Braxted Front Lake 'These Leaves Are Boats'

Time on the bank has been very limited of late, angling has taken an unwanted back seat whilst I knuckle down and get on with my work. Being self-employed I've got to take it when it comes, even though I am always fully immersed in the job, angling still has a relevant living space inside my mind. I'm never far from it and it's amazing how many ideas can come to mind when you're not actively on the bank. I picture the waters I fish, think about interesting little spots that seem so photographic in my memories, when I visualise my bait I can smell it as if it's in my hands. To an outsider all these 'symptoms' might seem rather worrying but to me it's all part of being an angler, it's in the blood, I never fight it, I simply allow it to visit me anytime and any place.

As I sit typing these words I am looking out the window at a very different world, there's heavy frost on the cars, the sun is bright and low in the sky. I open my bedroom window to let some fresh air in, the bitterness cuts like a knife, but the prospect of being on the bank is a strong as ever. With all this in mind I want to take you back with me to about a week ago when I ventured up on to Braxted front lake for one last session. I say 'last' session because I'm wanting to start a stint on one of my favourite KAPS waters called Burrows. Now with the shorter days, driving an hour and a half each way to fish wasn't giving me what I felt was a sensible amount of time on the water, plus Burrows fishes very well this time of the year, the big girls seem to want to visit the bank. Burrows is like going home - more on that in my next set of blogs.

On the day of my session I got up and loaded the car whilst it was still dark, desperate to get through the Blackwall Tunnel before the traffic got crazy, I floored it all the way up to Braxted and arrived at the water for about 8am. The lake was empty, solemn looking, the water was like a mirror, the scars of Autumn were marking the waters surface, littered with coiled dead leaves, the gentle breeze was pushing them back and forth like miniature boats, each setting sail, uncertain of their destination, 'I know how they feel'. Winter was on its way and all the signs around me confirmed this, surprisingly enough the bushes surrounding my swim were still flourishing, it gave a strange contrast to what seemed like a washed out world. In true winter carping fashion, I sparked up the kettle and put a coffee on, whilst doing so I kept my eyes firmly on the water. Nothing was giving itself away, no bubbles, no fish activity, apart from the gulls flying above my head it was as if the place was in a deep sleep.

Mutiny On Silence

Seeing as I've done a fair few sessions on the water this season, I had a couple of areas that I'd previously mapped out so I was pretty clued up on the typography of the spots I was thinking of fishing. Running along the opposite margin are three gradual drop offs, I planned to put one bait in the shallow water and the other in the deep section. As usual I was going to be fishing singles and my bait of choice for this was Raspberry Ripple, in my experience this is such an instant bait and out of the many flavours I have in my armoury, this was the one that I knew might just wake a passing docile carp. 

Because front lake is so clean on the bottom I focus very hard on concealment, I want to use end tackle components that have the same shades and tones as the lake bed. Despite what some people think, I feel this can help to produce a bite when things get slow. I've said it before but I don't think the carp are necessarily spooked by visual things as much as they are by their sensory perception. If an area they move into doesn't feel right then I think they're more inclined to bolt. We've all been in that social situation where we feel threatened, not necessarily by things we are seeing more by an atmosphere, the best comparison I can make is being in the town centre on a Friday night when all the bars and clubs empty, you just feel something could kick off at any second.

I focus on my rigs immensely, I take great pride in each one that I tie up, I never over complicate anything but it's important that they're put together tidily and do the job that they are designed to do. I make sure that I'm happy with every single one before I even think of rigging it up. You can have all the gear in the world but if your rigs and most importantly your knots aren't up to speed, your efforts will be somewhat floored. I tend to steer away from generic leads, the tubing has to be translucent and the braid, 'whatever one I might choose' needs to sit well in both colour and tone, depending on what I'm fishing over. I believe all these little attentions to detail make up the bigger angling picture. Does it catch you more fish? - well, that's always open for debate.

Leads That Cater For Any Situation

Regarding my lead system and rig, I was planning on trying something that I'd been experimenting with for a while now. It came to mind when I started to focus on fishing singles. The basic idea was to try to create as much attraction as possible without actually using any bait. I started to focus on how I could up the chances of attracting a passing carp to my spot.

I was going to be fishing a bottom bait on a lead clip setup, this is a lead system that I rarely use but for this specific approach to work I had too. My lead of choice was Chris Knowlers 'POM' in 2 1/2oz. The 'POM' contains a grommet for a secondary swivel to be inserted into. I was going to remove the grommet and replace it with a cigarette filter. The filter has been glugged in flavouring, so in theory it's turned the 'POM' into an attractor lead. A few attractor lead ideas have come and gone through the years, I've always liked the idea but was never really sold on those that were available.

Carpy Chris POM

Remove The Grommet

Replace With A Cigarette Filter

Normal roll up filters fit nice and snug in the hole where the grommet is housed and they don't come out on the cast. The filters had been soaked in Raspberry Ripple glug and were dripping with attraction. When using this approach you really are catering to the carps senses, their ability to locate the smallest of items is something quite incredible and when fishing with minimal bait, I always keep this thought at the front of my mind, 'they will find it'. As we know, carping is all about confidence, if you feel confident in your approach then you're more inclined to sit on your hands and welcome patience.

