Winter time for me has always been about going to different venues and trying to winkle a few fish out here and there with the odd match thrown in. Last Winter I spent the majority of my time at Blundells Fishery as it is relatively close to me and there were always a few bites to be had.
This time around I decided to concentrate solely on one venue... Docklow Pools near Leominster in Herefordshire.
I have been visiting the venue for around 3 years on holiday and regularly visit during Summer, and so this year decided to enter the Saturday individual Winter league and the Sunday "Docklow Classic" league.
Rather than enter one-off open events where it all matters "there and then" I wanted to pit my wits against the venue regulars and see how I fared over the whole Winter period. In this second blog I talk about the venue, tactics and baits I have adopted these past 3 months. Now I am no Match Fishing Guru, but if anything I write helps put a few more fish in the net...then that will doo for me. Similarly if you have been fishing a league or have any stories/tips to share then leave a little message :)
Docklow Pools : Not your traditional commercial venue! This year celebrates 40 years of Docklow, making it one of the oldest commercial fisheries in the UK. Over those 40 years the lakes have matured into a stunning venue. The thing I like about the place is that it is not just all Carp, Carp, Carp! And that is important because once that water temperature drops below 8degrees Mr and Mrs Carp like to have a rest. The winter has seen me target Roach, Chub, Perch, Skimmers, Ruffe, Ide and the reliable F1's.
The Winter leagues have concentrated mainly on two of Docklow's lakes... The "Match Lake" and "Farmer Jack" Lake. Both have similar stocking levels but with the Match lake probably having more silver fish and the "Jack" having more F1 and stocky carp.
I like to approach both venues on the pole, unless I draw a noted Feeder/Lead peg. Even then I reluctantly pull the tip rod out. I have never been a fan of "Leger" fishing in any form as I much prefer float fishing be it pole or waggler... but needs must!
Docklow only allows 6 baits...Maggots, Casters, Hemp, Meat, Corn and the Fisheries own Pellets, Additives can be added to bait but must be liquid.
For the silvers it has been largely Chopped worm and caster (With a squirt of Marukyu SFA 450 Krill/or VDE Predator Plus for Perch) up until around December, with Maggot being used now. A Jim Standish Chianti style float of 4x10 in the 3ft water, strung out Stotz on 0.10-0.08 Silster Match team finished off with a 18 or 20 Drennan Carp Maggot hook (Red). What your looking for is to feed off the tiny Silvers aim for Quality Roach to build a decent weight.
For the F1's and odd Rogue Carp I will always put in a Pellet line. 2mm wetted down fishery pellets with a couple of grains of corn well away from my maggot line will often draw a few F1's in. Its interesting that on the Match Lake at Docklow the F1's seem to love Cover...Islands, Dense Margins and features. Where as on the Farmer Jack the F1's can be caught in Open Water.
Rig Wise I use a Jim Standish "Slim" Float normally of 4x12 as I like to use a positive Bulk with a single dropper 4 inches from the hook. Hooks will be a 16/18/20 Kamasan B911 F1 again tied up on my trusty Silstar Match Team. 0.12-0.10. If Carp are around or expected then 0.12 straight through. Hookbait wise for Winter I have caught F1's on Maggot, Corn, even the odd piece of meat slipped on, but by far and away the best bait has been a Marukyu JPZ Red. I have now lost count of the amount of fish these little jellied beauties have caught me. They may be 6quid a pot but they last ages and definately work. I expect the green variety to come to their own in warmer weather. The Black I am yet to test.
One of my favourite days was around November/December on a Sunday Classic Qualifier Match. I drew peg 35 on the Farmer Jack. With air temperature of 2 degrees, water temperature at 5 and a heavy frost, I was nervous of a very tough day. This peg has an island around 22 Metres away and is almost a canal shape.
