New reservoir to fish

[jh92]

So a trout reservoir near me is allowing carp fishing for one month [September]

Its just over 700 acres, I have no idea of depths, bottom etc. There are some gnarly rules as in particles only, no boilies allowed.

No boats including bait boats lol

I expect I'm gonna have to try and fish at range but with boilies off the cards, do you think tigers as hookbaits would be suitable for fishing at range?

 

I think im going to prep a load of tigernuts, maize, pigeon conditioner.

 

Any suggestions on tackling this beast would be great 😆

I haven't really made a plan other than I'm booking 4 nights on it 🤣🤣🤣

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by jh92

[commonly]

No boats??? You've got a mission there mate...

I haven't been very successful on my res which is half the size. So, I'm only offering a suggestion. 

If you only have a month, I'd say plenty of prebaiting to try and get a few spots going.

I got a few bites when I was prebaiting with 10k a time, a week and a few days before fishing.

Boilies may not pay off if the fish haven't seen them before, so definitely try tigers. 

Will they let you on for a month again next year? It seems an unusual scenario?? 

Good luck 

[dalej2014]

I would pre-bait as much as possible and allowed, especially in the quieter "carpy" corners, and fish the margins at night. I should add I have no experience here. Your best bet is to page @salokcinnodrog

[salokcinnodrog]

8 hours ago, jh92 said:

So a trout reservoir near me is allowing carp fishing for one month [September]

Its just over 700 acres, I have no idea of depths, bottom etc. There are some gnarly rules as in particles only, no boilies allowed.

No boats including bait boats lol

I expect I'm gonna have to try and fish at range but with boilies off the cards, do you think tigers as hookbaits would be suitable for fishing at range?

 

I think im going to prep a load of tigernuts, maize, pigeon conditioner.

 

Any suggestions on tackling this beast would be great 😆

I haven't really made a plan other than I'm booking 4 nights on it 🤣🤣🤣

 

Sounds like fun!

Ardleigh and Alton reservoirs are my forays into big water fishing although Alton is only 475 acres.

 

I used to spend hours walking around it. Some days before or after work I'd pick a section and walk that, other days all the way around.

 

I would usually prebait an area for a few days before fishing it, a mix of pigeon conditioner or chicken seed mix with tigers and maize plus a bucket or 3 of Vitalin (see current alternatives now it's discontinued), with a few boilies, but if no boilies allowed, maize, or tigers would be OK on the hook.

If I couldn't prebait, most fish would come on the 2nd or 3rd night after baiting when I arrived, although I did have a couple of fish on my Garlic Spice pop-ups first night just cast out.

I only had one fish on Alton in a bay, the rest came from the northern end of the reservoir in big south westerly winds, big enough to send spray 20metres up the bank into the bivvy, near the bridge over the reservoir, or right up near the limit of fishing where it shallower up.

The one from the bay was after lockdown was over, and I found a couple of fish in The Wonder right at the end.

Again a bit of bait around the weed produced fish.

Depth wise, my fish came in depths between 6 and 15feet deep.

For a reservoir of the size you are talking, I would think that the water will slope down, a possible drop-off, then slope again, probably based off a series of feeder streams gradually deepening towards the dam wall, deepest is not always best.

@jh292 is this a fishing trial to see the potential, with possible long term fishing permission? Or a simple one off?

 

 

[jh92]

8 hours ago, commonly said:

No boats??? You've got a mission there mate...

I haven't been very successful on my res which is half the size. So, I'm only offering a suggestion. 

If you only have a month, I'd say plenty of prebaiting to try and get a few spots going.

I got a few bites when I was prebaiting with 10k a time, a week and a few days before fishing.

Boilies may not pay off if the fish haven't seen them before, so definitely try tigers. 

Will they let you on for a month again next year? It seems an unusual scenario?? 

Good luck 

 

5 hours ago, dalej2014 said:

I would pre-bait as much as possible and allowed, especially in the quieter "carpy" corners, and fish the margins at night. I should add I have no experience here. Your best bet is to page @salokcinnodrog

 

3 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

Sounds like fun!

Ardleigh and Alton reservoirs are my forays into big water fishing although Alton is only 475 acres.

 

I used to spend hours walking around it. Some days before or after work I'd pick a section and walk that, other days all the way around.

 

I would usually prebait an area for a few days before fishing it, a mix of pigeon conditioner or chicken seed mix with tigers and maize plus a bucket or 3 of Vitalin (see current alternatives now it's discontinued), with a few boilies, but if no boilies allowed, maize, or tigers would be OK on the hook.

If I couldn't prebait, most fish would come on the 2nd or 3rd night after baiting when I arrived, although I did have a couple of fish on my Garlic Spice pop-ups first night just cast out.

