Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

Freshwater Fishing

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 several 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. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. 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).

More carp but a bit slow.

I thought that the warmer weather last weekend would have really got the carp feeding on the top (just where I like them to be). Wrong again Mike! I've had two more sessions of about two hours each and only landed one carp on each occasion. Both trips were in the afternoon and each time there was a nasty little cool breeze blowing. Even when the sun was shining the fish seemed reluctant to take my crusts (or any loose ones for that matter).

On my first trip I could see the carp knocking the dead reed stems about and I thought I was bound to catch a few but it was probably three-quarters-of-an-hour before I had a bite and the fish sucked the soggy crust straight off the hook. I reeled in and baited up again before dropping the bait as near to where I'd had the take as possible. As I waited for a fish to approach my bread a carp picked up a couple of freebies that I'd dropped by my feet in open water. Now came the usual dilemma - shall I reel in and fish for the one that's under my rod tip or not? I waited and it was probably the right decision. After about five minutes the bait disappeared with a slurp and the rod whanged over. I was in. To be fair the fish didn't put up much of a fight. I persuaded it to come through the reeds and as it slid into the net I could see why it was relatively easy to land as it weighed well under ten pounds. Still it WAS a fish.

On my second visit the wind was even cooler and there was less sign of carp activity. A few scattered lily pads were now reaching the surface so for starters I opted to lob the crust out beyond them and draw it back to rest on the edge of a lone leaf - generally a good ploy. It was perhaps ten minutes before I saw the first swirl in the water only a couple of metres from the bait. The movements closed in on the crust and as it passed by the fish nudged the bait with its snout. I was sure it would only be a matter of time before it came back for a proper taste and sure enough five minutes later the crust disappeared and the reel began to buzz as the carp hooked itself. No reeds to contend with this time and the fish rushed towards me into open water. The biggest risk was that the hook might fall out before I could manage to gain a tight line - but it didn't. This one was a nice common of over fifteen pounds in good nick. I fished on for an hour or so but apart from one furtive pluck and a lot of pecks from tiny rudd. That was it. Ah well, better than nothing.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you!' get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

An eight or nine pound mirror knocks the average down.

A fifteen pound common is a bit better.