Just sitting here, bored out of my brain, thinking about the hardest carp waters that are out there now, with all the pits full of carp these days it seems there just isn't many left that are particular hard, alright there's a few that it's difficult to get the main prize but easy to get bites, but that in my book isn't that hard, what I'm talking about is gruellers, 1 bite a season if your lucky type waters, are they still out there?
In reply to Post #1
Definitely.
I belong to one lol
Definitely.
I belong to one lol
In reply to Post #1
I've just done 150 + nights spread over 2 years on ferry lagoon for nothing. 170 acres 30 odd fish half of it is out of bounds and no boats. Would of stayed on as there is a few giants in there but 25 stockies have just gone in an imo ruined it.
I've just done 150 + nights spread over 2 years on ferry lagoon for nothing. 170 acres 30 odd fish half of it is out of bounds and no boats. Would of stayed on as there is a few giants in there but 25 stockies have just gone in an imo ruined it.
In reply to Post #1
Hard part is getting a ticket.
Hard part is getting a ticket.
In reply to Post #1
Yes.
Fish with me for a season and you'll quickly find I can make any water be like that pretty easily.
On a serious note there's absolutely loads of them. Some of the massive water ressies around Heathrow are huge with just a handful of fish in, virtually impossible to get to fish, and when you do you could literally be over a mile from them.
Other waters are still just as hard cos the fish are so pressured and there's so many anglers that even getting on them is a lottery, then they've seen every rig and bait going.
Yes.
Fish with me for a season and you'll quickly find I can make any water be like that pretty easily.
On a serious note there's absolutely loads of them. Some of the massive water ressies around Heathrow are huge with just a handful of fish in, virtually impossible to get to fish, and when you do you could literally be over a mile from them.
Other waters are still just as hard cos the fish are so pressured and there's so many anglers that even getting on them is a lottery, then they've seen every rig and bait going.
In reply to Post #1
Hi Sam,
UK waters? If so there are many more knowledgable members who will hopefully help you out.
European and eastern European waters? there are 1000's of unexplored and internet raped venues out there.
I'm presuming you mean uk though so I'll shut up
Best
Jon
Hi Sam,
UK waters? If so there are many more knowledgable members who will hopefully help you out.
European and eastern European waters? there are 1000's of unexplored and internet raped venues out there.
I'm presuming you mean uk though so I'll shut up
Best
Jon
In reply to Post #5
I don't really class the riggy ones as hard, there just lotterys likke you say, them ressies have always interested me, so big, bet the margins are the main feature anyway!
I don't really class the riggy ones as hard, there just lotterys likke you say, them ressies have always interested me, so big, bet the margins are the main feature anyway!
In reply to Post #3
Funnily enough I had my name on the waiting list for this year and was offered a ticket as well, but changed my mind at the last minute! The out of bounds thing and the flooding in an out was a bit of a problem for me!
Funnily enough I had my name on the waiting list for this year and was offered a ticket as well, but changed my mind at the last minute! The out of bounds thing and the flooding in an out was a bit of a problem for me!
In reply to Post #6
Well europe one day for me but at the moment I mean UK, will leave Europe for you! At the moment!
Well europe one day for me but at the moment I mean UK, will leave Europe for you! At the moment!
In reply to Post #7
Dave levy has some interesting tales of fishing the big drinking water ressies. Absolute ball breakers.
Dave levy has some interesting tales of fishing the big drinking water ressies. Absolute ball breakers.
In reply to Post #2
Define hard?
A hard water to some may be easy for others.
Two extreme ends of the scale, Tampered with fisheries with plenty of hungry heads to a massive gravel pit with a handful of fish.
There are lots of challenges though, large pits finding the fish, pressured ponds can be rock hard trying to tempt a bite when they have seen it al!
I guess it has to be a general consensus?, that is hard!
Define hard?
A hard water to some may be easy for others.
Two extreme ends of the scale, Tampered with fisheries with plenty of hungry heads to a massive gravel pit with a handful of fish.
There are lots of challenges though, large pits finding the fish, pressured ponds can be rock hard trying to tempt a bite when they have seen it al!
