Looking back, my autumn campaign didn’t quite live up to expectations, but I chose a slightly different direction and thoroughly enjoyed it! I had intended to stay down the deep pit in Bedfordshire for the autumn in pursuit of the Mother; however, I was offered a fortnight trip to the famous Rainbow Lake in France I simply couldn’t refuse. I managed to get amongst a few more Bedford carp before heading off to France, although none of the real biggies.
The trip to Rainbow Lake with my good mate Ryan Need was a real experience and we loved every minute, the lake fished tough, but we fished hard and managed a few bites. I landed 18 fish including a 41lb 5oz mirror and a 47lb 8oz common, both of which were new overseas Pb’s for me so I was well pleased. However, my success was overshadowed slightly by Ryan’s capture of a colossal 64lb Mirror. Fair play to him, he’s been going there a few years now and I’m sure it won’t be long before he does battle with one of the lakes true monsters! I’m going back this year as I really have fallen in love with the place.
I’ve re-newed my ticket for the Beds lake for the coming year and I’m chomping at the bit to get back down there once the temperatures begin to rise. The Mother is in my opinion one of the greatest history fish left in the country.
CLOSER TO HOME
The winter has taken a firm hold up north and I’ve chosen to fish slightly closer to home for now, I’ve kept in touch with the waters and keeping a trickle of bait going in on a regular basis has for sure given me an edge. EnterWyreLakeon the Wyreside Complex inLancashire. Wyre is steeped in history and is one of the most consistent big fish venues inLancashire, and with it only being an hour from my house; I don’t know why I haven’t fished it more often.
I purchased a ticket with the intention of having a go through the colder months. The lake can get quite busy during the summer which has put me off in the past as the chances of getting something going on a busy circuit water can be tricky to say the least.
RIGHT PLACE – RIGHT TIME
My intention is to keep a fair amount of bait going into a certain area of the lake as often as possible and fish two nights per week in that area. There are a few big fish in the lake, but the two that I would dearly love to catch are Paw Print and Big Lin. Paw Print is a rare visitor to the bank, but after looking at past captures, the fish has certainly shown a tendency to get caught in a certain area of the lake, so this is where my campaign has been focused.
A few of the regulars thought I was crazy throwing all of my eggs in one basket and laughed off my attempt to target single fish on this relatively well stocked lake. However, only a day after pulling off the lake to go to work, a day ticket angler fished the swim I’d been baiting and bagged Paw Print at an all time high of 42lb 1oz. I seriously thought the bailiff was winding me up when he called to let me know and my heart sank with the news. Despite this unfortunate turn of events, I’ll soldier on in the hope of banking several more of the stock. My plan clearly worked and there’s no reason why I can’t hatch another one, I just hope it’s me that banks the fish next time!
Scopex Squid seems to have dominated this lake, loads of the stuff has been going in week in week out for years. I’m taking advantage of this by using the same bait, although I’ve been adding a fair amount of Amber Strawberry too, just to make my bait stand out slightly and now that its really cold, the Amber Strawberry really maximizes the chance of a bite.
ONE BITE TACTICS
With such a regular turnover of anglers, you really can never be too sure of what bait is already lying on the lake bed in your chosen swim. The last thing you want to do is to pile more in as this will no doubt minimize any chances you have of bagging a well earned winter fish. Although I am introducing a fair amount of bait into the lake, when I turn up to actually fish, I prefer to begin with only around 10 freebies over each rod and make as little disturbance as possible in an attempt not to spook fish that may already be in the area and feeding. This paid off big time for me on my last session, I stealthily waded one of my rods down to a marginal bush before lowering the rig and scattering 10 whole and broken freebies around it. After getting back to the bank, I waited only a couple of hours before the rod absolutely buckled round and I was in. It turned out to be a 24lb Linear, stunning with its cold water colors. This was a fairly quick bite for the lake, which was a real confidence boost.
SWIM BUILDING
Once I have received a bite from a particular spot and if I am confident that the spot is relatively clear of bait, I will happily introduce more. Having introduced plenty of bait into the area in the weeks leading up to my sessions, I am sure that the carp will be confident in feeding on my bait and should hopefully be less cautious when they come across it.
With a 48 hour maximum rule on the lake, the fish will be all too aware that the longer the bait has been laying there, the safer it is to actually feed on. So using washed out bait could also provide a real edge.
But hi-attract hookbaits have also worked well for me over the years on all different types of venue and Wyre lake has been no different so I’m keeping an open mind. In fact, all the fish that I’ve so far caught this autumn and winter have been on white hookbaits, coincidence, I think not!
A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A REST
Along with my Wyre campaign, I also plan to fish a couple of other venues which also provide a good chance of some guaranteed cold water action, one of which is the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire.
I went there for the first time in September to film a piece for Sky Sports Tight Lines and absolutely loved it! The fish are most certainly not going to break any records but if you get it right, the action can be prolific but what really appeals to me is that canal fishing is just so different to what many ‘modern day carpers’ have become accustomed to. You can sit on the banks of the canal for a couple of days, roaming up and down chasing the fish and not bump into another angler!
Also when most of the lakes up and down the country have a thick layer of ice on top, this could well be the place to come!
Another venue which I have up my sleeve is a rather large 166 acre industrial venue approximately 5 minutes from my Cumbrian home.The venue may seem a little daunting, but it has a good head of fish, and occasionally, the local power station use it for cooling purposes and pump warm water in, allowing the whole lake to thaw within a matter of hours which really turns the carp onto the feed.
It’s been perfect for a few visits between Christmas and New Year when there’s little else to do than sit around the house watching the same old boring films you watched last year. I’m always inundated by mates wanting to make the long journey north for a bit of a social and put a few sub zero carp on the bank, its something I really enjoy.
WINTER EDGE
One thing that really has given me an edge in recent winters is using Nash Bait’s readymade frozen boilie paste to wrap around my hookbaits. The paste breaks down gradually but leaches out masses of attraction; I have often had takes with the paste still intact around the boilie, so quick was the action.
Soluballs are another winter essential, combined with Chain Reaction it’s another unbeatable mix, they’ve given me a real edge since I’ve been using them and just wouldn’t go fishing without them.
Hopefully you’ve been able to gain something from my ramblings, if you keep at it and fish well, the baits and tactics I’ve mentioned will put plenty of cold water carp on the bank. Even if we get some severe weather over the coming weeks, looking on the positive side, February brings new hope and spring isn’t that far away!
