How did you get on?

[wetthrough]

Had an afternoon session on my local pool yesterday as I had bait left over. Not much to report really apart from a surprise Crucian. Wasn't expecting it at this time of year and a couple of Carp cruising around. I wasn't geared for catching Carp in a snaggy venue but they slurped up some bread I chucked in.

​

The heron was obviously looking for tips as I didn't see it catch anything although apparently it's partial to Crucians

The Crucian, one bream around 2lb the rest Roach to around 8oz, 16 in all.

 

[john step]

I really dislike the feel of it when there is no wind and the water is covered with floating leaves like that. The water seams to be crystal clear and lifeless. to me anyway.

 

[wetthrough]

It's fairly clear John but you can't see the fish unless they're close to the surface, it's far from lifeless.

 

[peter crabtree]

15 codgers fished today at Berkhamsted. A mild, windless day which looked spot on for some action. How different it was in reality.
The roach seemed to have vanished along with the skimmers. Just 3 adjacent pegs produced the better fish while most struggled.

I caught shedloads of gudgeon as they were willingly hanging themselves on single maggot and light waggler set up. Had 3:15:0 to come 4th.

Winner had 4 decent perch + bits for 7:12:0, runner up 7:9:0 and third 4:2:0..

 

[rich66]

Had a bash at legering on the soar for a few hours, Tried worm and bread, 2 deep hooked small perch on worm even on size 8 hooks !

 

[neil1970]

I haven't been out much, but that was a slog of of a session. Stuck in Uxbridge for 7 hours waiting for the car to get fixed. I was lucky to get some local info from a couple of lads, then a club member was gracious enough to join me and drive me to a few spots in the morning.
One tiny Perch out of a foot deep river in the town centre. One tiny Jack caught and a decent one lost out of the canal.
The River Frays.


free image host

 

[103841]

A tower block perch!

 

[mikench]

Worth the wait Neil.

 

[tigger]

Had a great session on the river today . The tempratures were mild and despite the very angry looking clouds there was only a few very light showers.
The top section my daiwa tournament broke three weeks ago and I had to buy a new section from daiwa. Anyhow, I took the rod out to test the new tips metal, and it's metal was certainly tested today!
I landed fourteen barbel and lost another which felt large, I had it on for several minuites and was confident I would land it until it found some kind of snag and my line parted right above my hook.
I also had a grayling, a dace and two chub. A few pic's from the session...






[

 

[seth49]

Just me and Neil today, mick was busy, thought we would try the reservoir for pike today as a few have been caught lately, arrived at 10 am, Neil arrived later, took a spinning rod with a selection of shads and plugs, and my drop shotting outfit as well, it was pleasant and sunny when I left the car park, but when I reached the water it was quite windy, haven’t fished here before so all new, the reservoir banks are all lined with stone, so very snaggy and no good for the drop shot rod.

So tried spinning with one of the shads, not a touch, carried on till Neil arrived and then had a brew and a chat while he tackled up, he tried dead baits to give them something different, and they are supposed to work well here, I carried on spinning and worked my way around the bank, to the other side, where it looked to be more sheltered, still not had a touch and started changing lures, to see if I could get a take.

Finally had a pike follow my lure in, but then it turned away without taking, all the time the wind was getting stronger, so I had my sandwiches in some shelter, with a brew, and then fished my way back to Neil, without a touch, Neil had done nothing either and neither had another angler who come on later, looking at the reservoir and the southerly wind blowing in to us, I said I think we would have been better feeder fishing for the bream, as the pike didn’t seem interested in anything.

We said right give it till 4 pm, and then call it a day, and that’s what we did.

 

[The Sogster]

Decided to go today to a local lake available on a yearly ticket.

Looking at the forecast I could see it may be a tad windy so decided to try fishing a banjo feeder with sticky pellets and mini boilies in the hope of a few tench.
I had never fished this type of feeder before so was curious to see if/how it would work in practice.

I set up with an easy cast to some dying lilies before sitting back with a cup of tea. Three cups of tea and several casts later with no sign of a knock or a liner I decided to change from an orange mini boile to yellow earplug shaped one.