View From The Swim 'Breaking Of The Dawn'

After a few measured casts I'd found my spots, the right rod had a short drop, the left rod had a slightly longer one. I had both drop offs covered. Back leads were placed, bobbins were on and it was now time to sit back, fire the kettle up and hope that what I was doing was enough to get a bite. A couple of hours passed, the feeling of dawn never really left and I was still lucky enough to have the place to myself, this alone was going to work to my advantage, the less disturbance coming from the bank the better. Like most lakes, it tends to switch off when there's a lot of lines in the water. 

One of the most ignored weapons in fishing is "the quiet", it's something that needs to be mastered, the carp aren't stupid and they know what an angler sounds like, I feel any slight detection of our presence can put them on high alert, I believe this makes them feed with a lot more caution. I've mentioned it before but 'as anglers' it's our job to literally morph into the environment around us, to become part of it, we must respect the fact that we're merely temporary visitors amongst those that inhabit the waters and the banks that surround us.

Tuned For Sensitivity

Three coffees in and a few more hours spent watching the water, I decided to have a recast of the left hand rod. I wanted to place it in slightly deeper water and a little further down to my left. I'm not exactly sure why I felt I needed to do this but I just went with it, each hunch you welcome sharpens your intuition just that little bit more. A poetically feathered cast landed perfectly, once again, the back lead was slid into position and the bobbin was resting once more. Just as I sat down, the rod was away, the cast must have landed very close to a feeding fish, it ripped off at crazy speed, I lunged to grab it, the blank bent right round and instantly I knew I was in to something special. The weight and the power was immense and was really enhanced due to the fact I was using my 2 1/2 IB test curve "Skorpios". 

My heart was pounding and my legs were shaking, I had to land this fish, if the world was to end in the next minute, I had to seal the deal. I cushioned the chaos and held on for dear life, choosing my time wisely, I increased the pressure and did my best to maintain some sort of control. It was heavy and steadily getting heavier, I'd love to say that I was enjoying it but I wasn't, I was so focused on netting whatever it was that had bolted with my bait and I really didn't want anything to occur that could jeopardise it. After what felt like a decade I started to gain some ground, the sheer terror I was feeling subsided and as the fish came closer I could see its ghost was starting to give up. As it surfaced, I caught a glimpse of a perfect looking common and it was big. I teased her towards the mesh, she went on her side and slid perfectly into the waiting net ..... HELL YES !!

Before unhooking her I let her rest, I had to sit down, relief washed over me and I could finally start breathing again. I didn't think the fish was going to go thirty but I suspected that it was going to be pretty dam close, scales were zeroed to the sling, I slipped her inside, scales tipped to 27IB 5oz, I was stunned. What an incredible carp, there wasn't a mark on her, I was slightly gob smacked, she was fin perfect, scale perfect and the mouth was so clean. That's the beauty of using lighter tackle, the pressure on the hook hold is so much more forgiving, it really does reduce the chances of tearing the mouth. It's really important to me that all the fish I catch go back in perfect condition, heaving and pulling during the fight causes stress to an already stressful situation. It's our responsibility to take great care, and respect any fish we catch. I repeat this point a lot but there are 'no rewards' for winching a fish in. When they gently go on to their side, that's their way of telling you that the shows over.

27IB 5oz Braxted Front Lake Common

After a few photos I got her safely back home, as I watched her slide away I experienced a strange 'spiritual release'. What other pass time can make you feel so many emotions all at once, the joy, excitement, fear, delirium .. the list goes on. My angling makes me feel alive and I will be casting lines until I evaporate off this planet, without a shadow of a doubt. My journey simply has no ending, with the pursuit of carp comes a limitless set of experiences.

I still had a few hours of daylight and I'd decided that I was going to stay until after dark, I got the rod back out. I put a new glugged filter into the lead, threaded another sly single on to the hair and cast over to the same spot. I thought I stood a good chance of another bite, there still might be a few fish milling about. Kettle was back on, as the tea slowly brewed the sun slowly faded over the trees in the distance. The temperature started to drop and soon I was surrounded by the dark, I could hear the A12 motorway in the distance, the world was racing whilst I perched still and silent behind my rods. It was such a strange isolation, my mind was replaying the battle that the big common had given me. It was such an honor to catch her and I felt so fortunate that she picked me to pay a visit.

The Fading Of The Day

There wasn't a great deal to look at in the now pitch black, the clouds obscured the stars. I sat tight waiting, 45 minutes after dark the same rod gave a couple of lonesome bleeps, I was now teetering on the edge of my chair. A minute or so later it was away, I flicked my head-torch on and grabbed the rod, this fish had a different feel about it, it was darting and tugging relentlessly, the fight was spirited and I eventually landed what looked like another perfect looking common. Hopelessly sliding around in the dark, I eventually got her in the sling. Scales fell to 16IB, it was a lovely fish and the perfect way to close an exhilarating and unexpected session. 

