Changing Times, Technology & Lack Of Etiquette

'Etiquette' - the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.

When I first came up with the idea of writing the 'Charlton Carper' blog the main aspect was to capture the essence and the reality of carp angling, there is no bullshit or 'slight of hand' in what I write, what you see is what you get. I always promised myself that there wouldn't be any form of negativity within my writing, but the subject I want to talk about is very much a reality, not only in carp angling, but in society as a whole, and it's negative. Before I continue, there's a chance that what I'm going to explain might rub some people up the wrong way, unfortunately that's just the way it is sometimes. I'm going to say it exactly how I see it, which, again, is what this blog is all about, so - where's Etiquette gone?

We live in troubled times and the state of our society is morphing and shifting into shapes that are very different to what they were decades ago. More than ever I sense that we really are living in a 'dog eat dog' world where the majority of people are happy to step on the necks of others to get to where they want to be. To a degree, I know its always been this way, but with the rise of technology and social media, it's amplified to colossal proportions. Social media has given a voice to many that don't have one of any significance in 'the real world', the negative voices always seem to be the ones that reach the furthest, this is where it gets dangerous. Our inner thoughts and feelings, good or bad, that use to be kept behind closed doors can be broadcast to the planet, in a moment of irrational thought, by a simple push of a button.

As humans we get given an incredible tool with 'the worldwide web', that if used correctly, can be such a beautiful thing. We have access to learning and knowledge that, 'a few decades ago', we could only really have dreamt of. But like all things humans are given, we rarely take it to dizzy new heights, we manage to take an incredible gift and drag it right down into the 'pond-life' region. I doubt that when Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the internet he thought that it would ever be used as a weapon in regards to both bullying, revenge porn and spreading ill feeling. In the same breath I doubt that Chad Hurley, when creating YouTube, thought 'happy-slapping' and other forms of hateful actions were going to be broadcast - simply for some 'low-life' to get as many hits as possible on his channel. It interests me to know exactly what it is in our DNA that leads certain people to do such things. 

For me the two examples above are on the same level as those incredibly sad and lonely individuals that start up Facebook groups among their bitter and twisted little mates. Solely to post pictures and belittle those who are just starting to get to grips with carp fishing. They're exactly the same sort of person that hides behind the word "banter" to basically get away with being a total prick. It doesn't take much to become a target, it can be as simple as the bait you use, not having the latest, extortionately priced tackle with matching Vass waders. Not fishing for a 'proper English carp', or simply holding a fish in a way that doesn't suit the experts - that are usually sitting on their computers 'and their high horse', at home having opinions about what everyone else is doing, instead of actually fishing themselves.

These types of actions can be far more damaging than you think, being mental health awareness week I feel it's fitting to touch on this point. Whilst you and your mates are sharing pictures of total strangers, posting them on facebook groups, systematically pulling them apart and having a real good laugh. You actually have no idea about 'said person' or what they could be going through. Lets face it, no one really knows or cares about mental illness because it doesn't effect them. But I assure you that if you or someone in your family suddenly gets effected by it. Your viewpoint would change over night, it doesn't take much to push people over the edge when they're in a fragile state. Next time you see it fit to lay into someone for no real reason, both on and off-line. Maybe you should consider this point. 

We all have to start somewhere and no one has the right to make anyone feel bad about what they're doing. In my mind the same 'lack of etiquette' used by some in the angling community online, carries seamlessly onto the banks. My last three sessions have been plagued with a stupidity that I try very hard to avoid. I won't bore you with the exact details but I will touch on the points a little later on. I grew up fishing in a time when a number of aspects ran parallel with each other. 1. the art of angling, 2. fish care 3. care and consideration for those I share the waters with. All these points are equally important but now-days number 3 is practically non-existent. I attribute this to the points I've made thus far. Times are changing, attitudes are changing and it's making its way onto the water. 

When Did Attitudes Change?

We live in a world of 'false idol worship', many are sucked into the celebrity illusion, they have no real self-belief so they put all their expectation in a 'tin god'. It seems that some want their five minutes of fame so badly, and they're going to try to get it any way they can. Be it X Factor, the voice, posting near naked photos of themselves to their 10.500 pervy followers on Instagram every 3 seconds, or aspiring to be the next carp angling star - 'whatever that means'. There was a time when genuine talent had to fight and rise to the surface, but nowadays, people want to short cut the graft in any way possible, and with this, mediocrity and the 'F**K everyone else' mindset has very much become the normal. Social media communication went from being a useful tool to keep in touch with family and friends, to being a facility to feed the ego with shameless self promotion and bile - don't get me wrong, for many it isn't, but for a certain demographic, it is. Out of all the above I think that the current carp angling scene and the way I see it heading, is the perfect example of all the above. 

