I want a big carp...

[the joker]

Hi fellas and fellasses,

Off work Monday so I'm going to a fishery that I've never tried before called astwood fishery in bromsgrove, I've had a look on the fishery guide and apparently it has carp up to 30lbs..

Any advice on how to increase my chances of catching, I've got maggots, meat, corn, boilies and bread so that's most areas covered, is there any real way to catch the bigguns? Or is it a matter of chance when I 15lb+ swims by?

Cheers,
Joker

 

[john step]

Almost impossible to answer. By the very nature of the question it would be assumed you have not an immense amount of experience. That is not meant rudely by the way. Build experience over time(years?) and the biggies will come.
I suspect that on a bank holiday Monday there will be many on the bank and the disturbance will lessen chances anyway.
Enjoy every fish as it comes. The red letter days will happen.

 

[noutbutacold]

Fish for the joy of it, any fish is a bonus

 

[the joker]

I am inexperienced at carp fishing, you're right, I usually fish rivers but due to the closed season I thought I'd try some different lakes to see what's what, I always fish for the joy of it, but everyone loves catching big fish right

 

[nocatch]

Err no,
i personally just enjoy fishing no matter what i can enjoy to photograph and enjoy

 

[InteraX]

Hi fellas and fellasses,

Off work Monday so I'm going to a fishery that I've never tried before called astwood fishery in bromsgrove, I've had a look on the fishery guide and apparently it has carp up to 30lbs..

Any advice on how to increase my chances of catching, I've got maggots, meat, corn, boilies and bread so that's most areas covered, is there any real way to catch the bigguns? Or is it a matter of chance when I 15lb+ swims by?

Cheers,
Joker

As with everything fishing, it all depends.

Weather plays a big part. I went yesterday and blanked. It was colder than previous days and the fish had calmed down a bit.

A guy opposite me was using dog biscuit on the top and had a few up to about 10lbs.

I was using zigs for the first time. I had a couple of takes, but struck into nothing. I suspect it was something to do with my hooking arrangement.

The guys fishing on the bottom only had line bites all day.

Also, if you're after a big fish, make sure they are there and there aren't too many smaller fish. And be prepared to walk away with nothing. Carping can be a lonely passtime.

Sent on the move.

 

[cg74]

As with everything fishing, it all depends.

Weather plays a big part. I went yesterday and blanked. It was colder than previous days and the fish had calmed down a bit.

A guy opposite me was using dog biscuit on the top and had a few up to about 10lbs.

I was using zigs for the first time. I had a couple of takes, but struck into nothing. I suspect it was something to do with my hooking arrangement.

The guys fishing on the bottom only had line bites all day.

Also, if you're after a big fish, make sure they are there and there aren't too many smaller fish. And be prepared to walk away with nothing. Carping can be a lonely passtime.

Sent on the move.

You shouldn't need to strike bites when fishing a zig rig. Here's a good article on the technique: Effective Zig Rigs for Carp | Angling Lines Blog
Though I'd never use Drennan Double Strength as my hooklength, I much prefer Preston Reflo Power line.

 

[noutbutacold]

Catching is such a rarity for me I don't give too hoots what size they are

 

[sam vimes]

If you want bigger than run of the mill fish, the most obvious solution is to be more selective by using bigger baits. Fishing a single maggot will certainly catch the biggest freshwater fish that swims. However, you'll have to wade through an awful lot of tiddlers along the way.

 

[rouse01]

if you want big carp dont bother with astwood fishery it's full of pasties,the best i managed was a 8pd ghost carp & its more of a match venue with matches on most pools even in midweek,your chances of catching a big un out of astwood are slim,dont always believe what you read,i know they say they go to 30pd but i doubt that they do,might have the odd big un in but its mainly pasties....if you want big carp try holt fleet worcester they go to mid-twenties or brockamin in worcester they go into low thirties,also top barn worcester has specimen pool but that can be quite hard...anyway good luck in your quest for the big one!

 

[the joker]

Cheers for the advice Sam and rousey, I'll check some of those fisheries out in Worcester cheers lads!!

 

[rouse01]

Cheers for the advice Sam and rousey, I'll check some of those fisheries out in Worcester cheers lads!!

yeah let us know how you get on anyway,wherever you decide to fish!

