One off the top

It had been a long and tiresome week at work for Sam, and Friday couldn't come soon enough. In the back of his mind was a calm stillness, and an image of a peaceful retreat he was going to visit just as soon as the last task of the day was complete at the office.

It didn't matter where he was now. It's where he was going to be. 

For Sam, the excitement of a fishing trip had been building all week. This wasn't going be a long weekend of fishing. With so many commitments, a weekend of fishing isn't something time will allow for. This was a chance to escape for a few hours on a Friday evening after work. A short session, but a welcome opportunity to fish into sunset.

Fishing is a chance to appreciate nature at its finest

"I usually let the weather dictate how and what I'm going to fish for" Sam explains, "and this was certainly a day when carp are likely to be making their way to the surface layers of the water".

Sam had prepared the night before and packed a couple of setups for different scenarios in his car. "I like to be prepared for all situations, just in case!" It was very likely that the warm sun and stillness of the wind would encourage the carp to venture to the surface.

Driving to any fishing destination is exciting, and even more so when everything seems to be going your way. "There wasn't even any traffic to slow me down" Sam recalls. "It's as if the fishing gods were clearing me a pathway to the lake without any delays!"

After a hard week at work, there isn't anything better than arriving at your beloved carp lake to find an empty car park! "It was too good to be true, and I hadn't even started fishing yet".

Sam quickly got dressed into something more fitting for an angler, set up a simple surface fishing rig on his favourite "stalking" carp rod and made his way to the lake; armed with trusty dog biscuits and some pop up boilies.

Take your time to explore before making your first cast

It was now time to explore some likely swims. There was a gentle breeze that made the newly revived reeds gently sway. It's as if the plants were dancing to nature's own rhythm. The trees were also alive with the natter of birds, probably getting ready to roost.

"For me, this is what completes the fishing experience" explains Sam. "Being out surrounded by nature and its mystery. Nature is constantly talking to us, we just need to tune in to our surroundings and learn to listen."

It wasn't long before there was a sign from the carp. Sam crept to a narrow point which stuck out in the middle. This gave him access to cast in almost any direction of the lake. He quickly noted the wind direction and noticed where nature's own banquet was being blown for the fish to eat. There was movement on the surface and that all familiar site of carp shadows gliding like ghosts in the surface layer.

Fishing is an emotional roller coaster 

"I began to throw in some loose offerings into the area, not directly at the fish but just past them. I tend to fire upwards with a steep angle, to make sure the dog biscuits land with maximum impact and a lout 'plop' in the water. To me, this mimics the noise of natural food that falls from trees, bird droppings, and for any carp reared in a commercial fishery, the sound of dinner bells."

After some time, Sam still hadn't cast a line. "I like to build up their confidence" he explains. "Give them a false sense of security and just enough free bait to keep them competitive. This tactic seems to work for me, specially when time is short".

Sam decided to make his first cast. Three or four fish were confidently taking food with that all familiar slurp. Some were even racing each other in battles to see who could take the bait. This is the time when everything around you seems to disappear. It's just you and the fish. A battle of wit and patience. You have to make it happen. Somehow.

Fishing into darkness certainly awakens the senses 

Surface fishing is about as exciting as carp fishing gets, and is by far Sam's favourite way to fish for the species. After several missed takes and a tangle round a bush, it was beginning to feel like an emotional roller-coaster ride. Maximum excitement brought on by the anticipation followed by maximum frustration.

Time was running out, as was the visibility. "This is the time when doubt starts to creep in, and you start to question your ability, and when its that bad, you even question why you are here!"

Sam let frustration get the better of him, and misjudged cast. Badly tangled in a nearby tree, he had to set up all over again. He decided to keep things even simpler than they already were. "My only option with such limited time and visibility was to freeline the bait."

He hooked on the biscuit and with a gentle underarm cast, it was back out amongst a handful of free offerings, barely visible in the gloomy distance. It's as if the water was playing tricks in the way the fading light was shining off the surface and creating illusions of monster carp. He now had to rely on sound as well as the limited vision to make sense of what was happening.

The fish were still in the area, and some were still feeding. Out of the silent stillness, came an all familiar loud slurp that broke the silence. This was quickly followed by an almighty crash on the lake's surface.

