Yesterday evening Graham, myself and my 3 year old, Emma, decided to make the most of the hot weather and went to Rayne Lodge bottom lake. It was packed when we got there but as usually happens in hot weather, people go just as it's cooling down and the fish start going on the feed!
I set up the little whip for Emma and we caught a few skimmers, then as it got towards dusk I copied Graham and started fishing for carp on the top.
I think I must have caught about 15 in the end, nothing bigger than 6lb. Graham had some better ones up to about 10lb and a nice ghostie too.
Noticed that the fish in here generally have really bad mouth damage, what the hell do people do to them? Graham and I didn't cause any damage at all during playing and unhooking. We were using size 10 hooks and soft action carp rods (1.75lb test curve) so maybe it is due to them being bullied in using small hooks on the pole during matches.
Monday 25 April 2011
Sunday 17 April 2011
Work party and preview session!
Well the work party was quite a pleasant morning. We basically did a bit of tidying of swims. By 11 we were finished and were allowed to fish which they allow if you attend close-season work parties. Graham and I went off for some food and bait and returned, starting off at the swamp end trying to catch some off the top and failing miserably!
The wind was blowing up towards the point so we headed off up there. Lots of fish on the surface taking the odd floater but not showing much interest. Graham tried tiger nuts over the gravel hump and luncheon meat on the edge of the point. I tried the overhanging bushes in the lefthand bay with tigers and a chod rigged winter special. By about 4pm we'd had nothing so I tried the chod across the bay in a small gap in the snags, baiting with my new boilies. Soon I was getting knocks etc and about 4.30 it screamed off and after a good scrap I landed a 10lb12oz common which was long, dark and in perfect condition, a lovely fish. Casting back out to the same spot it wasn't long before I had a drop back and caught a bonus fish: a lovely tench of 3lb. Had to leave at 5pm, though Graham fished on and did eventually hook one but sadly it cut him off on the gravel.
Just two weeks until it opens proper but it will be much busier!
The wind was blowing up towards the point so we headed off up there. Lots of fish on the surface taking the odd floater but not showing much interest. Graham tried tiger nuts over the gravel hump and luncheon meat on the edge of the point. I tried the overhanging bushes in the lefthand bay with tigers and a chod rigged winter special. By about 4pm we'd had nothing so I tried the chod across the bay in a small gap in the snags, baiting with my new boilies. Soon I was getting knocks etc and about 4.30 it screamed off and after a good scrap I landed a 10lb12oz common which was long, dark and in perfect condition, a lovely fish. Casting back out to the same spot it wasn't long before I had a drop back and caught a bonus fish: a lovely tench of 3lb. Had to leave at 5pm, though Graham fished on and did eventually hook one but sadly it cut him off on the gravel.
Just two weeks until it opens proper but it will be much busier!
Wednesday 13 April 2011
The swims
Most of the swims are worth fishing at some time or another but some are obviously more productive than others. Starting at the shallow end and going clockwise:
Swamp swims
The shallow, silty and weedy end is a known fish holding and feeding area, however bankside activity pushes the fish into the snags opposite where they will often feed anyway. A heavily fished area but chocked with weed by summertime.
Bar end swim
The end of the bar itself is not a good area but the bush on the left is a hotspot.
High bank swims
Not seen many fish out from these swims and as they are 'social' swims I haven't fished them yet. They have deep margins but the fish are spooked by people walking on the path above.
Alex/longchuck swim
This is little fished but the margins are deep and a good spot. Alex caught six in a day from here with the lefthand bush being the best area. Also the righthand side is worth a long cast to the small island as long as nobody is fishing there.
Birdcage
Impossible to overhead cast but the proximity to the Alex swim and the lack of pressure could make this worth a try.
End swim
Huge swim which will accomodate about 3 people!
Cave swim
Almost unfished but an excellent swim, the only problem is the difficulty landing a fish here due to lack of space and the fact that playing a fish out will write off the swim for a while.
