No one likes blanking, but inevitably it happens to the best of us. I’d love to say that it didn’t bother me, and that just being there was enough – but it’s not. Don’t get me wrong, even a blank day by a lake or river can be relaxing and enjoyable, it might sound like a cliché but there really is much more to fishing than catching fish. However, one can only be satisfied by the surroundings and peace and quiet for so long, especially when you’ve gone to considerable time and effort to make the session a success. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a strange couple of weeks really, since the triumph of my first Keston carp. I’ve not quite known what to do with myself fishing wise. I’ve spent a few more sessions after another carp, but it hasn’t happened. I’ve not really been able to find the fish again and when I have they just haven’t wanted to feed (well not on my hook bait anyway!). Read the rest of this entry »

Well those of you who are regular readers of the blog will probably know that I’ve spent a fair amount of time chasing the carp at Keston this summer. It’s been one hell of a learning curve and I’ve had more blanks than I care to remember, but I’ve finally put one on the bank! Read the rest of this entry »

Up until a few years ago the use of pellets was pretty much limited to still waters, predominantly for carp, but also for the likes of tench and bream. But times are changing and their use has spread onto rivers too, with anglers up and down the country bagging up on chub and barbel using pellets.
Read the rest of this entry »

Well with autumn well and truly here I popped up to Keston with my lure bag. I’d been hoping to fish the bottom lake, rove around a bit and try to find a perch or two. But I arrived to find the bottom lake extremely coloured up, and not really looking good for any form of spinning. The top lake on the other hand was lovely and clear so I decided to have a few chucks up there anyway and see what happened.

Read the rest of this entry »

Well as much as I hate to say it, the summer is slowly coming to an end. The warm September we were promised doesn’t seem to have materialised and in the last week or so the fishing has suffered accordingly and I’ve struggled to find the tench and a one a session has been a good result. The leaves are starting to turn and my thoughts are turning too, towards catching a lovely big autumnal perch. Read the rest of this entry »

When I discovered the pulling power of prawns down at Keston I needed a fishy, prawny groundbait mix to go with it. It needed to be cheap enough to allow me to fish with it two or three evenings a week – this is what I came up with. Read the rest of this entry »

So after a few weeks of mixed fortunes on Keston the opportunity for a Saturday session with my Dad somewhere else arose. What I should have done was forget carp and do something completely different for the day, instead I decided that carp would still be my target, but this time Barden lake in Tonbridge would be my venue. Barden is a huge old gravel pit and in addition to the carp,the lake holds large shoals of bream (100lb nets are not unheard of), tench and some big pike, as well as a healthy head of roach and perch. Read the rest of this entry »

When I last wrote I was moving back up to the top pond for a bit of a rest from attempting to catch a bottom pond carp. It’s something I’ve done in the past when I’ve needed a break. It’s not that the tench are easy; it’s just a different challenge, and a refreshing change of scenery. In fact the last time I tried for the tench I struggled to catch. On that occasion I think it was down to over confidence, I assumed that because they seemed plentiful and willing to feed that I’d catch – I was wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Well it has been far too long since my last Keston update, and it’s not due to a lack of fishing. When I last wrote my attention had turned to the bottom lake, in search of the wise, old carp. I’ve spent many hours on the bank since then and my attempts have proved so far unsuccessful.

So, a week or so ago, I had dutifully written up a couple of weeks carp chasing for the blog. At which point, my laptop decided it had had enough of life – and promptly died. One new hard drive, and a large amount of lost work later, here I am writing it up again. So this will be a slightly abridged version of the last few weeks. Read the rest of this entry »