Rugby 'Braving New Water'

In this blog I am going to keep record of my approach, hopefully the end result finishing in my first capture.

Rugby is one of Kingfishers waters, one of their four lakes based down in Snodland, Kent. It's always struck me as one of the slightly trickier waters on the complex and it's taken me two seasons to warm up to the idea of fishing it. It holds some lovely old carp up to around 32IB, possibly bigger, it's a long water, deep in places and has a load of weed, not to mention the fact that there are two trucks in it and a railway track. 

After the ice melted I decided to do a couple of days just to start to get a feel for the place, obviously the cold weather has slowed everything down but it was a good chance to start mapping the bottom out, finding features and negotiating the weed beds. Needless to say both session resulted in a blank but I feel I am starting to find my feet with the place and the more homework I can get out the way now certainly puts me in good stride for the coming spring. 

Rugby In The Height Of The Summer

Where To Start...? Well the first port of call was up a tree, the low temperatures have made the margins crystal clear and I was amazed at how far I could see down into the water. The first thing that struck me was how uneven the bottom was and the odd shelf I could see seemed to drop away quick into deeper water, there was a fair amount of silk-weed/algae covering a vast percentage of the bottom. There was a very big weed bed quarter of the way out that you could only see from up the tree, behind that was a nice patch of water and then the long set of reeds that stretch the length of the lake.

Birds Eye View

I made up my mind pretty much straight away that I was going to fish on the weed, even though there are a few clear spots there is no guaranteeing you'd hit them on the cast. There is so much natural food living in the weed and I had a gut feeling the carp would feel confident feeding in it. Presentation is a key factor in this situation so I started to think very carefully how I was going to approach it.

First off I took a couple of hours with a marker float and a weed rake just to get a feel for a few areas. I was having trouble finding any real clear spots, it seemed most of the bottom had weed to varying degrees. It was my job to find the spots that weren't as heavy, these would be places I'd be look to get my rig on.

My Weed Rake, A Handy Little Tool 

After removing some weed it didn't smell to bad I didn't think it would be that hard to tackle. I was feature finding from a swim called 'The Royal Box', there's a fair few visible features to go at but I was more interested in the features I couldn't see. I was very surprised to find that the depths went down to 15ft and really close into the opposite margin was around 12ft, this was useful because I knew I could get in real close to the reeds and overhanging trees.

Finding The Drop Off

My Carpy Chris 'Donk Kit' Makes My Marker Work A Treat

To make my feature finding as detailed as possible I have two marker rods, this really helps with finding shelves and drop offs, it can really paint the 'bigger picture' for you. By this point I had a good feel for both ends of the lake but to be honest I was more intrigued with the middle of the water. I was thinking I might stand a better chance of catching working on the basis that the fish will be making their way along the margins to get to the ends of the lake. After having a bit of a feel about I found a spot that really interested me, there was a small hole a little way off the reed line that dropped from 9FT to 10FT, it wasn't very big but I felt that it could be a great spot to work with.

Two Markers Really Paint A Clearer Picture

In regards to rigs I have a couple that I use when dealing with weed or silt, I don't really use the Chod, people were catching fish from tricky waters long before it evolved. I like the idea of the 'Naked Chod' but I favor helicopter rigs a lot more. I use a longer supple hook-link material and will fish a pop up at least 3 to 4 inches, I use PVA to manipulate the way the bait comes to rest on the weed. You can now buy rig kits in most tackle shops but I have always made my own from scratch, this way you start to understand all the components and you can modify accordingly.

Components For My Helicopter Rig 

My favoured lead for this setup is made by Carpy Chris, it's called a 'Riser', it weighs 0.75oz. I use the lightest lead possible so it doesn't embed itself to deep into the weed, the shape casts very well and I believe it's less susceptible to getting snagged up and caked in junk.

I use a short length of Carp Craze tubing which is slid onto the mainline along with a Carp Craze rubber bead which is used as a buffer. The helicopter sleeve slides over the swivel of the lead, for my back bead I use a 6mm Taska 'baseline tungsten' bead, this type of bead actually grips to your line and can slide freely if you get a break off, they're a great bit of kit.

