River Trent Carp – Part 2

We set up behind the old power station having first walked the river, as the water is deeper there and as we all know carp move up and down the Trent and with the deeper water in front of us and a few good features on the far bank it looked a good holding point for carp.

I baited up using my own 20mm boilies which were 70% fish meal, robin red, shrimp flakes and additives.

Our groundbait was particle based with molasses mixed in to pull fish from down stream.

Jonathan decided to cut out fish based boilies all together and opted for a bird seed mix and sweet flavours in an attempt to single out the carp.

My set up comprises of two Greys Barbel rods 1.75 and 2lb TC, 12lb main line(Shimano Technium) and my hook length was 12lb fluorocarbon (Berkeley Vanish) to a size 6 Raptor hook.

The weather was bright and the river was very quiet from a fishing point of view but if you like water skiing and barges then this was the place for you. After 7.00pm the river returned back to normal. The last barge had passed and the power boats had called it a day so we baited up for the night session. The first night only produced bream which Jonathan caught and meant i had to cook breakfast!

We needed rain, the wind was westerly which was good but any rise in water levels would get the fish moving and feeding.

Early morning on the second day the rain came, and with it the action. Jonathan had a screamer, at last, a lovely 15lb River Trent common, things were looking good.

As the morning progressed the rain got heavier and mid afternoon Jonathan was into another; again a 15lb common carp, lovely condition, not a mark on it.

Myself on the other hand, had only caught bream; no barbel or carp but I stuck with it and was duly rewarded on the last night at 1.00am in the pouring rain. I had a screamer and it was a good fish! After a lengthy fight i landed a 19lb River Trent common – result!

I was wet and cold but over the moon, my goal had been achieved.

I was surprised however that neither of us had a single barbel over the three days, but that’s the Trent for you, unpredictable and wild.