I guess it has to be a general consensus?, that is hard!
In reply to Post #11
Spot on, I prefer the extreme low stock pits, however they are running a little thin on the ground, especially when you tick them off occasionally! All of them seem to be stocked with 200 vs fish these days! Lottery hard lakes are for the winter!
Spot on, I prefer the extreme low stock pits, however they are running a little thin on the ground, especially when you tick them off occasionally! All of them seem to be stocked with 200 vs fish these days! Lottery hard lakes are for the winter!
In reply to Post #10
Yes mate, they are some good ones, keeps the anglers away and I've played on some of them quite a bit!
Yes mate, they are some good ones, keeps the anglers away and I've played on some of them quite a bit!
In reply to Post #1
Sometimes you can fish a bogey water that to you is just hard, yet others can catch on.
The water I had been fishing on until the dreaded Coronavirus, I know others have described as hard, yet I was catching on 375acres. 8 fish in 8 trips, with 5 between 20 and 28lb. Possibly because I was walking sections every day, even when I couldn't fish gave me some areas to look at closely.
I had two waters I really struggled on, Nazeing Central and South, although I caught fish, I didn't feel like I was learning them, and Weybread No.1, which I probably fished too early in my carp fishing life. One fish in a year, although my first ever 20lb back in 1990.
Some waters are hard because the fish are angler pressured, wary and riggy. Others are hard because of trying to find the fish.
If you can be different from the other anglers on the wary and riggy one, then you may make it easy for yourself.
If you can find the fish...
Sometimes you can fish a bogey water that to you is just hard, yet others can catch on.
The water I had been fishing on until the dreaded Coronavirus, I know others have described as hard, yet I was catching on 375acres. 8 fish in 8 trips, with 5 between 20 and 28lb. Possibly because I was walking sections every day, even when I couldn't fish gave me some areas to look at closely.
I had two waters I really struggled on, Nazeing Central and South, although I caught fish, I didn't feel like I was learning them, and Weybread No.1, which I probably fished too early in my carp fishing life. One fish in a year, although my first ever 20lb back in 1990.
Some waters are hard because the fish are angler pressured, wary and riggy. Others are hard because of trying to find the fish.
If you can be different from the other anglers on the wary and riggy one, then you may make it easy for yourself.
If you can find the fish...
Another one for the Ressies....Spent a fair bit of time on a small one last year. They're happy enough to show themselves but catching them is another matter.. Like anywhere though location is key...
In reply to Post #1
There's loads of hard waters out there. They're never in the public eye, mainly because the sponsored angler crew these days feel pressured catch fish, so they fish waters where they'll get bites, and that's what we see in the mags, or on YouTube. Nobody wants to read about or watch somebody blanking week after week, month after month. The industry wants instant results, so that's what you see. In the nene valley there's dozens of waters I would define as ‘hard' - 1 fish per acre sort of stocking density. They're just not written about for the reasons I mention above.
Personally I love that sort of fishing, if you look hard enough and talk to there right people you'll find them.
There's loads of hard waters out there. They're never in the public eye, mainly because the sponsored angler crew these days feel pressured catch fish, so they fish waters where they'll get bites, and that's what we see in the mags, or on YouTube. Nobody wants to read about or watch somebody blanking week after week, month after month. The industry wants instant results, so that's what you see. In the nene valley there's dozens of waters I would define as ‘hard' - 1 fish per acre sort of stocking density. They're just not written about for the reasons I mention above.
Personally I love that sort of fishing, if you look hard enough and talk to there right people you'll find them.
In reply to Post #16
Spot on.
Another thing is the occassional understocked big pit/ressie where the fish rarely show, that makes a hard water even harder.
Spot on.
Another thing is the occassional understocked big pit/ressie where the fish rarely show, that makes a hard water even harder.
Like others have said some waters are harder than others. Saying that there's a lake round here (Swithland res) and everyone struggles on there I think only a couple of people have caught more than 1 fish a year out of. Being 160 acres and having 25 fish in you can see why
"Hard water" is a matter of perspective really. However as has already been mentioned, there are enough low stock venues out there but they hardly get mention and for good reason too.
