How did you get on?

[Butcherboy]

I've been waiting for my stretch to rise for a while as it needed a refresh. Arrived to find it around a 1.5m up and tanking through. Perfect. My goal for this season is a double figure Barbel from here. I've got a fairly good understanding of the swims now so had a spot in mind. Amazingly the margins in this swim where almost at a standstill inside the crease.

Time to test my new to me Darent Valley 1.25lb Avon\quiver.
Simple setup, big hook, strong line & a light lead. 2oz tip in place which was actually nice and sensitive.
If anyone is a tight arse like me check out these hooks, I use these in all sizes and they have never let me down. Super sharp & strong. Usually £1.99 0r £2.20 which is nice compared to some of the hook prices. I've actually stopped buying other hooks now.

Bait was the super smelly Lidl garlic sausage which is fast becoming my go to meat choice. Big chunks which actually look too big. The hook pulls through lovely, 400g for £1.99 perfect.

The river was alive with fish topping and rolling, which is great to see. What surprised me was Barbel rolling in the fastest part of the river. Never attempted to place a bait there, would have needed leads bigger than I was carrying.
3 fish later I ended up with this beauty, not a double but still lovely.

Thoroughly enjoyable day which absolutely flew by. Can't wait to get back on the bank now.
The Darent Valley 1.25lb was a real surprise and will be my winter Chub rod.

Steve

 

[terry m]

I ambled down the Avon this afternoon mainly to get some fresh air, low expectations as the river was high and very coloured, but I took the lure rod anyway. One take on a rattling jerk bait led to a very feisty 12lb 9oz Esox. Super lean, gave me a smile.

 

[peterjg]

Whatever happened to September, it flew past!?
Last month I went fishing 12 times. Fluke of the month was a 28lb 3oz common carp caught on a 6mm pellet while roach fishing (3lb hooklength) - I was very lucky to land it. That day I also had a 4lb tench on a 8mm pellet. Twice my wife came with me, one day she had 8 carp and some roach and I managed 4 carp and some roach - beaten yet again - she is the master of the swingtip!
Two trips on the Kennet both successful. On one trip I got the roach going on trotted wheat but was pestered by pike, two roach were taken by pike as I returned them - I'm positive that they lie in wait. I had to keep walking up the bank to return them safely (I hope). Another time I bounced a cage feeder round and caught some decent roach touch legering bread.
One trip on the K&A canal, caught 5 roach and 2 snotties.
One trip on the Thames (before all the rain!) caught 28 roach, some on trotted wheat. On the leger corn was better than bread (unusual).
For some inexplicable reason I altered my usual leger rig and suffered from loads of tangles so soon swapped it back!
One short trip on the river Wey, caught a few small roach, dace and perch. Packed up and drove to a nearby lake and was forced to sit in the car because of a torrential thunder storm - decided not to bother and by the time I reached home the sun was shining - typical!
On a lake I fish regularly for roach it is being ruined by dopey carp anglers chucking in vast amounts of bait in the belief that they improve their chances - gross stupidity!
An enjoyable month, the leaves are starting to fall now. Kennet tomorrow!

 

[@Clive]

I had a day on the Vienne. My car is in the garage for a week or so and the little orange Clio that they have loaned me f.o.c isn't big enough to get more than a telescopic rod and day pack in so I borrowed the wife's estate car. That involved more terms & conditions being agreed to than if I had hired one from Hertz! The garage just gave me the keys for the Clio and told me they would ring when my car was ready. Anyway, I only broke one of the t&c's and I think I have got away with it

The fishing was rubbish! I started with two rods after putting in some cereals, pellets and crushed boilies using bait droppers. I used a large spomb initially, but it failed to open a couple of times so I finished off with a large Fox dropper that was much more reliable and easier to retrieve. The Ugly Stick Uptider and Penn Liveliner 760L made short work of delivering half a pound of bait each chuck. After a few casts it was obvious that the 3oz feeders weren't going to hold without a large bow of line being allowed to form. That was difficult with two rods so I put one back in the car.

It persisted it down all day, sometimes very heavy. The big brolly did its job though. Baits were changed regularly; boilies, Frolicks, garlic meat and maize all failed equally.

 

[riverman]

not a very productive day yesterday.went to tollerton ponds just off the a19 in between york and thirsk.it was my mates choice of venue and we fished coot pond,there were just a few spare pegs as there were matches on all 3 ponds and the pegs we fished were pre-arranged.i ended up with only 9 fish in total 5 chub and 4 f1;s.all taken on waggler fished mussels and bacon grill with hemp over the top .even the matchman on the other side were struggling at times.its a nice venue with nice lakes cafe and pleasant owners but the place is overfished as its hammered with matches.

