Today we go carp fishing with a method feeder on the Pez Chauvet communal pond in Eguzon for a day with 6 young trainees who have come from all over France to take part in our summer 2019 fishing camps. The pond, with a surface area of about 10 ha, is well stocked with carp and is a few kilometres from the accommodation.
After preparing the gingerbread-based groundbait with our 6 young participants in our fishing course, we head to the fishing room to prepare the equipment needed for this session of carp fishing with a method feeder (rods, reel, landing net, keepnet, fishing seats, unhooking mat…). First of all, we check that nothing is missing and load the minibus, then head to the lake.
Setting up the swims and preparing the equipment for method feeder carp fishing
First of all we prepare the equipment and everyone helps to set up the swims. 3 swims are prepared, each for 2 anglers. So the fishing will be done in pairs! The rods are 3.90 m long with a power of 40/110 g. They are fitted with a reel of the brand DAIWA PROCASTER EVO 3008 loaded with 0.25 mm monofilament. Each group has enough groundbait and baits (soft baits, pellets, pop-ups, baby corn…) for the day's fishing. Bryan and Marwin choose the swim in the deepest part of the pond. With this heat, they think the fish are rather holding on the bottom looking for coolness. Their fishing companions settle closer to the banks, where the depth is much shallower.
The carp seem active and come up to roll and leap only a few metres from the bank. The boys all decide to fish close to the edge, at about 15 to 20 metres
Each team has made up a method feeder of about 20 to 30 g. These method feeders are fitted with an internal elastic, to limit breakages and hook pulls. Some are heavy-handed when striking and fighting fish. Might as well put all the odds on their side! The hooklength is about 6 to 10 cm long and fitted with an eyed hook, size 8 to 14 depending on the size of the bait used. Indeed, method feeder carp fishing calls for different hooklengths, which are available depending on whether you want to fish with pop-up boilies or pellets or baby corn or soft pellets or even paste, or the technique known as the “cone pellet”.".
The fishing is about to start…
To find the fish as quickly as possible, each swim chooses a different bait. Melwin and Elliot opt for the pop-up, Bryan and Marwin for soft pellets, and the last group for baby corn. As soon as the method feeder is filled with groundbait, the rig is cast smoothly and gently to the desired fishing area. As soon as the rig reaches the bottom, the rod is placed on its rest and the line is tightened to put tension on the rod tip so the bites can be clearly seen. Indeed, the bites are very often well marked and almost impossible to miss! A few catapult-loads of pellets and seed mix on each swim, and the fishing can begin. Watch out, ladies: the CARP !
After 20 minutes of fishing, the first run from a carp comes on Melwin's swim. He strikes with all his might… and what had to happen happened! A break on the strike… (You also need to remember to set your drag, and not leave it tightened right down, Melwin!!) By the time the rig is redone, it is Bryan's swim that gets a nice carp of 2 kg on soft pellets. Several hours of fishing follow, with repeated lulls and bursts of euphoria. Doubles and even triples of carp in less than 15 minutes, followed by much quieter moments. In the end the boys had about thirty runs, and only about fifteen fish were landed for the final photo. The others, we will put it down to bad luck (hook pulls, breakages, misses…)
A very pleasant afternoon in the lovely sunshine with passionate, motivated young anglers. In summary, this session of method feeder carp fishing was a real pleasure.