Catch Reports
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Personal Best's Galore on Rahja Spice and Special Crab!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Paul Mulcare Email: Venue: Etang de Cherpont
Details: Thanks for all your help before our trip to Etang de Cherpont with my concerns regarding using shelf life baits. I needn't have been concerned. We had a great time and caught some some lovely carp on the Rahja Spice and Special Crab boilies with personal best's galore!
Thanks again
Paul
Rahja Spice and a Personal Best for young Charlotte!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Marcus And Charlotte Tackley Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed - France
Details: Hi Shaun
Just a quick update on the results from the bait you kindly shipped over to France for me and family. The highlights were a 28lb 12oz mirror for me, a 29lb 15oz grass carp and a new PB for my 7 year old Charlotte at 15lb 8oz which she played and unhooked herself (I landed it) - very proud!
I'm now planning a 10 day trip fishing in the nooks and crannies of the great St Lawrence River from a houseboat in August to indulge my true passion of big wild carp -
I'll be in touch!
Thanks again for your help
Marcus
First trip success on the Ghurkka Spice
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Suffolk Water Park
Details: My Dad and me decided we wanted to try new water and go for a social night session as we hadn't fished together in a long time. We decided to head to the Suffolk Water Park where we knew it would be a challenge but we had a good chance of a biggun.
Arriving at the lake in time for when the gates opened we were pleasantly surprised to see some of the decent swims free. I set up in a swim on the point called the 'drop off' and my dad set up one down from me which was named 'Queens Throne'.
We both had a lot of water to fish and were fairly confident of a bite or two. I positioned 2 rods in open water at around 90 yards range and Spombed a bed of Ghurkka Spice over the top.
My left hand rod was cast to a far margin at 140 yards, I thought it would be a hard chuck with the strong crosswind but the mini spomb flew out without a problem.
After several hours without a bite I noticed fish rolling over my spot on the far margin rod and was sure I was going to get a bite. After no luck the evening was here and I decided on one final recast for the night and put some fresh bait out. After 15 minutes the far margin rod pulled up tight and started going! My heart was in my mouth as you never know what’s going to be on the end of that rig. After a long battle a chunky common was in the net I was absolutely chuffed! Once weighed it came in at 18lb which was surprise as it looked bigger. Once returned I got the rod back out and went for a social in my dad’s swim. We had steak, red peppers and mushrooms which was delicious! After a few beers we got tucked into our bags and had a long sleep unfortunately. Sadly dad blanked and nothing else was caught, but I was happy with one of 4 fish caught all weekend!
Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White paste wraps do the trick !
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Vaughmigny,France
Details: Well that another field test trip for Angling Lines successfully completed. This time it was Vaughmigny a lovely thirty acre plus lake just south west of Paris. I couldn’t get on to the fish in the early part of the week but a change in the weather and the wind gave me the opportunity to move. The day after I moved; the wind turned around and blew straight into my swim. Fortunately for me the fish followed the wind. I fed a mixture of Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White boilies little and often, alternating the spomb and then the throwing stick to widen the spread and keep the carp searching. On the hook I fished pared down 20 mm Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White bottom baits wrapped in paste. I’m very happy to say that over the next couple of days I had nine runs. Two came off mainly due to me pulling a little too hard to keep them out of the fallen trees in the margins but also due to the thick lips and very hard mouths. I did manage to land seven including three thirties and a cracking 43lb 8oz and the hooks came out in the net on everyone.
Cheers Ron
Trimmed down baits tempted a few chances.
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: Hi back from Grenville had two twenty's and a double. Dropped into peg 8 and found two spots to my right and one out towards the island that I baited with Magnum White and Chilli Chocolate halved baits and whole with hemp and maize added too.
Had to wait for a bite, bit off a tough week on there and Friday night came, still not a fish then Saturday morning a swan picked up my line I lifted the line off it put the rod back down and within 30 seconds the rod roared off and a 23 lb'er was landed. By this time I had trimmed my baits right down just to see if I could get a bite. As I was clipping my Spomb back up, a swan attacked another swan right by my rods the swan picked up all my lines and started to fly off Had to hold on to my rods after a few mins the line snapped got one rod back in but another two were in a bad way. I had to re-spool two of them, bit of a nightmare then at tea time the same rod went again rod by island with a trimmed down Chilli Chocolate flouro on and a 21 lb'er was landed.
About 1.30 am same rod went again and a low double was landed the two spots to my right didn't produce which I thought they would. My friends went out in a boat on Sunday morning To do some work on island and they said my bait was still there so it made me feel better knowing I hadn't been wiped out and not caught so was happy in the end using a good bait always pays off thank you Shaun.
I hope you have a good time fishing in the future mate I will see you again soon see if you can come to the opening night. I will not get out much in June as I have my daughters wedding then go away to Gran Canaria for a week. I will see and catch a couple for you when I get back Many thanks again Spencer & Yvonne
A carpet of Mixed size Magnum White does it again!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Les Bolland Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: June 2013 26lb 8oz caught from Grenville Lake.
Baited with 3 kilos of mixed size Magnum White in 20 mm, 15 mm and 10 mm over a wide area at 65 yards range. Fish caught on a 9 inch reverse combi rig to a size 7 hook baited with a snowman bait consisting of a 15 mm Magnum White bottom bait topped with a 15 mm Chilli Chocolate pop up whittled down to critically balance the bait.
The rest of the tackle was Free Spirit 12 foot Hi S 'ive ER's with Basia reels and .35mm P line with a 3oz square lead fished on a MCF dumper lead clip.
regards
Les
A new Hawstead PB on Ghurkka Spice and groundbait balls!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hawstead Lake
Details: Not being able to get on the bank due to exams, revision and work, I was itching to get out again. Leaving school last week gave me some free time and after an exam on Monday I decided that a quick overnighter was on the cards.
My chosen venue was Hawstead Lake, a lake that I have some good results from and I know there’s always a good chance of some fish. Arriving at the lake at about 7:00 pm and being the only one there gave a large choice of swims to fish. After a walk round I noticed a few fish rolling on a far margin which I had already had in mind before I arrived anyway.
I unloaded the car and got into a swim which controlled a lot of water and some good marginal features. With 3 rods I could cover most of this water. After tying some fresh rigs and setting up the bivvy it was now time to get the rods out. I positioned the left hand rod on the far margin using double Magnum White Pimple Pops and I chucked some loose feed over the top which consisted of crushed Fruity Trifle, Ghurkka Spice Maximum Action Pellet and Ghurkka Spice 15 mm boilies made into ground bait balls as I knew it would create a nice carpet of highly attractive bait.
The middle rod was cast into open water using a snowman rig and a scattering of 15 mm Ghurkka's over the top.
Finally the right hand rod was cast onto a silty area where I had had some big fish from before with a scattering of 15 mm Ghurkka Spice.
Once everything was set I sat back and watched the water. Shortly after casting, the Left hand rod slowly pulled up tight and I had my first fish on, this resulted in a lovely 16lb mirror and my first fish on the new 'White' Pimple Pops. Everything went quiet for about 2 hours until the right hand rod absolutely tore off and I was into what felt like a good fish. After a 10 minute battle the fish was in the net and straight away I knew it was the 'Biggun'. I hauled the fish up onto the mat and was sure it was bigger than when I first caught it. When I lifted the scales the needle pulled down and held on 24 lb 9 oz a new personal best for Hawstead! After some quality pictures used by taking them on the tripod I slipped the fish back and I was buzzing! I then got the rod back out for the night and around 12pm a little double decided it wanted some Ghurkka Spice. After a recast I got my head down and had nothing else in the night. Throughout the whole day all was dead but I still wanted to leave the rods where I had them as I was still confident of a pick up. At around 5:00pm the right hand rod slowly ticked away and I was in and after a arm aching battle another good fish was in the net, this one was a mirror of 20lb 2oz. Overall a great session after not being able to get out for a good 3 weeks I went home a happy boy.
Cheers
Lee
The carp chose what they wanted!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Sandor Matyas Email: Venue: Nagykálló Lake
Details: Hi Shaun,
This last week end we were fishing in Nagykálló lake.
The favourite baits for the carp were the Chilli Chocolate, Special Crab and Rahja Spice.
And I caught one white fish with the Magnum White.
I attach some photo for you.
BR
Sandor
A switch of venues paid off!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lawrence Evershed Email: Venue: Diss Water
Details: Hi Shaun,
I had planned to be doing 48 hours on a hard Diss water where I have been trying to get to grips with some of it's wily inhabitants. I arrived on the Sunday afternoon preceding a bank-holiday Monday to find not to my surprise the lake completely packed. I decided to spend my session on another lake on the complex which I had not fished before. I had a talk to some of the guys on there and not much had been coming out so I decided to go for a walk around the lake to see if I could see any fish showing etc. I quickly found a swim with a large amount of water in front of it and sure enough at about 50 yards I could see a steady stream of bubbles. As I watched the bubbles stopped and started a few times in the same sort of area and as I had seen nothing else I set up for the night. Both rods where put out where I had seen the fish with a spread of Ghurkka Spice over the top. I then cooked up a massive curry to keep me going!:)lol!
The night was uneventful.
As the morning progressed it was clear that the day was going to be hot so I cast out both rods on zigs. By around mid-day it was evident that the fish were patrolling along the opposite margin but all the swims close to where I would have wanted to have been where taken. I was aware that a couple of the guys where due to leave that evening and as I had seen a few fish in my area (a small few) I decided that I would just sit it out.
Sure enough that afternoon most of the anglers on the lake left and I was left with a choice of swims. I took a walk round to a swim known at 'the jetties'. just off to the right I could see a large group of fish some which looked quite large. I rather hastily moved.
Once I had lugged all my gear round to the swim I quickly flicked out some mixers. The fish started feeding straight away. I tried to take my time to get the fish confident but there only so long you can wait!
A couple of casts later and I was into a hard fighting fish. It preceded to kite round the back of a reed bed and then switching directions trying to get itself into a marginal weed bed. As soon as it was in the net I knew it was a good fish. The scales went 27 lb 2 oz on a quick inspection another angler identified it as one of the lakes 'A- team' Two Scale. We quickly got some pictures and it was released back into its watery home.
The rest of the night was uneventful. in the morning there was a strong and unusually warm northerly wind blowing into the bay down to my left and the fish were most definitely on it, they where showing in quick succession. I cast a rod into the bay with a handful of crushed Ghurkka Spice boilies around it. Some time later I was starting to wonder if the rig was presented properly or if there was something on the hook point. As I approached the rod to reel it it screamed off and after a short battle there was a low double common in the net.
A nice end to an amazing session!
Thanks
Laurence Evershed
First Double of the year on Magnum White
Date: Jun 2013 Name: John Hunsley Email: jphunsley@gmail.com Venue: Church Stretton
Details: First trip to this pressured day ticket water this year and the Magnum White did the trick when no one else on the lake was catching the bigger fish off the bottom. Always done well with the Magnums at this venue. Fished on a simple running rig to braided link with a single bait on the hair. Not a monster but its my first double of the year.
En tirer des leçons (Lessons)
Date: May 2013 Name: Romuald Bayon Email: Venue: Across France
Details: Le début de saison ne nous épargne gučre avec ces aléas climatiques. Ce qui déplait fortement ŕ nos chčres carpes qui sont pour le moins déstabilisées sur beaucoup de points (phase d'alimentation, le frai…) La pęche reste difficile, changeante sur ces premiers mois de l'année et les tapis de réception et filets d'épuisettes ne sont gčrent trempés. Il faut aller maints et maints fois au bord de l'eau pour pouvoir espérer faire de beaux clichés avec un poisson dans les bras. Les phases d'alimentations de nos chčres carpes sont rares et il faut mettre toutes les chances de sont côtés pour inciter un poisson ŕ s'emparer de notre appât. Il faut bien avouer que mes quelques années passé ŕ vos côtés shaun avec la gamme Quest Baits m'aura permis de tirer mon épingle du jeux. La confiance que j'apporte ŕ tel ou tel appât sur un instant précis me permettra de mettre quelques poissons au sec. Je pense qu'il y a déjŕ tellement de facteurs déterminants pour réussir notre pęche que la confiance en l'appât est primordiale. Les besoins énergétiques des carpes changent en fonction de beaucoup de paramčtres alors autant ętre sur que l'appât du moment incitera celui-ci ŕ faire sonner les détecteurs. Pour résumer sur les mois les plus froids la Rahja Spice et Ghurkka Spice de part leurs saveurs épicées entre autre me permettront de faire quelques départs avec de bons poissons sauvages. Męme si la chaleur n'est pas encore au rendez-vous ŕ l'heure ou j'écris ces quelques lignes, la Special Crab m'a elle aussi convaincu comme ŕ son habitude. Un pass partout qui est reconnaissable par n'importe quels carpes sur n'importe quelles eaux. Męme si comme je l'ai évoqué plus haut les résultats restent aléatoires je dois bien avouer qu'ŕ contrario j'arriverai ŕ toucher de vrais bons poissons sauvages et de poids trčs honorables. Comme quoi, il faut bien évidement toujours garder espoir et surtout en tirer des leçons …
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The start of season did little to spare us these climatic hazards. What dislike strongly to our dear carp which are at least destabilized on many points (supply phase, spawning...) Fishing remains difficult, changing these first months of the year and the unhooking mat and landing nets are manage soaked. You have to go many and many times the waterfront in order to hope to beautiful shots with a fish in the arms. The phases of our expensive carp feeds are rare and need to be every chance of are sides to entice a fish to seize our bait. I must admit that my years spent beside you Shaun with the Quest Baits range allowed me to shoot my PIN of the games. The confidence that I bring any bait on a specific time will allow me to put some fish dry. I think there are already so many determining factors for success our sin that confidence in the bait is paramount. CARP energy needs vary depending on many parameters then all be on that the lure of the moment will encourage it to make it sound detectors. To summarize the coldest months the Rahja Spice and Ghurkka Spice's share their flavours spicy among others will allow me to make some starts with good wild fish. Even if the heat is not yet at the rendezvous on time or I write these few lines, the Special Crab me has also convinced in his usual manner. A pass across that is recognizable by any carp on any waters. Although as I mentioned above the results remain random I must admit that in contrast I get to touch real good wild fish and very honourable weight. Like what, we must obviously always keep hope and above all learn from...