The Finished Helicopter System 

The hook-link is tied to a ring swivel and then slid down the mainline onto the tubing, I have a little 'kicker' pushed over the first part of the hook-link swivel, this naturally kicks the hook-link away from the lead to stop any possible tangles.

Finished Rig With Hook-Link Attached

To stop the back bead from sliding to far up the main-line I tie a bit of PVA cord about a foot behind the rig. On the cast I will mask the hook in a PVA nugget, this will elevate the hook bait upwards on the landing. Once the nugget starts to melt it drops the bait very slowly onto the bottom of the lake bed theoretically presenting it perfectly on the debris.  This method has worked for me in the past and I'm convinced it will bag me a fish out of Rugby.

Hook Bait Presentation 

The picture above demonstrates the presentation, obviously it's only popped up slightly, as I mentioned before, for this fishing situation I pop the bait up to at least four inches. I use a micro swivel to attached the pop up to the hook, this gives the bait a lot of free movement and is super adjustable if you want to mess with the bait position on the shank of the hook.

Moving on to my baiting approach, the first couple of sessions I wanted to introduce a fair amount of bait into my chosen swim. Due to the ice having just melted I wasn't expecting any action, the priority was to start introducing feed. I started to think about colors and I came up with the idea of fishing bright bait, sweetcorn, tuna and Starmers 'carp red' method mix, it create a nice layer of color on the lake bed.

Nice Bright Colors

I also decided to start introducing the bait I was planning to fish with. Starmers Banana Cream and Honey Nectar along with low oil Green Lipped Mussel and Strawberry Mivvi pellets. I just wanted the carp to start rooting around on my chosen spots and because I put so much in, it would still be working the swim even when I wasn't there.

A Nice Mixture Of Bait And Color

The Mini Spomb, Gets The Job Done

For my first 'proper' session I got down to the lake for around midday, it was cold with a light breeze. I got all three rods out on my chosen spots and decided to pile the bait in, even though it was still cold I was working on the basis that a fair amount of the bait would probably get lost in the weed. I fished slack lines without using back-leads and then sat back to wait, keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the water.

Bait Positions 

The lake was very quiet, no signs of any feeding fish, I wasn't getting any liners, the hours were passing slowly. Come 3:30pm I was really getting a gut feeling that something could happen, 3:45pm my left hand rod tore off. There was a few seconds delay before it registered to me, I couldn't believe my bite alarm was actually going off. Convinced it was most probably a coot I lifted into it, there was a fair amount of resistance and I could feel the carp ploughing through the weed. When it got in close it kited towards a sunken tree, my heart was in my hands, luckly I managed to keep the pressure on and guide it my way and eventually into the net.

I stood for at least a minute just looking at the fish, I was surprised and so over the moon because I wasn't expecting such a quick result. It really felt like such a massive achievement, I got all my weighing kit together, eased her into my weighing sling, scales sunk to 20IB 4oz, I was shocked, not only did I catch a fish in what can be considered 'hard conditions' I also managed to bag myself my first twenty of 2013. The fish was so clean, perfect lips and lovely winter colors.

First Rugby Carp 20IB 4oz

Starting a new water can be a very drawn out affair and can also be very daunting. To me preparation is the key, it pays off to really dig deep and find something to use as a starting block. In modern carp fishing the marker rod is becoming more and more obsolete, especially if you read the angling press. I understand when waters are busy it's not fair to be chucking a marker around, but shooting down to your chosen venue for a few hours when it is empty can really pay off. It gives you a greater understanding of what you a dealing with and from this point you can adjust your approach accordingly. I know there is loads more to find down Rugby and ideally I want to get at least five solid spots going. I am off the starting block and I am looking forward to what my future sessions produce.

Night & Day, Pondering On A Mountain Of Thoughts

With the snow now cleared it's left my carp fishing in limbo for the time being until the waters warm up. I have had a few day sessions on a couple of the tougher waters down on my club, the water temperature is still very cold so understanding I was probably up for a few blanks I decided to use my time to find some interesting spots and start to get a better understanding of what is in front on me. Putting the effort in now will set me up when the fish start to wake up from their winter slumber.

I am not a 'cast and hope' kind of angler, I really need to know what I am fishing over, at what depth and how much movement there is on the bottom, I am not satisfied with myself if I turn up to a lake and chuck for luck. It started me off thinking about a few aspects within my fishing, the point that was continually coming to my mind was 'making the use of the time' that you have by the water.

