Academy
Back to Academy searchJames Coleman
James Coleman has been an avid angler for over 18 years. James has caught 33 Carp in the UK all over the 30lb mark in one season and holds a p.b Mirror of 45lb 8oz.
As a match angler James has made it into the BCAC finals for the last 3 years.
News from James Coleman - Thursday 5th May 2011
"As stated in my last blog just over 2 weeks ago, Yateley Car Park is now closed for 3 months so I would be concentrating on a particular Mid Kent gravel pit as there are a couple of gems in there I would like to catch.
"I have been frequently going down there to watch little areas where the Carp have been feeding. I was lucky enough to have one as stated in my last blog - a 28lb6 oz in my net as a lot of the anglers have been struggling and it has been very tough going and still is at this present time. I soon realised quickly how these old weary Carp were feeding and how sneaky they were too! I witnessed one good 30lb+ common eat tiny pits off boilie crumb then when it saw a normal 15mm boilie it nudged it along the bottom a good 2 inches before eating it. What does that tell you? I love seeing fish eat and when you come across something like that it makes you think even more on how to get your approach right.
"I decided to try fishing boilies cut in half hair rigged on as I could see the Carp testing the baits for resistance before eating it. I started by putting some in first to see if this was a going to work. Again I saw the same common trying to nudge the half broken boilie but the Common had no joy in budging is and just hoovered it up no fuss. Quality! Seeing this out went the hook bait and bang 2 hours later a lovely 25lb 4oz mirror.
"I went back down a couple of days later using the same tactics and straight away I was into a nice common and as it was about to grace the net it went for another run and it hooked pulled! A shame but it was only the start of the session and you win some, you lose some - there is plenty of time yet.
"I did the night with no joy but late in the morning I saw a couple of big mirrors cruise in another area which I had baited up. I went round hoping for a little luck, hoping they had their heads down on the bait and YES! I waited with patience for them to move out of the baited area, and then lowered a hook bait (half a boilie.) Within 5 minutes the rod rattled off! I knew it was one the big mirrors and after a 10 minute scrap it was in the net, a Gem! The Broken Linear at 36lb 8oz! I was so pleased with this result all round, a cracking old warrior and one of the gems I had not caught before. It just goes to show that watching Carp and being patient can really pay off - something I have learnt from at Yateley Car Park."
Enjoy your fishing!
James
News from James Coleman - Monday 11th April 2011
"What a strange Carp fishing season last year. I'm not use to blanking and Yateley Car Park Lake was very tough indeed. To kick start the season the season the Jewel in the crown, Heather the Leather was found dead on opening day - a real shame for the people who had been trying to catch her for years.
"An angler next door to me that day had been fishing for her on and off for the past eleven years as it was the only one he had not caught out of there, totally gutted! For some reason it did not fish well like most places throughout the country around that time with reports of fish deaths from various famous waters. Then Car Park had another blow as Purley Tail was found dead four weeks following opening day. Another legend had gone leaving only Dustbin, Baby Orange, Big Orange and Arfur.
"With only four original Yateley Carp left in the Car Park lake it made the odds even harder in catching one of these weary Carp. With so many features and now with even less stock I really had to think what I was doing and had to get my head round it. With all that happened in the opening months a lot of anglers got burnt out and just pulled off, mainly due to the fact that one of the most famous Carp, Heather had gone. As with normal most anglers were blanking with the odd stocky coming out. It did make you think more about how to approach it with bait, rigs and most important location.
"I for one did not have any luck on catching one of the originals but I have learnt so much and it has really helped my angling. My conclusion was I was not doing anything wrong as many times certain fish were in the area's I was fishing, but you do need that bit of luck and if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. Going there and not catching would make some anglers give up but you have to consider all the facts, remember all anglers are in the same boat but you never know you may just get that little bit of luck. I witnessed this with Gaz Fareham as he landed Baby Orange. Gaz certainly had the luck that night! There was one Regular local angler down there who was working very hard tracking the Carp down and locating where they were and got them feeding most of the time down there and had all the remaining four out. It was really nice speaking to him as he just kept his tactics simple and it just made you realise if you feed them they will come to you.
"My target was the Dustbin Carp as stated in my last blog as it is my Favourite Carp in the U.K and it is with great regret to say this beautiful old Carp was found dead this year early February. I was gutted to hear the news as was fellow angler Shaun Leveritt who too was targeting The Dustbin this year.
"Like I said I have learnt so much on this lake and have rejoined this year to have another crack on there with now three of the originals left: Arfur, Big Orange and Baby Orange which again will be a challenge but one I am most certainly up for and hope I have just that little bit of luck this year & hopefully I will winkle one of these Carp out. I want to also to do it for one of my closest friend (Alistair Purves) who sadly passed away last year from cancer who loved his fishing so much. Before he passed away he told me to keep going there, you will catch one Jimbo! R.I.P mate.
"While the Car Park lake is now closed for the close season I will now be concentrating on some tricky Mid Kent fisheries pits one in particular as there are a couple of gems I have not caught out of their and hope some of my tactics from the Car Park Lake will pay off. Not much has been out at so far this year on this particular low stock gravel pit, I did a quick over nighter and managed to winkle a lovely chucky gravel pit mirror weighing 28lb 6oz which was very most welcome in the net. I hope this is just the start of good fortune in fishing for me this season."