Top session Team Quest Baits Holland
Date: May 2013 Name: Team Quest Baits Holland Email: marwen@ziggo.nl Venue: MasBas Lake Cauzac France
Details: After a long drive Team Quest Baits Holland finally arrived in the south of France for the first fishing session for Quest Baits. The results were impressive, thanks to the Quest Baits boilies. We used the ranges Rahja Spice, Magnum White and Fruity Trifle completed with the matching pop-ups and of course Pimple Pops. The carps could not resist these quality boilies!
"Quest" for a 40lb common
Date: May 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Farriers - Carp Society Lake
Details: My successful run of catches whilst using Magnum White continues and is one of the main reasons why I think I will achieve my "quest" of catching a 40lb UK common. After a walk around the lake I decided to fish one of two swims. My mind was made up when I spotted a very large fish jump out followed by a stream of bubbles as the lake bottom was disturbed. I fished single hook-baits for the afternoon but had no takes. In the evening I cast a lead around in the area where I had earlier seen the fish and found find a patch of light weed and silt amongst a larger weed bed at a range of 45 to 50 yards. I scattered a 3kg mixture of 15mm and 20mm squid and magnum white boilies in this area and then cast out two hook baits (2 rod rule). One bait was a 20mm / 15mm magnum white snowman and the other was a 20mm squid and 15mm magnum white snowman. Early the next morning my bite alarm woke me from my light sleep and after a shortish fight I landed a 22lb 13oz common. This was on the full magnum white snowman. A few hours later I was playing another carp and with a good hook hold it was soon landed. I knew straightaway this would be the largest common I had caught from the UK and the scales proved me right with a weight of 35lbs 4oz. My quest continues.......
Surprise River Carp while Barbel fishing
Date: May 2013 Name: Gareth Watkins Email: gareth@croixblanchelakes.com Venue: River, Aisne, France
Details: Hi Shaun,
I had this surprise 28lb 10oz mirror from the local River Aisne last week while barbel fishing.
The fish took a Special Crab and pellet cocktail with a feeder full of soaked mixed pellets and crushed Crab and Rahja boilies.
The same rod had produced a small chub and a crucian carp, before the chunky mirror decided it liked the bait.
On the 1.75lb Free Spirit Barbel Tamer it was an epic fight.
Cheers
Gareth
Magnum White Pimple Pops and one angry carp!
Date: May 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: This week-end I returned to Grenville and this time slotted into ‘14’. I Spombed a bed of bait out, fished a bait tight on it, one on the edge and another a fair way past it. The night passed uneventfully but the following morning the carp turned up and showed continuously over my bait. The atmosphere was electric as I could see these were all big fish but two hours later I was in a real dilemma. I couldn’t believe I had not had a take and had almost convinced myself I must be tangled. I was fighting not to recast so as to not disturb the lake bottom with my lead moving and certainly not wanting to crash another lead in on top of them.
Eventually I started towards a rod to check it out just as it roared off! My 20 plus year old Daiwa SS3000 clutch screamed and the new Free Spirit Hi ‘S’ ive ER wrapped around in a real healthy curve. I could tell straight away I had a big fish on only to have the hook pull after only a minute. I was gutted. I had pulled out of the fish the previous week but to be fair that wasn’t under normal circumstances and had been the first one I had lost since changing hook patterns a while ago.
I checked the rig and it was all looking fine so I re-cast the very same and put it down to ‘once in a while you are going to lose one’.
20 minutes later the same rod was away again and the carp that was attached now holds a personal record for me for the most line a carp has ever taken on its first run. It just would not stop, a total powerhouse of a fish. I had hooked it at range but still it took so much more line from me, it was unbelievable. But alas, everything held and eventually another lovely Grenville fish fell into my net.
At 39lb 13oz it certainly put a smile on my face. Rig was my reverse combi with 2 x Magnum White Pimple Pops.
37lb Common on Magnum White - Awesome Bait!
Date: May 2013 Name: Joe Amante Email: Joeamante83@gmail.com Venue: A lake in Surrey
Details: I joined a new syndicate in April and had fished five 24 hour sessions with no joy. On my sixth session at around midnight my right hand rod which was placed about 30 yards on an island rattled off. I struck in to what felt like a good fish, after a nervous fight not wanting to lose my first fish from the lake my mate managed to roll her into the net.
As soon as we peered over the net we both new that I had captured the lakes biggest resident, Bronzy at bang on 37lb.
The Magnum Whites are an awesome bait and I will be sticking with it for the rest of the season.
Carp and Catfish on the Special Crab
Date: May 2013 Name: Mark Gray Email: Venue: Croix Blanche
Details: Hi Shaun
Here are some photos of a 42 lb 10 oz mirror and a 49 lb 8 oz catfish that I caught last week at Gareth's Croix Blanche Tortue Lake on your Special Crab fished as a snowman.
Best wishes
Mark Gray
Pop Up Corn Soaked in Ghurkka Spice Glug!
Date: May 2013 Name: Lawrence Evershed Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed
Details: Hi Shaun
I recently did a short session on a day ticket lake where I landed a nice mirror. The fish was caught on pop up corn soaked in the Ghurkka Spice Glug. It was fished in the margin to a group of bubbling fish. The rod quickly tore off and after a short battle the fish was landed. One of only two fish landed the whole dayon the lake in very difficult conditions!
Thanks
Lawrence
Rahja Spice 24 - Magnum White 3!
Date: May 2013 Name: Pat Gillett Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed - France
Details: Hi Shaun,
I have just got back from a weeks social in France with my non-fishing kid brother David. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about fishing in France. I was his ghillie for the week, finding clear spots, placing the baits etc. I must have done a decent job as by Tuesday he was already asking me...
‘Where are we going next year?’
The weather was really hot until Thursday, the fish were more interested in grouping up and following each other about (early stages of spawning) than feeding hard, in fact three of the male commons we had were shedding milt on the mat. But by being sensible and not over feeding we still managed to put a reasonable catch together. David finishing with 10 carp to 35 lb 10 oz and me with 17 carp to 36 b 4 oz. To put things into perspective the other 2 anglers on the lake had 10 carp between them, so it shows the conditions were a little tricky.
Three of our fish fell to Magnum White with the other 24 falling to the ever reliable Rahja Spice. I will put a blog piece together shortly.
Cheers,
Pat Gillett
Week-end Magnum White success in over 30ft of water.
Date: May 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: With my Grenville season fast running out I was desperate to get back over there after the events of the past couple of weeks which had been kind to me despite very few fish coming out. I knew they were turned on and tuned into the Magnum White. I just needed to get myself there and into a swim that gave me a good chance of action.
Friday I started work particularly early to hopefully clear my desk and allow myself an early escape. The journey went without hitch and a hour and a half after leaving home I was driving along the track to the car park. My heart sank, I had arrived early but it looked as though everyone else had the same idea as me but arrived earlier. There were over 15 anglers already pitched up.
I looked where each person was set up and the two swims I fancied from what was left were either 25 as there was plenty of space either side still, or 31 simply because I’d had the suspicion the fish were holding up in the deeper water and with a drop in air pressure more would do too.
I cast the marker into 25 and two of the spots that had been kind to me in the past appeared to be weeded over so they weren’t being fed on much. With other anglers arriving by the minute I dropped into 31 which put me on the end of a line of fellow B.C.S.G. members Phil Calloway and Paul Miller. Phil had landed a 39 earlier in the day and although his swim was only 2 away from me the swims are well spread so as to not interfere with anyone else’s water. At least I knew there were or had been fish in the vague area. In fact both Paul and Phil had seen a decent show of fish at first light.
I lit the chip pan and left scampi and chips to get on with cooking themselves whilst I finished preparing the traps.
I decided to fish just hook baits only the first night on my middle and right hand rods as the spots I had caught from before were a little too far out with the awkward for any half accurate baiting. My left hand rod I kept within catapult distance and that had a scattering of 10, 15 and 20mm white baits over it. The more I am using the white baits the more I am spreading the baiting working on there being more chance of more fish noticing a few in the clear water and then hunting more out. It is working well anyway. Rather than the relatively bright baits spooking fish it seems to be having the opposite affect. The Grenville fish spend so much time under the birds that I am sure the colour white which will resemble bird droppings from both ends that carp eat are probably acting as a natural attractor/food signal.
Saturday dawned with me fishless although both Paul and Phil had caught again and both were over bait at range. So, I took advantage of a slight change in the wind direction and Spombed a loose carpet of bait at range and dropped one hook bait right amongst it and another as far as I could put it past the bait. I had also let fly with the soon to be released Midi Spomb a few times so there would be a scattering of bait out there too. With baiting in over 30ft of water you know you are going to be getting a decent spread anyway.
Rigs were my usual combi rigs with 2 on pop-ups being fished reverse combi style (stiff part at the hook end) and the bottom bait on a conventional combi rig.
Saturday threw all sorts of weather at us with the wind swinging and storms coming and going, we even had a short burst of hail at one stage! It really was a moody type of day.
I turned in early Saturday after quite a tasty Paella I had cooked and looked forward to a hopeful first light feeding spree by the carp. At least I was feeding well.
I laid in until 6am then leant over to turn the radio on to listen to Fisherman’s Blues on Talksport. I was thinking about getting my legs out of the cosy bag and putting the kettle on when suddenly the rod tip on the baited spot at range whipped around, the line pulled out of the clip and I was into what was so obviously a good fish from the moment I hooked it.
Out there in 30 plus foot of water whatever I had hooked seemed intent on putting as much distance between itself and where the pull was coming from as it could. Lots of line left the spool but in that steady speed and very little in the way of head shaking I always associate with the larger fish.
We have all read countless accounts of epic battles so I will skip all of that now and simply say ‘eventually’ my opponent was coming ever so slowly, agonisingly slowly towards the net cord. I could see in the gin clear water it was a good fish and that tiny hook I prayed would stay in.
Paul Miller had joined me and wielded the net and did a superb clean netting job for me. We had a little debate on our estimations of the size of it in the net. I’m pleased to say I was a little closer on my guestimation but when I lifted the fish from the water and onto the mat Paul was quickly agreeing that the fish had grown from his initial guess. The scales as usual reduced this carp to simple numbers but at 37.06 they were numbers I could live with despite it being down in weight since its previous capture. I didn’t care it was a good fish on a week-end that had only seen 3 of the 20 other anglers catch.
My next move surprised a few. I didn’t re-cast but instead moved up 2 swims as I had a feeling the fish would be moving that way. I had just got my third rod cast when a double Magnum White Pimple Pop (6-8mm pop-ups) was picked up by another good fish. I played the fish back from range but unfortunately it started to kite and ended up in the margin to my right and managed to get the line stuck on a stack pond pipe being suspended out of the silt. For a further 10 minutes I was able to gain line and the fish was able to take line but I couldn’t get the line free. Eventually with the fish tired and swirling on the surface the hook pulled free. I felt so frustrated by this. The fish was beat but the only obvious snag in the swim and the fish had got the line stuck on it without it actually wanting to head for it itself.
Hey ho, you win some you lose some and I could hardly bee too upset having landed a 37lb fish only an hour or so earlier. At least I know my baits and my rigs don’t need tweaking.
Magnum White's got some pulling power
Date: May 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Nautica. France
Details: Hi Shaun a rolling fish showed itself at range and I dropped a single 15mm Magnum White pop up on its head. I netted this beauty just before the sun came out and the carps minds moved on to other things.
Magnum White Boilies, Micro Feed and Pimple Pops = Success!
Date: May 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Lac des Lesmont, France
Details: Another successful French trip with Magnum White. I was fishing to snags and used an in-line drop off system with the leader and hooklink pinned to the lake bed. My hookbait consisted of either a cut down 15mm fish meal bottom bait topped with a cut down 15mm Magnum White pop-up or a single 15mm Magnum White pop-up. I made a mix of whole, chopped and crushed 15mm and 10mm fish meal and Magnum White boilies, Magnum White Micro Feed and mini pellets, hemp, hemp oil, hook bait dips, fish meal base mix and milk. This was to cloud the water around the hook bait and to attract the fish. The white Micro Feed and boilies stood out against the other food items. I also scattered 15mm and 10mm boilies along the margin and snags.
It took a couple of days for the fish to move into the bay I was fishing and to start feeding. I then caught well with 11 fish to 47lb 14ozs with an average weight of 34lb. Eight of the fish were caught on the fishmeal/Magnum White snowman and two were on a single Magnum White pop-up. The other fish was caught away from the snags on two Magnum White Pimple Pops in a PVA bag of pellet and crushed Magnum White boilies and Micro Feed. The run came within 2 mins of casting out and I assume the fish was attracted to the splitting bag and the feed clouding out. I have two more French trips booked this year and a good supply of Magnum White will be coming with me.
Magnum White and a Lovely Welcome Back
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: After being unable to get over to Grenville for a full 6 months due to the flooding, then carp conference season and general things all cropping up to put a block on anything more than a few hours on the bank locally I naturally couldn’t wait to re-acquaint myself with this wonderful water.
I drove over Friday afternoon and was hoping to get a fair choice of swim. I had been monitoring the weather very closely and had 3 areas in mind that I would have liked to get in if there weren’t too many lines about. Pitch 6 as usual had produced really well and naturally it was taken.
I decided to walk around with the marker rod rather than my mat as I wanted to check a couple of areas before I committed myself for the week-end. 12 had been one of the swims I had fancied running by weather reports alone and fortunately it was vacant. I made 3 casts with the Marker rod and found exactly what I had hoped for, plenty of weed but a couple of very obvious channels at comfortable baiting ranges.
My new soon to be released ‘Midi Spomb’ (medium size) was soon brought into action and a bed of Magnum White boilies were soon deposited into the channels between the weed. First take came in the early hours and a fish kited around to my left but suddenly my rod sprang back straight and my line had been sliced on something. Ron also had this happen in 12 last year so be aware. My line was actually P-Line Extrusion 21lb (0.35mm) that I have used for years for my medium range angling and its resistance to abrasion is excellent. There is something quite sharp sticking up off the bottom between 11 and 12.
A little before 7am whilst laying snug in my bed looking at the frosty dawn deciding not to get up as I could see my swim clearly from the warmth of my bed another of the rods burst into life and a fish was hooked that soon revealed itself to be one of the stock pond fish. A gorgeous scaly of 17.12.
I re-cast that one and less than an hour later it was off again and this time resulted in a lovely solid fish of 36.08 that had found my trimmed down Magnum White Boilie.
