Search for River Carp in Tricky Conditions

I arrived back at the river and wandered a few areas, spotting a few nice fish lurking in a few beds of streamer weed and occasionally cruising by. With the carp already sighted being somewhat sluggish, I decided to leave some bait in a few areas and await a response. After allowing some time for the fish to find the feed whilst I kitted up, I wandered to my first spot and my excitement levels hit the roof when I spotted a couple of fish, a common and a mirror, with their heads down and their tails up. I slowly plopped my rig onto a clear patch and hoped that this hadn't caused a disturbance and waited. My friend Mark Lindsay had by this time arrived to join me, and was looking at a few areas just below. Just as I looked round to see how he was getting on, my rod jolted forward. I picked it up and an instant bowave followed as I started to apply some sidestrain. Within a few seconds though, sadly the hook had pinged out. This was a promising start, but at the same time it felt like it could be costly with the conditions becoming increasingly more difficult as we started to reach the heat of the day.

I put a little more bait into the area and went over to see how Mark was getting on. He had settled just below me where he had also sighted a couple of fish dipping their heads in and out of the streamer weed. I re-tweaked my rig slightly, then lowered my bait back into the same zone where I had managed the bite. I decided to give this area another hour, just in case there was an off chance that there could be another patrolling fish on for some feed. Mark meanwhile, lowered his bait into a very promising looking area. It really wasn't long until his rodtip buckled over and he was into a decent sized chub. It was a nice consellation to have landed a fish between us after losing the carp and it was good that we had gotten through the some smaller nuisance fish that had appeared.

A lean summer chub!

I continued to wait it out in this particular spot, but it was evident that the moment had passed and it was time to have a wander. After spotting very few carp in this duration and attempting a couple of ambushes and failing, it was looking to be just one of those days. Time was also getting on, as Mark now had to make tracks, leaving me with a few hours to devise a plan for myself. After sending Mark off, I took a bit of time out to sit on my stool and decide my next plan of attack. I recalled right at the beginning of the day, I had sighted a couple of fish in a tiny gap in the streamer weed. I had noticed on arrival at this area that the bait I had thrown in had gone. Although this could well have been smaller fish, I baited the spot up again and lowered my rig into the clearing. I crouched behind some foliage and watched the baited area. All of a sudden, a dark shape emerged and starting hoovering up all the bait. I could see a very chunky mirror carp absolutely troughing its way up towards my rig. It was only a matter of time until the fish slowed and shook its head before towing the rod across the ground. I dived towards the rod and battle commenced! Keeping steady pressure, I did everything I could to keep the mirror's head up and away from a couple of dangerous snags. I depended on the stretch of the mono and the power of my barbel rod, to deter the plump powerhouse from ploughing through anymore streamer weed. The final crashes on the surface and bolts for the streamer weeds were excrutiating, but thankfully I managed to slip the net under this gluttunous culprit.

12lbs 10oz, one product of gluttony!

It was great to have finally broken the deadlock and at 12lbs 10oz, it was my largest mirror off a river.  It was in fine condition, with a perfect mouth and a beautiful starburst effect towards its tail wrist. By this time, I only had a couple of hours remaining so I decided to have a wander to a new area. Once I had arrived at the second spot, a carp slowly cruised past. This was such a promising sign! I introduced some bait and followed this by lowering my rig into position. It was not long until a small common had made its way into the swim, before being out-muscled by some larger shapes which started to absolutely hoover the bait at one hell of a rate. Before long, all three fish were making their way towards my hookbait. I knew it was only a matter of time before one was going to get hooked, when all of a sudden one shook its head and bolted downstream making the baitrunner sing as it tore off! I picked up the rod and even with the clutch tightly set, this fish absolutely steamed off downstream at what felt like absolute knotts! After one hell of a battle with with this pure powerhouse, a beautiful mirror surfaced. I hurriedly slipped the net under it and gave out a huge sigh of relief! At just over 11lbs, I was very happy indeed to manage another double figure river fish, especially after a very difficult day indeed. I continued for another hour or so, but other than a couple of chub pulls, this was the last of the action. It was fair to say that I left feeling more than satisfied, landing a couple of healthy looking carp after many challenging hours.

11lbs 1oz of beautiful river mirror carp!

