Oily Crab Big Fish Catcher
21/05/2005
To find out what this bait could do I fished water that I knew like the back of my hand. This water is 18m deep in some places and it being very early in the season I really didn't expect much because it takes a while for these kinds of depths to warm up. In the years I’ve fished this water I didn't start catching till after the fish had spawned, roughly around May time but that changes each year that passes.
I baited up two day's before my session, just a couple of hands full spread over the length of the bank I had targeted. It was really early in the morning and bloody cold let me tell you. The first rod was placed and I was preparing my other rod, when the first one was already off like a shot! I hooked in to a fantastic looking mirror. After weighing it and taking a nice photo it was returned to its home 26lb 8oz, not bad! Soon after that I welcomed a 31lb 2oz common on my unhooking mat.
Could this be just luck? Nah, as the day followed I had 6 fish out, this while all 5 other anglers on the lake where blanking big time. The Oily Crab had proved it's self! I kept baiting and fishing that area and was catching like it was the middle of summer. I was welcoming old friends on the bank. I was repeating my catches with the already seen faces. Loads of fish out that I had hooked in the past. Good to see they where doing well but not really what I was after. The Oily Crab had to be put to the test on different waters, so I made a move. My goal for this season was to catch a 40 pound carp. I had only just started fishing this new water and I nearly achieved my goal already! Before I started fishing Ocean Fresh I only needed two fingers to count the big carp I’ve caught. One season later two hands wouldn't be enough to be honest I have lost count.
I was over the moon with the Oily Crab. I just love fishing with little pop up's but after these fish I wasn't changing tactics, no way. Seeing what damage I was doing, I needed more fishing time. So I planned a week’s session for myself. I wanted to be on there just after the fish had spawned to maximise my chances. The weather wasn't on my side and the fish hadn't finished doing the deed by time I was on there. But hey, I was there and I had the time so I made the most of it. In that week I had some awesome fish out. I even doubled the "bigun" which I caught a couple of weeks earlier. That was great! Normally I don't like doubling fish but this one, "please sir can I have some more"
Overall I had 15 fish out in that week's session with the biggest carp being 36lb leather. Not a bad result seen as they started spawning again on the last day I was on there. What a site that was. There was this fallen down tree hanging in the water where a tufty had nested herself. Boy was she getting battered by the spawning carp yea she had the hump on that one let me tell you. I reeled my rods in and watched them for a couple of hours. I won't fish for them while they are spawning. I will have my chances again!
Oily Crab big fish catcher, For Sure!! Keep those reels screaming.
Tight lines.
Robert Campbell.