All comes down to how much the individual angler is willing to test their skill and patience before they bored of blanking!!
All comes down to how much the individual angler is willing to test their skill and patience before they bored of blanking!!
In reply to Post #10
The best chapters of his book I thought
The best chapters of his book I thought
In reply to Post #1
How about this one then......
100+ acres of unfished (by anyone else!) and for the most part unfishable windswept, open pit, on very, very private and guarded/patrolled land.
In the hundreds and hundreds of hours that I've spent there in all conditions over the last 7 years, I've only ever seen one single earth-shatteringly big common that I wouldn't even like to try and guess the size of!
It's my own little piece of heaven/hell.
How about this one then......
100+ acres of unfished (by anyone else!) and for the most part unfishable windswept, open pit, on very, very private and guarded/patrolled land.
In the hundreds and hundreds of hours that I've spent there in all conditions over the last 7 years, I've only ever seen one single earth-shatteringly big common that I wouldn't even like to try and guess the size of!
It's my own little piece of heaven/hell.
In reply to Post #21
Unfished by anyone except you, 100+ acres mostly unfishable but open windswept can only mean full of snags? Guarded and patrolled but you've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours there so you either have permission or the security is in need of a review. Best of luck with that common, sounds like you'll need it.
Unfished by anyone except you, 100+ acres mostly unfishable but open windswept can only mean full of snags? Guarded and patrolled but you've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours there so you either have permission or the security is in need of a review. Best of luck with that common, sounds like you'll need it.
Tactics and bait is one of the biggest factors to consider too 
I once fished a hard water 4 times. I blanked on the first and caught on the other 3. Third session I caught the biggest fish so decided to move on. Funny though everybody used to complain that it was hard and I found it easy. I was talking to a bloke on one of these sessions and he had, had seven fish out in 3 days. We were discussing baits and it was when the source had just become available to Joe public. Terry Hearns bait they reckon, yeah cause it is I said. He had all the fish on the source lol
I have fished a few hard ones though too
I once fished a hard water 4 times. I blanked on the first and caught on the other 3. Third session I caught the biggest fish so decided to move on. Funny though everybody used to complain that it was hard and I found it easy. I was talking to a bloke on one of these sessions and he had, had seven fish out in 3 days. We were discussing baits and it was when the source had just become available to Joe public. Terry Hearns bait they reckon, yeah cause it is I said. He had all the fish on the source lol
I have fished a few hard ones though too
Such a hard question to answer. Most of the traditionally rock hard lakes have now had large stockings of fish and can no longer be seen as rockhard. In terms of our personal fishing, we will all know waters which are not well-known which could be deemed as rockhard. I am currently looking at some lakes which used to hold carp but now there is a strong chance that there is not a single carp left in them due to otters. I have not seen a fish in them for months, years in fact. They are not in common knowledge however therefore there is no point in mentioning them in the list such as this.
I think that it is more valid to mention some of the waters from days gone by that were hard. The following lakes were always regarded as such, along with several others:
Yateley car park, north and pad - super pressured, wily fish, quality anglers.
Colemere - mega, mega low stock. Deep, rich, areas out of bounds.
Fjords, meadows - mega low stock, full of naturals, very broken up lakes.
Broadwater - massive, very low stock, big bream!
Even the above lakes are not what they were, but anybody with any knowledge of the above, back in the day, would accept that they were exceptionally difficult.
I think that it is more valid to mention some of the waters from days gone by that were hard. The following lakes were always regarded as such, along with several others:
Yateley car park, north and pad - super pressured, wily fish, quality anglers.
Colemere - mega, mega low stock. Deep, rich, areas out of bounds.
Fjords, meadows - mega low stock, full of naturals, very broken up lakes.
Broadwater - massive, very low stock, big bream!
Even the above lakes are not what they were, but anybody with any knowledge of the above, back in the day, would accept that they were exceptionally difficult.
In reply to Post #21
this is a runs water up north
this is a runs water up north
In reply to Post #21
That sounds like my perfect water, good luck to you! I'm jealous!