This seemed to do the trick 10 minutes later the tip started to pull round, in my astonishment and surprise I instantly lifted into the bite only to not connect. Cue several expletives followed by 'too soon you ****ing idiot' and several more self admonishments.

I recast to a similar spot on the edge of the dying lilies and settled back. Ten minutes later the tip started pulling round again so bearing in mind my previous mistake I waited till the tip had gone right round. The 'thump, thump' from the fish told me I was in. Cue big grin and high fives to self. And then the feeling of a head shaking fish was replaced by the locked up feeling of a dead lily root/ stem, in the forlorn hope that the fish was still on (barbless hook) I gave it some slack but I was definitely weeded.

Cue round two of expletives.

Carrying on I finally managed to hook and land a bream of around 2.5lbs. This was the only fish of the session, but looking around others weren't doing much.

All in all six hours for three bites. The fish certainly won today.

P.S. I am setting up a crowd fund for a new seat box if anyone wishes to donate.

 

[108831]

Two days to report on,Saturday I fished the top end of the club stretch if small river,float fished all day,had six chub to 3lb 8ozs,around 25/30 roach between 4/10ozs,plus a few 6oz chublets,my day was cut short when a guy who was fishing the next peg had a disaster,he had caught nothing for two hours when suddenly he caught three nice chub in three trots,after landing the third one(I could not see him from my spot)there was a loud noise and faint splosh,I leant back to see him appear up the bank,I went down to him and apparently he had slipped and fell in,breaking a Drennan tench rod across two sections,ripped his bib and brace,but worst of all broke his immaculate 13ft titan 2000 ten inches from the reel seat,I felt sick to the stomach and had to walk away I felt so bad.

Yesterday I had a great day in a flyer getting rid of my maggots before going away next week,more barbel to seven poundsish than should be allowed and a great day and a gudgeon,the peg upstream had a 77 year old whom I helped with his gear and chatted throughout the day....

Just to add the lack of photos is due to my laziness 1/ and the fact that the banks and fencing make it a little awkward fish safety wise 2/,the thought of a seven pound barbel flapping across gravel swims or paths does little for my days pleasure...

 

[silvers]

I hesitate to like that post Alan ... simply for the poor angler who broke two rods!

 

[silvers]

Belated report from the weekend:
Another double header match weekend for me. I love catching roach - they are my favourite fish and any size from "dumpy squatt fish" upwards are good in my book. Sometimes I'll stay far too long fishing for roach when I should be targetting bonus fish - but I tell myself that I go match fishing for enjoyment!

Saturday - last round of the Barford teams of 6 League - 3 sections of ten above the weir and 3 sections below.
Our team "matchbox" has been distinctly unsuccessful all series - in fact I think I've contributed pretty much all the winnings to the shared pot! So given that we had no chance of winning anything as a team it was every man for himself in the final round.
I was very disappointed when captain phoned me to say that I'd got the last peg above the Sherbourne. It has been pretty hopeless all league (2-3 pounds of fish) except for one day in august when Paul Caswell had 11 pounds of bits & pieces off it. However - the river is now in winter trim and looked very different. That isn't altogether good news as this peg in winter is either chub or bust - more often bust! I could fish both inside and across with the same 6xno.4 stick float and started off on caster inside and fed maggot lightly across. Intention was to see if I could save the blank and then later feed heavily to stir up some chub action. I was pleasantly surprised to start catching odd roach up to about 5 oz. I've plugged away until 90 minutes from the end - when I piled in maggots to try to stir some chub action (and failed completely). During the day I had a c. 5 pound pike chasing most of the fish - which I managed to get out on 0.09 hooklength and a 20 fine wire. Hook lodged outside it's mouth. I carried it across the field and deposited it in the Sherbourne brook - so it would take some time to get back to the swim.
2 ounces shy of ten pounds at the scales - the exact same weight as my last match on the venue, which saw me fourth. This time there were 26 double figure weights in 60 pegs! Above the weir fished brilliantly for roach with three 18 pound weights. 28 pounds of perch won below the weir - and even the barbel fed.
So an enjoyable day - but ultimately not at the same race as everyone else!

