Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over four years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff so if you are new to fly fishing or spinning these are the ones for you).

12 May 2008.

Small carp.

Only a couple of eight to ten pounders on this week's trip. It was another of those hot days when the fish refuse to feed (I guess I should fish at dusk when things are cooling down rather than in the middle of the day). Once again I used lumps of crust floating on the surface but it was a while before I had a bite. The first fish was one of several that I saw basking in the reeds. All of them were facing outwards towards the edge of a thick bed of Canadian pondweed. I wasn't sure about hauling them over the weed but it proved to be fairly easy as it turned out. I chucked a couple of crusts to the fish to see how they'd react - they ignored them but the little rudd nibbled the bread to nothing in five or ten minutes.

Out went the baited hook, right to the edge of the reeds. The rudd started work on it but within a couple of minutes a carp shouldered them out of the way and grabbed the bread - excellent!

After landing the first one I moved on and found lots of fish within a large reed bed. This time it was a long wait before anything happened. Even a couple of loose crusts lay ignored by fish, large or small. I must be getting better because I managed to wait and a carp eventually lost patience before I did. It sucked in the soggy bread and was hooked. Again it was a small one but it was good to catch something (several other anglers didn't) and it was a lovely afternoon.

That's the spot.

Got it.

Nicely hooked.

and another one.

Nearly ready.