16IB Common, After Dark

After slipping her back I started the rather frustrating task of trying to pack my kit down in the dark. Finally getting to the car park I'd made the decision that this would be my last trip to Braxted for the season, Chelmsford have a closed season from mid March, which I fully support, all waters and the fish that dwell within them need a break from angling pressure. I have enjoyed every session that I've done on both the front lake and the reservoir, at some point in the future I will venture on to the back lake but I'm in no rush to make that move just yet. I still feel that front lake has a few more surprises for me. 

I had a feeling that the next season was going to be a good one and I will look forward to when I can step back on to the Braxted banks once more. I love everything about the place, the location, the surroundings and of course the fishing. As I mentioned at the start of this blog, my next set of entries will be a mini series down on the Burrows in Snodland, Kent, I did a good number of sessions shortly before the cold spell really set in and had some great results. For me Burrows is a very special water, for more than one reason, which I will soon explain. I will look forward to sharing my early winter sessions on the venue with you. I would like to close this entry with a poem, 'These Leaves Are Boats'.

Braxted Reservoir 'Enchanted, Looking Upwards'

So my Braxted stint continues, I haven't felt like fishing anywhere else for a while now. I'm still very much focused on the front lake, it conjures up such a strange anticipation, I really feel like I've sussed it out and I now understand that with the beauty of patience, the rewards do come. This blog however, is an account of a session I did up on the reservoir, I still felt there were a few more fish to be had, I had visions of big commons swimming around in my mind and I needed to tame them, I was obsessing.

The weather had changed drastically since my last visit, the sun was now obscured by overcast skies, it had been like this for quite sometime, the wind was violent with a noticeable chill and this was all added too by the clocks changing, this made the days feel somewhat tiresome. Come 4:15pm I am now witness to the most incredible sunsets and under the cover of darkness I'd spend an hour or two perched silently behind my rods, usually staring up at the sky, it's one hell of a view, being out of the city you can actually see every star, living in London you can forget the amazing sight that's there for you, simply by looking upwards. 

Even though summer hasn't long gone it's amazing how fast it becomes a distant memory. I find it hard to visualise the life that once inhabited the banks, now surrounded by shadows of former selves, it was pretty dam clear that 'the dead season' was well and truly upon us and I had a feeling it wasn't going anywhere fast.

Taking all the above into account I knew I now had to start thinking about approaching my fishing in a different way. Firstly my bait application had to be reviewed, I was going to cut back considerably, location was now the key, small packages of food, singles, washed out hook baits, staying mobile, my mind always spins when deciding exactly how I'm going to move forward from late Autumn through to winter. You have to change your mindset completely to change your results. 

It's easy to think that the carp are now "preparing for the big winter munch", it feels natural to carry on loading your spots up with loose feed, I personally don't think it's that black & white. There are so many elements to take into consideration, sometimes water temperatures alter slowly and the weather stays milder for longer, it goes without saying that perseverance during these times can really pay off. But other times when the temperature drops drastically over a few days, it can kill the waters outright. 

I experienced this not so long ago when the first frost suddenly appeared, a lot of my waters switched off over night, I did six sessions straight on six different waters, collectively I'd driven over 500 miles, I was rewarded with one bite for my efforts. That alone goes to show how fickle carp angling can be, but instead of waving a white flag in surrender, we have to stay defiant and try to charm this "carpy riddle", welcome its fickle nature and soldier on regardless. "Each Blank Brings You Closer To A Bite".

Sunset Beyond The Reservoir

I wanted to steer away from 'obvious' winter tactics, for instance, due to the sudden popularity of fluro coloured baits and how they're pushed in the angling press as a great winter tactic, especially when fished as singles. I naturally became very wary of them, to be honest, I've never actually incorporated this into my own fishing anyway. But you can pretty much guarantee that any method that's been publicised in a major way gets done to death on most waters. 

I decided to take this idea and turn it on its head, I was going to fish dark and dull coloured pop ups over a very light scattering of free offerings, a handful at most. I wanted something unassuming, not blatant, I wanted no visual attractor, the plan was to make the boilie do all the work, obviously having put it in the right place to begin with. 

Duller Colours, Brighter Possibilities 

On the morning of the session, I arrived at about 11:00am, it was one of those days where the sun was nowhere in sight, it felt like I was walking in to a scene straight out of "Wuthering Heights", it was dark, looming, bleak and being the only angler around I literally felt like the only person alive. Perfect!!

There wasn't a hope in hell of seeing any kind of fish activity so I headed straight for the centre of the lake. The margins are fairly deep in this specific area so I decided that I was going to fish only a short distance from my rod tips, it was a simple approach, there was no need to complicate things. As usual, being as quiet as possible and staying off the skyline was going to be the key to make this work in my favour.

View From The Swim 'Simplicity'

My chosen bait was the Bio Cp2 Amino, it consists of a blended summer fruit extract, combined with a green lip mussel base mix. They have a very unique smell and are still accounting for plenty of carp from all over Europe, its been a decade since their inception and they're still going strong. Every time I use the Bio CP2, I "cast with confidence". 