Through the years I have approached my carp angling in a varied fashion. I remember when I use to go away for four days and four nights all the time, practically living on the bank thinking the more time I put in the more I'd get out.

Over the past few years I have phased night fishing out, it was something I use to think was vital but on reflection I feel it actually made me pretty stale. I'd turn up to a water with a fixed idea where I wanted to fish, bait up in abundance whack the rods out and BANG!! I was done. Not a great deal of thinking involved and very much a 'I'll wait for them to come to me' approach. 

It started to occur to me that 'the more time I put in, the more I'll get out' philosophy wasn't entirely true. It became clear that it was actually how I used my time, be it a couple of hours, a day a week etc. When I reviewed and looked back through my old notes about my night sessions it worked out that apart from a few low doubles and one twenty I really hadn't had a great deal of success. 

All my bites came in the early mornings or mid evening, I started to think that this was all obtainable with out the whole camping aspect that night fishing entails. I found I was spending more time thinking about what food I was going to take with me and if I was going to have enough water, clothes, fuel for the stove etc rather than actually thinking about my fishing.

For me to fish at my best I need to feel energised and focused, after a couple of nights on the bank I felt worn out and unproductive. I understand that there are benefits in doing nights, and some waters are known for their nocturnal action but I still feel you can get the same amount out of a day session with the right approach.

I find nowadays I have become much more systematic on the bank and adapt according to the conditions, if I see fish moving in another part of the lake I will move on them. If things are slow I will make the changes, seek out features and keep actively looking at the water for answers, all these things I could never do when I was trying to prop my eyes open two days into a four day session, three days in I had totally switched off.

   
Getting down to the water for sunrise or just after is still an exhilarating feeling and staying a few hours after dark can prove fruitful especially if you've spent time during the day clocking fish activity. I find the night away from the water can give you a fresh perspective on how to move forward and more times than not gives you a real hunger for the next days adventure.

If I am fishing the same swim a couple of days in a row I make sure my bait application is consistent, I feel the benefits of not actually having lines in the water during the night can really work in your favor because it allows the fish to move in without any angling pressure. Many times have I fished the same swim for three days straight and found by the third day you're really getting amongst them and you can get quick results straight after the first cast, your fresh, alert and getting down to business.

Don't get me wrong, I know everyone fishes for different reasons and we all want to get out of it what makes us happy, I am sure at some point in the future I will be back under the stars but for the time being making the most of the day light hours is what is inspiring me the most.

The Stock Pond 'Lead Setups'

Despite the gale force winds and heavy rain I thought I'd head out for the day down to The Stock Pond. The lake is blustery at the best of times because it's located in the medway valley. When I arrived at the water it was like being trapped in a wind tunnel. I decided I was going to approach the lake with two different prongs of attack. The first part of the day I was going to move both baits every 45 minutes to see if I could pick off a fish, if this failed I'd stick to my usual spots from midday onward.

As usual there was no signs of any feeding fish and the waves on the water made it impossible to see any signs of bubbles, it really was just guess work. In regards to rigs, I was fishing the POM setup on one rod and a line clip system on the other. In previous blogs I have mentioned that I dropped the line clip out of my fishing a good few years back. After testing Chris Knowlers POM leads I am starting to warm to the method again. 

I was always dubious about how pinned down everything was when using lead clips. After a bit of work and a fair amount of trial and error I have found a series of rig components that allow me to fish with it confidently. Firstly the clips and tail rubbers I am using are the 'Carp Craze, Green Translucent Range'. I really find these blend in well on the bottom of most lakes I have used them on. Unlike a lot of clips on the market, this specific one has two positions you can slide the tail rubber to, both making it easy for the lead to slip off if the fish gets caught up in weed or any other snag.

Riggy Bits

 

Lead Clip

Position One

Position Two

I favor position one because I feel the lead will release easier, the next element of the system that has always bothered me is the the swivel on the lead, I felt that depending on how the rig landed, the swivel may or may not allow the lead and a proportion of the tubing behind the lead to hug tight to the bottom. I got around this problem very easily, all of Chris Knowlers leads have swivels where the top ring is larger than the bottom one, also it's a thinner gauge so this gives the lead so much more freedom and versatility on the landing. An element of this may sound like nonsense but I feel it's relevant.