Less than an hour later and I again had my cup of tea interfered with as a 26lb scaly decided it simply couldn’t resist picking up that white ball of goodness.
I then enjoyed a relaxing break with a huge grin on my face for a good 3 hours before the next and final take. That fish fought real long and hard and once eventually netted I felt I needed to reduce it to numbers so up on the scales it went and a reading of 34lb 13oz came back at me.
A lovely welcome back after a long lay off. Those Grenville Carp really do enjoy the Magnum White. Last year I managed to get back on there at the beginning of March after the carp show season and caught fish to over 35lb that trip too – yes, again they were on the Magnum Whites and Ron Key caught that week-end too on the same bait. Ignore them at your cost.
First Outing and the Magnum White Justifies Itself!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Vince King Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: Hi Shaun ,
Just a few lines on my first outing this year. as you know I decided to change bait manufacturers this year and chose your Quest Baits for my 2013 campaign. The Magnum White bait ticks all the boxes for me, a quality well put together bait! The Fruity Trifle I have my eye on as well!!
I fished Grenville on a 48 hour session, with my new baits - the first run was from an 18 lb pike that had a liking for your Magnum White pop ups, nice fish - wrong species!!
2nd run was a very welcome 35-6 mirror carp on the second morning at first light, a fantastic looking fish that gave me a merry old dance. That one also came on your Magnum White pop up over 2 kg of Magnum White bottom baits.
This just goes to show that using quality bait you will get quality fish, proving too that my bait change was very justified.
many thanks
Vince King
Magnum White Scores Yet Again
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Ron Key And Ken Dallow Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Oakview Lake, France
Details: Just returned from a testing week at Oakview in France. Its a fabulous venue usually prolific with some stunning carp but spring is coming very late to Northern France this year .
The carp were reluctant to feed and we worked very hard for every bite. There were only a couple of short feeding spells each day, no obvious feeding areas and nothing even attempting to feed for twelve hours or more throughout the day.
Magnum White bottom baits topped with matching Pimple Pops outfished everything and sorted out most of the fish. I had seven carp mainly upper twenties topped by a golden thirty plus common while Ken Dallow tempted a brace of forties, the second of the fish falling to the Magnum and Pimple Pop combination too.
When the going is tough Magnum White really is a bait you can rely on
Cheers Ron
At last- my first carp of the year.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Farriers -Carp Society Lake
Details: I have finally caught my first carp of the year, thanks to Magnum White. I lightly baited a silt area with my now favoured combination of 15mm, 18mm and 20mm cell and Magnum White boilies. The hook bait was a 20mm and 15mm Magnum White snowman. The run was at 2.15 am but I did not land the fish until 3.30 am as the fish became stuck in a weed bed. My usual trick of slackening the line, put the rod back in the rest and wait for the fish to swim out eventually worked even though I was using barbless hooks (fishery rule). Off to France soon with a good supply of Magnum White and Rahja Spice to feed and hopefully catch some fish.
Quest Baits = Most fish and a Giant Easter Egg!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Etang des Moulinots
Details: Hi Shaun,
Just back from Etang des Moulinots, great venue and top hosts looked after us all, nothing was to much trouble. We arrived about 10am Saturday morning and there was a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea waiting for us! Then, it was a walk round the lake with Terry giving us a lot of information on the various swims. Next the draw. I was out third and choose point 2 which was the wrong swim as got a bit confused I actually wanted point 1. Never mind I just got on with it.
I put one rig out with a Magunm White pop up and two on bags filled with Micro Feed in Chilli Chocolate, Magunm White and the brilliant Naked Hemp.
I woke up on Sunday morning to -5 and a very cold north easterly wind. I decided to have a good marker about Sunday morning and found a deeper channel about 6ft the rest of the water around me was about 5ft coming to about 2 ft in front of me.
The North Easterly and minus conditions continued. There were two fish out from the Saturday to the Wednesday in the deeper part of the lake, a 39 mirror and a 55 common lovely fish and very healthy and some good angling in very bad conditions.
I only put in about two kilos of chopped boilies that had been soaking in glug but still could not get a bite. I continued with the bags but I then glugged them with Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White just before I put them out hoping for the extra attraction. This did the trick for on Wednesday evening I had a bite and a 28.01 mirror was landed. As I was doing the pictures the other rod went off and a 26.06 was also landed both fish came on the glugged bags one on a Chilli Chocalate with plastic maggots on top of the bollie which had been trimmed into a barrel shape with the aid of a bread punch. The other fish was on a Magunm White with a Bright Orange Pimple Pop on top.
Once again I woke up to a frost. I did put a few boilies out with throwing stick about one o clock after I'd had the fish and around 8.30am I had another run on the bag with the Pimple Pop and Magnum White and a 25.07 was landed. I re did bag, out it went then at 10.40am it was off again and a 27.06 not the best looking fish but still a carp and I was very grateful.
Nothing else happened Thursday night or Friday morning so I was looking for a move my friend was going to move into a swim just opposite to the right where I had seen a fish on the Friday morning so went round and asked if he was moving and he said no so I went and packed and moved for the last night set all three rods on bags and Magnum White with a orange Pimple Pop as this seemed to be what they wanted this week.
1.30am I had two bleeps on alarm and I knew this was a fish on so picked up rod and I was into a fish I played the fish just as it was two foot away from my net and hooked pulled and flew into the tree. I had my free spirit 8 ft landing net and I tried to scoop it up and seen a flick of the tail to my left I dropped my head and thought I had lost it, I then went to bring my landing back in and there was the fish! I could not believe it thank god for Free Spirit 8 ft handles!
It was weighed at 37.05
I had a great week in very difficult conditions but won a big Easter egg for the most fish!
There was another 52 pound mirror that came out as well. Good angling by all. I think the solid bags with the micro feed and naked hemp just did the job.
Many thanks
Spencer and Yvonne
Chilli Chocolate and Special Crab at Laroussi!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Brett Lewis Email: Venue: Laroussi
Details: Hi Shaun
Just got back from Laroussi it was a very tough week due to the weather being cold and rained solid for 4 days.
But a move to the central part of the lake after two days paid off with 3 fish and lost 3.
18lb 30lb 46lb Chilli Chocolate and Special Crab done the business
regards
Brett
Ghurkka Spice Micro Feed & Maximum Action Pellet blend did the job.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hinderclay
Details: Once again work was preventing me to get out fishing as much as I wanted to. But I managed to get out to Hinderclay Lake for a quick day session. Arriving at the lake I was sure that the fish would be in the deeper water due to the amount of cold weather and snow we had received in the recent weeks. To my surprise I noticed the shallows getting churned up and shafts of bubbles spilling up to the surface. I got the rods and gear as quick as I could and was hoping to bag a quick fish. Whilst setting up I could see tails flickering up out of the water as it was only 1ft deep, crazy I know considering it was a cold winter’s day but the fish will do whatever they want to get into their comfort zone. I flicked out 2 bags of Micro Feed and Ghurkka Spice Maximum Action Pellet and was sure of a bite. After receiving numerous amounts of liners I was on the edge of my seat getting ready to hit one of the rods any minute. About an hour later the left hand bobbin picked up tight and I was in. A chunky mirror righted itself in the shallow water and I was putting hard and constant pressure to try and get it away from the reeds and into open water. After a short and intense fight the fish was in the net a lovely 19lb mirror. I had taken a few self takes and the fish was then returned back into its home.I was chuffed with my result considering the conditions!
Thanks Lee.
Pimple Pops Giving an Edge.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Martin Noble Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hello Shaun,
I got out for a few hours fishing this evening after work & managed bank a couple of lovely Common Carp on the good old faithful Magnum White Pimple Pops!
I'm loving these tiny little pop-up boilies, they have really been giving me an edge on my local waters. I've been fishing them on scaled down hair rigs, so basically everything is mini!
Kind Regards,
Martin - Noble's Fishing
P.B. on the Quest Baits Rahja Spice
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Stuart Forsdike Email: Venue: Vallee Lakes
Details: Hope you are keeping well. As discussed in my last email I have already started the year well and hope to have a lot more fishing time this year.
I have just come back from France and after using the last of the Rahja Spice tipped with maggots I landed a new P.B. of 57lb and was the biggest of a set of 6 I caught during the session.
Ultrabrite Snowman did the trick!
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun,
I've been to my other local syndicate for the last couple of weeks with no joy, not seen a fish move on there since late November so I decided to go to my winter water as I felt I was wasting my time on the other.
I got to the water around 5.30 am but the pegs I had been catching from were all taken.
I parked the barrow up and went for a walk but didn't see anything on the way down but as I was walking back up I spotted a fish just pop its head out by some reeds so went and fetched barrow. Soon I was set up in peg 13 two rigs were on stiff hinged with fluro pink Rahja pop up on and a Magnum White whilst the third rod was on a balanced bottom bait with a pink pop on to just let it drop down slowly through the water. The rods had only been in for a hour and my middle rod roared off, it was the balanced bait which did the trick and a 16.14 was in the net. I sorted the rig out put a fresh bait on just as before and out it went two hours later same rod went again and a 20.02 was landed.
I thought I was in for a few fish but in never happened so maybe a move was needed but as I was having a bit off a chill out I stayed put.
I think the difference was the bait again and location thanks Shaun.
Best wishes
Spence
A move was definitely worthwhile.
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun, hope everything is okay? Went out on Sunday for my last time on my winter water as I need to put time in on my other waters. I couldn't fish where I normally do as people get to know where the fish are coming out, so went 4 pegs up. I fished a wider part of the lake, I was set up by 7 O'clock but didn't feel I was fishing where I wanted to be. There are two trees I was trying to get in between
but from where I was fishing from I couldn't quite get it right so at 12 noon I moved to peg six. It felt a lot better being cast out exactly where I wanted. The rig was a stiff hinged with a trimmed down Magnum White on one and the other two were on Rajha Spice fluoro Ultrabrite Pop-Ups. At 13:40 my middle rod that was under the two trees rattled off and the move was definitely worth it as I netted a 22.07 common. I've had a good time on this syndicate over the winter and if you put the effort in you can catch carp but now its time for my other waters.
I would like to thank Quest Baits for the bait as I do believe I had more fish because of the bait as I caught fish when other people were blanking.
Many thanks
Spencer
Because the night belongs to Barbel - Rahja Spice again!
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: River Trent
Details: Finally the weather conditions are superb for getting down the river with the levels comfortable to fish and the temperatures slowly rising by the day.
Yesterday I chose the River Trent arriving mid-afternoon and catching a chub straight away. After a few weeks of very little happening during the daylight hours this was encouraging to actually get daylight action.
Shortly after a bream found my cut down Rahja Spice boilie with paste wrap but as is so often the case with the barbel I was forced to wait for the day to fall away into night before they came on the feed.
I had been building a little feed in the swim all afternoon with swim feeders full of equal amounts of the following...
Broken Rahja Spice boilies
Rahja Spice Maximum Action Pellet
Rahja Spice Micro Feed
Naked Hemp
Mini Mixed Pellet
and a good dash of Rahja Spice Glug
Eventually the rod tip whipped around again and I found myself connected to a furious barbel. The fight was simply tremendous with lots of line taken but eventually the Free Spirit Hi 'S' Big Water rod proved to be too much for the barbel and soon I was cradling a magnificent peak of condition river Trent double figure barbel in my hands.
I can't wait to get back. The conditions are even better to-day!
Trimmed down Rahja Spice Ultrabrite fluoro pop-ups doing the cold water business.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun, Went out two weeks ago on a Sunday when it was snowning sleet and rain, suffice to say very cold. I set my rods a little shorter this time as I didn't think they would come into the really shallow water. After an hour I recast one rod so it was in the shallow water and left all three rods as they were all day as things were not looking good. A few people were leaving due to how cold it was. I waited until about 3 o'clock and my rod in shallow water had two bleeps picked it up and fish was on only 13.05 but a good looking fish and very welcome in some very harsh conditions it was caught on a stiff hinged rig with a Rahja Spice Ultrabrite fluoro pink pop up trimmed down to about 10mm in size.
I returned this Sunday and fished same area, bait choice was easy it was pink pop up Rahja Spice trimmed down again it has been working for me and put a few more free baits out but I had a big problem with the wildlife eating the free baits and picking my hooks baits up I knew they were okay and would reset themselves.
I had a take about 11 o'clock nice fish good colours and 18.14 in weight. The wind changed and became very cold up my end I probably should have moved up toward the top end but stuck it out and it went flat calm about 4.30. Most people had gone but looked really good for a bite so I waited until about 5.40pm but it never happened so I guess better luck next time - not that I am complaining with the capture..
Many thanks again for a good bait.
I'll be ordering some more this week.
Thanks again
Spencer
The new Absolute Spice boilies producing the goods.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: After a long cold day at work, I was still stupid enough to go for a night in the freezing conditions. I arrived at the lake at around 7:00pm and the early frost that was due was starting to form. I got the bivvy set up and everything in its place by 7:30pm and it was time to get rods out. One rod was fished using a solid bag filled with the new Absolute Spice boilies with a matching hook bait; the other rod was positioned using a single Ghurkka Spice hook bait. I went the whole night without a bite which I was expecting really due to the bitter conditions. I awoke in the morning and was prepared to get everything out properly as the night before was sort of chuck them out on the bags just to get a bait in the water as I couldn’t see a thing. Both rods had fresh hook baits and a scattering of boilies over the top. About an hour later the left hand rod pulled up tight and I managed to land a nice little 13lb mirror which I was completely chuffed to get because it was on the new bait! I was starting to think a blank was on the cards but the ever faithful Quest Baits done the goods!
Absolute Seafood - absolutely brilliant for winter barbel!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: River Trent
Details: Less than four hours, six bites, five barbel to 11lb 4oz. One afternoon on the Trent with the amazing new Absolute Seafood boilie.
