A Bit Of Interactive Bank Chat

[chillfactor]

2 hours ago, Gazlaaar said:

To be honest chilli, I just want the hookbait to last long enough for a carp to find it. It's one of the reasons I've set myself up for a bit more stalking during the daylight hours, floater fishing and the lift method. I doubt I'll feed them off but enough bait may keep them at bay for as long as I need. Without doubt the diving birds are spooking fish, I've seen a lot of it this year, so baiting has to be put in during dusk. 

Hard hooker & tiger nut on the hair left me a whittled down bait in the morning , which was picked up by the fish in my avatar . So even if you are getting nailed by them there are ways around it so your still fishing come morning . 

Edited July 2, 2018 by chillfactor

[The_Viking_Angler]

Speaking off annoying birds, How do you guys deal with swans and geese diving on your bait in very shallow water?. I was fishing the other day with a mate and saw a swan dive over this lads patch of bait in the margins, only about 3 foot deep, As i stood up to shout over to him as he was sorting something out in his bivvy, it was too late, the swan had managed to wrap the hooklink and lead around his neck like a necklace. Luckily, we after a few minutes with the bail arm open, the swan started rolling in the water and dropped everything but it would of been a pain in the backside to try and free it.

 

Also How would you go about unhooking one? I've never hooked one luckily and don't really want to as i have a bit of a fear of them when their angry, they can be viscous beasts!

Edited July 3, 2018 by The_Viking_Angler

[Gazlaaar]

In my experience, if tufties, swans or coots are a problem don't bait or fish until night fall, it's the only guaranteed way of not getting picked up. Coots and tufties normally drop a rig but swans are a pain. A few times I've just stuck in bait and just left the birds to feed during the day only for them to return at night to have another go. It's like they've ear marked the spot. The situation is only exaggerated close in, so, I wouldn't bait or fish until nightfall.

[The_Viking_Angler]

1 minute ago, Gazlaaar said:

In my experience, if tufties, swans or coots are a problem don't bait or fish until night fall, it's the only guaranteed way of not getting picked up. Coots and tufties normally drop a rig but swans are a pain. A few times I've just stuck in bait and just left the birds to feed during the day only for them to return at night to have another go. It's like they've ear marked the spot. The situation is only exaggerated close in, so, I wouldn't bait or fish until nightfall.

Yeah i think it was the lads first time on the lake and everyone had told him the margins produce a lot both day and night. Swans i find to be the worst for that sort of thing, This is a 9acre lake and only 2 swans on it and they'll only swim near the anglers.

[Gazlaaar]

6 hours ago, The_Viking_Angler said:

Yeah i think it was the lads first time on the lake and everyone had told him the margins produce a lot both day and night. Swans i find to be the worst for that sort of thing, This is a 9acre lake and only 2 swans on it and they'll only swim near the anglers.

Swans are fairly easy to deal with, anything over 6ft deep is too deep, tufties are a nightmare as they can dive down very deep and coots are a major problem as their showing their young how to dive for food at the moment. Anywhere shallower than 4ft is going to be a problem for you. Like I say, fish out in open water during the day then if the margins do produce as you say I'd fish them at night.

[yonny]

I think you need to evaluate the angling situation. I'd rather fish a single in 3 ft than fish over bait in open water if all the carp are in the shallow water. You also need to bear in mind that darkness lasts just a few hours at this time of year and getting picked up by coots at 4 am is no more fun than it is in the middle of the day.

I'd agree that swans are far worse then coots. There was a water I fished a few years ago with a big shallow area in which the fish (and birds) held up. At times I'd be picked up by coots a number of times before getting a take from a carp. All depends on the substrate really, if it's clean(ish) then getting picked up by birds can prove you're presented (might even improve presentation as it'll straighten your rig!) but if it's weedy they can hang the rig up in the fronds of weed and it's game over. You need to makes sure your hookbaits can withstand being picked up - corkball pop ups are out of the question for example (unless meshed).

I agree 4 ft+ is OK for swans, anything less and they'll have you.

