THE TWO VWs - VERY WET AND VERY WINDY (Daytime carp fishing) (Winter fishing. Series 1: Episode 10)

 

Click video to play. Includes: Don't allow the weather to stop you fishing - bait revealed - carp on the bank

 

I've really enjoyed my chub angling so far this year but this week I fancied tackling a different species, and in particular, carp. Although I take conditions into account, of course, that's pretty much how I determine what I'm fishing for, it's basically whatever takes my fancy. I'm serious about my angling in one sense, but the basket everything sits in is the one called enjoyment.

Dudmaston's Seggy Pool

The featured venue is Kinver Freeliners' Seggy Pool, which is on the Dudmaston estate. Not as popular as the Big Pool, but certainly as far as winter day-time carp fishing is concerned, it's one of my favourites. Pleasant surroundings, great wildlife and general nature, and above all from an angling perspective, always a chance of banking a carp even in the colder months.

The first fish of the day

The video features the session and what a day it was weather-wise. The title says it all, so no need to elaborate there. But I'm a great believer in just getting on with it and not allowing the conditions to affect us, other than in venue or species choice. It was a couple of hours in before I had my opening fish, a common on lobworm boilie pop-up. It's always great to bank that first one.

A beautiful looking mirror

Exactly an hour later and the other rod went off on a screamer. Another pop-up, this time it was M1 that did the business. This was followed by a third run, that unfortunately resulted in the dreaded hook-pull. So not a case of 'third time lucky there, but as I'd already netted two, it wasn't exactly a blow. In fact, even if I hadn't, it still wouldn't have been. This is just fishing, and must always take its proper place in our lives.

On the mat ready for unhooking  

 

I added another couple of carp, pretty much towards the end of the session, which was a dawn through dusk one. I've been doing a lot of short outings so far this year, hitting the canal for a few hours, so it was nice to actually have a full day's fishing. It was also different in that I was sitting behind the rods for the first time, waiting for the alarm to kick me into action, as opposed to watching a quiver tip.

 

A common on the bank

 

I've already mentioned the wildlife, and that was topped by a muntjac that I spotted grazing right by the car park. In a split-second it was gone and that's why we need to be switched on and alert to the natural world around us if we are to make the most of it. On the flower front, as well as snowdrops in bloom I noticed a number of species in leaf, such as lesser celandine, cow parsley and broad-leaved dock. The evidence of an extremely mild winter. (Published February 8 2014)

 

My blog is published every Saturday. This is week number 552.