I understand that many out there love their fishing, love the adventure, love the peace that comes with it, and quietly go about their business. I respect you for this, that's what it's all about. On the flip side though, I understand we have the arrogant, the elitist and those that will literally bend over, with 'vaseline in hand', for the chance to change their Facebook occupation to 'Consultant' or 'Field-Tester'. Again, if that's what floats your boat then fair play to you. But I personally think, this is where the problem lies, fishing isn't just about fishing anymore.

Gone are the days of just getting out there and soaking it up. It seems to be more of a contest between anglers themselves, it isn't 'you against the fish', it's you against the angler, against the fish'. It's the cliques, those that think they own the water, the snide stroke pullers. The backstabbing infantile mentality that big fish waters seem to breed, and of course, 'last but not least', the 'local hero's' walking around like the cock on the block, 'looking like human billboards, because they're with a tackle firm, or they're getting some free 'cake mix', from some bedroom bait company. All of a sudden they seem to think this gives them license to be 'Billy Big Bollocks'.

It was only last year one of the 'aforementioned' approached me when I was quietly daydreaming away. There I was fishing the shallows up on Braxted Reservoir, I was having a good session when out the blue this guy comes strolling over, who within about 30 seconds of meeting me had to throw in that he was a big player in a major tackle company, and he was only after the big common in back lake. Fair play to him and well done, but it didn't stop there. He then proceeded to give me a review of all the tackle I was using and how he'd be fishing if he was me. Ten or so minutes of him talking down to me about himself, he asked what I did for a living. When I proceeded to tell him what I do, his attitude quickly changed. Before I knew it, he was pretty much my best buddy and I got a certain invite to fish some very exclusive garden ponds for some pet fish. I'd like to add, I didn't except the invite.

This is only one example of many and might not appear relevant, but to me, this backs up the whole 'in it for myself' attitude. The only reason his tune changed was because he actually thought that he could benefit from knowing me. Solely because of the position I've managed to get myself in regarding my work. I don't look upon it as anything special and I certainly don't look upon myself as anything special, so why should he?. It's not quite the 'stepping on your neck' approach that I touched on before, more of a 'I'll climb on your back' and see where it gets me. Now lets take this 'back climbing' and put it in a fishing scenario. If you've got a guy that's clearly on the fish and he's fishing within the boundaries of his swim - what do you do?. 

Personally I'd leave him to it, he's there first and that's the way it is. I'd go and find another spot on the lake, get my baits out and get on with my day. But from what I've experienced of late, that isn't the case for some. What you shouldn't really do in this situation is set up next to him and cast your baits as close to his spots as possible. Equally it isn't really very good 'Etiquette' to then setup opposite him and proceed to cast or spod into, or on the edge of his water. For all you know, he got there at the crack of dawn and after a good few hours waiting patiently, he's finally got some fish on him. The last thing that guy is going to want is someone spooking the hell out of his water. Most of you reading this will understand my point, however if you're a "catch at any cost" type of person and you don't understand my point - maybe you should reread it until you do.

My second example and a very common one is, setting up opposite a carp angler when there's lots of free swims to choose from. I understand you've "paid your money and you can fish where you want", but from a 'consideration' point of view. Why setup directly opposite another angler if you don't have to?. I'm not talking about large waters here, I'm talking about you're standard size club water. We all know that 9 times out of 10, if possible, most carp anglers, 'me included', like to fish to the far margins. However when I grew up I was made aware that there's pretty much an unspoken code that, whenever the situation dictates and I can help it, I won't roll up and pitch camp opposite someone who's clearly fishing for carp. It's different if it's a pleasure angler, you can normally see their float, and if they're on the 'feeder', chances are they're only a short distance out. However I will still go around and ask 'how they're doing, and where they're fishing'. 

Fair play if you've got your heart set on fishing a lake and the only swim available is opposite someone else, then it's only right that the guy opposite, if he's fishing in the water that your swim dictates, should reel in and move his rigs. A nice friendly little chat can usually sort these types of scenarios out, however we know that this isn't always the case. I've witnessed some pretty bad altercations when some people aren't prepared to move anything, even though it's clear that they're fishing out of their swims zone into someone else's. I've never been on the receiving end myself because if I turn up to a rammed lake and only one swim is free, I will simply go elsewhere.

By now some of you may be thinking, "well if you dislike it all that much mate, why do it?". That answer is very simple, why should I stop doing something I love due to a rather large minority that clearly couldn't care less about anyone other than themselves. What I'm going to be doing in future is choosing carefully where, when and how I fish, in the hope that it will limit the chances of stupidity. In regards to my social media use, that will stop, the only thing I'll be sharing is links to future blogs. I've got nothing to prove and being hemmed in between incessant statuses telling me to #get on the going bait, is something I've never really felt comfortable with, in fact it's all rather mind numbing.