[greekskii]

1 minute ago, yonny said:

I agree 4 ft+ is OK for swans, anything less and they'll have you.

I'd disagree. They will use their legs to kick up the bait. I once had a family of 5 on me even through darkness trying to get at my bait in about 6ft of water. They really wanted it. I ended up reeling in and getting a good nights sleep. If they want it then they will try for it no matter what.

If you think about it an adult swan is around 4.5-5ft in length on average. Upturned the neck is easily 2.5-3ft of that. They may not pick up your bait but they will keep disturbing your baited areas and spooking the fish off. 

[yonny]

6 minutes ago, greekskii said:

They may not pick up your bait but they will keep disturbing your baited areas and spooking the fish off. 

I can't disagree with that Vik. I find though that they'll up-end, bob up and down for a bit trying to get at it, then get bored and do the off. That said, I find they can be better/worse on different waters and even from bird to bird, like different personalities, some are more persistent than others. Some are downright aggressive! I'll re-phrase and say on my current water 4 ft+ is OK for swans.

[greekskii]

12 minutes ago, yonny said:

Some are downright aggressive!

Park lake bird life might as well pull a knife out and demand food they way they are! Like you said, it's bird to bird. Sometimes they dont even go for bait 2ft deep! 

[cloud9]

Two fish down 30 hours to go 😎

[cloud9]

5 fish , lost 2 the coots are hammering my baits..

[Gazlaaar]

A small leap forward for yesterday, Hempseed and tigers, the coots did dive but we're coming up with very little and soon did the off. Second problem was getting a bait to out last the crays so I used an uncooked tiger. Hard as nails but it did the job

[greekskii]

First night on the marina. I found a fish within 30 seconds of parking up. Sadly I had no floater fear with me. But my two spots have been fizzing whilst I’ve been sunbathing this afternoon. Rods are now out and the fizzing continues. 

100% getting breamed out tonight!

 

[spr1985]

Well I’m on the bank and and this happened rite over my spot.....thought I was onto a winner but no more bubbles and no take 

Edited July 6, 2018 by spr1985

[salokcinnodrog]

I had that happen Wednesday evening, thought I was really onto a winner, but no joy. All that happened is that loads of weed floated up to the surface. When the ducks and coots started pecking into it, and it drifted into my swim, I chucked my spomb rod out to clear some of it away, and all the weed was filled with my previous nights particles. I think that the weed was just breaking away, no fish, just sheer amount of it.

[B.C.]

Went over the local lake to rake out a couple of swims to hopefully fish on Wednesday...…. To my surprise, the weed that was floor to surface only a few weeks back, is now gone... (well , prob' heaped up in various spots on the wind)……. This has somewhat [censored]ed me, as I thought I'd be able to just drop in on one of the close in spots again on Wednesday... I had no marker rod, or any rod with me, so decided to bait one of the margins with half kg of boilies leading up to a swim that I'd intended raking. Here I put another half kg and about a kg of ground bait that I'd soaked in Hydros. Thought I'd messed up the ground bait as it just looked like a ball of paste. I needn't of worried , as the little walnut sized clumps a threw in, gave off a lovely cloud which slowly sunk over the boilies... Gonna nip back tomorrow evening and run a lead through the spot and chuck 50 odd baits in, hopefully setting it up nicely for Wednesday night...… I doubt anyone will be over there with the football on.... There was no one over there tonight..... 

[chillfactor]

Like the look of the corner of that weed bed in the bay BC.... two chances of fish passing over your bait . Had a few myself fushing just back from the  corners 😉

[B.C.]

