Some good days but mostly not !

[Eternaloptimist]

Hello to all
I've returned to fishing at age 62 having not fished since I was about 10. As I'm sure you all know fishing has changed beyond all recognition over the years and I must admit I feel way out of my depth . I've joined a local fishing club and bought a rod and a pole and most of the bits that go with them . (All the gear but no idea)
I've had some decent days but mostly I have had disastrous days with tangles, hooks stuck in thumb, hooks caught in trees and worst of all NO FISH !
If there was a (comedy) film of me in my first few outings it would have been a lesson in what not to do .
I realise that I have got a lot of learning to do and I cant wait to start trawling through these forums to absorb all the knowledge I can .
One quick question that you may be able to help me with is this ....On the odd day that I do catch a few it's always on maggots. If I can,t get them for any reason or just want a change to say corn or bread. ..Nothing , Zilch. I have spent 5 hours fishing with corn and not even had a nibble . Same with bread . I just cant get the fish interested at all . I'm sure this is down to my own incompetence but it does knock your confidence a bit .
Any tips n getting fish interested in my corn or bread (or anything else) would be gratefully received. I mostly fish on the bottom with a waggler or pole .
Happy fishing to you all . Stay safe .

 

[wetthrough]

Hi EO and welcome to Fishing Magic. My situation is not dissimilar to your own although I've been back into it for about 4yrs now. I still get stuck in trees and still get tangles although they're less frequent. You don't say whether you're fishing still or running waters but at this time of year stillwaters in general get to be hard going. From my experience, sometimes particular baits work, sometimes they don't. I've fished waters where bread is reliable in summer but they won't look at it in winter. FWIW I haven't had much luck with corn myself this year. There are those on here with much more experience than I. If you ask a specific question with general information about the venue in either General or Course fishing you'll likely get some good tips.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Hello and Welcome to FishingMagic . . . .

 

[Eternaloptimist]

Hi EO and welcome to Fishing Magic. My situation is not dissimilar to your own although I've been back into it for about 4yrs now. I still get stuck in trees and still get tangles although they're less frequent. You don't say whether you're fishing still or running waters but at this time of year stillwaters in general get to be hard going. From my experience, sometimes particular baits work, sometimes they don't. I've fished waters where bread is reliable in summer but they won't look at it in winter. FWIW I haven't had much luck with corn myself this year. There are those on here with much more experience than I. If you ask a specific question with general information about the venue in either General or Course fishing you'll likely get some good tips.

Thanks for reply ?

 

[markcw]

Welcome, as for corn and bread ,what are the venues and species in them.
At this time of year bread can be very filling to fish, so a small nugget of fine liquidized bread is ample to start off with and fish say a 3mm piece of punch over it,
Try corn skins instead of actual corn, just squeeze tthe centre of the corn out and put skin on hook, again do not over feed.
Start off on the bottom and shallow up around 4" at a time until you get a bite,
Another way is to fish "on the drop" have your shot shirt button style and time how long it takes to cock, when baited and float does not cock or shoots under you have a bite, ( that's the simple version)

 

[mikench]

Welcome . I reckon the tenor of your post is almost identical to my first post. I hadn’t fished for 50 years when I started again aged 61. I bought some cheap gear long replaced and I have improved a bit. It’s a fascinating journey and one on which you learn all the time, enjoy acquiring and appreciating rods and reels( I never had a desire for a pole and still don’t) and all the different methods. Do persevere, ask questions and go fishing. Remember if there was a formula for what bait the fish want at certain times of the year and on a variety of venues, then we would all catch. Fish won’t accept today what they devoured yesterday. In my experience most anglers on the bank will be happy to assist a fellow angler if asked

It’s fun and meant to be so get out and enjoy it..

