wetthrough
Well-known member
Warrington Anglers CMP
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
mikench
Well-known member
It looks different from that side! I mostly fished the pegs adjacent to the car park ! I miss that pool and might just rejoin!!
wetthrough
Well-known member
It's relatively quiet on weekdays. Only four on yesterday at most and I could only see two of those. Look forward to seeing you there if
you do rejoin.
you do rejoin.
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mikench
Well-known member
Likewise! I miss some of the canal stretches too and now I have a hankering after lure fishing, they may be perfect!!!
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Canal today with my neighbour, his first time out this year. Not much colour and still icy cold but at least fish were moving about and topping when we arrived. Very slight breeze and mild with no rain made it even better.
I selected a spot with a feature opposite in the form of a sunken willow. Being a canalised river section the flow was left to right, on plumbing up across by the snags it became apparent there was a build up of silt under the branches. Directly in front it was 3' and either side more like 4'.
Started on punch and the roach were lined up, it was one a bung for the first hour or so until I got tempted to go for something a bit bigger. I fed some chopped worms down the middle via a bait dropper. Whole headless dendra on a 16 held still just laying on and the perch turned up, no big ones but the occasional better sized roach also took a fancy.
After a while I hooked something big, it suddenly woke up and stripped my no4 hydrolastic to the other side, I had to take drastic action to stop it going into the snag. I was imagining a chub or maybe a carp but no, a flipping pike.
It only just fitted in my small landing net...
After all that commotion the peg dried up, I fished on but only had random bites after that. Still, not a bad session all in all.
I selected a spot with a feature opposite in the form of a sunken willow. Being a canalised river section the flow was left to right, on plumbing up across by the snags it became apparent there was a build up of silt under the branches. Directly in front it was 3' and either side more like 4'.
Started on punch and the roach were lined up, it was one a bung for the first hour or so until I got tempted to go for something a bit bigger. I fed some chopped worms down the middle via a bait dropper. Whole headless dendra on a 16 held still just laying on and the perch turned up, no big ones but the occasional better sized roach also took a fancy.
After a while I hooked something big, it suddenly woke up and stripped my no4 hydrolastic to the other side, I had to take drastic action to stop it going into the snag. I was imagining a chub or maybe a carp but no, a flipping pike.
It only just fitted in my small landing net...
After all that commotion the peg dried up, I fished on but only had random bites after that. Still, not a bad session all in all.
mikench
Well-known member
I assume pike are never kept in a keep net?
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Time you went fishing Mike, there's some big mullet in the port at Antibes.
Float fish bread...
Float fish bread...
mikench
Well-known member
Your are right Peter but fishing isn't allowed in most areas. Funnily enough a wander around Port Vauban today revealed not a single fish! I went yesterday near Antibes but the sea was rough and the waves crashing on shore were large. I fished some defrosted soft shell crab and some rag worm to no avail!
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Club fixture today on a nice little fishery near Wokingham. 6 small lakes all interlinked by channels and bridges. We spread out over 5 of them.
It rained for the entire 6hrs fishing.
3 top kits set up, one for open water @11m, one for right hand side margin also @11m and one short for under the bush to my left.
It was here where I caught 4 decent carps and landed 3...A dozen or so roach and 2 chub.
On reflection i could have just fished there all day.
14lb 4oz for second in section for my efforts.
It rained for the entire 6hrs fishing.
3 top kits set up, one for open water @11m, one for right hand side margin also @11m and one short for under the bush to my left.
It was here where I caught 4 decent carps and landed 3...A dozen or so roach and 2 chub.
On reflection i could have just fished there all day.
14lb 4oz for second in section for my efforts.
After all that hideous weather, a perfect day for fishing: mild, overcast and windless. I'd been inspired by Binka's last post to drive up in his direction and fish the town-centre mill dam he'd been catching roach and bream on.
