The milder weather has encouraged carp to start feeding so dust off the cobwebs after the winter and set out to the waters edge!
Steve Pinn landed a cracking new Beatties personal best of 23Ib on Dynamite Baits tutti frutti (testing for Joanne Combes) balanced with fake corn – Best of 7 with Keith Maker who had 4 of the 7 fish including a 22 pounder – A great session for February !
As the wind swings to the East and temperatures plummet the catching of fish becomes a struggle especially for carp. This doesn’t deter the hardiest anglers who will fish in any weather wrapped up in warm clothing and snug within their bivvys. As always the real bonus is being out by the water witnessing nature in all its glory and if the fishing is quiet then all the more chance of savouring those sunrises and sunsets. Steve Pinn spends many hours fishing Stafford Moor and captures some wonderful images including these stunning shots taken from the bivvy.
Keith Maker with his 20lb 2oz from the Summer house swim on Beattie’s lake using Sticky Baits Manilla boilie’s.
(Above) Keith Maker who had 3 fish out from the summerhouse swim on Beattie’s lake using Sticky Baits Manilla Wafters and carp company caviar and cranberry boilies up to 19lb.
Steve Pinn sent me this stunning image of mid double carp caught from Stafford Moors Beatties Lake. Steve also landed a 21lb 12oz mirror but size isn’t everything with this stunning fish a pleasing capture for any carp fisher!
(Above) Adrian Carnell AKA Carpbusters who came with friend Geoff Waring who had out 2 fish to 16lb 8oz from the beach swim on Beattie’s using good old Mainline Cell boilies.
(Above)Simon Hartman who fished for 24 hours on ‘big fish corner’ on Beattie’s using cherry carps poker pop ups , Simon had out 3 fish up to 21lb 14oz.
Some major work has been undertaken on lodge lake making it deeper at the back where the the mangroves have been removed! Many over hanging trees and branches have been removed and several new swims created. .The line found in and around the lake was extreme so it was good to get it removed .There are many 27, 28 & 29lb carp in Lodge so fishery owners Joanne and Paul are predicting some excellent sport during the coming season. Below Wayne Grinney with a carp that weighed in at 31lb 2oz
Stuart Hutchings and his dad Brian fished the dam on Lodge lake Stuart was fishing with essential cell crushed in a PVA mesh bag. a 22mm boilies with goo squirted in the centre also using CC Moore northern special as hook bait. Brian was fishing with Sticky Baits Manilla boilies and Manilla 12mm pop ups , they had 12 fish out up to 19lb 14oz in a day session.
Simpson’s Valley is a fishery nestled in a valley near Holsworthy and has several lakes catering for carp anglers and pike anglers. There are also Fly Fishing Lakes and LRF trout fishing options.
(Above) Gary Ireland landed this stunning big ghost common from Upper Fuzzy at a weight of 29lb 8oz.
A fine double figure pike caught by Andrew Braunton from Upper Fuzzy Lake.
Mild winter weather is ideal for the winter carp anglers with every chance of the carp feeding at some point during the day.
TONY KINGDON Reports:-
Adam Seaward banked an absolute belter yesterday in the shape of Martin’s Mirror at 28.14 the fish are all well up in weight as this one is normally 26!!!!! Nice one mate on a cracking fish
When I first read of carp they were considered a fish of the summer months and seldom fished for. How times have changed with many factors meaning that the carp are caught all year round with many anglers having the ambition of catching a carp in the snow. The lack of winter snow is perhaps one of the factors that ensure we catch carp all year that and the warm clothing and modern bivvys that make winter fishing far more comfortable. It would be good to get a picture on here of carp in the snow! There’s a challenge!!!
Steve Pinn sent me these superb images of winter carp caught from Stafford Moor’s Lodge lake. 5 fish, not bad for December. 20Ib 12oz (yellow fish) and 17Ib 8oz (orange) – both on CC Moore Northern Special pop ups on a bed of free-by live red maggots.
Scott Bowden enjoyed a recent trip to Lower Tamar lake catching a lovely brace of fish. A 23.06 Common was backed up by a 23.12 Mirror both caught on homemade boilies using a small stick of crushed boilies with Korda semi stiff silt braid N Trap and lakebed Leads.