I decided to go with a straightforward pop up presentation, scattering a few freebies moderately between my spots. If fish were passing and they were up for a feed I knew that this was enough to get them interested. Due to the make up of the lake bed, pop ups can be a deadly method. On the cast I feel for a 'soft drop', there's plenty of hard areas but I want to target the silty clay pockets, I feel when fishing a pop up, you can't really have a better presentation for this kind of bottom.

Feeling for the drop is such an important element to master, it's a crucial communication between you and the lake bed. The heavier lead the better, the more of the lead that hits the bottom, the more you'll going to be able to understand. I favour square/rectangle in-lines, 2 1/2oz minimum, feathering the cast gives you a solid signal. Remember, a massive part of angling is trying to communicate with what you can't physically see.

Make "The Drop" Count With The Right Lead

After a few subtle casts I found two spots that felt perfect to present my pop up over. Rigs were placed with little fuss and I proceeded to scatter half a handful of bait in a broad area around both my hook baits. One of the aspects I love about short range fishing is how accurate you can be with your baiting, there's nothing quite like getting both your rigs and freebies totally spot on. 

Being an avid user of pop ups I'd opted to fish them quite high off the bottom, you really can get away with doing this in the right situation, I think from a carps perspective looking down on the pop up, it doesn't really look much different to a bottom bait. I wouldn't recommend high pop ups over clean bottoms, I feel there's almost too much clarity for the fish to suss out that something isn't quite natural, the hook-bait popped up would stand out way to much, especially if all your 'bottom bait' freebies are in close quarters. 

Bio CP2 Amino

One point I always keep close to the front on my mind is the fact that carp feed differently over silt/soft clay, debris etc. Whilst they're feeding, particles and fragments are being kicked up and I feel the environment becomes murky thus making it easier for them to trip up on the hook-bait. The image below shows what the presentation looks like directly from above, it's fished exactly 3cm off the bottom. 

Another fine point that I think ups the chances of a take is "critically balancing" your bait. This can make a great difference in the example I have explained, if particles, food items etc are bouncing and flying around as the carp digs about, you want to make sure that your bait is mimicking that of its surroundings. If there's loads of debris flying about during intense feeding but your bait is perched tight on the bottom, this could be seen as danger and a take might not materialise. The more natural movement you can give your hook-bait, the better. 

Pop Up Presentation From Above

So.. the traps were set, the coffee was on and I finally had a chance to sit back and relax. The wind was still whistling and the skies remained dark, all in all it was a rather unwelcoming environment, but I sat tight intent on the fact that I'd done everything that I knew I could to get a bite. As I sat watching my rods, the obsessive visions of big commons slowly faded from my mind, soon they'd be a reality.

Half an hour in, my left hand rod tore away, I scrambled for it, the tip was bent tight around and the clutch was singing, I grabbed the rod, gently lent back and honoured the fight .. I was in .. and what a feeling it was. As the blank compressed the wind whistled through the eyes of the rod, it was singing a sick melody. 

With the brunt of the breeze in my face, slight drizzle and a hard fighting carp on the end of my line, never had the feeling of "taming the wild" been so relevant. I kept the pressure on, the fish was really giving me some stick, slowly she eased and a flat spot showed, breaking the waves that were chasing each other over the surface of the water. Not before too long a chunky common was resting in my net, scales fell to 18IB.

18IB Braxted Common On The Bio CP2 Amino

What an awesome display of common carp, long, lean and one hell of a fighter, the approached worked. I slipped her back, got the rod back out on the same spot, added a few freebies, set the bobbin and put another coffee on - "you gotta keep that caffeine coming". Time ticked by, the session felt rather laboured and I knew deep inside that the waters were now changing, things were going to be slower from this point on so I had to really start working for each bite.

Late afternoon came, a few liners were occurring on my right rod, I sat on edge expecting it to fire away, silence fell and then ... whhhoooosshhh .. it was off, I was on it like a shot, it kited sharp to my left and carried on peeling line off the spool, I let her go. Once she'd made her initial run, I was able to gain some ground, it was another good old scrap right up to the net, once safe within the mesh I was again presented with another perfect common, scales sunk to 16IB.

16IB Braxted Brute

Every fish I've had out the reservoir has been perfect, all with really clean mouths, character, each one full of energy, most being totally scale perfect. That's what carp angling is all about for me, good, clean and well looked after fish, size really is secondary. It's a gift to land any carp out of the reservoir. Before I started to get too sentimental, I slipped her home and got the rod back out, it was starting to get late, I thought I'd sit it out until after dark, a few more hours being beaten up by the weather was quite a welcoming thought. 

Time passed, I wasn't rewarded with anymore fish but I did have the front row seat to a mind-blowing sunset, as it faded over the horizon the breeze dropped, darkness settled around me and the clouds started to break apart. I was experiencing such a moment of clarity, just for a short time it felt as if nothing mattered anymore, other than 'right now', I felt myself aligning. 

