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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Saturday 24 January 2015

The metamorphosis continues

I'm gradually becoming a carp angling clone (tackle tart) - not something which sits comfortably with my past, yet the dominance of this form of angling has been a phenomenon of the new decade and the meteoric development of commercial day-ticket fishery availability. To ignore it is an act of gross stupidity, there is an awful lot of good angling opportunity at such venues. I think my reservations are based upon the fact that many of the larger fish have been captured on numerous occasions and have become so well known as to have been given names! I have great difficulty accepting that "Yeah, that's Harry - I took him at blah-blah pounds, last Wednesday" is a normal part of the process. Strangely this similar conversation, whenever a decent fish was landed, surely must have been going on at Stanborough Lake in 1983/4 - just I don't remember it?
Benno and I are back at Long Shaw Farm tomorrow, just by way of a change from the monotonous pike angling inactivity at the chosen sections of our beloved RMC.  I've been fannying about with rigs and the like. There is a two rod limit at this fishery, so attention to detail has been very much the priority. Two Duncan Kay's and two Mitchell 300's on an original Kevin Maddocks rod-pod, Gardner rod rests, buzzer bars, open bale arms and line clips - should be worth a few photos, of this gear, even if I can't catch a carp. Benno has plans to go perch fishing - we'll see?
I'm sat in my study, surrounded by angling paraphernalia, some of very dubious vintage - attempting to get the rigs assembled for the session. I'm still in the planning stage for the Heron Bite Alarm rejuvenation (there is no way that I can return it to the original state due to the design of the 4.5v battery - long since obsolete) - but I have a few ideas and a couple of the guys, at FSIS, are also involved in the project. I would love to be able to catch a carp using this particular piece of historical angling hardware.

I don't think that I'm likely to find another one of these - not that it matters!
This was the power unit that was inside that Heron Bite Alarm - 32p - that's 6s 6d (almost) in old money!
My first ABU Cardinal 44X cost me 22s 6d in 1970 (£1.12/5) - almost a day's wages!
My thinking, for this project, is to use 9v batteries and LED technology to recreate the "feel" of one of these alarms.
Don't suppose, for one minute, that it is of any importance - yet I will be be very happy.

I have been looking at some of the recent Youtube carp angling offerings - there is some fantastic learning to be had from this medium if you are as far out of the loop as I? I remain, however, rather dubious of much of the, fashion lead, crazy - must have - accessories that are deemed to be vital to any successful carp angler, but still am able to discover aspects of the current scene that are of use in my own approach to local carp fishing.
Tomorrow I am planning to use the "maggot" approach - a winter tactic which I've gleaned from the internet. Do I have the knowledge to make the best use of this technique? I'll discover an answer during the session - water temperature is around 5C, so not particularly favourable.

3 comments:

  1. If you have a spare 50 odd minutes, have a look at carlandalex's park lake campaign on YouTube. Enough to make me think about attempting a carp challenge, despite that fact that I'm dead against it and a river enthusiast.

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  2. Jimmy,
    I have seen this offering, and many others by these two guys and the rest of the Kevin Nash posse - some very interesting stuff, although not always applicable to my style of angling. These type of video blogs/programmes do seem to concentrate, very much, on bait, tackle and accessories rather than helping anyone understand the importance of fish location or the need for an understanding of water craft? My recent antics within carp angling are purely a result of my living in Kent, a county richly blessed with some superb carp fishing venues. My PB is a rather lowly specimen of 23lbs 14oz which was taken in Feb 1984 (I've not had another over 20 since that date) - how things have moved on!
    Many thanks for taking the time to comment - tight lines. Dylan

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  3. Hi Dylan,
    Great stuff on the blog, really enjoy it. Now that I am retired I am dusting off my old tackle with a view to do some more angling as well as birding.
    Thought you might like to know that that style of 4.5v battery is still available online from CPC Farnell, seem to be about £2:00 each.
    Met an old friend of yours in Morocco last spring, Paul Mostyn! Nice fellow
    regards
    Norman

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