How did you get on?

[peter crabtree]

Stuart's roach ....

 

[thecrow]

I fished until darkness with quite an electric expectation as the sun set but there were no further sparks

Nice fish Steve, maybe we should have stayed on the phone till the end as it worked twice while we were

 

[tigger]

Stuart's roach ....

Well done Stuart, nice roach....you need a new camera or wipe the lens .

 

[binka]

Nice fish Steve, maybe we should have stayed on the phone till the end as it worked twice while we were

I reckon you're right there Graham, I think phone bites have replaced flask bites

 

[dorsetandchub]

Or piddle bites, in some cases

 

[thames mudlarker]

Stuart's roach ....

Nice one cheers Simon, much appreciated :thumbs:

---------- Post added at 12:17 ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 ----------

Or - you can always add the 'Insert Image' link in to the album in the post, e.g.:

Also tried that aswell many times and still don't work

If I get anymore pics later on I'll very much gladly allow Simon to step in and place any pics up for me or anyone else who'd like to do the honours :thumbs:

Always good to have freinds who can help

 

[thames mudlarker]

Well done Stuart, nice roach....you need a new camera or wipe the lens .

Lols ......Na mate it's not the lens it's because i use a basic push button phone and the picture quality obviously ain't that great,

Me being old school again and can't get on with the touch screen swipe type of phones, yet I'm ok on me full size iPad, probably because me iPad is on a big screen and easier for me to operate.

I have to take picture on phone as best as I can and then at home use me iPad to take a close up pic of me phone with the lights off .......lols

I sought of get there eventually mg:.....lols...........not very photogenic ......lols

 

[tigger]

Lols ......Na mate it's not the lens it's because i use a basic push button phone and the picture quality obviously ain't that great,

Me being old school again and can't get on with the touch screen swipe type of phones, yet I'm ok on me full size iPad, probably because me iPad is on a big screen and easier for me to operate.

I have to take picture on phone as best as I can and then at home use me iPad to take a close up pic of me phone with the lights off .......lols

I sought of get there eventually mg:.....lols...........not very photogenic ......lols

Stuart, check these out...

Samsung Galaxy Xcover GT-S5690 - Black Orange (Unlocked) Smartphone... | eBay

I got one about 6 months ago from this seller and it's been great. I got it so I didn't need to take my old mobile and a camera also,plus it's waterproof and shockproof. I only have it on pay as you go as I hardly ever use it. The pic's i've posted arn't brilliant but they're decent as you can see. I think I made an offer of 42 ontes and it was accepted. They're brand new and boxed and deffo worth the price if you have spare forty notes.

 

[rubio]

Couple of reports as a brief catch up of my recent fishing.
1 Struggled to locate roach where they were previously esconced, ending up with just 4 fish over a couple of hours.
2 Better luck on a different river, even smaller, with some lovely looking roach under a pound, and some cracking Dace. No monsters but a good few around 6/7 ozs and many of them rough scaled ready for the spawnfest.
3 Last night legering with bread I managed to locate 6 roach of about half a pound or so and a couple of chub. I even weighed one of 'em! 4lbs on the dot and a warrior judging by the healed marks and replacement scales.
Suspecting it might be my last fish of the season I also took a photo, and spent another hour reflecting and remembering some recent sessions at the same stretch. Curiously my mind wandered to picturing small wagglers flicked out towards the lilies on the club pond I will be focusing on very soon. With luck I might just get in a short stint on the river this evening, and concentrate on enjoying where I am rather than where I'll be obliged to be for 3 months.

 

[bracket]

Had a final fling on the River up at Tincleton this morning. I don't fish this stretch of the Frome much as it a long walk to find a fishable peg. Eight o'clock found me parked up by the river and preparing to negotiate the first of three fences. Now it is difficult enough for me to get my leg over these days, without the added obstacle of barb wire, but I can manage with care. One fence however is too high to straddle and you need to lay flat on the ground and roll under the bottom string of wire. Some considerate member has placed matting there which make this manoeuvre easier. My problem is, once on the other side, I almost rocked myself to sleep trying to get up again. So all that behind me, I walk the half mile to a peg I had fished before. The peg is shallow, two foot six inch, if that, and today the level was about right, but it was tramming through and boiling. It is a peg where you can stand down in the river and the bank is waist high behind you, suits the way I fish ideally. Now to tackle up: 14ft rod matched to a centre pin and dumpy stick float, plumbed up at 2 inch over depth, landing net made up, two rod rests positioned to drop the rod on. Everything to hand and comfortable. Last thing, put on the bait apron and add disgorger and me "clicker" to tally the catch. Now for the bait, maggots white and red, which I then realise is still in the bloody car three quarters of a mile away. The good side is I set myself a target of walking four miles a day so after the return trip, plus a walk down the pub tonight I will have excelled myself. Bait retrieved and now to the serious business. I try half a dozen runs through without a bait on to get a feel for the peg as there is quite a bit of streamer weed, but I am able to trot down the middle and three quarters over pretty cleanly. Next hour spent feeding and trotting with no response until I hit something solid which runs me twenty yards down river I get it back up to me but then the hook pulls. I didn't see it but it was not a grayling. The next three hours are much the same, I manage to net four grayling and lose a further four fish, despite changing from a 22 to a 20 and then up to an 18, on which I never had a bite so that was quickly changed back to a 20. Just seemed to be one of those "dropping off " days. Come twelve o'clock I'd had enough so packed up and began the trudge back, fences and all, thinking "keep this up Pete and you could win the Grand National". Not the best of results for the last day but certainly not the worst and it beats working for a living anytime. Pete.