 

[mikench]

Just returned after a days fishing with Gordon. It didn’t rain and wasn’t cold but that’s as far as the good news goes. Gordon’s new rod didn’t turn up in the post so he was unable to try it. In my case it was the fish that didn’t turn up but on reflection that was the same for the many who turned up even Gordon. I tried out my brand new but 20 year old Shimano Technium Specialist for the first time. It didn’t really get much of a work out as I only managed 2 carp around 7lb and a bream on steroids. It put up the same fight as the carp and I was convinced it was a carp. A previously unknown experience.

Gordon had several decent bream and roach plus a small perch. It was an interesting day and a shame the fish did not oblige. If Kev is looking in I have a question about the Isotope rings on the 4 tips which I doubt I will ever use and which, imo , can cause wrap arounds. Have you removed yours and if so how. Other than that I like the road.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Just returned after a days fishing with Gordon. It didn’t rain and wasn’t cold but that’s as far as the good news goes. Gordon’s new rod didn’t turn up in the post so he was unable to try it. In my case it was the fish that didn’t turn up but on reflection that was the same for the many who turned up even Gordon. I tried out my brand new but 20 year old Shimano Technium Specialist for the first time. It didn’t really get much of a work out as I only managed 2 carp around 7lb and a bream on steroids. It put up the same fight as the carp and I was convinced it was a carp. A previously unknown experience.

View attachment 31723
Gordon had several decent bream and roach plus a small perch. It was an interesting day and a shame the fish did not oblige. If Kev is looking in I have a question about the Isotope rings on the 4 tips which I doubt I will ever use and which, imo , can cause wrap arounds. Have you removed yours and if so how. Other than than I like the road.

The rings have a piece of clear silicone tubing slid on them which the isotopes push into. I didn’t find they tangled particularly, but didn’t hold the tube for the isotopes very well either.

You can buy adapters they are made by Enterprise Tackle that open out and once fitted over the quiver tip take chemical lights that fit into the clear plastic tube that is supplied with the adaptor, they are better and the light is brighter. The lights get sold every so often by Lidl’s and are cheap.

 

[mikench]

I would like to get rid of them altogether Ray.

 

[riverman]

Just returned after a days fishing with Gordon. It didn’t rain and wasn’t cold but that’s as far as the good news goes. Gordon’s new rod didn’t turn up in the post so he was unable to try it. In my case it was the fish that didn’t turn up but on reflection that was the same for the many who turned up even Gordon. I tried out my brand new but 20 year old Shimano Technium Specialist for the first time. It didn’t really get much of a work out as I only managed 2 carp around 7lb and a bream on steroids. It put up the same fight as the carp and I was convinced it was a carp. A previously unknown experience.

View attachment 31723
Gordon had several decent bream and roach plus a small perch. It was an interesting day and a shame the fish did not oblige. If Kev is looking in I have a question about the Isotope rings on the 4 tips which I doubt I will ever use and which, imo , can cause wrap arounds. Have you removed yours and if so how. Other than than I like the road.

not that bad mike.better than my day by the sound of it.at least you had a bend in the rod.

 

[Butcherboy]

I would like to get rid of them altogether Ray.

I removed mine on one tip to try. The wire is very thin and breaks easily

 

[Alan Whitty]

Been today, started quite late and fished the float and meat over pellet, I caught 11 crucian/goldfish things to 1lb 15ozs 8drms, with two other fish over 1-8, 3 tench, biggest a male around 2.8-3lbs, a bream over 3lbs and 7 skimmers, it was pleasant, dry, sunny and warm, pictures of the biggest cru and tench below....lovely fishing on 2lb mainline and 0.10mm hooklength...

 

[Kevin aka Aethelbald]

Spent about £70.00 on tackle this morning, mostly on bait, additives (yes. I'm a sucker) and PVA mesh. Then went for a few hours this afternoon and caught this beauty on.... maggots and (bear in mind it was flood water conditions) a 15g weight, no feeder, no groundbait and no freebies. Sort of counter-intuitive.

You can't beat that moment when the fish surfaces and you see that unmistakeable dorsal fin! Magic.

 

[Butcherboy]

Fairly early start on a fantastic morning

I roved the river

I fished static on a different stretch

And blanked.
Not a bite.
And loved it

 

[Alan Whitty]

Went today, back to the crucian lake, fished a swim I last fished in May, had five cru's/goldfish things, two best 2lbs 2ozs 8dms and 2lbs 10ozs 8dms, two tench, three carp, biggest 8lbs 6ozs, nine skimmers and an ok perch.