I really like fishing in these kind of places - oases in urban settings - and I like the kind of tackle and techniques you use. It's not hard to enjoy catching roach, skimmers and smaller species; just lighten your gear right down in proportion, and you'll be as pleased to get them all in as with bigger fish on stronger gear. With 16" of water in front of me - yes, that's 16 inches - this was my float
and the rest of the set up was a no3 elastic, a size 22 hook and .08 line.
I was introduced to this lovely place by Binka, and Steve wandered down with a folding chair and a bite to eat, so I had great fishing and great company for a few hours.
I did my usual thing of feeding two swims, one with a little light groundbait and pinkies, one with caster. The fish were quick to find the groundbait and some of the bream were quite a decent size, given the canal-style tackle I was using
I've been experimenting a lot lately with different ways to sabotage your own fishing, so it wasn't a total surprise when, after a pike had grabbed a skimmer and run around the peg for 5 minutes, Steve mentioned he'd fished the dam since he was a boy but had never seen that happen. The pike spent a couple of minutes clearing any fish out of the spot I'd been feeding casters, so I never got round to trying that.
Still, the fish came back and continued to feed. Steve went off with a poorly cat to attend to, and I fished on for another half-hour. There are plenty of bigger fish around these days, but I have to say I enjoy this "old school" fishing as much as anything. Thanks, Steve, for a very enjoyable afternoon.
I really like fishing in these kind of places - oases in urban settings - and I like the kind of tackle and techniques you use. It's not hard to enjoy catching roach, skimmers and smaller species; just lighten your gear right down in proportion, and you'll be as pleased to get them all in as with bigger fish on stronger gear. With 16" of water in front of me - yes, that's 16 inches - this was my float
and the rest of the set up was a no3 elastic, a size 22 hook and .08 line.
I was introduced to this lovely place by Binka, and Steve wandered down with a folding chair and a bite to eat, so I had great fishing and great company for a few hours.
I did my usual thing of feeding two swims, one with a little light groundbait and pinkies, one with caster. The fish were quick to find the groundbait and some of the bream were quite a decent size, given the canal-style tackle I was using
I've been experimenting a lot lately with different ways to sabotage your own fishing, so it wasn't a total surprise when, after a pike had grabbed a skimmer and run around the peg for 5 minutes, Steve mentioned he'd fished the dam since he was a boy but had never seen that happen. The pike spent a couple of minutes clearing any fish out of the spot I'd been feeding casters, so I never got round to trying that.
Still, the fish came back and continued to feed. Steve went off with a poorly cat to attend to, and I fished on for another half-hour. There are plenty of bigger fish around these days, but I have to say I enjoy this "old school" fishing as much as anything. Thanks, Steve, for a very enjoyable afternoon.
mikench
Well-known member
Looks a nice venue Peter!
Well done Kev and another bag full plus the company of Binka; what more can one ask !:wh
Well done Kev and another bag full plus the company of Binka; what more can one ask !:wh
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B
binka
Guest
I was wondering if you got around to trying the caster line Kev, nevertheless a very nice net of fish from an unstocked water that is as natural as you're ever likely to find... Well done.
I suspect those fish have a very long lineage, the dam itself dates well back beyond 150 years and that's something very special imo.
For my part...
I managed to get my Perch session in this weekend but it's way too early given how far behind we are with the weather this year and I never had a sniff of a Perch, I didn't cut any corners either with riddled seed compost containing a mix of chopped worm, maggots, powdered krill and liquid worm which was cupped in right over the float.
I didn't blank but as mentioned in another thread I was quite saddened to have caught several small mirrors.
Pretty fish in themselves but on a water where it's already difficult to avoid the over-stocked commons it means that this once prolific Perch water will likely have to be written off in favour of new horizons...
Nothing less than gross mismanagement and unaccountability by the controlling club imo and a world akin to every restaurant in the country serving nothing other than burgers because that's what the masses want.
Thank goodness for the couple of hours spent with Kev this afternoon, it's rare when being an onlooker beats participating but that was the conclusion of my weekend.
