Not Puddledock Farm 31-12-15

So, the idea today was to fish Puddledock Farm near Upminster. However, on arrival it was rather open and windswept, and, more importantly, the café was not open (this was a major factor since I needed some breakfast before I got started). So, I made a rash decision to go to Entire Farm instead via the McDonalds on the A12. Not an ideal solution, but never the less a chance for a few fish.

So arriving at the second venue at about 8am, I had a good look round and settled into a peg on the grassy side of the lake, where there was a little shelter from the wind and the sun on my back if the cloud cleared at all.

0820 and I was ready to fish. Lesson learned from the previous visit – keep it simple, fish 2+2 shallow, feed 6mm, hook 11mm expander and hope the carp show up. First put in and a 3lb common seemed like a good idea, but it was hard work. For some reason and despite my best efforts the expanders were too spongy and would not sink. Back to 6mm expanders from the pot (shop-bought) and a smaller hook and bites started to flow. It took a while since the fish were quite small in the 2-4lb range, but fish started to come in (plus a few errant rudd) and an hour in I was on 70lb.

Second hour and the fish started to settle, 100lb by 0940 became 170lb to 1020 (two hours in) and there were signs of some good quality carp shallow. A bit of an experiment with critically balance expanders (using a no.4 shot by the hook to sink them) produced a few better fish, but this only lasted for a few fish.

Third hour and things were ok, but the three resident ducks were starting to be a pain. The 6mm pellets would float for a second before sinking, and this was all the invitation they needed. They would back off the pole, but not far and they were definitely slowing up the fishing. 1120 time to get serious. 270lb.

Hour four ran like a dream. I changed the feed pattern, so instead of feeding twice per put in, I fed more and just once but only when the rig was in the water. This kept the ducks away, the fish off the top and the bites flowing. 162lb added in this hour (1220), including a few better fish up to 9lb.

And from there a pattern built up. Fish hard, keep the ducks at bay, hook, land, feed. 1300 : 500lb. Time for a quick leg stretch and some energy drink. Then back to the fishing.

Not sure what else I can see here. I kept fishing, the fish kept coming. By 1440 I’d managed 750lb of carp, despite a few quiet patches and a few re-rigs due to trashing in the landing net. I was going to stop there (honest) but it was a case of just one more fish, just one more and at 1500 I did stop. 800lb of carp in just over six and a half hours fishing, in December. Unbelieveable (again). 

End of the day - swirling carp enjoying my useless expanders

 

Catch List:

Common Carp: 100

Mirror Carp:80

Rudd: 8

Total weight: 800lb