How did you get on?

[Graham Elliott 1]

You do take some wonderful pictures BB.

 

[rich66]

Decided it was too nice to stay inside this afternoon, so headed off to my usual haunt the two old marina's on the River Soar just on the outskirts of Leicester city centre. Only been there 15 minutes and hit into a very positive bite, few minutes later after a few short clutch squealing runs. I landed my first pike. Probably about 5lb in weight. Followed it up with a few small Perch so an entertaining afternoon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

The Wye temperature continues to fall. Now below 6 degrees after 10+ last week. The level is up and down like a yo yo. Currently going up to 6ft up on standard.

My ywo pals struggled yesterday with just one fish between them. Rob had fished two days without a bite.

I decided I would try and help this morning and met them at 10am.

I changed Robs setup to my normal. Drennan flat feeder 70gr with banded pellet 10mm on size 9 D7 hook. Feeder with cut outs half filled with groundbait pressed in then topped with 4mm pellets.

Second cast rod topped jagged and Rob was finally into a fish. After a real battle in the heavy flow a cracking fish was in the net.
At 10.10 his first fish of the 3 day trip and his first barbel double.

Pictures taken, fish rested and returned....he stopped shaking after about an hour. Job done!

Of to the Gym for my OAP planned 12 week excercise routine plan.

 

[103841]

You do take some wonderful pictures BB.

Seconded. BB's use of two photographs seamed together is very effective.

 

[peterjg]

I went roach fishing (again) today to the Basingstoke canal. The other day I found a good looking spot with fields opposite and woods behind and it would be out of the wind so there I fished, about a 15 minute walk from the car.

Right hand rod quivertipped maggots with small feeder - not a bite. Left hand rod float fished layed on bread. It was really nice sitting there, birds singing and all was well with the world. Then peace was shattered by a gang of OAP hikers, totalling about 40 I suppose (coach load?), one of them said to me "it's really quiet here" I said "it was!".

All was quiet again, recast both rods, and then whilst eating a tuna sandwich a black labrador threw itself at my ground bait bucket (I wish the fish were as keen), I dropped my sandwich, kicked over my tea and at the same time my float rod was pulled off of the rod rest by a 5lb snottie! Ended up with five bream and a hybrid, where are the roach. Water temperature 45F.

 

[binka]

I must have had a bump on the head at some point as I fancied getting out with the lure gear.

I think it was that and a combination of wanting to get out and enjoy some fresh air considering the downturn that the weather is taking over the next few days and I’m glad I did as it felt very spring like in the sheltered spots.

I had about five hours at it which is more than enough for me with this type of fishing, throw in the distance covered too and there’s little wonder I’ve got some colour in me cheeks.

My usual, annual flop was the end result bar for a small jack which obviously felt sorry for me and tried to make it look like it really went for the lure…



I did have a very good fish roll away right under the rod tip, I never saw the head or tail but it was one heck of a deep fish as it flashed its under belly at me following a half hearted attempt at the lure just as I was about to lift out.

Very enjoyable and I'm glad I’ve been out but it was enough to remind me why I don’t do this sort of fishing too often so that’s the lure gear back in mothballs for another year… :w

Ps…

Almost forgot, I also had a new pb zebra mussel too…

 

[flightliner]

I went roach fishing (again) today to the Basingstoke canal. The other day I found a good looking spot with fields opposite and woods behind and it would be out of the wind so there I fished, about a 15 minute walk from the car.

Right hand rod quivertipped maggots with small feeder - not a bite. Left hand rod float fished layed on bread. It was really nice sitting there, birds singing and all was well with the world. Then peace was shattered by a gang of OAP hikers, totalling about 40 I suppose (coach load?), one of them said to me "it's really quiet here" I said "it was!".

All was quiet again, recast both rods, and then whilst eating a tuna sandwich a black labrador threw itself at my ground bait bucket (I wish the fish were as keen), I dropped my sandwich, kicked over my tea and at the same time my float rod was pulled off of the rod rest by a 5lb snottie! Ended up with five bream and a hybrid, where are the roach. Water temperature 45F.

Them black labs are about the wappiest dogs I know around fishing tackle, had two episodes with them this season ( amongst several others) , tbh its not the dogs just stupid, inconsiderate owners.mg:

Steve, that pike in the pik could have eaten both mine I took yesterday sideways on !!!!!
Fully endorse what you say about lure fishing too, I do enjoy it but oh the aching back!!!

 

[maggot_dangler]

Them black labs are about the wappiest dogs I know around fishing tackle, had two episodes with them this season ( amongst several others) , tbh its not the dogs just stupid, inconsiderate owners.mg:

It's always been Chocolate Labs on the Mease for me every time i fish it spladoosh chocolate lab taking a swim to the far bank ...:wh no wonder i never do that well on there .

