With June here and the weather hot at last it was time to do a bit of fishing in the upper layers on the match pool, no single maggot this time, bread was the bait, a loaf of cheap white. It couldn't be simpler with a slice at a time going in to a tub of water crusts n' all, feed a golf ball of this mash and cast over it shallow. The pole float would cock gently with no weight other than the bread hookbait, squeezed on so it falls slowly though the upper layers, that was the plan. I call it Magic Bread - It's magic because you don't have to do anything to it, just keep it simple.
The plan worked, I'm not sure the float ever cocked fully despite having it set at just 3ft, bites were instant and continuous, I thought I would get plagued by small roach but it was all carp and bream aside from two decent redfins, even the mallards stayed away. I hit a good fish almost every time the float zipped away on an angle with the bream seemingly needing a gentle lift rather than a strike, it felt good slowly bending into these fish, whereas the carp took off all crazy and made for some barn storming runs. I was also able to mug cruising fish at will at times as there was no weight, a floating bit of bread was an easy swap to make when ambushing passing surface fish.
This type of fishing often picks out the bigger samples and whilst most the fish were in the middle I managed the next one from right by the platform as I was sitting on the step behind it, there's something about dropping a bait on a carp's nose and it taking it under your feet, they are lovably daft at times. I was lucky it didn't get underneath the platform and it also only just fitted in the landing nets the club supply at this fishery due to khv.
I had to change nets as that carp made what was a small hole quite a large one so my walk gave me a chance to take a break and stroll round the pond, it was such a lovely morning and the only other angler on my bank was in good spirits enjoying the sun, he looked like he was getting as sunburnt as me.
Bites continued on my return, when not mugging carp the bream were providing solid bites out in the middle two rod lengths out and a couple of them were the flying variety, this one did three jumps, one of which was a forward two and a half with tuck and would have scored 6.0's from the judges I imagined on the far bank holding up scorecards.
I couldn't help but pick out a few more carp and seemed to spend the half hour before lunch alternating between carp and bream, I must admit I do like doing this sort of fishing every now and then, the bream all slow motion (aside from the airborne variety) and the carp all clutch screamers, jolly good fun they both were as I was fishing light enough to enjoy the bream and heavy enough for the carp.
After lunch a chap set up on the pole quite close so it became all bream for a while as the cruising carp got cagey, my bread was outfishing his pellet attack although I did have a head start to be fair, the fish were on it and staying on it. I managed one last carp covered in tubercles which secreted a white milky substance on my arm when I was unhooking it, so much for them not feeding when in the mood for love, one thing's for sure they do love bread, I'm not sure there's a better bait for fishing on the drop on hot days.
That breeding carp was my cue to call it a day an hour after lunch, mind you I had got through all my water and was pretty knackered plus I had managed to get sunburn on my left knee of all places. I was down to my last couple of slices but must have had around 70lb of fish which is a bit crazy really especially when you think that's just 50p worth of bait.
That's what I call value for money.