 

[Eternaloptimist]

Welcome, as for corn and bread ,what are the venues and species in them.
At this time of year bread can be very filling to fish, so a small nugget of fine liquidized bread is ample to start off with and fish say a 3mm piece of punch over it,
Try corn skins instead of actual corn, just squeeze tthe centre of the corn out and put skin on hook, again do not over feed.
Start off on the bottom and shallow up around 4" at a time until you get a bite,
Another way is to fish "on the drop" have your shot shirt button style and time how long it takes to cock, when baited and float does not cock or shoots under you have a bite, ( that's the simple version)

Hi . Club lake near Ilkeston. All species (allegedly ?) . Thanks for advice , I will certainly give them a try .

 

[Eternaloptimist]

Welcome . I reckon the tenor of your post is almost identical to my first post. I hadn’t fished for 50 years when I started again aged 61. I bought some cheap gear long replaced and I have improved a bit. It’s a fascinating journey and one on which you learn all the time, enjoy acquiring and appreciating rods and reels( I never had a desire for a pole and still don’t) and all the different methods. Do persevere, ask questions and go fishing. Remember if there was a formula for what bait the fish want at certain times of the year and on a variety of venues, then we would all catch. Fish won’t accept today what they devoured yesterday. In my experience most anglers on the bank will be happy to assist a fellow angler if asked

It’s fun and meant to be so get out and enjoy it..

Thanks for reply ?

 

[john step]

Welcome to FM. As others have said it can get harder when it gets cold. Why not stick to maggots until it warms next year?
Club lakes can get hard as a result of declining appetites of fish.
It may or may not be down to tackle? To get bites you may have to "fine"down line and hooklengths. On your club lake for silver fish - !8 and 20 hooks and line to match.

Why not have an ask around and treat yourself to a more heavily stocked water to get into the rhythm of catching. There are sure to be commercial lakes near you.
You can then be more prepared for your club lake.
Oh yes and get some small worms for the winter. Half a small worm with a maggot on the hook mug the fish!
Tight lines.

 

[Eternaloptimist]

Welcome to FM. As others have said it can get harder when it gets cold. Why not stick to maggots until it warms next year?
Club lakes can get hard as a result of declining appetites of fish.
It may or may not be down to tackle? To get bites you may have to "fine"down line and hooklengths. On your club lake for silver fish - !8 and 20 hooks and line to match.

Why not have an ask around and treat yourself to a more heavily stocked water to get into the rhythm of catching. There are sure to be commercial lakes near you.
You can then be more prepared for your club lake.
Oh yes and get some small worms for the winter. Half a small worm with a maggot on the hook mug the fish!
Tight lines.

Good advice well received, thanks .?

 

[108831]

Welcome E,the beauty of angling is that catching isn't compulsory for an enjoyable day(it is for me though,though I accept blanks),you can catch fish on many baits summer and winter,but there is nothing wrong with fishing just maggots,probably the most consistent of baits,along with bread....

 

[markcw]

As John Step mentioned you may have to fine down your tackle to get bites,
The extreme being a number 3 elastic set softish in section of pole, 0.08 mainline to 0.06 hooklength and 24 hook and half a squatt. That works but on really cold days is it worth it unless in a match,
If you are fishing commercials the margins are still worth a try, set up on the bank where the sun hits first, shallower water warms up quicker than deeper, also just cast a grain of corn or a small bright boilie out and let the fish come to it,
Fishing in the cold about finding what depth they are feeding at ,the thermoclyne, where the water is warmest at a given depth.

 

[Eternaloptimist]

As John Step mentioned you may have to fine down your tackle to get bites,
The extreme being a number 3 elastic set softish in section of pole, 0.08 mainline to 0.06 hooklength and 24 hook and half a squatt. That works but on really cold days is it worth it unless in a match,
If you are fishing commercials the margins are still worth a try, set up on the bank where the sun hits first, shallower water warms up quicker than deeper, also just cast a grain of corn or a small bright boilie out and let the fish come to it,
Fishing in the cold about finding what depth they are feeding at ,the thermoclyne, where the water is warmest at a given depth.

Really good advice thanks ?