YOUR APPROACH.

Morning.

Hope you are all well.

Ok i would please like some advice and how you would approach this water.

Firstly the water is basically unfished or should i rather say no fish really was caught on this water for a long time.

Depth of the water varies from 3 feet to 6 feet only in a few places so vary shallow making the carp in this water vary wary. The water is also small maximum about 2 acre's. There was weed patches just before the winter and now in spring grass is all over the place.

I went there before the winter in Autumn and over a 2 month period and between 2 of us we had about 50 carp up to 30 pounds but bigger carp has been seen. Only 1 carp was caught by me in the middle of the winter on this water. It is now spring and the carp on the water is starting to spawn. So giving them abreak.

There is local's on the water ussually but they are not catching anything.

This water is extremely difficult. The only reason i caught them before was by prebaiting and getting them feeding confidently on my feed. But the fishing were still very difficult and not yeasy by any means. All fish caught on maize and they only pick up one attractor. HONEY. They refuse to pick up anything else and boilies just does not work.

This water can also not be fished at night for safety reasons. So from 10 o clock threw to 2 o clock on the water is usually the time we do battle.

I will be fishing this water again after they have spawned.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAS PLEASE.

This reminds me of the small farm dam I used to fish in 1990 and 1991. It was located near Sterkfontein Caves, about 80 km from where I lived in Kempton Park.

The difference being was thatI had this lake all to myself,there wereno other anglers to contend with.

I used to fish it classic English style using ordinary bread paste or bread crust on the surface. I used to get onto the downwind shore and deposite some floating bread crusts, then hide behind a thornbush waiting for the carp to arrive, which normally wasn't all that long. It was veryexciting to watch a big carp take your floating bait in a big "slurp". You put your rod in two rests and wind up the baited hook so that it is about 30 cm above the surface. Then you wait for a big one to come along, taking the freebees. Then you gently lower the baited hook down onto the surface.

I used to fish with an 11 foot carp rod of about 1 1/2lbs TC with a 12 lb line and a 4 hook tied to the end. No other tackle or weights at all. Reel was a Shimano fixed spool (coffee grinder).

Occasionally I would fish 2 rods with paternoster tackle baited with sweetcorn but it wasn't as exciting as the "freeline" fishing with bread.

I certainly wouldn't bother with boilies or other expensive baits

Stywe Lyne Maat

Ron

12 fish a month..... lol. fished waters for a year for less fish!

Hi Ron.

Thanks for the reply. You won't believe it but i am also Staying in Kempton Park. In Bredel AH. Coming there next year March.

The water i am talking about comes from a spring not too far off and also then has a flow out of the water creating a small river or semi river/standing water also then not too far off. This river i have been fishing exactly like you are talking about having great fun on breadcrust right in the reeds. Catching up to 12 pounds their with the bread.

So JA DIE LYNE STAAN LEKKER STYF.

But the water i am talking about doesn't really have any structure like this and they do not want to pick up from the surface at all. I see them basically shouldering the bread and moving off. REALLY NICE CARP

But yes Frothey i know maybe i am just greedy but so badly want to get one of the bigger one's there.

Ron i do not want to say the name of this place but you must know the water i am talking about.

I have a rough idea of where you mean Gert.

I used to live in Birchleigh, and then I moved to Norkem Park in 1988.

Ron

Ron.

Check out that Thread of mine on The World Carp Championship here.

3-6ft isn't the problem - there are hundreds of waters like that in the uk. just stick to what you're doing - keep the maize going in, maybe colour it to be a bit different.

some waters are just harder than others, especially if it's got less stock in it

Thanks Frothey

Haven't thought of colouring ?????

GONNA TRY IT ??????

When I fished floating bread crust I used to get the odd duck and other water bird having a go at it.

Then I used to dye my bread blue!!!!

It kept the birds away and didn't trouble the carp. I used an edible dye from my pharmacist but I've forgotten its name.

Thanks Ron will try it.

Because the "BLESHOENDERS" can go crazy sometimes ????

Wow Ron you have actually givena tip I might try....I never thought I would see the day /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

...so blue bread...did it really keep the birds away or are you telling porkies ? Honestly I am interested so if it is a wind up please say and save me the hassle of going out and dyingsomefloaters and then finding a duck swallows it first cast anyway....

Hi Ron and Frothey or anyone interested.

I have now found that this water is infested with Bloodworm.
Any other ideas for bait ???
Obviously the natural food of the carp in this water is more than enough for them.
It just seems that without prebaiting i won't be getting anything.
Or that is how it is feeling at this stage.
BLANK AFTER BLANK.

Blood worm boilies/pellets? Failing that im not sure, my suggestion would be to keep prebaiting and dont give up hope (easier said than done).

Apart from maybe trying tofeed themsomething more nutritionally benefical than bloodworm? Have you tried some of the old classics like bread flake, meat, tiger nuts etc?

Thanks Nathan sorry for the late reply.
Hope you doing well.

Definitely going the Bloodworm Boilie way now.
Also had success before here with pellets.
Just hope that the Barbel will give me a chance.

Was also thinking of prebaiting with White and Yellow maize with hemp and tiger in equal ammounts.
My freezer is full now with baitballs.

When you talk about MEAT what exactly do you mean?

What lenth of hooklink would you guys be using with this grass and silt here??

if fish are pre-occupied on bloodworm, a "bloodworm" boilie is nothing like a bloodworm and wont distract them more than any other boilie.... most pellets are only normal ones sprayed with a bit of colour and flavour.

hemp and chopped tigers *sometimes* work when they are totally pre-occupied. maggots are worth a try too - but you are unlikely to stop them feeding on the bloodworm.