That sounds like my perfect water, good luck to you! I'm jealous!
In reply to Post #24
Very good post, colemere was a great water, remember reading the articles clossick done on that and thought what an epic place!
Very good post, colemere was a great water, remember reading the articles clossick done on that and thought what an epic place!
This is not aimed at anybody, but it always amazes me that commercial fisheries have any customers
I've never met a carp angler that doesn't ‘only fish hard waters' that require 12lb tc rods due to ‘big fish and weed' and the only clear spots being at 150+
There must be countless hidden lakes in the uk or eyesight isn't what it was, because there isn't enough freshwater to support the number of anglers who are apparently the only ones to have trodden the banks since Victorian times.
I've never met a carp angler that doesn't ‘only fish hard waters' that require 12lb tc rods due to ‘big fish and weed' and the only clear spots being at 150+
There must be countless hidden lakes in the uk or eyesight isn't what it was, because there isn't enough freshwater to support the number of anglers who are apparently the only ones to have trodden the banks since Victorian times.
In reply to Post #27
Hardest water is very subjective. Reading the Savay Days thread on here, the distances and terms that Neil explains make that too me very hard. Colemere may have been the hardest of all time. Puts Clossick's, and a few others efforts in perspective
Hardest water is very subjective. Reading the Savay Days thread on here, the distances and terms that Neil explains make that too me very hard. Colemere may have been the hardest of all time. Puts Clossick's, and a few others efforts in perspective
Ormsgill Reservoir in Barrow...
Not necessarily the difficulty in catching the fish, but the local residents are as hard as they come!
Not necessarily the difficulty in catching the fish, but the local residents are as hard as they come!
In reply to Post #30
Ha fished that mal i know what you mean, mate had his car set on fire when i chinned a bloke for threatening to take his tackle.
Castle loch is hard 247 acres ten carp , but saying that i have had eight of them and i am a average angler .
Ha fished that mal i know what you mean, mate had his car set on fire when i chinned a bloke for threatening to take his tackle.
Castle loch is hard 247 acres ten carp , but saying that i have had eight of them and i am a average angler .
In reply to Post #31
that sounds about right!
caught my first pike from there. scared the life out of me. I had no idea what to do with it as it was unexpected and very toothy... a local bloke came over and with no hesitation just stuck his hand in and unhooked it for me. he didn't even blink! I reckon the pike was more scared of him....
that sounds about right!caught my first pike from there. scared the life out of me. I had no idea what to do with it as it was unexpected and very toothy... a local bloke came over and with no hesitation just stuck his hand in and unhooked it for me. he didn't even blink! I reckon the pike was more scared of him....
In reply to Post #10
Yes he done well on there but they were special circumstances .
Yes he done well on there but they were special circumstances .
In reply to Post #1
There used to be a day ticket lake near me that was very hard but quite cheap.
However it got easier but more expensive when the owner put the fish in.
True story apparently.
There used to be a day ticket lake near me that was very hard but quite cheap.
However it got easier but more expensive when the owner put the fish in.
True story apparently.
There is a 250 acres reservoir in the south west that contains mere handful of carp - probably no more than a dozen. I have seen them gathered in a bay at spawning time but it was a very subdued affair and I doubt if the eggs were actually fertilised. In addition given the amount of perch and trout in the ressie I'd be very surprised if any of the eggs remained uneaten. I know the history of these fish, many of them Leney-alike, and spent the summer and autumn of 1994 fishing for them. I had one take in all that time and the fish came off in the weed ! 
I caught a fair few trout along the way but the carp were elusive as hell. I know they are still in there and some of them must be well over 40lb. Probably one of the hardest venues in the country, made harder by the fact that there is no other fishing allowed apart from fly fishing for put-and-take trout..
I'll whisper it's name: "*********" (There, I told you I was only going to whisper it
)
I caught a fair few trout along the way but the carp were elusive as hell. I know they are still in there and some of them must be well over 40lb. Probably one of the hardest venues in the country, made harder by the fact that there is no other fishing allowed apart from fly fishing for put-and-take trout..
