To spod or not split spod mix idea

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, ouchthathurt said:

I tend not to do much spodding, but when I do, I just go for pigeon conditioner, hemp, boilie, pellet and a dash of sweet corn. My current water doesn’t respond too well to spodding, although I will give it a go if I feel it’s right. My other water responds to spodding, but I just go for boilie and pellet. Simple yet effective. 

I think I have different thoughts about spombing on my lake I've done it and it hasn't bothered them, and then other times they don't seem to respond well and it can be the kiss of death , I think it largely depends on how established the spot is? I guess if they are used to finding free food it won't bother them as much, one thing I've done well is bait heavily a couple of days in advance then just topped it up with boilies and big Pellets via a catapult on the day for some reason that doesn't bother them,Infact I think the noise works like a dinner bell, also using the tfg airbomb can work better as it doesn't splosh on the spot but a few metres off it, takes some getting used too though 😁

[ouchthathurt]

I couldn’t put a finger on why spodding won’t work on my particular lake, I can remember back to about 2000 when one angler took the place apart spodding 20k of gear out then sitting on it for a week. He emptied the place, after that we were all spodding the granny out of it, and it was all one big blank... roll forward to 2020s, the lake has a new stock, nice young healthy fish, about 90 in 5(ish) acres, yet I’ve not had a single take off a spodded area. Maybe this is more down to the fact I can’t do any more than one night at a time... perhaps those that follow me into the swim clean up! My other water used to produce bites from about 4-8hrs post spodding, shearwater used to respond really well to spodding too, yet a big bed of boilies fished at range used to be just as productive. Maybe with lockdown, when we can finally all angle normally, the carp will be gagging for a nice few Kg of boiled bait that spodding might work again, who knows? 

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, ouchthathurt said:

I couldn’t put a finger on why spodding won’t work on my particular lake, I can remember back to about 2000 when one angler took the place apart spodding 20k of gear out then sitting on it for a week. He emptied the place, after that we were all spodding the granny out of it, and it was all one big blank... roll forward to 2020s, the lake has a new stock, nice young healthy fish, about 90 in 5(ish) acres, yet I’ve not had a single take off a spodded area. Maybe this is more down to the fact I can’t do any more than one night at a time... perhaps those that follow me into the swim clean up! My other water used to produce bites from about 4-8hrs post spodding, shearwater used to respond really well to spodding too, yet a big bed of boilies fished at range used to be just as productive. Maybe with lockdown, when we can finally all angle normally, the carp will be gagging for a nice few Kg of boiled bait that spodding might work again, who knows? 

Hopefully they will be ready for it, I started off pretty strong after lockdown 1 on another lake on the complex last year (easier I think ) 10 fish in 24 hours and I spodded the granny out of it that day if I stopped getting bites I would chuck more bait out, 😁 I could fish like that once a year I think it done me in 😏

If you can get on with an Airbomb it does do a slightly different job to a spomb, it makes quite a nice spread but it does take a little practice to get it right, 

[B B]

Elmo apologies if you already said but do you know the stock levels ? and wondering what size the lake is. 
 

[elmoputney]

17 minutes ago, Big Bass said:

Elmo apologies if you already said but do you know the stock levels ? and wondering what size the lake is. 
 

No worries the lake I fish mainly is 25ish acres and the stock is believed to be about 250-300, however that's just a guestimate and they have quite a few acres that are pretty much safezones from anglers, I think if you get it right you can have a good hit but they could be anywhere and safe 

[salokcinnodrog]

It is weird about spodding or Spombing bait in, for me on Alton or Ardleigh it hardly ever worked on the night it went in, it usually took 2nights to pull the fish in, but there were occasional exceptions. 

On Taverham it didn't work, taking a couple of days to bring them in, except one occasion when 2 of us put a whole 10kg base mix bucket of hemp in; that was a hectic night. 

