In reply to Post #14
Quote... Blimey mark was it really that long ago.... lovely to take the pictures of such pukka fish from the old father those 2 r absolutely mint... still in touch with toddy a few times a year the nicest of men.
It really was Micky, time flies. Toddy is an absolute legend. He's coming with me to Brazil soon, meet my family and live it up
Quote... Blimey mark was it really that long ago.... lovely to take the pictures of such pukka fish from the old father those 2 r absolutely mint... still in touch with toddy a few times a year the nicest of men.
It really was Micky, time flies. Toddy is an absolute legend. He's coming with me to Brazil soon, meet my family and live it up
In reply to Post #31
Tell him to WhatsApp message our work mobile Cam.
Tell him to WhatsApp message our work mobile Cam.
Forum member Rich with a new PB from Wellington Country Park last night. Turns out it's the same 50+ he caught two weeks ago after he looked at the night photos. Addicted. 52lb+
Hutchie S2.
Hutchie S2.
Forum member James & his sons William & Finley at the Secret Garden. They have had so many now after a couple of nights, it's hard to keep up. This is William (glasses) with a 61lb+ personal best, Finley with a 57lb+ personal best, James with a 61lb+.
Cherry Coke S2 providing by far the most bites for them, followed by Scopex/Pineapple S2. Fished over Cell & Royal Marine freezer baits.
Incredible photos James. Proud dad moment. Well done boys.
Cherry Coke S2 providing by far the most bites for them, followed by Scopex/Pineapple S2. Fished over Cell & Royal Marine freezer baits.
Incredible photos James. Proud dad moment. Well done boys.
Stoke Carl, Judes dad. Two local mirrors. That top one is especially lovely. Scopex/Pineapple S2 balanced over Inception freezer baits & particle.
In reply to Post #30
Quote... Cheers bud - I'll hang on ordering then.
Forewarning. It will be a while unfortunately. We are so stupidly busy.
Quote... Cheers bud - I'll hang on ordering then.
Forewarning. It will be a while unfortunately. We are so stupidly busy.
How crazy is this. I was reminded today, that I had fished the park lake where the big common The Golden resides. It's become rather famous now. I showed it on here when a local lad had it three or four years ago now. Did not name the venue at the time. It's a monster. Everyone knows anyway now.
In 2007, my now departed friend Gary Bainbridge from Poacher Baits, asked me to fish the BCAC for him. He had a team entered and paid for, but one of the blokes had to pull out due to being in a car accident. Would I step in at the last minute. I did not want too, matches were very much not my thing at all. But Gary was giving me free bait at the time, I'd just caught all those fish from Sutton. I felt a little bit obliged. The money would also have been very handy at the time. The qualifier was at DDAPs Brooklands which I knew well. We won that really easily. The semi final was on Willen South.
James Armstrong and partner were leading the semi final until the last afternoon. They were fishing over by the pub somewhere over my shoulder in the photo, there were zero fish on our side of the lake. Two S2 at long range saw me catch three fish on the last afternoon, we won the semi final. Here's the mad thing. The common I'm holding was 28lb, something like that. Far bigger than all of the other fish. The other two I caught were pasties. The other fish caught in the match from memory were small too. I'm told by anglers who have caught the Golden, plus others who have fished the lake for years that this has to be her, on just size alone back in 2007.
I speak to anglers chasing this fish all of the time. Two of my customers have caught it on my hook baits. I could not even remember that I had fished their lake, let alone had most likely caught the fish others I speak to regular so dream of catching.
We came out last in the draw at the final at Horseshoe. All the fish were stacked in Summerbay. We caught a couple out in the main lake when no one else did, but had zero chance.
How funny to find out today from local anglers that in all likelihood I caught that particular fish
In 2007, my now departed friend Gary Bainbridge from Poacher Baits, asked me to fish the BCAC for him. He had a team entered and paid for, but one of the blokes had to pull out due to being in a car accident. Would I step in at the last minute. I did not want too, matches were very much not my thing at all. But Gary was giving me free bait at the time, I'd just caught all those fish from Sutton. I felt a little bit obliged. The money would also have been very handy at the time. The qualifier was at DDAPs Brooklands which I knew well. We won that really easily. The semi final was on Willen South.
