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How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
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tincatim
Well-known member
With an afternoon off work yesterday and enough brownie points banked I took myself of to the river Dearne in search of barbel once again. I've been aiming to catch one for a while now but with limited fishing time and not much patience I've failed every time. I've been thinking about them a lot lately, not obsessing as such but I've not caught one since returning to angling and before that, 22ish years ago my dad helped me land one on the Severn. But that's a distant memory now.
So, today I had 4-5 hours free where I could return to the stretch I fished last time and test out the barbelly looking swims that I found. I wasn't too hopeful as I keep hearing barbel are hard to catch in the day from the Dearne, and today it was bright sunshine with barely any cloud cover. The only saving grace was the wind (not mine), it blew strongly and I hoped would give the fish confidence to feed.
My set up at the minute is, simple and light. I want to be out and fishing as quick as I can without carting loads of gear with me. Bait for the day, 8mm halibut pellets and some crushed pellets for the pva bags. 10lb Daiwa Sensor mainline to a straight forward semi fixed safety lead clip and more 10lb Sensor for the 18inch hook length.
The rig
The swim I picked was nicely lined with trees. A gentle under arm lob in between the bushes and I settled down to relax. Not expecting much, I let my thoughts drift, even if I don't catch it's still a beautiful day. I saw a kingfisher and a heron, always a welcome addition to the relaxing picture in front of me. Then from nowhere my tip pulled round and I'm in!...... To.... a bream. A welcome bream though, only a couple of pounds, but welcome because it persuaded me to stay there and have another cast.
The swim
I'm so glad I did as the next cast provided a bite like I've never had before, the classic 3ft twitch you could say. Fish on and this felt different, more powerful. It made straight for the trees but some heavy pressure had it back out and slowly swimming upstream. Definitely a Barbel! My heart was in my mouth, I'd waited ages for this. A few more minutes of playing and it surfaced in the clear water. My first proper barbel! At 6lb 12oz. Lovely.
Absolutely buzzing, I was recounting the action to a dog walker that had stopped to how I was doing when the tip went again. Another barbel, stronger than the first headed for the trees. The dog walker was more excited than me! Then the hooklength went, gutted. I quickly tackled back up, and cast out again. This time within 5 minutes I was in again.
This one was even better at exactly 9lbs.
They don't half go don't they? A great fight and beautiful looking fish. The day couldn't get any better, or so I thought. The next cast produced the best fish of the day, this was a beast (for me anyway), my first double figure barbel.
10lb 4oz.
A fine fish to end a fine day, I realise too that some of you will notice the lack of unhooking mat. I need to find a suitable one but will start another thread for that.
So, today I had 4-5 hours free where I could return to the stretch I fished last time and test out the barbelly looking swims that I found. I wasn't too hopeful as I keep hearing barbel are hard to catch in the day from the Dearne, and today it was bright sunshine with barely any cloud cover. The only saving grace was the wind (not mine), it blew strongly and I hoped would give the fish confidence to feed.
My set up at the minute is, simple and light. I want to be out and fishing as quick as I can without carting loads of gear with me. Bait for the day, 8mm halibut pellets and some crushed pellets for the pva bags. 10lb Daiwa Sensor mainline to a straight forward semi fixed safety lead clip and more 10lb Sensor for the 18inch hook length.
The rig
The swim I picked was nicely lined with trees. A gentle under arm lob in between the bushes and I settled down to relax. Not expecting much, I let my thoughts drift, even if I don't catch it's still a beautiful day. I saw a kingfisher and a heron, always a welcome addition to the relaxing picture in front of me. Then from nowhere my tip pulled round and I'm in!...... To.... a bream. A welcome bream though, only a couple of pounds, but welcome because it persuaded me to stay there and have another cast.
The swim
I'm so glad I did as the next cast provided a bite like I've never had before, the classic 3ft twitch you could say. Fish on and this felt different, more powerful. It made straight for the trees but some heavy pressure had it back out and slowly swimming upstream. Definitely a Barbel! My heart was in my mouth, I'd waited ages for this. A few more minutes of playing and it surfaced in the clear water. My first proper barbel! At 6lb 12oz. Lovely.
Absolutely buzzing, I was recounting the action to a dog walker that had stopped to how I was doing when the tip went again. Another barbel, stronger than the first headed for the trees. The dog walker was more excited than me! Then the hooklength went, gutted. I quickly tackled back up, and cast out again. This time within 5 minutes I was in again.
