Blanking why ???

After a few trips and fishing the same spots with no action from them and the bait going in every weekend it seemed to me that it was not working. After all it had been 7 nights in the same swim and nothing the carp was really shy we had not really had any shows to speak of. It was now Saturday night and a nice breeze was on the lake i had had my tea and was stood watching the water when the first show was seen. A nice common that would have made 20lb plus that was out towards yoda he had spotted it too. Then with out warning another bosh further down the lake then another but this time just to my left. Things was starting to look very good for both of us within an hour we had seen fish roll and top all over the lake all in all we had something like 10 -12 shows in an hour which was more than we had seen since we started to fish there.

My confidence was very high and so was yoda's we both thought that it was going to happen after all this time and effort it was going to pay off. The shows stopped was that because they was feeding i thought. The light was fading fast it was getting more and more difficult to see if anything was moving or showing i just had to listen for any carpy sounds that might have gave me some kind of clue as to what was going on out in the lake. I stayed up as long as i could and heard no more or saw anything so i got into the bag and soon fell asleep. It was 9.00am before i woke up i just lifted my head off the bedchair looked at the bobbins that had not moved and just threw my head back and was feeling gutted thoughts started to go threw my head then what was i doing wrong is it the bait the spots all the things you think about when it just is not working.

By 11.00 i was up and about so to speak. Yoda had already packed up and had barrowed his gear round to my swim as it is on his route to the car park. A quick chat on what had happened last night or not had happened and he was off to make his long journey home. But things was about to change for both of us over the next few weeks.

Buzzing

The first trip was great got a bit of a feel for the place and was very surprised on how nice and carpy the place was you see it from the road and it don't look that good but when you are down by the water's it really is nice trees line themselves around the place and all the lakes are reed lined.
As you can see the rods have to go in the water which makes wearing chest waders a nightmare to get on in the middle of the night when all hell breaks lose when a run goes off.

This is a video of 2 of the lakes i did when down there one weekend you can see just a how nice and grown up the trees and lakes have become.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwdrjDnGyTM&feature=channel_video_title

The following weekend i was down again on the friday night this time i settled into a end swim because the weather was going to change over the friday night and bring in some strong south westerly winds which meant they would blow straight up the lake and hopefully push the fish up my end of the lake. Again the baits was placed on the zones i had found with the marker and the marlarky was put over the top about half a killo per rod. The wind started to get stronger about 2.30am and by 5.00am it was up to 25mph. The wind was good and strong all day but still no carp was showing. Yoda was in his swim across the other side of the lakes he had a better view of the whole lake where he was sat and a quick text to him and and he was the he had seen nothing all day too. I was beginning to think there was no carp in the lake with the wind howling in to the top of the lake like it was i could not figure out why i had not at least had one show.

All was very quiet during the night the wind slowed down to next a breeze and by morning it was hardly putting a ripple on the water the sun was up and it was going to be a warm pleasant day. I like to fish till midday sunday if i can to get hopefully a morning bite. Yoda was packed up and barrowing his kit round by 11.30am With a quick chat on how things was panning out so far we both said that we would again carry on on the lake. Both of us was putting bait in before we left as it seemed me and yoda was having the lake to ourselves at weekends which was good no fighting for swims then.

I packed my gear away just after dinner and put in 2kg of the marlarky on the areas i was fishing. Even though i had not seen a fish yet or had one i was still happy and relaxed i new it would come good and it was going to take a bit of time and effort to catch something but that is how you get the rewards.

Thats it from me for the time being i just want to wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year. I hope that 2012 will be kind to you and you get that fish of a life time.

Till next time saty lucky
Russ

The new waters

Looking forward to the summer and a new water's to get to grips with. I first saw these lakes when i was fishing wellingboro lakes i had seen anglers set up across the river but finding anything out about them was hard work everyone i spoke to seemed not to no or did not want to say anything so info was the 1st step to over come. Then on a forum a guy called Dani on there was doing his dairy on his season on a set of lakes. The fish was stunning big common's after big common's was going in to his net along with other big carp mirrors and linear's graced his net all stunning fish. And they was all coming out the lakes i was looking at. After a few pm's between dan and me i had phone numbers and names of who to get in touch with my name went on the list and it was a case of finger's crossed and hope for the best. The old members are asked in march if they want to rejoin so i was to find out in April if i had got a ticket or not. One or two of my mates where getting the phone call to see if they wanted there tickets when i had a call off Richard (The head bailiff ) saying if i wanted a ticket i had so many days to accept it i did not need any days to think about it and told him i would take up the offer there and then on the phone Happy Days.

The ticket would not start till 1st june i would be in France the first week so could not get down there for my first trip till the 3rd week of june. Also because of my leg still not 100% right i could not arrange to meet up with Richard and have a walk round the lakes to see what i was getting for my price tag of £600.