The Plough

Both society and the world around us is not conducive to allowing any feeling of freedom, we're trapped in a rut, a system, surrounded by materialism, vanity and all things that are designed to pull us away from "who we are". Don't let this happen, find things that allow you to remember exactly what you're all about, for me it's my angling, writing and of course my drumming, what's yours?. Whatever it might be, keep it close, don't forget it, use it or go to it when you feel lost. 

I slowly got my tackle together and packed away, preparing myself for the back breaking walk to the car park, I took a moment to look up. Peering through the broken clouds were stars, the clearest I'd seen for quite sometime. As I looked closer I could see the constellation known as the plough, it was immense, perfectly placed directly above me. 

I'll leave you with a thought, most people spend all their lives looking so far forward into the future for answers, when most of the time 'the answer' they're looking for is right under their noses, here in the 'now'. Next time you're stuck for answers or seeking inspiration or you simply want to widen your perspective, wait until after dark, go outside and try looking up, you might just be surprised at what you could end up witnessing and feeling. 

Until next time .... 

One Man And His Carp Rods Part 2

If you haven't read the first part of this blog, you can find it here PART ONE. Continuing from where I left off, I must have had my TFG X2 carp rods for at least 8/9 years before I started to think about upgrading. During this time there were a lot of twists and turns in both my life and my angling, having moved to South London I could finally join some clubs, I'd become self-employed so that freed up a lot more time to get out on the bank. I'd made up my mind that I needed a good "all rounder", I wanted something that I could fish accurate with at range but also directly underneath my rod tips if required.

Free Spirit Carp Tamers

Subconsciously I'd clocked that Free Spirit had produced a new range of rods called 'X-Wrap Carp Tamers'. I'd always fancied a set of Free Spirits but I just couldn't justify spending the money, before the 'Carp Tamers', their budget rods where still nearly a couple of hundred pounds each. I'd had a play around with the X-Wraps a few times and every time I went to the tackle shop I found myself staring at them. 

They had a very slim blank, awesome green whipping and a very eye catching cross weave, of course they also had the classic Free Spirit graphics. After having a play with a few of the different 'test curves' I decided to get a set of three in 3 1/4, they had a hell of a lot of power, the tip action wasn't exactly how I liked it but I had to sacrifice something. These rods would allow me to punch a lead in to realms I was yet to reach, and get stuck in with PVA bag work at a fair distance, I didn't feel at all limited with the choice that I'd made.

X-Wraps Cross Weave

I remember my first session using them, it was pissing it down something rotten but the fish were feeding, I landed two commons knocking 20IB. At first the rods seemed a little stiff but after adjusting the clutch accordingly, I started to get use to them, I had to remember that I'd been using relatively light gear in the past and a 3 1/4 TC rod was a different experience. It's like a new car, it takes a while before you adapt, a few sessions down the line it felt like I'd been using the rods for years. 

I can safely say they were totally hammered and put through their paces in a big way, freezing conditions, rain, sun, heavy bags, the lot, the finish and action is still as good as the day I bought them. For some strange reason, four or so years in, I started to go off them. I remember the exact cast that this happened, I was fishing Wick Mere, I was out about 80 yards, I reeled in, re-baited and chucked the rig back out. As I did this, the rod just didn't feel right, I can't quite put my finger on what it was, in a space of seconds they'd become pretty soulless and I didn't feel like I was in touch with what I was doing anymore.

Having said that though, without a doubt, they were great rods for the money and they abled me to fish much larger waters, they'd kept me company through some pretty challenging sessions and helped me to land a lot of different sized carp. Despite going cold on them I will always have fond memories of my 'first set' of Free Spirit rods. They have since been discontinued but I have a feeling they might become a bit of a cult collectors piece. Again, if you see them second-hand, take my recommendation, they're a brilliant rod.

Taming The Wild

During this time my perspective on my angling as well as my life changed a great deal, all of which ended up shaping my decision on what set of rods I was going to go for next. "I have touched on this in a previous blog post and it's hard to explain so please bear with me". To make it easier to understand I will use an earthquake as my example. When a tectonic plate shifts in an extreme manor the effects can be felt half way around the world. Now imagine something of that magnitude rupturing inside of you, the medical world may refer to it as a "breakdown", "psychosis" and many other varying labels that in the scheme of things mean very little to you at the time. 

Every element of my existence fell away from me, life, love, all aspects of the human condition meant nothing anymore, it was an abyss that I very nearly didn't return from. Apart from being loaded up with medication there really wasn't anywhere to turn, you need to dig so deep inside your soul to find a way to get back up again. On reflection nothing shone a light that was bright enough to give me the strength to come home, apart from one thing, my carp angling. Other than my wife, it's been the one thing that I have truly loved forever and it was from this bleak period that the blog you are now reading was born.