Compass (point)
The most heavily fished swim, can be very good when they are feeding in the silt. Righthand bush good for takes but fish often run into the cave area after hooking. Good swim for intercepting fish cruising across the shallow gravelly area to the right.
Corner swim
The corner is a good fish holding area, very weedy but the clear areas produce, especially near the base of the gravel hump.
Island swim and surrounding swims
Another very heavily fished area though often produces. The island and its surrounding pads often hold fish.
Small bay
The mouth of the small bay produces but only if there is nobody walking about. Fish move into the little bay but you cannot fish it. If the water level falls in summer this area becomes too shallow for the fish to swim in.
Lazy beach
Often fished but seen very few carp come out here.
Little spit swim
The area in front is gravelly and very shallow but between the swim and the gravel hump is a slighlty deeper channel which the carp use to swim in and out of the shallow end snags, need to be stealthy though!
Swamp swims
The shallow, silty and weedy end is a known fish holding and feeding area, however bankside activity pushes the fish into the snags opposite where they will often feed anyway. A heavily fished area but chocked with weed by summertime.
Bar end swim
The end of the bar itself is not a good area but the bush on the left is a hotspot.
High bank swims
Not seen many fish out from these swims and as they are 'social' swims I haven't fished them yet. They have deep margins but the fish are spooked by people walking on the path above.
Alex/longchuck swim
This is little fished but the margins are deep and a good spot. Alex caught six in a day from here with the lefthand bush being the best area. Also the righthand side is worth a long cast to the small island as long as nobody is fishing there.
Birdcage
Impossible to overhead cast but the proximity to the Alex swim and the lack of pressure could make this worth a try.
End swim
Huge swim which will accomodate about 3 people!
Cave swim
Almost unfished but an excellent swim, the only problem is the difficulty landing a fish here due to lack of space and the fact that playing a fish out will write off the swim for a while.
Compass (point)
The most heavily fished swim, can be very good when they are feeding in the silt. Righthand bush good for takes but fish often run into the cave area after hooking. Good swim for intercepting fish cruising across the shallow gravelly area to the right.
Corner swim
The corner is a good fish holding area, very weedy but the clear areas produce, especially near the base of the gravel hump.
Island swim and surrounding swims
Another very heavily fished area though often produces. The island and its surrounding pads often hold fish.
Small bay
The mouth of the small bay produces but only if there is nobody walking about. Fish move into the little bay but you cannot fish it. If the water level falls in summer this area becomes too shallow for the fish to swim in.
Lazy beach
Often fished but seen very few carp come out here.
Little spit swim
The area in front is gravelly and very shallow but between the swim and the gravel hump is a slighlty deeper channel which the carp use to swim in and out of the shallow end snags, need to be stealthy though!
Our history of fishing at Straits mill
We first started fishing here in 2008. Myself, my two brothers Alex and Graham and my long term fishing mate Dave. All of us had some success with many doubles caught and everyone except myself catching a twenty. Infact the lake gave them each their first twenty. In 2009 Alex moved to Southend and fished the lake only a couple of times. Graham, Dave and myself fished on, however during the winter of 2010 the lake was heavily 'pruned' by chainsaw wielding contractors (who sell the wood they remove...) and we left the club and joined CAPS.
After a year that club increased its fees to a point where I could not justify joining.
I have now decided to bite the bullet and rejoin BDAC. Graham is still a member of CAPS but is also rejoining, Alex lives too far away and Dave is currently undecided due to family commitments.
There was a great outcry over the tree surgery and it appears the club has scaled back the pruning, however only time will tell...
I will be mainly fishing weekday evenings due to weekends being too busy for me, this suits me fine as the lake tends to fish better on quiet evenings. Hot summer days with lots of other lines in the water are very poor!
In terms of tactics I am going to concentrate on the old favourite swims of ours and try to get the fish onto my new boiled baits with tiger nuts, meat and possibly a different particle as back up baits.