On the following day I decided to stalk some chub. This has to be one of my favourite types of fishing in the summer as you can creep up on shoals of chub and often watch them take your bait! I finished the day with a dozen fish running to 4lbs. It really reminded me of how I used to spend many of my summer days, just messing about on small waterways for some fit and healthy looking chub! There's really nothing like watching your bait disappear into a large white mouth as it devours your bait.

A stunning Summer chub!

I hope you enjoyed reading this write-up, as I really enjoyed writing it.

Tight lines to all for the coming weeks and months!

Tom

River Carp Stalking

I arrived back at the river very enthused after sighting quite a few fish on the opening day. It was not long until I had spotted a few familiar suspects from the last trip and decided to set my stalls on a few targets. I lowered my rig into a clear patch and watched as a few small commons were grubbing about. It was not long until my line had tightened and I saw one of the smaller commons slowly shake its head. It was on! After managing to horse this fish from some nasty near bank vegetation, it sadly managed to slip the hook as I started to bring its head up. It was a bit disappointing that I didn't manage to break the deadlock, but I still remained hopeful that a few fish were still about.

I made my way to another area and lowered in my rig for a potential ambush with a small trickle of feed around it. This particular spot was a certain patrol route, so I was confident that this opportunistic trap would pay off. Within minutes, a large mirror had made his way into the swim, hoovering up the bait. I watched as he came ever closer to my bait. It was one of those moments that are only minutes but feel like hours, or even days to the angler! Just as it was just inches away, a familiar suspect muscled into the swim. It was a ghost koi, mirror carp that I was also definitely keen to catch. After watching both fish absolutely tear the bottom apart, I saw a shake of the head from the ghost carp as my rod lurched forward. As I picked up the rod the fish made a powerful sprint towards a nasty snag. With my rod buckled over and mainline being tested, it was certainly a case of hit and hold. Thankfully, after deterring this fish from going any further towards danger, it charged off to shallower water. After a few final bolts under the rod tip, I finally managed to guide the battlinh culprit into the waiting net.

A beautiful ornamental, with fine scale alignment

This fish was actually my first ever mirror carp from a river, so I was certainly made up with this result. I decided as a few fish were still showing to stay in the same swim and wait it out with a little more feed. After half an hour or so, another ghost carp, this time a common, had made its way into the area. It was on the feed straight away! Once it had continued its patrol a little way upstream, I used this opportunity to lower my bait in, a little more on its favoured part of the dinner table. Within minutes, he was back and tripped up on my bait straight away! I was a bit quicker off the mark to grab the rod this time as it started to slide across the ground. It was yet again a question of keeping the rod low and hoping the hook hold would stand proud. This fish had tremendous power and slowing its runs were certainly challenging. Once I had managed to guide the fish to shallower water, it was a question of relying on the rods power to absorb those final bolts towards potential snags. A couple more desperate wallows on the surface followed, before I guided the second carp into the net.

Not a million miles away from double figure (9lbs 11oz) a lovely ghost common!

At just under 10lbs, it was a lovely common and it was absolutely fantastic watching the whole thing unfold! Following on from this, I decided to bait a couple more spots for the next few hours and waited for fish to show. Out of the corner of my eye, two dark mirrors emerged onto a baited spot. I was excited, as I knew both fish were likely to be into double figures. I could not find the perfect opportunity to lower the bait into the baited zone, therefore as they moved off the baited spot onto the rest of their patrol, I quickly, but discretely lowered the bait in their path, in a tiny clearing in the weed. The larger mirror came towards the single hookbait and slurped it in before slowly moving off. I picked up the rod and the surface erupted. Like the larger ghost carp on the session before, she properly ploughed through the streamer weed. I kept the rod high and hoped that I could quickly get its head up. With a series of persistent lunges and bolts for thick weed, I certainly was relieved once I had finally managed to get its head up and land her.

A nice long mirror at 12lbs 2oz!

At just over 12lbs (12lbs 2oz), I was very happy to have landed one of the larger mirrors I had seen. For the remaining few hours, I fished blind on a likely looking clearing, hoping that one of the carp I had seen crusing through this area would oblige. With the sun at its peak and the fish being rather lethargic, it wasn't to be for the last few hours, but it was a joy watching the beautiful wildlife. From kites soaring overhead, to kestrels hovering in search of prey, it just reiterated what is so great about the Britsh countryside.

Thanks for taking the time to read,

Tight Lines,

Tom