PG ...

---------- Post added at 19:29 ---------- Previous post was at 19:26 ----------

I took another stroll over the fields to one of the local streams that was a ‘chocolate turbulence’ last time I fished it just over a week ago and found it not so chocolaty but still going through at a fair pace. The weather was a mix of sunshine and white cloud, dry with a cold wind appearing about midday and lasting for about an hour.

Armed with half a pint of reds, rod, reel, net and small bag I trotted a couple of miles of water for around 15 roach, 6 perch and a chub. That surprised me as, considering the conditions, I though the chub were going to be the fish that saved the day. Fished from 10.30 – 2pm.

Whis i had nice small rivers like that closer to me the Stour is a bit of a jaunt for a quick visit ..

PG ...

 

[john step]

I had 3 small pike to about 6 or 7 pound on my club lake today on lamprey which seem to be the going bait.

Now I do enjoy my piking but as I start about November I feel that I will have one more trip and then move onto other species.
When someone asks me what I mainly fish for my answer is invariably tench roach barbel etc but actually I have just realised that as the winter months are quite long it is in fact pike that predominate.mg:

 

[Pete Shears]

this morning the upper Soar was high and muddy brown and only about a foot to go before it would be in the fields - still settled down to leger bread with a heavy cage feeder trying to make out what were gusts of wind,flotsam hitting the line or even a fish showing interest.
Two brown trout both weighing 1lb 10oz ( twins or the same fish ?) from the swim.
Nothing else doing,so a move upstream still using bread & feeder gave me two brown trout,
2lb 4oz & 10oz,cooler now so back on went the coat.Six buzzards circling very high and a kestrel perched on top of a small hawthorn sorting out its feathers.
Another move upstream had me playing a chub into the net - 3lb 2oz again on legered bread.
Time to go and sort the pike tackle out for tomorrow if the monsoons hold off.

 

[Hugh Bailey]

I went roach fishing (again) today to the Basingstoke canal.

Which area on the canal did you fish? I'm about 5 minutes from the Woking section,which had some decent roach, perch bream and hybrids before it was drained and refilled. Haven't seen the same numbers or quality of fish since then so haven't bothered fishing it since. It is absolutely crystal here so you can see just about everything.

 

[thames mudlarker]

I took another stroll over the fields to one of the local streams that was a ‘chocolate turbulence’ last time I fished it just over a week ago and found it not so chocolaty but still going through at a fair pace. The weather was a mix of sunshine and white cloud, dry with a cold wind appearing about midday and lasting for about an hour.

Armed with half a pint of reds, rod, reel, net and small bag I trotted a couple of miles of water for around 15 roach, 6 perch and a chub. That surprised me as, considering the conditions, I though the chub were going to be the fish that saved the day. Fished from 10.30 – 2pm.

Nice one Jerry,

that little river looks as if its fining down nicely

Blow the chub mate I'd definitely much sooner be happy with the 15 roach and especially if a few of em were like the one in the pic, that's gotta be what around 6-7 oz or so :thumbs:

Well done

---------- Post added at 23:11 ---------- Previous post was at 22:54 ----------

I went roach fishing (again) today to the Basingstoke canal. The other day I found a good looking spot with fields opposite and woods behind and it would be out of the wind so there I fished, about a 15 minute walk from the car.

Right hand rod quivertipped maggots with small feeder - not a bite. Left hand rod float fished layed on bread. It was really nice sitting there, birds singing and all was well with the world. Then peace was shattered by a gang of OAP hikers, totalling about 40 I suppose (coach load?), one of them said to me "it's really quiet here" I said "it was!".

All was quiet again, recast both rods, and then whilst eating a tuna sandwich a black labrador threw itself at my ground bait bucket (I wish the fish were as keen), I dropped my sandwich, kicked over my tea and at the same time my float rod was pulled off of the rod rest by a 5lb snottie! Ended up with five bream and a hybrid, where are the roach. Water temperature 45F.

Nice one Peter, unlucky on the roach though, don't worry mate as I'm sure the time will come

I haven't done a lot of canal fishing over the years mainly because of the very close public access along the canal aswell as careless cyclists and blimmin dogs interfering and s##ting everywhere,
Funnily enough I do know the Basingstoke canal rather well as I've got freinds that lived in Byfleet and Newhaw and that have moved to Addlestone, right near appolo angling,

I was initially thinking of coming down to fish the canal during the close season just for a change,
But after just reading about the cayos on the bank with walkers and the dog issues I'm now having second thoughts mg: :wh

Hope you find those roach Pete :thumbs:

 

[Hugh Bailey]

Unfortunately the canals (Basingstoke and wey nav.) are closed during the closed season Iin any case.

