what a lovely place to fish.never done loch fishing before but i've stayed at balmacara and the kyle of lochalsh before.beautiful part of scotland.you're so lucky to be in those neck of the woods.tight lines.
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
had a decent day today but the weather wasnt as good as forecast with a nippy wind causing a few problems.5 ide(targeted fish) on pole fished maggots biggest around the 1lb mark.plus a mixed bag of roach perch skimmers gudgeon and an f1 also around the 1lb mark.catching a crucian just before i packed up was a bonus as i cant even remember the last time i caught one its that long ago 
Record-breaking session this afternoon. Shortest drive to a water (0.8m), shortest session for a long time (3 hrs). lowest weight of catch (about 4lb) and smallest fish pic I've posted on HDYGO. For all that, it was really enjoyable.
The canal down the road is a 5m urban loop taking Trent boat traffic around a big weir and a long shallow stretch. I used to love fishing canals, but that was when they were quiet, and this one is beyond the pale. The towpath is thronged with joggers, cyclists, walkers, scooterists and muggers. I wouldn't fish it alone, but a mate wanted to go. It's an unusual canal, as it runs at Trent pace with a variable flow. After weeks of calm, serene weather, today was blustery with a downstream wind and the canal was really pushing though.
Mate wanted to fish bread punch and liquidised bread, but was soon complaining neither rig nor feed was getting down. I'd mixed some ground bait yesterday and added dead pinkies (Mike would say the only good pinkie is a dead one), and even so I was never sure where the feed was and where the little fish were. It was interesting fishing (unless only fish of several pounds weight interest you) with a 5m whip, a 4x18 float, 4m of line above the float and no real idea where the next bite might come. ( Of course, short-lining on the pole is the best canal method, but you can't ship back here. Anything behind your elbow would be trampled immediately).
These were the biggest dace and roach from about 50 fish
If the fish were small, some of the things that came past weren't
The canal down the road is a 5m urban loop taking Trent boat traffic around a big weir and a long shallow stretch. I used to love fishing canals, but that was when they were quiet, and this one is beyond the pale. The towpath is thronged with joggers, cyclists, walkers, scooterists and muggers. I wouldn't fish it alone, but a mate wanted to go. It's an unusual canal, as it runs at Trent pace with a variable flow. After weeks of calm, serene weather, today was blustery with a downstream wind and the canal was really pushing though.
Mate wanted to fish bread punch and liquidised bread, but was soon complaining neither rig nor feed was getting down. I'd mixed some ground bait yesterday and added dead pinkies (Mike would say the only good pinkie is a dead one), and even so I was never sure where the feed was and where the little fish were. It was interesting fishing (unless only fish of several pounds weight interest you) with a 5m whip, a 4x18 float, 4m of line above the float and no real idea where the next bite might come. ( Of course, short-lining on the pole is the best canal method, but you can't ship back here. Anything behind your elbow would be trampled immediately).
These were the biggest dace and roach from about 50 fish
If the fish were small, some of the things that came past weren't
flightliner
Well-known member
Kev, not seen the "pride of Lincoln" for a while.
I had a surprise two weeks ago on the tidal Trent when one of the tour boats from Lincolns Brayford pool came around a bend heading up towards Newark/ Cromwell wier.
They usually go down the Witham with day trippers.
It must have come down the Fossdyke, entered the Trent at Torksey and made its way up the Trent, can't think why, maybe a maintenance /refit job?
I had a surprise two weeks ago on the tidal Trent when one of the tour boats from Lincolns Brayford pool came around a bend heading up towards Newark/ Cromwell wier.
They usually go down the Witham with day trippers.
It must have come down the Fossdyke, entered the Trent at Torksey and made its way up the Trent, can't think why, maybe a maintenance /refit job?
A day on the river again. I opened a packet of trout deadbaits that have been languishing in my bait freezer since November. I am getting through the deadbaits ahead of putting the pike gear away.
I sat all day with not a sniff until I decided at 4Pm to call it a day. Then sods law kicked in and I had two runs in 15 minutes.
First at 16lb 12oz (trout)and second at 9lb 10oz.(roach)
Some idiot had left a lure in the 9 pounder by not using a wire trace. Looking at the mono trailing I would guess at about 6lb line. Cretin.
The problem was I didn't notice it until I impaled my finger on one of the trebles which took ages to stop bleeding and delayed my departure. Double Cretin.
Anyway a pleasant day apart from the blood letting.
I sat all day with not a sniff until I decided at 4Pm to call it a day. Then sods law kicked in and I had two runs in 15 minutes.
