What gear for a specimen lake ?

[bennygesserit]

A recent post by cg reminded me that I might give the specimen lake a go next time I go to whiteacres , I normally fish with 9lb line to a hook to nulon preston innovation pre banded hook , largest size 14 am I undergunned , especially in the hook size for carp that i think are over 20 lb ?

I also fish the canal quite a lot and am seriously thinking of trying a river after forty years , I understand my fishing might be easier than most etc etc many thanks

[S-Kippy]

Depends.Not knowing the water or methods I wouldn't say 9lb is particularly undergunned but I always go with as strong a line and as big & strong a hook as I think I can get away with based on the bait & [of course] the fishes reaction.

[Sean Meeghan]

On most commercial specimen lakes and most runs watersyou're expecting to catch carp up to mid doubles with the occasional 20. For this sort of fishing a barbel rod and 10lb line is perfectly adequate. Size 14 hooks are probably the smallest I'd go for this sort of fishing, but the stronger models will be fine with the above tackle.

[bennygesserit]

thanks , I am fishing commercials and I usually choose a swim which gives the fish a chance to run i.e. no hit and hold.

As I mostly fished canals any hook larger than a 14 seems huge , but then again the largest fish I have caught , and not foul hooked , is just under 10 lb , then I suspect that if I get that "Barney Rubble" double then I might be wishing I had started with a larger hook. What would you recommend ?

[cg74]

Benny, there is a minimum line strength rule of 12lb bs, though at first this seems excessively high for small lake carrying carp averaging 17-18lb, with them topping out at mid/high 20's.
But the rule is really in place to protect the catfish, and after battling with one just shy of 20lb a few of years back on a 2lb test barbel rod coupled with 12lb line, take it from me; don't go undergunned!
And the cats go 40lb+ in Nelsons and 70lb+ in Pats.

Also bear in mind they have a fair number of snags in the specimen lakes; islands, lily pads, weed beds, overhanging trees and root structures.

I'll also say regards hook size; a size 6 or 8 carp hook, as apart from giving a firmer hold, you need big baits to avoid nuisance fish - I use 16-21mm baits for the carp and two 25mm pellets for the cats (on a size 4 Korda Wide Gape).

[bennygesserit]

Originally Posted by cg74

Benny, there is a minimum line strength rule of 12lb bs, though at first this seems excessively high for small lake carrying carp averaging 17-18lb, with them topping out at mid/high 20's.
But the rule is really in place to protect the catfish, and after battling with one just shy of 20lb a few of years back on a 2lb test barbel rod coupled with 12lb line, take it from me; don't go undergunned!
And the cats go 40lb+ in Nelsons and 70lb+ in Pats.

Also bear in mind they have a fair number of snags in the specimen lakes; islands, lily pads, weed beds, overhanging trees and root structures.

I'll also say regards hook size; a size 6 or 8 carp hook, as apart from giving a firmer hold, you need big baits to avoid nuisance fish - I use 16-21mm baits for the carp and two 25mm pellets for the cats (on a size 4 Korda Wide Gape).

Maybe I am too cautious and equate the larger hook to zero bites , instead maybe the larger hook would have resulted in less fish lost , though I don't lose too many , probably on reflection just the bigger ones !

[noknot]

All sound advic cg74 12lbs min in weed and snag fishing, size 6-4 hooks!

[bennygesserit]

Originally Posted by noknot

All sound advic cg74 12lbs min in weed and snag fishing, size 6-4 hooks!

I don't tie my own hooks , I can do the knotless knot , but I always use hooks to nylon , would you use that size hook ( depends on manufacturer as well ) with a banded pellet which is my usual bait.

[noknot]

Originally Posted by bennygesserit

I don't tie my own hooks , I can do the knotless knot , but I always use hooks to nylon , would you use that size hook ( depends on manufacturer as well ) with a banded pellet which is my usual bait.

Never used pellets Benny, so I would use a KKnot tied with mono and boilie or particle as hookbaits, very effective indeed!

[agamemnon]

yesterday me and a friend fished a local ish specimen lake with a good head of 20's and the average fish would be around 18lbs. i fished with 10lbs main line and a vintage pair of 2lbs bruce and walker carp rods. hook links were 20 lbs braid with size 8 hooks. i landed 3 real nice high doubles and had some great sport on lightish tackle. if i was fishing a lake with lots of snags and weed then i would have got my 2.5 lbs rods out with 12 lbs main line. for carp fishing i never go over 12lbs main line and 2.5lbs rods. if i was targeting cats or pike then the gear would be beefed up a bit with 15lbs line and 3.5lbs rods. but i much pref the challenge of playing a fish rather than reeling a fish into the net so fish as light as resonable for the type of water your fishing
i would say a long shank size 10 or 8 would be fine with a banded pellet.