Bob Nudd - April 2014

Huw and Cai Masterclass Day Woodlands View Fishery

7. April 2014

a fully scaled mirror carp

This was a special Christmas present from Huw‘s wife and Cai’s mum Sarah. The brilliant Woodlands View Fishery near Droitwich in Worcestershire was the chosen venue.

Huw with his first fish a 5lb common carp

It was an overcast morning with a warm South Westerly wind. Both anglers started on the pole at 6mts loose feeding with 4mm hard feed carp pellets with 2 red maggots on the hook. Cai was the first to catch and was soon catching a fish every put in. Huw was catching some larger carp and really enjoying the big fish action. The afternoon saw some larger fish move into Cai’s swim.

Cai with his first fish a crucian carp

We left the bank at about 4pm and although neither of them had used keepnets I guess they had caught about 50lbs of fish each.

Bob

Some more pictures:

a big fish swirls on the surface

Huw was catching some good carp

I will net this one for you

the carp were feeding well

a brown goldfish about 1,5lbs

a 2lb mirror carp

just in the net

Peter Dack Masterclass Day Barford Lakes

8. April 2014

biggest fish of the day a common carp over 7lbs

This was a special Christmas present from Peter’s wife Sam. The wonderful Barford Lakes near Norwich in Norfolk was the chosen venue.

Pete with his first fish

It was a cool morning with a strong westerly wind. Carp were topping all around the lake, always a good sign that the fish are going to feed.

Pete hooks into a good fish

Pete started by cupping in 2 pots of 2mm soaked hard feed carp pellets squeezed together so they went down in a ball in the 3 mtr deep water and then adding a pot of loose red maggots. 2 red maggots on a size 18 hook, it took about 5 minutes for the first carp to take the bait and then it was a succession of carp, bream, skimmers and roach, loose feeding some 4mm hard feed carp pellets and cupping in at regular intervals kept the fish feeding all day.

a quality 3lb bream

I left Pete still fishing at about 4 pm and I guess by then he had already caught about 70 lbs.

Bob

Some more pictures:

almost ready for the net

an F1 over 3lbs

just in the net

the bream were feeding with the carp

a beautiful brown goldfish

Martin Hicks Masterclass Day Grand Union Canal

10th April 2014

fantastic canal catch close to 40lbs

Martin had booked me for the day to improve his skills catching silver fish. For the past 20 years most of his fishing had been on commercial waters for carp. The Globe stretch of the Grand Union Canal near Leighton Buzzard was the chosen venue.

It was a warm morning with a very light westerly wind. Martin started by cupping in a pot of well soaked Van Den Eynde hard feed fishmeal pellets and also a pot of chopped worms, casters and red maggots, with a big piece of worm on the hook. Because there were bites for the first 30 minutes, he switched to single maggot on the hook. From then it was instant as a 2lb bream took the hookbait.

Martin with his first fish

Single red maggot was far the best hookbait as a succession of bream and skimmers came to the net. The only fish falling to worm on the hook was a big rudd. It was necessary to keep the fish feeding by topping up with a pot of feed about every 40 minutes.

We left the bank at about 5pm Martin having had a fantastic day catching close to 40lbs.

Bob

Some more pictures:

this perch was close to 2lbs

13 mtr pole close to the far bank was the method

a 3lb bream in perfect condition

Yes, it’s mine

Martin admires another quality bream

almost in the net

an unexpected rudd close to 1lb

Liam Scott Masterclass Day Westwood Lakes

13. April 2014

brilliant catch Liam

This was a special Christmas present from Liam’s mum Sharon. His fishing friend Jack had also come along for the day.

Liam with his first fish

The wonderful Westwood lakes near Boston in Lincolnshire was the chosen venue. The fishery had kindly reserved 2 pegs on Kestrel lake and also allowed them to use keepnets for the catch shots.

Jack’s first fish

It was a bright sunny morning with a cool westerly wind. The temperature had dropped to almost 0c overnight so I expected it might be a slow start.

a good fish swirls on the surface

Liam started on the pole at 10mts, cupping in a mixture of soaked 2mm carp pellets and red maggots, loose feeding over the top with 2 red maggots on the hook. Jack adopted a similar approach. It took about 15 minutes for the first bite and Liam slipped his net under a 12ozs ide. After a slow first hour they both had 3 ide each and then Jack hooked into a big fish which turned out to be a 5lb common. Liam then had a good run of ide. Jack switched to the method feeder and hooked into carp very quickly. Liam also switched to the method feeder with a banded 6mm pellet on the hook and also started to catch carp, but still kept feeding the pole line. Switching between pole and feeder kept the fish coming all afternoon.

a beautiful ide over 2lbs

We took the catch shots and returned the fish at about 4pm. I guess Liam had just over 50lbs and Jack about 35lbs.

Bob

Some more pictures:

almost in the net

a 4lb common in perfect condition

a 5lb common carp in perfect condition

a switch to the feeder brought instant results

the carp fight hard here

a 4lb mirror carp

a 3lb barbel on the feeder

great catch Jack

Russel and Jack Timberlake Masterclass Day Decoy Lakes

15. April 2014

Jack’s first fish a 5lb common carp

This was a special present from Russel and his family for his dad Jack. The chosen venue was the wonderful Decoy lakes near Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire. Diane the owner had kindly allowed them to use keepnets.

Russel with his first fish

It was a bright cool morning and there had been an overnight frost. I decided that Elm lake would be a good choice.

4 mm Van Den Eynde carp pellets

Both anglers started in the margins loose feeding with 4mm Van Den Eynde hard feed carp pellets with a 4mm expander pellet on the hook. It took about 5 minutes for Jack to bank the first fish and then it was non stop action as common, mirror, and F1 carp came to the nets. They had no need to change tactics as the fishing was so good.

Jack was using a number 14 hollow elastic

We left the bank at about 4pm Jack having reached his net limit of 50lbs in each net and so had caught his first ever 100lbs. Russel also had a brilliant day and finished up with about 90lbs.

Bob

Some more pictures: