Here at Korum we have a very talented team of consultants. They spend all the time they can on rivers, lakes and canals catching fish with Korum tackle. We want to share their experiences with you, so you can take advantage of their expertise. Here you will find regular stories and latest catch reports from our team, and other blog entrys of interest.
July 07 2010
Few species are as synonymous with summer as the tench, so with glorious weather stretching across the U.K, I made my regular drive eastwards along the M4 to the gravel pits of Oxfordshire. Linear fisheries, one of the country’s most popular day ticket carp waters, holds a great head of tench and produces double figure specimens every spring, so seemed a great place to head for a couple of days sport, whilst putting together a feature for IYCF magazine…
June 23 2010
On Monday l joined up with Alan Stagg at Marsh Farm to get a few library shots for forthcoming features. Setting up in pegs 2 and 3 we proceeded to catch non-stop after introducing plenty of Sonubaits Super Crush Green groundbait. The key at Marsh is to add no loose feed to the groundbait, just let this draw the tench and crucians into the swim and place one hookbait on top…
June 14 2010
After a year spent chasing monsters, and at times virtually living on the bank in my successful pursuit of the Drennan cup, it’s been great to get back to my roots over the last few weeks and enjoy some social fishing with some good friends. Angler’s paradise has been the main destination, as despite being less than an hour from home I’ve only just started to realise the potential of the 30 lake complex, with everything from 60lb cats and 35lb carp, through to record breaking bright orange orfe, there is certainly plenty of exploring to be done…
June 08 2010
Since I caught a splendid brace of a 15lb 4oz bream and a 9lb 5oz tench at the end of March I’ve had a gruelling time to say the least. The brace came on my last session on a venue that has been very kind to me over the years. I had decided it was time for a new challenge and started on a gravel pit with an air of mystery about it. My new water had the appeal that when I got a bite I wouldn’t have any ides what it was…
June 02 2010
Having found a lake that was throwing up some massive bream you can guess where l headed on Monday. Dropping into the same swim that produced the massive bream for me last week l had reservations to as whether the lake would fish as the wind was on the change, atmospherics were falling, as was the temperature. Things were quiet until just into darkness when the odd liner started and by morning six bream had graced my net including another giant of 14lb 4oz!…
May 18 2010
This northeast wind is really hampering trying to target any specimen fish so it really is a case of going to venues that are going to give me a few bites. Monday l decided to treat dad to a day at Willingshurst Fishery in Cranleigh as he hasn’t been out lately and l knew that by getting him a bend in his rod would be welcome. Setting up on Christmas Tree lake l cast method feeders to the island whilst dad sat just a few feet behind and cast PVA bags into Pittance Lake…
May 04 2010
Monday night l was booked in to create a video on catching spring catfish on worms. Everything was going to plan but unfortunately the cameraman rearranged for the following night. With all my kit ready l headed of to Badshot Lea big pond, as l knew my brother had been getting good results with lots of small cats as well as one proper fish weighing 29lb. The swim l fancied was taken so l headed over to an area where the wind was blowing into and after ten minutes landed one of around 6lb…
Apr 26 2010
With over 400 waters across the U.K now known to contain Wels Catfish, there has never been a better time to try and catch one of these enigmatic specimens. There’s no need to be put off by thoughts of complicated rigs or bizarre baits, as simple carp style tactics will catch you far more cats. The reason for this is simple, most cat venues are also popular carp waters and therefore the catfish quickly learn to exploit the easy pickings provided in the form of buckets full of boilies and pellets…
Apr 19 2010
After spending 2 weeks fishing for mahseer in India I got back home just in time for 4 days at work before I got a chance to fish the last 2 days of the river season. Leaving off work at around 6am I took a leisurely drive to Worcestershire full of hope and anticipation of a few barbel before the enforced lay-off. By the time I finally got on the bank it was around 2 in the afternoon my chosen swim was empty, surprisingly for such a pleasant spring afternoon there wasn't a soul about I could have had any peg on the river. Deciding on a pellet hook-bait fished along side a feeder full of the best barbel ground-bait bar none Hemp and Hali crush, I cast into a mid river crease created by a sunken tree and awaited some action.