I'll whisper it's name: "*********" (There, I told you I was only going to whisper it
)
In reply to Post #30
some big carp round that area, some right lumps
some big carp round that area, some right lumps
In reply to Post #36
Most of my family are there... some right lumps...
Most of my family are there... some right lumps...
In reply to Post #28
I think there is a lot of truth in that.
I will be totally honest, commercial type water do not interest me one bit. I see them like cheating because they ain't natural. I have fished a few though over the last few years with friends for socials and just because I can. High stock, high lb fish were not available and they are relatively easily pickings, hence people are fishing for them.
I will summarise it in one sentence:
Nobody is going to be famous by sitting it out for 2 or 3 fish a year on an inland sea, Hence the people who are putting time in on such fisheries have no interest in publishing their pictures. They are doing it for themselves, or most who I know are, how it should be for me
Commercial fisheries = the commercial scene, posh tents, posh tackle and plenty of
Thank god for choices eh
I think there is a lot of truth in that.
I will be totally honest, commercial type water do not interest me one bit. I see them like cheating because they ain't natural. I have fished a few though over the last few years with friends for socials and just because I can. High stock, high lb fish were not available and they are relatively easily pickings, hence people are fishing for them.
I will summarise it in one sentence:
Nobody is going to be famous by sitting it out for 2 or 3 fish a year on an inland sea, Hence the people who are putting time in on such fisheries have no interest in publishing their pictures. They are doing it for themselves, or most who I know are, how it should be for me
Commercial fisheries = the commercial scene, posh tents, posh tackle and plenty of
Thank god for choices eh
In reply to Post #31
Castle Loch for carp has got to be up there like, I used to fish it for bream probably my favorite venue ever it had something about it, you have done well to catch the amount of carp you have had #Respect
Castle Loch for carp has got to be up there like, I used to fish it for bream probably my favorite venue ever it had something about it, you have done well to catch the amount of carp you have had #Respect
In reply to Post #38
You are spot on there.
There are relatively few carp anglers now who are doing it just for themselves, or for the sense of personal achievement.
Very few would tackle the man's waters of old.
You are spot on there.
There are relatively few carp anglers now who are doing it just for themselves, or for the sense of personal achievement.
Very few would tackle the man's waters of old.
Hard waters as said have many variables and it's not just low stock,... Pressure, distance travelled, limited bank access.
Some of the waters I've fished in the last 30 years would be classed as ultra difficult.
The Lockwood ressy on the Walthamstow complex was 90 odd acres with 20 or so carp and days only. Many anglers left without ever seeing a fish.
Fished a pit in the lea valley 70 or so acres , very low stock and very limited bank space.
Had a ticket for A large Bedfordshire pit , over 100 acres very few carp and a 2 hour trip to the lake from my house.
Ferry Boat, over 200 acres no idea how many carp as the floods have moved fish . Didn't see a fish for 6 months . 3 hours from my house.
The way I see it , it's what you want out of your fishing I personally like the challenge the solitude of the large difficult pits others don't mind or have limited options but to fish the busy places. As long as your enjoying your fishing that's all that matters..
Some of the waters I've fished in the last 30 years would be classed as ultra difficult.
The Lockwood ressy on the Walthamstow complex was 90 odd acres with 20 or so carp and days only. Many anglers left without ever seeing a fish.
Fished a pit in the lea valley 70 or so acres , very low stock and very limited bank space.
Had a ticket for A large Bedfordshire pit , over 100 acres very few carp and a 2 hour trip to the lake from my house.
Ferry Boat, over 200 acres no idea how many carp as the floods have moved fish . Didn't see a fish for 6 months . 3 hours from my house.
The way I see it , it's what you want out of your fishing I personally like the challenge the solitude of the large difficult pits others don't mind or have limited options but to fish the busy places. As long as your enjoying your fishing that's all that matters..
Or to look at it another way, many of these huge low stock waters that required huge amounts of time put in to locate and catch successfully were in the main fished by those that had the time to put, very few were working men and fewer still family men as well.
