|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #34
It definitely happens buddy. Like I say for me it's massively that mindset I suppose, I've been so lucky previously to fish quieter waters or days, it's certainly a completely different skillset you need to fish those busier venues / days.
|
|
|
|
I once turned up on Christchurch to find it rammed and there was just one peg almost free in a unfancied corner, but swims either side cut it off.
I checked with the guys left and right and I could squeeze in, but options were severely limited.
Only about five fish had been out in the previous week so things weren't looking good.
One cast with a marker to find the back of the bank of weed that ended about 25 yards out, and I plopped two small solid bags either side of it about five yards apart.
It looked too much of a squeeze to put a third rod out so I just left it as it was, and no spods and no freebies.
It was going to be dark in an hour so I started putting the evo up and one of my rods was off.
Into my chesties and as I'm playing the fish I can hear mutterings along the bank, I can see lads watching and calling to their mates on the opposite bank, all calling me a spawny ****.
I get the fish in and a few lads have drifted over to see what's going on. It's a repeat capture of small scaley, a fish I have had a couple of times before at around 28 and most recently about a month before. I unhook it in the net, lift it to show the lads who have come for a nose, the slip her straight back with no fuss. This made the natives restless!
While I'm redoing the bag on that first rod, the second rod rips off and I'm soon playing another fish that is a mid 20 and a new fish for me, so a quick picture and returned.
By this time the murmurs are turning to grumbles 
I had one more fish over the next couple of days.
So it kind of proves the theory of fish moving into the less disturbed areas on smaller pressured waters.
|
|
|
|
Busy small lakes - slot quietly in to areas with no lines and fish singles/ do something different
Busy big lakes - slot quietly in to areas with no lines and watch them show out of range 
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #14
I hear your pain - and am lucky enough to fish some quiet waters but I think the first night camping could be a winner.
Firstly you have a swim, also you can ensure that any fish that push in there are left alone for the first night - I wouldn't bait heavily just a few washed out baits in water that nobody else can get to. The other advantage (in my head) is that you are changing the game mentally- you go from the guy that turns up last, goes in the rubbish swim and blanks to the guy that uses the unfortunate circumstances to his advantage. If you blank - you probably would have anyway, if you catch, the hordes will probably understand that it's not where you fish, bait, rigs, wraps etc but how you fish, meaning swim jumping will be futile. You could become that annoying guy, that can fish any swim and somehow winkle one out.
It also frees up time, to have a chat with others - drink tea and be sleep, getting up at 3-4am fully refreshed is a better feeling than waking up after another ‘enforced” confidence sapping night.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #30
Completely agree, I've enjoyed a bit of time on Stillwater too, but I've been lucky previously with it being midweek and Stillwater is a little quieter. Lodge has been fun when I'm desperate for a bend 😂😂 Once I can manoeuvre a little more time I'd love to try Frensham little or Mill Lane but I need the time to dedicate to them, which at the moment I just don't have.
I'm yet to try Badshot as I don't think it's my type of fishing but I would like to try for the cats at some point.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #28
Great advice Bowlsky
You just have to get you head around the options available to you. I am more than happy to fish the unwanted swims / unfavoured swims.
Next up is to fish as efficient as you can, if the lake is busy then a stealthy approach would be your best bet. I would be fishing singles / stringers / small pva mesh bags fishing for a single bite at a time.
If swims become available you have the choice of moving but I wouldn't move unless I knew there were fish there to move onto.
I set myself a goal whenever I start fishing a new lake to fish a different swim every time I go to the lake until I have pretty much caught a fish from every swim. Building knowledge of all the swims helps out massively when faced with a busy lake when you turn up.
There are lots of good lakes on the Farnham ticket and not jus the yateley waters.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #28
Great advice buddy. The Saturday could work well for me too 👍
|
|
|
|
Iv done this type of angling regular and I can honestly say I don't think it effected me badly . A few things to consider
Firstly, iv lost count of the times Iv fished unpopular swims and done really well. The quieter neglected swims often contain a safe zone for the fish
Secondly , on one lake I found by turning up early on a Saturday morning often got me a decent selection of swims come dinner time when people had done there 24h
Thirdly, being mobile or prepared to move will always be an advantage in this situation. Most lakes Iv fished people have not being prepared to move onto fish so take advantage of this
And lastly , people have there favourite pegs and will fish them regardless of if there are fish in them or not so take your time and look around before setting up , it's that simple
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #25
I'd agree entirely, I've met some amazing people through fishing that I'd consider very good friends. I've also met some proper idiots 😂😂 unfortunately with Farnham being a very good price, you get a great mixture of the 2 😂
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #24
My pb of 32 came from my local canal rumours of a 35 come out last year a well known bait making guy from my area told me of 3 30's in that stretch and I've had the big common out already only 2 to go,and to be fair I fish that stretch for upto a week at a time in the spring/summer and rarely see anyone else maybe the odd carper or pleasure angler but that's it.
|
|
|
|
The biggest problem I have is not others who come to fish,,
but those who come to act like jerks and spoil it for those that do.
sharing a water with a like minded soul is often the beginning of a long friendship.
sharing it with a bunch of inconsiderate idiots is likely to be the beginning of extensive dentistry.
these days it's worth a walk round and find out which kind is likely to be present.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #22
I've always been the same tbh and have been very lucky with regards to the waters I've fished. Being truthful, I've realised I'd really like to beat my PB (37lb), and to be honest around me, most of the lakes (there is probably exceptions I don't know of) are either extortionately expensive or absolutely rammed. Sadly I can't afford the expensive option 😂
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #22
Yeah it sucks, nowadays I'm lucky to be on a much quieter private venue, where even in summer you can turn up and get a decent swim at the weekend..
