How did you get on?

[flightliner]

I'm at one of those fishing crossroads at the moment, seasonal changes do that, totally unavoidable but the water I ,ve been fishing has pretty much switched off but with my lure gear still ready to use I decided at the last minute to give it another go for a perch instead of a pre planned barbel trotting session.
I decided to go late afternoon to see if dusk would throw one or two up to my rods as a couple of years ago it was "hot".
Four pm and my first cast with my slowly wound in lure was hit by a very fiesty pike that would have been hard pressed to make three lbs in my scales , but the hook was esily hand moved allowing me to move on a few minutes later.
Swim two and an even smaller pike hits the lure again along with several hits n misses soon after it was returned.
I settled behind a carp angler for a chat, partly sociable part killing time until the sun went below the skyline , the thought of more tiny pike wasnt ringing any bells at that moment, pretty as they are they wernt exactly my reasons for being there.
It was a good chat, an exchange of Trent pike venues is always usefull info and one that I will use later in the year and hopefully the both of us will profit from the conversation.
Fading light saw me moving down to the area that I had been reserving till last, one that I have done ok from in the past.
I worked my lures as best I could but nothing was forthcoming untill it was almost pitch black when fry , unseen untill then were suddenly appearing on the surface which was promising evidence of a predater maybe being present.
A cast beyond them was taken at the point just when it was travelling thro the shoal, a take so soft it could easily be mistaken for some weedy obstruction, a little pause then away went some underwater beast that was suddenly gone at the same moment.
Another pike, perch?, Impossible to say but I had to go, besides, it was really cold, hard to believe before the sun went down but now, with only a light summerwear on It was freezing.

 

[dorsetandchub]

I met with Graham (The Crow) shortly after 6am this morning for a very enjoyable day out on the river.

In contrast to the sharp frost back at the beginning of the week it was a mild start and whilst I was after another big stripey to top the one last weekend, Graham was having what turned out to be a successful crack at the barbel.

A slow start for me really on the long rod with float and lobworm with little to show for the first few hours except a possible missed chance on the first drop in, I know the swim well and remarked to Graham that I was thinking about setting up the light float rod and just trotting down the edge under a constant rain of maggots which I know, from previous experience, the big perch get preoccupied with.

Shortly afterwards I was doing just that having set up a light 2 x no.4 stick rig shotted with no.10’s along with a 3.3lb Supplex flouro hooklink and B911X size 18 spade end and whilst it was always going to be a case of wading through the bits I didn’t expect a barbel of around 8lb but I soon had one in the net.

A while later and I hit into another seemingly ordinary bite just off the rod tip and this time I remarked to Graham that I knew it was a good perch as it bored away whilst angrily shaking its head, to put it into context just how well these Trent fish fight it took me for around four rod lengths which was further than the barbel and it still went on a second run, almost as far, after I had first seen the fish on the surface!

Luckily I didn’t suffer a dreaded hook pull and with the fish in the net I was pretty certain it was my first ‘3’ of the season…



Graham did me proud with a few pictures and the fish was weighed and returned at 3lb 1oz.

Happy with that, roll on the weekend!

Cheers Graham, great craic once again... :w

Wow, what a munter!!! The perch is ok and all!!

Seriously, smashing fish Steve. Very, very well done. Just reward for all the self denial. Great stuff mate.

 

[Tee-Cee]

I fished a still water for the best part of six hours today from 7am. Much colder generally but I was fishing with the wind behind me so not too bad at all for a bit of roach fishing. I finished with about 30 fish to almost a pound with a majority over 8ozs. From the off I fished single red maggot on a 20 at around 6' so just off bottom, but I did shot up for 'on the drop' with the maggot handlebar hooked.
Mid morning as it brightened I changed to standard hemp up in the water and continued catching, with better fish the result.
Overall it was about 50/50 on these baits......

A really lovely morning on the bank and with the whole water to myself, just about perfect..

I may even go again tomorrow....................................

 

[wawaw1867]

Had three hours trying stick float fishing on our local river (rother in Chesterfield) First time I've done it. Really enjoyed it had 4 perch, biggest about 1 and half lbs, 6 roach all under a lb and a few dace the only down side I dropped all my maggots as soon as I got there so spent the first 15 mins on my hands and knees lol.

 

[seth49]

Well it was a nice day sat in the sun and out of the wind, got really warm in the afternoon, fishing was rubbish my mate decided not to go as he hates fishing in an easterly wind, could be something in that, but I did ok on Tuesday.

Had one carp come off as I was playing it, and one run which stopped as I picked the rod up. had a couple of hrs on feeder rod not a touch, no one else catching either apart from on guy on opposite bank who had four carp, best nineteen pounds.