In reply to Post #39
Like you mate i fished it for years for bream , since 1979 actually , Its been up and down for years for a number of reasons , it probably looks the best now it ever has due to the town purchasing it , you can walk all the way round it now ,saying that there are very few bank spaces as you well know, The fishing however is not what it was but still throws up some surprises .
Like you mate i fished it for years for bream , since 1979 actually , Its been up and down for years for a number of reasons , it probably looks the best now it ever has due to the town purchasing it , you can walk all the way round it now ,saying that there are very few bank spaces as you well know, The fishing however is not what it was but still throws up some surprises .
In reply to Post #42
Agree with that too. If your a working man doing the family things why do you want to be blanking your arse off every week when the commercial around the corner can get you a few runs
Agree with that too. If your a working man doing the family things why do you want to be blanking your arse off every week when the commercial around the corner can get you a few runs
In reply to Post #44
I am the same, kids wife job, only get a few hours here and there, mainly the odd day, but for me I cannot get excited about getting bites, I get excited about a real challenge, makes my adrenaline go up whilst driving there, I work hard driven on by this challenge where as a commercial type water I find I just go through the motions! Think it's the mental mind of people who fish these types of water! Most of the people I meet are the same, proper odd/weirdos!
I am the same, kids wife job, only get a few hours here and there, mainly the odd day, but for me I cannot get excited about getting bites, I get excited about a real challenge, makes my adrenaline go up whilst driving there, I work hard driven on by this challenge where as a commercial type water I find I just go through the motions! Think it's the mental mind of people who fish these types of water! Most of the people I meet are the same, proper odd/weirdos!
In reply to Post #45
Similar thouughts to me on the waters pal
All part of this magnificent pastime, the anticipation, wanting to be there then some time on the bank, a result or three, even better
Similar thouughts to me on the waters pal
All part of this magnificent pastime, the anticipation, wanting to be there then some time on the bank, a result or three, even better
Rivers told me fishes a really hard place, but Tel caught one on his first night so can't be that hard
In reply to Post #45
Me too mate.i have fished a couple of the lakes mentioned below and they were my happiest years of fishing. I made friends for life and some awesome memories. You meet a different type of angler, not necessarily better, whatever that means, but often more tuned in to the environment.
Me too mate.i have fished a couple of the lakes mentioned below and they were my happiest years of fishing. I made friends for life and some awesome memories. You meet a different type of angler, not necessarily better, whatever that means, but often more tuned in to the environment.
Looking back I guess I'm extremely fortunate to have only ever fished two day ticket waters, on of them a carp forum social and the other a small social with a member and two mods from here.
In reply to Post #49
What do you do in the close season?
What do you do in the close season?
In reply to Post #50
Becomes less social
Becomes less social
In reply to Post #50
Work and sleep mostly, free time would normally be riding around the countryside.
Work and sleep mostly, free time would normally be riding around the countryside.
In reply to Post #27
Cole was, and always will be, rock hard... I got two chances in around 100 nights, neither of which saw a fish on the bank... Did the pics of Banana for Ev, seeing that one on the bank was real special... Magical times which stood me in good stead on subsequent waters... Not that many places are “hard” after a bit of time on Cole... 👌
Cole was, and always will be, rock hard... I got two chances in around 100 nights, neither of which saw a fish on the bank... Did the pics of Banana for Ev, seeing that one on the bank was real special... Magical times which stood me in good stead on subsequent waters... Not that many places are “hard” after a bit of time on Cole... 👌
In reply to Post #1
Quite a few lakes in the North West were rock hard back in the 1980s
Because we found out after fishing them there were no carp in them
I remember Smiths in Bolton being a particular head banger... And still is now apparently.
Quite a few lakes in the North West were rock hard back in the 1980s
Because we found out after fishing them there were no carp in them
I remember Smiths in Bolton being a particular head banger... And still is now apparently.
Fish a Scottish loch.
There was a lake in Glasgow that was rock hard. You rarely came away with your fishing gear as it had been nicked, which really ups the hardness level.
There was a lake in Glasgow that was rock hard. You rarely came away with your fishing gear as it had been nicked, which really ups the hardness level.
