Crexit?

[Aknib]

Why put carp in a keepnet ? I know it happens in matches, but there is a weight limit on each net, and most match carp average around 6lb, but bigger ones can be caught.
If overnighting a carp in a keepnet would be in for a fair few hours, same with a carp sack or tube.

I have no idea why... Who mentioned putting Carp in keepnets?

I was alluding to the idea that it might be nice to place a Roach, Bream or maybe a Tench in one but unfortunately, because two out of the three waters on a current book have Carp in them, I'm excluded from doing so either by the keepnet ban itself or the unlikely chance (and even less likely, enjoyable) of catching a few Roach on the 10lb minimum line rule.

Keepnets appear to be reluctantly allowed, by prior arrangement, on the other.

I rarely use one and struggle to remember the last time I did but it would be nice to have the choice and be credited with the common sense that I would be able to make my own judgements on the size of fish retained and the length of time they are retained for.

 

[markcw]

I have no idea why... Who mentioned putting Carp in keepnets?

I was alluding to the idea that it might be nice to place a Roach, Bream or maybe a Tench in one but unfortunately, because two out of the three waters on a current book have Carp in them, I'm excluded from doing so either by the keepnet ban itself or the unlikely chance (and even less likely, enjoyable) of catching a few Roach on the 10lb minimum line rule.

Keepnets appear to be reluctantly allowed, by prior arrangement, on the other.

I rarely use one and struggle to remember the last time I did but it would be nice to have the choice and be credited with the common sense that I would be able to make my own judgements on the size of fish retained and the length of time they are retained for.

It was your keepnet ban that I thought you were on about carp in nets ,my mistake.

 

[markcw]

Some commercials ban keepnets except in matches but will allow pleasure anglers to use one for a minimum charge,
I am competent enough to fish matches,and I do, but if I went to a pleasure fish there I would be deemed as not knowing how to use keepnet.

 

[Aknib]

It was your keepnet ban that I thought you were on about carp in nets ,my mistake.

Hey no problem.

Oddly enough, and I've yet to see these ponds that I'm a member of in warmer months as it was mid-Autumn time when I joined, I've only ever seen one other angler on all three waters with the exception of people I've arranged to fish with and all of whom share the same frustrations.

The other angler was on an as yet unfished by me pond (keepnet ban and minimum 10lb line strength rule) and he was a nice fella doing a bit of Carp fishing and who shared his own thoughts that the ponds were largely wasted as no one ever seemed to fish them through the cooler months.

Even the bailiff came for a stroll around and he too is rather disillusioned with it all and is considering giving up his book come the next renewal.

I maybe should have made the distinction on my opening post between the full on commercial operations which are clearly popular and the otherwise quieter, more established waters where mixed fishing was previously available prior to the Carp mind set getting involved in their running and excluding all but Carp type fishing on them.

Having visited these waters to fish and explore a good ten to twelve times now, I haven't seen another soul bar the exceptions already mentioned and the theory that Carp fishing and Carp Anglers are their saving grace simply doesn't stack up, quite the opposite in fact.

I appreciate there may well be many waters where they do prop things up but it's certainly not a generalisation that could be applied without exception, I just seem to come across quite a few exceptions.

 

[mikench]

I only have 2 club cards and carp anglers per se are definitely not the life savers of either. In fact I can hardly think of anyone with a good word to say about them. Most of the time they are accused of leaving litter including beer cans, driving over farmers fields and often getting stuck. I would leave them there for posterity. Most notices I see relate to carp anglers ie no bivies, no spodding, no baitboats, only 2k of gb and no overnights.

As previously stated one club has acquired a cracking water because the previous club gave it up because of the moronic few. They were not roach anglers.

 

[Pete Shears]

I just consider them campers as they seem quite good at it.

 

[john step]

Oh dear. There must be a different breed of carper to those of my main club.

I must be very privileged.

Let me describe it.Its about 4 or five acres. Various depths. Some very good carp. Some very good tench. Some very good pike.
Plenty of roach and bream. Big eels. The usual perch and a few crucians.

There is a waiting list for carp members who pay a lot more than the others. There is never any litter. The carpers which include me fish for other fish as well.

There is a healthy match scene and a lot of general pleasure anglers.