 

[ouchthathurt]

I’m watching carp angle now! I’d like a pole like that but they’re rather pricey. Although I’ll use spod mixes and go down that route if I think it’s necessary, I tend to predominantly just fish straight boilies. I have been feeding the same baits for years, and in my experience, I’ve not noticed much improvement in catches using a “spod mix” (hemp, corn, pellet etc) over just fishing over a bed of boilies. Shearwater would do well over a spodded mix, so I went in with that, then one session (it’s about 3hr drive from my house) I left my spod mix at home by mistake so just spombed out a bed of boilies and had just as much action. Obviously, this will be dependent on the lake etc, my waters will fish differently to someone else’s. These days, the spod rod stays in the rod bag and I just pult out a bed of boilies. I’m confident that my baits are being eaten and at the end of every session, I put the remainder of my bait in so they can have a free feed, as I make my own bait and freeze it when it’s made, I don’t like taking it home and re-freezing it and it doesn’t keep too long. So it gets spread about the margins and nature reserve where they can feed safely and I make up a new batch fresh for the next session. I just like to keep things simple (I’m easily confused!) and a bag of boilies is easier to carry around than a big bucket of particle! 

[elmoputney]

6 minutes ago, ouchthathurt said:

I’m watching carp angle now! I’d like a pole like that but they’re rather pricey. Although I’ll use spod mixes and go down that route if I think it’s necessary, I tend to predominantly just fish straight boilies. I have been feeding the same baits for years, and in my experience, I’ve not noticed much improvement in catches using a “spod mix” (hemp, corn, pellet etc) over just fishing over a bed of boilies. Shearwater would do well over a spodded mix, so I went in with that, then one session (it’s about 3hr drive from my house) I left my spod mix at home by mistake so just spombed out a bed of boilies and had just as much action. Obviously, this will be dependent on the lake etc, my waters will fish differently to someone else’s. These days, the spod rod stays in the rod bag and I just pult out a bed of boilies. I’m confident that my baits are being eaten and at the end of every session, I put the remainder of my bait in so they can have a free feed, as I make my own bait and freeze it when it’s made, I don’t like taking it home and re-freezing it and it doesn’t keep too long. So it gets spread about the margins and nature reserve where they can feed safely and I make up a new batch fresh for the next session. I just like to keep things simple (I’m easily confused!) and a bag of boilies is easier to carry around than a big bucket of particle! 

I think the purchase price of the bushwhacker is worse but when you look at the additional sections it works out probably cheaper in the long run tbh, 1.5m extra on the corus one is 35 quid the same on the Bush whacker is 12.99 so it depends how far you need to go, i thought about a bait boat for a while as I can use it on my lake but if I bought a site ticket the boat is useless on the other lakes as they are banned whereas a baiting pole isn't so it would probably work out more useful long term, and actually I thought back to last year, I could have fished much more effectively with a pole, so many spots that aren't an easy cast but would be easier and quieter with a pole, I think I've just decided in my head to buy one at some point lol 😂

 

[emmcee]

2 hours ago, yonny said:

@elmoputney you're exactly right mate. Being on them is the primary key to success.

100%. You can have the best bait, best gear etc but if you're not on them then it's all wasted. 

[ouchthathurt]

What’s worse is that right now, thinking about the waters I fish, I can’t think of a single scenario where a baiting pole would be of use to me... 

yet I still want one! 🙄

when I fished a small estate lake, the best spots were right under the overhanging bushes that ran along a dam wall. Problem was you couldn’t cast there. I got around this by taking the elasticated poles from an old tent I had, gaffa taped the joints so it Didn’t come apart then taped an old forked twig on one end with a block of polystyrene lashed on... I stood on the dam bank behind the bush I wanted to place a bait under and threaded this monstrosity out under the bush and out into the lake. Then I flicked the lead and old rig over this floating pole in the water, opened the bail arm, ran round to the dam wall and pulled the pole back in to me, which dragged the rig with it. Then by wriggling under the bush to the waters edge, I could unhook the old rig, attach a baited hook length and drop it into position by hand exactly where I wanted it. I could even donk the lead up and down a few times to feel the spot or clear it of debris. Once it’s in place, nip back to the swim, tighten everything up and jobs a good un. The bush was only about 15ft off the rod tip, but where the outer branches trailed the waters edge, you just couldn’t quite get a lead under there by casting. Such a faff! 