First at 16lb 12oz (trout)and second at 9lb 10oz.(roach)
Some idiot had left a lure in the 9 pounder by not using a wire trace. Looking at the mono trailing I would guess at about 6lb line. Cretin.
The problem was I didn't notice it until I impaled my finger on one of the trebles which took ages to stop bleeding and delayed my departure. Double Cretin.
Anyway a pleasant day apart from the blood letting.
@Clive
Well-known member
Had a day on the Charente. Lovely sunny day with 16C and light clouds part of the time. Started off fishing below some medieval fish traps in what is effectively a huge weir pool. The predator season has finished so I had the place to myself. Well, except for a pretty young jogger and her thieving labragator that tried to snaffle my luncheon meat.
Fished two rods, both with my patent flat pack feeders. One rod had a bunch of maggots and t'other luncheon meat. I had put in three droppers of maggots and chopped meat before casting the groundbait laden feeders out. Nothing came to the second rod despite changing to Frolicks and just a few knocks on the maggot rod with chewed ends of the grubs. Sweetcorn also attracted a few tentative bites. No fish landed though.
After just over two hours I put the feeder rods away and drove to another area a mile downstream. This swim has been good to me over the last few years, albeit in the warmer months. I wanted to try one of my new poles out and thought this swim might yield a barbel to stretch the elastic.
Normally I fish a tight swim just a few yards downstream of the bush to the right using a sliding float, 1lb tc Avon and 'pin. I wanted to hold a float just under the bush in 10 feet of water and the 9.5m pole was ideal. I put in some maize and hemp fermented groundbait and a couple of droppers of sweetcorn, maggots and chopped meat. First bite came on the hour to meat and like last week I missed it. A second bite to half a lobworm had me excited as the float went upstream before submerging. Barbel always do that whereas carp, chub and bream can tow the float in any direction. Anyway, instead of the latex stretching barbeau it was a small lazy bream.
Fished two rods, both with my patent flat pack feeders. One rod had a bunch of maggots and t'other luncheon meat. I had put in three droppers of maggots and chopped meat before casting the groundbait laden feeders out. Nothing came to the second rod despite changing to Frolicks and just a few knocks on the maggot rod with chewed ends of the grubs. Sweetcorn also attracted a few tentative bites. No fish landed though.
After just over two hours I put the feeder rods away and drove to another area a mile downstream. This swim has been good to me over the last few years, albeit in the warmer months. I wanted to try one of my new poles out and thought this swim might yield a barbel to stretch the elastic.
Normally I fish a tight swim just a few yards downstream of the bush to the right using a sliding float, 1lb tc Avon and 'pin. I wanted to hold a float just under the bush in 10 feet of water and the 9.5m pole was ideal. I put in some maize and hemp fermented groundbait and a couple of droppers of sweetcorn, maggots and chopped meat. First bite came on the hour to meat and like last week I missed it. A second bite to half a lobworm had me excited as the float went upstream before submerging. Barbel always do that whereas carp, chub and bream can tow the float in any direction. Anyway, instead of the latex stretching barbeau it was a small lazy bream.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
My wife is away visiting her family in Scotland, I have managed three days fishing so far!
Doubt I will fish again before Sally returns as I am just not feeling it. I rarely get this negative but the fish are just not having it!
Three different swims over 20 miles of river. Big baits, small baits, out in the main flow, under the trees etc, etc!
Result has been one small barbel and one chub, both had little energy - nearly comatose!
River is low and clear, temperature around 7c. Both fish came as the light was fading after bright sunshine days.
I wonder if it would fish better in darkness? Daytime temperatures have reached 17c but it's still freezing at night. Got to look after my old bones!
Doubt I will fish again before Sally returns as I am just not feeling it. I rarely get this negative but the fish are just not having it!
Three different swims over 20 miles of river. Big baits, small baits, out in the main flow, under the trees etc, etc!
Result has been one small barbel and one chub, both had little energy - nearly comatose!
River is low and clear, temperature around 7c. Both fish came as the light was fading after bright sunshine days.
I wonder if it would fish better in darkness? Daytime temperatures have reached 17c but it's still freezing at night. Got to look after my old bones!
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
I've been to get a large portion of maggot,which should see me to the end of the season(11pts),but without some rain to freshen the areas rivers up you are really looking at the quality fish being tightly packed in certain swims without much interest in feeding in the main, to me this makes fishing a little boring,preferring to vary my scenery....