The conditions looked right with the river clearing and fining down and the weather mild. This resulted in a change of plans and a quickly organised and hectic session on the river. An upstream rod fished with a big bow in the line and a downstream rod, both fished on the crease formed by the water breaking from the bend . The first bite came quickly and I bounced it off, then a seven, followed by a six and a nine in the net together. An enthusiastic four nearly dragged the rod in and just as the light was going it was topped off with a cracking 11lb 4oz. Breathless stuff, I love short session fishing very intense, great fun and I was home for tea
Cheers Ron
Multiple fish Overnight success on the Magnum White
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Kent still water
Details: Done another quick overnighter with great success. The lake was like a mill pond, and with no obvious signs of carp and the darkness drawing in it was a bit of a lottery. I started out by putting out a Magnum White pop up on one rod and a Ghurkkha Spice double bottom bait with a bag of the awesome Maximum Action Pellets on the other. After a few hours the Magnum rod ripped off resulting in a common of about 10 lbs. It went quiet for a few hours, then the Ghurkka rod came to life resulting in a BREAM. This happened again an hour after, so I changed that rod to a Magnum White pop up. An later the left rod went off, after a bit of a battle I slipped the net under a 23.06 lbs common. A little after that the same rod went off and that resulted in another common of about 10 or 11 lbs. The action stopped until about 09:00 in the morning, I was contemplating packing up and the right rod went off resulting in a 16.02 lbs common. Job done.
Fluoro Rahja Spice success on a half frozen lake
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Kent still water
Details: With the lake half frozen I knew I was up for a challenge. It was all about locating them and tempting them with a single pop up. I found a set of snags that they were held up in so I just concentrated one rod on them.
I put a handful of Magnum White Maximum Action Pellets in the snags and a handful just on the outskirts of the snags.
I started with a Magnum White pop up about 1" off of the deck just on the edge of the snags. With no action after about an hour I changed the pop up to a fluoro pink Rahja Spice. Within minutes it was off, resulting in a small mirror.
The 3 hour session ended and I had landed 4 carp on a single rod.
Thanks to Trig for the tip off about the snags, cheers mate.
Mixture of Quest Baits brings more winter success.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Syndicate Pit
Details: Not been able to get out much due to work and weather but got the chance on Sunday on the winter syndicate I joined due to flooding on my other syndicate.
I did just a short six hour session and only put six bollies over each rod which were Magnum White and Chilli Chocalate and fished two Rajah Spice fluoro pop ups trimmed down on a stiff hinged rig and a Magnum White pop up on a Withy Pool rig. I was fishing in about two foot off water they stay in the deeper water then come up shelf as the day gets warmer. First fish was a 20.01 then a common at 14.11 and the last one was about 15.12 I think only one other fish was caught on the lake so a very good day for Quest Baits again.
Thanks
Spence
Pineapple Crush glugged pop-up over Ghurkka Spice - just the job!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Laurence Evershed Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun,
Just before the lakes froze I managed to get in a session on a small local lake, it has a good head of small carp. Its not easy but not that hard, so with a chance to catch my first 2013 carp I wanted to make the most of my time (as all fish are welcome at this time of year). I set up in a swim with a good set of snags in front of me which would recieve the afternoon sun. This was also an area that was relatively deep compared to other snags around the lake, so I was confident the carp would be there. I scattered a small amount of Ghurkka Spice around and into the snag and cast two pop up rigs onto the spot. I tend to find that pop ups work better during the colder months, possibly because of the speed the fish are feeding/moving. Both rigs were fluoro yellow pop ups glugged in pineapple crush glug, one was a standard pop up rig the other was a variation of the hinged stiff rig I'm playing with, (this was the rig's first session). The first bite came within an hour on the standard pop up rig, a dark common 7-8lbs was swiftly netted photo'd and returned, the hook was sharpened and the rig returned to the spot. Again the next bite came soon after and another nice common came to the same rod. After this, the action slowed.
I was starting to consider a move when the same rod ripped off again, producing another similar sized common. This time I did move to let the fish move back in and maybe get another bite. The move was fruitless I returned to the original swim none the wiser. As soon as darkness fell the bites would not stop I finished the session with 6 fish, biggest 7- 8lbs (I will feature the rigs written about in my soon to be launched blog).
Thanks Laurence Evershed
Classic winter combination Magnum White and Ghurkka Spice!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Did an overnighter, 0'c, N.E. Wind. Put a mixed bed of Magnum White and Ghurkka spice boilies out at about 15:00. Cast out a Magnum White and Gurkha Spice pop up out on either end of the bed of bait at about 17:00, let them get confident on it. Within 10 minutes I had a spanking common on the mat. Gurkha Spice pop up producing that one.
Magnum White scores in the cold again!
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Martin Noble Email: Venue: Un-disclosed
Details: Hi Shaun,
Attached is a photo of a carp I had, not massive but anything's welcome this time of year!
Taken on Magnum White cut down hooked bait presented with a small stringer of a few freebies put tight into a deep margin!
Regards,
Martin
Martin Noble - Noble's Fishing
First time on the water and as always the Ghurkka Spice produced
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Pressured Day Ticket
Details: Once again, I got another bit of free time and decided I wanted to go for another night. The water was completely new to me and was an extremely pressured day ticket water where the carp know just about everything and are very clever when it comes to rigs. The water was a bit different to what I’m used to as well as it was half an acre in size and everything is up close and personal and underarm fishing. I did take quite a liking to trying to find little hard spots in-between the debris on the bottom and tightly scattering bait over the top hoping my tactics would work.
It is a very shallow lake and I would estimate the deepest part being 4-5ft but with about 1ft of silt on the bottom which was something I had to work around. My choice of rig was a fairly long combi rig with the hook bait being a Ghurkka Spice boilie tipped with a cork ball to give it a critically balanced effect. The first day had gone and the night drew in. I was confident in the rigs and the spots and was hoping for a bite. At around 12:00 midnight the ATT roared of and I was into my first carp on the new lake - a lovely 15lb 8oz common had got me off the mark ( : after a fair few casts the rig was back on the spot. It was a real hit or miss situation and I wouldn't stop casting until I was happy that I could outwit the pressured carp.
I was up at the crack of dawn looking for any signs of fish over the area and sure enough a few bubbles were trickling up to the surface I also noticed a carp head and shoulder directly over the bait. I was sitting on my hands itching to get up and hit the rod as I thought it was going to go off any minute! Unfortunately the activity stopped but an hour later the bobbin twitched up slowly and my second carp was in the net! A lovely 15lb 12oz mirror. The day slowly dragged on and the light started to fade, I decided to leave the rods out until the very last minute and my gamble paid off I’m sure my next door neighbour who had come to pick me up wasn’t too annoyed about waiting until I had the fish photographed and weighed LOL. I ended up with three nice doubles on a winter overnighter and I left the lake happy with my results and happy with the way I tackled the new water!
Thanks Lee.
Floodwater Barbel and Chub action on the Rahja Spice
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: 2 x Rivers
Details: What incredible weather we have been having. As always I keep a close watch on water temperatures through the winter months and despite catching a few carp on New Years day I couldn’t ignore how warm the rivers were getting and the barbel were calling me.
I managed to get out for a couple of hours on a small river and was rewarded with a couple of nice chub. Really nice fishing wandering around with one rod and lowering apple cored Rahja Spice boilies with a Rahja Spice paste wrap into various likely looking holes. Really rewarding and ‘proper angling’ with me feeling really content after getting out there and finding the fish rather than sitting and waiting for them to find me.
Later in the day after getting a few jobs out of the way the rivers were still calling so I decided to spend a couple of hours trying for the barbel on the River Trent. The Trent is still quite high so I was going to have to anchor my baits in place and build a swim with big cage feeders.
The feeder mix I put together was as follows...
1 part Rahja Spice Maximum Action Pellets
1 part Rahja Spice broken boilies
1 part Naked Hemp
1 part mixed pellet
These were put into a sieve and a full kettle full of boiling water poured over them then immediately transferred to my bait bucket and the lid put on in place. This ‘scalding’ helps to release the flavours quicker and is enough to make the mix sticky/fluffy enough to stay in a cage feeder during the cast without the need for ground bait plugs.
I hadn’t been fishing long when the tip hooped around in a classic 3ft barbel twitch bite and I found myself battling away against my first Trent Barbel of 2013. The Free Spirit Big Water Barbel rod and Okuma reel did their jobs superbly and soon I was looking at a nice fish in the net.
I left for home shortly after again feeling really content with myself for reading the conditions and making the most of the little time I had available.
The following day I was naturally desperate for some more river action but it wasn’t until just before dark that I was able to get back onto the Trent.
I sat through the period that had produced my barbel from the previous day but no signs of fish being home on the rod tips at all. I decided to stay longer and recast one of the rods to explore and fish further upstream than I had been doing. It hadn’t been in for long when the classic drop back of the rod tip signalled a fish had taken a liking to my Rahja Mix. Not a barbel this time but the chub that was attached was still very welcome.
I decided to give it another half an hour and was just thinking about wrapping up when the rod tip on the upstream cast again suddenly flicked straight. I wound down fast and knew straight away that I was into a barbel. The fight it put up was incredible with lots of line being stripped from the reel. Eventually though I won the day and another nice barbel of 10lb 6oz slipped into the waiting landing net.
I wonder if I can get away for an hour or two again to-night whilst this weather is how it is?
Ghurkka Spice Fluoro worked instantly after all else failed.
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Syndicate Pit
Details: Hi Shaun, Happy new year to you and your team. Thanks for a great bait. I joined a small syndicate as my other water is closed due to flooding. I went and did a day before Christmas with no luck and no fish out for a few weeks and none showing. I then went on the Sunday before new year getting there about six in morning putting the rods out straight away fishing about 2/3 the way across in about 4 foot of water and a third rod on the far bank in a foot to 2 foot of water that's where they are in the summer months.
The day passed by with no fish sowing themselves. I was fishing three different pop up on combi links being Chilli Chocolate, Fruity Trifle and Magum White. About 2.30 pm I saw a fish show right on the reeds. I had a rod about a foot away thinking I should of had a bite. I pulled the rod in changed to Ghurkka Spice fluoro trimmed it down cast it out as close to the reeds as possible then waited thinking I could have ruined my chances. But sure enough, fifteen minutes later the rod roared off with great relief and landing a nice common off 15lb 9oz that was the only one caught. Thanks for a good bait.
Spencer and Yvonne
New Years Day at Drayton
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Drayton Reservoir
Details: With my syndicate waters unfishable because of the floodwater and an extended break from fishing because of Christmas holidays, I was getting serious withdrawal symptoms. When Shaun asked if I fancied a day at Drayton there was no holding me back, a real chance to put a bend in the rods.
Weather conditions were changing with a slight increase in pressure and clear skies, the first for a long time, The south westerly that whipped around from the left of our swim was bitter and the wind chill was harsh, Nor ideal conditions you may think but we were glad to be fishing.
We didn't have to wait long and a couple of fish came quickly to the net. Shaun had presented me with three bags of boilies on our arrival, his new Absolute range of three new baits Spice, Fish and Fruit. I liked the look of the Spice with its blend of cloves and cinnamon and fished that on one rod and my banker winter bait Magnum White on the other. They were both fished with tiny mesh PVA bags of Magnum White Maximum Action Pellet to give an immediate burst of attraction as they hit the water. In these conditions I wanted to attract the carp not feed them. It also allowed me to punch out the baits without too much drag to where the fish were holding
Fish came steadily all day, not monsters but good hard fighting doubles and we had more than enough action to keep us warm and happy. It was a great day out a chance to go fishing at last, entertaining banter and plenty of fish in the landing net. The Absolute Spice more than held its own and I can't wait to try out the rest of the range very soon.
Cheers Ron
Largest in the Lake falls to Ghurkka Spice
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hawstead Lake
Details: Having a few problems at home and a lot of work on my hands I really did struggle to get out on the bank. With it being the holidays it meant I had some spare time to go fishing. I had planned to go to Hawstead Lake whenever the weather looked half decent. I had been looking at the weather forecast for a few days and on Sunday the 23rd December the weather was due to change from wet and cold to a mild temperature of 12 degrees. I arrived at the lake late morning and was eager to try out my new ATT's and Nbrice carbon pod! My choice of bait was the yellow Ghurkka Spice fluoro pops and bottoms baits with a bit of Magnum White chucked in to keep them guessing. The left hand rod was equipped with a standard 15mm Ghurkka bottom bait with a light scattering of baits over the top, the right hand rod was put out with one of the Ghurkka fluros with a little mesh bag of Magnum white. I went back into the bivvy made a nice cup of tea and relaxed after setting everything up. I was alerted by a single bleep on the left hand rod and decided to sit and watch the line as the bites can be very twitchy at this time of year. The bobbin dropped slightly then pulled up I hit the rod and was into my first carp of the winter. After a heart pounding fight due to the fish kiting left into the snags a rather wide and fat looking carp came to the surface I knew it was one of the good-uns! Luckily it slipped into the net first time and it was time to look at my prize. It was the biggun and the last time it came out was 2 years back at 26lb I was about to pull her up onto the mat when the other rod burst into life! I didn’t have another net so my friend ran and got his whilst I was playing a fish and looking after one at the same time LOL. I landed the fish and it was around 12-14lb but I unhooked it and slipped it back to be able to deal with and put back the bigger one quickly. When I lifted the chunky mirror out of the water it certainly had a bit of weight to it, with an audience watching me zero the sling it was the moment of truth. The needle pulled down and sat on 24lb I was chuffed even though it wasn’t as big as its previous trip to the bank I still had landed the largest fish in the lake, a thing many people have not achieved.
Once again Ghurkka never lets me down that’s why I always use it!
Lee.
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Paul Mulcare Email: Venue: Etang de Cherpont
Details: Thanks for all your help before our trip to Etang de Cherpont with my concerns regarding using shelf life baits. I needn't have been concerned. We had a great time and caught some some lovely carp on the Rahja Spice and Special Crab boilies with personal best's galore!
Thanks again
Paul
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Rahja Spice and a Personal Best for young Charlotte!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Marcus And Charlotte Tackley Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed - France
Details: Hi Shaun
Just a quick update on the results from the bait you kindly shipped over to France for me and family. The highlights were a 28lb 12oz mirror for me, a 29lb 15oz grass carp and a new PB for my 7 year old Charlotte at 15lb 8oz which she played and unhooked herself (I landed it) - very proud!
I'm now planning a 10 day trip fishing in the nooks and crannies of the great St Lawrence River from a houseboat in August to indulge my true passion of big wild carp -
I'll be in touch!
Thanks again for your help
Marcus
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First trip success on the Ghurkka Spice
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Suffolk Water Park
Details: My Dad and me decided we wanted to try new water and go for a social night session as we hadn't fished together in a long time. We decided to head to the Suffolk Water Park where we knew it would be a challenge but we had a good chance of a biggun.