[elmoputney]

54 minutes ago, ouchthathurt said:

What’s worse is that right now, thinking about the waters I fish, I can’t think of a single scenario where a baiting pole would be of use to me... 

yet I still want one! 🙄

when I fished a small estate lake, the best spots were right under the overhanging bushes that ran along a dam wall. Problem was you couldn’t cast there. I got around this by taking the elasticated poles from an old tent I had, gaffa taped the joints so it Didn’t come apart then taped an old forked twig on one end with a block of polystyrene lashed on... I stood on the dam bank behind the bush I wanted to place a bait under and threaded this monstrosity out under the bush and out into the lake. Then I flicked the lead and old rig over this floating pole in the water, opened the bail arm, ran round to the dam wall and pulled the pole back in to me, which dragged the rig with it. Then by wriggling under the bush to the waters edge, I could unhook the old rig, attach a baited hook length and drop it into position by hand exactly where I wanted it. I could even donk the lead up and down a few times to feel the spot or clear it of debris. Once it’s in place, nip back to the swim, tighten everything up and jobs a good un. The bush was only about 15ft off the rod tip, but where the outer branches trailed the waters edge, you just couldn’t quite get a lead under there by casting. Such a faff! 

Just think of the future lakes or buy a new ticket to use it with 😂

[ouchthathurt]

A new ticket... hmmmm... 

I would like to find a new water in East Sussex to get my teeth into, anyone got any suggestions? 

[elmoputney]

 

4 minutes ago, ouchthathurt said:

A new ticket... hmmmm... 

I would like to find a new water in East Sussex to get my teeth into, anyone got any suggestions? 

East Sussex Water have a good supply 😁

[ouchthathurt]

Perfect! 😂😂can’t see any carp though... although it’s good for a bite... 

[elmoputney]

45 minutes ago, ouchthathurt said:

Perfect! 😂😂can’t see any carp though... although it’s good for a bite... 

You would need to tie on your baits with dental floss to clean up there 🙄

I'm not really familiar with East Sussex fishing waters sadly, so I can't help you, I have just gone back on fb to sell some stuff though, if it goes , I've sold enough stuff for a Bush whacker 😂

[ouchthathurt]

I suppose, getting back to spodding, that it’s always useful to know what it is you are intending to achieve through spodding tactics. Are you trying to stop a herd of carp roaming nomadically across a featureless swim? Making the bait the feature? Or are you spodding to a known feature that carp will usually visit to feed over, with the intention of holding them there for a period of time? Does that water have the stocking density for this? Do the carp move in large groups? Spodding may not work for carp that move about singly or in pairs. How much time can you devote to the swim? I think this can be my Achilles heel with spodding, I tend not to be able to devote enough time to a swim with a spodded carpet of bait. I have been guilty in the past of planning a spodding session whilst sat at home on the sofa, convincing myself that if I spod a carpet of particle out I’ll slay them, then turning up, carrying out a spodding session in a swim, going through with the home inspired master plan, then catching naff all from it... almost spodding for the sake of it! Spodding is a useful tool in the armoury, but if I fish to my strengths, boilie fishing, small baited patches, fishing for a bite at a time, margin fishing... I tend to stick with what I’m confident in. I’ll go to big beds of bait if the water responds to it, (shearwater bring my example) but at the moment, on my waters I fish, stringers or half a dozen baits around the hook bait does the most bites. If I put out 50 boilies, I’ve baited heavily! I’m a rubbish zig angler, I’ve never done any good with them, hence I’m not confident in them, so if I fish them, I tend to be beaten before I’ve started. Location and fishing to your strengths, that’s the key to my confidence. 

