Ive been a member of the Lea Angling Division Club for a number of years now. Its a friendly little syndicate with just one water located in Enfield, right next to an industrial estate. Now this little lake is a real gem set in a wooded area, and once the gates are locked you could be anywhere in the country. The escapism once your at the lake is tranquil and one of seclusion, and you would never believe that you are a stones throw from Enfield Lock.
Now the fishing, as you would suspect with all syndicates is a little hush hush, with no one telling you the whole story of stocking and fish size. Over the years, I have had numerous upper doubles, mainly commons, with the very odd twenty.
I have also lost a very large mirror in the outstretched lilly pads that engulf the margins. Incidentally all of my fish have come from the margins, as i never seem to catch, or get any indications from fishing more than a rod length from the bank. I suppose this is what attracts me to the lake so much, as it is a real stealth and cagey type of fishing, and one that you feel right on top of the action.
This year i have graced the banks for the first time after lockdown, and just found out that some rule changes have been put in place. Now this lake has a boilie ban, and right or wrong it is a rule. So this limits the choice of hook baits somewhat, and indeed feeding. Up until now I have based my approach around a hemp based bed of feed, and small PVA bags of pellets, with a larger pellet hook bait. With this rule change that dumbells and wafters can now be used on the hook, it makes the game slightly different, and somewhat easier.
So with this in mind, I set my stall, out with a Mainline Baits Cell and Link attack, pellets and hook baits, all soaked and dipped in their associated liquids. I must admit that the Link smell and look really excited me, as it looks an awesome spring/autumn bait, nice and dark, with a fishy smell, typical of the mainline fishmeal recipe that is always successful. Everyone knows the attractiveness around Cell, and its unique catching ability and power. In fact if i could only fish with one bait for the rest of my life, it would probably be Cell.
I have also started to use Mainlines Smart liquid into my feedbait, and as a covering for my hook baits. I must admit that it does cover the baits well, and the reaction once placed in water is very appealing (to me anyway, not sure about the fish). I’m now of the thinking that any edge that can be applied should be used, anything that takes our odour off of the bait, and can be attractive to the fish can only be an advantage.
It can be difficult with big carp fishing to know when and how much to top up with bait. Coming from a match background, I will always try to make something happen, whether a change of hook bait, or the introduction of a top up of bait. However, I have to admit that my best results with big fish is that of placing a bait, in a baited area, and waiting for a response from the fish. Instead of thrashing the water with a spot, or constant casting, i do feel that bigger fish feed more confidently with the minimum of disturbance to the area.
Match carp fishing is different where you are feeding or slapping the surface to attract fish into the swim. I do feel that the bigger specimens hold back. allow the mug fish to sample the freebies, and then pick up the pieces left, and graze on ‘safe’ items of food.
Writing this piece in early October, and the weather is on the turn, nights drawing in, and its certainly getting colder. I had to have a rethink after a couple of fruitless sessions at the lake. I still felt that the fish would patrol the margins at some time of the day, so it was here that is where my hook bait should be. Instead of putting down a grazing bed, i decided to just fish a food parcel with my hook bait inside. PVA bags with mixture of 2mm and 6mm pellet soaked in the fish smart liquid, with a dumbbell hook bait was what i decided on.
Rigs were a simple Korda Dark Matter braided hook link, with a size 7 barbless Trig Hammer ESP hook, with the hook bait flossed tight to the hook. This was fished slack lined on a simple lead clip with 2oz leads.
Morning passed, and into afternoon i could see no signs of any fish, not even a bleep on the Delkims. Just thinking about packing up and the left hand rod bleeped, the slack line tightened, and the Delkim screamed into life. The fish felt heavy, even on my 3.25lb Harrisons, and gave a really good scrap with me juggling to extend my landing net in time before it hit the close in lillies. It slipped over the net cord, and I could see it was one of the big mirrors, a light grey fish that has not seen the bank for a few seasons. The old warrior was unhooked, treated as its mouth was shot to bits from previous captures, weighed on my new digital scales, and put in the retainer.
That was the easy part, now I was faced with my awful self take photographs. I’m not the best photographer, in fact i’m bloody awful, as you can probably tell by the pictures. All i really care about though it was a great fight, new UK pb, and a lovely end to the day.
By the way the lovely looking grey mirror went 34.2lb.