Arriving at the lake in time for when the gates opened we were pleasantly surprised to see some of the decent swims free. I set up in a swim on the point called the 'drop off' and my dad set up one down from me which was named 'Queens Throne'.
We both had a lot of water to fish and were fairly confident of a bite or two. I positioned 2 rods in open water at around 90 yards range and Spombed a bed of Ghurkka Spice over the top.
My left hand rod was cast to a far margin at 140 yards, I thought it would be a hard chuck with the strong crosswind but the mini spomb flew out without a problem.
After several hours without a bite I noticed fish rolling over my spot on the far margin rod and was sure I was going to get a bite. After no luck the evening was here and I decided on one final recast for the night and put some fresh bait out. After 15 minutes the far margin rod pulled up tight and started going! My heart was in my mouth as you never know what’s going to be on the end of that rig. After a long battle a chunky common was in the net I was absolutely chuffed! Once weighed it came in at 18lb which was surprise as it looked bigger. Once returned I got the rod back out and went for a social in my dad’s swim. We had steak, red peppers and mushrooms which was delicious! After a few beers we got tucked into our bags and had a long sleep unfortunately. Sadly dad blanked and nothing else was caught, but I was happy with one of 4 fish caught all weekend!
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Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White paste wraps do the trick !
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Vaughmigny,France
Details: Well that another field test trip for Angling Lines successfully completed. This time it was Vaughmigny a lovely thirty acre plus lake just south west of Paris. I couldn’t get on to the fish in the early part of the week but a change in the weather and the wind gave me the opportunity to move. The day after I moved; the wind turned around and blew straight into my swim. Fortunately for me the fish followed the wind. I fed a mixture of Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White boilies little and often, alternating the spomb and then the throwing stick to widen the spread and keep the carp searching. On the hook I fished pared down 20 mm Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White bottom baits wrapped in paste. I’m very happy to say that over the next couple of days I had nine runs. Two came off mainly due to me pulling a little too hard to keep them out of the fallen trees in the margins but also due to the thick lips and very hard mouths. I did manage to land seven including three thirties and a cracking 43lb 8oz and the hooks came out in the net on everyone.
Cheers Ron
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Trimmed down baits tempted a few chances.
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: Hi back from Grenville had two twenty's and a double. Dropped into peg 8 and found two spots to my right and one out towards the island that I baited with Magnum White and Chilli Chocolate halved baits and whole with hemp and maize added too.
Had to wait for a bite, bit off a tough week on there and Friday night came, still not a fish then Saturday morning a swan picked up my line I lifted the line off it put the rod back down and within 30 seconds the rod roared off and a 23 lb'er was landed. By this time I had trimmed my baits right down just to see if I could get a bite. As I was clipping my Spomb back up, a swan attacked another swan right by my rods the swan picked up all my lines and started to fly off Had to hold on to my rods after a few mins the line snapped got one rod back in but another two were in a bad way. I had to re-spool two of them, bit of a nightmare then at tea time the same rod went again rod by island with a trimmed down Chilli Chocolate flouro on and a 21 lb'er was landed.
About 1.30 am same rod went again and a low double was landed the two spots to my right didn't produce which I thought they would. My friends went out in a boat on Sunday morning To do some work on island and they said my bait was still there so it made me feel better knowing I hadn't been wiped out and not caught so was happy in the end using a good bait always pays off thank you Shaun.
I hope you have a good time fishing in the future mate I will see you again soon see if you can come to the opening night. I will not get out much in June as I have my daughters wedding then go away to Gran Canaria for a week. I will see and catch a couple for you when I get back Many thanks again Spencer & Yvonne
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A carpet of Mixed size Magnum White does it again!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Les Bolland Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: June 2013 26lb 8oz caught from Grenville Lake.
Baited with 3 kilos of mixed size Magnum White in 20 mm, 15 mm and 10 mm over a wide area at 65 yards range. Fish caught on a 9 inch reverse combi rig to a size 7 hook baited with a snowman bait consisting of a 15 mm Magnum White bottom bait topped with a 15 mm Chilli Chocolate pop up whittled down to critically balance the bait.
The rest of the tackle was Free Spirit 12 foot Hi S 'ive ER's with Basia reels and .35mm P line with a 3oz square lead fished on a MCF dumper lead clip.
regards
Les
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A new Hawstead PB on Ghurkka Spice and groundbait balls!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hawstead Lake
Details: Not being able to get on the bank due to exams, revision and work, I was itching to get out again. Leaving school last week gave me some free time and after an exam on Monday I decided that a quick overnighter was on the cards.
My chosen venue was Hawstead Lake, a lake that I have some good results from and I know there’s always a good chance of some fish. Arriving at the lake at about 7:00 pm and being the only one there gave a large choice of swims to fish. After a walk round I noticed a few fish rolling on a far margin which I had already had in mind before I arrived anyway.
I unloaded the car and got into a swim which controlled a lot of water and some good marginal features. With 3 rods I could cover most of this water. After tying some fresh rigs and setting up the bivvy it was now time to get the rods out. I positioned the left hand rod on the far margin using double Magnum White Pimple Pops and I chucked some loose feed over the top which consisted of crushed Fruity Trifle, Ghurkka Spice Maximum Action Pellet and Ghurkka Spice 15 mm boilies made into ground bait balls as I knew it would create a nice carpet of highly attractive bait.
The middle rod was cast into open water using a snowman rig and a scattering of 15 mm Ghurkka's over the top.
Finally the right hand rod was cast onto a silty area where I had had some big fish from before with a scattering of 15 mm Ghurkka Spice.
Once everything was set I sat back and watched the water. Shortly after casting, the Left hand rod slowly pulled up tight and I had my first fish on, this resulted in a lovely 16lb mirror and my first fish on the new 'White' Pimple Pops. Everything went quiet for about 2 hours until the right hand rod absolutely tore off and I was into what felt like a good fish. After a 10 minute battle the fish was in the net and straight away I knew it was the 'Biggun'. I hauled the fish up onto the mat and was sure it was bigger than when I first caught it. When I lifted the scales the needle pulled down and held on 24 lb 9 oz a new personal best for Hawstead! After some quality pictures used by taking them on the tripod I slipped the fish back and I was buzzing! I then got the rod back out for the night and around 12pm a little double decided it wanted some Ghurkka Spice. After a recast I got my head down and had nothing else in the night. Throughout the whole day all was dead but I still wanted to leave the rods where I had them as I was still confident of a pick up. At around 5:00pm the right hand rod slowly ticked away and I was in and after a arm aching battle another good fish was in the net, this one was a mirror of 20lb 2oz. Overall a great session after not being able to get out for a good 3 weeks I went home a happy boy.
Cheers
Lee
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The carp chose what they wanted!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Sandor Matyas Email: Venue: Nagykálló Lake
Details: Hi Shaun,
This last week end we were fishing in Nagykálló lake.
The favourite baits for the carp were the Chilli Chocolate, Special Crab and Rahja Spice.
And I caught one white fish with the Magnum White.
I attach some photo for you.
BR
Sandor
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| Mátyásné Siklódi Rita | Sándor Mátyás. | Mátyásné Siklódi Rita |
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| Sándor Mátyás. | Sándor Mátyás. |
A switch of venues paid off!
Date: Jun 2013 Name: Lawrence Evershed Email: Venue: Diss Water
Details: Hi Shaun,
I had planned to be doing 48 hours on a hard Diss water where I have been trying to get to grips with some of it's wily inhabitants. I arrived on the Sunday afternoon preceding a bank-holiday Monday to find not to my surprise the lake completely packed. I decided to spend my session on another lake on the complex which I had not fished before. I had a talk to some of the guys on there and not much had been coming out so I decided to go for a walk around the lake to see if I could see any fish showing etc. I quickly found a swim with a large amount of water in front of it and sure enough at about 50 yards I could see a steady stream of bubbles. As I watched the bubbles stopped and started a few times in the same sort of area and as I had seen nothing else I set up for the night. Both rods where put out where I had seen the fish with a spread of Ghurkka Spice over the top. I then cooked up a massive curry to keep me going!:)lol!
The night was uneventful.
As the morning progressed it was clear that the day was going to be hot so I cast out both rods on zigs. By around mid-day it was evident that the fish were patrolling along the opposite margin but all the swims close to where I would have wanted to have been where taken. I was aware that a couple of the guys where due to leave that evening and as I had seen a few fish in my area (a small few) I decided that I would just sit it out.
Sure enough that afternoon most of the anglers on the lake left and I was left with a choice of swims. I took a walk round to a swim known at 'the jetties'. just off to the right I could see a large group of fish some which looked quite large. I rather hastily moved.
Once I had lugged all my gear round to the swim I quickly flicked out some mixers. The fish started feeding straight away. I tried to take my time to get the fish confident but there only so long you can wait!
A couple of casts later and I was into a hard fighting fish. It preceded to kite round the back of a reed bed and then switching directions trying to get itself into a marginal weed bed. As soon as it was in the net I knew it was a good fish. The scales went 27 lb 2 oz on a quick inspection another angler identified it as one of the lakes 'A- team' Two Scale. We quickly got some pictures and it was released back into its watery home.
The rest of the night was uneventful. in the morning there was a strong and unusually warm northerly wind blowing into the bay down to my left and the fish were most definitely on it, they where showing in quick succession. I cast a rod into the bay with a handful of crushed Ghurkka Spice boilies around it. Some time later I was starting to wonder if the rig was presented properly or if there was something on the hook point. As I approached the rod to reel it it screamed off and after a short battle there was a low double common in the net.
A nice end to an amazing session!
Thanks
Laurence Evershed
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First Double of the year on Magnum White
Date: Jun 2013 Name: John Hunsley Email: jphunsley@gmail.com Venue: Church Stretton
Details: First trip to this pressured day ticket water this year and the Magnum White did the trick when no one else on the lake was catching the bigger fish off the bottom. Always done well with the Magnums at this venue. Fished on a simple running rig to braided link with a single bait on the hair. Not a monster but its my first double of the year.
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En tirer des leçons (Lessons)
Date: May 2013 Name: Romuald Bayon Email: Venue: Across France
Details: Le début de saison ne nous épargne gučre avec ces aléas climatiques. Ce qui déplait fortement ŕ nos chčres carpes qui sont pour le moins déstabilisées sur beaucoup de points (phase d'alimentation, le frai…) La pęche reste difficile, changeante sur ces premiers mois de l'année et les tapis de réception et filets d'épuisettes ne sont gčrent trempés. Il faut aller maints et maints fois au bord de l'eau pour pouvoir espérer faire de beaux clichés avec un poisson dans les bras. Les phases d'alimentations de nos chčres carpes sont rares et il faut mettre toutes les chances de sont côtés pour inciter un poisson ŕ s'emparer de notre appât. Il faut bien avouer que mes quelques années passé ŕ vos côtés shaun avec la gamme Quest Baits m'aura permis de tirer mon épingle du jeux. La confiance que j'apporte ŕ tel ou tel appât sur un instant précis me permettra de mettre quelques poissons au sec. Je pense qu'il y a déjŕ tellement de facteurs déterminants pour réussir notre pęche que la confiance en l'appât est primordiale. Les besoins énergétiques des carpes changent en fonction de beaucoup de paramčtres alors autant ętre sur que l'appât du moment incitera celui-ci ŕ faire sonner les détecteurs. Pour résumer sur les mois les plus froids la Rahja Spice et Ghurkka Spice de part leurs saveurs épicées entre autre me permettront de faire quelques départs avec de bons poissons sauvages. Męme si la chaleur n'est pas encore au rendez-vous ŕ l'heure ou j'écris ces quelques lignes, la Special Crab m'a elle aussi convaincu comme ŕ son habitude. Un pass partout qui est reconnaissable par n'importe quels carpes sur n'importe quelles eaux. Męme si comme je l'ai évoqué plus haut les résultats restent aléatoires je dois bien avouer qu'ŕ contrario j'arriverai ŕ toucher de vrais bons poissons sauvages et de poids trčs honorables. Comme quoi, il faut bien évidement toujours garder espoir et surtout en tirer des leçons …
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The start of season did little to spare us these climatic hazards. What dislike strongly to our dear carp which are at least destabilized on many points (supply phase, spawning...) Fishing remains difficult, changing these first months of the year and the unhooking mat and landing nets are manage soaked. You have to go many and many times the waterfront in order to hope to beautiful shots with a fish in the arms. The phases of our expensive carp feeds are rare and need to be every chance of are sides to entice a fish to seize our bait. I must admit that my years spent beside you Shaun with the Quest Baits range allowed me to shoot my PIN of the games. The confidence that I bring any bait on a specific time will allow me to put some fish dry. I think there are already so many determining factors for success our sin that confidence in the bait is paramount. CARP energy needs vary depending on many parameters then all be on that the lure of the moment will encourage it to make it sound detectors. To summarize the coldest months the Rahja Spice and Ghurkka Spice's share their flavours spicy among others will allow me to make some starts with good wild fish. Even if the heat is not yet at the rendezvous on time or I write these few lines, the Special Crab me has also convinced in his usual manner. A pass across that is recognizable by any carp on any waters. Although as I mentioned above the results remain random I must admit that in contrast I get to touch real good wild fish and very honourable weight. Like what, we must obviously always keep hope and above all learn from...
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Top session Team Quest Baits Holland
Date: May 2013 Name: Team Quest Baits Holland Email: marwen@ziggo.nl Venue: MasBas Lake Cauzac France
Details: After a long drive Team Quest Baits Holland finally arrived in the south of France for the first fishing session for Quest Baits. The results were impressive, thanks to the Quest Baits boilies. We used the ranges Rahja Spice, Magnum White and Fruity Trifle completed with the matching pop-ups and of course Pimple Pops. The carps could not resist these quality boilies!
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"Quest" for a 40lb common
Date: May 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Farriers - Carp Society Lake
Details: My successful run of catches whilst using Magnum White continues and is one of the main reasons why I think I will achieve my "quest" of catching a 40lb UK common. After a walk around the lake I decided to fish one of two swims. My mind was made up when I spotted a very large fish jump out followed by a stream of bubbles as the lake bottom was disturbed. I fished single hook-baits for the afternoon but had no takes. In the evening I cast a lead around in the area where I had earlier seen the fish and found find a patch of light weed and silt amongst a larger weed bed at a range of 45 to 50 yards. I scattered a 3kg mixture of 15mm and 20mm squid and magnum white boilies in this area and then cast out two hook baits (2 rod rule). One bait was a 20mm / 15mm magnum white snowman and the other was a 20mm squid and 15mm magnum white snowman. Early the next morning my bite alarm woke me from my light sleep and after a shortish fight I landed a 22lb 13oz common. This was on the full magnum white snowman. A few hours later I was playing another carp and with a good hook hold it was soon landed. I knew straightaway this would be the largest common I had caught from the UK and the scales proved me right with a weight of 35lbs 4oz. My quest continues.......