[elmoputney]

45 minutes ago, ouchthathurt said:

I suppose, getting back to spodding, that it’s always useful to know what it is you are intending to achieve through spodding tactics. Are you trying to stop a herd of carp roaming nomadically across a featureless swim? Making the bait the feature? Or are you spodding to a known feature that carp will usually visit to feed over, with the intention of holding them there for a period of time? Does that water have the stocking density for this? Do the carp move in large groups? Spodding may not work for carp that move about singly or in pairs. How much time can you devote to the swim? I think this can be my Achilles heel with spodding, I tend not to be able to devote enough time to a swim with a spodded carpet of bait. I have been guilty in the past of planning a spodding session whilst sat at home on the sofa, convincing myself that if I spod a carpet of particle out I’ll slay them, then turning up, carrying out a spodding session in a swim, going through with the home inspired master plan, then catching naff all from it... almost spodding for the sake of it! Spodding is a useful tool in the armoury, but if I fish to my strengths, boilie fishing, small baited patches, fishing for a bite at a time, margin fishing... I tend to stick with what I’m confident in. I’ll go to big beds of bait if the water responds to it, (shearwater bring my example) but at the moment, on my waters I fish, stringers or half a dozen baits around the hook bait does the most bites. If I put out 50 boilies, I’ve baited heavily! I’m a rubbish zig angler, I’ve never done any good with them, hence I’m not confident in them, so if I fish them, I tend to be beaten before I’ve started. Location and fishing to your strengths, that’s the key to my confidence. 

I'm very much the same lol, I can easily blow a session in advance, I think my strengths are probably prebaiting, and my usual idea is I WILL make that spot a feature lol, to be honest it does work out OK usually but I could be fishing better whilst building up those spots, 

Part of the trouble with the lake I am on people tend to fish certain swims so you get stuck in a routine to an extent, you have a look round think about what's left and free and if that happens to be the swim you are used too it's easy to fall into that one, you can drive to the spots also so being quieter will help too 😁

This year I am planning to fish off the Barrow and spend a while walking and looking for opportunities, rather than waiting, and hopefully once I get the Bushwhacker I will be able to make some really good spots for myself and just regularly walk round and feed them up, this way I will learn a lot more and be fishing for a bite at a time, and taking the opportunity to catch more rather than being held in one swim, there are always little spots tucked away that don't get fished too often 

[emmcee]

1 hour ago, elmoputney said:

I'm very much the same lol, I can easily blow a session in advance, I think my strengths are probably prebaiting, and my usual idea is I WILL make that spot a feature lol, to be honest it does work out OK usually but I could be fishing better whilst building up those spots, 

Part of the trouble with the lake I am on people tend to fish certain swims so you get stuck in a routine to an extent, you have a look round think about what's left and free and if that happens to be the swim you are used too it's easy to fall into that one, you can drive to the spots also so being quieter will help too 😁

This year I am planning to fish off the Barrow and spend a while walking and looking for opportunities, rather than waiting, and hopefully once I get the Bushwhacker I will be able to make some really good spots for myself and just regularly walk round and feed them up, this way I will learn a lot more and be fishing for a bite at a time, and taking the opportunity to catch more rather than being held in one swim, there are always little spots tucked away that don't get fished too often 

So certain anglers fish the same swim week in , week out? This was the case when I first got on dinton white swan. It was handy in a way because you knew where the anglers would be and you had what was left. Sometimes this was good but obviously on occasions it left you away from the fish. But everyone left each other alone so I soon got sucked into the same routine. I picked a swim that no one fished and thought to myself I just need to out bait those around me, which I did and caught my fair share. This is what the blokes on there at the time called "bait and wait". Certainly a good way if everyone respects what you're doing and vice versa.  But also a quick fire way to lose your angling skills and you become lazy (I know I did). It was like this for my first 3 or 4 seasons until a lot of the original members moved on and having "your swim" soon became a thing of the past. Those that couldn't move on from that time were left struggling but the ones who adapted back to find the fish first etc caught. 

[salokcinnodrog]

I'm tempted to split this topic, as although we are discussing spod mixes we are going into the effectiveness or not of spodding. 

On Earith I spodded bait in most sessions, albeit normally pellet and whole and crushed boilies, then topped the area up with throwing stick. 

I did try spodding particles in, pigeon conditioner, but on most occasions got breamed or tenched out, although there was an exception in one swim, a gravel slope or bar that had depths going from a few feet to 10feet, proper drop-offs. In one night I had 2 20's, my daughter landed another, and I had 5 other carp. 