I could carry my point on but I feel I've said enough, if I was to touch on every example of selfish behavior, I'd be writing for a year. The aspects I've touched on are just a few of many. If what I'm trying to say hasn't been understood at this point, I fear that it never will be. To conclude, I've met, and continue to meet many good people when I'm out and about both on and off the bank who truly love their fishing. I understand that there are many anglers out there that are caring and considerate who understand completely what is and isn't exceptable behaviour. I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush. Maybe if there was more education then the penny might drop for the blissfully unaware.

Finally, I don't want to be writing a blog like this, maybe if tackle companies and the comics took some time to highlight what is and isn't exceptable. The problem might not be as bad, and overtime could become a thing of the past. But I can't see this happening anytime soon, they're too busy coming up with the next piece of overpriced garbage that we don't really need. Carp angling, like all styles of fishing is a beautiful pass time and all of us that do it are in it together. I feel with a little kind consideration, education and compassion for all those we share the waters with, it could be so much more enjoyable for everyone involved.       

 



        

Blunts Mere 'Creaking Timber'

Waking up from a deep and sweaty sleep, I stumbled from the bedroom to the kitchen, still in a half comatose state, I opened the kitchen blinds. The wind was howling, the sky looked like it was about to fracture and the rain was beating on the glass. I hadn't planned to go fishing today but the weather was 'spot on' and I just couldn't pass the opportunity up. I've always said that I try to get out when I know the fish will be feeding, whatever the weather. Shaking the cobwebs from my head and inhaling breakfast at an alarming rate, the tackle was soon lined up in the hallway and I was ready to go. Having spent so much of my life either in a state of despair, or too hung over to motivate myself. I seem to now have an urge to start my day within minutes of being conscious, be it work or fishing, I don't want to waste a second of my life anymore.

However, I do find that the medication that I'm on, if you're not careful, can drag you right down to the point where staring at a wall can feel like a fulfilling alternative to doing anything productive. It's unfortunately a lesser of two evils, you have to find a way of dealing with it. For me, the prospect of a days fishing seems to obliterate the somewhat lethargic side effects I tend to experience, add catching a few carp into the equation and it really seems to sort me out. Just as I was about to close the front door behind me, I heard a faint voice coming from the bedroom. It was my wife reminding me, "don't forget you're taking Eric today", I'd obviously forgotten about this, my mind was in a fog, obsessing about big long commons. 

Some waters on the Chelmsford ticket don't allow dogs so my plan to fish Braxted 'was out the window', I decided my new destination would be Blunts Mere, I hadn't fished it for a very long time, I knew I wasn't going to break any records, but it's a great venue where you can pretty much guarantee a bite or two. The rain was hammering it down so hard and the wind was literally pushing the rain drops sideways, my gear was soaked by the time I'd even managed to load the van. It's these kind of days I love the most, I knew the fish would be feeding and the water would most probably be deserted. The idea of being battered and bruised by the elements for the day was a surprisingly inspiring prospect. 

The journey up was somewhat treacherous, the van was being blown all over the place, the windscreen wipers didn't move fast enough to clear the water away. I started to think that I'm either 'super dedicated' or just 'plain bloody stupid', either way, I was getting my rods out and that's really all that mattered. I've mentioned in many of my previous blogs how important it is for me to experience angling in its many guises. Some of the most exhilarating feelings I've ever experienced have been when I'm playing a fish in a heavy downpour. Or simply standing by the waters edge as the wind and rain howl through one ear and out the other. The landscape is harsh, you feel strangely isolated, you're alert, understanding that beneath the chaos on the surface, a carp could choose to take your bait at any moment.  

Cants Mere 'The Heavens Opened'

The further away from home that I got the lighter the rain became, it went from tsunami conditions to a sparse drizzle. Arriving at the gate, the wind was calm and the air was fresh, crawling up the gravel path, the stones grated together underneath the tyres of the van. I was met with an empty car park, it felt perfect, I decided I'd go for a wander, the lake felt lonely, dormant as if it had literally paused in time. I chose to target the back bay, this is an area that has loads of features, I sensed a few carp could be ghosting around under the over hanging branches that hung precariously over the margins. I wasted no time in getting the rods out, there was a gap in the rain, this would allow me to get everything sorted before the heavens opened once again.

View From The Swim

The approach was simple, I'd bait up really tight to all the snags and scatter a few baits around both rods in the open water. I was hoping that I could attract any carp that might be sitting snug in the sanctuary of the branches. I was going to 'bait heavy', it always works well for me around this time of the year. Regarding my bait, I'd chosen to use Banana Cream, come both Autumn and Winter I favour the Milk Protein and sweet birdseed blends. I got a good scattering out and within minutes I could see that fish were already scratching about.

