After a very long grey winter, I finally finished the decorating and got back by the water. I've booked in for the forthcoming Maver Pairs at Willow Park, and the Fishomania qualifier at Stubpond, so what with the weather starting to warm up a bit it was time to start getting down and having a look.
I've only been down to Stubpond a couple of times and never really got my head round it, its a bit of a one-off place, averages 5-7' or so, approx 20 mtrs wide with a thin island up the middle that's made of boards with vegatation inside the boards. The fish are pretty big - average is 7-8lb, plenty run well into doubles and they fight really hard so tackle needs to be strong. Theres definitely a knack when it comes to this place, thankfully a few of my Leatherhead cohorts pointed me in the right direction, and off I went.
As this was a pole only match, my plan was to fish a line about 13mt on the deck with pellet, 0.18 to a 16 Drennan Carp Feeder and a nice big KC Paste float to combat any drift; a much shorter line down the shelf at 6/7mts with paste, same float, heavier line and a Drennan method hook, and in the margin where there was a good 3ft plus I was gonna try paste under a small Preston margin float, 0.21 to a 10 Method. Well, when in Rome..... In all honesty I wasnt expecting to catch loads, 4 or 5 fish would've done, I was just down to learn as much as I could and try to get upto speed, especially with paste fishing, not something I'd really properly tried to crack.
I fished on the deck long for 2 hrs, the only bites I had were skimmer bites on the pellet (lesson 1 - dont fck about with anything smaller than at least 8mm on the hook) while the bloke 2 to my left had already put about 50lb in the net fishing shallow. I'd half heartedly given that a whirl as there were a few fish over near the island - as soon as I started pinging pellets they swam off. Probably to his swim. There again, it didnt really look like anyone else was catching much, which was ok. Nowt doing down the shelf, not even a liner, so I lowered a lump of paste about the size of a ping pong ball in the edge where i'd potted some gear. 30 seconds later, the margin pole is bent from the butt, about 15 ft of red hydro is streaming from the tip and some beast is trying to drag me in but it fails as the hook pulls free. Encouraged I dropped straight back in, 2 mins later same again, this time I manage to stay attatched and after a couple of very surging runs a fat 11-12lb carp with broad shoulders and a menacing scowl is in the net.
Hour and a half later with little else happening, neither 1 to my left nor 2 to my right have even had a bite for 2+ hrs, I've had a little change of plan and decide to drop a big piece of paste in long. 10 secs later and thats buried, carp 2 in the net, bit smaller than the last but still 8-9 lb. A foolish thought crosses my mind that if I can get 6 to 8 fish in the net I might actually frame, cos 70lb will be a good weight.
Definitely foolish as in the last 90 minutes I managed to lose another fish, miss 3 more bites and that was that. 160lb+ won it, all shallow, 90lb+ 2nd, a couple of 80s next. I could've done 60lb+ if i'd've landed / hit all me fish, which is stating the obvious but I dont really mind as I've learnt plenty of things and started to get my head round the place. A bit. I'm back there in 2wks with a slightly clearer plan - report to follow
Finally a quick hello & well done to anyone else who started a blog - I'll update my links shortly. Come on the rest of you, lets 'ave it.
I've only been down to Stubpond a couple of times and never really got my head round it, its a bit of a one-off place, averages 5-7' or so, approx 20 mtrs wide with a thin island up the middle that's made of boards with vegatation inside the boards. The fish are pretty big - average is 7-8lb, plenty run well into doubles and they fight really hard so tackle needs to be strong. Theres definitely a knack when it comes to this place, thankfully a few of my Leatherhead cohorts pointed me in the right direction, and off I went.
As this was a pole only match, my plan was to fish a line about 13mt on the deck with pellet, 0.18 to a 16 Drennan Carp Feeder and a nice big KC Paste float to combat any drift; a much shorter line down the shelf at 6/7mts with paste, same float, heavier line and a Drennan method hook, and in the margin where there was a good 3ft plus I was gonna try paste under a small Preston margin float, 0.21 to a 10 Method. Well, when in Rome..... In all honesty I wasnt expecting to catch loads, 4 or 5 fish would've done, I was just down to learn as much as I could and try to get upto speed, especially with paste fishing, not something I'd really properly tried to crack.
I fished on the deck long for 2 hrs, the only bites I had were skimmer bites on the pellet (lesson 1 - dont fck about with anything smaller than at least 8mm on the hook) while the bloke 2 to my left had already put about 50lb in the net fishing shallow. I'd half heartedly given that a whirl as there were a few fish over near the island - as soon as I started pinging pellets they swam off. Probably to his swim. There again, it didnt really look like anyone else was catching much, which was ok. Nowt doing down the shelf, not even a liner, so I lowered a lump of paste about the size of a ping pong ball in the edge where i'd potted some gear. 30 seconds later, the margin pole is bent from the butt, about 15 ft of red hydro is streaming from the tip and some beast is trying to drag me in but it fails as the hook pulls free. Encouraged I dropped straight back in, 2 mins later same again, this time I manage to stay attatched and after a couple of very surging runs a fat 11-12lb carp with broad shoulders and a menacing scowl is in the net.
Hour and a half later with little else happening, neither 1 to my left nor 2 to my right have even had a bite for 2+ hrs, I've had a little change of plan and decide to drop a big piece of paste in long. 10 secs later and thats buried, carp 2 in the net, bit smaller than the last but still 8-9 lb. A foolish thought crosses my mind that if I can get 6 to 8 fish in the net I might actually frame, cos 70lb will be a good weight.
Definitely foolish as in the last 90 minutes I managed to lose another fish, miss 3 more bites and that was that. 160lb+ won it, all shallow, 90lb+ 2nd, a couple of 80s next. I could've done 60lb+ if i'd've landed / hit all me fish, which is stating the obvious but I dont really mind as I've learnt plenty of things and started to get my head round the place. A bit. I'm back there in 2wks with a slightly clearer plan - report to follow
Finally a quick hello & well done to anyone else who started a blog - I'll update my links shortly. Come on the rest of you, lets 'ave it.
posted by The Northerner at
Monday, April 24, 2006
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