Tactics - advice please

[fishplate42]

This Sunday we are going fishing! This will be my second day at the water and my brother's first. We are going back to the place I went last time, Bax Farm in Kent. We will fish the same lake as last time. This is called Farm Lake and it is recommended for beginners, like us!

Last time I fished using a waggler and maggots (2) on No. 16 hook I managed to catch four fish (common carp?) all very similar is size. The tale of the day is told HERE.

This time I intend to fish the same lake (I don't want to run before I can walk) But I would like to catch something other than the carp. Any suggestions, change of bait/end tackle, or should I just keep going as I am and see what happens?

Thanks,
Ralph.

 

[greenie62]

...........
This time I intend to fish the same lake (I don't want to run before I can walk) But I would like to catch something other than the carp. Any suggestions, change of bait/end tackle, or should I just keep going as I am and see what happens?

I'd suggest try the same again ... the weather has got cooler since last time .... feeding patterns will be different ...... it'll be a test of whether you've 'cracked it' last time or not!
Double maggot will usually tempt almost anything in the water - even carp! - if no touches in the first hour or so try a switch to bread, sweetcorn, or worm.
Tight lines for you and your bruv!

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

maggot will catch just about evrythign that swims - I've even seen pike take a maggot (and landed)

 

[103841]

I've been having success using prawns fishing the stream at Bax farm catching carp, tench and my intended quarry....perch, some around the two pound mark.

 

[dead peg]

Maybe bread punch fished over light crumb feed might be worth starting off with for any silvers .Ive tried this on mostly Carp waters and had a few Roach & Tench .Not loads of feed so you dont interest the Carp too much

 

[fishplate42]

Thanks for all the help guys, I will try some of the things you have mentioned. If any of you are at Bax Farm on Sunday, come over an say hello, we will be fishing Farm Lake.

If you go and read my latest blog post, dated today, you will see a picture of us two so you will know who to look for...

Ralph

 

[Gnasher]

Content deleted

 

[fishplate42]

...You have the opposite problem to most people on here if you're wanting to catch smaller fish.

​

We caught some silvers at Beaver Fishery today (as well as a tree - TWICE!) I have never been there before - It's a great venue and the bailiffs are really helpful. It was my first time there and they really made me feel welcome - Even the fishery's vermin control operative came over looking for a cuddle... You can find a full report of the day and more pictures on our blog HERE. The nice thing about this place is that it is close enough to be able to visit at a moments notice. It is only forty-five minutes away and here in London that is close!

Ralph.

 

[greenie62]

.. You can find a full report of the day and more pictures on our blog HERE...

Glad you had an enjoyable session, Ralph.
A good Blog too - worth a read! - will probably take a few of us back to earlier fishing sessions! mg:
Sounds like you need to work on your Feeder casting to diminish your 'enthusiasm' and avoid casting clean across the fishery! Try and find somewhere you can practice - back garden / local park - with 'targets' of stone-laden carrier bags at measured distances - to help you get a feel for the rod, reel and tackle - leave the hook-length off so the 'parky' doesn't go all H&S on you! Might also be worth trying practice casts with/without gloves/fingerless mittens given the impending winter weather!
Tight Lines!

 

[fishplate42]

After trying to get a waggler further than a few yards the feeder flys for miles! Having a go on the grass good idea. Although our London garden is only small compared to a lake we do back onto a park where there is plenty of room... At Beaver fishery, there is a huge open water lake that I was thinking of going and having a casting session if it was not too busy - there was hardly anybody on it yesterday afternoon...

...I am pleased you like the blog

Ralph.

 

[greenie62]

After trying to get a waggler further than a few yards the feeder flys for miles! Having a go on the grass good idea. Although our London garden is only small compared to a lake we do back onto a park where there is plenty of room... ......

Accuracy is the key - not distance. Part of the accuracy helps with repeatability - there's no point in finding the fish on a feeder then overcasting the 'mark' by 10m!
Fishing a big lake - you can lose sight of where to cast to - look for the reflection of trees/features and use these as an 'X marks the spot' so you have a target. In wind-ruffled lakes this is more difficult but the reflection of the shape of the skyline can help.

Why you are having problems with casting the waggler - I don't know without watching - but it's often to do with distance of line from tip to float and how balanced the tackle is - particularly shotting.
Practice makes perfect!

 

[103841]

Apart from ensuring your rig is balanced and your line is laying on the spool correctly it also helpful to cast in the right way, very much like a golfers swing it's not all about the power but the technique. I've improved my accuracy ten fold since learning the correct technique which can be found on many a YouTube tutorial, I think the one I watched was by a fella Matt Hayes.

 

[rubio]

Don't go too light with the float. Even on a stillwater in winter getting a bait in the right place and keeping it there is more important than using a tiny float. You might lose some sensitivity to bites but you will likely get more bites overcasting your chosen target area then drawing it back to the fish.

 

[Gnasher]

Content deleted