On Blunts in the past, I'd experienced some really odd indications, the bobbin would react in a way that gave me the impression that some carp were getting away with it. I know it's classed as a fairly easy water but its residents are fished for an awful lot, I have no doubt that some of them know how to deal with rigs. Today I was going to try a slightly different setup, I was going to stick with bottom baits but they would be fished on a 'Fox Illusion/Silkworm Combi'. The illusion is practically invisible once in the water and it's lovely and rigid, with the Silkworm being so supple, the combination of them both creates a really effective 'hinge'.

Fox Illusion - Silkworm Combi Rig

With both rods rigged and the rain starting to fall, I got the rods out comfortably, fired a few more baits in and quickly ducked under the brolly. The rain fell like never before and the wind went from a breeze to an almighty gust within seconds. A proper chop had developed on the water, this however didn't obscure the very obvious signs of fish feeding on my bait. It all came together very quickly and I was anticipating that a bite was on the cards. Even though I was huddled tight underneath the brolly, gripping like crazy to both storm-poles, I managed to awkwardly position myself, ready to jump on the rods at the slightest indication.

The left rod was the first to go, it ripped off at speed, I gently lent back into it and as the rod arced over I could feel the carp darting around like crazy. It felt good to be into a fish so quick, the wind had blown the rain clouds clear and 'mid-fight' the rain stopped. As the fish came in close it broke the surface layers, I caught a glimpse of a perfect looking common. It was a really spirited fight and by the time I slipped it over my landing net mesh it had given a great account of itself. I unhooked her in the net and cast the same boilie out straight away.

An Early Visitor

Once returned I loaded the swim back up with bait, cast the rod slightly closer to the branches, set the bobbin and got my first coffee of the day on the go. Ominous clouds started to hang over head once more, the sky darkened and the rain came, this time more violent than before. Colours were falling all around me, squadrons of old oak leaves were drifting onto the skin of the water and instantly setting sail like miniature long ships. Others where getting caught in, what I can only describe as thermals, rising and falling gracefully as if they were desperately trying not to crash land into the water. It's on days like these where it's so easy to be inspired, if anything, catching a fish is secondary.

As I sat there with my nice hot mug of coffee cupped within my hands, scanning the water carefully, I could make out patches of bubbles coming up all over my baited area. This is always a familiar sight on Blunts, and the strange things is, on more than one occasion your rods will stay silent. I was hoping the little tweak to my rig might just catch them out. Time went by, the weather was deteriorating, the breeze was now gail force again, the trees were contorting and the 'timber was creaking'. All I could do was hang on to everything around me and wait for the carp to 'play ball'.

Eric Carp Spotting 

Come late afternoon the light started to go very quickly, there was what I can only describe as a "Blair Witch" feel to things. Before I knew it my only vision was that of the head-torch secured on my head. As I stared into it's very weak beam I couldn't see anything, the foreground had totally disappeared. The trees just behind me were now literally swaying from the root up, occasionally something would snap and fall to the ground. It did cross my mind that a bloody great branch could fall crippling both me and my brolly at any moment 

Suddenly, through the chaos, my righthand rod gave out a few bleeps and then it was away, staggering through the darkness I lunged, lifted into the abyss that stood before me and held on for dear life. The fish felt heavy, almost like an anchor that was stopping me from being blown away, it was nuts, I applied the pressure, the wind raced through the rods rings, creating a strange 'dischord whistle', mid-fight my lefthand rod also tore away. It was utter chaos, here I was alone in the darkness, caught in a void, and I had a double take. I managed to tighten up the clutch on the left rod and hoped that the rod left sat on the pod would do the work for me until I could pick it up. 

I battled with the first fish, it was really giving me trouble, I couldn't rush it, a slight panic kicked in. Closer and closer she came but she was having none of it, the net mesh was in the water waiting but it was as if the fish was a mile away. I briefly glanced at my other rod, the tip was pulled right round to the left, pulsating with every tug from the carp on the other end. The first fish was finally starting to tire, it came close in, I lunged forward with the net ... result! 

I lifted into the other rod preying that the carp hadn't found one of the many snags, side strain confirmed this wasn't the case. I applied heavy pressure, the rod arced right round to my left, the carp had managed to bully its way down the narrow channel to the left of me. I held on hard and tried to tease her back my way, it was 'touch & go' for a minute or two but I was making head way. Soon she was back under my rod tip, literally beneath my feet, grabbing the second landing net, I went for "the scoop" and won .... both fish landed, god knows how I'd managed it.

