If You Really Want It - Ron Buss

To try and write an Article about my latest Carping Capers will be difficult mainly due to the length of the session. Therefore I will go back to the Autumn of 2003 when I was just visiting my Club Waters of Woking & District Angling Association having found a few days with not much to do, I decided it was time to try and improve on my PB Common from Cobbetts Lake which at that time was 19lb 15 oz, even though Cobbetts holds a fair few Commons in the low to upper Twenty pound class, I had not been fortunate enough to catch one, so the target was set.

If you really want it by Ron BussThe first Session which was only a mid afternoon till ten in the evening produced three fish, a 22 lb Mirror a 16lb Common and a single figure Common, all on Complex Bottom Baits. Returning the next day, the swim was vacant so I decided to do the night, which once again produced Carp, the same twenty as the day before plus a 16lb Mirror and two Commons – both singles, but I had a real Bee in my bonnet, I had heard a good fish flop out in the night and knew the swim had more to offer, but would it be vacant on my return? I decided to just have an evening ling and arrived at 4.30 and yes the swim was vacant. I cast two baits to the spot and one to the gully at the back of the Island, two pult’s of baits in the gulley, and then just as I was putting the third pouch of bait over the two on the spot, one of them ripped off. I was playing a very powerful fish which really did not want to come to the net. It gave me all sorts, even under the rod, but when it finally rolled and I saw it for the first time, I knew that at last I had a twenty Common from Cobbetts in my sights, and yes – in my landing net it went. 27lb eight oz of Gleaming Golden Common, I was ecstatic, something that I really wanted and now job done.

It was still light so I went next door to Langmans and as I passed the Pads Corner, there – no more than two foot from the bank in three foot of Gin clear water was an old friend of mine – The Scale.

I had captured this fish in 1985 at 4lb 9oz and subsequent captures by me recorded weights of 19lb 14 oz, 20lb 15oz and 31lb 8 oz and there it was all 40lbs of Mirror Carp.

It was then that I decided to embark on a Winter Session, with this objective: 1) to catch a 30lb Common and 2) to re-associate myself with the Scale and hopefully my first English Forty. Fishing in Langmans can be daunting. It’s a matter of getting you head round it, but when you do get one the sense of achievement is magic, but this would be doubly difficult. Hard waters in the summer can and are daunting but in the winter it’s another matter. Not only do you have short feeding spells, location, bait and all other things associated with Fish Tricking, you have the weather, long nights, short days, gale force winds, rain, hail, frost and snow. All these things have to be built into the equation before you embark on a long Winter Campaign, a lot of lads talk about Winter fishing, I’ve seen some of them do it, but one night a month does not cut is as far as I am concerned. Nor does tuning up at the last week in the Season, if you want it bad enough and you really want it you have to be there doing it, come wind, rain, snow or shine, you won’t catch them in your lounge watching Matt Hayes on Sky.

Fortunate for me, I have done a fair bit of winter fishing in the past – 94/95 saw me on the banks of Langmans for 50 nights from the 6 Jan until the 14 Mar, and knowing that this planned session would be in excess of that I had no problem. The sheer fact that the Trakker Two Man was far superior to an umbrella and over rap, my Chub Savay Bed Chair coupled with a Gardner Duvet and J.R.C. Over Cover ensured that even in the coldest conditions I would sleep warm: Food and cooking is essential in the winter, I feel at least one good hot meal a day is needed, plus the odd gallon of tea helps. I find that it pays me to get into some sort of routine, whereby I try and kip off at about ten and rear my ugly head at first light, this gives me time to assess what is occurring on the water,. plus time in the dark weather permitting – to listen for anything that might crash out, carp wise, giving me areas to investigate during the daylight.

The actual fishing part of it I had decided would be kept simple, small bags and stringers would be cast to clean areas where I had caught fish in the past, be it summer or winter. Bait was Richworth Complex and Complex Hooker Pellets and Liquid. Everything sorted – my campaign started on the 6 Jan 2004. Going on past experience I knew that for at least the first 3 weeks I would be in with a chance or two in the gully behind the Island, accessible from the mid dug out, 3 rods would be fished along the gully, one in the middle and one either end. The middle rod would be fishing in silt whereas the two end ones would be on Sand.

3.15 pm on the 9 Jan I had a 3 bleep pull up on the RH rod which when struck resulted in a satisfying bump on the rod top and although not an over exciting fight resulted in a very nice 23lb Linear in the net and a pleased feeling as I opened by account. And over the next 15 nights up to the 22nd I accounted for a further 3 fish, all Mirrors of 21lb, 23lb 4oz and 26lbs, all stunners in their Winter Colours.

Just as a matter of interest I noticed that not one of these first fish has a single Leach, which tells me that they are not laying up over winter, and are moving to various areas to feed: The next 22 nights were uneventful, not only for me but the other lads as well, some of whom had not had a bit since October – such is Langmans. Its not that you are doing something wrong, it’s that they just are not having it. I feel that a lot of the time in the winter it’s a matter of windows that open. You sense that yes its right and Wallop out of the blue the buzzer goes, as happened on 13th and 14th Feb, Tom had a lovely 26lb 8oz Mirror and I had a rare visitor to the bank in the shape of “The Survivor” at 21lb 8oz, both fish came in a 24 hour period when everything felt so right.

