Damned fish 2!!

[crusty]

Fish that won't bite? what about fish that take the bait and you can't hit 'em????

We spent many a closed season weekend afternoon walking around the lake, feeding the carp dog buiscits and bread, thinking, first day, this will be easy.

Wrong!


Since June 16 i've managed two fish. 12 and 15lb
The first was on the 16th and the second was Yesterday, in a downpour while i had the entire family with me, I made them stand about looking like trees, while I stalked a carp which was taking freebies,(I had sneaked the rod along) (and a loaf, and a bag of chums, which i'd prepared the night before, they were perfect, had to be used!!)

My wife says im selfish. I said i've never sold fish in my life.
But I know I am. it's in my blood.

But the point is, i'm getting takes, big swirls, big lips around my bread, God save the King it must be a fish. NO!!!
I'm fishing like I did Twenty years ago. Hitting one in ten!
My excuse is I hav'nt fished for over a year due to a back problem, and the fact that everyman and his dog has been walking round with a floater rod.
But they'll still take freebies.
Catching off the surface is Absolute.

 

[Dave]

Hi Crusty and welcome on board

The method that I always use when fishing floating crust and one that nearly everytime gives results is:

- Take a fresh bakers loaf. The Sandwich loafs from Tesco's are perfect for this.

- Tear off a piece of soft crust (not the hard part)

- From the crust side thread the hook in and back out of the same side, back in again and bring the point and bend out of again the crust side.

- Pull your line to remove any slack to the hook and then turn the hook so the point sits square to the crust

You'll get near perfect presentation, the crust stays on, the hook (10 - 6's depending on size of crust) is always out of sight to the fish and above all well positioned.

Try it and see,

Dave





*** 'The Northern Fish-in' - are you supporting it? ***



Edited by - Dave on 07 July 2002 10:34:15 AM

 

[esox.20]

If you think the carp may be wised up and seeing the line. Then 2 alternatives .

1. Use a Gardner suspender float, not the best casting aid but it does work.

2 Use a zig rig basicly a long tailed running leger set up so that the bait rises sr8 up to the surface. Not so good if the drift is bad as it presents static bait.

chill out go fishing

 

[crusty]

Thanks for the advice, but I think the problem is more to do with me being rusty, rather than tecnique.
I've been surface fishing almost exclusivly for the past twenty years, even to the point of baking my own flavoured breads.

I'm confident in my rig, bait and location, and I'm getting takes, just not hooking them.

The first time I ever floated a crust another angler, who had already caught half a dozen, told me to wait until I was sure the bait was taken then say "God save the King," (even though we had a queen)I have done this on every fish since. And I had it down to a nine out of ten success rate.

Maybe I need a new phrase, (or to stop saying it so fast!!!)





If I can see it I can catch it.