Double Take

Glancing down in both the nets, I was met with golden armour like scales, they were both good looking commons and fairly large by Blunts standards. It was totally pitch black around me, I tried to get, what I thought would be a good few shots before returning them home, I really couldn't see anything, the flash from the camera nearly burnt my retinas out. The sheer craziness of what had just happened was yet to sink in, who said catching fish was relaxing?

Bite Number 1

Bite Number 2

With both fish safely back the mission was simple, get packed up and get the hell out of there before a tree fell on me. I was scrambling around in the dark, packing down my pod, frantically rolling up my cradle and bagging it up. Everything was eventually thrown on the barrow, I legged it back to the van with Eric in tow. Once behind the wheel I started the engine up and turned the headlights on. I sat there for a minute or two, it felt surreal, the wind was whistling around the cabin of the van, the van itself gently rocked with every heavy gust. 

I was surrounded by darkness, I started to think that I could very easily be the only person alive right now, I hadn't seen a soul all day. It had been a crazy session and it reminded me why I love fishing in Autumn so much, and why it's so important for me to get out there and get stuck in whatever the weather might throw at me. The journey home was peaceful and the closer I got to London, the calmer the winds became, I was already planning my next trip, I was sensing a 'big hit', Braxted reservoir was going to be my next port of call.     

Blunts Mere 'Taming Torpedos On Tigerfish' Part 2

"Before I start this blog I'd like to point out that this post is not some hard sell on a supposed "new wonder bait", in my mind there is no such thing. I am simply documenting both my thoughts and the results. Bait is such a strange subject, I would never endorse or write about anything that I didn't truly believe in. I would also like to point out that I don't get paid to plug products, it's all about the angling for me and staying 100% true to myself".

It was about a week before I could get back down to Blunts, once again it was a short afternoon session. My work had been nuts so I had to fit my fishing in whenever possible. Between sessions I'd managed to pop down to see both Ian and Gareth at the Starmer factory, there was a whisper of a potential new bait and as usual I was eager to check it out. Lots of ideas are always being worked on but it's a slow and focused process to get them to the point where they can start to be tested and eventually put on sale. 

Tiger Fish

Trying new bait is something that I love doing, I actually love everything about bait, I find it all very interesting. When trying out something that has no history you have no fixed ideas or expectations, it's your job to get out there and fish well, conclusions and assumptions come later. This is where confidence in your own angling ability comes into play, you don't sit behind your rods wondering, "will this bait catch", you attack it full on and know it's just a matter of time before "it does catch". 

Because I very much believe in, and trust both Ian and Gareth's knowledge on what makes a quality bait, I don't really have to think anymore about it, if they say something's good, then I know it is. This frees my whole mind up to focus solely on the task at hand, which is, putting fish on the bank. I never go over the top with plugging and pushing "said product" by any of the companies that I'm associated with, there's way to much of that happening nowadays, but I do believe you've got to give credit where it's due.

On the day of the session I arrived at the water for about 2:30pm, it was hot and very busy. A vast majority of the swims were taken, I took a slow walk around, chatting with a few anglers along the way. It sounded like the lake was fishing pretty slow, I wanted to try and find a quiet spot, ideally with no anglers either side of me. I chose to fish half way up the narrow channel that leads up to the right end of the water.

Swim Position

This area was free of lines, there was lots of shade and I thought it was going to work as a great ambush point. The plan was to bait heavy and hopefully attract and hold any fish that might be passing through. I've fished this swim in the past and its always been productive. 

One rod was going to be positioned directly in the centre of the channel, the second rod would be positioned just off a sunken bush on the opposite margin. During the session I was going to gradually pre-bait a spot just down to the left of me. The margins are deep and I know that the fish do patrol literally underneath your nose.

View From The Swim

For how hot it was, there were no signs of fish on the surface, I put this down to angling pressure. When you've got bow-tight lines strung across every inch of water, I truly believe it can switch the carp off. Add bank side noise and activity into the equation and I think it can kill a lake outright. This is where your own stealth comes into play, I've mentioned it many times before, but "silence" can be a huge advantage, it's something that I've been mastering for years, which is ironic, considering I play the drums.

On those days where waters are busy, I feel the fish tend to move away from pressured areas, if you've managed to set your traps with little to no disturbance, and you continue your session making an effort to mute your presence. I fully believe this can up your chances of getting a bite, especially when those around you are being loud. 

For example, nothing gives you away more than hammering your bank sticks in, Blunts has a fair few concrete swims so I always take my pod, nine times out of ten I will back lead to keep the lines as low as possible. I will also make sure that I stay as low to the water as I can, turn my alarms right down and be very conscious of every move I'm making. If I'm fishing the margins under my nose, then I'll set my rods up a few feet back from the edge, I also make sure that none of my landing nets are visible over the water. All these little points contribute to mastering your own silence and I personally feel that it's a lost edge in angling nowadays.

