Read about Dave's moving trip to Thailand click here

Fishing Tips

See Previous Fishing Tips

Facilities for disabled anglers

Accommodation suitable for disabled anglers

FAQ's

Fishing venues & tackle shops

Detailed history of the River Waveney

Back to Angling Page click here

Dave Gladwell writes...

CARP IN THE RIVER

Catching carp is not what it used to be in still waters! Generally it is now commercially controlled by exclusive and secretive syndicates, or at the other end of the spectrum, the degrading fanfare of the rakes progress in small objectionable muddy pools. Over-fed hook-shy bolie-bellied bloaters or many regularly caught tatty-tailers continually spoil the unfortunate fortunes of this magnificent species.

However, there is still an area where all the magic and skills can be applied in a way that the great Richard Walker would have been proud to be associated with. Fish without names exist that roam far and wide with a wily uncultivated nature to satisfy the quest of the sincere angler.

What we are talking about is the River Carp. Although Leather, Mirror and Common all abound in the Waveney as a normal group, the individual features they can take on, hold these moving watercourse fish well apart in supreme condition compared with many of their still water fellows.

A substantial difference in diet and an occasional strong flow to fight against, changes the normal quite lethargic energy use and food replacement chain. From catches and regular sightings, the tail end of weir pools and hard gravel bottoms appear to be attractive to Commons going over the same shallow grazing areas for the food chain they have adapted to remaining pretty territorial. Many of these specimens make the grade at an upper weight of 23-24 lbs but appear to bottom out there. Mirror Carp have appeared much more likely to roam and favour deep corners, with the specimens easily identified by distinguishable unusual or distinctive scale patterns.

Fish from Ellingham Mill Pool have been caught again as far down as Worlingham in a range from 12l bs to 26 lbs. However lone specimens are known to have been taken in excess of 30 lbs around heavily tidal Burgh St Peter. At Brockdish on the Diss & District AC waters when retired chemist David Houseago caught this peg 7 specimen on an evening outing of ours in 1994 principally after big tench, we knew there was at least two fish we saw frequently, substantially bigger than the one caught here at 24 lbs 10 ozs.

Having landed this fish on free-lined giant Maize and 8 lb maxima line in a well-weeded area near to the downstream wood off peg 8 we knew the name of the game for the struggle. Two years later after almost an hour playing a fish on 12 lb line, never seen, it was a sure indication of the potential for a near 40 lb fish to thrive under these conditions. Since I moved down river away from Diss to live I rarely fish the stretch these days but am reliably informed there is no doubt that they are still there.

Bungay Common has its own shoal of carp that live near the junction of the Old River bed and are caught every year. These fish roam upstream to the Golf Club but seem loathe to make the swim on their sides to get over the 80 yards of Shallows running from the Town Bridge to the old railway line crossing point.

It is above here we come to some of the largest Commons in the River as they patrol all the Wolds extremely narrow watercourses and slipstreams as well as the Waveney right up to Earsham Sluice. Sometimes the width of the River where it has wandered off from Stow Fen down near to Bungay is barley ten feet wide and often less than three feet deep.

In this compression of rich food and fry to feed on I watched a carp one July for a over week until temptation got the better of me and I gave up on the roach and hefty chub accompanying it and prebaited with maize. Five blank outings later and nearly a month passed, I resolved to give up the hunt with my static baits; often laying on my stomach for two hours at a time, trying to tempt and guess its weight, as he steadfastly refused all offerings, and returned to the Chub.

Two weeks passed and pal-of-ages Harbourmaster Jinks Davey took two big carp from the Wolds and made it look easy with his gently moving bread baits. Thoroughly peed off and deflated I reverted to Quantrill’s Farm well out of everyone’s way for my pleasures. In late September with an edge of colour creeping in, what four years ago now, as my flake bounced along under my cut down piece of peacock, on the aquarium shallows in the top meadow, all was well with a good chub landed. Not huge but a handy 4 lbs.

The end of my swim ran off a slight compression from solid weed beds into a sandy clean bottom with clear views at 5’ feet deep. Squinting against the evening light through the polaroids at first I thought it was a very big bream I could see inspecting the bait, but no it was a Common. After half an hour it moved right under my feet at the bankside where it ran 7’ deep with a thin batch of streamer weed. Loose-lined, I lowered the flake and held it steady but the beast sheered off probably startled by the whiteness off it.

An hour later it appeared hard in to the bank again. Down went my lob, all five inches of it on a size 8, writhing enticingly in the flow drifting to it. Without any hesitation it took in one and made straight off with the run. The reel gave ground and later as the bronzed back broke the surface midstream its colour almost took my breath away.

Surprisingly he only took about ten minutes to land on the trusty maxima and made up for my earlier frustrations.

Now how heavy is this fish? Don’t know. Big enough though! What I am sure about is that moving feed was what mine was used to, for it had become natural to its environment and just maybe if I had pared my thinking to that earlier I may have been successful elsewhere.

Dave Gladwell ©

Can you let us know by email if there are any questions you would like to ask Dave regarding fishing technique, equipment or any fishing tips.

www.bungay-suffolk.co.uk