I only had one fish on Alton in a bay, the rest came from the northern end of the reservoir in big south westerly winds, big enough to send spray 20metres up the bank into the bivvy, near the bridge over the reservoir, or right up near the limit of fishing where it shallower up.

The one from the bay was after lockdown was over, and I found a couple of fish in The Wonder right at the end.

Again a bit of bait around the weed produced fish.

Depth wise, my fish came in depths between 6 and 15feet deep.

For a reservoir of the size you are talking, I would think that the water will slope down, a possible drop-off, then slope again, probably based off a series of feeder streams gradually deepening towards the dam wall, deepest is not always best.

@jh292 is this a fishing trial to see the potential, with possible long term fishing permission? Or a simple one off?

 

 

Yeah it's only open for the month on a trial and you can only fish from one bank that has 10 swims marked out, all catches must be recorded and pictures sent over. I love big waters with my main one being just under 90 acres, but this is a bit of step up. I'm really excited to be part of it 👌 not sure on the future I just think they want to see what stock it holds and make a decision later on 🤔

I'm going to take the dog for a walk around where you can fish from and see what it's like this weekend.

Sadly prebaiting and having a cast with the marker is going to be out the question until September. I dont think they will allow me to turn up and prebait etc so will probably have to all be done on the session. Its also quite a drive so there won't be many walks before fishing either 😕

Same as you the swims I fish on my res I'm only fishing in about 10ft of water. At what depth would be too deep for carp feeding on the deck? 

I think so far my plan will be picking a swim on the day depending what's available, spend some time with the marker, find a spot to fish over and bait up quite heavily, then just top up the spot if it produces fish.

There are rumors of big shoals of carp but what the average size is I have no idea lol, I can't find much information online about it so will have to keep digging 🤣

 

At the moment I've got 10kg of unprepared tigernuts, 25kg sack of maize and 20kg of pigeon conditioner on order, anything else you would recommend? I might try and get some hemp seed as well 🤔

Exciting times 👍

[jh92]

So I ended up booking 5 nights instead of 4 on this beast 😆

 

Super excited 🤣

[framey]

Wow..

that’s gonna be a good challenge could be up any of the arms

[jh92]

12 minutes ago, framey said:

Wow..

that’s gonna be a good challenge could be up any of the arms

Yes mate so you see the second arm on the left, a section of the bank beyond that is where I can fish 👍👍 just gonna try the bait and wait approach 🤣

[framey]

No fishing in the rest ? 🫣

[salokcinnodrog]

10 hours ago, jh92 said:

Yes mate so you see the second arm on the left, a section of the bank beyond that is where I can fish 👍👍 just gonna try the bait and wait approach 🤣

 

10 hours ago, jh92 said:

So I ended up booking 5 nights instead of 4 on this beast 😆

 

Super excited 🤣

I tell you what, if you can find some pics from directly above you could be onto a winner.

If not book a hot air balloon flight, or convince someone to sneak a drone across lol.

Pictures from above will potentially show features from above, even if not depths.

 

Looking at the pic, I'd say the second arm on the right has an inlet stream, and the main feeder streams are in the devil's horns at the far end.

The second arm you'll be on looks to be a ridge line bay, with possibly an inlet on the end near the green blob of trees

[dalej2014]

Google Earth could be a good shout too. Surprising amount of detail to be had from a careful study there.

[jh92]

10 hours ago, framey said:

No fishing in the rest ? 🫣

Not at the moment mate just 10 swims on a certain stretch and that's it 🫤

1 hour ago, salokcinnodrog said:

 

I tell you what, if you can find some pics from directly above you could be onto a winner.

If not book a hot air balloon flight, or convince someone to sneak a drone across lol.

Pictures from above will potentially show features from above, even if not depths.

 

Looking at the pic, I'd say the second arm on the right has an inlet stream, and the main feeder streams are in the devil's horns at the far end.

The second arm you'll be on looks to be a ridge line bay, with possibly an inlet on the end near the green blob of trees

I've been looking but no luck yet, I think you're right about the stream and I think there's a couple at the top end of it, sadly I can't access any of them 😒

Wonder if it's worth trying to borrow a drone and take that down over the weekend to have a look 🤔

1 hour ago, dalej2014 said:

Google Earth could be a good shout too. Surprising amount of detail to be had from a careful study there.

I've tried Google maps but it isn't clear enough, I've had a little look online and it's possible to download a high resolution picture from Google maps. But haven't tried yet lol, job for tonight 🤣

[jh92]

@salokcinnodrog I've rang them and they are saying there is a leader ban. When I fish at distance I normally tie on a leader that's connected to 12lb daiwa sensor. I know its not the greatest but has always done me well for my situation lol. Minimum line is 15lb. I'm not sure if I should fish 15lb straight through or use a tapered mainline? Any advice on a decent line to use?