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| 35lb 4oz common | 35lb 4oz Common | |
Surprise River Carp while Barbel fishing
Date: May 2013 Name: Gareth Watkins Email: gareth@croixblanchelakes.com Venue: River, Aisne, France
Details: Hi Shaun,
I had this surprise 28lb 10oz mirror from the local River Aisne last week while barbel fishing.
The fish took a Special Crab and pellet cocktail with a feeder full of soaked mixed pellets and crushed Crab and Rahja boilies.
The same rod had produced a small chub and a crucian carp, before the chunky mirror decided it liked the bait.
On the 1.75lb Free Spirit Barbel Tamer it was an epic fight.
Cheers
Gareth
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| 28lb 10oz Mirror from the River Aisne | ||
Magnum White Pimple Pops and one angry carp!
Date: May 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: This week-end I returned to Grenville and this time slotted into ‘14’. I Spombed a bed of bait out, fished a bait tight on it, one on the edge and another a fair way past it. The night passed uneventfully but the following morning the carp turned up and showed continuously over my bait. The atmosphere was electric as I could see these were all big fish but two hours later I was in a real dilemma. I couldn’t believe I had not had a take and had almost convinced myself I must be tangled. I was fighting not to recast so as to not disturb the lake bottom with my lead moving and certainly not wanting to crash another lead in on top of them.
Eventually I started towards a rod to check it out just as it roared off! My 20 plus year old Daiwa SS3000 clutch screamed and the new Free Spirit Hi ‘S’ ive ER wrapped around in a real healthy curve. I could tell straight away I had a big fish on only to have the hook pull after only a minute. I was gutted. I had pulled out of the fish the previous week but to be fair that wasn’t under normal circumstances and had been the first one I had lost since changing hook patterns a while ago.
I checked the rig and it was all looking fine so I re-cast the very same and put it down to ‘once in a while you are going to lose one’.
20 minutes later the same rod was away again and the carp that was attached now holds a personal record for me for the most line a carp has ever taken on its first run. It just would not stop, a total powerhouse of a fish. I had hooked it at range but still it took so much more line from me, it was unbelievable. But alas, everything held and eventually another lovely Grenville fish fell into my net.
At 39lb 13oz it certainly put a smile on my face. Rig was my reverse combi with 2 x Magnum White Pimple Pops.
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| 39lb 13oz | A last picture before going back. | Reverse Combi Rig and Pimple Pops |
37lb Common on Magnum White - Awesome Bait!
Date: May 2013 Name: Joe Amante Email: Joeamante83@gmail.com Venue: A lake in Surrey
Details: I joined a new syndicate in April and had fished five 24 hour sessions with no joy. On my sixth session at around midnight my right hand rod which was placed about 30 yards on an island rattled off. I struck in to what felt like a good fish, after a nervous fight not wanting to lose my first fish from the lake my mate managed to roll her into the net.
As soon as we peered over the net we both new that I had captured the lakes biggest resident, Bronzy at bang on 37lb.
The Magnum Whites are an awesome bait and I will be sticking with it for the rest of the season.
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Carp and Catfish on the Special Crab
Date: May 2013 Name: Mark Gray Email: Venue: Croix Blanche
Details: Hi Shaun
Here are some photos of a 42 lb 10 oz mirror and a 49 lb 8 oz catfish that I caught last week at Gareth's Croix Blanche Tortue Lake on your Special Crab fished as a snowman.
Best wishes
Mark Gray
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Pop Up Corn Soaked in Ghurkka Spice Glug!
Date: May 2013 Name: Lawrence Evershed Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed
Details: Hi Shaun
I recently did a short session on a day ticket lake where I landed a nice mirror. The fish was caught on pop up corn soaked in the Ghurkka Spice Glug. It was fished in the margin to a group of bubbling fish. The rod quickly tore off and after a short battle the fish was landed. One of only two fish landed the whole dayon the lake in very difficult conditions!
Thanks
Lawrence
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Rahja Spice 24 - Magnum White 3!
Date: May 2013 Name: Pat Gillett Email: Venue: Un-Disclosed - France
Details: Hi Shaun,
I have just got back from a weeks social in France with my non-fishing kid brother David. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about fishing in France. I was his ghillie for the week, finding clear spots, placing the baits etc. I must have done a decent job as by Tuesday he was already asking me...
‘Where are we going next year?’
The weather was really hot until Thursday, the fish were more interested in grouping up and following each other about (early stages of spawning) than feeding hard, in fact three of the male commons we had were shedding milt on the mat. But by being sensible and not over feeding we still managed to put a reasonable catch together. David finishing with 10 carp to 35 lb 10 oz and me with 17 carp to 36 b 4 oz. To put things into perspective the other 2 anglers on the lake had 10 carp between them, so it shows the conditions were a little tricky.
Three of our fish fell to Magnum White with the other 24 falling to the ever reliable Rahja Spice. I will put a blog piece together shortly.
Cheers,
Pat Gillett
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| David 35.10 | David 29.08 | Pat 36.04 |
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| Pat with a common shedding milt | Pat and a nice Mirror | Another nice mirror from sensible baiting. |
Week-end Magnum White success in over 30ft of water.
Date: May 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: With my Grenville season fast running out I was desperate to get back over there after the events of the past couple of weeks which had been kind to me despite very few fish coming out. I knew they were turned on and tuned into the Magnum White. I just needed to get myself there and into a swim that gave me a good chance of action.
Friday I started work particularly early to hopefully clear my desk and allow myself an early escape. The journey went without hitch and a hour and a half after leaving home I was driving along the track to the car park. My heart sank, I had arrived early but it looked as though everyone else had the same idea as me but arrived earlier. There were over 15 anglers already pitched up.
I looked where each person was set up and the two swims I fancied from what was left were either 25 as there was plenty of space either side still, or 31 simply because I’d had the suspicion the fish were holding up in the deeper water and with a drop in air pressure more would do too.
I cast the marker into 25 and two of the spots that had been kind to me in the past appeared to be weeded over so they weren’t being fed on much. With other anglers arriving by the minute I dropped into 31 which put me on the end of a line of fellow B.C.S.G. members Phil Calloway and Paul Miller. Phil had landed a 39 earlier in the day and although his swim was only 2 away from me the swims are well spread so as to not interfere with anyone else’s water. At least I knew there were or had been fish in the vague area. In fact both Paul and Phil had seen a decent show of fish at first light.
I lit the chip pan and left scampi and chips to get on with cooking themselves whilst I finished preparing the traps.
I decided to fish just hook baits only the first night on my middle and right hand rods as the spots I had caught from before were a little too far out with the awkward for any half accurate baiting. My left hand rod I kept within catapult distance and that had a scattering of 10, 15 and 20mm white baits over it. The more I am using the white baits the more I am spreading the baiting working on there being more chance of more fish noticing a few in the clear water and then hunting more out. It is working well anyway. Rather than the relatively bright baits spooking fish it seems to be having the opposite affect. The Grenville fish spend so much time under the birds that I am sure the colour white which will resemble bird droppings from both ends that carp eat are probably acting as a natural attractor/food signal.
Saturday dawned with me fishless although both Paul and Phil had caught again and both were over bait at range. So, I took advantage of a slight change in the wind direction and Spombed a loose carpet of bait at range and dropped one hook bait right amongst it and another as far as I could put it past the bait. I had also let fly with the soon to be released Midi Spomb a few times so there would be a scattering of bait out there too. With baiting in over 30ft of water you know you are going to be getting a decent spread anyway.
Rigs were my usual combi rigs with 2 on pop-ups being fished reverse combi style (stiff part at the hook end) and the bottom bait on a conventional combi rig.
Saturday threw all sorts of weather at us with the wind swinging and storms coming and going, we even had a short burst of hail at one stage! It really was a moody type of day.
I turned in early Saturday after quite a tasty Paella I had cooked and looked forward to a hopeful first light feeding spree by the carp. At least I was feeding well.
I laid in until 6am then leant over to turn the radio on to listen to Fisherman’s Blues on Talksport. I was thinking about getting my legs out of the cosy bag and putting the kettle on when suddenly the rod tip on the baited spot at range whipped around, the line pulled out of the clip and I was into what was so obviously a good fish from the moment I hooked it.
Out there in 30 plus foot of water whatever I had hooked seemed intent on putting as much distance between itself and where the pull was coming from as it could. Lots of line left the spool but in that steady speed and very little in the way of head shaking I always associate with the larger fish.
We have all read countless accounts of epic battles so I will skip all of that now and simply say ‘eventually’ my opponent was coming ever so slowly, agonisingly slowly towards the net cord. I could see in the gin clear water it was a good fish and that tiny hook I prayed would stay in.
Paul Miller had joined me and wielded the net and did a superb clean netting job for me. We had a little debate on our estimations of the size of it in the net. I’m pleased to say I was a little closer on my guestimation but when I lifted the fish from the water and onto the mat Paul was quickly agreeing that the fish had grown from his initial guess. The scales as usual reduced this carp to simple numbers but at 37.06 they were numbers I could live with despite it being down in weight since its previous capture. I didn’t care it was a good fish on a week-end that had only seen 3 of the 20 other anglers catch.
My next move surprised a few. I didn’t re-cast but instead moved up 2 swims as I had a feeling the fish would be moving that way. I had just got my third rod cast when a double Magnum White Pimple Pop (6-8mm pop-ups) was picked up by another good fish. I played the fish back from range but unfortunately it started to kite and ended up in the margin to my right and managed to get the line stuck on a stack pond pipe being suspended out of the silt. For a further 10 minutes I was able to gain line and the fish was able to take line but I couldn’t get the line free. Eventually with the fish tired and swirling on the surface the hook pulled free. I felt so frustrated by this. The fish was beat but the only obvious snag in the swim and the fish had got the line stuck on it without it actually wanting to head for it itself.
Hey ho, you win some you lose some and I could hardly bee too upset having landed a 37lb fish only an hour or so earlier. At least I know my baits and my rigs don’t need tweaking.
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| 37lb 6oz | Moody weather the calm before the storm | It threw everything at us |
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| Brook didn't want to get out of bed | I fed well too - Paella almost ready | Scampi and chips cooked on the bank was nice too. |
Magnum White's got some pulling power
Date: May 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Nautica. France
Details: Hi Shaun a rolling fish showed itself at range and I dropped a single 15mm Magnum White pop up on its head. I netted this beauty just before the sun came out and the carps minds moved on to other things.
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| I netted this beauty just before the sun came out | The carp moved on to other things! | |
Magnum White Boilies, Micro Feed and Pimple Pops = Success!
Date: May 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Lac des Lesmont, France
Details: Another successful French trip with Magnum White. I was fishing to snags and used an in-line drop off system with the leader and hooklink pinned to the lake bed. My hookbait consisted of either a cut down 15mm fish meal bottom bait topped with a cut down 15mm Magnum White pop-up or a single 15mm Magnum White pop-up. I made a mix of whole, chopped and crushed 15mm and 10mm fish meal and Magnum White boilies, Magnum White Micro Feed and mini pellets, hemp, hemp oil, hook bait dips, fish meal base mix and milk. This was to cloud the water around the hook bait and to attract the fish. The white Micro Feed and boilies stood out against the other food items. I also scattered 15mm and 10mm boilies along the margin and snags.
It took a couple of days for the fish to move into the bay I was fishing and to start feeding. I then caught well with 11 fish to 47lb 14ozs with an average weight of 34lb. Eight of the fish were caught on the fishmeal/Magnum White snowman and two were on a single Magnum White pop-up. The other fish was caught away from the snags on two Magnum White Pimple Pops in a PVA bag of pellet and crushed Magnum White boilies and Micro Feed. The run came within 2 mins of casting out and I assume the fish was attracted to the splitting bag and the feed clouding out. I have two more French trips booked this year and a good supply of Magnum White will be coming with me.
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| 47lb 14oz - snowman with MW pop-up | 39lb 1oz - 15mm MW pop-up | 36lb Common in morning sun |
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| the bait bucket | successful rig and bait |
Magnum White and a Lovely Welcome Back
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: After being unable to get over to Grenville for a full 6 months due to the flooding, then carp conference season and general things all cropping up to put a block on anything more than a few hours on the bank locally I naturally couldn’t wait to re-acquaint myself with this wonderful water.
I drove over Friday afternoon and was hoping to get a fair choice of swim. I had been monitoring the weather very closely and had 3 areas in mind that I would have liked to get in if there weren’t too many lines about. Pitch 6 as usual had produced really well and naturally it was taken.
I decided to walk around with the marker rod rather than my mat as I wanted to check a couple of areas before I committed myself for the week-end. 12 had been one of the swims I had fancied running by weather reports alone and fortunately it was vacant. I made 3 casts with the Marker rod and found exactly what I had hoped for, plenty of weed but a couple of very obvious channels at comfortable baiting ranges.
My new soon to be released ‘Midi Spomb’ (medium size) was soon brought into action and a bed of Magnum White boilies were soon deposited into the channels between the weed. First take came in the early hours and a fish kited around to my left but suddenly my rod sprang back straight and my line had been sliced on something. Ron also had this happen in 12 last year so be aware. My line was actually P-Line Extrusion 21lb (0.35mm) that I have used for years for my medium range angling and its resistance to abrasion is excellent. There is something quite sharp sticking up off the bottom between 11 and 12.
A little before 7am whilst laying snug in my bed looking at the frosty dawn deciding not to get up as I could see my swim clearly from the warmth of my bed another of the rods burst into life and a fish was hooked that soon revealed itself to be one of the stock pond fish. A gorgeous scaly of 17.12.
I re-cast that one and less than an hour later it was off again and this time resulted in a lovely solid fish of 36.08 that had found my trimmed down Magnum White Boilie.
Less than an hour later and I again had my cup of tea interfered with as a 26lb scaly decided it simply couldn’t resist picking up that white ball of goodness.