Thanks for the afternoon Kev, very enjoyable indeed and I've already started on the excellent book which you kindly bought along... :w
jon atkinson
Well-known member
What a difference a day makes? 2 ways to look at that; the weather today was absolutely bob on & I couldn't wait to hit the bank, but yesterday's downpour, coupled with the 'horse factor' at Benty Heath meant that the field that I needed to traverse was a veritable quagmire hno:
I had decided to fish the pond (re)named 'Newby' after a former member who had bequeathed the club a substantial sum rather than let it go to his ex wife (I 'think' that's what happened, but I definitely love the idea of it!). It is the furthest from the car park, so inevitably sees the least 'traffic' which also appeals, although it's not the easiest to fish. It's in a glorious setting, surrounded by fields & mature trees with all manner of bird / wildlife.
Although it was definitely warmer, it appeared that the fish hadn't woken up yet with no sign of life for the first 45 minutes or so, but then a single caster with a #20 buried within, coupled with regular loose offerings little & (quite) often got things going with a succession of small roach & perch. And that was the pattern for the day; nothing of any size & only roach & perch. Most on caster, some on maggot, corn didn't register any interest what-so-ever (too early, according to the bailiff). A few of the roach had some black spots which I hadn't encountered previously...
...but having looked it up, I believe that it's nothing seriously untoward & the roach concerned were otherwise fighting fit.
On the wildlife front the hares were out in force, careering back & forth on the opposite bank & in the field behind me plus a few frogs in the pond. Birds were plentiful, with pheasants, partridges, buzzards & a lone barn owl amongst the usual suspects making for a welcome diversion.
I'm told that there are decent tench, bream & crucian in this pond, so I will undoubtedly be back in anticipation of a little more bend in my rod! Tight lines y'all...
hno:I had decided to fish the pond (re)named 'Newby' after a former member who had bequeathed the club a substantial sum rather than let it go to his ex wife (I 'think' that's what happened, but I definitely love the idea of it!). It is the furthest from the car park, so inevitably sees the least 'traffic' which also appeals, although it's not the easiest to fish. It's in a glorious setting, surrounded by fields & mature trees with all manner of bird / wildlife.
Although it was definitely warmer, it appeared that the fish hadn't woken up yet with no sign of life for the first 45 minutes or so, but then a single caster with a #20 buried within, coupled with regular loose offerings little & (quite) often got things going with a succession of small roach & perch. And that was the pattern for the day; nothing of any size & only roach & perch. Most on caster, some on maggot, corn didn't register any interest what-so-ever (too early, according to the bailiff). A few of the roach had some black spots which I hadn't encountered previously...
...but having looked it up, I believe that it's nothing seriously untoward & the roach concerned were otherwise fighting fit.
On the wildlife front the hares were out in force, careering back & forth on the opposite bank & in the field behind me plus a few frogs in the pond. Birds were plentiful, with pheasants, partridges, buzzards & a lone barn owl amongst the usual suspects making for a welcome diversion.
I'm told that there are decent tench, bream & crucian in this pond, so I will undoubtedly be back in anticipation of a little more bend in my rod! Tight lines y'all...
What a difference a day makes? 2 ways to look at that; the weather today was absolutely bob on & I couldn't wait to hit the bank, but yesterday's downpour, coupled with the 'horse factor' at Benty Heath meant that the field that I needed to traverse was a veritable quagmire
I had decided to fish the pond (re)named 'Newby' after a former member who had bequeathed the club a substantial sum rather than let it go to his ex wife (I 'think' that's what happened, but I definitely love the idea of it!). It is the furthest from the car park, so inevitably sees the least 'traffic' which also appeals, although it's not the easiest to fish. It's in a glorious setting, surrounded by fields & mature trees with all manner of bird / wildlife.
View attachment 4263
Although it was definitely warmer, it appeared that the fish hadn't woken up yet with no sign of life for the first 45 minutes or so, but then a single caster with a #20 buried within, coupled with regular loose offerings little & (quite) often got things going with a succession of small roach & perch. And that was the pattern for the day; nothing of any size & only roach & perch. Most on caster, some on maggot, corn didn't register any interest what-so-ever (too early, according to the bailiff). A few of the roach had some black spots which I hadn't encountered previously...