Has to be the place Big R & Little H guested surely.
Places can be hard for different reasons.
These massive low stock pits, it's a bloody nightmare finding the carp but once you've found them they're not always that tricky to catch in my experience.
I've known tiny pits holding a handful of carp, those fish are as tricky as they come imo. A real ball breaker figuring out how to get them to make a mistake. They've seen it all day in day out.
Agree with the OP that trying to single out targets on circuit waters aint always easy. Getting on them consistently can take a fair bit of sacrifice and while catching carp might not be that hard, catching the one you're after can take a long time - in some cases the fish can come out once and that's it for another year.
Access alone can make a water difficult.
All different kinds of challenges. I enjoy them all tbh.
There's loads of difficult waters out there imo.
These massive low stock pits, it's a bloody nightmare finding the carp but once you've found them they're not always that tricky to catch in my experience.
I've known tiny pits holding a handful of carp, those fish are as tricky as they come imo. A real ball breaker figuring out how to get them to make a mistake. They've seen it all day in day out.
Agree with the OP that trying to single out targets on circuit waters aint always easy. Getting on them consistently can take a fair bit of sacrifice and while catching carp might not be that hard, catching the one you're after can take a long time - in some cases the fish can come out once and that's it for another year.
Access alone can make a water difficult.
All different kinds of challenges. I enjoy them all tbh.
There's loads of difficult waters out there imo.
Vinnetrow has to be up there i would imagine ?
currymuncher i really doubt it mate people have multiple fish a session on there in the depths of winter. on some places you would be lucky to see 2 a year let alone catch them
In reply to Post #55
😂 brilliant
😂 brilliant
In reply to Post #56
yeah swimming pools are ball breakers
yeah swimming pools are ball breakers
In reply to Post #59
Really, please tell us more.
Really, please tell us more.
My syndicate is a small lake with reasonable stock levels, but hard as hell to catch...it's packed with naturals and I'm by no means doing well but holding my own...some of the other lads have the luxury of doing 5 night stints at least once a month with a few 48 hrs sessions as well, where as I'm lucky to get 2 x 24 hrs sessions a month so maximum I get is 20 nights a year.... But on hours fished per fish caught I'd above average for the lake...
Doing less sessions means my tactics are different from the longer stay anglers, big beds of bait do work but seems to be most productive on 3rd / 4th night..... So I generally fish for a bite at a time...with its being only small it's not too much of an issue to I've swims if needed ...., I found where the fish show is not always the best place to catch....I prefer one swim which everyone else neglects as its not the most comfortable and it's been my most productive swim...... This year in gonna try small baits on one rod, double 18mm on the other and have a roving rod and see what happens...
Doing less sessions means my tactics are different from the longer stay anglers, big beds of bait do work but seems to be most productive on 3rd / 4th night..... So I generally fish for a bite at a time...with its being only small it's not too much of an issue to I've swims if needed ...., I found where the fish show is not always the best place to catch....I prefer one swim which everyone else neglects as its not the most comfortable and it's been my most productive swim...... This year in gonna try small baits on one rod, double 18mm on the other and have a roving rod and see what happens...
In reply to Post #38
Couldn't agree more!
Couldn't agree more!
In reply to Post #30
Ormsgill Reservoir in Barrow...
Not necessarily the difficulty in catching the fish, but the local residents are as hard as they come!
I remember when the Wildlife Park at Dalton was opening and the question was asked "What if one of the Tigers escaped and got onto the Ormsgill estate?".
The answer given was that it would just have to take it's chances like everybody else!
Ormsgill Reservoir in Barrow...
Not necessarily the difficulty in catching the fish, but the local residents are as hard as they come!
I remember when the Wildlife Park at Dalton was opening and the question was asked "What if one of the Tigers escaped and got onto the Ormsgill estate?".
The answer given was that it would just have to take it's chances like everybody else!
In reply to Post #65
I struggled at Yateley and Longfield back in the 80's. Not easy.
I do smile at what some people class as a "hard" water these days. Down the road from me is a small carp water that I have fished just the once. Whilst there I had three people come round each telling me how hard it was.