Swivel Comparisons

One of the leads that I am using at the moment is a 'Swivel Weed Lead' 2.5oz, the hook link is straight through fluorocarbon, with all these elements combined I feel I have a reliable and well presented rig. After doing rig checks in the margin I am very impressed with how it blends into the bottom, for me this is a major factor. On my other rod I was fishing the new POM lead that Chris Knowler has given me to work with, it's and interesting concept, you place a free running swivel on your hook link and secure it into the hole on the lead.

Free Running Swivel

The POM Lead Is Designed To Take The Running Swivel

Push The Swivel Into The Specially Designed Hole

Once this process is complete you're ready to go, I am still in the middle of testing these leads. The main point that I really like is the hinge effect you get, it casts and lands like an inline, on the take the second swivel can release, if you're fishing in weed or snags the lead can then ditch. I also think that this system could stop the carp from using the lead to ditch the hook.

Back to the fishing.......

Like I said before, I decided to split the day into two approaches, the first approach I would keep both rods roaming, fishing bottom baits with small PVA bags, each bait will be kept in position for around 45 minutes at a time. My thinking behind this was the fact that if the carp were shoaled up somewhere I might be able to find them and pick a few off. I tried to cover most of the lake, the wind was really pounding, I made sure I fished my baits on both the back and front of it.

Casting Positions

I was fishing Starmers White Chocolate on one rod and a combination of Octospice, Bloodworm & Tuna and Bio CP2 Amino on the other, I crumbled the Octospice up and mixed 10 mil CP2 Amino boilies into a funnel web PVA bag, I fished half Octospice and half Bloodworm & Tuna on the hair, dipped the bag in glug and cast it out. I planned to fish the 'roaming' method until 1:00pm and then I was going to fish my usual spots and keep them there until an hour or so after dark.

Octospice, Bloodworm & Tuna Combined

Finished Presentation 

A few hours passed without a single beep, casting was tricky because the wind was gale-force, it was exhilarating being out on the bank in these conditions and I had a gut feeling the effort I was putting in would pay off. I kept very focused on my approach and tried to pick off a fish. The morning came and went without any action, no fish were showing and my roaming approach wasn't proving fruitful.

For the rest of the day I decided I was going to fish my usual spots, re-baiting, putting fresh bags on and then just sitting on my hands, I was starting to feel a little brow beaten but was determined to stick it out. The heavy wind continued all afternoon, I was sure one of my rods was going to produce, even though the weather was ruthless it really wasn't that cold, if it had been a chilling wind I most probably would of thrown the towel in. 

Usual Spots

By this time the light was starting to go, another hour or so passed and it was pitch black, the only light was from my bite alarm LEDS which were firing off with the gusts of wind. The breeze dropped a little later on and things took on an eerie silence, all of a sudden my right hand rod tore into life, I lifted into the fish, luckily I had put my head torch on other wise the dash for the rod would of resulted in me falling in the lake. The fish was powering around and had a fair bit of weight to it. As I got it closer in, a big mirror surfaced out of the darkness filling the shaft of light my head torch was producing, it was a decent fish. I kept the pressure on letting her take line when required, after a fair scrap I slipped a fat looking mirror over my net. I was so pleased I managed to bag one, scales sunk bang on 20IB. I really felt I deserved this fish, it had been a testing day.

Another Stock Pond 20IBer

She had a few old battle scares so I applied some klinic got my photos taken and then slipped her back to fight another day. I was tempted to get the rod back out but the weather was taking a turn for the worst with some rain now starting to set in. The day was one of those sessions where it would of been easy to just stick with one approach and sit it out, I am glad I tried something different and will no doubt take on the water in the same way again. Next time it may bring with it better results. With winter closing in and temperatures dropping things are going to get real tough but I have got to say that I am up for the challenge. There's a lot to learn during the colder months and getting out on the bank is still as important as ever. Carp may not feed as much but they are still catchable.

Burrows 'Autumn Colours'

The leaves are turning and starting to fall, temperatures are dipping and the bank side, only a few months ago was buzzing and full of life. It's amazing how quick things change, the lakes are starting to have a stillness about them and with the nights closing in, the waters edge has become very bleak and remote. 

