Carl Udry Articles
Welly is generally very shallow with average depths of only 4-5ft. It does drop deeper in some specific areas, but the majority is consistent in depth. This is what can make it productive in the winter if you do the classic things like stay mobile and keep eyes and ears always open.
It was really difficult to establish any portfolio of exactly what carp were present. The biggest known mirror in the lake was named ‘Megan’ apparently. I was told that one spun the scales to just over 30lb.
After participating in the annual Gardner Tackle social in Autumn 2020 at Burghfield Blue Pool, I really liked what this quirky pool had to offer. An intimate 4 acre lake tucked in amongst some of the best carp lakes the Thames Valley has to offer.
I like adapting to the green stuff in my angling, I always have. Adapting presentation, thinking about rig length and materials. Adapting lead weight, for the perfect drop and to aid more stealth getting rods into position.
With Covid impacting angling being so open and closed this last year, plus restrictions in place impacting visitors on the bank when open. My family haven’t been able to nip in to say hi to Dad this last year. But at random points in the past, they have dropped by and shared my love for carp angling.
At 62 acres with 75 swims, lots of room and carp to go for the carp in Horseshoe are very catchable and I caught plenty, but they keep you on your toes. Keeping eyes on the water for signs can lead to numerous sightings in short spells and then being mobile, it can be very productive...
After a few successful seasons on the front lake and with my amazing journey across Germany behind me, now felt like the perfect time to go after the remaining 27 known carp from the original stock that were left swimming in the back lake...
For me, listening and watching the water very closely during those first couple of hours of dawn breaking can be the most critical in the day. Maybe you didn’t catch last night, but are there any tale tell signs that something could still happen over in your area?
The capture of ‘Smithy’ was almost textbook carp fishing from start to finish. I woke early, whilst it was still dark. It had been mildly moist in the night, but not nearly as wet as the night before. I made a very early coffee and sat watching the light lift from the eastern corner of the lake...
Only two hours after re-casting, which was entirely spent questioning if I had made the right decision, my middle rod was away. After a short ‘ploddy’ fight I was holding up another banging 42lb chestnut mirror in the mid-afternoon autumn sunshine. As I was playing it, I noticed two more subtle rolls up to my right...
It’s impossible to try and encapsulate in words, just what a special time I enjoyed during my three years, on what I truly believe will one day, rightfully be considered one of the greatest UK history carp waters ever. Since moving onto pastures new from 1st June 2019, it’s been like going through an ugly and bitter separation from a loved one...
The carp we all fish for are often under constant pressure so I personally choose to take every possible opportunity to disguise my trap, all the way from the rod tip to the hook bait. However, to what level I go is also dependent on several key factors that change from swim to swim.
With so much water, comes that inevitable natural aura and ambience that just makes the air smell 'carpy' in the Cotswolds. Well this ticket offered a similar challenge to my other new ticket, being bigger at 45 acres, but with depths more manageable (up to 10ft), areas of dense weed, islands, but with relatively well catalogued stock, understood to be in the region of 110 or so carp, with 5 or 6 carp over the magical 40lb mark.
When Ellis turned five years old, three years ago, I started using the Easter holiday to gradually get him to enjoy the solitude and tranquillity carp fishing has to offer. During this time, it’s grown on him and it would be fair to say he is now hooked...