There is never any animosity as the committee is well represented by all disciplines. We all get along. The carpers do not fish when a match is scheduled. There are never more than 1 or 2 carpers at any time.

We dont have to accept anyone who cannot behave. There are a few of us who actually own the freehold of the lake and we dont tolerate any bad behaviour.

Life is good.

 

[sam vimes]

I maybe should have made the distinction on my opening post between the full on commercial operations which are clearly popular and the otherwise quieter, more established waters where mixed fishing was previously available prior to the Carp mind set getting involved in their running and excluding all but Carp type fishing on them.

Having visited these waters to fish and explore a good ten to twelve times now, I haven't seen another soul bar the exceptions already mentioned and the theory that Carp fishing and Carp Anglers are their saving grace simply doesn't stack up, quite the opposite in fact.

That smacks of a club that believes that carp and carpers could be the financial future of the club. However, what they've really done is alienate some of their existing members without doing enough to actually attract the cash cows in the short term. Unless it's exceptionally easy (runs water) or has a decent head of fish of a size comparable to the best local waters, they won't attract anyone. Until the carp get big enough, or prolific enough, you're left with a deserted water that no one really wants to fish. With a bit of luck and time, it may actually turn into the money spinner they hope for. As it stands, it's just another water.

 

[steve2]

It does seem that the first question I ever get asked by new members I bump into is how big are the carp in this or that water. If you say under 20lb and over 30lb in another they will never visit the under 20lb water. Once they have caught their target they will be off elsewhere searching out the next target.
Funnest thing was when the known 40lb fish was caught by a young kid and not one of these "experts", he wasn't even fishing for carp.

 

[chrissh]

I don’t go out to catch carp there not my favourite fish but I have nothing agents anyone that want to catch them

There is a lot of people that have got their backs up about carp anglers tarring them all the same. Calling them Mud pig hunters, bank tramps, or there all pot smokers or p**s heads

Ok I don’t agree with carp being stocked in ponds with other fish stopping me fishing 3lbs main line and 1.5lb hook length for roach and having to fish over gunned. or Im tench fishing and the carp move in bullying the tench out of the way

Carp have ruined a lot of our fishier especially the over stocked F1 put carp in a pond on there own then we will all be happy

Carp are in nearly all our rivers and canals plus cat and sturgeon are in some rivers where will it stop

How long will it be before someone digs a hole in a fileld and stocks it with exotic fish like the American largemouth bass or the Taiwanese arapaima (I know our waters are too cold for this but it could happen) terrapins survive in our ponds

 

[d.owens]

Ok I don’t agree with carp being stocked in ponds with other fish stopping me fishing 3lbs main line and 1.5lb hook length for roach and having to fish over gunned. or Im tench fishing and the carp move in bullying the tench out of the way

That's the issue that bugs me the most. I fish a fairly small pond regularly, it reminds me of the places I grew up learning to fish on. I still enjoy chucking a float out but it is impossible to be selective, I can attract roach and tench etc into my swim, but have to fish much heavier than I would like because of the carp. Vast majority of the other anglers who fish there are only interested in the carp, particularly the largest one which is about 20lb.
Given that such a relatively small water can only hold a certain weight of fish, I can only see the variety diminishing as larger carp come to dominate.
I started taking my kids to fish there with 3m whips, it's great hitting into the roach and perch, but inevitably, even on single maggot or caster, they will get snapped off by a decent sized carp. I now wont take the whips anymore as I feel it's irresponsible knowing the likelihood of snapping off.
It's a shame that a little, free to fish pond is on the road to becoming yet another mainly carp water.

 

[sam vimes]

I now wont take the whips anymore as I feel it's irresponsible knowing the likelihood of snapping off.

As far as I'm concerned, you simply can't go fishing with gear suitable for the biggest fish in the lake in mind. Fish your whips, just use barbless/fine wire hooks and hooklinks light enough to guarantee that they break before your mainline and whip. I fish stupidly light on a venue that's stuffed with carp. I'm targeting the roach. Hooklinks are usually 1 or 1.5lb. However, I use such fine wire hooks that they open out before the hooklink breaks. I've done all I can to reasonably ensure that I don't leave a hook in anything, without going stupidly heavy.