With France out of the way and we was well in to june the first friday that i was going to go down the lakes had come work seemed to drag that day but 5.00pm came in the end and it was home bathed fed and watered and the van loaded in double quick time. I was heading down the A1 by 6.10pm looking forward to the weekend. An hour and fifteen minutes later and i was unlocking the gate while counting the cars in the carpark. 12 cars was there all ready so not too bad. I loaded the barrow up went over the foot bridge had a quick think to which way to go left or right. I had had a look on google earth so new that if went right i would go between two of the lakes so thats what i did sure enough i came to a split that was between the lakes both lakes looked carpy and time was knocking on so i walked down the causeway to the middle of the lake on my right it was a biggish swim with reeds that had cut outs in them to put the rods in it was a case of putting the rods in the water ( Good job i had chest waders ) I thought it was a good place to start lets get some rods in for the night and have a better look around the next day.



I manged to get a couple of choddy's chucked out and a bit of bait on the zones before it started to get dark with the bivvy put up and the bedchair sorted the kettle was on the go i thought i would look on the website and see what lake i was on i had no idea to be honest. After a quick look on the mobile seems i had picked the prison lake and looking at the website it seemed to have the most fish in with a common that goes to 40lb at certain times of the year. With only me another angler on the lake a mate of mine called yoda i thought well this lake will do The idea being that i would stick with it till such times i got fed up or i caught all the fish in there lol Why fish the other lakes when this one had everything going for it lots of carp up to 40lb and only 2 of us on it every week

After a good nights sleep i was up at first light watching the water again the kettle was on and the sun was getting up everything was looking good for a bite . Yoda was up too he had all ready started his campaign 2 weeks earlier and he was still yet to see any signs of carp so spotting carp was not going to be easy. After 1.00pm i reeled in and went for a walk around the lake and for a chat with yoda Every swim was the same rods in the water and cut outs for the rods but the lakes was stunning they all oozed carp the lake to my left was the carpark lake that had the biggest common in on the complex at 45lb. After a good long chat i went back to my swim got the rods back out and watched the water some more till night time came it was a stunning nene valley sun set that slowly turned in to night i sat there till 1.00am listening for any thing that might sound like a carp in the water before falling a sleep.



Morning came and a round 10.30am yoda came round to say he was off as he had a 2 1/2 hour drive home we both agreed that we would stay on the lake and see what happens in the next few weeks. Not long after i said my farewell to yoda i was locking the gates behind me ready for my trip home but as i did i took a look at the lakes thinking how exciting the coming season was going to be.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwdrjDnGyTM&list=UUP6_SJaTPwi2VJH8S-LwpfQ&index=12&feature=plcp

The last farewell

As the week went on the bites slowed up which was good because it was giving me and martin time out to have socials with the other two Andy and Merv had had a steady week with Merv catching most of his fish at night.
As with every trip friday is always the downer because the week is nearly over so packing away stuff you wont be needing making it easier in the morning rush to get off the lake before the new lads take over for there week. With stuff packed and tea out of the way me and martin have a chat about how the week went for us all in all it was a great week with a new pb under my belt and martin having a cracking stalked fish yes it had been a really good trip. But it was not over yet not till 10.00 am we still had the night to go. It was 8.00am Saturday morning when the middle rod burst into life an uneventful fight and a big mirror was netted All that noise of the buzzer never woke martin i had to get him up to do the photo's
41LB MIRROR

This was to be the last fish of the week leaving the rods till the very last second before breaking them down and putting them away in the back of the van for the long ride home back to Grantham which none of us was looking forward too. We said our goodbye's to our host's and wish them luck as this was there 1st year at being the owner's of the lake.
This was it i took my last look at the lake as we drove up the lane to the main road and said farewell as it was the last time i will be fishing in France (unless i win the lottery ) yes i was sad and on the way back martin noted that i was silent for the first hour as i was deep in thought on the past trips i had done over the years from the very first time 18years ago to Les quis to the great trips to suvjia the home of 40lb carp.

Now it was time to move on its still only the start of june and the new syndicate ticket has just started so was so looking forward for the challenge ahead another water in the nene valley in search of the nene water pigs

My next blog will be about how i tackle what has been the hardiest water's i have fished in 30 years of carping

Till next time
Russ

Lac Naploen 1 part 3

Things was looking up for me but not for martin he was getting the fish but losing so many. After a walk round the lake martin came back to the swim and was unpacking rods going threw bags telling me at the same time " There under the trees in this back bay and i am going to have one " He was setting his staking rod up which didn't take long and with a bag loaded up and on his back and net and rod all set up he headed off to the bay where he had seen the carp.

After 20 minutes it got the better of me and i just had to go and see how he was getting on. Martin was laid down watching the margins i crept up beside him and looked over the edge where i saw 8 carp heads down and tails up the smallest was lower 30lb with the biggest upper 40lb Martin had put sweetcorn maize and hemp down after they moved out and they was digging and rooting at it big time after coming back and finding the food. Martin lowered the hook bait right in the middle of them within seconds the float dipped and the whole margin boiled as the fish spooked the other's was off like greyhounds as martin started to play the hooked carp we didn't no which one it was big or small??

