Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over four years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff so if you are new to fly fishing or spinning these are the ones for you).

02 May 2007.

More warm weather.

The warm weather continues. It seems almost a shame not to go carp fishing when it's as warm as it's been lately. Anyway , that's my excuse (if I needed one). I had a couple of slices of 'farmhouse' loaf so out came the 'Surebass' rod and off I went to the local lake where ben and I had a few carp last time. I only had an hour in the afternoon (15.00 to 16.00 hr) so it had to be a simple approach. I went to the reedy end of the lake, baited the hook with a big lump of crust, lobbed it out so that the line hung down from a group of reed stems, laid the rod on the ground and waited. I didn't put in any loose crusts as I wanted any bite (if one came) to be on my baited hook.

I probably waited for a good half hour. Reeds shook, carp basked, one or two fish jumped and crashed back into the water and the carpet of willow seeds on the surface of the water grew ever thicker. This waiting time is the bit of carp fishing that I find most interesting. What I mean is that the suspense builds up until I'm almost willing a fish to approach the bait. Talk about adrenaline when it finally happens.

Anyway, eventually the crust stirred and after several sucks a carp managed to get the bread into its mouth. It turned away, the rod whanged over and started to slide towards the lake (I must tie a little lanyard and a skewer to the butt next time), I grabbed it and the fish was on. It ploughed through the reeds and splashed about before wrapping itself round a submerged (but unattached) tree branch. I reeled in both fish and branch, netted the carp and unhooked it without lifting it from the water. Time to go for tea! I'm off on holiday next week so there might be a lull in my web pages until I get back. In the meanwhile - "Good fishing!"

Got it!.

Now I've got it.

Ready to release.