Any Carp Anglers on here?

[garethw]

Hi there
As well as enjoying the outdoors and bushcrafty things, I've been a keen carp angler for nigh on 34 years. I now own my own carp fishery in northern France.
Recently after speaking with a mate and fellow carper inthe UK, I've switched the traditional bivvy/bedchair set up for a hammock and tarp. The usual gear weighs in at over 15kg for just the tent and bed.....my tarp and hammock weighs just 1.5kg!!!.
Ok admittedly, you need trees, at least one and/or vehicle access. With one tree and my 4x4 I can hang a hammock.
Anyone esle tried this option????
cheers
Gareth
PS: Check out my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002545151533

[fish]

do a fair bit of general coarse fishing with a bit of freelined crust for the carp,heres one i caught at 4:30am last monday:

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m92/fishfish_01/fish/DSC01968.jpg

as for the hammock idea i was thinking about it just the other day when i did an all nighter,it really does make sense to use one,maybe it will be the next fad in the carp world,which means there will be cheap fox beds available for me! woohoo!

[garethw]

http://www.gwenllyn.com/hammock01.JPG
Yeah, I just got fed up of lugging all the bivvy/bedchair set up around and getting a terrible night's sleep. I've not yet found a comfortable bedchair, and I've had a few makes. But hauling 15-20kg just for a bed and shelter seemed stupid... Enter Hammock/Tarp 1.5kg... all fits in my pack.
I generally find if I can't find two trees, I just need one and a swim I can get my car to. I then just hook one end the the tree and the other to the roofrack.
cheers
Gareth

[schooner]

I saw Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cook a carp on telly, but do people generally eat them?

[garethw]

No we don't... carp anglers release their catches and have done since this type of angling began serioulsy in the 50's. Most of the fish are of a large size nowadays.. here in France we don't catch many under 20lb and lots upto 40 or 50lb... finally most clubs and waters have a strict no kill policy in view iof the cost of stocking with large carp.
cheers
Gareth

[schooner]

I think it's still the law in Australia that it is illegal to release a live carp if you catch it. They were introduced here to eat some sort of algae, IIRC, then started eating everything and got out of control. If that sounds silly, we have had a lot of creatures that have been introduced to deal with a problem that ended up being worse than the original problem. Going out bush about twenty or so years ago, we hunted in the morning, late afternoon and night (spotlighting) and during the day sat on the riverbank (Lachlan River) with a .22 and shot them. It was no problem to get a hundred or so in a day. I stress that this was not a sporting endeavour, it was looked on as a public service with the full blessing of the National Parks and Wildlife people.

[Bob W]

I'm a keen all round angler,fishing for different species at different times of the year. Carp are a target at the moment.

Here's a pic of travelling "light" just to illustrate Gareth's point.

This was a two night session in an April mini heatwave. I'm using a brolly here, the bivvy is twice as heavy.

Don't laugh, but we actually use a barrow to cart our gear to the swim, if the swim is any distance from the car.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i316/arkaywat/img015-1.jpg

[garethw]

Hi Bob,
http://www.gwenllyn.com/overnight02.jpg
I too use this set up when I can't find trees....
cheers
Gareth

[fish]

nice pic gareth,you need a kelly kettle i recon

[schooner]

That looks like great fun, I'd love to try it.

[Martin]

I'm not very good but I wouldn't say I was cr... oh, I see, you said carp. ;)

Martin

[feebullet]

+1 on shooting carp in Australia. I've fished for them, bow fished for them, speared, spear gunned, crossbow-ed / hybrid underwater and above water speared for them, shot them by the dozen, netted whole dams etc etc. Never dynamited, but I might just add that to the list.....

[garethw]

I'm not very good but I wouldn't say I was cr... oh, I see, you said carp. ;)

Martin
Hi Martin
Well running a fishery I can tell you I see a fair number of crap anglers that can't catch carp... !!! LOL!!
cheers
Gareth

[garethw]

+1 on shooting carp in Australia. I've fished for them, bow fished for them, speared, spear gunned, crossbow-ed / hybrid underwater and above water speared for them, shot them by the dozen, netted whole dams etc etc. Never dynamited, but I might just add that to the list.....
Carp Angling is probably the most popular branch of fishing in the UK, France, Holland Belgium and many other European countries today...So I'd avoid these practices in Europe if you don't want to be shot, bowed, speared or dynamited yourself by a bunch of angry carp anglers... many guys are really get passionate about their fishing...

Red rag..bull!!!and all that!!
G'day
Gareth

[schooner]

Quick question Gareth, not having fished for many years, why is carp angling more popular than other methods/species?