Absolutely hate respooling my reels and as for trying to work out how much backing I need on for the tapered mainline spools is beyond me 🤣

Bait rules are very strict, hemp, maize/corn, tigernuts, beans and peas only. I asked about pigeon conditioner and they said no🤔 hemp is a seed and is allowed but pigeon conditioner isn't 🤷‍♂️🤣

I'm thinking of using a mix of hemp, maize, corn and tigers. Anything else I should add for beans and peas? 

[salokcinnodrog]

1 minute ago, jh92 said:

@salokcinnodrog I've rang them and they are saying there is a leader ban. When I fish at distance I normally tie on a leader that's connected to 12lb daiwa sensor. I know its not the greatest but has always done me well for my situation lol. Minimum line is 15lb. I'm not sure if I should fish 15lb straight through or use a tapered mainline? Any advice on a decent line to use?

Absolutely hate respooling my reels and as for trying to work out how much backing I need on for the tapered mainline spools is beyond me 🤣

Bait rules are very strict, hemp, maize/corn, tigernuts, beans and peas only. I asked about pigeon conditioner and they said no🤔 hemp is a seed and is allowed but pigeon conditioner isn't 🤷‍♂️🤣

I'm thinking of using a mix of hemp, maize, corn and tigers. Anything else I should add for beans and peas? 

I think since just before it's release I've used Gardner Pro in 15lb, light or dark with no worries and am comfortable with long casting with it. I'm just going through in my mind the crack-offs I've had and one in a heavy wind when the line went round the butt ring, and two when numpty forgot to check the bail arm was open.

I did used to use 15lb Sensor brown, but since I started with Gardner Pro, never gone back. 

 

Beans and peas, Molassed Rabbit mix to bulk out your particles. Hot water to soak it around 12hours before use.

It's a good background feed.

The rest of your particles sounds good, the maize and tigers are the important bits, and if you prep some and stick them in a liquidiser you'll get a nice cloud.

[framey]

10 minutes ago, jh92 said:

@salokcinnodrog I've rang them and they are saying there is a leader ban. When I fish at distance I normally tie on a leader that's connected to 12lb daiwa sensor. I know its not the greatest but has always done me well for my situation lol. Minimum line is 15lb. I'm not sure if I should fish 15lb straight through or use a tapered mainline? Any advice on a decent line to use?

Absolutely hate respooling my reels and as for trying to work out how much backing I need on for the tapered mainline spools is beyond me 🤣

Bait rules are very strict, hemp, maize/corn, tigernuts, beans and peas only. I asked about pigeon conditioner and they said no🤔 hemp is a seed and is allowed but pigeon conditioner isn't 🤷‍♂️🤣

I'm thinking of using a mix of hemp, maize, corn and tigers. Anything else I should add for beans and peas? 

It helps to use 2 spools 

wind the tapered mainline on and then knot normal line to it and fill up the spool 

then just reverse it by changing spools again so the normal mainline goes on first

they are really using some strange rules lol

no boilies but you can use homemade particle how do they know it’s prepared properly lol

[salokcinnodrog]

5 hours ago, jh92 said:

Not at the moment mate just 10 swims on a certain stretch and that's it 🫤

I've been looking but no luck yet, I think you're right about the stream and I think there's a couple at the top end of it, sadly I can't access any of them 😒

Wonder if it's worth trying to borrow a drone and take that down over the weekend to have a look 🤔

I've tried Google maps but it isn't clear enough, I've had a little look online and it's possible to download a high resolution picture from Google maps. But haven't tried yet lol, job for tonight 🤣

Google Maps and Google Earth can be brilliant (see my Nazeing South Lagoon pic), but sometimes you have to go old school and resort to Ordnance Survey maps for incoming streams and contours.

[B B]

2 hours ago, jh92 said:

I'm not sure if I should fish 15lb straight through or use a tapered mainline?

I tried a Fox tapered mainline and found my distance suffered I had to use a heavier lead to combat the thickness of the leader ended up cutting back the leader and it helped. 
I now use Fox soft steel 35 mm which got a stated breaking strain of 18lb and happy with it 👍

[B B]

What happens if theirs somebody in your swim when you turn up to fish, or can you reserve what swim you want ?

[jh92]

3 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I think since just before it's release I've used Gardner Pro in 15lb, light or dark with no worries and am comfortable with long casting with it. I'm just going through in my mind the crack-offs I've had and one in a heavy wind when the line went round the butt ring, and two when numpty forgot to check the bail arm was open.

I did used to use 15lb Sensor brown, but since I started with Gardner Pro, never gone back. 

 

Beans and peas, Molassed Rabbit mix to bulk out your particles. Hot water to soak it around 12hours before use.

It's a good background feed.

The rest of your particles sounds good, the maize and tigers are the important bits, and if you prep some and stick them in a liquidiser you'll get a nice cloud.

