So, it’s the first full day of the enforced close season on my syndicate venue where my quest for a certain 40+ UK common continues. I’ve got  a month until the start, when many new keenie members will all be hunting the very same carp. Of course I have the advantage of  a seasons knowledge of the water, however as I said recently, the plan is to bait a couple of swims, one banker ‘hot’ swim and one ‘probably be empty and unpopular’ swim, in the hope of having a ‘fall back on’ option. Bait is to be my edge.

So the car is loaded, my initial baiting is to be approx 20 kilos of bait spread over the two swims, being a mixture of Quest shelf life baits in 15mm and 10mm, plus a mixture of Quest maximum action pellet, and an obligatory tub of hemp! I’m using an initial blend of baits as initially I want the ‘spot’ to be cleared and also recognised. Although 20 kilos is a fair investment, after this initial baiting I’ll reduce the amount and be putting the Chilli Chocolate shelf lifes in exclusively, with a view to building up the fishes confidence in it as a food and keeping the spots clean. I won’t be able to afford to put in stacks and stacks of bait, probably a couple of kilos a week, however over the course of the season the fishing will get better and better.

The big common came out twice last season, the dates and swims it was caught from are in my diary, along with my holiday form from work!

Time to get the baiting spoon out!

All the best, Spencer H

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