This one was even better at exactly 9lbs.
They don't half go don't they? A great fight and beautiful looking fish. The day couldn't get any better, or so I thought. The next cast produced the best fish of the day, this was a beast (for me anyway), my first double figure barbel.
10lb 4oz.
A fine fish to end a fine day, I realise too that some of you will notice the lack of unhooking mat. I need to find a suitable one but will start another thread for that.
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
tincatim.....Very nice bit of fishing and congratulations on the barbel....
Wasn't sure about the Dearne whereabouts so I had a quick look on Google, and it looks a very nice water, well the bits they show anyway !!
Your post spot on, so a good weekend all round for you !!
Wasn't sure about the Dearne whereabouts so I had a quick look on Google, and it looks a very nice water, well the bits they show anyway !!
Your post spot on, so a good weekend all round for you !!
B
binka
Guest
Zero, zilch, diddly squat… Blanked! 
mg:
It always brings you back down with a ruddy great thump when you blank after a good run and especially when you're not expecting it but that’s exactly what I did on stillwater today, three of us fished with one netting three fish and the other biteless whilst I missed the only bite of the day and found my very large worm bitten off just at the bend of the hook… Grrr!
An assortment of methods used from zig rigs and method feeders to my own float tactics with my usually reliable, blank proof (!) chopped worm.
I might have to have the afternoon on the river tomorrow to try and erase the memory... Or at least that's my excuse for another session and I'm sticking to it.
Normal service will resume shortly…
:w
mg:It always brings you back down with a ruddy great thump when you blank after a good run and especially when you're not expecting it but that’s exactly what I did on stillwater today, three of us fished with one netting three fish and the other biteless whilst I missed the only bite of the day and found my very large worm bitten off just at the bend of the hook… Grrr!
An assortment of methods used from zig rigs and method feeders to my own float tactics with my usually reliable, blank proof (!) chopped worm.
I might have to have the afternoon on the river tomorrow to try and erase the memory... Or at least that's my excuse for another session and I'm sticking to it.
Normal service will resume shortly…
:w
edsurf
Well-known member
Thirty odd small chub trotting a new stretch of the Avon today, spotted some big barbel amongst the weed , I shall be back with different gear next time.
nicepix
Well-known member
I'm a blanker!
40C on the thermometer but I had to get out today as it is the Chasse Lunch tomorrow and I might not see much of next week
Fishing spot was determined by shade and in the two large lakes close to where I live I could only think of three or four places where shade could be gained with a reasonable chance of a fish. The first one was taken - by a herd of cows. The second one also taken by a herd of holiday anglers. We walked around 200 metres to the next one and discovered it not to be in shade. The old dog was all but done for so I dunked her to revive the old girl before walking back. Up to the next lake, all 220 hectares of it and had it all to myself. Managed to find a spot under some trees where I watched the water for half an hour. All the activity was around 60 - 70 metres out. Far too far for my centrepin casting and to be honest, even if I stood on one leg, put my tongue out and somehow managed to get the bait out there I haven't a Scooby-Doo how to tackle leaping carp over 30 foot of water. Anyone?
Did three hours fishing the near drop off for zero interest.
40C on the thermometer but I had to get out today as it is the Chasse Lunch tomorrow and I might not see much of next week
Fishing spot was determined by shade and in the two large lakes close to where I live I could only think of three or four places where shade could be gained with a reasonable chance of a fish. The first one was taken - by a herd of cows. The second one also taken by a herd of holiday anglers. We walked around 200 metres to the next one and discovered it not to be in shade. The old dog was all but done for so I dunked her to revive the old girl before walking back. Up to the next lake, all 220 hectares of it and had it all to myself. Managed to find a spot under some trees where I watched the water for half an hour. All the activity was around 60 - 70 metres out. Far too far for my centrepin casting and to be honest, even if I stood on one leg, put my tongue out and somehow managed to get the bait out there I haven't a Scooby-Doo how to tackle leaping carp over 30 foot of water. Anyone?
Did three hours fishing the near drop off for zero interest.
stu_the_blank
Well-known member
Out for the first time in three weeks. Late afternoon/early evening throwing plugs around. I blanked but I had three takes.
Two were jacks, both were well on but managed to throw the plug by leaping out of the water and shaking the head. It happens.
