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).

13 April 2009.

Carp again!

It can be slow to catch carp off the top at this time of the year. Cold nights, cold winds and lack of cover often makes the fish reluctant to feed on my bits of bread. If the sun shines however it's very tempting to have a go and I can rarely resist a pleasant looking afternoon.

Last time I went out it was just such an afternoon. The first place I tried I was standing in the shade of some trees and it was not long before the chill on my fingers told me that it was not going to be easy. The bait remained untouched for twenty minutes and the two or three free offerings were also ignored. I moved to a big patch of reeds - the same thing happened. by now I was beginning to think that the writing was on the wall.

Where could I try to find some action? I walked round the edge of the lake to look for signs of active fish. Nothing! There was a corner where the sun had been shining in for some time. I battled through the gorse bushes, laid the bag and the net on the ground and baited up with a lump of crust. I threw a couple of pieces of bread into the edge and waited. After about ten minutes one was taken with a slurp. Five minutes later the second one went. I lowered my bait into the margin under the rod tip, put the rod down and waited. there was a swirl and the rod tip nodded I waited for a minute but the bait had gone. reel in, bait up, lower away again. Five more minutes and I saw the water surface wobble, something was approaching my bait. A couple of sucks and down went the tip, a carp was on. As is often the case the hard part was getting the net through the gorse and brambles into the water. Eventually I managed and the fish was in the net. A couple of pictures, lean down and remove the barbless hook and tip the fish back over the edge of the net. Satisfaction!

At last!

Close up.