@Clive
Well-known member
The water
Also check the water temps just downstream of the barrages. They sometimes act as heat sinks.
The water temp' on the Charente is almost 11C now. It is effectivly a chalk stream and benefits from warm thermal springs The Vienne was just over 8C last week. That is a classic freestone river, similar to the Yorkshire system. Neither river have woken up yet, but there was a shoal of fry in front of me in the first swim. I think that the rivers in your region warm up more slowly due to their sources being at much higher altitudes. Clive Gammon mentioned this aspect in his book 'I know a good place'. I'd be looking at signicant confluences such as the Cele near Bouzies. Your mate should be able to drive to the confluence in his 4x4. It looked like a good swim when I reccied that area by bike.My wife is away visiting her family in Scotland, I have managed three days fishing so far!
Doubt I will fish again before Sally returns as I am just not feeling it. I rarely get this negative but the fish are just not having it!
View attachment 26165
View attachment 26166
Three different swims over 20 miles of river. Big baits, small baits, out in the main flow, under the trees etc, etc!
Result has been one small barbel and one chub, both had little energy - nearly comatose!
River is low and clear, temperature around 7c. Both fish came as the light was fading after bright sunshine days.
I wonder if it would fish better in darkness? Daytime temperatures have reached 17c but it's still freezing at night. Got to look after my old bones!
Also check the water temps just downstream of the barrages. They sometimes act as heat sinks.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
We are still having frosts here, though rain is forecast soon. I would be happy for the rain to hiss down for at least a week!
Usually in February we will get a spate of some degree. Good for the river, the fish.....and the fisherman!
In the summer that Cele/Lot confluence can be reached with any car, the track is quite good.
I have had roach there in the past but nothing bigger. That stretch opposite the cliffs has a reputation for huge carp and big shoals of barbel. At the moment though the Cele has very little flow either!
Thanks for reminding me of Clive Gammon, when I was much younger he was a fishing and writing hero in my eyes. Sure I had that book out of the library at some point, I have just ordered a copy off Amazon
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@Clive
Well-known member
There are a couple of places in the chemin de halage that looked inviting. But you need a bike and trailer to do it justice. I'd be at the confluence at this time of year. Got to be a big feature for barbel. Especially after rain.
I'll proabably be down there for a few days in June when the sister in law comes here. The swim down from the lock at Cregoles just has to be fished before the boat traffic gets going.
I'll proabably be down there for a few days in June when the sister in law comes here. The swim down from the lock at Cregoles just has to be fished before the boat traffic gets going.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
The landing stage and slipway just above that lock often fish better than downstream. I have hooked huge carp there whilst targeting barbel, but it's at least 6-0 to the carp so far! Even when I used heavy carp tackle the "thing" I hooked took me to the far bank (it's wide there!) and then ran towards the weir and cut me off.
Channel markers, a rocky "reef" and in summer a massive weed bed. So far I have no answer, not unless I sit out there for whatever time it takes in my inflatable canoe!
@Clive
Well-known member
I have a 6 - 10 oz Ugly Stick Uptider and a Penn 760L that you can borrow. Or ask Sally to bring your old shark fishing gear back with her
The catfish in the Vienne and Charente are active now. I saw a big one swirl last week and this time last year I got wiped out by one.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Yes, I still have an uptider with an ABU 8000c loaded with heavy braid. Big silure are still on my "to do" list!I have a 6 - 10 oz Ugly Stick Uptider and a Penn 760L that you can borrow. Or ask Sally to bring your old shark fishing gear back with her
The catfish in the Vienne and Charente are active now. I saw a big one swirl last week and this time last year I got wiped out by one.
After last years drought and now a winter with 31 days of no rain (whole of France!) the state of the rivers for 2023 looks dire! Just read this news piece .......https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230221-france-goes-31-days-without-rainfall-unprecedented-in-winter
Catfish and carp seem to survive these conditions OK, but the barbel struggle!
@Clive
Well-known member
Fortunately the Charente and Vienne are both holding up well. The smaller rivers that feed the Vienne aren't ready for the ouverture truite though. Rain is expected later in the week so the pecheurs might get lucky next month.
mikench
Well-known member
The fishing might be poor Steve but that doesn’t detract from the photos.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Fishing wise I think myself so lucky to live near the river Lot. All I have to do is stick out a big bait and be patient, no great level of skill involved. Mind you, the ability to tie knots properly has been well tested!The fishing might be poor Steve but that doesn’t detract from the photos.
The Lot valley from Cahors to Cajarc is particularly photogenic. So if the fishing does not happen I can still amuse myself by getting a few shots!