Now I've been thinking of trying for some perch this winter, no one else does so thought it would be worth a go as I have seen them chasing fry a lot this year.
Anyway I was talking to the chap fishing the next swim to me, and he said he'd caught a three pound one ounce perch this summer on sweet corn, so it sounds like there are some decent sized ones in here.

 

[robtherake]

Managed a few hours at the roach pool. Perhaps one was a little excited, forgetting the frozen stuff (including prawn and lamprey) and not checking the maggots, which had slimed up and three-quarters turned.mg:

Chucking a few casters in the edge revealed that they were sinkers, at least, if a bit whiffy.uke: Washed, they didn't look too bad, so I delivered some in a cage feeder, sandwiched by an experimental groundbait. This was lobbed to the edge of a shelf on the ripple line with a halved lobby on a wide gape size 8, held in place with a rubber maggot. It was left to fish for itself while I fed a floatfishing line with loose casters, presenting a smaller worm on a size 10.

The swirling wind did an about-turn, delivering a chilly blast straight off the sea, and a few drops of rain began to fall. Rather than fish into it, I upped sticks and took a swim diagonally opposite where a few fish were showing. Same tactics, similar depths, different peg.

Half an hour had gone by before the quivertip slammed round, and a chubby little ghostie of a couple of pounds did a creditable perch impression until it popped up for netting. Three casts later it happened again, with the culprit being a common of similar size. Next cast, a common of four pounds or so. It went quiet for a bit, before a whacking pull saw me attached to something a great deal bigger. After a bit of a struggle I got it under the rod tip and felt a horrible grating, then bang...it looks like a new snag has appeared in one of my favourite pegs. I'll bring the rake with me next time and pull the bu99er out.

Back out, and a longer wait until another good rattle saw me playing a decent fish...for about ten seconds until the hook popped out.

The float line produced diddly squat to either worm or caster baits, but came alive right on dusk while I was putting the rod in its bag...whacking great roach slow-rolling over the feed. Bugrit.

 

[rubio]

Enjoyed a pleasant afternoon catching a few bits from a local millpool. Loads of bites from the off but from very small chublets. This years fry I shouldn't wonder. Stuck at it and kept some feed trickling in and around 4pm a few started to show. Mostly roach but a good few dace too. Maybe up to 7/8ozs. Best roach was close to a pound so no monsters. Happy to have found a few catchable in our present no flow scenario.
Currently no current

 

[thecrow]

Had some bait left over from Wednesday's river trip so decided to have a few hours on a nearby commercial to use it up.

Got there at around 9 and was the only one on the pool, couldn't decide whether to fish the end I usually do whish was the end a chilly easterly was blowing into or take the soft option and fish with the wind at my back, in the end it was where I could park my car nearest that decided it and I went for my usual end (some watercraft that was)

I had decided that I would put a good amount of groundbait in before setting up, it was a fishmeal/brown crumb mix with plenty of garlic and Cajun spice added to it also as much hemp and corn that it would carry, 5 or 6 balls went in at around 10 yards in 8ft of water, peacock loaded waggler with a 3.3 supplex hooklength that was as long as the swim was deep to a size 12 spade finished with 2 grains of corn.

For the first half hour nothing happened apart from some fish showing at the end in the lee making me wonder about my choice but I shouldnt have worried as in the next 4 hours I had 14 carp between around 4 to 6 pounds introducing more groundbait after every fish, they were great fun on my float rod, not everyone's cup of tea but I really enjoyed myself, the fish in this particular pool are good looking fish in great condition and put up a good scrap in the clear water.

Lovely fish in great nick.

 

[103841]

If all carp were as pretty as that one I wouldn't get bored with catching them.

 

[robtherake]

If all carp were as pretty as that one I wouldn't get bored with catching them.

They are quite something, aren't they? Bet they glow in the winter months.

 

[mikench]

Super looking fish Mr Crow ; well done.

 

[103841]

One small step........

This is my go to thread when I pick up my ipad and more often than not Im in awe, maybe even a tad envious at the daily postings from the regulars who seem in the main to be north of Watford, many posting from Gods own Country.

I have several drawbacks, a relative newcomer, a very slight disablement that deters me from getting to those swims where the big fish hang out and the weather, here in the far SouthEast, it seems to have been all wrong for some considerable time, either strong winds, too hot and bright, and crucially precious little rain.

So a trip to my local river (The Stour running through Canterbury) which has far too long been gin clear and very low, not ideal for catching, especially a novice. Undeterred I've had a few sessions since abandoning the still waters and have had the odd eel, roach and small stripey but not the quarry that I see teasing me just a few feet in front of me.