Apr 06 2010
Well what a start to the week and my catfish campaign as on the Monday evening l headed towards Cemex Split Lake in conditions that almost kept me at home. The rain was relentless, but knowing that the mild air was going to change knew that tonight maybe the best for cats for another week or so. Luckily only two anglers were on and my preferred swim vacant so with an open mind cast out three different set ups.
Mar 30 2010
With mild weather across the country it seemed a great time to try for an early season bream, so with a week off of work I headed to Oxford to target a large gravel pit that has produced some impressive specimens, with boats allowed on this water, I quickly donned my life jacket and headed out in search of a likely spot, despite the cold winter most of the bottom seemed to still be covered with fine weed, so when I discovered an area of clean gravel glistening on the lake bed, I knew I had found a popular feeding area.
Mar 23 2010
Having done so well with the rudd over the past two weeks thought that it was time to leave them alone and treat myself to a final zander fishing session at Old Bury Hill.
Feb 19 2010
Last weekend I finally got back on the banks of a gravel pit in search of roach. It was my first roach trip of the season after weeks and weeks of ice cover making fishing impossible. With a frost-free weekend forecast I took Friday afternoon off and arrived to find the lake empty. This was good and bad – good because I had the pick of swims, bad because it suggested the fishing was going to be hard.
Feb 17 2010
Tuesday saw myself and father heading towards the river Wey at Addlestone, a Cemex venue that has been kind to me in the past and a small stretch of river that lm sure anyone prepared to explore could turn over a few surprises. Arriving at 8am l soon questioned my reason to fish the centre pin as the metal constantly on my bare hands soon had me reaching for the warmth of my pockets.
Feb 10 2010
I think I’ve become a hypochondriac this year, as after the cough comes an ear infection, so getting out during the early part of the week was impossible. I have been trying to put aside both Tuesday and Friday for fishing, however Tuesday had to be missed so feeling slightly better on Thursday and with the weather milder headed of with good friend Steve Ansell to the tiny river Wey in Farnham.
Feb 02 2010
What a week, and it goes to show that putting in a little extra time comes with rewards.
Monday l headed down to Cemex Westhampnett for my first overnight session in ages. The weather forecast wasn’t good with temperatures dropping to minus two overnight, however it was the chilling northeasterly wind that made it feel far colder. Sensibly l decided to take a bivvy for that extra comfort and lm glad l did as even with its extra protection l still felt chilly.
Jan 26 2010
Its difficult to comprehend that its four weeks since my last weekly report. The weather has been so bad that it’s been difficult to get to a venue safely and even if this was possible the venue would either be frozen or completely out of sorts. Last January, l remember loading the car, ready to head of to Oxford for a roach session. The nine inches of snow seemed immaterial, that was until l tried to get out of the drive. This year however l must have become somewhat more sensible and with a chesty cough decided to spend the best part of three weeks creating article material, mostly for German and Belgium magazines.
Jan 07 2010
Occasionally you hear of a catch that inspires you to the extent that you simply have to target a particular water or fish, at the end of last winter I got a phone call that had this effect on me. One of my friends had just landed a very big pike, not only was the fish caught on a lure, but was also from a canal! Having begun my fishing as a child on canals and drains, this was just too good an opportunity to miss, and a few minutes later, when I received a photo by phone of the fish, it proved to be everything I hoped, beautifully marked, full finned, and in great condition.
Dec 22 2009
At last the winters here and l for one am glad that the mild, wet weather is behind us, however, it’s gone from one extreme to another and now we are faced with the stillwaters beginning to freeze. For me the colder the better as it allows myself to focus on things better, removing those nagging thoughts that other species maybe having it and confusing the issue to the point that l don’t know if lm coming or going!
Dec 15 2009
Duncan Charman has had a busy time recently. For this blog entry we have included six weeks of Duncan's fishing adventures.
Dec 15 2009
With the weather finally appearing to be more in keeping with the time of year, than the mild autumnal conditions we have been experiencing for so long, it’s a great time to exploit the big perch potential of the many commercial venues in the area, and with last year’s campaign resulting in fish of over 4lb, as well as several 3’s and many smaller fish, this yearly tradition is something I really look forward to.
