How did you get on?

[no-one in particular]

Got wet, hooked two trees, didn't have a bite. The water was perfect, fished a little stream only 6ft wide and 3ft deep but, I know it holds some good fish, tench, bream, rudd and even some carp; a few shoals of 1lb + roach in the past which is what I was after. Good conditions for roach, the rain had added just a bit of colour, westerly wind and nice temperatures and the rain. First time I have fished this stream for a year; hope it has not gone into decline.
Mind you, hard fishing-very overgrown banks, full of weed and lilies, hard to find anywhere to put a float but managed a couple of spots, maybe just the wrong ones. Well, must have an excuse, cannot be my fault, that just wouldn't do.

Disturbed a kingfisher right under my feet, close up you realize no picture or film does the blue on these birds justice. Small mercies once again, two blanks in a row.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Used a similar float yesterday but with the lack of pace and depth on the Teme, I'd probably have been as well off with a waggler :wh

On the bright side, it rained yesterday and we've more forecast for today and tomorrow so by Wednesday or Thursday it may be worth an afternoon/evening session

 

[Keith M]

An evening on my local stream after Barbel and Chub

Thursday evening saw me back on my favourite stream between 6pm and 9:30pm with my Barbel rod, a half tin of firm spicey Luncheon-meat with some soft fishmeal paste to wrap around the bait to create a flavour trail downstream, and some 4mm halibut pellets for loose feed. I also took some 7mm crab pellets for backup hookbaits but I didn't get around to using them.

I decided to try a little further upstream than where I usually fish, where the stream began to get a little narrower and where I had seen a few Barbel during a previous recce during the closed season. They were mostly small Barbel that I had seen there, however I'd also seen one or two much larger ones hiding amongst the streamer weed and it was one of these I was hoping to get on Thursday evening.


The swim I fished which had a steady flow from right to left running over gravel between tall rushes on both banks.

The first couple of Barbel were very small (see pic below) but I had also had a couple of fast pickups from what seemed larger fish which I assumed where chub pickng up my meat in their lips and moving off before swallowing the bait; a thing that I have learnt Chub do quite a lot when I'm using hair rigs; so I decided to remove the hair and fish with the bait mounted directly onto the hook to see if I could hook one of these culprits.


The two very small Barbel I caught at first.

After removing the hair-rig I started to hit the sail away bites that I was getting and ended the evening with two nice Chub of around 3lb and 4lb (see pic below)



and two slightly larger Barbel of around 4.5lb and 5lb (see pic below)



The first of these slightly larger Barbel had a particular deformity of a bent spine near its back end and a slight mouth deformity; which it probably got at birth.

I very rarely make the mistake of not checking my clutch before and after casting but I made this stupid mistake midway through the evening and murphies law saw me hook into a large Barbel which I couldn't stop and which saw me frantically trying to loosen my clutch as it continued downstream and broke my hooklength even before I had time to switch my anti reverse off and left me swearing at myself LOL. However; It was a great evening and at least I caught some Barbel no matter how small they were; and to the Barbel I lost I say; I'll be back LOL.

Keith

 

[no-one in particular]

Some of these swims look a bit easy to me for professionals-no wonder you're all finding it easy to catch:-

This is a swim worthy of a challenge:-

http://www.fishingmagic.com/photos/data/500/coomb_4.jpg


No only joking, just thought i would show what i fished yesterday, looks fishy does it not, not a bite, just shows you, you cannot always predict. Was a a bit of a challenge though.

 

[cg74]

Was a a bit of a challenge though.

Looks very challenging. Regards fish location do you look for weed movements or can you spot fish in the not so abundant clear spots.

 

[rubio]

Been unable to get out fishing lately but managed a couple of short sessions around last weekend. Was bang on form straightaway with a double blank. Just like I'd never been away.

 

[fruitowl]

Been unable to get out fishing lately but managed a couple of short sessions around last weekend. Was bang on form straightaway with a double blank. Just like I'd never been away.

I think it's time we had a thread called SO DID YOU BLANK. I would feel so much better reading that when I blank rather than read the catch reports it makes me feel really bad when i read how well some have (not to take anything away from their achievement), especially when you have a couldn't catch a cold session.

 

[dorsetandchub]

Got to my local commie and, as I promised myself last time, I picked a swim, indeed a lake, I've never fished before.

Given that the stocking policy is pretty much across the board, I started off with the usual 6mm spam after potting in a handful of hemp, a few grains of vanilla flavoured corn, some 1mm micro pellets and a few maggots.

With a 6.6lb main line and a 14 to a 6lb bottom, I was up against an island and started to get liners and twitches pretty much instantly.

First fish after maybe five minutes was a small mirror of a couple of pounds, quickly followed by two more carp of a similar stamp.

It was all carp bar a single roach and a pair of skimmers, one of which was getting near a pound and a half. That was the first hour. Seven carp, ten fish.

Ten minutes into the second hour, in a day of odd snatches of rain but which was still quite warm, I declared coffee time and pulled the pole back and stripping down to the top three. I hoped the 6mm cube might find a crucian at my feet and thought not much in general as I enjoyed a mug of coffee.

