Catch Reports

Its a Family Affair!

Posted in Catch Reports on 17th October 2007

Essential Bait boss Mike Willmott has recently returned from a 5-night session on a Belgium river with his Son and Daughter, where despite cold frosty conditions they managed to bank a total of 19 carp. The highlight of the trip was this immaculate brace of commons weighing in at 36lb and 38lb 14oz. Proper Belgian beauties.

All the fish fell to the Winterised version of the Shellfish B5 which always seems to ‘kick in’ once the first few frosts arrive. The latest appearance of the West Country bait baron finally puts pay to any rumours that he has completely lost his marbles and is still hiding out in the undergrowth of a large Colne Valley gravel pit!!


Fluoro pop-ups

Whilst carp are not generally recognised as sight feeders, there are undoubtedly times when they are visually drawn to a food source and bright pop-ups are a classic example of this. It's not surprising therefore, that fluoro pop-ups have proved very effective, particularly if just using a single bait with no free offerings. The winter and spring months are a classic example of this and a single fluoro pop-up cast to a 'showing' fish has resulted in the downfall of many a carp.

But it would be a mistake to think fluoro pop-ups should be just restricted to single bait presentation. Quite often, a fluoro pop-up fished over a bed of bait can fool the wariest of carp and a little 10mm fluoro pop-up mounted above a standard bottom bait can act as a very good visual sight and lead to a bite or two when other methods fail to produce.