 

[103841]

Last day of the current season, would have been very rude not to have a trip to the river today. Just a few minutes to pack the minimal kit before getting under way.

On arrival the river didn't disappoint, low and gin clear as it has been nearly all season. This has been my first season of river fishing and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment, even the blanks which may not have been so numerous if the conditions were more favourable, you can see from one of today's swims just how low the river is, like the plug has been pulled out.

The old back was aching somewhat after a few hours gardening yesterday but if it hadn't been for the few juicy lobs I collected during the dig I may have blanked today for it was only the trusty worm that attracted the four chub I caught, none of any great size the best going just under 4lb.

I feel I've learnt a lot during my various trips but there is so much more to unravel and discover but it has become abundantly clear that in the words of the delightful Kirsty Allsop, "location, location, location"is key to success and during the close season I shall continue to walk the river seeking new swims to plunder come June.

 

[dorsetandchub]

As others have said, last day, last knockings, last chance. I awoke to weather that suggested it couldn't be bothered - fortunately, I could.

I had made myself a promise that I'd try a feeder rod on my new found local stretch of the Yeo so packed my MAP light feeder and a trusty float rod in case the former was a mistake.

Looking at the river, I felt the feeder would be, at least, plausible so set up the MAP with a Browning 810,3lb main, a 3/4oz Kamasan black cap feeder and an 18 Drennan Maggot to 2lb trace.

I set myself up in a swim where a carrier stream entered the main river, I say main but that's a gross overstatement in actuality. Filling the feeder with red maggot and hemp, a gentle lob sent it to the joining point and I felt confident that something would soon show an interest.

Twenty minutes and nary a twitch before a good rap and twang, a perch circa 3oz, it was a start and about average for this stretch. Over the next three hours, a stuttering succession of tiny roach, dace, another perch and, yippee, a solitary gudgeon made their way in.

A chub around 8oz followed and, on the light rod, a proper twanging bite and a much better fight than its tiny counterparts.

I hoped that a switch might kick things up a notchand switched spools up to a 4.4lb main line to a 14 on 3.6lb trace and an 8mm cube of luncheon meat. All I have had on this stretch have been small fish but I felt there had to be some bigger. Were there and, if so, could I find them?

The swim and its crease gave me confidence, it looked like it must hold some quality fish.

If it did, it would seem they were all vegetarians. There was one rap on the rod which I struck at, hitting fresh air. I sat there thinking it might well have been a liner.

I packed down and felt I would treat myself to a midweek Commercial trip and some bigger fish.

This area of Somerset is awash with rivers and, next season, I simply need to find some. Roll on June - after this Wednesday, of course.

 

[barbelboi]

Thoughts of this last river season - I've covered many miles of three local rivers, backwaters and streams and, apart from the two guys I often fish with, have only seen three other anglers on the bank all year. Needless to say I now avoid those crowded stretches.................

 

[Pete Shears]

The level of the upper Soar had dropped by around 14" since my last visit and I could see my lump of bread flake in over two feet of water but I still managed to get three brown trout to 1lb 12oz,all of them going absolutely nuts.
Spotted a water vole on the far bank - about 12ft away - no mink then.
A chap at the farm told me another club member went yesterday and had 15 brown trout from various swims - no wonder it was a bit of a struggle for me today.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I've just had two wonderful days on a stunning stretch.

Wonderful for the wildlife. Wonderful for the weather.
Wonderful for the Sunset.
Watched kingfishers catching minnow, a mink swim under my rod top on the surface. A sparrowhawk hunting.
Blackcaps and long tailed tits in the trees.
Rabbits along the rivers edge and the calls of pheasants all day.

The fishing? Twas rubbish.

