The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Saying that I have blank day on the local gravel pit is not quite true.Had a late evening session up in the shallows.Float fishing in 3ft of water by the lillies catching small perch and some nice size roach on caster/maggot and sweetcorn, when I changed to a large lobworm.Within minutes the float was gone talking some 50yards to the centre of the pit.The fish a very dark common topped the surface many times bringing it back many times within looking range only to be off again on a grand tour of the lake.This went on for some 30 minues.But now the carp was very visable a very large double that was 20 feet from the bank.Well I said never had a carp a large double before my best was 14lb from the same pit.No messing about but the carp wanted the lillies and yes I could not stop it travelling through three sets of lillie pads.The line went very tight so off I went to find my end tackle in the lilies up to the waist in the warm water.Followed the line to the first set and the second onto the third set of lillies I found my float and reached down the find the hook on the base on the lillie what a clever carp.Another day

They are buggers for that, happened to me the other day, they must work as a team

Bad luck there , maybe next time - but at least you hooked t and had it on for some time.
What line strength were you using ?

It is possible to carefully play large carp out of dense lily beds with no harm to the carp and without losing it - of course sometimes the hook does end up embedded in a lily stem/root - but less often if the tackle is up to it.

Julian wrote:Bad luck there , maybe next time - but at least you hooked t and had it on for some time.
What line strength were you using ?

It is possible to carefully play large carp out of dense lily beds with no harm to the carp and without losing it - of course sometimes the hook does end up embedded in a lily stem/root - but less often if the tackle is up to it.

7lb Drennan float Line with size 10 hook with my 15ft float rod great for playing fish in open water but not to stop fish going into lillies.Just got back to my old hollow glass rod for my tench session did not lose any fish to the lilies.

I'd love to know how fish do that

Dave Burr wrote:I'd love to know how fish do that

I'm fairly certain I know the answer - well, this my theory :
When the fish weaves its way through the lilies the line will sometimes catch on a stem or a root as the fish moves past it - especially if the fish changes direction, as it may bend the line round the stem.
If, for example, the line catches firmly against a stem/root/between stems, etc six feet from the hook, the remaining line between the stem and the hook only remains taught as long as the fish pulls directly away from the stem. It is therefore very easy for that section to go slack and therefore sometimes for the fish to shed the hook.
At the same time the angler is ensuring the line is kept tight and so with the fish no longer attached the angler seems to gain a bit of line , but what is happening is the last six feet of line is sliding, still under tension from the anglers perspective, back into the stem - until the hook takes hold.

With me it's not just lillies they do it in but tree roots also. Well, you'll often find a kingfisher in a tree I surpose.

Kingfisher wrote:With me it's not just lillies they do it in but tree roots also. Well, you'll often find a kingfisher in a tree I surpose.

Yes, I have the same problem - but its the same principle as with the lilies - and probably even more likely to happen

Something similar happened to me with a large barbel and a log. Following one hell of a fight all went solid. I popped back to the car to get my waders, crossed the river (of the narrow variety) and found my hook buried in the aforementioned log. Not sure if it's teamwork or some cunning plan.....