[garethw]

Quick question Gareth, not having fished for many years, why is carp angling more popular than other methods/species?
That's a good question... when I started out in the late 70's, we were considered wierd, with our paired rods, bite alarms and bedchairs. There were only a handful of us in the whole country. Most people even other anglers, thought we were nuts, as the fish were so hard to catch. But how things have changed today.

http://www.gwenllyn.com/31lb.jpg

I think there are many reasons why it's taken off: Carp grow big & fight hard, 30lb plus is common place these days. Modern techniques & baits have made it far easier for anyone to catch fish...
The gear used is quite techy with various rigs, baits, bite alarms etc.. Many young people find that aspect appealing.
Also you get to camp out by the water, bringing you closer to nature than just a day's roach bashing and you can enjoy the social side of a few days out by the water. (I think anyone on this board would agree that its a pleasant way to spend a night.)
Finally carp are now a widespread species so anyone can fish for them.. Clubs, ticket waters and syndicates have been stocked for nearly 30 years now.
Salmon and other big fish tend to be a bit exclusive. With so many local waters in the south especially holding decent fish, you don't need to be well off to get started. These days the kit can be as dear or as cheap as your budget. Some of the budget kit is pretty good.
I think anyone who enjoys fishing would enjoy the thrill of hooking and landing a big carp.

cheers
Gareth

[RobbC]

I tried carp fishing last year in France, there was a lake with carp in on our site. I only had very basic tackle, and felt confident that my fishing experiance would get me something. But i got nothing:(, but on the upside the guy with mountains of tackle got nothing aswell :)

[Bushwhacker]

I used to carp fish using traditional methods but, sadly, *the whole scene turned into a marketers dream and lakes are now full of brash kit junkies in their 'lounges' from home and it's descended into a p***ing competition.

It aint fishing that's for sure.


*in my eyes.

[garethw]

I used to carp fish using traditional methods but, sadly, *the whole scene turned into a marketers dream and lakes are now full of brash kit junkies in their 'lounges' from home and it's descended into a p***ing competition.

It aint fishing that's for sure.


*in my eyes.

Hi there
Even though I'm heavily involved in the carp fishing scene for my business here in France, I have to agree with much of what you say. I doubt if I still lived in the UK, I'd still be carping. Fortunately in France here I still get to fish quiet places where I'm on my own, or virgin lakes and rivers that very rarely see a bait. I try to keep my gear to a minimum, hence my recent foray into 'Hammock Carping'. I couldn't fish the circus waters either, and don't fish my own place when I have a full compliment of anglers on.
I do on occasions get to see the 'Tackle Tart' brigade, and many with "all the gear and no idea", struggle. Thankfully though the lakes are remote, rural, peaceful and beautiful and as I usually only have small groups they haven't fallen into the trap of many UK ticket waters.
I do though remember when carping had a mystique about it, when people still believed in Remire Pool and you never really knew what was in a lake... the uncaught monster was in every lake, and every run meant you might just catch it.
I still love it, but much of the magic has gone...
Tight Lines
Gareth

[garethw]

I tried carp fishing last year in France, there was a lake with carp in on our site. I only had very basic tackle, and felt confident that my fishing experiance would get me something. But i got nothing:(, but on the upside the guy with mountains of tackle got nothing aswell :)
Hi Robb
You were unlucky to blank over here... I can literally count on one hand the number that come to us in a given year and fail to catch.
Don't write France off though, while there are both good and bad waters, the richness of the fishing here is extraordinary. Fish are though wild creatures that don't need your bait, so blanking is always a possibility. But find a nice lake or river with some good fish and you'll be hooked.
France has thousands of unpreasured, unspoiled lakes and rivers, where you can be outdoors and just enjoy being in a fabulous place. A few big fish are the icing on the cake.
Tight Lines
Gareth

[RobbC]

I love France, and course fishing, im definatly not writing France or carp fishing off. Apparently the week before i arrived a 40lb carp had been caught!

[garethw]

I love France, and course fishing, im definatly not writing France or carp fishing off. Apparently the week before i arrived a 40lb carp had been caught!

Just out of interest, where did you go? I might know it!!
cheers
Gareth

[RobbC]

Eh, good question. It was a lake in a campsite, and it was in the Loire Valley. Cant remember the name of the place, when i remember il tell you.

[schooner]

where you can be outdoors and just enjoy being in a fabulous place. A few big fish are the icing on the cake.
Tight Lines
Gareth

You've just explained the whole philosophy of hunting and fishing.

[feebullet]

.... I'd avoid these practices in Europe if you don't want to be shot, bowed, speared or dynamited yourself by a bunch of angry carp anglers... many guys are really get passionate about their fishing...

well as a colonial, 'poaching' is acceptable, we even adopt songs about it to national anthem status (Waltzing matilda) the methods used in Australia mightn't be to taste, but I would love to come over and investigate their effectiveness on your game :evilgrin:

However, I wouldn't want to offend the locals.

[schooner]

Feebullet, it's probably best we don't mention the emu cull in the 1920's when they used massed Lewis guns.

[feebullet]

Feebullet, it's probably best we don't mention the emu cull in the 1920's when they used massed Lewis guns. Or how we hunt cane toads, foxes, rabbits, hares, deer, camels and everything else that was dumped here wisely... As if filling the place with crims and game animals was ever going to end any other way! LOL the scurge of society has not always sporting intentions, some of us hunt to eat. And when shooting carp, I get one with every cast!!!

