Some tip

[dunavski]

Hi, this is my first post here.
After a couple of weeks i will take part in feeder competition on my local lake, but this will be my first competition and i don't know how to proceed.
The rules are: No limit for the bait and rigs, can feed only with the feeder, catapults and etc. are banned. The fish stocks are carp, chub and roach.
This is the lake, red lines are the pegs, the depth is about 2m.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Welcome to FM Dunavski, I don't do a lot of feeder fishing but I'd try maggot feeders like this:

Drennan Oval Blockend Feeder | HarrisSportsmail.com

and try maggot and worm on the hook (if available, slugs could work well on all those species)

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Firstly welcome to FM dunavtski,

Nice looking water.

I would try and establish if there are any features in your swim, perhaps a weed-bed to cast to or some difference in the bottom such as a shallow bar or a slightly deeper spot when compared with the rest of the lake.

I would be looking to build up a swim by consistently casting to the same area to build up a carpet of feed. I would clip up on the reel to get the same distance. However as you have said that carp are one of the main species you may be better of tying a small thin piece of pole elastic on your line to mark the casting distance. keep the food going in...little and often rather than a bombarding the swim at the start.

Let us know how you got on.

meanwhile any tips on where and how to fish the Alexander Stamboliski Reservoir near Suhindol?

Best wishes

Poshpaul

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Welcome Dunavski,

I agree with Poshpaul above, in part.

Also try and get hold of some good quality groundbait, such as Van Den Eynde or Sensas, maybe Dynamite or Sonubaits if you can get them, buy one balanced for lake fishing. Mix it by adding water to the groundbait, not groundbait to water, mix it and keep stirring addling a little water at a time until it's all damp - not wet through. Leave it a few minutes and you should be able to grab a handful, squeeze it and it should just stick together and break up up as soon as it hits the water.

Use that in a cage feeder (see below pic) and cast to a spot you fancy. Count 50 seconds then reel in, refill the feeder and cast to same spot again. Count 100 and repeat reeling in, refilling etc. Next cast count 150 to leave it in for then reeel in refill again. Repeat again starting at a count of 50 again. Building the feed areas are what count.

After 15-20 minutes if no bites are detected, choose another likely target area and repeat above. Then after 20 minutes go back to original area and keep swapping about.

3 Maggots on the 14s hook, line strength will depend on what's expected. Try and get some hookable pellets and attach them to a size 10 hook for the carp. Whichever bait (maggot or pellet) delivers the bites, use that and forget the other

 

[dunavski]

Firstly welcome to FM dunavtski,

Nice looking water.
l

Thanks for the advise mate !!!

For the Alexander Stamboliiski the information is silver fish on float and maggot and rare pike and perch on lures and small live bait around the dam.

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Thanks dunavski,

gather there are some catfish (Com) in there too...any carp or bream?

Poshpaul

 

[dunavski]

Thanks dunavski,

gather there are some catfish (Com) in there too...any carp or bream?

Poshpaul

I manage to find only one catch report for two gras carps 12 and 16kg and one catfish 8kg caught on 28.09 no proper carp or bream

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Thanks dunavski,

Where is the lake your fishing? Close to Stara or a bit further away?

was fishing the istar river this summer below Borovets...water levels were low and didn't catch anything but just being in that glorious countryside was worth it!

 

[dunavski]

Thanks dunavski,

Where is the lake your fishing? Close to Stara or a bit further away?

was fishing the istar river this summer below Borovets...water levels were low and didn't catch anything but just being in that glorious countryside was worth it!

Here is the lake it's almost in the city.

It's not only the water levels i can guarantee you !!!
In BG from many years large number of poachers are rageing in the whole country ....... unpunished. The anglers itself not abideing the cath limits and result of this the fish stocks are lowered to minimum. For example in UK 3-4kg barbel is a common sight, but in Bulgaria you must be a really lucky guy to catch that size fish.

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

I've been aware of this dunavski, yet in the four years I've been to Bulgaria I cannot recollect seeing any water with more than 2 or 3 anglers on it.(Apart from a square trout pond near Smilyan) Even big waters like Lake Istar or Alexander Stombolski reservoir(mind you access to much of the shoreline is difficult/impossible). And I haven't actually seen an angler on the Yantra or Rositra rivers - although I have a couple of "sources" - UK expats who have been in the region for up to 9 years... who speak highly of the chub and barbel fishing.

I know that it isn't unusual for a family outing on a lake to involve taking some of the catch home for the pot yet all the tv on the angling/hunting channel shows catch and release practices.

And I have had my licence checked more often in Bulgaria (once in 4 visits ....by a chap in camou with ID and a gun!) than I have in the UK...once in 38 years!

Regards


Paul

 

[agamemnon]

i find a mix of red expo ground bait with a good carp ground bait about 70-30 mix with majority being the carp feed. add some tiny pellets, maggots and sweetcorn to the mix then add water till it binds then use cage feeder to get bait out.
select 2 areas in your swim and feed 1 area up with 5 or 6 casts then ignore that area and work on your main area. as mentioned bait often to start with maybe a cast a minute then maybe leave a max of 5 mins once you have around 10 feeders of bait out. fish with a single grain of corn on a size 12/14 hook if this proves slow then add a single maggot to the corn.
every 30 mins or so just chuck a couple of feeders into your second area. after a couple of hours if the main area is slow then switch over to the second area but keep a slow feed going into your main swim.
once the carp move in and get their heads down you should have lenty of fun

 

[dangermouse]

Could be worth trying a method feeder if the carp are feeding.

And welcome to FM Dunavski.

 

[dunavski]

What must be the groundbait this time of the year fishmeal, sweet or spicy ?
I know, that it must be low food and rich of flavors content. My original idea was to feed one line for silvers and one two lines for carp, but now i wonder whether to focus only for carp.

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Good idea to have an alternative if the carp don't bite. Rotate around you may need those silvers if the carp take their time..or switch off for a bit.

I have looked at some of the photos of the water via google earth...there doesn't seem to be a large amount of cover in the margin..however if you've got a couple of feet or so close in it is worth feeding a trickle of bait there through the match but only look at in terms of fishing that swim with about an hour to go. (if it's a 5 hour match). If you have a swim with some reeds or vegetation in the margin I certainly would feed that line. Although I notice it is a public park so you may have walkers etc...mind you the fish will be used to that!