James Armstrong and partner were leading the semi final until the last afternoon. They were fishing over by the pub somewhere over my shoulder in the photo, there were zero fish on our side of the lake. Two S2 at long range saw me catch three fish on the last afternoon, we won the semi final. Here's the mad thing. The common I'm holding was 28lb, something like that. Far bigger than all of the other fish. The other two I caught were pasties. The other fish caught in the match from memory were small too. I'm told by anglers who have caught the Golden, plus others who have fished the lake for years that this has to be her, on just size alone back in 2007.
I speak to anglers chasing this fish all of the time. Two of my customers have caught it on my hook baits. I could not even remember that I had fished their lake, let alone had most likely caught the fish others I speak to regular so dream of catching.
We came out last in the draw at the final at Horseshoe. All the fish were stacked in Summerbay. We caught a couple out in the main lake when no one else did, but had zero chance.
How funny to find out today from local anglers that in all likelihood I caught that particular fish
Theale Lagoon, July 2021, just after the craziness of Covid lockdowns. Thirty to thirty five fish in 270+ acres. It used to be 500+ acres, until the construction of the M4 split the lake. Behind me in these photos is the M4, behind that is Wellman's pit, the TH video earlier this year with the lovely dark RDAA/J12 strain carp. Theale had become harder and harder as pressure wised the fish up. I first had a ticket in 2015/16, and caught one on my first trip during the Thames close season, a small common from the sailing club swim. The first fish banked that year. A full timer moved in there when I left, stitched the area up for six weeks solid. Work was stupidly busy, I sort of gave up on it after a couple more trips. I could no longer compete for time working constantly, not on somewhere like Theale. I gave up my ticket that same year. In 2020/21 I was offered the chance again if I wanted it. This was really was going to be my last hurrah on the type of lakes I want to fish. Since SHB started, my personal fishing had became ridiculously political. Every lake I want to fish is full up with anglers sponsored by rival bait companies. Be careful what you wish for in life, it might just end up taking away the thing that you have loved the most for your entire life.
Theale had become totally granite. Nothing was being banked whatsoever, despite being fished constantly. Analysing situations, is what carp fishing on a new lake is all about to me. It was crystal clear instantly to me that the fish had just moved to the centre of the lake. Out of fishing range of all of the anglers. If you give a very small stock of big pressured carp a place to hide away from lines, they will start to live there. Simple. The far bank on Theale is more than a mile away. The pylon you can see in the distance in the scenic photos is on an island, that's not even the far bank. There is a bay behind that bigger than most carp lakes. They were definitely living out in the centre of the pit now, far away from pressure. I have used a boat my entire angling life, I'm very good in a boat and well versed at fishing at range. I found a suitable spot at approx 500-550m and started to fill it in with fermented garlic hemp. They were on it instantly. Once they smashed the spot, three single garlic 13mm balanced on the spot was all that would be needed. Everything would need to be banked from the boat. Theale Lagoon is an incredibly weedy pit, savagely so. I hoped they would pretty much weed themselves whist I was on my way out there at full speed on the motor. Gardner sinking braid, the pit is a sailing pit. Speed boats and sailing boats everyday. I needed the braid down in the water. Long 25m mono leaders would help with this too, dragging it all down through the canadian pond weed. It worked perfectly.