The third was a different take. A large vortex behind the plug followed by everything going solid. The rod hooped over but the fish wasn’t impressed. It just moved sideways on and showed a very impressive side view. My biggest from this lake is a winter 22-08, this looked considerably bigger, and at this time of year! It moved slowly but purposefully then came up, shook it’s head and seemed to slowly let go.
The weather changed as the sun dropped, a bit murky and the temperature dropped. The lake went dead.
Nice to be out again though. Next time?
Stu
Two were jacks, both were well on but managed to throw the plug by leaping out of the water and shaking the head. It happens.
The third was a different take. A large vortex behind the plug followed by everything going solid. The rod hooped over but the fish wasn’t impressed. It just moved sideways on and showed a very impressive side view. My biggest from this lake is a winter 22-08, this looked considerably bigger, and at this time of year! It moved slowly but purposefully then came up, shook it’s head and seemed to slowly let go.
The weather changed as the sun dropped, a bit murky and the temperature dropped. The lake went dead.
Nice to be out again though. Next time?
Stu
S-Kippy
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Just back from 3 days sea trouting in Wales with the Big Feller. River very high and pacey...in fact borderline fishable on the fly at night on the day we arrived. We went anyway and I'm sure Phil was glad we did cos he had 3 fish in the first hour while I never had a pull. Got soaked too as it rained from the moment we got there to the moment we walked off. I've fallen in and been dryer !
Second night river less pacey and just about cock on for the fly. This time it was Phil's turn to not have a pull. I had a small sewin, a half hearted pull and rose a fish to a surface lure. Phil wandered down to where I was and fished through the bottom run behind me before announcing he was going to have a "slow walk back" as his knee [which needs replacing] was playing up. I said I wouldn't be long but just wanted to go back through with a surface lure. "I wont be long" I said.......! Little did I know.
Third chuck on the sl I had an almighty take and hooked a fish. Great....I thought, at least I'll have something to show for me efforts. Then it throws itself out of the water and goes mental. OMG....I've hooked one of the big uns ! I then have one of the most exciting & heart stopping 10 mins of my angling life with this beast of a sea trout throwing itself out of the water and charging around like a maniac with me hanging on for grim death and praying that it stays on. It does.
Eventually it starts to dog around deep under the rod and starts to tire. The rod is bossing it now and I'm as calm as you like. Kneel down,net out,draw the fish over the net [it just about fits!]and lift. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssss ! Then it all goes Pete Tong !
Cos I'm kneeling down I cant lift the net over the bank easily....I do but barely,the fish kicks,knocks the net out of my hand,the trailing treble sticks in the net mesh and with that leverage the fish tears itself free of the main hook and drops onto the bank. I drop the rod,grab at the fish which kicks again,bounces off my lap onto the bank,kicks again and drops straight back into the river. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I am utterly devastated. I am in utter shock as I watch this huge sea trout swim lazily off back to its lie.My mind is numb...I am so heartbroken I cannot speak and just sit there stunned for about 2 minutes before packing up and trudging dejectedly back to the car.I've just caught the fish of a lifetime and my moment of glory has been snatched away from me....and its my own stupid fault. No picture,no fish and no weight. When I gat back to the car I can hardly speak. Phil wisely says very little.
How big ? I'll never know...but Alex has a 13lb sea trout in a case in his lounge and the next morning I was looking at this thing and comparing it to the beast I had albeit briefly. My fish was a tad longer but maybe not so deep. I dont think it was as big as Alex's but it wasn't much smaller....12lb I guessed at the time,maybe a bit more.
The next night I had another sewin and Phil had 2 more but only small fish. I fished like a git because I was still thinking about the big one.
Gonna take me a while to get over that. I've been after that fish for 10 years but when all said and done nobody got hurt and I would not have missed the fight or my 5 seconds of glory for anything.
Sh*t most definately happens !
Second night river less pacey and just about cock on for the fly. This time it was Phil's turn to not have a pull. I had a small sewin, a half hearted pull and rose a fish to a surface lure. Phil wandered down to where I was and fished through the bottom run behind me before announcing he was going to have a "slow walk back" as his knee [which needs replacing] was playing up. I said I wouldn't be long but just wanted to go back through with a surface lure. "I wont be long" I said.......! Little did I know.