But I appreciate that some people just don't get that chance, or can't afford the cost of a ticket, so they have to do what they can to catch,
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #21
This is one thing that's never appealed to me busy venues I like to go wondering and fish stretches of canal or lakes that don't see many proper anglers even though the ones I fish are always open to the public
|
|
|
|
|
A few times when fishing a busy water at the weekend and I wanted a move, I'd be up at first light and be packed up with my stuff ready to move with only my rods and net still out. Then keep an eye on everybody first thing on Sat morning, the moment a decent swim comes free - get on it, right away.
|
|
|
|
|
Cheers all, some great tips there. I think it's more staying positive when you're out of options, so really helpful info 👍
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
Really pay attention to the water, constantly watching and looking.
If it's under a lot of pressure there will be noise and the fish should move away or use a different way of travelling through such areas and around the water.
Agree with Essexandy, being extremely quite is the best way to gain an advantage on such lakes, especially if you have limited time but you must fish well.
|
|
|
|
|
I have often fished the least popular swims on a water out of choice. Being more stealthy than everyone else is the key to success IMO.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #13
haha yeah, Thursday totally is the new Friday.
A few times I've turned up on a Saturday morning at a busy venue to find 1-2 really good swims free, for this very reason.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #13
That would suit me perfectly so might work, fingers crossed 😂😂
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #11
On Nazeing Meads Brackens lake, if there were 4 anglers or more on the 2 acre lake fish were often pressured into the corners.
Most anglers preferred to fish Suicide, Reeds, Bridge, Boards, Ants or Steps. Going into Pig Pen where casting towards the undercut could pay off.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
Depending on length of session if it's really rammed and you're there for the 2 nights I'd be tempted to bait and camp for the first night. Flick the rods out first light and see what happens!
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
I'm able to fish a club lake and a syndicate venue that are both busy. I've noticed in recent times that Thursday has become the new Friday. Instead of turning up on Friday and leaving on Saturday or Sunday guys are arriving on Thursday then leaving on Saturday. Is it worth leaving it until Saturday lunchtime / afternoon to see what swim you can get in?
|
|
| | | mal | | Posts: 8986 |  | |
|
In reply to Post #1
Maggots and margins....
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #10
You can only go and try it on your given available days that you can.
Prime times/Moon phases will probably be busier that so called crap times/non favourable weather conditions.
Remember - you cannot catch them sitting at home, your eyes and ears are your biggest assets, even whilst blanking. You are still learning things.
Even if you are in the LAST/only available swim, and your baits are in the water, you always have a chance, as people have said, people can move/spook the fish into your swim 
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #9
That's a good shout. It's certainly strange, I ended up taking 2-3 months away from the bank tbh as the numbers just messed with me 😂😂
Problem is I actually like the waters available, and there are some big fish to target, it's just getting my head round it 😂
|
|
|
|
I've never known anything different, a midweek session is a rare treat!
Sometimes the best weekend waters are days only, if you're up early and first at the gate, you have first choice!
|
|
|
|
I walk the venue and pick what appears to be best of the remaining pegs, any fishing is better than no fishing imo.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #4
Good point to be fair, I have seen that a few times.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #5
I think it's just alien for me, I've been fortunate over the years when I worked in pubs that I could get out midweek. I appreciate it's a case of slotting in like I say, I think it's just the mindset of going where your made to rather than where you want!
|
|
|
|
If you're only ever able to fish weekends, you're always going to struggle - especially if you can't get down until late on friday evening or Saturday morning. Lakes like that always tend to have swims which constantly produce, because there's bait going in - people fishing the same wraps/features etc. It's always going to be a struggle to get in there.
You could always try and get some spots going, by constantly baiting quieter areas of the lake - but do it discreetly, after a while - you'll create your own little areas and if there's bait going in consistently, fish will feed consistently.
People are like sheep, and often write their chances off if they're not able to get into a popular swim, but with a little bit of effort and some perseverance - there's always a way.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
Sometimes it can work in your favour when there are very few swims to pick from especially late in the day.
Lost count of the amount of times I've seen lads turn up late to only be left with the odd unwanted swims and catch.
All the spodding etc pushes them into those quiet empty swims.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #2
I can't see £40 putting anyone off, people will moan but £160 for those lakes is pennies in the grand scheme of things.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
May not be as busy now that ticket prices have gone up.
|
|
|
|
Hi all,
I've been a member of Farnham Angling for a few years now, however I've been fortunate enough until now to fish midweek. I've recently changed jobs and now only get weekends / weekday overnighters. I'm wanting to focus on the Yateley lakes but I'll happily move between the lakes to find the quieter one if possible.
Just out of interest, how do you guys get in to a decent mindset when fishing these extremely busy venues, and picking from a very limited number of swims? I just can't seem to get my head around turning up on to the lake and having such limited options as far as swims go etc.
I do appreciate that there are other venues and clubs, I've enjoyed time on Stillwater, but I'm genuinely just interested as to how guys get there head in to that mindset to fish for those carp that attract crowds
|
|
