Reflections on a good session (and even better advice!)

[Alantherose]

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I asked for your advice on using groundbait which led to some very helpful responses- thanks so much for sharing your pooled wisdom. I ended up buying some Gooster from Decathlon on the recommendation of @RedRidingHood as a. it was cheap, so no biggie if it was naff and b. it seemed like a decent platform for experimenting with mixes.

More recently, you guys helped with some great advice on braid- I have now filled a spool with the new Drennan Acolyte braid in 0.13.

This afternoon was a great chance to bring these things together at Redwood Park, just outside York. Myself and the lad arrived at about 12:30 and got set up at The Canal lake with him on small maggot feeder, me on a small open ended one. The wind was quite brisk out of the South meaning it was left to right as we sat on the bank, and we were fishing swims 1 & 2 at the far right as you sit. Lad got going and was in second chuck- small F1 which he was please about. I clipped up to the far bank (only about 14m) and set to work with 3-4 feeders full of 75% Gooster and 25% green sweet fishmeal. Then it was on with a 2' length of Guru 0.10 to a B911 in size 18 with two red maggots. I watched a great video of Lee Kerry's feeder rig using Power Gum and silicone to create a boom, so I was using that rig. I have to say it is very good and I didnt get tangled once (unlike the boy ). Anyway, 3mins after my first chuck the tip goes round and in comes a lovely wee mirror of about 2lbs...happy days, good start. Second chuck saw a 5-6min wait before the tip went again and a gorgeous F1 of similar size wriggled over the edge of the net- it's looking like a good afternoon (and it's sunny!)

By close of play I had caught three small skimmers, a roach, and six more F1's to 4lbs (a new PB for me for an F1). Each chuck I squeezed about a dozen maggots in between the groundbait and kept on hammering the same spot. My conclusion is that the Gooster works very well And as for the braid; well I know it's not the biggest of chucks at The Canal, but the bite detection really is mint and the feeling of connection to the fish in the fight is amazing. I'm going to have to wait for another day to try it at longer range, but the signs are promising so far (and no wind knots as yet!!)

So there you have it- part write-up, part reflection on advice taken, and more importantly a big THANKS for helping me on my way.

God bless, tight lines, and I hope you're not too messed up with all these new restrictions.


Al

 

[ATTICUS FINCH]

Well done on your catch ,but you really don't need to be using braid for what you did . The bites aren't timid they rip the rod off the rest so braid isn't required. I never ever use braid for carp as it is for me far to fierce for playing them. I only use it for long Chuck bream and roach ,mainly on a Res.

 

[Stewie74]

Cracking day, how did your lad do the rest of the day?

 

[Alantherose]

Well done on your catch ,but you really don't need to be using braid for what you did . The bites aren't timid they rip the rod off the rest so braid isn't required. I never ever use braid for carp as it is for me far to fierce for playing them. I only use it for long Chuck bream and roach ,mainly on a Res.

Sure, I can see that...it was less of a calculated move to use braid for carp, and more of a "Here's a chance to go fishing; I'll give this new thing a try." I actually bought the braid for longer distance bream and roach as it happens.

 

[Alantherose]

Cracking day, how did your lad do the rest of the day?

He did quite well, although when I started to catch he wanted to turf me out of my swim As he's only 8 and a half I often just set up for him to fish and sit with him to supervise, but he's getting quite good on his own now!