Trigga-Link Combi

My rigs were exactly the same as my last session, only this time around I was using my "trigga-link Combi". It was made up of Atomics 'Bare Back' in 15IB and the Nash 'trigga-link' in 15IB. To enhance the spring like quality that the trigga-link provides, I upped the weight of the lead to a 3oz. The hook was a Nash 'Fang X' in a size 6 with a relatively short hair. Both rigs were going to be fished with single boilies, apart from the freebies I was baiting up with, no other forms of attraction were going to be used.   

Once everything was set up and ready to go I flicked both rigs out and then proceeded to apply the bait. I spread it all over both spots, I wasn't too bothered about keeping it tight. Within a few minutes I could see evidence of carp feeding, there were streams of bubbles coming from both of the baited areas. Liners and little knocks were instant, within minutes the right rod was away. As usual I was met with minor chaos, a hard fighting scrap ended in a lovely dark common.

First On The Tigerfish

I was really pleased with the quick result, wasting no time the rod was straight back out again, followed by a couple of handfuls of freebies. The feeding signs ceased from the spot I'd caught the fish from but I could see fizzing coming from the far margin, very close to where I'd cast my bait. It was clear that the 'Tigerfish' was something that the carp wanted to eat, I also had to consider that I'd made the right swim choice as well.

As I sat eagerly waiting for my next carp and observing my own silence, it struck me again how loud the others anglers were. Rods were being cast, there was shouting, spombs and spods flying in all directions. I started to imagine myself as a carp, what would I do if my home was being invaded?, I would find a quiet place to hide away from the commotion. I visualised the water in front of me being a safe haven, and as I sat picturing every carp in the lake crammed into the few meters of water in front of me, my left rod was away.

The fish bolted at crazy speed to the left of me, applying side strain, I teased her back on course and only just managed to keep her from diving into the snags down to my left. I soaked up the fishes movements that communicated to me so very clearly, I let my 'Skorpios" do all the work. The addictive curve and sudden creak of the blank is a sound that never tires. To my surprise, a lovely chocolate coloured mirror surfaced and 'waved its white flag' as the net mesh engulfed her.

A Blunts Mirror 'a rare sight'

I was so happy with this carp, mirrors are few and far between on all the Chelmsford waters, it's a nice surprise when you manage to catch one. Once again, size was unimportant, it was my second quick bite on the "Tigerfish". I repeated the process, the rod went out followed by three modest handfuls of freebies. 

All obvious signs of feeding fish dispersed, I reckon I'd attracted a few whilst they were passing through. I knew it was just a matter of time before "the second squadron" would come and land on my spots. Whilst waiting I focused on my silence once more, breathing calmly, listening to the light breeze that would gently sway the branches overhead, sonically it was very soothing, being by the water can really heighten your awareness, yet again, awareness is another skill that's there to master. 

An hour or so passed before the signs of feeding fish reemerged, the righthand rod in the centre of the channel started to give off a few bleeps, bubbles were cascading to the surface. Bang.. it was away, the fish ran straight towards me, I reeled in like crazy, a monumental fight occurred straight under the rod tip, another little common was soon in the net. It never ceases to amaze me the fight these fish put up.

Tigerfish Victim Three

As I released her back home another angler started setting up to my left, and then proceeded to cast very close to my far margin spot. I didn't feel comfortable leaving my bait there so I decided to reel it in and lower it down onto the third rod spot that I'd been baiting up throughout the session. It was super close in so I positioned myself way back from the waters edge.

A few minutes later someone else turned up to the right of me on the opposite bank, I was starting to feel hemmed in, I reeled my right rod in and broke it down. I decided that I was going to stay until I'd got a bite from the pre-baited area. I didn't see any point staying when lines were now either side of me. Packing my kit away, I left the bare essentials out, my eyes were fixed on my spot, a few bubbles surfaced followed by a savage liner.

Within seconds the rod shot round, I was on it like lightening, giving full side strain to keep it away from the sunken branches, it was totally nuts. The fish tried its best to ditch me in the snag but I managed to hold on and direct her my way. Back and forth, right to left, it was pretty dam exhilarating. When I finally came to net her, I was physically exhausted. 

The Final Torpedo Tamed

I thanked her for the visit and sent her home, I could've carried on the session for a few hours longer but I didn't feel comfortable fishing in such close quarters to other people. As I stated in PART ONE of this blog, Blunts is a water that's great for a bend in the rod, not every session you do has to be an exploration into brain surgery. It's nice to get out there, try new things and have a few fish along the way. I'm looking forward to future sessions on the "Tigerfish".

