The lads were doing this as part of their ASDAN Fish For Life course and had a great day, catching carp to just under double figures using rods that we have picked up from car boot sales!  The rods included split canes that were approx 50 years old, early glass fibre rods and other old warriors.

The lads were really impressed with how well they coped with catching carp from the canals and rated them all highly with the Edger Seeley rod coming out on top.

It just goes to show that you can catch a good number of fish and become a great angler without the need to go and spend hundreds on new tackle.  Its all about watercradft, skill and ability rather than just looking good on the bank.  make sure though that you dont forget your net and unhooking mat though as these are vital.

I’ve had no time for carp fishing this winter, apart from the odd session not many nights have been spent on the bank.  But with spring on the horizon time for fishing is starting to immerge again, so I’ll be hitting the lakes Friday night if things go to plan!

I recently brought my syndicate ticket for this season and to say I was excited to get going would be a huge understatement! I’ve got high hopes for this water so I thought I’d share a few of my targets with you, now I can’t fail!! The lake has a record of around 45lb but the rumours are that the fish could be touching 50lb this spring, Imagine that! Seeing I’m new to the lake I want to have at least 4 20’s out this spring and then go all out for the big girl.

I’ll be approaching this water armed with PGB Choc Nut bollies, I feel sure there going to be the NUTS on this venue, so let that be a message to all the carp, watch out I’m on my way!

Ryan Dyke    …. StoneFLY!

Perfection Groundbaits Choc Orange should be the NUTS!

I set myself a target of catching a 2lb plus Grayling first and managed to take four fish over the magical 2lb  during an amazing day on the Test.  Next up was a 2lb Roach….. this was going to be a challenge and a half!  For those that have just started fishing i will explain.  The Roach is possibly the most stunning of all river fish and as been top of the list for river anglers for decades.  Long before Carp came into the spotlight Roach were considered ‘THE’ British fish, especially river roach, and still to this day there is nothing better than trotting for a large roach on a river.  They are shy feeders and require delicate tackle and a keen eye to spot bites.

I set about the mission of a 2lb plus fish on a free stretch of the Itchen, conveniently positioned next to a cracking pub!  How very civilised.  I decided to tackle the stretch using a 15ft Shimano Catana float rod, Leeds centrepin reel (£20 second hand – from a car booty) 3lb line and a 4 AA Chubber float.  The set up was simple, AA’s positioned 8 inches above the size 16 hook, number six dropper shot three inches from the hook and a large piece of bread flake on the hook.  Location was key and i spent the morning exploring the river with Laura, Danny ( FLE Staff) and my friend Paul.  We took several fish, roach up to 1.6lb, four Trout which we returned back to the water, a couple of Grayling and a few little minnows for good measure.

We decided to head to the pub at 2.30pm and warm up, before we went though Danny, who leads our FLE River Tuition sessions, suggested baiting up a nice looking straight with our mashed bread groundbait, just in case we wanted to return later.  After warming up everyone decided to call it a day and we all went our separate ways.  I dropped Laura off home and looked at the watch.  It was 3.45pm and i still had an hour of daylight left.  I just had a feeling that the Roach may have been waiting to feed at dusk as it was a clear, sunny day, so did a ‘u’ turn in the Landy and headed back to the river. By the time i got back to the swim which i had baited earlier the sun was dipping below the horizon, the temperature was dropping but the river just felt so ‘right’.  Most experienced anglers know the feeling i am talking about, everything just seemed to be in the right place, the mood just right, and as i fed some more mashed bread into the swim i had a feeling i would have a fish.  Second trot down and the float dipped and then popped under, after a short fight an small 8oz roach lay in the net.  I fed some more bread and hoped that it had not spooked the swim but felt content to catch a nice little roach.  i squeezed on a fresh bit of flake and flicked the rod out, after a few trots the float once again dipped a few times and i struck, at first i thought i was snagged and then the rod tapped a few times and the fight was on, this fish felt really heavy and with a classic roach ‘plod’n'tap’ did its best to free the hook.  Just as it came up stream and passed me the hook pulled and the fight was over.  It was strange as i didn’t dwell on the loss too much, i just fed a little more bread and had a feeling i would get another chance.  The light was really starting to fade fast and i only had another ten minutes at most before i would not be able to see the float.  I resisted the urge to cast straight back in and fed the swim a little more to get the fishes confidence back.