Finally, a fish in the net

Sam's reaction was to strike, and it was more of a reflex reaction than a tactical one. It was also more luck than judgement when he felt something pull back on the line. "Finally!" he thought. "Don't lose it now!"

The fish seemed to be just as surprised at being caught as the angler who caught it, and fought hard to resist the net. The sound of the reel drag, the tension on the line and the mighty head shakes all added to the adrenaline filled excitement of catching carp on the surface.

After a worthy fight, the fish came gently into the net having spent it's energy doing all it could to resist.

Proof that persistence and a bit of luck does pay off

The mission was accomplished. The excitement had reached its dramatic end, and Sam was once again a happy angler. For now.

"I encourage anyone who hasn't tried surface fishing for carp to do so. Ask a friend who has done it, speak to your local tackle shop for advice. You won't regret it, and you'll certainly be back for more."

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An Unplanned Red Letter Day

Last Saturday, Kevin travelled to the Midlands ahead of Sunday's British Lure Angling Championship Qualifier at Warwick. 

It was meant to be a day spent with the family and friends, but something unexpected happened....

"I recalled the night before Sam had posted on a Facebook page that he was thinking of going perch fishing after he had seen some huge perch at a local canal stretch which had him all excited!"

The temptation was too much for Kevin! The thought of a few hours spent on the canal with Sam chasing the elusive spikey dorsal stripey beasts was on the cards. It's not often that long time childhood fiends Kev and Sam get to fish together, and every opportunity nowadays is just as exciting as it was 15 years ago.

Kevin trying every feature that is likely to hold a perch

"I messaged Sam on the way up and planted the seed in his mind, and before I knew it we were heading down the steps to the canal next to a bridge."

Sam was keen to take Kevin straight to his perch hot spot, but eagle eyed Kevin had other plans.

"I saw a few movements under the bridge', explained Kevin, not wanting to miss a likely opportunity. "I really fancied trying here before we headed further."

Kevin's first cast the drop shot lure was attacked! But the hook didn't set. It was a mixture of excitement and frustration. There's nothing that charges the adrenaline more than a bite on your first cast.

As Kevin finished cursing to himself, Sam stuck gold! The first perch was hooked, and quickly followed by another...and another. He landed on a shoal of perch one end of the bridge. A rare and momentous occasion!

Kevin persisted the other end of the bridge, moving stealthily and casting around likely features. It wasn't long before a "tap tap BANG" disturbed his peace. Kevin had found his own shoal of perch and reached a personal milestone.

"Only a tiddler, but I had just landed my first ever drop shot caught perch!!!" 

Kevin with his first drop shot caught perch

 "There were bigger fish in the swim." Kevin explained, "I had seen them chasing my lure. I persisted in the same spot. I was looking on while Sam was picking off the small perch. One after another!"

Kevin under armed his lure back in and began to twitch, mimicking the movements of an injured fish that could barely swim. Out of the murky lair, a chunky little warrior of a perch darted out and engulfed his lure. "It played like slow motion", Kevin recalled. "It's like the fish came out of nowhere, then BANG!" 

The fight was great fight on scaled down lure tackle. At about a pound and a half, Kevin was one happy perch angler. After some posing in front of the camera, the perch was returned to its shadowy lair.

Persistence and intuition pays off with a magnificent perch 

After a couple more smaller perch, Kevin and Sam moved on. It had gone quiet. All the activity must have spooked them.

The pair hit a few spots along the way as they walked down the canal. Kevin was teased by a big perch that he enticed from under the cover of a bramble bush. Frustratingly, the perch must have been wise to anger's games, as it nosed the lure and swam off. A short while later,

Sam caught another little perch and pointed out that Kevin had been hogging all of the photos. It was definitely his turn to show off a catch, however small!

Sam getting slapped by a perch that decided to let itself back

"We walked on along some of the most beautiful canal stretches I've ever seen", said Kevin. "You guys that live in the Midlands are spoiled for choice with miles of canal to fish."

The lads stopped for a short while, fishing around a canal junction. "We couldn't tempt any fish" Kevin recalls, "but it didn't matter. The lovely scenery and being out enjoying the nature made up for it."