Third chuck on the sl I had an almighty take and hooked a fish. Great....I thought, at least I'll have something to show for me efforts. Then it throws itself out of the water and goes mental. OMG....I've hooked one of the big uns ! I then have one of the most exciting & heart stopping 10 mins of my angling life with this beast of a sea trout throwing itself out of the water and charging around like a maniac with me hanging on for grim death and praying that it stays on. It does.
Eventually it starts to dog around deep under the rod and starts to tire. The rod is bossing it now and I'm as calm as you like. Kneel down,net out,draw the fish over the net [it just about fits!]and lift. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssss ! Then it all goes Pete Tong !
Cos I'm kneeling down I cant lift the net over the bank easily....I do but barely,the fish kicks,knocks the net out of my hand,the trailing treble sticks in the net mesh and with that leverage the fish tears itself free of the main hook and drops onto the bank. I drop the rod,grab at the fish which kicks again,bounces off my lap onto the bank,kicks again and drops straight back into the river. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I am utterly devastated. I am in utter shock as I watch this huge sea trout swim lazily off back to its lie.My mind is numb...I am so heartbroken I cannot speak and just sit there stunned for about 2 minutes before packing up and trudging dejectedly back to the car.I've just caught the fish of a lifetime and my moment of glory has been snatched away from me....and its my own stupid fault. No picture,no fish and no weight. When I gat back to the car I can hardly speak. Phil wisely says very little.
How big ? I'll never know...but Alex has a 13lb sea trout in a case in his lounge and the next morning I was looking at this thing and comparing it to the beast I had albeit briefly. My fish was a tad longer but maybe not so deep. I dont think it was as big as Alex's but it wasn't much smaller....12lb I guessed at the time,maybe a bit more.
The next night I had another sewin and Phil had 2 more but only small fish. I fished like a git because I was still thinking about the big one.
Gonna take me a while to get over that. I've been after that fish for 10 years but when all said and done nobody got hurt and I would not have missed the fight or my 5 seconds of glory for anything.
Sh*t most definately happens !
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itsfishingnotcatching
Well-known member
I was going to "like" this S-Kippy but it sums up all the things that go wrong for us . Pick yourself up, assess what you could have done better and do it next time
S-Kippy
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I've done that, Ian. I know what happened and why and I won't make that mistake again. It's a bloody hard lesson to learn but you DONT try to lift double figure sea trout one handed when you're knelt down because you've got to swing the net behind you to reach the bank and that is a disaster waiting to happen with an extended net. Got to lift it too high and I am not blessed with wrists like a silverback gorilla like Phil.......neither am I 6 ft tall knelt down. Obvious really.....just wish I'd learned me lesson on a 3 pounder and not a bloody great lump.
The net is not right either. It is not deep enough and has a very soft mesh which is an absolute hook magnet and that damned flying treble gave the fish the leverage it needed to pull the main hook out. It's no consolation whatsoever to hear that exactly the same thing has happened to Alex and Phil lost a good fish due to the trailing teble sticking in the net about 3 years ago. The net can be changed...and will be.
Should I ever get another chance I will not be so anxious to get the damned thing out of the water. I will drop the rod and lift the net with both hands and by the frame not the handle.
On the plus side at least I know I can catch them and it was nobodies fault but mine. I dread to think what it would have been like if the Big Man had been there and he'd been on netting duties and the same thing had happened. He'd be feeling even worse than I am.
Oh well.....I've saved meself 2k by not having it set up which I have always promised myself I would do if i got one over 12, pound. This would definitely have made that so all ll I have to do now is go back and catch a bigger one.....I know where the barstids live !
The net is not right either. It is not deep enough and has a very soft mesh which is an absolute hook magnet and that damned flying treble gave the fish the leverage it needed to pull the main hook out. It's no consolation whatsoever to hear that exactly the same thing has happened to Alex and Phil lost a good fish due to the trailing teble sticking in the net about 3 years ago. The net can be changed...and will be.
Should I ever get another chance I will not be so anxious to get the damned thing out of the water. I will drop the rod and lift the net with both hands and by the frame not the handle.
On the plus side at least I know I can catch them and it was nobodies fault but mine. I dread to think what it would have been like if the Big Man had been there and he'd been on netting duties and the same thing had happened. He'd be feeling even worse than I am.
Oh well.....I've saved meself 2k by not having it set up which I have always promised myself I would do if i got one over 12, pound. This would definitely have made that so all ll I have to do now is go back and catch a bigger one.....I know where the barstids live !