Martin had the carp under control but playing it under the trees was a challenge he was stood in between 2 bushes that was cutting into him he then told me to get ready with the net. Bloody great i thought now i have to suffer the bushes too but with the fish getting beaten and ready for netting i never had time to worry about the bush i just got in there and slipped the net under the carp. Martin was over the moon he loved stalking carp and this was with out dought the biggest he had stalked because laid in the net was a 37lb mirror and it was a cracker too.

I am sorry but to upload the video was taking too long so i will put links up to youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooSkSgpB4X4


I spoke about the swims that we choose to fish for the week here is some photo's of the lake from our swims

Lac Naploen 1 part 2

Martin was gutted to say the least and he then refused to go get the breakfast from then on so that job was left to me every morning. There was a bay to martins left that went to the back of him every night there was loud crashing coming from there fish was getting up there so a rod was put in there nothing to lose i thought. At 8.30am the next morning martin was snoring away and i was sat having the 1st coffee of the day when a one toner was heard i looked at my rods nothing then i got up and checked martins nothing ??? Then it came to me the rod in the bay was away i rushed to the rod that was still running and hit into it game on it was a mental fight with it making its way to the snags several times which was heart stopping stuff in the end it seemed to get a gulp of air and was beaten a few pumps of the torrix and the mirror was in the net.

I thought right away it was bigger than the 53 we had before we got everything ready and got the big fish on the scales they went round and this time settled on 50-00 was i a happy man and Andy and Merv new it with the shouting that i was making so happy i was shaking just could not belive that after 18 years of going to france i had got a 50 on my rods i love it when it all comes together my last trip and it could not of ended any better

Lac Napleon 1

What a trip this turned out to be. The crew that was on this trip was my son martin brother andy and a good friend who we had been on loads of trips with Merv. We always travel on a friday so we get to the lake nice and fresh saturday morning. We had done all that traveling threw the night on past trips and you just spend most of the saturday trying to catch up on sleep so we now do it friday's.

We met our host and had the rules pointed out to us before the walk around the lake once done we all picked our swims me and martin picked a swim that could take both of us easy. To be honest the swims was the best swims i have ever seen with Wooden gazebo's for a cooking area and all the swims wood chipped
Martin choose to fish to the left had side of the lake and i fished the other side as we was sat on a kind of point i was fishing into a bay but because the fish held up in snags the baits where placed tight to them. we never new it was snag fishing when we booked to go something that none of us had done before so it was a 1st for everyone.



After 2 days the 1st fish came to martin but due to the way he was fishing the snags by the time he got to the rods the fish was already in the snags. They was just to fast with him so tight aganst it was one after the other of lost fish and it never got any better for him over the rest of the week He fished different parts of the lake but it was just not working out for him and to add injury to insult we both took turns in fetching the breakfast that was being made for us each morning. It was the tuesday morning both looking forward to the bacon and egg in french breadstick and martins turn to go get them. At napleon they give you pushbikes to get around on so off he went he got to the next swim where my brother was when his left hand rod went into melt down I hit into the fish and the fight was on within minutes martin had hread the buzzer and was stood next to me gutted 3 days with out a fish in the net this one did the right thing and ki8ted to the right out towards the middle of the lake. I told martin to take the rod but there was no way he was taking it as far as he was concerned it was my fish But i didnt want to claim it too.


After a 10 minuate battle the carp went over the cord and it was massive could this be a new french pb for me and martin. It did turn out to be a new pb for both of us it went on the scales at 52-14 a stunning mirror It was hard pill to swollow for both of us but thought as it was my last french trip i would have a piccy with it because it could be the biggest carp i will ever hold or so i thought.

A long time

Its been a year since i last updated the blogg. So over the next few weeks I will update you on what has happened over the past year. As you all no the lakes all froze over in what was one of the worst winter for something like 20 years so fishing was out of the question which was alright gave me a lot of play time to be with the grand kids.

Back in February i was taken into hospital with blood poisoning in the leg i spent 2 weeks in hospital and another 5 weeks off work which took us into april. I was having problems with the leg so i never went fishing till we was due to go to France at the end of may.

Because i was off work my ticket renewal came up for wellingborough lakes. Well i never had the money at that time so had to say goodbye to Heron and Island lakes which was sad really as i had met so many new mates down there and had caught loads of fish had pb commons and mirrors but needs are a must and i had to let the ticket go.

All was not lost and things was looking up i had a french trip booked to a new lake called Lac Napoleon 1 at the end of may plus the best news was i had a ticket offed to me that was full of big fish just across the river from wellingborough lakes so happy days to come.

That is where i will start my next blogg all about the fishing at napoleon then i will move on to the new water and tell you how things have panned out over the year on there.

Will all so be adding videos to the blogg too

Give me a day or two to write it up As i have said before i am not that good at writing so my grammar is poor but i will do my best to make it a entertaining read as possible