Bruce Ashby Scorpios

   

It was around this time there had been another tectonic plate shift in the angling industry, Bruce Ashby passed away unexpectedly. This was such a huge loss to the carping world. Not only was Bruce an incredible angler he was also a visionary rod builder, without a doubt one of the best. He had a deep understanding and insight into what made a great fishing rod. To me, he has created some of the most unique carp rods ever made, not only in appearance but also in the way that they feel, they truly are the most "sensory' blanks that I've ever come across. Bruce built most of his rods on the old Harrison blanks, when you hold one it feels like a work of art. With classics such as the Lucifer, the Extacy and the Rocketeer, Bruce has left one hell of a legacy behind him and he will be sorely missed.

So, Bruce had passed, and here I was struggling to live again, it was some kind of twisted alchemy. This is where the 'Bruce Ashby' Skorpios fell into my life. Because my angling had been so pivotal in helping me pull myself up from the hell I'd been going through. I'd made up my mind that I wanted a set of rods that 'really' meant something, what's the best tribute you can pay to a man you've respected? ... you can buy his rods, and that's exactly what I did. To start with I got the Skorpios in a 2 1/2 'TC', they are one of the only rods out there with a real 'through-action', the minute I used them, suddenly everything made sense to me, this is what I'd been missing, proper carp rods that felt like an extension of my being.

Clarity In The Eye Of The Beholder

The Skorpios have chestnut coloured blanks, subtle graphics, clean whipping, a lovely big butt grip and all the rods are individually dated from when they were built. They handle fish like an absolute dream, you really feel everything that the carp is giving, it's like a strange energy exchange. When you cast with them, exactly what you give is exactly what you get. Being a light test curve, these specific rods are best suited to light leads, singles and stringers. You can't go casting a heavy PVA bag with them, doing that would almost be disrespectful. These are 'hands down' the ultimate "players rod". The thing that struck me the most was how much the rod did all the work for you, especially under the rod tip. They made me appreciate the cast, really feel for the drop, they emphasised 'the art' of angling in a way that I'd never experienced before.

Dated & Dusted

I was so taken with the Skorpios that I went and purchased the 2 3/4 versions. These have the same characteristics as the 2.5s but possess more muscle. You can cast heavier leads, small bags and just get that little bit further, too me they have all the traits of a perfect carp rod. It was weird but when I started using the Skorpios I started catching more fish, I'm not saying that the rod helped me to catch. I just think it was the 'ethers' way of telling me that I'd found the rods I'd been looking for, actually I think it was more the fact that the rods found me.

The only down side to both sets of Skorpios was the fact that neither of them could really punch a heavy lead at distance, you could try but in all fairness, due to both their light test curves, it's not really what they're designed for. This got me thinking, and following the Bruce Ashby theme I started to look at his range of heavier rods. Bruce himself used the Perimeter XPs for all his fishing, after having a feel of all his blanks in 3IB TC and above, I decided on the Perimeter XPs in 3 1/4. The XP stands for Xtra Power and the blank is treated so it wont lose its back-bone over time. Like the Skorpio range the Perimeters have a chestnut blank and are finished beautifully.

Perimeter XP Carp Rods

With the Perimeter you get the subtleness of the Skorpios but with a hell of a lot of power. These are seriously powerful rods and when I use them over on Wick mere I can now reach the island, that's be something that I haven't been able to do. I've had a few fish on them and even though they're stiffer, they still have a lovely forgiving action under the tip. They respond very well to both light and heavy leads, they're accurate at both short and long range and you can sling a bag a long way with ease. In my eyes the Perimeter XP is without a doubt one of the top carp rods ever made. They're not cheap and since Bruce passed, all his rods have become very limited, it's only a matter of time before they wont be available in the shops anymore.

Chestnut Blank

With three sets of rods that I truly loved, I felt that I'd finally collected the tools to cater for any angling situation that stood before me. Even though I haven't had them for very long they've already shared some great sessions with me and I've had a fair amount of fish on all three blanks. It's the most 'in touch' I've ever felt with the waters that I fish and the carp that live within them. They've added such a sense of clarity to my angling and I can honestly say that I have no desires to look at any other rods. But most important of all, they were made by the hands of "The Big Man" himself and for that reason alone they're very special indeed.

Moving on.......

As a lot of you will know who read my blogs, I love fishing all year round and I'd started to think how I could try to make my winter sessions more productive. After a great deal of thinking I'd decided that I was going to change my approach completely. I wanted to stay mobile, move and work for my bites, to do this I needed a set of rods that allowed me to up sticks and give me the freedom to adapt. I saw no sense in fishing the winter in the same way I'd done in previous years. Surely if I did this I'd get the same results, which weren't great.

Free Spirit Margin Creeper

I was after a rod that was shorter than 12ft, easy to pack down and had enough back bone to deal with any carp that might take my bait. There are so many great stalking rods on the market so I decided to get my head down and do some research. Most companies now produce dedicated stalking rods, they can be anything from 6ft to 10ft. After a lot of reading and searching I decided I'd take a look at the Free Spirit e-class gold 8.6ft margin creeper in 2 3/4 TC. These rods have the same spec and build quality as the 12ft e-class, the only difference is that the margin creeper is short, very light and compact.