The biggest fish in the lake, the mirror called the Machine took over the spot immediately. I had photographed this fish for someone else at over 60lb just three months before. The only fish banked that spring. Every time I went out in the boat he was sitting there. He was not scared of me at all, the king of the pond and he had already made the spot his. He looked ridiculous in the crystal clear water from the boat, a real big pit monster. There was another more leathery mirror with him, 55lb at least. But she would not go near the spot, sitting much further away. There's only one king of the pond, and she was not it. I had a bite the following morning, first bite from the spot. I flew out there in the boat, but got cut off on the hook link by savage razor sharp mussels. I would later find out that everything in the water, including the weed itself was smothered with them. I changed hook links from 30lb fluorocarbon booms, to 35lb coated braid. Changed leaders from 20lb to 30lb green Big Game mono. I lost the second bite to a hook pull the following morning. I was so distraught. I'd lost the Machine without a doubt. I asked Gardner tackle for some older versions of the beaked point hooks I was using, with a far meatier barb. No more micro barbs I filled it in garlic hemp and went off to work. The following week I was back, the spot had been decimated. This was going to be simple, I just needed to get them into the net! I was so excited, I knew what was about to happen. I watched the common clear the water multiple times through binoculars. The common was 55lb8oz and is my personal best. The mirror was 41lb+. The top three photographs have never been seen anywhere before. They are all self takes. A plasterer named Deano, who has fished the lake for seven years caught the common in the spring. He had previously banked just one small fish in those seven years. He purchased some GPB2 from us in April. First time he had ever purchased anything from us. In May, he banked this common at 61lb8oz on one. First ever trip with them.
Theale had become totally granite. Nothing was being banked whatsoever, despite being fished constantly. Analysing situations, is what carp fishing on a new lake is all about to me. It was crystal clear instantly to me that the fish had just moved to the centre of the lake. Out of fishing range of all of the anglers. If you give a very small stock of big pressured carp a place to hide away from lines, they will start to live there. Simple. The far bank on Theale is more than a mile away. The pylon you can see in the distance in the scenic photos is on an island, that's not even the far bank. There is a bay behind that bigger than most carp lakes. They were definitely living out in the centre of the pit now, far away from pressure. I have used a boat my entire angling life, I'm very good in a boat and well versed at fishing at range. I found a suitable spot at approx 500-550m and started to fill it in with fermented garlic hemp. They were on it instantly. Once they smashed the spot, three single garlic 13mm balanced on the spot was all that would be needed. Everything would need to be banked from the boat. Theale Lagoon is an incredibly weedy pit, savagely so. I hoped they would pretty much weed themselves whist I was on my way out there at full speed on the motor. Gardner sinking braid, the pit is a sailing pit. Speed boats and sailing boats everyday. I needed the braid down in the water. Long 25m mono leaders would help with this too, dragging it all down through the canadian pond weed. It worked perfectly.
The biggest fish in the lake, the mirror called the Machine took over the spot immediately. I had photographed this fish for someone else at over 60lb just three months before. The only fish banked that spring. Every time I went out in the boat he was sitting there. He was not scared of me at all, the king of the pond and he had already made the spot his. He looked ridiculous in the crystal clear water from the boat, a real big pit monster. There was another more leathery mirror with him, 55lb at least. But she would not go near the spot, sitting much further away. There's only one king of the pond, and she was not it. I had a bite the following morning, first bite from the spot. I flew out there in the boat, but got cut off on the hook link by savage razor sharp mussels. I would later find out that everything in the water, including the weed itself was smothered with them. I changed hook links from 30lb fluorocarbon booms, to 35lb coated braid. Changed leaders from 20lb to 30lb green Big Game mono. I lost the second bite to a hook pull the following morning. I was so distraught. I'd lost the Machine without a doubt. I asked Gardner tackle for some older versions of the beaked point hooks I was using, with a far meatier barb. No more micro barbs I filled it in garlic hemp and went off to work. The following week I was back, the spot had been decimated. This was going to be simple, I just needed to get them into the net! I was so excited, I knew what was about to happen. I watched the common clear the water multiple times through binoculars. The common was 55lb8oz and is my personal best. The mirror was 41lb+. The top three photographs have never been seen anywhere before. They are all self takes. A plasterer named Deano, who has fished the lake for seven years caught the common in the spring. He had previously banked just one small fish in those seven years. He purchased some GPB2 from us in April. First time he had ever purchased anything from us. In May, he banked this common at 61lb8oz on one. First ever trip with them.