In the next 12 days I spent 3 nights at home, and then a drastic weather and wind change hit. Night time temperatures were enough to freeze the balls off a pawn brokers shop, for 7 days there was ice on part or all of the Lake, Wed 3rd Mar it was ice free, but it was not until Thu 11 Mar that I made my acquaintance with my old friend (the forecast had been threatening snow, but apart from a few flurry’s nothing serious had occurred, with the biting East-North/East winds), I thought it might be time to sit on bait. The rods were fishing to an area where once again I had caught fish in the winter.

I had confidence in my baits durability, knowing that if fish came across it they would pick it up – Wed evening 10 Mar after having my evening meal, I heard a big fish move in the vicinity of Bobs Hole, and the Surgery. Bob Merritt who had been Pike fishing on the Bungalow Bank popped into see me and informed me that he too had heard a good fish crash out. So it was with slightly raised spirits that I turned in that night, listening to the radio, the weather forecast was not good – Blizzard conditions in most areas, gale force winds as well – Luv it!! I snuggled down into my Duvet and was soon sound asleep.

I had to get out at 3 in the morning for a slash; boy was it ‘Pearl Harbour’ a definite ‘nip’ in the air. Not wishing to prolong the misery I got straight back in the bag and out for the count. Next thing the middle buzzer is single toning, I opened the Mozzie Door to find myself standing in a total blizzard, playing a very large fish with Attitude and sods law, while I’m playing the fish hell bent on burying itself in the Surgery Corner, the RH rod which I had recast out in front of Bobs Hole tore of something alarming. I am now calling – No Screaming at Wayne who was 2 swims down all to no avail as he had zipped his door down when the wind switched, so could not hear me.

I carried on with the one on the end which accounted for quite some considerable time, and when it finally rolled into the net I was somewhat relieved. I had not seen the fish at this stage, I went and got a torch had a quick look, then secured the net and rushed round to Wayne to inform him that I had The Scale’ and that I had another run and could he watch the fish in the net, while I sorted out the other rod, he was up in a flash – Well he got up, came to my swim, the line on the other rod was angling away to the Island, and after winding in lots of line I came in contact with something which did not seem to have a lot of fight, which isn’t surprising really, as it was an old Black Stick, whatever had picked up the bait had transferred the hook, so it was back to the occupant of the landing net.

And as the Snow fell, Wayne and I did the honours, and at a ‘Club Record’ weight of 41lbs 14oz, was I pleased – Is the Pope a Catholic’ Bless Him. I was ecstatic, I gave Wayne a crash course in the use of my Digital Camera, and as Dawn broke the skies cleared and I had my photo taken with my First English Forty, but what made it extra special for me was that it was a ‘Winter Forty’ with Snow on the ground albeit not much, but snow all the same. Rarer than Rocking Horse Poo, well the fish went back none the worse for its experience. Up until this fish I had fished 49 nights for 6 fish, but what cracking fish they were, all in their winter colours – magnificent.

The bait had been out in the water for 52 hours before being picked up, so my plan to sit on bait had paid off handsomely.

Time for a reassessment on tactics – bait wise, on one rod maybe, as the water temp. had started to rise, and knowing that the fish were well and truly active, I opted to bait a margin spot on the opposite side of the lake, close to an over hanging bush, baiting was no problem, just walk round and handball half a dozen handfuls in then with a good chuck of just over 100 yds, fish a bottom bait smack in the middle of the freebies, even though I had seen fish in the bush, it was to take 6 nights before I tempted a bite, which resulted in another Mirror of 25lbs, another cracker, fin perfect, stunning colour, just the job. Well that was it for a while, in fact 13 nights passed before the next bite.

On Sunday morning 28 Mar I moved into a swim on the South bank, having seen fish in a snaggy corner and watched them coming and going in the Gin clear water, I worked out 3 spots to ambush them, on their way in and out. Light baiting and using Mesh Stringers with Boilie and Ground Bait I was able to trick one more 20, at 25lb 2oz and a Stocky of 17lb 8oz. These last two fish came on the last morning of the close down day, which gave me a grand total of 9 fish for 78 nights, not hauling by a long chalk but some excellent fish caught in some dire winter conditions from a water which is far from easy even in the Summer.

I said that I would approach my Winter Session using Bags and Stringers, but with a slight difference, first I shall cover the Boilie/Ground Bait Stringer, using a Gardner De-Lux Anti Ladder Boilie PVA continuous fishnet, step by step, fist thing I moisten the end of the mesh and form a blob, then I cut the required length, insert a boilie and work it down to the end, slightly moisten the web above the boilie and twist it forming a seal, then take a pinch or two of ground bait/mixed dry particle/worked down to the sealed section and work into a ball, repeat the sealing and add boilie/and GB to required amount and close either by knotting or blobbing the end of the tube.

The mesh that I have used for hook bait bags is the Richworth 1st Contact PVA Quick melt Net Tubing. As with the De-Lux and Ladder the end of the Quick Melt Tubing is blobbed and the required length is cut, the baited hook is put into the tube at the bottom, the required amount of ground bait/and small pellet is placed on top and worked down and compacted to form a ball. Once the ball is formed, the ball is twisted forming a seal, the excess tube is then worked back over the ball and sealed by blobbing or tying, forming a really neat ball on the hook link, with the bait nicely inside. Just an observation here – if you put broken boilies or larger food items in the bag, put half a section of PVA Foam over the hook point, this stops the larger food items from masking the hook point when the bait is picked up.

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