Super Slim Blank

Don't be fooled by the appearance, these rods hold some serious back bone, I have had fish up to 20IB and they've dealt with them beautifully. They have a 'top to middle' action and are nice and 'tippy', obviously you can't reach great distances, but I would be happy using them on small to medium waters without a worry. Paired up with small bait-runners they balance perfectly and feel like the ultimate mobile bit of kit. 

I don't think anything shorter than 8.5ft would work very well, you still want a rod that feels nice to play fish on, anything shorter would be way to stiff. Along side using the margin creepers for mobile fishing, they're also going to make a perfect surface rod, I had the Greys 9ft stalker for this job but the action was way to aggressive, I'd had a lot of problems with hook-pulls, the margin creepers feel completely right to me and I am sure I'll get a load of use out of them. I will of course review these rods properly a year or so down the line when I've had the chance to use them more. First impressions, I am very impressed with them.

First Fish Landed On My 8.5ft Margin Creepers

This pretty much brings me to the end of my carp rod journey and the destination I've arrived at has put me in good stead. I had to go around the houses to really find the right rods that connected with me, as I mentioned in the first part of this blog, they're more than just carbon and lacquer. As we all know, your tackle doesn't make you catch more fish, the carp don't know that you're sitting behind a hand built rod. But having gear that feels right for you sure does make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. If you get your approach right, use your water craft and have the right tackle to allow you to put your thoughts in to practice. Then it's just a case of casting, sitting back, making a strong coffee and enjoying your time by the water.

Bruce Ashby 1944 - 2013

One Man & His Carp Rods Part 1

In these next two posts I'd like to share with you my thoughts about the rods that I've owned through the years and what I've used/use them for today. This post isn't a series of rod reviews, it's more of a story about what I've owned, their significance in my life and what they've meant to me. For me my fishing rods are an extension of myself, they're more than just carbon and lacquer, they allow me to interact with my environment in a very sensory way. They're my life lines into depths that most people don't even know exist. 

My rods have threaded themselves throughout my life and whatever chaos the world has thrown at me, they've always been there, ready for the cast, willing to help me stand a chance at catching a scaly beauty. As my rigs fly through the air, so do my worries, they're a tool to put the world around me to rest so I can sit and soak up what being on the bank is all about. I look upon them the same way as I do my drums, they able me to communicate, our rods are an integral part of our angling lives.

We learn with them, we progress with them, sometimes we leave them behind and move on, but each rod that we've owned has played an important role in developing the angler that we are slowly becoming. It's a life long journey, you can't rush it and the tools we choose to use help to shape our ability and understanding of the "art" that has chosen us, angling chooses us, we don't choose it. My goal has always been to have a setup that communicates to me exactly what's happening under the surface. Every rod I've owned I have saved up for and bought myself, doing this allows me to appreciate its value, this is an important life skill, to understand the value of things.

There are so many different rods on the market nowadays and it can be slightly overwhelming when it comes to choosing the correct ones for you. I believe it's all personal preference and taking into consideration how much fishing tackle has developed through recent years, you don't have to be spending stupid money to get something of good quality. Whatever tackle you have, budget or high-end, be proud of it, just like the soldiers gun or the drummers kick pedal, look after them. Don't get hung up on what others think of your gear, any item you've worked hard to get makes it special. 

The Right Rod For The Job

As with all elements of tackle, there are fashions and trends that seem to come and go, nowadays the higher test curve rods seem to fall into favour with the majority, and having the latest 'cool' rods can sometimes take priority over suitability and functionality. I have no interest in fads, all the rods that I have built up through the years were purchased for a reason. I understand that many can't afford more than one set and they have to find a good "all-rounder", meaning that a slightly higher test curve is necessary, but I think it's important to have the right rods for your style of fishing and the waters you target. As you venture further and broaden your horizons a new set of tools might be required.

Focusing on the 'test curve' point a little more, I feel there can be a slight confusion, in the current climate it's easy to think you can only really land big carp on 3IB test curve rods or above. This of course isn't the case, high test curves are fundamentally for distance, I only use higher test curve rods 'solely' for when I'm fishing at long range, I have never gone over 3 1/4, if the blank is compressed correctly I find I can get the distance that I need most of the time, if not, I adapt. When I play a fish I want to feel every lunge and pull, I want to understand the carp and its movements, its strenghts and its weaknesses. Some of the best fights I've had with big carp have been on my light tackle. 

Basic Rod Actions

One of the beauties of fishing is the fight, we wait long enough for it and I want it to last, I find with a lighter rod it can be a very exhilarating experience, it makes the heart race and most important of all there's less pressure on the hook hold, thus preventing the chance of a hook pull. When I land a carp my main aim is to make sure it goes back in the same condition it came out in. If you're getting hook pulls on a regular basis then you seriously have to review your setup/rigs and playing style. There are no rewards for winching a carp in fast, I believe it increases stress and ups the chances of damage occurring, it's an anglers job to cherish the fish he catches.