And because I'm weird, this old dinosaur below means far more to me personally. One of the best river Thames fish I've ever caught. Just look at her. That sloping head. She is unquestionably ancient, previously a bigger fish too. You don't even see this type of strain in the UK anymore.
Donald Leney may have been the king of stocking ponds... But the 240 mile river Thames has always been the last bastion of real old school fish in the UK. Nowhere else comes even remotely close. It may have been completely polluted by Oxfordshire day ticket Simmos in the big floods of 2007, but if you want a 'proper' old strain UK carp, then the Thames has always been the one.
This fish below, is worth more than five lake 40's, or a 50 to me personally. I'm told that this another fish that appeared in an ESP video a year or two after this. Marlow On Thames, summer 2017.
Donald Leney may have been the king of stocking ponds... But the 240 mile river Thames has always been the last bastion of real old school fish in the UK. Nowhere else comes even remotely close. It may have been completely polluted by Oxfordshire day ticket Simmos in the big floods of 2007, but if you want a 'proper' old strain UK carp, then the Thames has always been the one.
This fish below, is worth more than five lake 40's, or a 50 to me personally. I'm told that this another fish that appeared in an ESP video a year or two after this. Marlow On Thames, summer 2017.
In reply to Post #41
Thought I recognised that fish Mark. That's appeared in one of Terry's ESP Vid. They certainly don't bread them like that anymore. The thing with today's breeders is they are to good at it. There all over breed there all to perfect. We need more retards. To coin a horrible expression. But I think your get my drift..
Thought I recognised that fish Mark. That's appeared in one of Terry's ESP Vid. They certainly don't bread them like that anymore. The thing with today's breeders is they are to good at it. There all over breed there all to perfect. We need more retards. To coin a horrible expression. But I think your get my drift..
In reply to Post #1
I'd not fished through the summer due to family and work commitments but managed to do the day on my syndicate on Saturday. Had on the GPB1s over a few whole and crushed tigers and caught two nice mid-20s
I'd not fished through the summer due to family and work commitments but managed to do the day on my syndicate on Saturday. Had on the GPB1s over a few whole and crushed tigers and caught two nice mid-20s
In reply to Post #41
Where's the fermented hemp guide to how mark does it can someone link it or pin it going to have a play with it
Mark what was the bait you used to do that was like the S1 but wasn't and everyone used to catch on it
Where's the fermented hemp guide to how mark does it can someone link it or pin it going to have a play with it
Mark what was the bait you used to do that was like the S1 but wasn't and everyone used to catch on it
In reply to Post #44
Probs pgb chocolate orange mate abs baits make it mate now I think
Probs pgb chocolate orange mate abs baits make it mate now I think
In reply to Post #44
Mark's fermented hemp guide:
"Two or three large garlic bulbs cut in half horizontally.
Put them at the bottom of a large black bucket and fill with water and dry hemp.
Leave the sealed bucket in the sun in the garden for two weeks (this time of year).
Boil it outside (wearing a mask), remove the garlic.
Drain the water, in a large bucket of hemp, I then put 500g-1kg of salt.
Give it a real good glug of hemp or nut oil and stir.
That's it, it's so simple. The garlic will ferment at a much quicker rate than the hemp.
The massive stink, is from the garlic.
It will last weeks in the sealed bucket once the salt and oil are added.
I tend to always use it immediately though."
Mark's fermented hemp guide:
"Two or three large garlic bulbs cut in half horizontally.
Put them at the bottom of a large black bucket and fill with water and dry hemp.
Leave the sealed bucket in the sun in the garden for two weeks (this time of year).
Boil it outside (wearing a mask), remove the garlic.
Drain the water, in a large bucket of hemp, I then put 500g-1kg of salt.
Give it a real good glug of hemp or nut oil and stir.
That's it, it's so simple. The garlic will ferment at a much quicker rate than the hemp.
The massive stink, is from the garlic.
It will last weeks in the sealed bucket once the salt and oil are added.
I tend to always use it immediately though."