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maggot_dangler
Well-known member
Well it was a nice afternoon for Rudd yesterday .
14 of them all on maggot on the drop all in the 1/2 to 3/4 lb region .
Plenty of big Tench patrolling as well but not a sniff from them , have to remember to take some bread with me next time .
Then along came a number of barges and bingo fish all gone done a runner , tried for another hour after that but zipp ...
PG ..
14 of them all on maggot on the drop all in the 1/2 to 3/4 lb region .
Plenty of big Tench patrolling as well but not a sniff from them , have to remember to take some bread with me next time .
Then along came a number of barges and bingo fish all gone done a runner
, tried for another hour after that but zipp ...PG ..
itsfishingnotcatching
Well-known member
With some seriously heavy overnight rain, I decided that I would have a session on the Salwarpe instead of chancing the steep banks of the Severn or Teme. Met office stated dry for Worcester, had 45 minute downpour good job I took the brolly (again), you just can't trust these Gov't Quangos Fished from about 8.30 'til 2.30, four Chub (biggest around a pound) 5 Perch to about half a pound, two Dace that went around 6 oz apiece, four Roach around 3-4 oz and 20+ 3-5" chublets and small dace (couldn't be bothered to check which)
The Salwarpe mirrors what I have found on other rivers this season, an awful lot of very small fish, hopefully the end result will be some excellent fishing in three to four years time
Fished from about 8.30 'til 2.30, four Chub (biggest around a pound) 5 Perch to about half a pound, two Dace that went around 6 oz apiece, four Roach around 3-4 oz and 20+ 3-5" chublets and small dace (couldn't be bothered to check which)The Salwarpe mirrors what I have found on other rivers this season, an awful lot of very small fish, hopefully the end result will be some excellent fishing in three to four years time
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
Having taken an enforced week way from fishing to deal with all the issues that follow one around until they just have to be dealt with, it was very good to get out for a few hours today. It was a 10pm decision made last night so I didn't expect miracles, and by golly, I wasn't disappointed !
It was the promise of rain in the forecast that got my a$$ into gear so it was a case of deciding baits what might do best. In the end I went for bread flake/crust for the wet/overcast period first thing and then hemp/tares as the light improved via the promised sunshine from mid morning. The freezer was raided and a few slices of medium thick plus the hemp and tares were left to defrost for the 04.30 off.
Yes, we had the rain for an hour or two and the flake produced a few roach, but for some strange reason and over an hour or so, every bite producing a fish became every bite producing ziltch. No rhyme nor reason, they just went finicky on me....
The hemp and tares gave me a few more fish, but I became fixated on the flake missed bites and tried a few things to rectify it. The 14 hook with small pinches was changes to a 12 with more hook point showing and this improved matters to some degree. I then went OTT and used a 10 with larger lumps of flake, but things only improved markedly when quite by chance I recast with just the remnants of the original flake still on the hook and took a nice roach around 10" long.
In the end I was using pinched ( or part flattened ) 6mm discs of flake ( produced by a meat cutter being pushed through the bread ) on the seemingly oversized hook and this took a dozed fish between 6" to 11" long......Yes, a 6" roach on a size 10, and fairly hooked in the top lip !
Sport gradually fizzled out as it got warmer and despite a change back to H & T I gave it best around noon.
Not a bad session, with a bit of lateral thinking giving me the edge..........just !
ps Oh, and I learned something new as well !
It was the promise of rain in the forecast that got my a$$ into gear so it was a case of deciding baits what might do best. In the end I went for bread flake/crust for the wet/overcast period first thing and then hemp/tares as the light improved via the promised sunshine from mid morning. The freezer was raided and a few slices of medium thick plus the hemp and tares were left to defrost for the 04.30 off.
Yes, we had the rain for an hour or two and the flake produced a few roach, but for some strange reason and over an hour or so, every bite producing a fish became every bite producing ziltch. No rhyme nor reason, they just went finicky on me....
The hemp and tares gave me a few more fish, but I became fixated on the flake missed bites and tried a few things to rectify it. The 14 hook with small pinches was changes to a 12 with more hook point showing and this improved matters to some degree. I then went OTT and used a 10 with larger lumps of flake, but things only improved markedly when quite by chance I recast with just the remnants of the original flake still on the hook and took a nice roach around 10" long.
