Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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27 May 2003.

Mixed margin-fishing.

The past week has again been a bit quiet. As the weather warmed up a bit the carp have begun to feed more actively and in a couple of short sessions I caught three fish - all on floating Chum mixers. Just one interesting thing. Many carp anglers must have noticed that when you move your bait to a different spot the fish appear, as if by magic, in the place you have just left. On my last trip I landed a nice fish within minutes of lowering my bait onto the water. I then shifted and began to struggle. I could get the fish taking free offerings but they either swirled away from the hookbait or ignored it altogether. The only way to get decent bites seemed to be to place the baited hook actually within a clump of reeds and wait for the carp to root it out. Of course after ten minutes of waiting and listening to all the slurps and gurgles, I became impatient and moved the bait then the whole business started over again. Eventually I landed another fish but I almost convinced myself that either the fish could see me or that they knew which bait had a hook in it (I'm sure they couldn't and didn't). Carping is a real test of confidence.

I had a couple of early morning bass trips. On the first one there was no sign of anything until I packed in and met two lads who had caught a fish each on poppers. The following day, fishing with Mark Cowling I had one bite and lost a fish of two or three pounds on a Skitterpop. We had both popped away for a couple of hours before I had my bite - right in the edge in the only bit of coloured water along miles of shoreline - perhaps there's a lesson there?

I then took Mark along to Worbarrow Bay (he is new to the area) and we did a spot of fruitless popping and spinning in gin clear water ten or twelve feet deep. I left Mark to go home or my breakfast but it was worth going just to see such a beautiful morning. I suppose a bass would have been just too much to ask for!

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

INFORMATION SPOT

COARSE FISHING

May 27th 2003

A Thirteen pounder.

The carp took my dog biscuits confidently only minutes after it was lowered into the margin.

Nine pounds.

This one took the bait and dived under a branch. I thought that I'd lost it but the Whiplash proved its worth .

A gillnetter at Swanage.

I don't suppose a few fish caught in gillnets make much difference to the fishing but it has a bad psychological effect on my angling confidence.

Worbarrow bay.

Mark is visible out on the rocky point just to the left of centre.

Worbarrow bay again.

What a place! There must be fish along the edge of the sea - the lure is my Skitterpop bought while I was in Australia and perfect for 'margin fishing'.