I then enjoyed a relaxing break with a huge grin on my face for a good 3 hours before the next and final take. That fish fought real long and hard and once eventually netted I felt I needed to reduce it to numbers so up on the scales it went and a reading of 34lb 13oz came back at me.
A lovely welcome back after a long lay off. Those Grenville Carp really do enjoy the Magnum White. Last year I managed to get back on there at the beginning of March after the carp show season and caught fish to over 35lb that trip too – yes, again they were on the Magnum Whites and Ron Key caught that week-end too on the same bait. Ignore them at your cost.
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| 34.13 | 26.00 | 36.08 |
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| 17.12 | The sun goes down and closes a special day. | 35lb I opened the year last year with - again Magnum White did the trick. |
First Outing and the Magnum White Justifies Itself!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Vince King Email: Venue: Grenville Lake
Details: Hi Shaun ,
Just a few lines on my first outing this year. as you know I decided to change bait manufacturers this year and chose your Quest Baits for my 2013 campaign. The Magnum White bait ticks all the boxes for me, a quality well put together bait! The Fruity Trifle I have my eye on as well!!
I fished Grenville on a 48 hour session, with my new baits - the first run was from an 18 lb pike that had a liking for your Magnum White pop ups, nice fish - wrong species!!
2nd run was a very welcome 35-6 mirror carp on the second morning at first light, a fantastic looking fish that gave me a merry old dance. That one also came on your Magnum White pop up over 2 kg of Magnum White bottom baits.
This just goes to show that using quality bait you will get quality fish, proving too that my bait change was very justified.
many thanks
Vince King
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Magnum White Scores Yet Again
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Ron Key And Ken Dallow Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Oakview Lake, France
Details: Just returned from a testing week at Oakview in France. Its a fabulous venue usually prolific with some stunning carp but spring is coming very late to Northern France this year .
The carp were reluctant to feed and we worked very hard for every bite. There were only a couple of short feeding spells each day, no obvious feeding areas and nothing even attempting to feed for twelve hours or more throughout the day.
Magnum White bottom baits topped with matching Pimple Pops outfished everything and sorted out most of the fish. I had seven carp mainly upper twenties topped by a golden thirty plus common while Ken Dallow tempted a brace of forties, the second of the fish falling to the Magnum and Pimple Pop combination too.
When the going is tough Magnum White really is a bait you can rely on
Cheers Ron
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At last- my first carp of the year.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: David Gowing Email: djgcanary@btinternet.com Venue: Farriers -Carp Society Lake
Details: I have finally caught my first carp of the year, thanks to Magnum White. I lightly baited a silt area with my now favoured combination of 15mm, 18mm and 20mm cell and Magnum White boilies. The hook bait was a 20mm and 15mm Magnum White snowman. The run was at 2.15 am but I did not land the fish until 3.30 am as the fish became stuck in a weed bed. My usual trick of slackening the line, put the rod back in the rest and wait for the fish to swim out eventually worked even though I was using barbless hooks (fishery rule). Off to France soon with a good supply of Magnum White and Rahja Spice to feed and hopefully catch some fish.
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| 27lb 12oz | ||
Quest Baits = Most fish and a Giant Easter Egg!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Etang des Moulinots
Details: Hi Shaun,
Just back from Etang des Moulinots, great venue and top hosts looked after us all, nothing was to much trouble. We arrived about 10am Saturday morning and there was a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea waiting for us! Then, it was a walk round the lake with Terry giving us a lot of information on the various swims. Next the draw. I was out third and choose point 2 which was the wrong swim as got a bit confused I actually wanted point 1. Never mind I just got on with it.
I put one rig out with a Magunm White pop up and two on bags filled with Micro Feed in Chilli Chocolate, Magunm White and the brilliant Naked Hemp.
I woke up on Sunday morning to -5 and a very cold north easterly wind. I decided to have a good marker about Sunday morning and found a deeper channel about 6ft the rest of the water around me was about 5ft coming to about 2 ft in front of me.
The North Easterly and minus conditions continued. There were two fish out from the Saturday to the Wednesday in the deeper part of the lake, a 39 mirror and a 55 common lovely fish and very healthy and some good angling in very bad conditions.
I only put in about two kilos of chopped boilies that had been soaking in glug but still could not get a bite. I continued with the bags but I then glugged them with Chilli Chocolate and Magnum White just before I put them out hoping for the extra attraction. This did the trick for on Wednesday evening I had a bite and a 28.01 mirror was landed. As I was doing the pictures the other rod went off and a 26.06 was also landed both fish came on the glugged bags one on a Chilli Chocalate with plastic maggots on top of the bollie which had been trimmed into a barrel shape with the aid of a bread punch. The other fish was on a Magunm White with a Bright Orange Pimple Pop on top.
Once again I woke up to a frost. I did put a few boilies out with throwing stick about one o clock after I'd had the fish and around 8.30am I had another run on the bag with the Pimple Pop and Magnum White and a 25.07 was landed. I re did bag, out it went then at 10.40am it was off again and a 27.06 not the best looking fish but still a carp and I was very grateful.
Nothing else happened Thursday night or Friday morning so I was looking for a move my friend was going to move into a swim just opposite to the right where I had seen a fish on the Friday morning so went round and asked if he was moving and he said no so I went and packed and moved for the last night set all three rods on bags and Magnum White with a orange Pimple Pop as this seemed to be what they wanted this week.
1.30am I had two bleeps on alarm and I knew this was a fish on so picked up rod and I was into a fish I played the fish just as it was two foot away from my net and hooked pulled and flew into the tree. I had my free spirit 8 ft landing net and I tried to scoop it up and seen a flick of the tail to my left I dropped my head and thought I had lost it, I then went to bring my landing back in and there was the fish! I could not believe it thank god for Free Spirit 8 ft handles!
It was weighed at 37.05
I had a great week in very difficult conditions but won a big Easter egg for the most fish!
There was another 52 pound mirror that came out as well. Good angling by all. I think the solid bags with the micro feed and naked hemp just did the job.
Many thanks
Spencer and Yvonne
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| 37.05 | 26.06 | 25.07 |
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| 27.06 | The Naked Hemp and Microfeed Bags. | Magnum White and a Pimple Pop |
Chilli Chocolate and Special Crab at Laroussi!
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Brett Lewis Email: Venue: Laroussi
Details: Hi Shaun
Just got back from Laroussi it was a very tough week due to the weather being cold and rained solid for 4 days.
But a move to the central part of the lake after two days paid off with 3 fish and lost 3.
18lb 30lb 46lb Chilli Chocolate and Special Crab done the business
regards
Brett
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| 46lb | ||
Ghurkka Spice Micro Feed & Maximum Action Pellet blend did the job.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hinderclay
Details: Once again work was preventing me to get out fishing as much as I wanted to. But I managed to get out to Hinderclay Lake for a quick day session. Arriving at the lake I was sure that the fish would be in the deeper water due to the amount of cold weather and snow we had received in the recent weeks. To my surprise I noticed the shallows getting churned up and shafts of bubbles spilling up to the surface. I got the rods and gear as quick as I could and was hoping to bag a quick fish. Whilst setting up I could see tails flickering up out of the water as it was only 1ft deep, crazy I know considering it was a cold winter’s day but the fish will do whatever they want to get into their comfort zone. I flicked out 2 bags of Micro Feed and Ghurkka Spice Maximum Action Pellet and was sure of a bite. After receiving numerous amounts of liners I was on the edge of my seat getting ready to hit one of the rods any minute. About an hour later the left hand bobbin picked up tight and I was in. A chunky mirror righted itself in the shallow water and I was putting hard and constant pressure to try and get it away from the reeds and into open water. After a short and intense fight the fish was in the net a lovely 19lb mirror. I had taken a few self takes and the fish was then returned back into its home.I was chuffed with my result considering the conditions!
Thanks Lee.
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Pimple Pops Giving an Edge.
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Martin Noble Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hello Shaun,
I got out for a few hours fishing this evening after work & managed bank a couple of lovely Common Carp on the good old faithful Magnum White Pimple Pops!
I'm loving these tiny little pop-up boilies, they have really been giving me an edge on my local waters. I've been fishing them on scaled down hair rigs, so basically everything is mini!
Kind Regards,
Martin - Noble's Fishing
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P.B. on the Quest Baits Rahja Spice
Date: Apr 2013 Name: Stuart Forsdike Email: Venue: Vallee Lakes
Details: Hope you are keeping well. As discussed in my last email I have already started the year well and hope to have a lot more fishing time this year.
I have just come back from France and after using the last of the Rahja Spice tipped with maggots I landed a new P.B. of 57lb and was the biggest of a set of 6 I caught during the session.
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Ultrabrite Snowman did the trick!
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun,
I've been to my other local syndicate for the last couple of weeks with no joy, not seen a fish move on there since late November so I decided to go to my winter water as I felt I was wasting my time on the other.
I got to the water around 5.30 am but the pegs I had been catching from were all taken.
I parked the barrow up and went for a walk but didn't see anything on the way down but as I was walking back up I spotted a fish just pop its head out by some reeds so went and fetched barrow. Soon I was set up in peg 13 two rigs were on stiff hinged with fluro pink Rahja pop up on and a Magnum White whilst the third rod was on a balanced bottom bait with a pink pop on to just let it drop down slowly through the water. The rods had only been in for a hour and my middle rod roared off, it was the balanced bait which did the trick and a 16.14 was in the net. I sorted the rig out put a fresh bait on just as before and out it went two hours later same rod went again and a 20.02 was landed.
I thought I was in for a few fish but in never happened so maybe a move was needed but as I was having a bit off a chill out I stayed put.
I think the difference was the bait again and location thanks Shaun.
Best wishes
Spence
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A move was definitely worthwhile.
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun, hope everything is okay? Went out on Sunday for my last time on my winter water as I need to put time in on my other waters. I couldn't fish where I normally do as people get to know where the fish are coming out, so went 4 pegs up. I fished a wider part of the lake, I was set up by 7 O'clock but didn't feel I was fishing where I wanted to be. There are two trees I was trying to get in between
but from where I was fishing from I couldn't quite get it right so at 12 noon I moved to peg six. It felt a lot better being cast out exactly where I wanted. The rig was a stiff hinged with a trimmed down Magnum White on one and the other two were on Rajha Spice fluoro Ultrabrite Pop-Ups. At 13:40 my middle rod that was under the two trees rattled off and the move was definitely worth it as I netted a 22.07 common. I've had a good time on this syndicate over the winter and if you put the effort in you can catch carp but now its time for my other waters.
I would like to thank Quest Baits for the bait as I do believe I had more fish because of the bait as I caught fish when other people were blanking.
Many thanks
Spencer
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Because the night belongs to Barbel - Rahja Spice again!
Date: Mar 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: River Trent
Details: Finally the weather conditions are superb for getting down the river with the levels comfortable to fish and the temperatures slowly rising by the day.
Yesterday I chose the River Trent arriving mid-afternoon and catching a chub straight away. After a few weeks of very little happening during the daylight hours this was encouraging to actually get daylight action.
Shortly after a bream found my cut down Rahja Spice boilie with paste wrap but as is so often the case with the barbel I was forced to wait for the day to fall away into night before they came on the feed.
I had been building a little feed in the swim all afternoon with swim feeders full of equal amounts of the following...
Broken Rahja Spice boilies
Rahja Spice Maximum Action Pellet
Rahja Spice Micro Feed
Naked Hemp
Mini Mixed Pellet
and a good dash of Rahja Spice Glug
Eventually the rod tip whipped around again and I found myself connected to a furious barbel. The fight was simply tremendous with lots of line taken but eventually the Free Spirit Hi 'S' Big Water rod proved to be too much for the barbel and soon I was cradling a magnificent peak of condition river Trent double figure barbel in my hands.
I can't wait to get back. The conditions are even better to-day!
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Trimmed down Rahja Spice Ultrabrite fluoro pop-ups doing the cold water business.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun, Went out two weeks ago on a Sunday when it was snowning sleet and rain, suffice to say very cold. I set my rods a little shorter this time as I didn't think they would come into the really shallow water. After an hour I recast one rod so it was in the shallow water and left all three rods as they were all day as things were not looking good. A few people were leaving due to how cold it was. I waited until about 3 o'clock and my rod in shallow water had two bleeps picked it up and fish was on only 13.05 but a good looking fish and very welcome in some very harsh conditions it was caught on a stiff hinged rig with a Rahja Spice Ultrabrite fluoro pink pop up trimmed down to about 10mm in size.
I returned this Sunday and fished same area, bait choice was easy it was pink pop up Rahja Spice trimmed down again it has been working for me and put a few more free baits out but I had a big problem with the wildlife eating the free baits and picking my hooks baits up I knew they were okay and would reset themselves.
I had a take about 11 o'clock nice fish good colours and 18.14 in weight. The wind changed and became very cold up my end I probably should have moved up toward the top end but stuck it out and it went flat calm about 4.30. Most people had gone but looked really good for a bite so I waited until about 5.40pm but it never happened so I guess better luck next time - not that I am complaining with the capture..
Many thanks again for a good bait.
I'll be ordering some more this week.
Thanks again
Spencer
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The new Absolute Spice boilies producing the goods.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: After a long cold day at work, I was still stupid enough to go for a night in the freezing conditions. I arrived at the lake at around 7:00pm and the early frost that was due was starting to form. I got the bivvy set up and everything in its place by 7:30pm and it was time to get rods out. One rod was fished using a solid bag filled with the new Absolute Spice boilies with a matching hook bait; the other rod was positioned using a single Ghurkka Spice hook bait. I went the whole night without a bite which I was expecting really due to the bitter conditions. I awoke in the morning and was prepared to get everything out properly as the night before was sort of chuck them out on the bags just to get a bait in the water as I couldn’t see a thing. Both rods had fresh hook baits and a scattering of boilies over the top. About an hour later the left hand rod pulled up tight and I managed to land a nice little 13lb mirror which I was completely chuffed to get because it was on the new bait! I was starting to think a blank was on the cards but the ever faithful Quest Baits done the goods!
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Absolute Seafood - absolutely brilliant for winter barbel!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: River Trent
Details: Less than four hours, six bites, five barbel to 11lb 4oz. One afternoon on the Trent with the amazing new Absolute Seafood boilie.