The only time I really wanted to get into one particular swim was winter when I kept on catching from a particular area in it. Someone twigged what I was doing, so fished it; that made me look elsewhere and ended up catching what at the time was a personal best common. In the new swim, in February I still spodded in some pellet and boilies, and caught. 

Taverham used to respond originally to spodding, then that switched off, bait had to be in place for a couple of days, so the search for the carp then put a single bait or stringer on them became the best option. Again with that it could turn off. It did switch off once so a mate and I hit the spodded hemp, and caught loads in one night. 

Every water needs to be assessed, try it to find out. Sometimes spodding will work, others it will not. Non spodding waters, every now and again will respond to loads of bait spodded in. 

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, emmcee said:

So certain anglers fish the same swim week in , week out? This was the case when I first got on dinton white swan. It was handy in a way because you knew where the anglers would be and you had what was left. Sometimes this was good but obviously on occasions it left you away from the fish. But everyone left each other alone so I soon got sucked into the same routine. I picked a swim that no one fished and thought to myself I just need to out bait those around me, which I did and caught my fair share. This is what the blokes on there at the time called "bait and wait". Certainly a good way if everyone respects what you're doing and vice versa.  But also a quick fire way to lose your angling skills and you become lazy (I know I did). It was like this for my first 3 or 4 seasons until a lot of the original members moved on and having "your swim" soon became a thing of the past. Those that couldn't move on from that time were left struggling but the ones who adapted back to find the fish first etc caught. 

It certainly has benefits to people fishing the same swims, like they pretty much let me get on with it,also it means I can make use of the the less popular ones, but it gets boring seeing the same swim week in week out, I think this year I just fancy making the most of the whole lake there will be chances everywhere, last year I found so many bubblers and couldn't or didn't capitalise on them and I found one of the big commons whilst walking about last year, just sitting in the margins, if I had my kit with me I may have been able to target it,  gets a bit like I am going through the motions after a while, 😬

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I'm tempted to split this topic, as although we are discussing spod mixes we are going into the effectiveness or not of spodding. 

On Earith I spodded bait in most sessions, albeit normally pellet and whole and crushed boilies, then topped the area up with throwing stick. 

I did try spodding particles in, pigeon conditioner, but on most occasions got beamed or tenched out, although there was an exception in one swim, a gravel slope or bar that had depths going from a few feet to 10feet, proper drop-offs. In one night I had 2 20's, my daughter landed another, and I had 5 other carp. 

The only time I really wanted to get into one particular swim was winter when I kept on catching from a particular area in it. Someone twigged what I was doing, so fished it; that made me look elsewhere and ended up catching what at the time was a personal best common. In the new swim, in February I still spodded in some pellet and boilies, and caught. 

Taverham used to respond originally to spodding, then that switched off, bait had to be in place for a couple of days, so the search for the carp then put a single bait or stringer on them became the best option. Again with that it could turn off. It did switch off once so a mate and I hit the spodded hemp, and caught loads in one night. 

Every water needs to be assessed, try it to find out. Sometimes spodding will work, others it will not. Non spodding waters, every now and again will respond to loads of bait spodded in. 

Where is this drop off you speak of 😁 

I've noticed there are shallower bits on the far side of the point,there is quite a deep channel through there, I think your old fav swim was one they call church with the channel that goes into the main lake to the left, always busy lol 

I've found a lot of my old spots are overgrown these days, I used to have a great one off the end of an island which had a drop off but nowadays its pretty unfishable as the pads  have taken over shame because I would have had 3 hot spots in that swim last year rather than 2 lol 

Reed lake is pretty much a safe zone now so overgrown, and nobody wants to be the first to make it fishable but I'm tempted to rake it, the way I see it if they arent safe there they will push out into the lake, I might be able to have a go for a bit till I get rumbled if I do it 😬

I think spodding can be hit and miss tbh I would rather not and use a pult or stick if I can, like I've said I'm happier to if the swim has been getting a regular feed, 

[yonny]

2 hours ago, emmcee said:

bait and wait

I'd struggle to do that even if I wanted to. The first morning I see fish elsewhere and nowt in front of me just drives me nuts. I really struggle to stay put.