More days than not carp fishing seems to have turned into a riddle rather than a relaxing pass time. I have a fair few lakes on the agenda in regards to winter campaigns, it goes with out saying that Burrows is still high on the list. I have been paying close attention to my bait application and focusing on location, it's paramount this time of the year.

It has become apparent that feeding times seem to now come in short bursts and to maximise on this it's really important to spend a little extra time trying to pinpoint where abouts the carp are holding up. I've taken a few afternoons out to go down to Burrows solely to watch the water, from past experience I have reason to believe that the carp can hold in specific areas of the lake for a good few days at a time, on both trips I noticed a few fish topping up the far end of the lake, this is a part that I am yet to fish.

On returning to the lake I chose my spots wisely, after a bit of searching about with my smart-cast I found a couple of spots that I felt confident in. There was a fair amount of movement on the bottom of the lake and I felt these areas could hold the odd fish.

Bottom Make Up Of My Swim

The way it shelves down is pretty extreme, I felt I could fish a bait close in, when watching how other anglers approach this swim, they seem to cast to the middle, I had a hunch that the carp could patrol underneath the rod tips due to the changes in depth.

Bait Position Of Left Rod

Bait Position Of Right Hand Rod

I kept baiting up to a minimum, I didn't put any freebies into the swim, I thought PVA bags and single hook baits should do the trick, I made sure my bag mixes had maximum attraction. I ground up a selection of fruity baits and then added some Anchovy Paste, this helps to bind the mix together, creating an interesting smell.

Bag Mixes

Keeping my hook baits in a mixture of different glugs can give you a little edge on tougher days.

Instant Attraction

I am testing out Chris Knowlers new POM leads, they're very interesting, I'll go into specifics in another blog, I decided to rub clay over my lead system and hook link for added camouflage, I think this can really help especially if the carp are wary. 

A Little Bit Of Clay Does The Trick

I got my rods out, slipped some back leads on and sat back to wait, I positioned myself back from the waters edge, if carp were patrolling close in, I didn't want to spook them. Some fish showed themselves a little way out in front of me, that was a great sign, I knew a few were in the area, it was just a case of if they were going to get their heads down. Time passed pretty slowly, there was no wind, the lake was really still and silent, it was the first time I'd seen Burrows like this. It was a good chance to spot any signs of feeding fish, there really wasn't any bubbling going on, apart from a few carp topping, the lake was like a sheet of glass.

Time was ticking by when all of a sudden I got a single bleep on my left hand rod. I walked over and noticed my rod tipped was gently bending round, hardly at all, I decided to lift into it. The rod bowed over tight and line started ripping off the spool. I instantly knew I'd hooked into something pretty big because the lunges were very solid, the water is very clear so I got a glimpse of the fish as it surfaced, it was a big looking mirror.

I kept the pressure on giving it line when needed, I eventually slid her over my net, as I looked down on her I was convinced she was going to go 20IB. I got her into the sling, scales sunk to 21IB exactly, I was ecstatic, it's amazing that a single bleep on the alarm could produce such a fish, I felt she was probably trying to eject the hook bait, hence why she didn't bolt off on the initial pick up. I was thinking that my straight through fluorocarbon rig was probably the reason why the bait was taken, it's very hard to detect.

A Much Appreciated Autumn Carp

Self Take Photos Can Be Tricky

I slipped her back and got my rod on to the same spot, the hours ticked by and the alarms stayed silent. There were a few fish topping through out the afternoon but no more bites came. Before I left for the day I put some bait on the 6ft shelf with the plan to come back and fish it later in the week.

During this session I was starting to think about my baiting approach even more, I have primarily been using fruity baits since the temperatures have fallen. I started to feel like this could be limiting my results. I started to think about it systematically and I have decided that when I am using two rods I am going to fish one on fruity and the other spicy. When fishing three rods I am going to fish, Fruity, Spicy and Fishy, I believe this will give me a far broader insight into what works, where and how. With this in mind I wanted to get back down as soon as possible to see if I could get a quicker result.

Matrix Patriot Pod & NBrice Carbon Buzzers

After having gone through a fair amount of rod pods and buzzer bars through the years I have finally found two setups that are keepers. When looking around for new products I find it frustrating because there aren't always reviews on the web. I decided to review both of my chosen setups in hope that it may help anyone who feels they're in line for a new pod or set of buzzers.