I kicked off catching small Perch, Roach, Chub and Ide on my usual Worm approach whilst I waited for the F1/Carp/Bonus pellet line to attract some Fish. After around 2 hours and a couple of F1 arrived, by switching between my lines I managed to end with a real good last hour and weiged over 28lb for 3rd on the lake. I read a lot of articles about chasing the F1s around and some anglers using upto 30 different lines. I dont think this works at Docklow and it pays to stick to 2 or 3 lines and make them work.
As I have already said, I am not a huge fan of watching a motionless tip. Although the straight lead can be deadly in the Winter I love nothing more than spending the first 30 minutes of a match fishing a waggler into open water. What I am looking to do is land on a carp or two that have shoaled up and may just see my piece of corn drifting in front of its nose... and Bosh, fish on!
I use a straight peacock waggler, with the weather/wind dictating its size. Normally 4lb reel line to a 0.14 hooklength and a 16 or 18 B911 hook. Some of the guys at Docklow would fish this all-day looking for only 2 or 3 proper carp and would normally frame if they showed up. For me I am more comfortable aiming for silvers and F1s. If I snaffle a bonus or two in the first or last hour then great.
On the Waggler I fish at dead depth with a single or double corn with only a small size 20 swivel. This acts as a dropper and prevents my hookbait spinning on the retrieve. As we know there is no Miracle bait or additive and the Corns bright yellow appearance makes it stand out in the clear water brilliantly. But I add a splash Marukyu Sanagi liquid additive to give the bait a new dimension. The carp are well accustomed to plain Sweetcorn on the lakes and I take that familiarity away by adding the SFA 430. It looks like Corn, but it smells and tastes like the Silkworm Chrysalis Sanagi comes from. It gives me great confidence doing something a wee bit different.
So how am I getting on? Well I have had 2 wins, 2 seconds and multiple top 5 finishes in both leagues. So I am really happy I made the decision to concentrate on Docklow!
I try to keep my fishing as simple as possible and have put my tactics on here in their rawest form. As with any angling... where to fish your lines, how to feed, when to scale up or down etc all come down to the actual peg and conditions on the day.
My Winter leagues will continue until March and then I will be back out and about with my Eight Bells Club as well as chancing my arm at Fish-o (If I get tickets) and Maver Match this qualifiers.
For more information on Docklow Pools visit www.docklowpools.com
For the hand made floats I use on the pole email Jim Standish for bespoke designs and quotes at Jim.Standish@ntlworld.com
Tight lines and good luck
Dave
This time around I decided to concentrate solely on one venue... Docklow Pools near Leominster in Herefordshire.
I have been visiting the venue for around 3 years on holiday and regularly visit during Summer, and so this year decided to enter the Saturday individual Winter league and the Sunday "Docklow Classic" league.
Rather than enter one-off open events where it all matters "there and then" I wanted to pit my wits against the venue regulars and see how I fared over the whole Winter period. In this second blog I talk about the venue, tactics and baits I have adopted these past 3 months. Now I am no Match Fishing Guru, but if anything I write helps put a few more fish in the net...then that will doo for me. Similarly if you have been fishing a league or have any stories/tips to share then leave a little message :)
Docklow Pools : Not your traditional commercial venue! This year celebrates 40 years of Docklow, making it one of the oldest commercial fisheries in the UK. Over those 40 years the lakes have matured into a stunning venue. The thing I like about the place is that it is not just all Carp, Carp, Carp! And that is important because once that water temperature drops below 8degrees Mr and Mrs Carp like to have a rest. The winter has seen me target Roach, Chub, Perch, Skimmers, Ruffe, Ide and the reliable F1's.
The Winter leagues have concentrated mainly on two of Docklow's lakes... The "Match Lake" and "Farmer Jack" Lake. Both have similar stocking levels but with the Match lake probably having more silver fish and the "Jack" having more F1 and stocky carp.