Blunts Mere 'Taming Torpedos On The Tigerfish' Part 1

This is a two part blog accounting for two short afternoon sessions that I managed up on Blunts mere. The first session I was experimenting with bait application, the second, I was trying out a new bait called "tigerfish". 

There's something about Blunts that always pulls me back, it's one of the more productive waters on the CAA ticket. I've mentioned before in a previous post that "every water has its place", and that's a point that I really stand by. I like to mix my fishing up, all the lakes that I visit are of varying skill levels and difficulties. Be it a water that holds elusive secrets, a large pit, or a small interment pool, it's all relevant in my book and I get a great deal of enjoyment fishing them all. I do however draw a line at heavily fished day tickets and commercial waters, they're just not my kind of places anymore, I love to target good, clean and healthy carp.    

The aspect of Blunts that I love the most is how visual it is, the carp show themselves all the time and fizz up when they've moved in over your bait, there's lots of nooks and crannies for the fish to hide and it's a great venue to try new things. All the fish I've caught have been hard fighting, torpedo shaped and attractive on the eye. Whenever I fish the place I like to scale my tackle down, opting for 2 1/2IB test curve rods and lighter leads, this makes the whole experience of landing fish all the more thrilling. And I have to say that, "you've got to go a long way to find fish that fight as hard as the ones that haunt Blunts."

Having been so focused on Micklem Mere and Braxted Front lake I thought it was about time I had a session where I could pretty much guarantee that the buzzers would be buzzing and the addictive curve of my 'Bruce Ashby Skorpios' would be creaking. I look upon it as a nice rest-bite from some of my other waters, which, at times, can beat you into submission when trying to bank a fish. 

In the current 'carping climate' where apparently "big is best", the humble 'runs waters' are frowned upon by some, but to me, the people that carry this attitude around with them are the ones that are missing out. All these kinds of waters still hold their fair number of surprises. Below is a beauty that I caught on a short evening session a few months back.

A Proper Blunts Mere Common

Whenever I fish Blunts I always stick with boilies, on this session I wanted to incorporate pellets and ground baits, I was intrigued to see if it was going to help or hindered my results. I was going to be fishing fruity boilies over a mix of fishy and spicy flavours. The ground baits and pellets were all darker colours so my idea was to fish a bright bait over the top. I felt the overall combination of different smells and attractors could work in my favour.

Arriving at the water on the day of my session, the sun was out, there was a calm breeze kissing the waters skin and it was lovely and warm, the water looked very much alive. The trees were ripe, all their branches were covered from top to bottom in leaves, there was a thousand shades of green, everything on the bank was reaching for the sun. I sensed that the season was well and truly under way, there was a familiar smell in the air. It's a these times more than any other that I find myself experiencing an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

Two Thousand Shades Of Green

It conjures up so many angling memories, reminding me of all the long summers me and my mates would spend pitched up on the banks of our local club waters, down in East Sussex. Our summer holidays were whittled away under both the sun and the stars dreaming, and chasing the apparent monsters that lurked within the waters, our waters. The magic number back them was "18", that was a monster carp to us, we'd 'wax lyrical' for hours about the possible secrets that were potentially catchable. We'd be out for weeks at a time, the waters became our home, our identity, the outside world was not important. The only thing that mattered was what could potentially reveal itself at any given moment.

They were magical times, back then carp angling was still very much in its infancy, it was pure. There's part of me that would give anything to have those days back, things change and they do progress, but do they actually change for the better? I don't necessarily think they always do. So many times I feel like a complete stranger within the world around me, common ground is something I rarely find. I believe my angling is really my only form of navigation, it's a compass in an existence that leaves me so many times, directionless.


Back To The Session..

Whilst loading my barrow I could see evidence of carp all over the place, fish were jumping and topping, I could see plenty of feeding going on. I opted to fish the main body of the lake, this gave me lots of options, lovely deep margins, some very inviting tree lines and a variety of sunken bushes. I'd caught well from all these features but this time I was going to fish the open water. The plan was to fish sloppy ground bait in exactly the same way that I did when I fished zigs. The main difference being that I was going to add 'Salmon Marine' pellets and obviously be fishing both baits flat on the deck.

I wanted to have a high level of attraction drifting through all the layers, from what I'd seen, fish were on the top and on the bottom. My plan was to draw them in and hopefully draw them down, if I kept the feeding constant then both the pellets and ground bait would come to rest on the bottom. Over the top I was going to throw a few handfuls of my bright, fruity boilies, I opted for Banana Cream, the ground bait was 'Hot Chilli Hemp'. 