In this blog entry I am reviewing the Matrix Patriot Pod and the Carbon Buzzer Setup from Nbrice. I settled on Matrix for my stainless setup because the quality and reliability of their products is second to none. I have the 'slinky' range which is a slightly thinner gauge and a little lighter than their 'rock solid' series. They're both pretty much bullet proof, I went for The Patriot Pod because of its versatility, not only can it be a free standing unit, you can also separate the elements and fish your rods goal post style or with just single bank sticks. It allows options that will cater for most angling situations.

The Patriot Pod

View 2

All of the sections screw tightly into each other and it goes up in a matter of minutes, the picture above shows the pod without any of the sections extended, the bank sticks can be heightened if required and the pod frame can be extended to make the whole setup longer which really does help for added stability.

Below Shows How The Bars Extend 

All of the screws are very heavy duty, in regards to maintenance, at the end of each session I clean and oil the screws because they're quite prone to getting dirt within the threads, a little oil and DW40 keeps everything in good order.

Central Pod Adjustment

The four screws within the centre of the pod section allow you to adjust the angles of the front and back buzzers so if the ground is uneven you can still get your setup level. It's wise to keep this section lubricated so everything is easy to adjust. After use it folds down allowing it to fit perfectly into the carry bag that comes with it.

Central Pod Section Folds Away

Carry Bag

Matrix Snag Ears

Matrix have a range of snag ears 'pictured above' specifically designed to fit on all their buzz bar ranges. I know that there are a lot of different view points about the use of snag ears. I find them essential because I do fish margins to the left and right of me and my lines are sometimes at very tight angles, in the past I've had a good few rods almost dragged in, the Matrix snag ear range is very subtle and attaches to the buzzers nice and snug. In addition to the snag ears they also have a tidy little adjustable section you can screw your hangers in to, this allows you to change the height according to your fishing situation. There are two types of snag ear, one with the swinger attachment and one without.

Bobbin Adjuster

All in all I feel the Patriot Pod offers everything an angler is looking for, it will set you back a fair few pennies but taking into account its versatility and the fact you'll never have to replace it, it really is a great bit of kit for the premium carp angler.

There are a lot of waters that I fish were it's a two rod limit, also there are days when I don't feel like fishing three. For my two rod setup I have chosen the Nbrice carbon range. I had my eye on the Century carbon series but was drawn to Nbrice because they have a slightly thicker gauge, they're build is absolutely outstanding and they're so light.

Buzzer Setup

The screws are very hard wearing and tighten down nice and tight so you wont get the top section screwed on to the bank stick twisting, for extra stability I use two of their bank stick stabilizers, this makes the setup really solid and will prevent anything from falling or being pulled down.

Nbrice Stabilizers

Even though the back buzzers look narrow, they house two big pit reels without any problems. All Nbrice products can be made to your own specifications, all you have to do is give Neville a ring and he'll sort it out for you. Obviously carbon isn't as hard wearing as stainless steel so it's worth baring this in mind before you make the purchase.

Really Tidy Looking

Like all bank sticks and buzzers, the height is adjustable, you can also get the 'Nbrice' Adjustable' range that allows you to lengthen the width of the bars, this obviously helps a lot if your reels are really close together. This range adjusts very easily in regards to height, in the past with other bank sticks I was having problems with adjustments because the nuts and adjustable sections use to jam and stick.

Adjustments Are Easy

If your thinking about a carbon setup, then I can't recommend Nbrice highly enough, it's small, compact, very light and solid, I am very pleased that I chose this specific range. Below you'll see that the range comes in all sizes, widths and heights, they also do a complete carbon rod pod which by the looks of things is made to the same standard as everything else, I haven't seen a carbon pod on the market that comes close. I'd rather pay top dollar for something that is going to last me a life time rather than replacing things every couple of years. I hope both these little reviews are of some help to you.

The Nbrice Carbon Series From The Kent Angling Show

Assembling The Matrix Patriot Pod

On A Side Note

I don't get commission for selling these products, I wrote these reviews to help people out, I know how hard it is to make decisions when it comes to choosing tackle