On with another piece of Mothers Pride and the float was soon trotting down the swim under the branches of the trees.  The float dipped once, then again and just before i struck it disappeared under the surface.   Again i instantly knew it was a good Roach as it felt heavy as it plodded in the main flow, it kited upstream and as it passed me i saw the silver flash of a Roach.  After a few minutes it was wallowing in the flow in front of the net and my heart was in my mouth as i drew it over the net…… job done.

The extra effort paid off and as night fell this stunning Roach came on the feed!

On the scales she went 2lb 6oz and it really did make my day.  A true 2lb River Roach is a hard target to achieve and thanks to Danny’s expert advice and the extra effort to go back to the river for the dusk feeding period it all came together.

For those out there with limited time and money please don’t think that you need to be members of expensive syndicates or go out for weekends at a time to enjoy your fishing.  This fish was caught on a simple float set-up, on a free stretch of river that anyone can fish with an EA license, using a loaf of bread, porridge oats and crumb to make the groundbait and a few slices of Mothers Pride for the hook.  All in all it cost no more than £2 to catch this cracking fish.  Go out there and try for yourself!

If you would like to go out on a guided River Tuition after Roach, Chub, Barbel or Grayling then contact the office and FLE’s Pro Staff will take you out and try to catch you the fish of a lifetime.

Check out our other post on how to make a simple bread groundbait to tempt the Roach into feeding and remember, sometimes it pays to feed the swim and gain the fishes confidence before casting a line.

Graham

Whether you are a complete beginner or experienced angler, let FLE’s Pro Staff help you put more fish on the bank! FLE’s Pro Staff are all ADB level 2 coaches and have many years of experience within the fishing industry. We aim to provide quality, fun and friendly fishing tuition and can offer experiences to suit your specific needs, whether a complete novice or an experienced angler.

All Permits, Bait, Tackle and Tuition Provided!

GET HOOKED  SESSIONS

FLE’s Get Hooked sessions are the perfect way to either learn the art of fishing for the first time or to improve your skills and up your catch rate.  They also make for great BIRTHDAY PARTY’s, FUN GROUP EVENTS or make for an exciting CORPORATE DAY with a difference!

FLE PRO TUITION

These tuitions are more advanced and are suited to people who have fishing experience but want to fine tune their skills, learn a new disapline or experience a personalised tuition specifically designed for their needs.  We specialise in the following Pro Tuitions.

CARP - ALL YEAR ROUND

PIKE – OCTOBER – MARCH

RIVER – JUNE 16TH - MARCH 15TH

For details of exactly what is covered in an FLE Tuition please CONTACT the team via e-mail on info@forlifeexp.com and leave a contact number.  One of our Pro Staff will then give you a ring back and chat through our courses and the costs.  We prefer to offer a personalised service like this as every anglers ability, experience and needs will differ so we prefer to have a chat first and personalise each experience.

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GROUP CARP TUITIONS AND CAMPS

PIKE FISHING TRAINING DAYS

RIVER TACTIC TUITIONS

THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT WHEN THESE ARE HAPPENING IS TO BECOME A FAN AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT UPCOMING COURSES!  CLICK THE LIKE BUTTON ON THE LEFT OF THIS PAGE NOW!

It is important to become a well-rounded angler who is able to select tactics depending on the weather, venue and species being targeted. Our friendly and informative staff will be on hand to answer all your questions and make the learning fun. This is an excellent experience for people who are returning to the sport after a number of years away and want to catch up on current trends and tactics before committing to buying their own equipment or for those keen anglers who wanted to become more of an all-rounder.

Call the office for prices, venues and availability.