In the end I was using pinched ( or part flattened ) 6mm discs of flake ( produced by a meat cutter being pushed through the bread ) on the seemingly oversized hook and this took a dozed fish between 6" to 11" long......Yes, a 6" roach on a size 10, and fairly hooked in the top lip !
Sport gradually fizzled out as it got warmer and despite a change back to H & T I gave it best around noon.
Not a bad session, with a bit of lateral thinking giving me the edge..........just !
ps Oh, and I learned something new as well !
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peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Club match at Willows lakes nr St Albans. We fished the big pit. A long wide water of some 20+ acres. Light rain to start with getting hotter as the day wore on. Started on the method with banded pellet shaped 10mm boilies in groundbait. Tip went after a few minutes and a 3lb skimmer followed by another.
Went a bit quiet so I started pinging red maggots, hemp and groundbait on my 3 m whip line.
Ate my bun and drank a cuppa then started on the whip, 4 hours later I had about 12lb of roach, skimmers, a few hard fighting roach / bream hybrids, and a couple of perch.
Weighed in 18lb 1oz.
Winner had 92lb including a 19lb catfish! Obviously pike aren't counted in our matches but a catfish hasn't ever been caught before and has never been counted out either..
Not that it made much difference to the result anyway...
21 fished....
Went a bit quiet so I started pinging red maggots, hemp and groundbait on my 3 m whip line.
Ate my bun and drank a cuppa then started on the whip, 4 hours later I had about 12lb of roach, skimmers, a few hard fighting roach / bream hybrids, and a couple of perch.
Weighed in 18lb 1oz.
Winner had 92lb including a 19lb catfish! Obviously pike aren't counted in our matches but a catfish hasn't ever been caught before and has never been counted out either..
Not that it made much difference to the result anyway...
21 fished....
S-Kippy
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I bet that cat didn't come out on a 4m whip and a pinkie !
arthur2sheds
Well-known member
Club match...
Southend Farm Near Epping was the venue and I'd popped up during the week to watch a match and a mate won it with 94lb on the feeder with micro pellets and Bandums on the hook... Carp were the target but the bream obliged...
Well, fast forward to this morning, and I got a draw on peg 20, opposite the winning peg from Tuesday... I mimicked our buddies methods, the only difference was, I was using the new Guru Hybrid feeders.. (I'm definitely impressed) and started catching Bream from the off... I managed to keep the slimy critters coming for most of the day, with two brief Carpy interludes.. they probably went about 7 and 5lb and added to the overall weight.
The lake looked quiet and there didn't seem to be many fish being caught and I honestly thought that I'd done enough to frame, but as the scales came round it was obvious some sneaky Carp snaffling had been occurring, with 101lbs coming out on the Tuesdays winning peg, and the winner's son backing up with a 92lb 14 oz, 60lb took third spot with a net of Bream, and I was 4th with 54lb 8oz ho hum still, a good days fishing and I arrived home smothered in slime and stinking to high heaven... oh and with a wicked case of sunburn on me neck below the hatline so I now have a two-tone headmg:
The downside of the day was my tennis elbow flaring up, making it damn near impossible to handle my feeder rod... a quick text to the wife and she headed over with pain-killers and anti-inflammatories (bless her, she's a bloody diamond)
Oh well, I suppose 4th is not to be sneezed at, and it adds vital points to my meagre championship tally... my pairs partner snaffled over 40lbs of Bream as well and considering he's in his 80's is none to shabby and should enhance our pairs position.... albeit not by much... but a good days fishing nevertheless.... next one is Tylers Common... I hate the place.... we shall see what transpires... till the next time:wh
Southend Farm Near Epping was the venue and I'd popped up during the week to watch a match and a mate won it with 94lb on the feeder with micro pellets and Bandums on the hook... Carp were the target but the bream obliged...
Well, fast forward to this morning, and I got a draw on peg 20, opposite the winning peg from Tuesday... I mimicked our buddies methods, the only difference was, I was using the new Guru Hybrid feeders.. (I'm definitely impressed) and started catching Bream from the off... I managed to keep the slimy critters coming for most of the day, with two brief Carpy interludes.. they probably went about 7 and 5lb and added to the overall weight.
