Thorpe Lea

InteraX · May 6, 2009

Hi guys,

I'm looking at visiting Thorpe Lea on Friday. Has anyone got any advice? What swims are good atm, any recomended baits?

I'm looking to up my PB of 13lb. It looks like this could be a good place to do this. Any other recommendations?

Chris

Ian Gemson · May 6, 2009

Hello Chris

Thorpe is fishing very well all over with the fish really moving about in the warn weather.

The better swims are 3,4,5,6 16,17,18,,45,43. 50.51,52 & 53 but a good angler will catch from all over the lake.

Small baits and small PVA bags.

Zigs work well in this hot weather

InteraX · May 6, 2009

Ian,

When you mention small baits, do you mean boiles about 10mm? What about corn etc? Does any flavour work better than anything else?

Are there any other fish in there than carp? Iwas going to fish one rod bolt style and my second rod was going to be a float.

Chris

Ian Gemson · May 6, 2009

Chris Hi mate

Yes there are loads of perch to over 4lb in the lake and they love maggots.

bait wise Heathrow day trippers andything bright

Plastic corn bright pink is working at the moments

Small walnut size PVA bags of mixed pellets. keep your hook size small say a size 10 longshank.

I will be there on Friday pegs 45 & 44 on the motor way bank I will be coaching but please feel free to come and have a cupper with us.

Chris here are few Thorpe Lea carp my client have bagged

http://www.smartcarping.com/photo_gallery.html

Regards

ian Gemson

Geoff Maynard · May 6, 2009

Chris - I live very near that lake. Ian is THE man on Thorpe Lea. It would be well worth every penny you getting a day out with him. Give it some serious thought.

InteraX · May 7, 2009

Guys,

I've also been recommended some white chocolate in 10mm. What's the thoughts on halibut? Do they sell HBS on-site?

Chris

Ian Gemson · May 8, 2009

Hi Chris

White choclate 10mm work OK and yes they do sell HBS day trippers on site. Ask Chunky or Sam or Gary in the shop whats working well and what pegs are producing they will always give you great advise.

Ian Gemson · May 9, 2009

Hi Chris sorry you did not make it over to see us it would have been nice to say hello but hey another time maybe. Well the bigger question looms did you manage to catch anything ?.

We had a great time At one stage we could only keep two rods in the water for just about 2 minuites. After all of the coaching etc we ended up fishingeffectivly from 4.30pm until about 6.30pm andmanaged to bank over 10 carp biggest went 21lb. 06oz so a great day

http://www.smartcarping.com/photo_album.html?id=5333602654063903569&albumTitle=090509%20Marc

Here are just a few of marc's fish.

Tight Lines Chris

InteraX · May 9, 2009

Ian,

Well, I got there at about 10.30 and had to leave at 4 to collect my son from nursey. I blanked, but the guys in the swims near me also seemed to be having difficulty, so I think it was location. I was in swim 4.

I saw the baliff out on the water at about 3PM. Was this for you guys then?

I'm deffinately going again as it seems like a nice fishery and I especially like the food delivery service.

At least my new umbrella kept me dry, unlike my old one would have.

I think part of my problem was the hooking arrangment. I was using Fox SSBP's and was unable to use shrink tubing as I don't have a kettle. I tried to get some of the Korum anti-eject tubing, but nowhere seemd to have it in stock. Looking at the rigs, it would probably have been difficult for the bolt effect to work properly. I have a rig safe with a few links setup, but these are all barbless as most of the fisheries I go to require barbless. Might be time to make up some barbed links for Thore Lea. Possibly straight point hooks aswell.

What sort of hook pattern would you recommend for standard knotless rigs there? long shank or short?

Chris

Frothey · May 9, 2009

what hooklink are you using chris? not all of them "need" tubing.

as a rule, straight point hooks will "prick" better, curved will give a better hookhold providing they go in properly.mugga's and the fox ssc'sgive the best of both worlds......

InteraX · May 10, 2009

I was using braid and flouro. The flouro seemed to be ok, but the braid was just limp, as you'd expect it. I did notice that the hooks weren't turning on the edge of my hand though.

Morespiders · May 10, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>InteraX wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>I did notice that the hooks weren't turning on the edge of my hand though.</blockquote>
Heck Chris, fish further out than your hands then, give it the big heave into the margins/forum/smilies/nerd_smiley.gif

Frothey · May 10, 2009

do hooks get slowly dragged over the edge of the fish's mouth? only if the fish are slowly, cautiously backing away with the bait in their mouth - not exactly the normal feeding situation at Thorpe!

these days i prefer the Kryston Bondage method for stiffening the hooklength by the hook - much neater than tubing, and just as effective.

Ian Gemson · May 10, 2009

Ihave been using Korda Kurve hooks with small heat shrink kickers fished in a claw rig style with Korda Soft hybrid braid stripped to make a hinge rig.

Bait wise a single bright pop up corn doe the damage. This is classic text book approach light hooks small baits. I have been getting my clients tofish with small longshank hooks with a small heat shrink kicker and a little silicone to get the hair leaving the bend of the hookagain with Korda Hybrid plus a longhair and a single pop up corn.

The clients are getting as many takes as me but landing far more fish with very positive takes a good hook hold right in the bottom lip.

I think the most important thing is in the first instant is to get the fish to pick up the bait and if you weren’t casting to the right spots with the right rigs well then you are just there camping

Geoff Maynard · May 10, 2009

Ian - why do you use long-shank hooks? (I'm sure there is a good reason!)

I am always wary of long-shank hooks because of the ability of some fish to head-butt a snag and disgorge themselves. A long shank helps them do that, a short shank helps stop it happening.

Frothey · May 10, 2009

that would have to be one hell of a long shank!

Geoff Maynard · May 10, 2009

It's a fairly old and reasonable theory Frothy. The longer the shank, the easier it is for a fish to translocate it.

Ian Gemson · May 10, 2009

I have found that for some reason the long shanks in the smaller sizes 10's & 12's

are giving a far better turn in effect and seem to be out performing the same size wide gapes or Kurve hooks with the same bait presentation and hook length material.

<a href='http://www.rybyrybkyrybicky.cz/files/obrazky-eshop/280715.jpg' target='_blank'>

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Don't get me wrong I like the smaller wide gape type hook and I will always try a couple of rig combinations to try and work out which is working the bets for the conditions I am facing.

However I am being definitely out fished regarding hook ups to landed fish by the long shanks versus the kurves

I think I will go back to trying the old Kamazan B175 fine wire long shanks I use to use years ago with great success and see what happens and at £1.90 a pack of 10 they are a whole lot cheaper than the £3.50 packets.

Tommorrow I will post up some up close rig shots of all the current rigs I am playing with.

Frothey · May 11, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Geoff Maynard wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>It's a fairly old and reasonable theory Frothy. The longer the shank, the easier it is for a fish to translocate it.</blockquote>

it is a good theory (like so many things in fishing!), but in practice have a look at the hookhold - the shank rarely sticks out further than the fish's lips so it wouldn't come in contact with the bottom/snag. if it does stick out further, you need to look at the presentation!

Frothey · May 11, 2009

The B175 still takes a lot of beating Ian, especially if you extend the shank at the same angle as the eye. Still got them in size 6/8/10 from back when it was boxes of 25!

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