not big but..... screamers

[stubbojo]

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had a good session in the week , started off on the feeder rod on corn catching roach and rudd , then kept hitting bigger fish which kept snagging me up in the thick marginal weed .
had no choice to go heavier in line and hook size
so swapped over a rod to 10lb line and switched to tiger nut boilies on a hair set up..... glugged in tiger spice , ended up with 5 carp probably all doubles , the fights where incredible for there size
some really good roach in this water and some big eels too and the odd big perch
all caught on a shimano beastmaster 11 speci rod

regards steve

[BillCollins]

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had a good session in the week , started off on the feeder rod on corn catching roach and rudd , they kept hitting bigger fish which kept snagging me up in the thick marginal weed .

so swapped over a rod to 10lb line and switched to tiger nut boilies glugged in tiger spice , ended up with 5 carp probably all doubles , the fights where incredible for there size
some really good roach in this water and some big eels too and the odd big perch

regards steve

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

[Andrew]

Dunno bout anyone else but those are pretty big in my book

[davelumb]

If all carp were commons I'd probably fish for them.

Dunno bout anyone else but those are pretty big in my book

Only if Steve has huge hands and a tiny head!

[stubbojo]

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had a good session in the week , started off on the feeder rod on corn catching roach and rudd , they kept hitting bigger fish which kept snagging me up in the thick marginal weed .

so swapped over a rod to 10lb line and switched to tiger nut boilies glugged in tiger spice , ended up with 5 carp probably all doubles , the fights where incredible for there size
some really good roach in this water and some big eels too and the odd big perch

regards steve

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

your right there bill....the fight seemed like ages and my shoulders were killing me
these carp were in the swim for about an hour then they were gone.....

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[stubbojo]

If all carp were commons I'd probably fish for them.

Dunno bout anyone else but those are pretty big in my book

Only if Steve has huge hands and a tiny head!

i have terrible stiff arms which dont bend

never weighed them but they felt like doubles in the net very thick across the back Dave

[davelumb]

If all carp were commons I'd probably fish for them.

Dunno bout anyone else but those are pretty big in my book

Only if Steve has huge hands and a tiny head!

i have terrible stiff arms which dont bend

never weighed them but they felt like doubles in the net very thick across the back Dave

Carp can be deceptive in photos as they can be broad.

[Steve Dennington]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

[stubbojo]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

that describes them perfectly angry fish they just stayed very deep in-front of me going in circles bloody arm aching stuff

but very enjoyable .......

[suffolk si]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

[Steve Dennington]

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

Exactly my thoughts when that 17 was in the net, and it still went crazy on the mat! I was a bit disappointed at the time, but fair play to that fish, it punched well above its weight!

I haven't done much carping for a few years now, but I'm keeping the all the kit just in case the carp mojo eventually returns.

Here's my PB, from about ten years ago (36.10). I'll probably never beat it now, but you never know.

[BillCollins]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

Good point, there's nothing wrong with them. They're big strong fish and as worthy a challenge as anything else. The downside is the culture that has developed around them but of course that does'nt apply everywhere.
Carp are relatively rare in Ireland. My Irish best is 25-07, it might not sound like much but it's from 30 years ago and it's only in more recent years that the Irish record has crept over 30lbs. I nip across to the Uk for a week's carping once or maybe twice a year. It's holiday fishing so I don't set my sights too high and fish somewhere moderate, reflected in my modest UK best of 29lbs.

[BillCollins]

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[BillCollins]

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

Exactly my thoughts when that 17 was in the net, and it still went crazy on the mat! I was a bit disappointed at the time, but fair play to that fish, it punched well above its weight!

I haven't done much carping for a few years now, but I'm keeping the all the kit just in case the carp mojo eventually returns.

Here's my PB, from about ten years ago (36.10). I'll probably never beat it now, but you never know.

That's a peach of a common Steve

[suffolk si]

Some lovely fish there, that common is huge steve! never had a thirty but to be honest I’m happy picking up doubles and the odd twenty in short sessions. Great sporting fish on the right gear and fished for in the “right” way. That mirror is a pretty one Bill

[stubbojo]

some lovely carp there lads.... a lot of my carp are caught by accident going for roach or tench , but when they turn up its hectic , thank god for baitrunners

[Cyprio]

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That’s a good Zipper Bill
There a bit like Pug pike, not every water has one but everyone wants to catch one (except obviously).