View attachment 4266
...but having looked it up, I believe that it's nothing seriously untoward & the roach concerned were otherwise fighting fit.
On the wildlife front the hares were out in force, careering back & forth on the opposite bank & in the field behind me plus a few frogs in the pond. Birds were plentiful, with pheasants, partridges, buzzards & a lone barn owl amongst the usual suspects making for a welcome diversion.
I'm told that there are decent tench, bream & crucian in this pond, so I will undoubtedly be back in anticipation of a little more bend in my rod! Tight lines y'all...
Nice-looking pond! I had a few roach today with the black spot, which appeared on the tail, the anal fin or around the mouth. Maybe someone knows what it is and whether it's serious?
B
binka
Guest
It looks quite benign doesn't it Kev?
I've seen it on the dam fish for years but as I mentioned earlier I have caught Roach that have had holes in the gill plates and fins which is where it generally seems to display, which in turn leads me to believe it's a parasite of some sort that's eating away at the fish.
During my session on the dam earlier in the week I suddenly backed off of a swinger roach which didn't look too pretty and on closer inspection it had a hole in its stomach where the black spot had presumably eaten through it.
I've found very few references to it when I've searched around but this was the best which suggests it's avian orientated and passed on through the faeces in the water...
Black spot disease (fish) - Wikipedia
stu_the_blank
Well-known member
A meeting arranged to discuss a week on the Meurse to catch French Barbel was arranged for the evening, so, as the weather was as benign as it had been for quite a while, I took the day off and spent the first time on the bank since January.
Really nice to be out in the (almost) sunshine. Picked an undemanding water and fished flat bed feeders for whatever came along.
Had five commons in the end up to 8lbs-ish.
Got the casting cobwebs out of the way and put a nice bend or two in the rods.
First serious outing planned for next weekend.
Stu
Really nice to be out in the (almost) sunshine. Picked an undemanding water and fished flat bed feeders for whatever came along.
Had five commons in the end up to 8lbs-ish.
Got the casting cobwebs out of the way and put a nice bend or two in the rods.
First serious outing planned for next weekend.
Stu
jon atkinson
Well-known member
And for your viewing pleasure, this is what it will look like in a month or two
I did some 'digging' on the black spot & came across the following on these very boards posted by Mark Wintle, no less in 2009...
"Nothing to worry about; it's not a disease caused by bacteria or a virus and can't be passed on by nets. It's actually a tiny cyst that contains a parasite in one of the stages of its life cycle. When the roach is eaten by a heron the parasite develops further in the heron which passes it on releasing it into the water again where it finds snails (?) as another intermediate host which are eaten by roach allowing the parasite to establish itself in roach again. I can't remember at which stage the eggs/larvae/adult of the parasite has which host but it is evidence that your roach are preyed on by herons and eat snails. Sometimes chub, rudd and dace have it as well."
thecrow
Well-known member
Is it a virus that will wipe out all other species leaving only carp to fish for? should be plenty of cheap used tackle on the market
Bobnewboy
Well-known member
Hi All,
A bit late, but last week after a mention by Hugh Bailey, of Goldsworth Park Angling Club, I decided to visit their ponds at Brookwood Country Park in Surrey. Its not too far from me, but I had never known that the place existed.
There are 4 ponds in the public park: the first and third ponds are reserved for nature/wildlife, and the ponds numbered 2 and 4 are operated as club and day waters by the GPAC. The day ticket prices are very reasonable (cheap really) at £4 for adults, and £2 for children and concessions. I have now visited both ponds, and evidently they have been stocked with Crucian Carp and Tench. Those are both species which I have never caught before, so I was looking forward to trying my hand.