The lake looked quiet and there didn't seem to be many fish being caught and I honestly thought that I'd done enough to frame, but as the scales came round it was obvious some sneaky Carp snaffling had been occurring, with 101lbs coming out on the Tuesdays winning peg, and the winner's son backing up with a 92lb 14 oz, 60lb took third spot with a net of Bream, and I was 4th with 54lb 8oz ho hum still, a good days fishing and I arrived home smothered in slime and stinking to high heaven... oh and with a wicked case of sunburn on me neck below the hatline so I now have a two-tone head
mg: The downside of the day was my tennis elbow flaring up, making it damn near impossible to handle my feeder rod... a quick text to the wife and she headed over with pain-killers and anti-inflammatories (bless her, she's a bloody diamond
)Oh well, I suppose 4th is not to be sneezed at, and it adds vital points to my meagre championship tally... my pairs partner snaffled over 40lbs of Bream as well and considering he's in his 80's is none to shabby and should enhance our pairs position.... albeit not by much... but a good days fishing nevertheless.... next one is Tylers Common... I hate the place....
we shall see what transpires... till the next time:wh
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Hooked 2 lumps and smashed 2 light rigs during the day .
3 hours yesterday tying whip rigs kind of paid off Skippy'...
Swung most of them but didn't lose any at the net
....
Salford Friendly fish-in on a stretch of the Irwell near Salford city centre yesterday evening. River was about a welly up on 'normal' with a little bit of colour - looked good at first but unfortunately the previous night's rain had dislodged some 'resting' weed and bankside trimmings - so we ended-up with barrel-loads of sub-surface weed drifting through all afternoon and evening!
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Trotted a worm down and found it impossible to detect a bite - due to the amount of weed festooning around the tackle whenever you attempted to 'hold-back' - 3 rattling 'knocks' which I suspect were little brownies - struck into them - only to have a good solid scrap against 2-3lb of weed in the current!
Realised I was going to lose some tackle before long - with a 2.2lb hooklength - as even more weed started coming down and switched to free-lining worm with 1BB - not much different but at least I'd minimised potential tackle loss!
Some numpty decided to feed the local hoard of Canada Geese from the footbridge - showering me with bits of stale loaves - after exchanging greetings in a number of languages - he departed - having turned my swim into Goose Central! mg:
Once they'd departed - chasing the bread they'd missed down the river - I tried free-lining some bits of bread on the 'loose-fed' swim - with some slurps manifesting about a yard after I'd pulled-out of the bread to clear the weed off the line - again! Couldn't really develop this promising tactic due to the reappearance of the Canada Goose Massive - innit?
My mate fishing about 100yds upstream of the bridge in a slack had a 6lb11oz Bream and a 14oz brownie. Even he - having fished it before - was finding it difficult going with all the weed.
It'll be interesting to give it another go when the weed has cleared - after the traditional school holiday downpours that will happen any day now!mg:
Trotted a worm down and found it impossible to detect a bite - due to the amount of weed festooning around the tackle whenever you attempted to 'hold-back' - 3 rattling 'knocks' which I suspect were little brownies - struck into them - only to have a good solid scrap against 2-3lb of weed in the current!
Realised I was going to lose some tackle before long - with a 2.2lb hooklength - as even more weed started coming down and switched to free-lining worm with 1BB - not much different but at least I'd minimised potential tackle loss!
Some numpty decided to feed the local hoard of Canada Geese from the footbridge - showering me with bits of stale loaves
- after exchanging greetings in a number of languages - he departed - having turned my swim into Goose Central! mg:Once they'd departed - chasing the bread they'd missed down the river - I tried free-lining some bits of bread on the 'loose-fed' swim - with some slurps manifesting about a yard after I'd pulled-out of the bread to clear the weed off the line - again! Couldn't really develop this promising tactic due to the reappearance of the Canada Goose Massive - innit?
My mate fishing about 100yds upstream of the bridge in a slack had a 6lb11oz Bream and a 14oz brownie. Even he - having fished it before - was finding it difficult going with all the weed.
It'll be interesting to give it another go when the weed has cleared - after the traditional school holiday downpours that will happen any day now!
mg:
S-Kippy
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Hooked 2 lumps and smashed 2 light rigs during the day .
3 hours yesterday tying whip rigs kind of paid off Skippy'...
Swung most of them but didn't lose any at the net
I think you might find big angry sea trout hooked at night rather more challenging than a 4oz half dead skimmer. You want to try some proper manfishing sometime but remember to bring a change of underpants !