Did most of my fishing as a lad on the Wey Nav. At Byfleet!

 

[thames mudlarker]

Unfortunately the canals (Basingstoke and wey nav.) are closed during the closed season Iin any case.

Did most of my fishing as a lad on the Wey Nav. At Byfleet!

Oh right ok Hugh, cheers mate,

Well that is interesting to know because to be honest although I've not really fished canals much I was always led to believe that canals are fishable during the close season but saying that I now understand that it's only a selected few.

I've fished the lea valley for a good number of years and just realised that from memory the canal is only fishable downstream from Aquaduct lock during the close season,
I'm sure that the river Kennet must be the same aswell and only fishable only in certain areas during the close season because like the rivers Lea and Kennet both of the rivers run in and out of the canals virtually along the entire length of the rivers

 

[mikench]

A hat trick and not one I am happy about! different water but the same blank. Mind you I did discover a few things! I managed to get my Polaris and premier floats to cock not that it made any difference I also discovered that sitting in mud and 2 inches of water is not conducive to enjoying oneself. Everything including me was covered in the stuff!

The farmer who owns the lakes admitted all his fish had lost their appetite and were being very shy and that he had never seen so much rain as had fallen in the last week. It was a little difficult to discern where the bank started and the lake finished or was it the other way around!

All in all a thoroughly disheartening and abysmal afternoon! The nearest I am going to get to a fish will be the kippers I l have for breakfast tomorrow!

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 16:31 ----------

Ps Sainsbury's had run out of kippers

 

[mark_t]

I decided to brave the strong wind today and go fishing, I was bloody freezing I must be better prepared clothing wise next time.

Anyway I did manage to catch my first Chub, as most of my fishing has been on still waters I have not caught one before, this lake has been stocked with some Chub and quite a few have been caught recently.

Only about 2lb but very welcome on a cold windy day

 

[103841]

Like Mark I too decided too brave the wind and do a spot of trotting with some hemp and casters leftover from my previous trip. The weathermen said the wind would calm down, it did not.

Getting a tangle on my first cast should have been warning enough, stupidly I persevered for a couple of hours without a bite, chances are I had a few but didn't recognise them, with the unaccessible far bank now decorated with a couple of my valued stick floats I surrendered with the hump. A warm cuppa and a biccy went down well when I got home, a few glasses being enjoyed right now of Apothic Red (highly recommended) even more so.

A couple of days break should have the mojo back to max strength.

 

[dorsetandchub]

Many congratulations on your first chub. They're a fantastic species, a most worthy opponent and so worthy of further study and effort.

I hope it's the first of many for you.

 

[Pete Shears]

The fine rain fizzled out on the way to the reservoir this morning leaving just a blustery wind and an overcast sky - the forecast was for 'an improving day' - what ? more like fifty shades of grey,sunny intervals were in short supply.
Still three deadbaits cast out and settled back with a coffee or two or three.
Around 1030 the middle alarm beeped once and the rod tip bounced,lifting it and holding the line I could feel something interfering with the half lamprey bait,struck and played in a lively,quite angry pike which went 8lb 12oz,easy unhooking on a two single hook rig,weighed in the landing net and returned quickly,it spent the next 20 minutes or so sulking in the dead reeds right at my feet.
Spent the next few hours watching the great crested grebes & goosanders along with buzzards and spied a female bullfinch nibbling the buds in a tangle of blackthorn behind me.
Monsoons forecast tomorrow - time to get a better car insurance quote.

 

[thames mudlarker]

A hat trick and not one I am happy about! different water but the same blank. Mind you I did discover a few things! I managed to get my Polaris and premier floats to cock not that it made any difference I also discovered that sitting in mud and 2 inches of water is not conducive to enjoying oneself. Everything including me was covered in the stuff!

The farmer who owns the lakes admitted all his fish had lost their appetite and were being very shy and that he had never seen so much rain as had fallen in the last week. It was a little difficult to discern where the bank started and the lake finished or was it the other way around!

All in all a thoroughly disheartening and abysmal afternoon! The nearest I am going to get to a fish will be the kippers I l have for breakfast tomorrow!

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 16:31 ----------

Ps Sainsbury's had run out of kippers

Unlucky Mike,

To be perfectly honest mate I've personally never been a great lover of fishing ponds and lakes throughout the winter because a lot of the fish a lot of the time can very much be lafargic and when they do feed its often only a very short spell.

If you notice that most of the reports of fish being caught during the winter I'd say are probably about 85-90 % on rivers,

I know that the rivers can be unfishable at times through flooding but don't normally take long to fine back down again,

On a personal note mate I'd honestly stick with the rivers at the moment :thumbs: