Westfield Farm

[loki]

Can anyone give some general information about the Westfield Farm venue. Are there any swim availability problems on such a small venue at popular times of the year?
Any tactical info would also be appreciated.

[loki]

Thanks for the info Ian. I am returning to angling after a few years out for work reasons. My 12 year old son wants to start, which spurs me on, but I know how important it is for a lad of that age to catch regularly! I am looking for a good local water and it sounds like I may have found it.

This is an excellent site by the way, which I hope to support. Keep up the good work.

Andy

[scorpio]

Ian, I note you mention the method feeder for Carp..... I don't want to sound thick here but is this the same as an open end feeder or something completely different?

Tony

[loki]

Ian, can I sound thick too (sorry scorpio, lol), what exactly is a method feeder, and how would it be applied at Westfield for example?

Andy

[CarponlineEditor]

I dont know Westfield but I do know a little about the method if thats any help. Basically the method is a way of getting groundbait out into your swim but by using your lead.

Any grounbait that can be moulded into a reasonably stiff mixture can be used when fishing in this way. You have a lead as in a carp set up and this is either disigned to have sort of grippy shapes as part of the lead or some have a type of cage around them to hold the grounbait. Basically you can create a mix of your favourite groundbait, mix in a few chopped boilies, maggots, particles, or basically anything that you like and then when you cast out you have a little ready made meal right there by your hook bait. You can get some which are inline ones and some which are attached by a swivel as with leads.

Some waters have been near enough emptied by people using this method of fishing. Hope that bit helps a bit.

Andy

[scorpio]

Mmmmmm, interesting, whats wrong with an open end feeder then? I make my own these days all sorts, I use plastic ones as well.... no weight, just the weight of the groundbait for casting, is that the same as method feeder fishing?

Tony

[CarponlineEditor]

Yes I spose so. Its just that with these feeders you can cast further and with heavier line etc for the carp.

[Smarts]

Another difference with a method feeder is that, unlike your homemade ones,it usually contains it's own central weight of 1-2oz.The central weight helps to keep it true in flight and acts as a bolt rig to hook the carp,(and tench,and bream.....!)

Smarts

[John_H]

Ian - are you going to advise that Mr Crabtree invented it or something similar in about 1948 ?!

[SAMR]

on the subject of method feeders,
Beware of fixed method feeders using elastic as a shock absorber (in this day and age?) as these are DEATH RIGS and are still very common on the tackle shelves. you can sometimes convert these by removing the elastic and fishing them off the side or in-line. I personally prefer the fox or richworth feeders fished semi fixed with a small piece of tubing.
Hope this helps
Keeping it safe
Sam

[loki]

Thanks to everyone for the info.

Matt, why not register with this excellent site, then we can perhaps exchange email addresses privately, particularly if you are local to Westfield as I am. Would be great if we could arrange to meet down there and I could get the benefit of sharing your experience on this venue.

Cheers, Andy

[loki]

It won't be just my son enjoying the tench and crucians! I think you may have guessed from my earlier posts that i'm not a carp angler, and having followed the 'keep it real' thread i'm not sure I want to be (passionate lot, lol). I have caught carp under 10lbs, but only while fishing for tench, or anything else that felt charitable that day.

My fishing has always been for the pleasure gained from 'being there' and catching fish, full stop. I think I understand the singular specialised pursuit of a particular species (not exclusively carp either), but not sure it's for me. Perhaps if I land a Westfield 'double' I will change my mind, and probably my personality too! lol. I do know that I will be introducing my son to the sport on roach, bream, tench, and crucians; just as I was 30 years ago. If he then wants to specialise thats fine.

Andy

[Rivercarper]

Andy thats a good answer.Let your lad learn about float fishing before he gets into carp fishing.To many of todays youngsters go straight in to carp fishing and don't learn all the other skills involved in angling.Soon they get bored and give up the sport all together which is a shame.
Keep your eye on the Anglers Mail for the Junior competion for Fishersgreen Your son could win a day on the river Lea Chub and barbel fishing and then have a night carp fishing on the Relief Channel.The river boys will teach him a thing or two and then he can try carp fishing.