[salokcinnodrog]

53 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

Where is this drop off you speak of 😁 

I've noticed there are shallower bits on the far side of the point,there is quite a deep channel through there, I think your old fav swim was one they call church with the channel that goes into the main lake to the left, always busy lol 

I've found a lot of my old spots are overgrown these days, I used to have a great one off the end of an island which had a drop off but nowadays its pretty unfishable as the pads  have taken over shame because I would have had 3 hot spots in that swim last year rather than 2 lol 

Reed lake is pretty much a safe zone now so overgrown, and nobody wants to be the first to make it fishable but I'm tempted to rake it, the way I see it if they arent safe there they will push out into the lake, I might be able to have a go for a bit till I get rumbled if I do it 😬

I think spodding can be hit and miss tbh I would rather not and use a pult or stick if I can, like I've said I'm happier to if the swim has been getting a regular feed, 

I think what was my favourite winter swim was 'the point', the end swim by Pats Pool, the path up from main lake and the end of the track down from the car park. 

Casting past the end of the island aiming to the right edge of the coach company roughly towards the far corner of the lake. 

The drop off is in the swim around one or two to the right of that, the barbed wire ended in a tree and hawthorn bush, you could see the gravel bar running into the lake at low water level. 

I don't think I fished the actual channel into the main lake more than once or twice, I didn't see many fish swim through it, (Bruce did and caught), I preferred to fish the overhanging tree to the left, where I definitely caught. 

Even in the main lake I tended to fish the margins, towards the reeds on the Pingrees bank or the overhanging brambles by the pump House on the main footpath bank

The advantage in margin swims was I could drop bait in by hand or catapult loose boilies if anyone was around... 

While I wasn't trying to hide what I was doing, I wasn't going to give spots away. 

 

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I think what was my favourite winter swim was 'the point', the end swim by Pats Pool, the path up from main lake and the end of the track down from the car park. 

Casting past the end of the island aiming to the right edge of the coach company roughly towards the far corner of the lake. 

The drop off is in the swim around one or two to the right of that, the barbed wire ended in a tree and hawthorn bush, you could see the gravel bar running into the lake at low water level. 

I don't think I fished the actual channel into the main lake more than once or twice, I didn't see many fish swim through it, (Bruce did and caught), I preferred to fish the overhanging tree to the left, where I definitely caught. 

Even in the main lake I tended to fish the margins, towards the reeds on the Pingrees bank or the overhanging brambles by the pump House on the main footpath bank

The advantage in margin swims was I could drop bait in by hand or catapult loose boilies if anyone was around... 

While I wasn't trying to hide what I was doing, I wasn't going to give spots away. 

 

The point is still popular lol, I've never caught in it tbh, people seem to do it better than me with boats these days 😁

They Definately still like hiding out the back though near the coaches 

The car park is now pat and ians house he has moved up there, 

It has Definately changed up there probably a lot weedier than it used to be but i still enjoy it, nice and quiet usually, some nice fish in pingrees, I wouldn't mind a go at those this year, 

Well I've sold some more stuff tonight my old fox spod rod and 2 old spod reels, I now have some cash for a Bush whacker 😬

I can see me spodding less if I get one I might need to sell some more stuff to buy some extra sections though 😁

 

[emmcee]

3 hours ago, yonny said:

I'd struggle to do that even if I wanted to. The first morning I see fish elsewhere and nowt in front of me just drives me nuts. I really struggle to stay put.

I was the same to start with on dinton.  I fished it  how you should fish it. I soon learnt though that during my time on there the fish didnt like being chased around. You flicked a lead at them and they were off. If you could be one step ahead of  them then all well and good but these fish at the time had no pattern. So falling in to the bait and wait trap happened to many.  Don't get me wrong, some anglers would chase them around but only a couple of them were successful and they were both exceptional anglers, probably the best I've fished with.