Spring, one of my favourite times of the year for catching carp. With the high air pressure I knew that the shallow lake about 10 minutes from my house could be worth heading down and putting a bit of bait in, I felt the carp might respond to the warmer weather and my god they did!
Thursday evening I pre baited the swim with some Magnum White and Squid Berry boilies and by 5 o clock Friday after school I was down the lake and ready for the challenge.Ghurkka Spice was my top choice of bait
and will be from now on until the winter arrives again (although it is fair to say it has produced a lot of winter fish for Shaun). With the days slowly getting longer I could manage to arrive after continue reading…
Browsing Posts tagged Pimple Pops
Words by Ron Key:
The French anglers were really patient with our translation attempts.
I’ve just returned from France after attending the Montlucon Carp Show with Quest Baits boss Shaun Harrison. Montlucon is the biggest show in Europe and possibly the world; with almost 18000 anglers passing through the four halls this weekend. I was there from Friday to Sunday and didn’t manage to visit all the halls. There’s a massive array of bait and tackle on display with contributors from all over Europe including many from the UK. Those of you who are used to the UK shows are in for a bit of a shock. With a champagne reception before the show opened and brass bands and groups and a disco on the Saturday night it’s a refreshing change with a real French flavour. Many anglers bivvy up and stay for the whole weekend.
Shaun during a rare quiet moment.
In partnership with Carpe Concept we introduced the French carpistes to the range of Quest Baits and for many of them to a uniquely British way of fishing. Discrete fluorocarbon combi rigs with small hooks, cut down baits, tiny Pimple Pops and small pva mesh bags of crumbed boilie, Maximum Action Pellet and Micro Feed. The tiny fluorescent Pimple Pops (6-8mm needle friendly pop-ups) created quite stir and flew off the shelves and were the first things we ran out of.
Shaun showing his Magnum White rig which has caught a lot of fish this winter.
Our lack of French was not a problem, a bit of homework translating the names of the baits and ingredients and some frantic arm waving and grunting and I’m sure we got through. It was great to meet Seb’ and the Carpe Concept team and share some French hospitality, although 34 of us turning up at the Buffalo Grill did almost bring the place to a standstill.
We also introduced the new Quest Bait boilies; Magnum White and the soon to be released Squid Berry. I’ll be returning to France on an Angling Lines field testing trip at the beginning of April and both of them will certainly be in my bait bag.
The next Montlucon Show is in two years time and it’s certainly worth considering for a completely different weekend break. Maybe see you there next time
Cheers Ron
Carp on the float.
Just returned from France where our quest for monsters was not going so well. The main lake only produced a couple of the smaller fish between the four of us for the whole week. For reasons only they know, the carp were not cooperating, they didn’t show or feed making location and capture so difficult and frustrating. To ease the pressure I spent a few hours on the adjoining lake where the residents were being a little more cooperative. continue reading…
Friday 13th May 2011
I had a photo shoot with Steve Broad and Mick Rouse in the morning for Angling Times ‘U.K. Carp’ magazine where I was demonstrating my line marking method on my marker rod where I can tell exactly how far the marker is by the dots on the white braid that I use.
Fortunately we had arranged to do the photo shoot at a convenient venue for all of us to meet up at. Convenient for Steve and Mick as it was close to their headquarters and convenient for me as it was within 20 miles of Grenville! continue reading…
The swim simply looked right
I must admit I went to bed last night not particularly expecting to be doing much fishing this week-end. I re-loaded the open fire in my bedroom with logs before climbing into bed thinking I would have a nice leisurely day to-day.
I’d been unable to do a night this week-end due to the bitterly cold weather we have had these past 2 days and not having a dog sitter – I simply couldn’t get out. It never stopped me in the past but I have to be fair to Brook my carp dog. It’s simply too cold for her at the moment.
My body alarm woke me and got me out of bed at the usual time, so much for the lay-in I had kidded myself I’d have. Downstairs and I sat at my table drinking the first coffee of the day and watching the sun in the East start it’s morning ritual.
There had been a covering of snow during the night and my garden pool was still frozen as it had been for the previous 3 days. I finished my coffee before Brook slithered herself out of bed and awkwardly walked her way to my side. She does seem to take a few minutes to get her joints working properly first thing in the morning these days. Then again I guess I’m the same. continue reading…
Brook topping up her tan!
Had a lovely session at Grenville at the week end.
Work hadn’t allowed me to get there quite as early as I had wanted and I found myself with 2 feet firmly on the accelerator when I eventually got away.
I must admit to feeling a trifle disappointed when I saw 18 key tags hanging on the lake map in the syndicate hut – this mean’t 19th choice of swim for me.
I started to do the 1 1/2 mile lap of the lake with my unhooking mat slung over my shoulder to see what looked right. I only got a short way round the lake in a clockwise direction when I walked into ’34′. It simply looked right so this would do for my week-end base. continue reading…