I will have a look at the Gardner Pro line mate 👍 yeah daiwa sensor is all I've really ever used lol.

I was thinking of adding maple peas 🤔 at the moment my spod mix is 

10kg hemp

25kg maize

10kg tigers

Going to buy some tins of corn to put in it as well. 

Not sure how much im gonna need all together but tempted to prep 10kg of everything just to be on the safe side 🤣 should be a good few buckets full lol.

Do you think if i cook everything the day before i go it will last 6 days? Or would it possible to freeze it and take it frozen in a cool box🤔

3 hours ago, framey said:

It helps to use 2 spools 

wind the tapered mainline on and then knot normal line to it and fill up the spool 

then just reverse it by changing spools again so the normal mainline goes on first

they are really using some strange rules lol

no boilies but you can use homemade particle how do they know it’s prepared properly lol

 Thats a good idea mate, I'm still not decided on if I should just use 15lb right through lol. Decisions 🤣

3 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

Google Maps and Google Earth can be brilliant (see my Nazeing South Lagoon pic), but sometimes you have to go old school and resort to Ordnance Survey maps for incoming streams and contours.

I've just been on Google Earth and had a look at the stretch of bank I'm fishing, the arm that will be on the right of me has a small stream going into it so might be a starting point if the pegs can access it 👍👍

56 minutes ago, B B said:

I tried a Fox tapered mainline and found my distance suffered I had to use a heavier lead to combat the thickness of the leader ended up cutting back the leader and it helped. 
I now use Fox soft steel 35 mm which got a stated breaking strain of 18lb and happy with it 👍

 

45 minutes ago, B B said:

What happens if theirs somebody in your swim when you turn up to fish, or can you reserve what swim you want ?

Cheers mate I will have a look at the line 👍 as for pegs I've been informed that there is a total of 12 but only 10 can be fished at one time, you have to pre book a ticket and pick a peg when you get there, so once the 10 tickets are sold for that 24 hours, no one else can get on if that makes sense lol 

[salokcinnodrog]

1 minute ago, jh92 said:

Do you think if i cook everything the day before i go it will last 6 days? Or would it possible to freeze it and take it frozen in a cool box🤔

I think depending on the weather conditions you'll get 2 days maybe 3 out of your particles until they start to whiff a bit.

What I often do is freeze a batch in a 5litre bucket or ice cream tubs and take that to the lake still frozen, along with the bucket of fresh.

The frozen bucket can take a day or two to defrost!

A day longer if you have a good cool box or one powered by your cigarette socket in the car.

 

Hemp, tares and maples it might be possible to prep on the bank if you have a big gas stove, soak for 24, then boil.

I tend to think of hemp as bait up every day.

Saying that, tigers and maize and other particles, once baited into the lake, could be a decent baited area and will last...

Might keep the fish hanging around the area.

Some places respond to one off baiting, others are every day venues. 

 

 

[jh92]

Sounds like a plan mate, I will freeze most of it and take a bucket of fresh with me 👍

 

[B B]

On the trips to France I would soak the hemp and maize and cook on the bank, used a cheap cooker the ones that use a long gas canister one very big saucepan used one canister done all the cooking under a old brolly 
Physically I found  it hard to spod a load of particles on a daily basis I don’t envy you especially if the wind blows a bit. 
Be great if you can keep us informed how you get on maybe with some pics 👍
 

[jh92]

7 hours ago, B B said:

On the trips to France I would soak the hemp and maize and cook on the bank, used a cheap cooker the ones that use a long gas canister one very big saucepan used one canister done all the cooking under a old brolly 
Physically I found  it hard to spod a load of particles on a daily basis I don’t envy you especially if the wind blows a bit. 
Be great if you can keep us informed how you get on maybe with some pics 👍
 

I thought about this but wasn't sure how much gas it would use lol.

I don't mind baiting up with a spod, can be a bit of a pain when you got the wind in your face, but other than that I quite enjoy it 🤣 throwing stick on the other hand, my wrist and forearm is sore for days after chucking out a kilo of boilies 🤣🤣

 

Yeah mate I will get as many photos as I can. Dogs are allowed too so might take daisy for the 5 nights if she behaves 🤣

[jh92]

Well it's nearly time for my session, will be there on Sunday 👍

Got a chest freezer full of bait

and have another 3 buckets soaking that will get cooked Saturday evening.

Tonight I will be respooling reels, tying up rigs etc.

Big shop tomorrow to buy some more gear and food 🤣

[B B]

On 08/09/2023 at 04:26, jh92 said:

Well it's nearly time for my session, will be there on Sunday 👍

Got a chest freezer full of bait

and have another 3 buckets soaking that will get cooked Saturday evening.

Tonight I will be respooling reels, tying up rigs etc.

Big shop tomorrow to buy some more gear and food 🤣

Best of luck jh. 🤞