After a year that club increased its fees to a point where I could not justify joining.
I have now decided to bite the bullet and rejoin BDAC. Graham is still a member of CAPS but is also rejoining, Alex lives too far away and Dave is currently undecided due to family commitments.
There was a great outcry over the tree surgery and it appears the club has scaled back the pruning, however only time will tell...
I will be mainly fishing weekday evenings due to weekends being too busy for me, this suits me fine as the lake tends to fish better on quiet evenings. Hot summer days with lots of other lines in the water are very poor!
In terms of tactics I am going to concentrate on the old favourite swims of ours and try to get the fish onto my new boiled baits with tiger nuts, meat and possibly a different particle as back up baits.
Carp fishing at Straits mill
Straits mill big lake is about 5 acres in size and is a mature gravel pit. It is a long narrow lake, shaped a bit like a bottle. There are many features, mostly snags, weedbeds and overhanging vegetation. There are a few gravel bars though the main expanse of the lake is quite silty.
The main attraction from a carp angling viewpoint is that the fish are a good average size, mainly doubles with a handful of twenties. Most of the larger carp are now quite old and the club has introduced some smaller fish that will hopefully grow on. The lake is very picturesque and home to a great deal of wildlife including badgers, kingfishers and snakes.
The lake has been subject to some unsympathetic (in mine and others opinions) tree surgery, mainly by contactors, however it is still a pleasant place to fish.
The lack of really big carp, the restriction on fishing hours (6am to 10pm) and the fact that there are much easier lakes on the club ticket help to keep numbers of anglers down.
The carp often seem to be obliging and easy to catch but at times are reluctant to pick up baits, especially when there are many lines in the water. The deeper margins of the lake can be very productive when banks are quiet.
Boilies are used a lot here but are often outfished by particles, particulary tiger nuts. Meat also produces well.
In terms of rigs and methods the main concern is finding the fish and then staying quiet and out of sight, the rest falls into place using basic rigs.
The main attraction from a carp angling viewpoint is that the fish are a good average size, mainly doubles with a handful of twenties. Most of the larger carp are now quite old and the club has introduced some smaller fish that will hopefully grow on. The lake is very picturesque and home to a great deal of wildlife including badgers, kingfishers and snakes.
The lake has been subject to some unsympathetic (in mine and others opinions) tree surgery, mainly by contactors, however it is still a pleasant place to fish.
The lack of really big carp, the restriction on fishing hours (6am to 10pm) and the fact that there are much easier lakes on the club ticket help to keep numbers of anglers down.
The carp often seem to be obliging and easy to catch but at times are reluctant to pick up baits, especially when there are many lines in the water. The deeper margins of the lake can be very productive when banks are quiet.
Boilies are used a lot here but are often outfished by particles, particulary tiger nuts. Meat also produces well.
In terms of rigs and methods the main concern is finding the fish and then staying quiet and out of sight, the rest falls into place using basic rigs.
On Straits Mill carp...
The fish are mainly doubles and are usually dark in colour. The commons outnumber the mirrors and there are some old fish in here. There are some nice twenties, the most well known include a plump fully-scaled mirror, a mid twenty common that sometimes hits upper twenties, a fat low twenty mirror that gets caught quite a lot, a lovely mid-twenty mirror and the brothers mirror which is a low twenty. There are a few upper double commons that scrape twenty occasonally. It is thought that most of the fish are slowing in growth and there are few chances of anything big coming out anytime soon. A couple of years ago some 250 small carp were introduced and these have been caught but are still single figure fish. Earlier this spring another couple of hundred little carp were put in. There are also the usual other coarse fish, in fact this was once a noted water for tench and pike though the average pike size is quite small now and tench are rarely caught, though the small lake is good for tench.
Tuesday 12 April 2011
Return to Straits Mill
Due to financial reasons (CAPS putting their prices up) I am returning to BDAC! Also little Bruv will as well. Work party on saturday, chance to scope it out...
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