The float went, the pole bent and my hand wrenched. Jettisoning the coffee and throwing the mug down I managed to slot the top three back onto the pole and shoved out to ease the pressure. I had a feeling it might be a barbel, there are supposed to be a fair few in this lake. After ten minutes or so, I was proven to be right as 4lbs or so of angry Bertie fell into the net. Unhooked in the net, it went back in supported and I turned the net once the fish had regained its strength, it swam away strongly but looking a tad cheesed off.

I had another coffee which I managed to finish this time with no more close in interruptions bar a tourist-angler who asked why he might be struggling. Using pellets on the hook being the simple answer. I gave him some 6mm cubes and advised him to buy a meat cutter, available in the fishery shop. If he did, it would be the third one I KNOW I've sold for them. I hope Dave Harrell's grateful, anyway.

Back on the Spam and two more carp then it happened!! My personal nemesis showed up, a tench of around 2lbs. I'd long since lost this year's Tench Cup but it was nice to catch one, they're a species I never do much with but beautiful and always welcome.

The carp came back and a solitary rudd of maybe 14oz also came along.

Hour three was all carp with six fish, one of them around 7lbs, the rest the usual commie-fodder between 1 and 4lbs. The seven fought well and put a smile on my face.

Another hour and I was going to have to ship out for home, to get ready and pack for a week at my Mum's.

The carp kept coming, nothing huge but fun enough. A handful of skimmers also for a half ton net, possibly a shade under, 45lbs maybe. I'd had roach, rudd, carp, barbel, bream and a tench.

Popped into the tackle shop, forgetting to ask about the meat cutter, but I did get a dinky canal sized landing net for the princely sum of six bucks. Exactly what I was after, well pleased. Hoping to do some canal fishing this year and waving a 30 inch carp net at 12oz roach might be a slight case of overkill.

So, there we go. Home and now just the packing to go. Deep joy!!

 

[S-Kippy]

I think it's time we had a thread called SO DID YOU BLANK. I would feel so much better reading that when I blank rather than read the catch reports it makes me feel really bad when i read how well some have (not to take anything away from their achievement), especially when you have a couldn't catch a cold session.

Better to be out there blanking with style than to not go at all. You catch nowt at home whereas bankside,even on the grimmest of days,there is always the chance of a blank saving mugfish.

 

[neil1970]

Same report for me:wh ...I'm sure theres a big perch waiting to trip up though...

 

[nicepix]

Better to be out there blanking with style than to not go at all. You catch nowt at home whereas bankside,even on the grimmest of days,there is always the chance of a blank saving mugfish.

Too true. But with temps' forecast to continue in the mid-thirties for the next two weeks it's going to be tough going.

 

[no-one in particular]

Looks very challenging. Regards fish location do you look for weed movements or can you spot fish in the not so abundant clear spots.

I can usually spot the bigger fish, the carp are easy and a few small shoals of bream to around 3lb which are usually spottable. However, didn't see either on Sunday. The tench, rudd and roach are usually not evident unless the waters very clear even in this shallow water. I spotted no weed/lily movement at all along the length as I walked it, at least what I could see due to the high bank vegetation.. I know a few swims where I usually catch but, they were un-fishable this time. I found a few trees further up (no problem catching them) where the water was clear of weed a bit, fishing up to the edge of the lily and weed patch.. Still should have attracted a few fish with my ground-baiting, rarely blank on this little water and have had some big roach when they come and play in the past. Usually full of small rudd, even they were nowhere to be seen or hooked.
Last week fishing another deeper bigger river, the water temp was 70f, the water of this little stream was 64f. Could be the fish were just off feeding while they were adjusting, if this drop was related. However, seems everyone else have been catching well enough.
The EA come and dredge this out every year and do the bankside, whether they have not got round to it yet or they are not going to bother with the cuts, I do not know..I might send them an email and ask.

 

[john step]

Just got back from 2 weeks in a gite in the land of Nicepix. No rods- plenty of brownie points. Boy was it hot. Still we had a swimming pool to ourselves.

Lots of fishing to catch up on now. The Trent looks low according to the web chart. Might spend a night or two or three there

 

[theartist]

Just got back from a weekend on the Severn where on the first day I fished a challenging swim, challenging in the fact that the water was of a decent pace occasionally lapping over the top of my waders, I was three quarters across so had canoes going either side and the wind gusted through every now and then to test my balance, which is questionable at the best of times. Other than that it was perfect spot to run a float through and that outweighed any cons.

I started of trotting small cubes of luncheon meat over hemp which had worked really well for me on the opening week of the season but this time not a bite. In my head I went through the reasons for this. Was it that the water was a lot clearer and a bit lower? Not much I could do about that as I didn't want to go lower than 4lb after all it was a barbelly swim in barbel alley with potentially loads of barbel in it. Perhaps my cubes were cut bigger this time? They certainly were and it felt clumsy trotting them, slap on the wrist and a note to self in the head for next time. Maybe though it was because the swim had already been fished and the fish were on the pellets. With this in mind my bib was loaded with 4mm pellet with a few 6mm for banding on the hook. With the pellets easier to feed in the wind than meat and hemp I was determined to give it a good go as the only option after would be to trot maggot trying to get through hordes or tiny dace. I could throw a lead out as I have taken a second rod for that purpose every time I have fished the severn but as yet that rod has remained unused which says it all about how I love float fishing really.