Please excuse my size 11's, but it ensured the beggar stayed still long enough for the picture....
P.S. I had two signal crayfish which I killed with a stab from my Swiss army knife, the speed in which a crow dismembered them was incredible to watch....

 

[terry m]

The leaves on my cherry blossom tree turned orange a couple of days ago which is a signal for me to dig out the proper pike gear. So this morning I arrived on the Hants Avon and sat behind a couple of floats in anticipation. About 9.30 the paternostered smelt sailed away and a really good tussle resulted in a 25lb 11oz female on the mat. The picture is not great and the blood is all mine. Not another touch until I packed up mid afternoon. Nonetheless I was absolutely buzzing, and a wonderful start to the pike season proper.

 

[chevin4]

I was looking forward to getting out on the banks yesterday which was my first trip since the end of August. The day didn't start well i reached the level crossing near the fisherto be met with the Emergency Services sadly someone had been hit by a train. The young women PC advised that the road to the fishery would be closed for a couple of hours. I decided to change plans and drive the 30 minutes or so to the small stream instead. The traffic was heavy and by the time I reached the car park there where 8 anglers cars already there. I found a swim which I haven't fished before but apparently it has produced double figure barbel in the past. Unfortunately I only had boillies which me which I was going to use on my first choice water. It was slow going but avoided a blank but catching a couple of small barbel of around 3lb and 5lb on John Baker boillies and matching paste. I found found boillies are not that affective on this venue had I had either maggots or pellets with me I am confident I would have caught more. It was however a lovely Autumn day and apart from a couple of showers it remained dry. It was great to get out again and looking forward to visiting the syndicate water next week.

 

[Steve Arnold]

It has been a few weeks since I last fished. After a few very good but short barbel sessions I went down with a bad cold, which then turned into a bacterial sinus infection needing antibiotics. Today I was at the end of those drugs and feeling fractionally better, but a looong way from fit!

As the forecast was good for the afternoon I went fishing, but the river is racing after recent rains. My first choice swim was occupied by two (in)famous celebrity anglers..... with about 20 crew, hangers on etc. Anyone recognise them?

Maybe their researcher has seen my posts!

So, after shouting "You buggers nicked my swim, Good Luck" I headed up the valley to my 2nd choice swim.

The river was in full flow but there was a slight eddy where a canal section joined the main river.

I used the 2.25lb tc rod to cast a carp bait into the canal and the 1.75lb tc rod fished the edge of the main current for barbel. The heavier rod took the first fish after an hour.......

24 lbs of prime river Lot carp, heck of a fight. Fortunately it stayed in the canal section though I had to walk it to the edge of the main river to net, I made sure it was properly tired first!

The lighter rod was picking up leaves and I reset the bait closer to the point of the island that split the current. After about another hour the tip slammed down and I was into what was obviously another carp. Would it split right into the river or left into the canal? Fortunately it played nice and did a fast 80 yd run into the canal!

I followed as far as I could to keep the line above the fish, lots of boulders here! Finally it stopped and I started walking it back to my netting point. Of course it was into the rocks, through the weed, snicking brambles from the bank. Thank goodness I use tough braid!

Finally it made several short runs under a moored boat, again the braid could take it!

Finally in the net and it looked identical to the first carp. It weighed just 2lbs less at 22lbs......such lovely proportioned fish....

Not a bad afternoon fishing, the river Lot looked magnificent as always!

 

[Philip]

Not a bad afternoon fishing, the river Lot looked magnificent as always!

Brilliant afternoons sport ! ..Two stunning river Carp there Steve, what a tail on the first one, no wonder it gave you the run around. Well done !

 

[mikench]

Well done Steve and beautiful fish. I bet W and M were saying “ that is the famous Lot angler we have read about; shall we ask for his autograph?”

 

[Steve Arnold]

Well done Steve and beautiful fish. I bet W and M were saying “ that is the famous Lot angler we have read about; shall we ask for his autograph?”

I think the sideways glance I got from Bob was more a "Buck off you twit!" as they had just ended a take.

The actual spot I planned to fish is where the camera crew were set up. I have had good catches of barbel and some really nice chub in that horrendous back eddy. The main river was running at 350 cubic metres per second yesterday afternoon, bad timing for M&W to visit!

One episode I might enjoy when it is shown, there would have been good fish in that swim.