Nov 26 2009
With the continued mild weather, the mobile lure approach mentioned in my last blog entry was an obvious choice of method for the opening of the pike season on my local reservoir. With water levels well down some areas that had produced previously were left high and dry, a quick scout around in the boat with the echo sounder showed an area of 8-10ft running alongside a marginal weed bed, a perfect ambush point for a pike.
OcT 19 2009
It’s strange how things turn out. This week, what with a wedding midweek plus the TCF & Korum Competition winners day on the Severn l didn’t expect to get much fishing in so just planned an overnight session on Thursday in search of a 30 lbs plus pike. The planned session arrived, however so did the high pressure, far from ideal for pike fishing. I arrived at my chosen destination at 2pm and spent the first couple of hours sunbathing in what seemed an Indian summer. I wasn’t expecting much but after an hour the drop of indicator hit the ground and a small jack fell to my sardine offering. As the light faded another came to the net plus three other takes, one dropped, one missed and the other fell of, a fish that felt quite reasonable.
Oct 05 2009
As the first signs of the colder months begin to show, with the trees taking on there autumn colours and temperatures begin to drop, predatory fish begin to extend their feeding spells, banqueting on huge shoals of fry created by falling water temperatures, and the loss of the lush weed cover that fills so many waters through the summer. To take full advantage of this period, it makes sense to put your bait past as many predators as possible, this is where lure fishing comes into its own, lure fishing has moved on a long way from the chuck and chance method of the past, thanks to imported baits and techniques from North America and Mainland Europe.
SEPT 15 2009
September is always a month of change for me, with most summer species beginning to go off the boil, yet it still being a bit early to start winter campaigns, though the initial effort for these is already being put in place with several visits to plumb one particular large water, and some tackle preparation.
SEPT 11 2009
This week was spent with my girlfriend’s family at Dawlish in Devon. Her father Mick is a keen angler so we both were allowed to pack some gear, although it was more likely that we would have to take her nephew’s fishing, instead of using it ourselves, and as it turned out this was the case.
SEPT 03 2009
On Monday l travelled up to Maple Durham for an overnight session on a known carp and bream area to compile a bream article for TCF, however l arrived late and found the complete stretch un-fishable due to moored boats. Although l could have set up in-between l didn’t want to push my luck knowing that the bream would keep the alarms going all night so reluctantly moved downstream to an area of unknown. The night passed without any signs so at first light returned to the known swims, set up quietly and hoped that the normally nocturnal bream might just still be feeding, unfortunately they weren’t.
SEPT 01 2009
With low water levels on my local river, many species have been taking advantage of the cover and high oxygen levels afforded by weir pools. When several of the regulars reported being broken up on feeder gear, I guessed that carp would be the culprit. The head of carp present has rocketed over the last few years as floods have ‘liberated’ them from the many fisheries that border the river as it winds through the Devon countryside. The long term effects on the river will have to be monitored but at the moment it gives the angler looking for some alternative carping some amazing action.
Aug 18 2009
Like several other Korum consultant's I have spent quite a lot of time over the last few weeks hunting big Eels. Heavily stocked Commercial fishery's are a great starting point, as they provide food aplenty allowing the Eel rich pickings on dead and dying fish as well as the vast quantities of bait thrown into these most popular of fisheries. It is just such a lake that I have been targeting with some success, let me give you the highs and lows of a recent trip.
Aug 11 2009
On Monday and with the storm clouds building my mind was firmly fixed on a big eel. Travelling light l headed for a different stretch of the same Thames tributary that saw the downfall of a couple of monsters the year before. Finding the river extremely weedy l quickly had a lead around and found a clear spot within a swim I’d never fished before. Two rods were cast containing two lobworms plus a small pva bag full of maggots soaked in Sonubaits Action Crab and Crayfish dip. 11pm signalled the first bite, which came from a 5lb bream followed by a belter at 1am that had me thinking all the way to the net that l, was attached to the mother of all eels. Unfortunately the desired eel surfaced as a big barbel and at 11lbs 3oz was a welcome bonus fish.