"All the best and enjoy your fishing!
News from James - Wednesday 2nd June 2010
"It’s been a while since my last blog update but things are starting to get better with the fishing! I have recently been doing fishing competitions, one was a charity event for Help For Heroes which is a two part event in the Milton vs Chilham match which at the moment the Milton team are winning only by a 40lb lead so the 2nd half of the match is all to play for. This competition is being held on the Milton Complex June 4th - 7th. This is all a bit off fun which has been organised by various members from Mid Kent Fisheries all for a good course to help raise some money.
"The other competition was the BCAC qualifier at Chilham with Darren Belton which unfortunately did not go to plan. We worked so hard and only managed one and lost two big Carp! It was the (If only) we had them in the net we would off most certain of qualified as qualifying weight was only 42lb, oh well it was just not to be. The last event was the members match which I was lucky enough to win last year with my mate Chung Lea but we had no luck & was unable to regain the cup for another year."
"As mentioned in one of my previous blogs my favourite Carp in the UK is the Dustbin from Yateley Car Park Lake. I now have the opportunity to catch it as I have now received my membership from Cemex which I have waited nearly 7 years for so as you can imagine I am very excited!
"This lake is one of the most famous lakes in the country with so much history on the place and the carp in there to, like Heather the Leather, Arfur Tail, Ugloe, Baby & Big Orange & Dustbin. I had a walk around it on Sunday and what a pretty place, simply stunning with all the trees, bushes & features, it’s a privilege just to be fishing there this year.
"I attended the draw and was lucky enough to come out the hat and claim a good swim. Fingers crossed something special graces into my net as I will be spending most off my fishing time this year on this venue and I am so determined to catch what I have always wanted, Dustbin. I will keep you posted."
Cheers James
News from James Coleman – 4th January 2010
“Things were very busy towards the back end of 2009 which affected my time out fishing. I did a winter article for Coarse Fisherman magazine with Darren Belton which was a eally good day out - we had six runs between us in the day which was fantastic as the conditions were very cold, and we even had two Carp in the net at the same time! For Decembers fishing, great was an understatement.
“2009 was a very good year for me. I caught and spotted some lovely fish on the bank from my friends. 2009 saw me land a new P.B Common as well which I was very pleased about. The year also saw the launch of the new Greys Torsion rods at 2/34 test curve. These rods are top quality with lots of power and are very forgiving. As a result of using these rods I didn’t lose a single Carp this season, no hook pulls, no accidents, all Carp in the net! I have never had a season like that so I am very pleased.
“Looking forward to 2010, I have some tickets in the pipeline where I hope to gain some personal achievements from these waters. I will keep you updated!”
James Coleman
News from James Coleman – 27th October 2009
“This year I have been fishing an old gravel pit on a Mid Kent fisheries Ticket. Chris Logsdon told me a little bit about the place last year which got my attention & really interested. I started fishing on this pit around September 2008 and from the word go I just loved the place - it is full of old Carp. They not the biggest Carp in the country but they are absolutely stunning. The place is a very deep gravel pit which has many features like snags, eel grass, weed, bull rushes, lily pads, gravel bars & silt so the Carp do get around a bit with plenty of places to visit.
“On my first visit I caught straight away & some stunners too! So from what I had graced with my landing net already I was just eager enough to get back on there this year.
“I only did 7 sessions last year & had 6 Carp out which was a great return as this is no easy place. With spending very little time on there I did come across a lot of interesting things on how the carp were reacting, eating & shoaling up. They are not shy to come in close to the margins but, if they know they are being fished for (i.e seeing you or touching your line), they will swim away and not come back for the whole day so I realised straight away you have to approach it stealth mode.
“I decided this year to fish the same swim from the word go as I was lucky in there last year and because I did see a lot of the large known Carp in this swim so I had it in my head that every Carp in the lake will visit this area (even the cautious Carp) so naturally with this approach I felt very confident in what I was doing & targeting Carp I wanted out of there.
“They do like there boilies and like to fish using a lot of bait so I decided to stick some in. It started off slow but they soon knew where to go when they were hungry and no sooner the Neville’s alarms started singing! I had the wind blowing write down at me with a lovely big black mirror who kept rolling out of the water over my hook bait. This continued for an hour showing itself a good 6 times then 20 minutes later the Neville alarm was bleeping away! After a 10 minute battle I landed this black mirror - what a beauty! 33lb2oz. This was a little bit special as no one had not seen it before which is a rarity these days!
“The bait went back out on the same spot & right on midnight the Neville was in full tune again! After a little scrap something was in my net, I turned the head torch on & ‘wow’! the fish I targeted for the year out of this lake - " The Leather" at 30lb2oz. I like this fish as it reminds me of Dustbin from the Yateley car park lake I was chuffed to bits!
“I have continued with this approach throughout the year and it has served me well with some absolute stunners! Some are very colourful! Some are very old looking! The first 5 Carp out of this lake this year were all over the 30lb mark which was a nice result but where there are big ones, there are small one's too but you cannot grumble as they are all stunning fish!
“I will be going out again for one more final fling before I go to a new gravel pit for the winter as there are still a couple I would like to catch, but If I do not catch them by the end of October it will give me a great excuse to fish down there again in 2010.”
I will keep you posted on what happens.
Cheers James
Additional Images