Whizzed over there tonight, the gate codes were set as I left them, so hopefully a few fish have had an undisturbed snack. Split half a kg into two halves... Air drying 1 half ready for a quick coating/glug about an hour before I go tomorrow must probably end up doing it on the bank... The other 1/4 kg went on the same spot as yesterday, so fingers crossed a few fish visit the spot sometime between now and when I go...….. The light wind had moved round and was pushing straight into where I'd baited. Great I thought, but then noticed a thin layer of algae in the margin. Bearing in mind that it had been pushed there on the breeze, there wasn't loads. But, that, combined with the dying weed will suggest low oxygen levels, bites might be hard to come by...… The flip side is, that not many have been over there by the looks of it, so that little bit of bait going in may draw a few fish , on the wind, into that area...……. Forgot me bloomin marker rod again, so will just plop a small lead in tomorrow to check the bottom before a rig is cast...…. Just looking for a chill out really. Live in a high street, right next door to a pub, so you can guess what the noise levels have been like with the footie...…. (the radio will be packed, tho')…. England winning and me nicking a fish, will be perfect... Fingers crossed for both...🙂

[B.C.]

1 hour ago, chillfactor said:

Like the look of the corner of that weed bed in the bay BC.... two chances of fish passing over your bait . Had a few myself fushing just back from the  corners 😉

I like your thinking mate..... You never know, it could be where I plopped my free offerings 😁………. 

It's not a very big place, that pic represents about a third of it and I don't take much notice of the wind on small places like this. But with the weed dying and the bit of algae I mentioned, I recon any where with a slight ripple will be my best bet...

 

[B.C.]

A phone call from my Brother, what can I say, Football wins tonight.... But the kit is all ready to go, off the cuff, maybe tomorrow...… Did manage to coat some semi dried baits in readiness and pop them in the freezer......

[B.C.]

[Gazlaaar]

Prep done for Wednesday 

 

[Gazlaaar]

Proper made up, I've just had a fully Scaled mirror at 19lb

I'll stick the piccy up tomorrow

[Gazlaaar]

The house is deathly quiet this morning, and I was just mulling over a few thoughts about the future of my fishing for this week and later on in the year.

The weed is right up now, but it gives you an insight to the routes the fish may be using. There is a small island of clear water in amongst a sea of weed in the middle of the lake. I did see a fish top out on my last outing but it just seemed to difficult to get a fish in without a boat to hand so I left it alone.

The weed is thick dense Canadian, I've never seen it this bad before which only really leaves clear spots in the margins to fish. Some guys are casting out hoping for a miracle, I don't feel it's worth the risk of losing or worse still leaving a tethered fish. There's only around 40 ish carp in the water, some are very old and really have been through the wars as regards to predation and angling pressure. I remember wondering what the fish I had, had been through as I opened the sling up for the first time.

The crowds always tend to die off in a couple of months as the temperatures start to drop. Interestingly enough I know a couple of perch fishers who fish it all winter who have both mentioned witnessing carp being very active in the colder months. I suppose the degree of difficulty during the hotter months is enough for some but it has left me feeling that may be I should target it this year. Especially if the carp are as active as these anglers are saying. 

I can imagine how difficult it's going to be but I like quiet banks and the thought of having that one special carp during the cold. One fish will be enough to see me through to next spring but until then I'll make the most of what I have at the moment.

Keep plugging, I've said many times before,,I'm not a naturally gifted or even a decent angler but I do have drive and the determination to make something happen. It's a long drive, I'll be packing up in the dark, probably through horrible weather but I think I'd rather blank there than catch anywhere else at the moment. 

Edited July 22, 2018 by Gazlaaar

[B.C.]

It must be a month since I got the rods out, the recent hot weather has just sapped my enthusiasm from getting on with a lot of things, not just fishing...….. Last night we had some rain and as I speak there is a nice light cool wind and a few clouds in the sky...…. Sometimes you just have to say "sod it I'm going fishing"... I may have missed the best conditions, pretty sure they will be getting their heads down right now. But I will be out tomorrow evening for 24 possibly 48 hrs, once the weekend boys have had their space...….. Just been fine tuning some hook baits, gonna give the kit a look over this afternoon/evening as it hasn't been out of it's bags for a while...…. Later today, a walk round the lake with the dogs and a bit of bait, prime a couple of margin spots if there aren't many lads left on the lake, ready for tomorrow evening, some nice easy close in fishing, just what the Doctor ordered...🙂