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| Docklow Match Pool |
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| The Farmer Jack |
I like to approach both venues on the pole, unless I draw a noted Feeder/Lead peg. Even then I reluctantly pull the tip rod out. I have never been a fan of "Leger" fishing in any form as I much prefer float fishing be it pole or waggler... but needs must!
Docklow only allows 6 baits...Maggots, Casters, Hemp, Meat, Corn and the Fisheries own Pellets, Additives can be added to bait but must be liquid.
For the silvers it has been largely Chopped worm and caster (With a squirt of Marukyu SFA 450 Krill/or VDE Predator Plus for Perch) up until around December, with Maggot being used now. A Jim Standish Chianti style float of 4x10 in the 3ft water, strung out Stotz on 0.10-0.08 Silster Match team finished off with a 18 or 20 Drennan Carp Maggot hook (Red). What your looking for is to feed off the tiny Silvers aim for Quality Roach to build a decent weight.
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| This good stamp Roach is what I am looking for throughout Winter. |
For the F1's and odd Rogue Carp I will always put in a Pellet line. 2mm wetted down fishery pellets with a couple of grains of corn well away from my maggot line will often draw a few F1's in. Its interesting that on the Match Lake at Docklow the F1's seem to love Cover...Islands, Dense Margins and features. Where as on the Farmer Jack the F1's can be caught in Open Water.
Rig Wise I use a Jim Standish "Slim" Float normally of 4x12 as I like to use a positive Bulk with a single dropper 4 inches from the hook. Hooks will be a 16/18/20 Kamasan B911 F1 again tied up on my trusty Silstar Match Team. 0.12-0.10. If Carp are around or expected then 0.12 straight through. Hookbait wise for Winter I have caught F1's on Maggot, Corn, even the odd piece of meat slipped on, but by far and away the best bait has been a Marukyu JPZ Red. I have now lost count of the amount of fish these little jellied beauties have caught me. They may be 6quid a pot but they last ages and definately work. I expect the green variety to come to their own in warmer weather. The Black I am yet to test.
One of my favourite days was around November/December on a Sunday Classic Qualifier Match. I drew peg 35 on the Farmer Jack. With air temperature of 2 degrees, water temperature at 5 and a heavy frost, I was nervous of a very tough day. This peg has an island around 22 Metres away and is almost a canal shape.
I kicked off catching small Perch, Roach, Chub and Ide on my usual Worm approach whilst I waited for the F1/Carp/Bonus pellet line to attract some Fish. After around 2 hours and a couple of F1 arrived, by switching between my lines I managed to end with a real good last hour and weiged over 28lb for 3rd on the lake. I read a lot of articles about chasing the F1s around and some anglers using upto 30 different lines. I dont think this works at Docklow and it pays to stick to 2 or 3 lines and make them work.
 |
| My F1 Set up |
I use a straight peacock waggler, with the weather/wind dictating its size. Normally 4lb reel line to a 0.14 hooklength and a 16 or 18 B911 hook. Some of the guys at Docklow would fish this all-day looking for only 2 or 3 proper carp and would normally frame if they showed up. For me I am more comfortable aiming for silvers and F1s. If I snaffle a bonus or two in the first or last hour then great.
 |
| My Winter Waggler set up for Bonus Fish |
So how am I getting on? Well I have had 2 wins, 2 seconds and multiple top 5 finishes in both leagues. So I am really happy I made the decision to concentrate on Docklow!
I try to keep my fishing as simple as possible and have put my tactics on here in their rawest form. As with any angling... where to fish your lines, how to feed, when to scale up or down etc all come down to the actual peg and conditions on the day.
My Winter leagues will continue until March and then I will be back out and about with my Eight Bells Club as well as chancing my arm at Fish-o (If I get tickets) and Maver Match this qualifiers.
For more information on Docklow Pools visit www.docklowpools.com
For the hand made floats I use on the pole email Jim Standish for bespoke designs and quotes at Jim.Standish@ntlworld.com
Tight lines and good luck
Dave