[BillCollins]

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That’s a good Zipper Bill
There a bit like Pug pike, not every water has one but everyone wants to catch one (except obviously).

The bailiff came along while I had it on Andy, as soon as I lifted the net he said "That's the Zipper.!!..Nobody's seen it for a couple of years, we thought it might be dead."
A couple more from Devon. They're a bit of a novelty in relation to the endless bream and tench here, and pull the string a bit harder too...

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[Cyprio]

Got some good looking mirrors in there.

And to think we used to drive over to fish the Sharron to get covered in slime whilst getting eaten by mossies

[BillCollins]

Got some good looking mirrors in there.

And to think we used to drive over to fish the Sharron to get covered in slime whilst getting eaten by mossies

Faraway fields etc...
Might have passed each other on ferries going in opposite directions.
A bit of variety is good .

[stubbojo]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

stunning fish mirrors, just how you would imagine a carp

[BillCollins]

For the past 5 or 6 years I've paid the annual membership to fish the Carp Society Horseshoe lake, but for one reason or another I never actually got there . This year I was all set, booked the last week of May off work, was just about to pay for the car on the ferry and the weather boiled over, they closed the lake for a few weeks for spawning
I went tench fishing here instead. Maybe next year...

[Andrew]

Carp that size can go like stink, better than the bigger ones.

Hardest scrap I ever had was from a 17lber and I've caught them to more than twice that size. It was such an angry fish, even on the bank!

Ditto, my best scrap was last year from a lean 18lb common on a snaggy little lake, had to walk through several swims to stop it reaching snags and reed beds , seemed like it fought forever! Had a big ole rudder on it , thought I’d have lost a 30 if it had of gotten away! Very enjoyable fishing on that venue, like how carp fishing should be in my opinion,always good for a couple of runs, fish average mid/upper doubles and fight like stink, I think sometimes we decry carp fishing and forget the good bits about it..

stunning fish mirrors, just how you would imagine a carp

I always thought they were rather ugly things. they were bred by monks so they didnt have to do much de-scaling.

Lazy buggers

[Steve Dennington]

I always thought they were rather ugly things. they were bred by monks so they didnt have to do much de-scaling.

Lazy buggers

Mirrors are all unique, and linears, like Bill's above, are just stunning creatures. Commons are not at all common these days, but they all look the same. I like the variety of the mirror scaling and indeed leathers, which are even rarer.

Right now though, I'd like a tench. Any tench, of any size....

[Nige Johns]

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Even got the camot-shirt and matching cap
Have you got no shame Bill

[stubbojo]

I always thought they were rather ugly things. they were bred by monks so they didnt have to do much de-scaling.

Lazy buggers

Mirrors are all unique, and linears, like Bill's above, are just stunning creatures. Commons are not at all common these days, but they all look the same. I like the variety of the mirror scaling and indeed leathers, which are even rarer.

Right now though, I'd like a tench. Any tench, of any size....

struggling with the tench myself.....intended targets but the carp muscle in , maybe that is the demise of tench fishing theses days to many carp now wrecking your swim upsetting the balance , one water i fished 30 years back had just tench to doubles and multiple catches could be had , been back a few times and carp now are the dominant fish no sign of a tench..shame really as you dont want to catch carp all the time lets face it........ there an easy greedy fish to catch ..........

[Steve Dennington]

I always thought they were rather ugly things. they were bred by monks so they didnt have to do much de-scaling.

Lazy buggers

Mirrors are all unique, and linears, like Bill's above, are just stunning creatures. Commons are not at all common these days, but they all look the same. I like the variety of the mirror scaling and indeed leathers, which are even rarer.

Right now though, I'd like a tench. Any tench, of any size....

struggling with the tench myself.....intended targets but the carp muscle in , maybe that is the demise of tench fishing theses days to many carp now wrecking your swim upsetting the balance , one water i fished 30 years back had just tench to doubles and multiple catches could be had , been back a few times and carp now are the dominant fish no sign of a tench..shame really as you dont want to catch carp all the time lets face it........ there an easy greedy fish to catch ..........

Exactly the problem I've had. Better than blanking, but carp charging around the swim isn't going to help the chances of a tench, that's for sure.

[BillCollins]

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Even got the camot-shirt and matching cap
Have you got no shame Bill

My holiday gear, Nige.
In Ireland I wear my yellow reflective jacket