markspod

Had a couple of hours spare this afternoon some went down the lake for a bit with the rods.
Literally 5 minutes after casting in the rig, over 3 spods of bait, the rod was off!
I was just getting the second rod out the sleeve!!!! I used the same B5, black snail and B5 pellet mix again with the added liquid B5 food. Absolutely instant attraction to a bait that they must now be accepting as a good food source. Being the bailiff and only having a select few members on the lake, I know exactly what bait goes in and I'm the only one on essential. The weekly baiting I do, throughout the year including winter, is really paying off.
 

 
 
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It's been awhile but all being well I should have another noddy update this Saturday [emoji39] woo hoo ! Luckily for me some travellers have parked in a field near the lake so everyone seems to be freaking out and not fishing, fingers crossed I'll have some choice of swim [emoji108]
My only plans so far are that the wind is the same as when I last went so if I can I'll fish the other side of the lake and see what happens.
 
I realise I can't give up on the place!

Glad to hear it Mark . I'm told a couple of small Tench in the pond will keep the bottom free of any rotting food , any truth in that cos I believe my dear old dad did that years ago .
 
Just didn't put it as politely as that

yup am there tomorrow

The aliens scared us away [emoji13] I think it's just life getting in the way mark, Neal lives a good distance away and I work away a lot, but as Newmarket said Neal is down there over the weekend and I think I'll be there next weekend *fingers crossed*
 
 
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Neal's bl , I mean , fishing there tomorrow Mark

I'm missing the regular updates to this thread Have you given up?

Am on bacon duty this morning to earn my fishing allowance... think I went to far when the church goers were waiting for their rolls and I said "be patient, Jesus had to hang around a bit, so can you [emoji12] [emoji12]

My take on zigs: I use zigs more and more each year and catch more as a result. Last year there were at least 2 sessions on which I would have blanked if it wasn't for the zigs. I don't always go straight under the surface like most do, in fact I normally start by splitting the depth into thirds and fishing one at the bottom of the middle third and one at the top of the middle third (particularly at night). Only on the brightest days do I pop one under the surface and even then it's only when there's a breeze on the water and I can see carp in the very upper layers. I don't find zigs are the answer when they're milling about on top on the hottest, calmest days.
I use the Fox zig alingers with balck foam which are great over a hatch but have also had success on tiny bright 10 mm over-flavoured pop ups.
I use lead clips with the smallest lead I can get away with. It pays to drop the lead (I'm not a fan of dropping leads but it's necessary with zigs - it's horrible playing them with a lead attached and I've dropped fish because of it).
I avoid the pre-stretched zig lines, they have next to no abrasion resistance so can't deal with the weed in the Nene Valley - I discovered this the hard way. My mate put me onto X Line in 10 lb as a zig line and it's been absolutely brilliant.
As said, the hardest bit about zigs is getting your head round it. I used to try it for an hour here and there but would think I was wasting a rod. It wasn't until I'd caught a few I dared keep them out for longer periods. The trick is to use them for a reason rather than for the sake of it - most guys only whack one out when they're struggling on the deck. I'll put them out where I know there should be carp (e.g. when I can see them from the trees, see a hatch, or can see them topping over bait but can't induce a take). I find chucking a zig at a showing fish is at least as effective as chucking a single (e.g. a pop up) at them, probably more so.
They are very, very effective fished two thirds depth off the deck a meter or two off the entrance to any shallow areas or bays.
Again, I find you need a breeze on the water, regardless of time of day or season, for them to work really effectively. I never put freebies out, just attracts the bird life.
I still struggle to get my head round them a little bit - even if I've caught 4 on zigs and none off the deck I still refuse to put all the rods on zigs, I always need one on the deck. Crazy I know.

Aware this is an old thread however feel my history with the place will be of use to some... I learnt to fish on the canal when my grandad Trev was a bailiff, in that time I have fished every lake at the water park...
 
Jacobs Creek: personally I've not done very well on the lake, it is extremely weedy and the fish appear to switch off for periods of time. The huts are nice but the train track is literally 30-50 metres from you which can be loud at night.
 
Main lake: I've fished this so so many times, had dozens of nice pike (max 19lb), nice tench and even big bream however my time is focused on the carp... I've had 2 30's out of the big lake my biggest being 34lb 4Oz however I am focusing on carrot as my all out target! I tend to fish peg 6, 9, 14, 22, 28a, the car park swims BUT my favourite swim is 31... Fished to the right 80yards is an area which just works every time!
 
Trad: my personal favourite for an enjoyable 24HR session, out of the way and some pretty fish.. I fish bobs where the carp tend to shoal up or the opposite end of the point swim 5 yards off the island is a natural water spring which can produce!
 
M1: Mid summer all thats needed is one rod and some floaters however I fish one rod close in the margin and one 15 yards out when doing nights, confined to a choice of 3 or so swims in the trees.. Good fun for an overnight however I have had to bring my rods in twice as it was constant and had work the next day.
 
M2; not much to say produced some nice fish and good fun but not a go too lake.
 
M3(donut): nice for crucian and relaxed angling but like M2 makes more sense to fish M1 or trad
 
Canal: haven't fished this since my grandad bailiffed the Waterpark... The. There was some good fishing from one rod in the float with maggots
 
 
All in all I only fish the speci, trad and m1 now all just using Nutcracker 12mm boilees with stick mix and 4mm pellets in a mesh bag normally..
 
Hope it helps and will say the park is very rewarding given a chance but also please be courteous to others... Im not antisocial however when on the bank that's the rare time I get to myself and I like the waters edge calm and quiet so don't feel the need to charge in etc.

Copied from other thread for any more prospective searchers

I have the stratford avon canal behind my house in birmingham, gonna prebait and try get a carp out of here heard theres some big girls but never ever fished! if not theres a fair few pike to go for aswel! Hope you like the pictures! all i have to do is walk top of my garden jump the fence and im there
 



 
Wish me luck will take some hours! 
Jack.

They look great bits of kit the Gopro cameras.
Are you sure the biggest is only 4lb mark ? A couple of them look bigger than that .

Here's my first attempt with my GoPro http://youtu.be/A2l3fYwCUmo?a

Thats class what GoPro you got mate?

You rescued them, That's cool! Yeah be good to see them getting on the grub.

Good stuff ! Nosey [censored]s aint they ?

Great! Inquisitive in your pond aren't they!

Cheers dal.
I might be wrong but I think you can now fish sutton at night, the time restrictions are on Devons Rd and presidents lake according to the website.
I used to fish brooklands as a kid too, had some great perch out of there.

It's just the whole c'mon get in the net thing that he shouts and the dodgy heavy breathing,not normal

It is quite simple really - fish the thousands of free public waters and rivers in France which offer much more of a challenge and fun than paid for armchair fishing.