Hello my name is Alan Shergold and along with my Fiance Laura Bayliss we own Bells Of Hythe a fishing tackle shop in Hythe, Southampton right in the centre of the New Forest National Park and bordering The Solent.
As my profile picture suggests I like to carp fish but I will also dabble in boat, beach, fly.... well anything that means I get to hold a rod really.
Recently my old friend Shaun Jarvis (Rod Hutchinson, Essential Baits) appeared back on the Carp Scene and I have to say that I was quite excited indeed! He made some serious waves back in the 90's along with Steve Renyard (Ultima, Shimano, Richworth) when he fished Sowley Lake near Beaulieu and had some serious fish!
Shaun has set his sights on Nutsey Lake, Totton a Test Valley Angling Club water. It holds a lot of old carp and one big one weighing 50lb+!!
Terry Hearn (Dynamite Baits) did a bit on the lake for his last book and had most of the fish including the big one at 48lb, Terry sent me some awesome slides and the pictures came out great! Here is his picture of the Nutsey Biggun.
In true Shaun style he did indeed spend about 14 sessions on the 5 acre pit and managed on average 1 carp per session one of which weighed 52lb 14ozs!!
You guessed it the Big Mirror! Shellfish B5 does it again! Look at the size of that!
I do like it when the old carpies come back to the bank with a stonker straight off the bat!! Good work Shaun! I will keep you informed as to where Shaun is fishing next...
A lot of blanks reported this week including my own shop working bivvy tramps Mr Goeff West and Popadom Padroma. Goeff managed to blank Hightown in Ringwood for 4 days and Padroma pulled off a dramatic blank at Mopley this week! P45's in the post boys. Goeff is still using the CC Moore Odyssey XXX that he has had great success on this year, lets see how many blanks it takes to change his mind?? Winter carp fishing is a true test of loyalty when it comes to bait!
Anyway, if you have fished any of these lakes please let me know. I would love to see how you have approached them.
On the Beach scene Town Quay in Southampton has thrown up some awesome Bass this week! We heard of an 8lb Bass earlier in the week but unless I see pictures I am never sure whether to print catch reports, today Danny Panter from Marchwood Army Base emailed me two pictures, a 5lb 7oz Bass
and a 9lb 9oz Bass
caught on live Pout by a Mr Steve Chesterton this week. His pictures are currently on the fishing news page of my website www.bellsofhythe.com.
and a 9lb 9oz Bass
caught on live Pout by a Mr Steve Chesterton this week. His pictures are currently on the fishing news page of my website www.bellsofhythe.com.
Danny said he too had a good Bass on but lost it as it went under the pier, Steve however was fishing 60lb line straight through and did not lose any of his chances!! 60lb! That's some serious twine!!
Danny has tackled up a notch and is on the Quay as I type this trying for his monster! He got snapped to bits last night using 15lb line, not the normal thing to happen but when your fishing underneath a rusty pier that sort of line would not offer much resistance to an angry Bass, I would go 30lb-ish but Steve reckons you would be dead meat unless you step it up.
I will let you know if Danny strikes Silver or not..
Many Thanks.
Many Thanks.