Hot Chilli Slop

Taking into account that I didn't have a huge amount of time in front of me, I got down to business straight away. The slop was mixed and the pellets were added, I got my yard sticks out and clipped all my rods up to nine wraps, I then proceeded to apply the bait. Because the carp in Blunts are so clumsy at giving themselves away, I decided that I would only cast my hook baits out when I could see that some fish had moved in and were actively feeding.

View From The Swim

My rigs were standard bottom baits fished on a 'blowback' with semi-fixed inline leads. Like I've mentioned before, nothing has to be complicated, concealment is a higher priority for me, using lots of unnecessary rig components can detract your thinking away from the job at hand, a simple rig in the right location will always put fish on the bank. 

For newcomers coming into the sport, I can't even begin to imagine how confusing it must be, the best advice I can give is to find a small selection of rigs, maybe two or three that will deal with most situations that present themselves, master tying them correctly and gain understanding of when and where to use them. 

A Tidy Presentation

  

After about 10 minutes of introducing my loose feed I already noticed evidence of carp feeding, plumes of bubbles were streaming to the surface all around my spot. I eased off the spodding and put the kettle on to have a coffee. It was very clear that they'd responded to the bait instantly, I took a seat and watched the feeding signs increase, the plan was to finish my drink, give the carp enough time to feed confidently and then place my hook bait literally on their heads with a gentle, 'feathered' cast. 

My coffee was polished off, I could feel the caffeine starting to kick in, I picked my first rod up and made the most 'poetic' cast that I could muster. Feeling the lead down gently, my senses were through the roof, surely a bite was moments away. The back-lead was eased down the line, with the rod now on my pod I slowly started to tighten the bobbin up to the blank. Seconds later the bobbin was dancing, literally from out my fingers, the clutch was humming, a huge silt patch erupted just to the left of my spot and before I'd even registered what was going on, I had the rod in my hand. 

Like every carp I've caught from Blunts, the chaos on the fight didn't disappoint, it raced around and was an absolute joy to play on such light tackle. Very slowly, I was "Taming The Torpedo", and when I eventually slipped the net mesh under the fish, I was met with a little dark common, the size was irrelevant, the process I went through to catch it was my focus.

Torpedo One

Setting her free, no time was wasted, I got the rod straight back out, now I could finally get my second rod sorted, with both rigs in position I put another 5 'spombs' over the top. The signs of feeding increased and it really got me questioning just how much the lead hitting the water actually spooks the fish. I feel that if the carp are really feeding hard and competing, they can become almost oblivious to whats happening around them.

Within minutes liners were occurring on both rods, the bobbins were twitching and I knew the next bite was seconds away. Sure enough, the right rod was the next one to whizz off, lifting into this fish, chaos manifested in seconds. It kited left to right, backwards and forwards and seemed to find 'goliath' type strength underneath the rod tip. Eventually tiring, I slipped another dark common over the net, it had a crazy 'paddle' on it, a proper little character. 

Torpedo Two

At this point I decided not to apply anymore bait, I didn't have a great deal of time left, today really was a short session but with the two fish I'd had, it made the journey more than worth it. I could see that there were carp still feeding, I was continuing to get little knocks and indications. Time went by and no bite materialised, an hour or so passed and still no bite, the fish were still there because I could see them kicking the bottom up. 

"Maybe they were getting preoccupied on the small particles and rejecting the boilies". This is a theory that I've had in the back of my mind for a long time, hence why I wanted to experiment with a slightly different baiting pattern today. I started to think that once the pellets and ground bait had been polished off, they might then pick the boilies up. I waited patiently, all the fizzing ceased, now there was just the odd bubble every now and again.  

Everything appeared to fall silent, it was very strange, two quick carp and then nothing. It was in the closing minutes just as I was about to reel in, when out of the blue, the right rod was away. This felt like a slightly better fish, it was powering all over the place and once under the rod tip, it used the deep margins to its full advantage. Finally when she was ready for netting, I slipped another dark common in to my possession.

Blunts Dark Bronze

Even though it was a short session, it was also very interesting, when I've just stuck with boilies the bites seem to build up. As we know, in carp fishing there are so many variables, maybe my combination of baits was a little too confused? Maybe the carp actually do get preoccupied with the particles and ignore the boilies? Was my hook bait acting differently to the free offers? 

This session posed more questions than answers, but it does demonstrate the importance of experimenting, anything that shifts and changes your perspective can only be a positive thing. If you leave a session with no questions then that means you think you've got all the answers, in most cases this just isn't the case. Either way, I was rewarded with three beautiful carp, and that's what it's all about. On my next session I'm going to simplify things and stick to a boilie only approach, then I can compare the two sessions results.   

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2