Further up the valley the river Truyere adds much to the flow of the Lot with its confluence at Entrygues.
There is a massive barrage about a mile upstream, the river flow and level can vary dramatically here. Whitewater canoeists take advantage of this, that can complicate the fishing!
This next photo is upstream of the Truyere barrage. The Massif du Cantal is above that, it should be in the clouds and is normally the wettest area of France. The river Truyere feeds into the Lot, without rain up there the Lot is struggling! This shot was taken when we had a day touring in the mountains, whilst on a camping trip to Entraygues. The clouds had been down in the valley, but as we drove onwards and upwards we were lucky that the heat of the sun was lifting the cloud level also. Wonderful scenery on the right day!
Whilst we are in the winter fishing doldrums I hope these photos cheer a few folk up!
mikench
Well-known member
Is that Alastair in the first photo? I have been to Cahors, Lauzerte and Limoges but in my non fishing days so wouldn’t have been interested on rivers and fishing opportunities. Enjoy it to the full Steve.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Yes, that is Alistair in the photo.
Two years ago our friends, Mark and Louise, had talked Sally and myself into buying a small tent and all the camping kit. We had our reservations as we are not exactly "Spring chickens"! Mark is a serious outdoor type and runs a whitewater canoe and guide service, of course he knows a few rivers quite well! Alistair does a few pickups and drop-offs of canoeists when Mark needs some help.
Mark is also a seriously good outdoor chef, anyone who can bake bread in a hole in the ground has to be "serious"
Anyway, as much as we enjoyed that season camping our old bones ached too much. But we needed our camping fix, so an old camping van was found.......
Early season at one of the most popular sites on the Lot - we had the place to ourselves!
Enough of that! Need to get a new fishy photo to post, may take a couple of weeks!
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John Aston
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Plan A was feeder on the Yorkshire Ouse , in the hope of the fish I cant catch (bream ) , roach and maybe chub and barbel . Plan B kicked in when I realised the river was a little higher than was ideal for where I'd planned so it was a return to my perch river hotspot, but with chub in mind in new swims I wanted to explore.
You get some lovely days in February and yesterday was ideal- mild , only a very gentle SE breeze and with decent cloud cover. Down the track to the river I saw three red kites (still unusual here) , clouds of siskins and goldfinch and a solitary buzzard . My first swim had no cover - the river is wide and relatively shallow - but the colour was lovely and a big crease 15 yards out was an obvious starting point.
Good choice it was too- a chub of 5-5 on my first cast and a 5- 8 twenty minutes later , both on big lumps of blue cheese paste/crust on a 4.
Two swim moves later , a slow knock -knock -knock on worm at about 40 yards out resulted in what felt like a huge chub . No big runs, just stolid resistance and head shakes. Heart beating I saw a flash of a fish looming out of the depths before it woke up and tried to melt the spool. February barbel are always a treat and at 8-3 I was more than happy enough. If not as happy as if it had been a chub.
I was using my Acolyte Plus Feeder - gorgeous rod - with Reflo feeder braid (as some of the swims are long range stuff ) and it is damned good stuff. Casts like a dream , no tangle issues but care needed with knots as it is very fine and very smooth . It is about 15lb bs I think , and I use a 2-3 ft 12lb shock leader and a 10" , 6lb hook length
You get some lovely days in February and yesterday was ideal- mild , only a very gentle SE breeze and with decent cloud cover. Down the track to the river I saw three red kites (still unusual here) , clouds of siskins and goldfinch and a solitary buzzard . My first swim had no cover - the river is wide and relatively shallow - but the colour was lovely and a big crease 15 yards out was an obvious starting point.
Good choice it was too- a chub of 5-5 on my first cast and a 5- 8 twenty minutes later , both on big lumps of blue cheese paste/crust on a 4.
Two swim moves later , a slow knock -knock -knock on worm at about 40 yards out resulted in what felt like a huge chub . No big runs, just stolid resistance and head shakes. Heart beating I saw a flash of a fish looming out of the depths before it woke up and tried to melt the spool. February barbel are always a treat and at 8-3 I was more than happy enough. If not as happy as if it had been a chub.
I was using my Acolyte Plus Feeder - gorgeous rod - with Reflo feeder braid (as some of the swims are long range stuff ) and it is damned good stuff. Casts like a dream , no tangle issues but care needed with knots as it is very fine and very smooth . It is about 15lb bs I think , and I use a 2-3 ft 12lb shock leader and a 10" , 6lb hook length