Everyone always refers to May as we lead up to spawning as clubbing season, easiest time to catch a carp apparently. Anyone else finding it really hard at the moment? I'm fully on the struggle bus, caught a few tench but that's about it for Spring so far.

In reply to Post #1
In my limited experience, there is a small window which is clubbing season and its probably getting earlier each year.

End of March and April, to me, is when chasing them and slinging singles at them really scores. But as we get into May then I do find it harder; you can find them still but they are not being caught as easy. As we go into May margin traps start to work for me, especially at night or first thing in the morning.

IMO, spawning is what is on their mind now and clubbing season is probably done for this year.

In reply to Post #1
Haven't caught a fish in May this year, after getting off to a flyer in April. So yes, it's a struggle. Going tomorrow, so hopefully it will change!!

End of March into April been best time for me last few seasons.

In reply to Post #2
interesting, I do an overnighter a week so hard to judge a little how a lake is fishing and don't really have that opportunity to chase fish around with singles.
But my syndicate at least wasn't doing much in March that I know of, we had that hot weather at easter though didn't we which I'm sure had an impact suddenly waking everything up.

In reply to Post #1
Its so hard to predict what they are going to do or anticipate where they are going next this time of year let alone feed and then spawn. I always seem to miss it by a few weeks or cant do the time needed.

It's been clubbing season since mid February

March and April were clubbing season for me. Once those Northeasterlies came in the other week, followed by the warm spell which triggered spawning up and down the country, I've not had a bite!

In reply to Post #7
alright no need to show off

May northerlies really aren't the one are they?!

Gave up clubbing years ago. Just cant bust a move on the dancefloor like i used to

March was excellent for me, I was convinced that I had "unlocked the code". There I was, prancing around the lake like a dog with 2 d***s, looking smug, & boasting my achievements at every opportunity.

April came around & it all went to s**t with one long blank - well deserved.

Can't speak for this month as I've mostly been sulking..

Joined a club at the end of March, fished quite well in April with a few carp in the mid & upper 20s.
Then two things happened ( three actually) the bream got onto my baits, quite litterally anywhere I cast and the wind changed to a bitter north easterly, Carp were straight on the wind and stayed there.

Then the sun came out again and it's just ridiculously busy.

On my current syndi the best couple of days fishing I've ever had numbers wise was in May.

I was catching fish after fish including two of the lakes biggies. It was when I looked at all the Mayfly's hatching and the spent bodies on the surface that I realised as I was downwind and they were blowing into the dam end where Iwas fishing. I reckon the fish were feeding on the sinking bodies and getting in a bit of a frenzy and then happily feeding over my particle bed by the dam wall.

If it wasn't that then something else odd was occurring as I was on a roll and the rest of the lake wasn't producing.

In reply to Post #1
Depends on where you fish. Even the other week with easterlies and high pressure, I still found them in the shallows willing to feed.

Bait and location is more important than fishing "spots" as they will be very mobile weather depending.

One of my syndicates has been throwing up absolutely loads of captures over the last two months.
Unfortunately I've been too busy to fish either of my syndicates.