 

[steve2]

I do remember a time when to catch a carp of any size was deemed a a great catch. It took me years to catch my first double. Now I have caught carp over 20lb without even trying and also caught carp of nearly that size in matches on commercial snake lakes.
But carp now rule and there is no way of getting away from them or the rules for their so called welfare.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Another way to avoid leaving small hooks in big fish might - I emphasise "Might" - be to insist on no forged hooks with lines below a certain breaking strain. Fewer break-offs, and it's faster to re-bend an opened fine-wire hook than tie a new one on.
It would also help if the trade could let us know the rough breaking strain of line that will usually open each size of hook. Or the match-fishing community; I'd bet the "wisdom of the crowd" about matching fine wire hooks to lines is out there, it just needs collecting.

 

[nottskev]

I've read your HDYGO posts about fishing with your kids at the pond, and I think it would be a great shame if you were put off by the possibility of hooking and losing carp. You say it's a free to fish small pond - how did these big carp get in there, unless by some dubious fish transfer, and who's to say their presence should inhibit anglers - especially youngsters - after other species? I'd go with Sam Vimes' approach - fish a fine wire hook on a light hooklength and hope the fish spring the hook and come off.

 

[d.owens]

I'm sure it's not just a Liverpool thing, but a lot of the carp population is quite transient. I've been told of carp caught from one park lake being transported to another water. That's how some of the carp have got into the pond I fish. There is also one catfish in there and I caught a rather sickly looking chub out of there not long ago. There is a carp of about 20lb that has come, illegally from another water as did the catfish.
I'm concerned that it sounds like I'm just having a whinge because I'm not a big fan of modern carp fishing. It does not matter to me one bit if people want to fish exclusively for big carp, good luck to them and I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoy fishing. My concern, and "my" little pond provides a good example, is that king carp is being foisted upon every still water.
There are more than enough carp waters, I would like the park lakes and little ponds left as mixed fisheries for old farts like me and keen young course anglers like my 10 year old daughter who genuinely loves fishing and is excited catching roach, perch, crucians etc.
I'm no expert but I'm prepared to trust what Jack Hargreaves said many years ago. The size of the water dictates the total weight of fish that it can support. Lots of small fish or fewer big fish. I just don't wish to see every water becoming holding pens for chunky carp to the detriment of all the other species I've enjoyed catching since childhood.
Thanks to those giving advice on hook gauge etc, appreciate it.

 

[dicky123]

It all seemed like a good idea many years ago but it now looks like the tides are turning!

The wide screen tellies in Angling Direct are droning on to their selves and Anglers are protesting the lack of diversity, Roach have to be looked up in the dictionary and deadbait is a term applied to everything that comes in a cellophane packet and has to be drilled out and hair rigged.

Could Crexit really happen?

Could those screens really depict moving images of Anglers catching anything other than Carp and could all those waters where the few who have their heads stuck well and truly up their own r'ses really see the light and finally lift their keepnet bans and standard 10lb minimum line strengths rules in order to allow those who have a wider perspective to enjoy their own thing?

I doubt it, it's a romantic notion but the morons appear to be ruling the roost in my neck of the woods at least.

Anyone else getting slightly frustrated by those who sleep until they get a bite, whilst their camo reels sit motionless with the bait at eighty yards (go figure!) and their splash mats sit idle on a dry night for the unfathomable reason that their users set them unnecessarily so low that they might pick up grit during unlikely heavy rain?

And they call us Noddies?

My r'se!

I hereby declare myself the Nigel Farage of Carp Fishing and after several rounds of Cremainers whinging on we'll see where it all ends up!

It's worth thinking about this Aknib. Most of us here are quite old, so we know how fishing was, how good it use to be. But imagine coming to it now, in this era? You can go to a carp lake like Boddington and catch a dozen double figure carp to twenty pound and have a great day out for just a few quid. Or to your local carp pond and catch 40/50 carp to double figure in a day. 40 years ago just catching a carp was a big deal, and a 10lb fish was a good-un.
I watch Bob Roberts recently fishing for barbel on the Trent with 15lb line and matched carp rods. Tell me the fun in self-hooking a barbel, hauling it in just to take a picture and say, look at me? Angling is a sport, not a certainty and should always remain so.