Help needed!

[manicmicky]

So ive just gotten back in to fishing after about 12 years im 26 now so i was still a young'n when i did fish, I dont drive so ive bought a permit for a local pond that has been sold a few times and hasnt been open to the public for atleast 5-6 years.

Now, i went fishing on sunday and caught 1 2oz roach in about 10 hours, only had 1 bite apart from that... i just need to know where im going wrong?

Im using a oldish shimano reel and shimano 12ft match rod, using a straight waggler which took 4bb which i placed 3 bb round the float and and a few no.6 dotted down the line, i was only fishing about 4-5 foot out down the sides of me which has reeds and is quite deep at around 4-5 foot down aswell.

I tried feeding very slowly throughout only 2-3 maggots a time and 2-3 maggots on a size 18 hook.

I just have no idea what im missing or where i went wrong if anybody has any advice please do tell me im going again on thursday to give it another go and want to have a gameplan prepared! Thanks!

 

[nogoodboyo]

You're not necessarily doing anything "wrong".
And you seem to have a sensible approach to tackling a venue for the first time.
I'm concerned about the place being sold repeatedly and not open for 5/6 years.
And sometimes fish just don't want to come out to play!

 

[manicmicky]

Yeah it has been fished abit from private members but no where near as much as a commercial, ive always been a fan of fishing the margins and just wondered if i was plumming it wrong or using a wrong float or bait for this time of year? i dunno maybe they were just hiding

 

[fishplate42]

I am a total beginner but a bit older than you by a few decades... I am not in any position to give you any advice but to say that your result for a day's fishing is what I expected on my first day out. I was really surprised when I caught four fish that were of a reasonable size - I am sure it was not my technique but the place I fished!

Where are you based? I am sure someone nearby would be able to take you to another venue with them. If you live near me I would be happy to team up with you and you could come with me and my brother who is also a beginner we can all learn together!

You can see where we have been fishing and the fish I caught on my blog by following the link below.

Ralph

 

[laguna]

It sounds like there aren't any fish in front of you?

I would suggest fishing the margins again but use a groundbait to draw fish into your swim, fish dead depth or slightly over by a couple of inches and try a single caster on a size 20's hook.

You could try simultaneously feeding two swims, switch after a couple of hours and give the other one a rest.
If your target is roach, make sure your last dropper shot is at least 4" away from the hook, change the hook for a 20's and use 1.5-2lb fluorocarbon hooklink (almost invisible) and a smaller dotted down 2BB pole float (pole floats can be used with a rod too)

Good luck.

 

[manicmicky]

I am a total beginner but a bit older than you by a few decades... I am not in any position to give you any advice but to say that your result for a day's fishing is what I expected on my first day out. I was really surprised when I caught four fish that were of a reasonable size - I am sure it was not my technique but the place I fished!

Where are you based? I am sure someone nearby would be able to take you to another venue with them. If you live near me I would be happy to team up with you and you could come with me and my brother who is also a beginner we can all learn together!

You can see where we have been fishing and the fish I caught on my blog by following the link below.

Ralph

Thanks for the offer, tis nice of you but i live up in north yorkshire so abit of a trek from you! haha

And Laguna thank you for the advice i will defo try some groundbait and casters but im generally fishing for anything that moves just so happened to be a tiny roach! haha

 

[fishplate42]

Thanks for the offer, tis nice of you but i live up in north yorkshire so abit of a trek from you! haha

It is that but a nice part of the world to live. I hope you catch some bigger fish next time.

Ralph.

 

[sam vimes]

Thanks for the offer, tis nice of you but i live up in north yorkshire so abit of a trek from you! haha

North Yorkshire is a pretty big county, but whereabouts and which water are you talking about? There's always a chance that someone will know of it (doesn't sound familiar to me). There might be good reason for it not being open for so long.

P.S. A size 18 hook is probably about right when fishing for bites with maggot. However, IMO, the very most you should squeeze on an 18 is two maggots. You run the risk of masking the point with more.

 

[manicmicky]

Indeed ive been looking into presentation abit more and found that 2 is the max maggots for a size 18, will stick to that from now on! Its kingsley carp water in starbeck, harrogate im fishing. Used to be very good about 10 or so years ago just hoping i had a bad day All tips and advice are great though! Thanks

 

[sam vimes]

Its kingsley carp water in starbeck, harrogate im fishing.

There aren't too many waters in North Yorkshire that have completely passed me by, but that's one of them. What little information I managed to find hints at catfish and syndication. If either are right, there might not be much in the way of small fish in there. Whatever fish are left might not have seen much in the way of maggots for quite a while.

 

[manicmicky]

There were catfish many years ago but they got netted out if i remember rightly, although it has been a syndicate for many years aswell. Maybe i just need to fish it a hell of alot to get them used to my maggots? haha xD

 

[john step]

Were there any other anglers fishing. Were they catching? A quiet walk round observing could be the best time spent there before fishing. If they hold matches even better to observe. Even the best waters have off days. Sudden cold rain in a summer lake can do that. Sometimes fish will be devoid one end of a lake and packed in the other end if for instance there is a warm wind. Or come to think of it a cold easterly wind.
I doubt fish need educating to accepting maggots. They are just about as natural as it gets.
Try walking round late afternoon with a little bread and tossing a few small pieces into likely looking spots to see what stirs. Time spent researching is rarely wasted