Kevin and Sam continued trying around inlets, boats and other features. But to no avail. Now that dusk was setting, they decided to head back to the first bridge which produced good sport at the start of the session.

"There had to be more perch there" Kevin thought. 

After a long trudge back time was not on their side. Darkness was creeping in but the canal began to boil with fish activity. It was that magical moment at dusk when predators came out of their liars, using darkness to creep up on unsuspecting prey fish. 

When they finally reached the bridge, Sam was on a mission for a bigger perch, and was methodically putting his lure in every likely feature a fish might be hiding.

The race was on to catch before darkness 

"We retreated under the bridge as it got darker and colder. We must have said those infamous words "last cast" at least 20 times!"

It was almost completely dark and Sam was yet again catching smaller fish, almost every cast! Relentlessly he kept going repeating "last cast now, last cast" after every cast. At this point Kevin kept himself entertained by watching bats that had woken up for their evening shift.  

Several casts later, Sam's rod arced round, and he shouted the famous words "FISH ON!". After a short but thunderous fight in the darkness, the fish succumbed to the net in Kevin's hand.

Finally, another nice perch just in the nick of time 

A short but very chunky pound plus fish ended an immensely enjoyable short session that was completely unplanned!

The unplanned ones are always the best!

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The Search for Perch

For many anglers, grabbing a few hours here and there is the best we can do to fit in a little fishing between the routines of everyday life, and it really helps if you have a supporting wife or partner who understands that you need your fishing fix!

Last monday, having completed a few simple chores, I decided it was time to pick up a lure rod and spend a few hours on some stretches of a nearby canal.

It's a place that I'm quite familiar with, and one which always seems to surprise me with an unexpected catch. 

Leave the kitchen sink at home and travel light

Perch were my intended species, although I do look at all fish as being predators and opportunists in their own way, having previously caught bream and rudd on lures and seen eels smashing jerkbaits and soft plastics. For me, lure fishing is one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to catch fish.

I decided to start off using a classic plain old silver spinnner. The simplicity of going out with a rod and the most essential tackle means that one can cover a lot of ground. Several hours later, I had covered a few miles with no fish to show for it.

The fish that did show themselves were ones that chased the spinner right to the rod tip, only to turn away at the last second, probably laughing to themselves and telling the rest of the shoal not to bother!

Don't ignore any features where predators could be hiding

I tried my luck on every feature I came across. From overhanging trees to canal boats and everything else in between but the perch were still playing hard to get. Several snags and spinner changes later, I reached a promising looking spot where I found myself standing between two bridges. This was the only cover for some time, so I was hoping any perch in the area are likely to be hiding in this area. 

After a couple of casts all I managed to bank was some weed. I then decided to cast the spinner right on the edge of the bank I was fishing. The grass was overgrown on this bank and it was overhanging the margin. 

After a few turns of the reel, that long awaited bite finally came and I was rewarded with a beautifully marked perch. A feisty little fighter that shook its head violently trying to dislodge the spinner. Finally I found happiness again!

Hard work eventually pays off

As any angler knows, the harder you work to catch a fish, the more rewarded you feel once you land one. But the reward quickly turns to an addiction so you find yourself craving another bite. That perch triggered the itch for another bite, so the casting marathon began. 

It was now heading towards evening and that magical perch hour at dusk so I opted change tactics and headed back where I came from. This time I would try drop shotting with a small fry like soft plastic lure. 

It always amazes me how a simple change in tactics can change your luck. The perch seemed to respond well to the change in method. Maybe it was just their feeding time, maybe I was now casting in the right place. I didn't really question myself, I just knew it was time for a change and it seemed to pay off nicely. 

A little stumpy tailed perch on the drop shot

It was soon time to pack up, and after several "last casts" I had to call it a day. All in all, it was another enjoyable few hours spent exploring the waterways in search of stripeys.

I urge anyone who is considering to pick up a lure rod not to hesitate. It's a very enjoyable way to fish, especially if you are pressed for time and don't like to sit in one place for hours on end waiting for a bite.

For a great range of lure fishing tackle and sound advice on how to use it, we can highly recommend contacting Fishing Hut. 

©The Fishing Bug 2015 - Samim Abbas