 

[the joker]

So with my 2 days off work I decided to try astwood fishery as it was closer than the Worcester based fisheries, and I can say that you were right, rousey, caught about 25 f1/hybrid and I'd say 4 were nice, the rest made me wonder how they even took the bait, mouth healing over themselves leaving a gap the size of a 5p peice if not smaller!

Went to manor farm the day after, fished the pellet with meat and caught 6 carp, all to about 7-9 lbs, about a foot out in a foot of water, then the light dropped and the float dipped under and I was hooked onto my first double figure carp! All 13lbs of it! Extremely happy! Getting quite hooked on this carp malarkey!!

 

[badgeroo]

Hi mate!
I live in worcester and there are so many pools claiming to contain big carp but I hear about plenty of smaller fish but no biggies. I believe upton warren gravel pits has a good head of 20lbs+ fish. Droitwich tackle can help out there.
Also there is Tardebigge reservoir and they have have some real nice fish only problem is it is a syndicate fishery and I believe the day tickets are really expensive!
checkout this facebook page;
https://www.facebook.com/ASBaits?fref=ts
I am getting out in the next week or two and will be looking for carp using some of my homemade baits I will let you all know how we get on! :beer::beer:

 

[nicepix]

You shouldn't need to strike bites when fishing a zig rig. Here's a good article on the technique: Effective Zig Rigs for Carp | Angling Lines Blog
Though I'd never use Drennan Double Strength as my hooklength, I much prefer Preston Reflo Power line.

Colin,
The question I have isn't answered in any of the articles I've read - namely why zig 9 feet up in 12 feet of water with all the issues to overcome, when you could simply float fish 3 feet down from the surface? Or am I missing something?

 

[cg74]

Colin,
The question I have isn't answered in any of the articles I've read - namely why zig 9 feet up in 12 feet of water with all the issues to overcome, when you could simply float fish 3 feet down from the surface? Or am I missing something?

Clive, it's because a float drifts whereas a 4oz lead doesn't, that and a zig is a self hooking rig.

 

[nicepix]

Clive, it's because a float drifts whereas a 4oz lead doesn't, that and a zig is a self hooking rig.

So taking it further; what is the problem with drifting? What is more unnatural - an ball of cork tethered in mid water or something slowly moving? When still-water fly-fishing the wet flies are usually more likely to be taken when they are moving through the water being towed by the floating fly line drifting with the wind.

I appreciate that float fishing requires some skills that many carp anglers don't seem to possess. Staying awake for example :w But it doesn't need to be a self-hooking rig. Some old timers manage to hook fish by a method known as striking :w :w

Seriously, I do wonder whether fishing a zig under a float might be better in some circumstances; Up o 30 metres out when the water is very deep for example.

 

[barbelboi]

If I fish for carp it’s mostly up in the water, on the drop or on surface. I find a zig effective during the winter months but wouldn’t bother once the water warms up a bit and the fish are more mobile. Most of the takes at say 20/30m on the gravel pits I fish of 12’-15’ deep are instantaneous as soon as the ‘float’ hits the water, or on the drop with a 4’ tail. If they are not cooperative up the top a slow sinking ‘float’ will often encourage a take on the way down to the bottom, or on the drop just after the ‘float’ hits the deck. I will usually cast out every 60 seconds, or so, for up in the water and within 30 seconds of hitting the deck on a sinker.. Not for those who prefer to remain inactive but an enjoyable way to catch carp by actually ‘working’ for it with one rod by chopping and changing as required. Last Thursday for instance, Simon and I fished a local pit, and although there was quite a lot of surface movement the carp were not really having it – the slowest I’ve seen in the last couple of months. By ‘working’ for it using one rod and using the above methods, we both caught some decent fish (together with another friend that fished with us) while all the others with their two rods, and one dimensional tactics of leads on the bottom blanked

 

[nicepix]

That's the sort of zigging I would take to Jerry.

 

[stu_the_blank]

Seriously, I do wonder whether fishing a zig under a float might be better in some circumstances; Up o 30 metres out when the water is very deep for example.

Something Frank Warwick was suggesting in Carpworld a couple of months ago.

Not tried it, so can't comment on it's effectiveness but theory is sound. I am going to give it a go when the water warms a little.

Stu