The conditions looked right with the river clearing and fining down and the weather mild. This resulted in a change of plans and a quickly organised and hectic session on the river. An upstream rod fished with a big bow in the line and a downstream rod, both fished on the crease formed by the water breaking from the bend . The first bite came quickly and I bounced it off, then a seven, followed by a six and a nine in the net together. An enthusiastic four nearly dragged the rod in and just as the light was going it was topped off with a cracking 11lb 4oz. Breathless stuff, I love short session fishing very intense, great fun and I was home for tea
Cheers Ron
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| nine plus | A six and a nine in the net together | Almost time to go |
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| 11lb 4oz as the light was fading |
Multiple fish Overnight success on the Magnum White
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Kent still water
Details: Done another quick overnighter with great success. The lake was like a mill pond, and with no obvious signs of carp and the darkness drawing in it was a bit of a lottery. I started out by putting out a Magnum White pop up on one rod and a Ghurkkha Spice double bottom bait with a bag of the awesome Maximum Action Pellets on the other. After a few hours the Magnum rod ripped off resulting in a common of about 10 lbs. It went quiet for a few hours, then the Ghurkka rod came to life resulting in a BREAM. This happened again an hour after, so I changed that rod to a Magnum White pop up. An later the left rod went off, after a bit of a battle I slipped the net under a 23.06 lbs common. A little after that the same rod went off and that resulted in another common of about 10 or 11 lbs. The action stopped until about 09:00 in the morning, I was contemplating packing up and the right rod went off resulting in a 16.02 lbs common. Job done.
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| The 23.06 common | ||
Fluoro Rahja Spice success on a half frozen lake
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Kent still water
Details: With the lake half frozen I knew I was up for a challenge. It was all about locating them and tempting them with a single pop up. I found a set of snags that they were held up in so I just concentrated one rod on them.
I put a handful of Magnum White Maximum Action Pellets in the snags and a handful just on the outskirts of the snags.
I started with a Magnum White pop up about 1" off of the deck just on the edge of the snags. With no action after about an hour I changed the pop up to a fluoro pink Rahja Spice. Within minutes it was off, resulting in a small mirror.
The 3 hour session ended and I had landed 4 carp on a single rod.
Thanks to Trig for the tip off about the snags, cheers mate.
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Mixture of Quest Baits brings more winter success.
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Syndicate Pit
Details: Not been able to get out much due to work and weather but got the chance on Sunday on the winter syndicate I joined due to flooding on my other syndicate.
I did just a short six hour session and only put six bollies over each rod which were Magnum White and Chilli Chocalate and fished two Rajah Spice fluoro pop ups trimmed down on a stiff hinged rig and a Magnum White pop up on a Withy Pool rig. I was fishing in about two foot off water they stay in the deeper water then come up shelf as the day gets warmer. First fish was a 20.01 then a common at 14.11 and the last one was about 15.12 I think only one other fish was caught on the lake so a very good day for Quest Baits again.
Thanks
Spence
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Pineapple Crush glugged pop-up over Ghurkka Spice - just the job!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Laurence Evershed Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Hi Shaun,
Just before the lakes froze I managed to get in a session on a small local lake, it has a good head of small carp. Its not easy but not that hard, so with a chance to catch my first 2013 carp I wanted to make the most of my time (as all fish are welcome at this time of year). I set up in a swim with a good set of snags in front of me which would recieve the afternoon sun. This was also an area that was relatively deep compared to other snags around the lake, so I was confident the carp would be there. I scattered a small amount of Ghurkka Spice around and into the snag and cast two pop up rigs onto the spot. I tend to find that pop ups work better during the colder months, possibly because of the speed the fish are feeding/moving. Both rigs were fluoro yellow pop ups glugged in pineapple crush glug, one was a standard pop up rig the other was a variation of the hinged stiff rig I'm playing with, (this was the rig's first session). The first bite came within an hour on the standard pop up rig, a dark common 7-8lbs was swiftly netted photo'd and returned, the hook was sharpened and the rig returned to the spot. Again the next bite came soon after and another nice common came to the same rod. After this, the action slowed.
I was starting to consider a move when the same rod ripped off again, producing another similar sized common. This time I did move to let the fish move back in and maybe get another bite. The move was fruitless I returned to the original swim none the wiser. As soon as darkness fell the bites would not stop I finished the session with 6 fish, biggest 7- 8lbs (I will feature the rigs written about in my soon to be launched blog).
Thanks Laurence Evershed
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Classic winter combination Magnum White and Ghurkka Spice!
Date: Feb 2013 Name: Geoff Hoe Email: Venue: Local Stillwater
Details: Did an overnighter, 0'c, N.E. Wind. Put a mixed bed of Magnum White and Ghurkka spice boilies out at about 15:00. Cast out a Magnum White and Gurkha Spice pop up out on either end of the bed of bait at about 17:00, let them get confident on it. Within 10 minutes I had a spanking common on the mat. Gurkha Spice pop up producing that one.
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Magnum White scores in the cold again!
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Martin Noble Email: Venue: Un-disclosed
Details: Hi Shaun,
Attached is a photo of a carp I had, not massive but anything's welcome this time of year!
Taken on Magnum White cut down hooked bait presented with a small stringer of a few freebies put tight into a deep margin!
Regards,
Martin
Martin Noble - Noble's Fishing
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First time on the water and as always the Ghurkka Spice produced
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Pressured Day Ticket
Details: Once again, I got another bit of free time and decided I wanted to go for another night. The water was completely new to me and was an extremely pressured day ticket water where the carp know just about everything and are very clever when it comes to rigs. The water was a bit different to what I’m used to as well as it was half an acre in size and everything is up close and personal and underarm fishing. I did take quite a liking to trying to find little hard spots in-between the debris on the bottom and tightly scattering bait over the top hoping my tactics would work.
It is a very shallow lake and I would estimate the deepest part being 4-5ft but with about 1ft of silt on the bottom which was something I had to work around. My choice of rig was a fairly long combi rig with the hook bait being a Ghurkka Spice boilie tipped with a cork ball to give it a critically balanced effect. The first day had gone and the night drew in. I was confident in the rigs and the spots and was hoping for a bite. At around 12:00 midnight the ATT roared of and I was into my first carp on the new lake - a lovely 15lb 8oz common had got me off the mark ( : after a fair few casts the rig was back on the spot. It was a real hit or miss situation and I wouldn't stop casting until I was happy that I could outwit the pressured carp.
I was up at the crack of dawn looking for any signs of fish over the area and sure enough a few bubbles were trickling up to the surface I also noticed a carp head and shoulder directly over the bait. I was sitting on my hands itching to get up and hit the rod as I thought it was going to go off any minute! Unfortunately the activity stopped but an hour later the bobbin twitched up slowly and my second carp was in the net! A lovely 15lb 12oz mirror. The day slowly dragged on and the light started to fade, I decided to leave the rods out until the very last minute and my gamble paid off I’m sure my next door neighbour who had come to pick me up wasn’t too annoyed about waiting until I had the fish photographed and weighed LOL. I ended up with three nice doubles on a winter overnighter and I left the lake happy with my results and happy with the way I tackled the new water!
Thanks Lee.
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Floodwater Barbel and Chub action on the Rahja Spice
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Shaun Harrison Email: Venue: 2 x Rivers
Details: What incredible weather we have been having. As always I keep a close watch on water temperatures through the winter months and despite catching a few carp on New Years day I couldn’t ignore how warm the rivers were getting and the barbel were calling me.
I managed to get out for a couple of hours on a small river and was rewarded with a couple of nice chub. Really nice fishing wandering around with one rod and lowering apple cored Rahja Spice boilies with a Rahja Spice paste wrap into various likely looking holes. Really rewarding and ‘proper angling’ with me feeling really content after getting out there and finding the fish rather than sitting and waiting for them to find me.
Later in the day after getting a few jobs out of the way the rivers were still calling so I decided to spend a couple of hours trying for the barbel on the River Trent. The Trent is still quite high so I was going to have to anchor my baits in place and build a swim with big cage feeders.
The feeder mix I put together was as follows...
1 part Rahja Spice Maximum Action Pellets
1 part Rahja Spice broken boilies
1 part Naked Hemp
1 part mixed pellet
These were put into a sieve and a full kettle full of boiling water poured over them then immediately transferred to my bait bucket and the lid put on in place. This ‘scalding’ helps to release the flavours quicker and is enough to make the mix sticky/fluffy enough to stay in a cage feeder during the cast without the need for ground bait plugs.
I hadn’t been fishing long when the tip hooped around in a classic 3ft barbel twitch bite and I found myself battling away against my first Trent Barbel of 2013. The Free Spirit Big Water Barbel rod and Okuma reel did their jobs superbly and soon I was looking at a nice fish in the net.
I left for home shortly after again feeling really content with myself for reading the conditions and making the most of the little time I had available.
The following day I was naturally desperate for some more river action but it wasn’t until just before dark that I was able to get back onto the Trent.
I sat through the period that had produced my barbel from the previous day but no signs of fish being home on the rod tips at all. I decided to stay longer and recast one of the rods to explore and fish further upstream than I had been doing. It hadn’t been in for long when the classic drop back of the rod tip signalled a fish had taken a liking to my Rahja Mix. Not a barbel this time but the chub that was attached was still very welcome.
I decided to give it another half an hour and was just thinking about wrapping up when the rod tip on the upstream cast again suddenly flicked straight. I wound down fast and knew straight away that I was into a barbel. The fight it put up was incredible with lots of line being stripped from the reel. Eventually though I won the day and another nice barbel of 10lb 6oz slipped into the waiting landing net.
I wonder if I can get away for an hour or two again to-night whilst this weather is how it is?
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| 10.06 | First barbel of the year | Fun Chubbing |
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| The Rahja Spice feeder mix |
Ghurkka Spice Fluoro worked instantly after all else failed.
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Spencer Powell Email: Venue: Syndicate Pit
Details: Hi Shaun, Happy new year to you and your team. Thanks for a great bait. I joined a small syndicate as my other water is closed due to flooding. I went and did a day before Christmas with no luck and no fish out for a few weeks and none showing. I then went on the Sunday before new year getting there about six in morning putting the rods out straight away fishing about 2/3 the way across in about 4 foot of water and a third rod on the far bank in a foot to 2 foot of water that's where they are in the summer months.
The day passed by with no fish sowing themselves. I was fishing three different pop up on combi links being Chilli Chocolate, Fruity Trifle and Magum White. About 2.30 pm I saw a fish show right on the reeds. I had a rod about a foot away thinking I should of had a bite. I pulled the rod in changed to Ghurkka Spice fluoro trimmed it down cast it out as close to the reeds as possible then waited thinking I could have ruined my chances. But sure enough, fifteen minutes later the rod roared off with great relief and landing a nice common off 15lb 9oz that was the only one caught. Thanks for a good bait.
Spencer and Yvonne
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New Years Day at Drayton
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Ron Key Email: carpfisher@tiscali.co.uk Venue: Drayton Reservoir
Details: With my syndicate waters unfishable because of the floodwater and an extended break from fishing because of Christmas holidays, I was getting serious withdrawal symptoms. When Shaun asked if I fancied a day at Drayton there was no holding me back, a real chance to put a bend in the rods.
Weather conditions were changing with a slight increase in pressure and clear skies, the first for a long time, The south westerly that whipped around from the left of our swim was bitter and the wind chill was harsh, Nor ideal conditions you may think but we were glad to be fishing.
We didn't have to wait long and a couple of fish came quickly to the net. Shaun had presented me with three bags of boilies on our arrival, his new Absolute range of three new baits Spice, Fish and Fruit. I liked the look of the Spice with its blend of cloves and cinnamon and fished that on one rod and my banker winter bait Magnum White on the other. They were both fished with tiny mesh PVA bags of Magnum White Maximum Action Pellet to give an immediate burst of attraction as they hit the water. In these conditions I wanted to attract the carp not feed them. It also allowed me to punch out the baits without too much drag to where the fish were holding
Fish came steadily all day, not monsters but good hard fighting doubles and we had more than enough action to keep us warm and happy. It was a great day out a chance to go fishing at last, entertaining banter and plenty of fish in the landing net. The Absolute Spice more than held its own and I can't wait to try out the rest of the range very soon.
Cheers Ron
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| My first fish of the day on the soon to be released 'Absolute Spice' | Plenty of rod bending action | Shaun slipping the net under another fish |
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| Those Drayton carp were really fighting well. | Not many of those 'Absolute Spice' left in the bag! | Shaun with a pretty fish on the new 'Absolute Fruit' |
Largest in the Lake falls to Ghurkka Spice
Date: Jan 2013 Name: Lee Wheeler Email: Venue: Hawstead Lake
Details: Having a few problems at home and a lot of work on my hands I really did struggle to get out on the bank. With it being the holidays it meant I had some spare time to go fishing. I had planned to go to Hawstead Lake whenever the weather looked half decent. I had been looking at the weather forecast for a few days and on Sunday the 23rd December the weather was due to change from wet and cold to a mild temperature of 12 degrees. I arrived at the lake late morning and was eager to try out my new ATT's and Nbrice carbon pod! My choice of bait was the yellow Ghurkka Spice fluoro pops and bottoms baits with a bit of Magnum White chucked in to keep them guessing. The left hand rod was equipped with a standard 15mm Ghurkka bottom bait with a light scattering of baits over the top, the right hand rod was put out with one of the Ghurkka fluros with a little mesh bag of Magnum white. I went back into the bivvy made a nice cup of tea and relaxed after setting everything up. I was alerted by a single bleep on the left hand rod and decided to sit and watch the line as the bites can be very twitchy at this time of year. The bobbin dropped slightly then pulled up I hit the rod and was into my first carp of the winter. After a heart pounding fight due to the fish kiting left into the snags a rather wide and fat looking carp came to the surface I knew it was one of the good-uns! Luckily it slipped into the net first time and it was time to look at my prize. It was the biggun and the last time it came out was 2 years back at 26lb I was about to pull her up onto the mat when the other rod burst into life! I didn’t have another net so my friend ran and got his whilst I was playing a fish and looking after one at the same time LOL. I landed the fish and it was around 12-14lb but I unhooked it and slipped it back to be able to deal with and put back the bigger one quickly. When I lifted the chunky mirror out of the water it certainly had a bit of weight to it, with an audience watching me zero the sling it was the moment of truth. The needle pulled down and sat on 24lb I was chuffed even though it wasn’t as big as its previous trip to the bank I still had landed the largest fish in the lake, a thing many people have not achieved.
Once again Ghurkka never lets me down that’s why I always use it!
Lee.
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