[Martin]

Well, as you guys are no longer any good at cricket, rugby or swimming, I guess that you have to be good at something and shooting fish in a barrel is as good a sport as any to conquer the world. :D

Martin

PS, only joking we love our colonial siblings really. ;)

[schooner]

Don't worry, if we could have sent you all the carp and culled Germaine Greer instead of the other way round, we would have.

[Martin]

Don't worry, if we could have sent you all the carp and culled Germaine Greer instead of the other way round, we would have.

I'd forgotten about her, were you trying to get your own back when you sent her over to us?? :D

Martin

[Bob W]

Feebullet, My uncle emigrated to Oz in 85, doing very well he is too!

Back to the point, even though I'm a Carp angler in the UK I can see the reason why you hunt to kill. Carp and the ecology of Oz just don't mix, they spawn too successfully, invade and/or destroy the habitat of your native species and generally make bloody nuisances of themselves. Germany also have a catch and kill policy on Carp (might even be all coarse fish) which is generally ignored by anglers over there.

Carp aren't as big a problem in the UK yet, they've been in our waterways since about 1400, could be earlier. Originally stocked into land locked "stew ponds" for eating purposes. They've become fashionable as a recreational species in the last twenty or so years because they're easy to catch, readily available, to the point that land owners actually dig a hole in a spare field, fill it with Carp and charge "anglers" (I use the term loosely) about a quid an hour to fish for them.

I don't fish such places myself, preferring older, mature lakes and rivers for other species. I do however have the odd Carp session as much for the camping and relaxation as the actual fishing. They do pull well when hooked which is another bonus.

I take my hat off to the way that your nation is trying to preserve it's heritage and wish the Uk would take a stamp out of your book.

We have, off the top of my head, American signal crayfish which are destroying the native white crayfish, with, I believe, a parasite they host (I've just been reading another thread, it seems it's a disease or plague). They're also damaging coarse and game fish stocks by making a meal of their eggs.

Motherless minnows, Chinese mitten crabs, some alien form of shrimp, grey squirrels, coastal cormorants moving inland (that's another story altogether). There's plenty more that don't spring to mind and there seems to be very little being done about any of them. All of which are slowly but surely killing off our native species.

Sorry, I seem to be rambling :ashamed:

[schooner]

I'd forgotten about her, were you trying to get your own back when you sent her over to us?? :D

Martin

It worked.

[schooner]

Bob W, ref the squirrels, are you allowed to hunt them with the property owner's permission?

[Bob W]

Grey squirrels are classed as vermin I believe. With the land owners permission, hunt away;)

Disclaimer; Don't take my word for it, make sure:D

Edit:

http://f4bscale.worldonline.co.uk/quarry.htm

The list is changed from time time, I believe Starlings are off the list now.

[schooner]

Interesting read Bob. What do they taste like?

[Bob W]

I wouldn't know, I don't think I'd eat one, the expression "tree rat" is enough to put me off.

[dreadedangler]

Hi all, just thought I'd poke my head out.
Bob, I totally agree with your comments on native species. In the UK most issues aren't dealt with early enough and it always seems to become a case of too little too late.
I'd recommend having grey squirrel on the menu. Plenty of good meat and dare I say it? - "Tastes like chicken"!
A great food source that's plentiful :)

dreadedangler (http://dreadedangler.com)

[dreadedangler]

Hi Gareth,
thought I'd say hi, as a fellow fisherman and a man after my own heart.
I'll join the facebook page for sure!
Here's my page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002469436888

Tight lines

Dreadedangler (http://dreadedangler.com)
Hi there
As well as enjoying the outdoors and bushcrafty things, I've been a keen carp angler for nigh on 34 years. I now own my own carp fishery in northern France.
Recently after speaking with a mate and fellow carper inthe UK, I've switched the traditional bivvy/bedchair set up for a hammock and tarp. The usual gear weighs in at over 15kg for just the tent and bed.....my tarp and hammock weighs just 1.5kg!!!.
Ok admittedly, you need trees, at least one and/or vehicle access. With one tree and my 4x4 I can hang a hammock.
Anyone esle tried this option????
cheers
Gareth
PS: Check out my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002545151533

[Metal mug]

Hi all, just thought I'd poke my head out.
Bob, I totally agree with your comments on native species. In the UK most issues aren't dealt with early enough and it always seems to become a case of too little too late.
I'd recommend having grey squirrel on the menu. Plenty of good meat and dare I say it? - "Tastes like chicken"!
A great food source that's plentiful :)

dreadedangler (http://dreadedangler.com)It's lovely roasted with bacon.

[dreadedangler]

It's lovely roasted with bacon.

Yummmy, as are most foods roated with bacon :)

dreadedangler (http://dreadedangler.com/)