A few chub would do, maybe a barbel, just enough bites to keep me busy I thought as I waded back across the stones and gravel which were so detailed in the clear water unlike last time. With the sun also shining bright I wasn't confident so when the float dipped under after a few casts I naturally missed it. Next run down I was more alert and I was soon into what felt like a roach and indeed was a nice 10oz redfin which was more than welcome. A few runs later something bigger was on but this also felt like a roach and as it spun on the surface it was indeed a roach worthy of netting. Trouble was my net was resting on a willow in the shallows so thoughts of a small net hooked on to the back of my fishing jacket were in my mind as I waded back across fish in tow but not beaten. This did not stay in my mind too long as in the shallows as the roach looked a lot bigger than I thought and pulled well before succumbing to my net - finally. At 2lb 1oz I was over the moon, it had been ages since I had a 2lb'er and to get one today was so unexpected.

Chuffed to bits I went back out and as is the way with pellet fishing the barbel soon push the roach out and after a couple more nice redfins it was all barbel with the odd chub, they were really having it on the drop and jolly good fun on the float and what with the walk to the net each time a lot more relaxed and carefree it was a real red letter day.

The next day I spent a few hours on another stretch but I just wanted an easy day, party due to the moron who had been playing music late in our campsite that night but also after yesterday's action I was in a happy place. Naturally I was trotting pellets once again this time for half a dozen nice chub and a bonus roach which made for a really enjoyable short session.

Fantastic fishing which took my mind off my local river being polluted.

 

[edsurf]

First session trotting with a cane rod on the Avon today had lots of small chub and dace and five Grayling, my right arm is feeling it a bit, back to the acolyte me thinks for the next session.

 

[peter crabtree]

After noticing this morning that the moorings on my local canal were vacant I decided to have a go this afternoon. After a quick visit to the tackle shop for some fresh casters and boiling some hemp I set off.
Moorings still vacant I set up light 13 ft rod and small waggler then plumbed up.
Tied my hook to 0:09 bottom and shotted the float down.

It was nice and overcast and fairly cool and still.



First bite a nice roach, then patchy spells of bites from more roach, dace, perch and a small skimmer...
These were all taken on single caster over hemp. Neil came up for a while for a chat, his face was a picture when he saw my hook....
After a few hours the bleak moved in so I packed up.

Not bad for a couple of hours.....
As I took this photo an Indian lady stopped and asked if they were mackerel? I pointed to each fish naming it for her, when I said bream she said "oh sea breammg:"

 

[neil1970]

I could just about see the hook

As I walked up to Simon I had a good few chucks of a couple of lures.

I started off with a 3" crayfish and the first cast into a clearing in the far bank willows produced a perch only a little over twice the length of the lure.

It took it almost before it hit the water, leaving me to believe that it wasn't the miracle lure I was hoping for, but just a well placed cast and a hungry fish.

This was proved right after trying a few more usually productive swims.

I reverted to type (just want to catch, and have nice walkmg and popped on a tiny soft lure and 2g jighead.

From then on I caught, 40 + small perch, nicely interspersed with a break with Simon on the canal.

 

[sam vimes]

Another late afternoon into evening on the river for me. Started well losing a plummet to the cobbles that the upper river is paved with. After that it was steady as you go. Plenty of bites, plenty of misses and a fair few fish, dace, grayling and trout.

There's always a dilemma when fishing this river, keep the feed minimal and keep the bites from the smaller species coming, or fill it in risking feeding the bits off in hope of something better. I didn't quite go as far as really filling it in, but a doubling of the feed rate saw the bites become fairly few and far between.

I did add a few bits but, to my surprise, I hit into a bite that offered a fairly solid resistance. It lead me a fairly merry dance on light gear in a reasonably strong flow. Initially I was hopeful that I'd latched into one of the fairly elusive barbel. Though it put up a good show, it wasn't quite as good as a barbel. My usual repellent for this species must have failed for some reason. It turned out to be a chub. Unfortunately, it was in rag order. I suspect this fish in prime condition would go to at least five pounds, it was that long. It did make a fairly respectable 4lb 3oz.

Alongside fourteen dace, all 6 to 10 ounce jobs, eleven trout and nine grayling, it made for a pretty good session.

 

[nicepix]

Just got back from 2 weeks in a gite in the land of Nicepix. No rods- plenty of brownie points. Boy was it hot. Still we had a swimming pool to ourselves.

Lots of fishing to catch up on now. The Trent looks low according to the web chart. Might spend a night or two or three there

Shame you didn't stay an extra few days John. You've missed all the Bastille Day fireworks.

 

[Tee-Cee]

No, I think he did right to leave...The French may well have been looking for a chance to give Mademoiselle Guillotine another run out and the odd ' English ' straggler would've been ideal. If you're going to celebrate...
You know how they love to enjoy themselves, especially after we've beaten them at rugby ! Add a winky smilie here..

ps Love the wine and food, though..