Of Carp and Cats

Of Carp & Cats

A large Tortue Catfish

A large Tortue Catfish

Steinbeck wrote “Of mice and men”, well in a carp fishery our concern is rather “Of carp and cats”. Spring has finally arrived and with it, hugely variable weather. Temperature swings and rainfall have been incredible, and all this has a big impact on the fishing at the venue.  
Gravel pits like Croix Blanche are very affected by weather, notably heavy rain and large swings in the thermometer.
And so it was that during the second week of April, a high-pressure system settled in and in largely bright sunshine the temperatures climbed to upper 20’s, amazing for April.
This saw the carp come on to feed big style for the first time of the year, and Mel McWatt and the lads all had a number of lovely fish. A good number of carp in the thirties were banked, with several specimens to upper forties..

Mel with an cracking upper 30 mirror

Mel with an cracking upper 30 mirror

Most carp and cats seemed to come either off the shallowest part of the lake.. Still fairly deep due to high water levels after this winter’s floods, or from the margins. A particle approach with tigers tipped with fake corn was often the winning combination.

Action at sunset

Action at sunset

Towards the following weekend though the weather broke again and the inevitably fickle April climate proved that we were not yet in summer, despite the shorts and T-shirts we’d broken out the previous week.

Another big moggie

Another big moggie

36 catfish to 95lb 8oz

Roger Tyler on the Tortue Lake set his stall for the big catfish, which had started to put in an appearance. One can usually guarantee that at the first sign of warmer weather, the cats will go on the maraud and a number of fish can be banked.
Roger used the standard halibut pellet approach to good effect. Coupled with robust tackle, 30lb mainline, 45lb Quicksilver hook links with 3.5lb rods. He finished his week with a very creditable 36 catfish to 95lb 8oz, which included other fish of 90lb plus and 80lb plus. He also had a bonus carp or two, the best going 31lb 8oz.

The largest of the week at over 95lb

The largest of the week at over 95lb

More variable weather has followed this last seven days with night time temperatures getting down to nearly freezing, and has rendered the last week or so complicated to say the least.
Forecast for the coming days is good though with the thermometer rising back up into the mid-twenties next week.

Carp like buses; two at once

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