I first visited pond number 4. It is quite small, but well presented and easily accessible by foot, with metalled paths and boarded out pegs to keep your shoes clean. On that day, and with no early input I caught loads of smallish roach, bream, perch and rudd up to about 6 ounces each in weight. After having spoken with the water bailiff in the afternoon, I changed on my next visit to using smaller hooks and baits - number 18 or 20 hooks were suggested, and bread punch or soft pellets (although I like using maggots...).
On my second and third visits, I went to pond number 2. This is slightly larger and deeper in sections than pond number 4, and much more open. It currently has no formal pegs, but there are obvious places around the pond where fishing is possible. It is muddy underfoot in all the poor weather we have been having. Access is not as good as pond number 4 as you have to walk over rough grass for around a hundred yards from the Basingstoke canal tow path. However the GPAC is working on setting up some proper pegs. The stocking of the lake is the same as for pond number 4, crucians and tench. Using size 18 hooks and maggots I managed to catch some of each on the float, and although they are only young (stocked in Nov 2017), they appear to my untrained eye to be in superb condition, along with the perch and roach which also fell to my bait. The largest I took was a tench of approx 12 ounces, which fought all the way into the bank like a much larger fish. These visits to pond 2 have been an exciting bit of fishing for me, in landing a couple of new species, and I will hopefully carry on in the same vein.
Evidently there are some common/mirror carp and bigger/older fish in the ponds, but I have yet to encounter them. On my last visit (Thursday) I caught a fish of about a pound in weight, which seemed to be some kind of bream, but perhaps you guys could confirm the exact species for me, in the last picture below. I noted the strangely small mouth (????)...
A few pictures:
pristine small perch
example crucian
example rudd
example tench
weird bream?
Cheers, Bob
A bit late, but last week after a mention by Hugh Bailey, of Goldsworth Park Angling Club, I decided to visit their ponds at Brookwood Country Park in Surrey. Its not too far from me, but I had never known that the place existed.
There are 4 ponds in the public park: the first and third ponds are reserved for nature/wildlife, and the ponds numbered 2 and 4 are operated as club and day waters by the GPAC. The day ticket prices are very reasonable (cheap really) at £4 for adults, and £2 for children and concessions. I have now visited both ponds, and evidently they have been stocked with Crucian Carp and Tench. Those are both species which I have never caught before, so I was looking forward to trying my hand.
I first visited pond number 4. It is quite small, but well presented and easily accessible by foot, with metalled paths and boarded out pegs to keep your shoes clean. On that day, and with no early input I caught loads of smallish roach, bream, perch and rudd up to about 6 ounces each in weight. After having spoken with the water bailiff in the afternoon, I changed on my next visit to using smaller hooks and baits - number 18 or 20 hooks were suggested, and bread punch or soft pellets (although I like using maggots...).
On my second and third visits, I went to pond number 2. This is slightly larger and deeper in sections than pond number 4, and much more open. It currently has no formal pegs, but there are obvious places around the pond where fishing is possible. It is muddy underfoot in all the poor weather we have been having. Access is not as good as pond number 4 as you have to walk over rough grass for around a hundred yards from the Basingstoke canal tow path. However the GPAC is working on setting up some proper pegs. The stocking of the lake is the same as for pond number 4, crucians and tench. Using size 18 hooks and maggots I managed to catch some of each on the float, and although they are only young (stocked in Nov 2017), they appear to my untrained eye to be in superb condition, along with the perch and roach which also fell to my bait. The largest I took was a tench of approx 12 ounces, which fought all the way into the bank like a much larger fish. These visits to pond 2 have been an exciting bit of fishing for me, in landing a couple of new species, and I will hopefully carry on in the same vein.
Evidently there are some common/mirror carp and bigger/older fish in the ponds, but I have yet to encounter them. On my last visit (Thursday) I caught a fish of about a pound in weight, which seemed to be some kind of bream, but perhaps you guys could confirm the exact species for me, in the last picture below. I noted the strangely small mouth (????)...
A few pictures:
pristine small perch
example crucian
example rudd
example tench
weird bream?
Cheers, Bob
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