Had 8 fish that day. Really not doing anything fancy at all - just out for the day.
Hmmmm
I struggled at Yateley and Longfield back in the 80's. Not easy.
I do smile at what some people class as a "hard" water these days. Down the road from me is a small carp water that I have fished just the once. Whilst there I had three people come round each telling me how hard it was.
Had 8 fish that day. Really not doing anything fancy at all - just out for the day.
Hmmmm
In reply to Post #65
The trout reservoirs where coarse angling is strictly prohibited! A massive expanse of water with hardly any features or bankside cover to hide in away from the wardens etc. Somewhere like Grafham Water or Rutland Water would be the ultimate campaign in England. It is well known that there are lots of massive carp & coarse fish in these places so wouldn't be a ‘peeing in the wind for a mythical fish that was seen many years ago' or a very very long shot like one of the Lake District lakes that nobody knows if they actually hold any carp in.
In reply to Post #68
I drive past Rutland everyday and nearly crash looking for signs lol.
I drive past Rutland everyday and nearly crash looking for signs lol.
In reply to Post #69
Toft Newton, a concrete bowl reservoir, in Lincolnshire is a well established trout reservoir. A coarse fishing experiment took place some time ago after hoards of large coarse fish were seen. Not much was forthcoming after being properly approached by crack anglers and the event wasn't repeated. A few trout fishermen, known for all sorts of exaggeration, seeing carp of the surface can see doubles as forties. Ive stocked a few trout ressies myself over time. There's always a pointy, snaggy, shallow end and these 'stocklings' very rarely show up there. Always nice to look over a large sheet of water and imagine the untold giants that swim within. Carping kids today never have that.
Toft Newton, a concrete bowl reservoir, in Lincolnshire is a well established trout reservoir. A coarse fishing experiment took place some time ago after hoards of large coarse fish were seen. Not much was forthcoming after being properly approached by crack anglers and the event wasn't repeated. A few trout fishermen, known for all sorts of exaggeration, seeing carp of the surface can see doubles as forties. Ive stocked a few trout ressies myself over time. There's always a pointy, snaggy, shallow end and these 'stocklings' very rarely show up there. Always nice to look over a large sheet of water and imagine the untold giants that swim within. Carping kids today never have that.
In reply to Post #65
Banbury comes to mind. Fished it in the eighties as a guest of a ticket holder. Think you had to work for Thames water . Never saw another angler but did see two carp one afternoon, probably doubles at the time.
Did hear of a fifty coming from another close by ressy in 2001.
Anyone else that fished the George around the early 2000s will know what was in there.
Did hear of a fifty coming from another close by ressy in 2001.
Anyone else that fished the George around the early 2000s will know what was in there.
In reply to Post #72
Is that the lake that's next to the Banbury Thames water treatment works? I've been working there the last 2 weeks and there's a nice lake with pegs around it next to the site.
Is that the lake that's next to the Banbury Thames water treatment works? I've been working there the last 2 weeks and there's a nice lake with pegs around it next to the site.
In reply to Post #65
I'd give it ten minutes before it was on a thick chain leash and being called 'kitty'
I'd give it ten minutes before it was on a thick chain leash and being called 'kitty'
anybody heard of any carp in chew res.. that place has the perfect enviroment for all species.. pike to mid 40 perch and roach to 3s and 4s and massive eels
The banbury reservoir I'm talking about is in North London not in Oxford . The closest lake is the Lockwood.
Banbury is well over a 100 acres.
Not sure where you are working, fished there many years ago.
Banbury is well over a 100 acres.
Not sure where you are working, fished there many years ago.
In reply to Post #76
You could also fish it on a club ticket years ago which I did
You could also fish it on a club ticket years ago which I did
In reply to Post #41
That's right, just enjoy
That's right, just enjoy
Interesting ! On a club ticket. Do you know if any carp got caught or even seen.
I started on the George in the late nineties.
I started on the George in the late nineties.
In reply to Post #79
Civil service angling society, in the 80s, I think
Civil service angling society, in the 80s, I think
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