had herd no other fish had been out that week so It was a right result. Common pic above left

The next night quickly went by with only a couple of liners. On the last day of my session Terry Hearn was back at the lake. He had a fully scaled mirror on his last trip and he congratulated me on my catch commenting on the low stock of carp the water held and what a great fish it was (top man). That was to be the second highlight that concluded my trip. Hopefully next time I write this I will have had a 30 + Tight Lines

1st Chertsey session

My ticket arrived for Chertsey on the 2nd April. I could not wait to get down there for my first session and was soon getting prepared. New leadcore leaders were attached to my mainline and some new rigs tied up. My bait for the spring would be Nutribaits trigga ice a favourite for when the weather warms up. The stock is still unknow as the lake has been closed for two years following maintenance works. The big mirror however was out on the second day of the season to a guy named Oz at 43lb 10oz. There are some big commons in the lake that should be pussing 40lb if not over. The lake also contains some specimen roach, tench, bream, crucian carp and rudd so there are many possibilities for a great catch. The river Bourne runs behind the lake an offers barbel to double figures, carp, roach and chub so as a whole the ticket offers everything. I settled in at the shallow bay end of the lake and fished with small 8mm fluro peach pop ups on chod rigs.

Right ( The River Bourne)

The night passed un-eventful but I managed to find out some information on the lake and had a good look around to familiarise myself with the new water. Just as it was getting dark a man walked into my swim who I instantly recognised as Terry Hearn. I am a big fan of Terry Hearn and have read both his books cover to cover (a few times). He has done so much in carp fishing and has caught some of the most elusive carp that swim in English waters. In the morning I reeled in the rods and walked to Terrys swim where I had a good chat with him about his book and possible target fish for the future. Hes a great bloke, I wish him all the best in his fishing and Im sure there are many more big fish to fall to his rods. So in summary no fish but a great session. I will be back down there in a week or two for a longer session.

Below (Me and Terry Hearn)

5lb Eden Chub March 2010

Since my capture of a stunning 4lb + chub I have been back to the river Eden to try and beat my new PB. I must have done around fifteen more sessions on the river until last week when the season came to an end. During these sessions I had been unable to update my blog due to family commitments and work but now had some time to write about my trips. Since I smashed my PB with a 4lb 10oz chub on bread I have caught three more 4lb ders. (4lb 8oz bottom left, 4lb 1oz, 4lb 6oz) all fell to lob worm on a longshank korda hook held on the bottom with two swan split shot.

Equipped with my new 9ft mach 1 Shakespeare feeder rod I traveled to the Eden on Saturday 14th March one day before the close season hoping to beat my PB. I had some lob worms on me and decided to fish the other side of the bridge where I had not done a lot of fishing. I must have walked around two miles flicking in my bait into every snaggy swim that looked like it held chub but with no luck. I caught a good perch of around a pound but no chub, it was just a matter of finding them. On my way back to the bridge from my long walk I fished the swims again. On one swim a tree had fallen and completely blocked the river creating a great holding area for chub. Chucking my bait close to the snags my rod instantly bent around and after a good fight I landed a 3lb chub. (No one to take the picture tho). Just before the capture of the chub I landed a pike upstream which somehow didn't break my line. I estimated it at around 7lb and it put up a great fight on light tackle but was not the target species.

I continued to fish the river back to the road and decided to drive to the other side which I usually fish. Slipping into a swim that usually produces I manage to catch a fish of around 2lb. My favourite swim was taken at this time and so I continued fishing down the river. There was a man on the other corner swim who after talking to confirmed he was the angler fishing my favourite corner swim and he explained that he had now moved as there was no sign of any fish. I gathered my equipment and headed around to the swim where the anglers colleague who he was fishing with advised me they had put some bait in (hopefully not ground bait I thought). I cast out as usual close to the left hand snags 15 ft out or so and waited for a bite. Within five minutes the rod tip twitched and the line went slack. I reeled in to regain the tension but the line went slack again so I reeled in and connected with a decent fish. After a great fight in which the fish tried every trick in the book I had a 4lb chub in the net RESULT! Usually I find once I have caught a fish from a swim it goes quiet for a while and I usually like to leave it and come back but today I had fished all other available swims and it was getting late so i decided to re-cast. After 15 minutes or so the rod repeated its previous actions and I was into what I though was a pike. It tried to snag me up numerous times and had so much power. After a few surges I caught a glimpse of a chub and I realised I was attached to a truly great fish. After an amazingly strong fight the chub was in the net. It was truly massive and I thought it may have gone 6lb. It went 5lb (pic below) on the dot and although looked bigger I was well chuffed. Cant wait to get back to the river next winter. Chub rods away now and carp rods out. I have just received my ticket for Chertsey Cemex lake and have plans to fish Twynersh. (carp and roach). I will update you on these sessions and let you know what the summer brings. Please check out the video of my 5lb chub below.

Tight lines

4lb + Chub from the Eden

12/12/09

If you have been following my blog you will know that i have been after a 4lb chub from the river Eden. I have caught them up to 3lb and had many 2lb ders but really want to catch a specimen. I decided to go down to the river for a few hours taking with me minimal amount of kit.

Free lining bread with a split shot 10 inches from the hook i bounced the bait down the steady current in my favourite swim pictured above. The weather was perfect for fishing today. The water level had dropped from the flooding level it was up to and was nicely coloured. My quiver bent around on the second cast and i was in to a decent fish. It took me left into some snags but i managed to pull it clear and net it quickly. I asked a man walking his dog if he could take some pictures and he did. The chub had a mouth like a bucket and when weighed she went 4lb 10oz which is a new personal best and a great fish from any water.

I am now aiming to catch a 5lb chub and so will keep you updated on my winter fishing trips.

Lac St Cassien July 2009

I am lucky enough to have an aunty that owns a villa situated in the south of France next to the famous Lac St Cassien. Cassien hold huge carp challenging world records. Carp have been caught to over 70lb catfish over 200lb!!!!!. The lake is huge, thousands of acres and was a man made lake for hydroelectricity damed in the 50s-60s. The fishing here is hard but rewards can be spectacular and well worth ago although you need to invest money and put in time if you want to suceed.

I fished two days taken my baits out by boat and dropping them 300 or so yards out (my rods pic below left). Idealy you need a good bost because of the topography of the lake. Where there are so many large rocks and canyons on the lake bed the carp can snap your line on them unless you are directly above them hence the boat. Another tool I didnt have was a echo sounder which allows you to see what feature are on the bottom of the lake. I managed to get a bite on my left rod but am sure it was a bream. Anything that makes you buzzers go off on Cassien is exciting.

I didnt catch anything on my days fishing cassien apart from sever sun burn. The lake is amazing and I was luck enough to witness a 38lb Cassien carp be caught by a German (I think). What a fish pictured above left. Below are some other carp from cassien. I am to return to cassien next year July 2010 and will update my blog hopefully with pictures of an elusive Cassien carp in my arms.