Through the years I can safely say that I've gone through my apprenticeship with all my items of tackle. I first started off with £30 Sundridge carp rods, these were ideal to learn the trade on, I have fond memories of the cheap blank creaking when it was bent over double. In all honesty they were perfect rods to have at the time and they served me very well indeed. They allowed me to experience the cast, feel for the drop and land me my first ever double figured fish. It was magic and they set the foundations for my carping quest. It was only when I realised that carp angling was going to be a constant flame in my life, I started to look a little more seriously into purchasing my first proper set. This is a moment that a lot of us will never forget, the excitement and the feeling of getting your first 'proper' carp rod. I'm willing to bet that all of you remember your first fishing rods - hold on to those memories, that's where it all began.

Original Sportex

It was at the beginning of the 90's, I remember going to my local tackle shop and drawling over the Sportex range that were positioned on the top shelf. Owning a set of these was a dream to me but they were way out of my price range, I'd pick them up and hold them, they felt expensive and clean, secretly I thought to myself that I'd own a set one day. I'd spend ages looking at all the different makes of rod, picking them up, putting then down and repeating the procedure. After much deliberation and saving every penny I had, I ended up getting a set of the Daiwa Power-mesh in 2 1/2, they were tasty looking rods and I took great pride in looking after them. I remember them feeling solid and heavier than anything I'd used before. There were two ranges for Pike and Carp, I purchased the Pike rods, they seemed to have just that little bit more back bone, plus I thought the 'Esox' printed on the rod looked cool.

Early Daiwa Powermesh

At the time I was using the now legendary 'DAM Finesse Bait Runners', they balanced perfectly with the Power-mesh rods and it goes without saying I was proud of my first real carping kit. The action of the Power-mesh had an awesome "tip to middle" feel, it could throw a lead a good distance and was pretty forgiving under the tip. I landed a lot of good carp with them from all different types of waters and they stayed strong through years of abuse, to be honest they still look as new as the day they were purchased. I don't have many memories of really casting at distance with them. For the first few years I didn't venture on to waters where distance casting was required. But, thinking back, there was never a situation where I felt 'under gunned' and it was with the Power-mesh that I landed my first 30IB carp, so for that reason alone they will always remain high in my estimations.

I learnt a lot using them, they allowed me to progress and start to gain an understanding that would eventually shape my rod choices in the future. I still have them in my armoury, I may well dig them out to use every so often, "for old times sake". For me they're a highly recommend set of rods and still stand up proudly against today's tackle. They're perfect for short to medium range fishing, if you find a set on ebay, I'd suggest you snap-em up, they're old classics now.

TFG X2 Series 'Slim Blanks'

As time went by rod development advanced in leaps and bounds, I had my Power-mesh for well over a decade before I started to look around for a replacement. As you can imagine, this was a mammoth task and I didn't know where to start, I spent many an hour obsessing about what I wanted. I spent hours on the Internet researching all kinds of carp rod, I was after something a little slimmer that had just a fraction more back-bone, mainly because I was now looking to fish slightly larger lakes and started to use PVA bags a lot more. At the time it felt like a natural progression, as my angling broadened so did my understanding of what I required to do the job properly. 

Being one to always shy away from the mainstream I'd made up my mind that I wanted to avoid all the generic choices, it was a new chapter in my fishing so I wanted something entirely new to go at it with. I'd heard a whisper that Matt Hayes had teamed up with a guy from Shimano and they were developing a new set of carp rods, they were going to be TFG's first bite of "the carp rod pie". They were to be super slim, stylish and understated and from what I'd read and seen, the rods looked really good, it was a matter of weeks before they were released so I held tight until I could see them in the flesh.

To cut a long story short, the minute I laid eyes on the TFG X2 series I purchased three of them straight away. The second I picked them up they felt right, they were slim, sharp looking and had an awesome 'medium action'. They were forgiving in the tip but dished out some serious back bone when lent on. My set was in the 3IB test curve which was ideal for what I needed, they were slightly softer than your standard 3IB 'TC' rods. They handled fish beautifully, cast very well and were easy to compress, on the cast they whipped back nice and fast. They could manage small to medium sized bags well, they struggled on larger solid bags but to be honest I didn't really use them much at the time. 

The Eye Of The Storm

There was a murmur that the X2 series were built on 'Free Spirit" blanks, this wasn't the case though, the blank was good and from a distance looked similar to 'Free Spirit', but that was as far as the comparisons went. I became very fond of them and they got a huge amount of use for a lot of years. I did find that they seemed to get softer over time and it got to the point on a few occasions where I just couldn't get my baits to where I wanted them. With some rods it really is just a "swings and roundabouts" situation, what they lack in one area, they make up for it in other ways. 

It's hard to find a rod that has a perfect balance to fit every angling requirement. If the X2 series didn't slowly soften I think they would pretty much tick every box. But having said that, if you fish small to medium waters where you don't need to get distance, then you'd have to go a hell of a long way to find a better rod. They have since been discontinued, the only chance you will have to get any will be on the second hand market but I can assure you, they don't come up much. Like the first addition of most things, TFG had out done themselves with these rods and everything they produced afterwards just didn't seem to come close.

Perfect Symmetry

 PART TWO CLICK HERE