Having just watched a video from one of my favourite vloggers (Steve Crowe) I went today with a spring in my step and nothing more than a free lined lobworm. First cast.... As soon as the worm hit the surface a number of fish scattered in panic, I'd landed bang on the money and within a few moments landed my first ever river chub, only a pound or so, I've caught bigger from lakes but they don't count,it's all wrong, can't tell you the pleasure that brought. This was closely followed by a pretty perch of about 8 ounces. Then can you Adam and Eve it, the heavens opened, first time in ages, being a fair weather southern softie I cut my losses and left after just an hours fishing. Happy with breaking my duck and praying for the rain to continue to breathe some life back into this beautiful river.

I couldn't bring myself to take a photo of the capture, it made my landing net look huge but here's a pic of what I call the posh seats, somewhere you could fish in the finest set of tweeds and brogues without getting a speck of mud spoiling the satorial elegance.

 

[binka]

A bit of a strange day all things considered.

I dug some lobs yesterday in preparation for a perch session today and whilst I was on the river before daybreak, droppering in chopped worm as though it was going out of fashion, I did have my reservations about the painfully low and clear conditions.

Nevertheless I persevered with it until late morning before calling it a day, completely perchless, in favour of a local stillwater but not before bagging a scraper double, worm snaffling barbel.

The lake was a different proposition altogether as you might expect, especially as the only floats I had were perch bobbers along with the 15’ float rod but we cobbled together and actually made a very enjoyable afternoon of things.

Roach, perch and something which I least expected…





Not the only one of the day either.

All good and then I get home to find that the central heating is off and the boiler looks like it’s knackered!

Happy days… :w

 

[103841]

Bar of gold........stunning.

 

[binka]

Bar of gold

I've got a feeling i'll need one when I get a quote for a new boiler!

 

[mikench]

I knew it that hand puppet looks just like a Crucian!

---------- Post added at 11:56 ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 ----------

S63 what make is your landing net?

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Tried another local lake after perch.

Pics of a 4.2 on the site ( not sure) and allegedly done a 4.8.

Very pretty but pretty devoid of cover. Jam packed full of roach in nice condition and 1lb plus. Odd rudd and mini perch.

No action from the livebait rod. Saw a few pretty commons to low df . Problem is with so much food the big perch are spoilt for choice. Probably 50 lb roach.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Probably 50 lb roach.

That's a fair fish Graham, were you using Spider's scales

---------- Post added at 20:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

All good and then I get home to find that the central heating is off and the boiler looks like it’s knackered!

So, you caught a goldfish and Binkered the boiler

 

[flightliner]

I dont know where the brownie points came from but knowing how fast I can lose them I took my other halfs advice to go fishing before they were lost for some unknown, unfair infraction of the female sensibilities that make our little world go round, so, abandoning my summerwater I headed of for a days float fishing for a barbel or two yesterday on the tidal trent. It would be a nice change to be fishing actively instead of sitting back in my lowchair.
I was in luck too, no angler dead opposite gave me my prefferred swim that I was running a float down some fifteen minutes after arriving.
Normally low clear conditions dont deter the barbel from feeding here unless the temperature is/as fallen pretty low so I was happy , even after the first half hour that no bites were forthcoming.
One tiny niggle tho was that around the point where bites usually occur it seemed a snag had taken up position that had me pulling hard to release my gear from it. Even running the float a little further out failed to evade whatever it was , which when inspecting my bulk of number one shot prooved it was something rock hard evidenced by there distorted , scuffed appearance.
After an hour the float dipped with the culprit being a fat chunky perch but there were no barbel which was worrying.
By two pm and two more perch I knew it wasnt going to happen, maybe with a feeder later towards dusk but I wasnt prepared to wait.
I packed up asap and ran back down the A1 to check out the venue where I had some good barbal catches last october but other than some big chub upstream of a bridge where fishing isnt allowed there wasnt a fish to be seen along the half mile of bank downstream that I looked at, it was so low and clear and desperately in need of some rain.
I began to wish that I'd taken a gamble on the brownie points and gone a day or two later --- oh well.

 

[stu_the_blank]

Tried a lake new to me today, on the ticket of a club I joined this year.

Got down about 11-30, 5 acres of medieval hammer pond, two islands, weed beds and the remains of large liiy beds. Very still, a bit of drizzle. Nobody there at all!

Took a constitutional around the lake and settled on an area with an island in front of me and weedbeds and lilies to either side. looked promising.

Out went a flat bed method feeder on one and ledger on the other. Groundbait in.

There have been tench to 8lbs+ and some reasonable carp from there this season.

Fished through until dark, not a touch. Saw two carp over my groundbait at one stage and a bit of bubbling but nothing.

Hope that the Wye Barbel are more forthcoming this week!

Stu