Sunday - 3rd round of the Bedford Winter League (teams of 4) - on the river Nene at Ringstead Shallows. three sections were on the shallows, but the bottom section (where I was drawn) was 9-10 ft deep and wide. However - the river was pretty clear - despite having had a good flush through recently.
When I used to fish the Nene 30 years ago it was a roach match for 99% of the time - but this stretch is meant to be much more varied.
There was still some flow down the middle - 9.5m to reach that. I fed three lines - 4 balls of groundbait at 12m, loosefed casters & hemp at 9.5m and then chopped worm at 4m. All of them on the pole - I did set up a stick float but didn't catch on it.
The plan was to catch on the groundbait early - then catch some better fish on caster - before bagging up on hemp in the last two hours. Chopped worm line to allow me to rest the two main lines.
The 4m line yielded just a few ounce size perch - and I never had a bite on hemp .... but the rest of the plan went pretty well ... 16 and a half pounds of roach from an ounce to 8oz and a section and match win. The pegging was quite close and open so i could keep an eye on neighbours and even have a chat as there was no wind. Mark below me fished breadpunch and caught a lot of fish - but I was thinking I had the beating of him by 3 pounds or so as I knew my fish were better stamp. He ended up with 16 pounds and 1 ounce ... so it was much closer than I thought!
And to cap of the day - my team (Blunham) had two section winners, a second and a third - so were top team on the day.

As I said at the start - I do like catching roach

 

[103841]

Fished Stonar lake today. Had a feeder rod out, a float rod, bait too, used, maggots, worm, bread and pellet. Five hours and..........



not a single bite. Pestered constantly with flying insects, made for a less than joyable session.

 

[mikench]

Sorry to read that John but you were there, you tried and you nearly conquered. Ceasar would have been proud. There is always another day. I cannot wait to get out.

You'll have to explain the scrabble pic as it is beyond me. Do the letters mean A Quite Depressing P ****** Session

 

[103841]

Blank!

 

[mikench]

The penny has dropped.

 

[markcw]

Decided to go today to a local lake available on a yearly ticket.

Looking at the forecast I could see it may be a tad windy so decided to try fishing a banjo feeder with sticky pellets and mini boilies in the hope of a few tench.
I had never fished this type of feeder before so was curious to see if/how it would work in practice.

I set up with an easy cast to some dying lilies before sitting back with a cup of tea. Three cups of tea and several casts later with no sign of a knock or a liner I decided to change from an orange mini boile to yellow earplug shaped one.

This seemed to do the trick 10 minutes later the tip started to pull round, in my astonishment and surprise I instantly lifted into the bite only to not connect. Cue several expletives followed by 'too soon you ****ing idiot' and several more self admonishments.

I recast to a similar spot on the edge of the dying lilies and settled back. Ten minutes later the tip started pulling round again so bearing in mind my previous mistake I waited till the tip had gone right round. The 'thump, thump' from the fish told me I was in. Cue big grin and high fives to self. And then the feeling of a head shaking fish was replaced by the locked up feeling of a dead lily root/ stem, in the forlorn hope that the fish was still on (barbless hook) I gave it some slack but I was definitely weeded.

Cue round two of expletives.

Carrying on I finally managed to hook and land a bream of around 2.5lbs. This was the only fish of the session, but looking around others weren't doing much.

All in all six hours for three bites. The fish certainly won today.

P.S. I am setting up a crowd fund for a new seat box if anyone wishes to donate.

I would hope you get enough for a full set up ?
Dont strike with method/banjo feeders, a gentle lift will do, how long a hook link were you using ,?

 

[john step]

Another session on the canal today. The wind was too much for a long length of pole to trot down the slowly moving centre track which is the deepest at about 6 foot and usually the best spot.
Used only a shorter length and a long line to lay on with worm/maggot for an estimated 8 to 10 lb of perch,roach,ruffe, silver bream and bleak.
Contrary to the usual belief here that punch and crumb is the way to go, I fed groundbait and the bites just kept coming.

The rain held off and a very satisfying day.