 

[fishing4luckies]

I've just had two wonderful days on a stunning stretch.

Wonderful for the wildlife. Wonderful for the weather.
Wonderful for the Sunset.
Watched kingfishers catching minnow, a mink swim under my rod top on the surface. A sparrowhawk hunting.
Blackcaps and long tailed tits in the trees.
Rabbits along the rivers edge and the calls of pheasants all day.

The fishing? Twas rubbish.

Superb.

Sometimes, just sometimes the fishing has absolutely nothing to do with anything.

 

[thames mudlarker]

Stuart, check these out...

Samsung Galaxy Xcover GT-S5690 - Black Orange (Unlocked) Smartphone... | eBay

I got one about 6 months ago from this seller and it's been great. I got it so I didn't need to take my old mobile and a camera also,plus it's waterproof and shockproof. I only have it on pay as you go as I hardly ever use it. The pic's i've posted arn't brilliant but they're decent as you can see. I think I made an offer of 42 ontes and it was accepted. They're brand new and boxed and deffo worth the price if you have spare forty notes.

Ok Ian, I'll give this some thought, this may come as a shock but many years ago I actually worked for about 1 year in photographic but I was dealing with 35 mm which is what I was used to but now everything has gone digital it's just completely thrown me to be honest I was actually considering about getting a camera but have noticed that the much loved Polaroid cameras are now back on the market and are now in big demand because the overall quality of the instant pics are now far superior :thumbs:

I can pick up a one of these for around 70 notes and of course I've then got the actual prints and not just on a memory stick thingy majig

I thought I could then just do close up pics of the prints from me iPad :thumbs:

---------- Post added at 21:31 ---------- Previous post was at 21:15 ----------

Had a final fling on the River up at Tincleton this morning. I don't fish this stretch of the Frome much as it a long walk to find a fishable peg. Eight o'clock found me parked up by the river and preparing to negotiate the first of three fences. Now it is difficult enough for me to get my leg over these days, without the added obstacle of barb wire, but I can manage with care. One fence however is too high to straddle and you need to lay flat on the ground and roll under the bottom string of wire. Some considerate member has placed matting there which make this manoeuvre easier. My problem is, once on the other side, I almost rocked myself to sleep trying to get up again. So all that behind me, I walk the half mile to a peg I had fished before. The peg is shallow, two foot six inch, if that, and today the level was about right, but it was tramming through and boiling. It is a peg where you can stand down in the river and the bank is waist high behind you, suits the way I fish ideally. Now to tackle up: 14ft rod matched to a centre pin and dumpy stick float, plumbed up at 2 inch over depth, landing net made up, two rod rests positioned to drop the rod on. Everything to hand and comfortable. Last thing, put on the bait apron and add disgorger and me "clicker" to tally the catch. Now for the bait, maggots white and red, which I then realise is still in the bloody car three quarters of a mile away. The good side is I set myself a target of walking four miles a day so after the return trip, plus a walk down the pub tonight I will have excelled myself. Bait retrieved and now to the serious business. I try half a dozen runs through without a bait on to get a feel for the peg as there is quite a bit of streamer weed, but I am able to trot down the middle and three quarters over pretty cleanly. Next hour spent feeding and trotting with no response until I hit something solid which runs me twenty yards down river I get it back up to me but then the hook pulls. I didn't see it but it was not a grayling. The next three hours are much the same, I manage to net four grayling and lose a further four fish, despite changing from a 22 to a 20 and then up to an 18, on which I never had a bite so that was quickly changed back to a 20. Just seemed to be one of those "dropping off " days. Come twelve o'clock I'd had enough so packed up and began the trudge back, fences and all, thinking "keep this up Pete and you could win the Grand National". Not the best of results for the last day but certainly not the worst and it beats working for a living anytime. Pete.

Nice one Pete, nice little write up there

That is sheer determination to try and fish what is obviously a pucka swim that can produce quality fish in the right conditions,

Unlucky mate on the lost fish, possibly a big chub or even a trout but at least you had some grayling :thumbs:

 

[tigger]

Last day on the river and I opted to leger because I thought it would be up and flowing too much for my liking...I get to the river and it's spot on for trotting mg:....even had a decent upstream wind....depressing stuff as I walked past my favourite glides on that beat!
It was a walk of over a mile to my swim and i'm not used to carting all this bloody tackle! Saying that I only had a smallish rucksack with landing net head attached, a quiver with a landing net handle, two bank sticks, my rod in a tube and a lightweight chair to Sherpa up the bank. I was still sweating like a porker as I marched on the double up river. I got to my spot at 3.30... a nice smooth glide of about 3ft deep with a good steady flow. Anyhow I won't keep going on about the world around me like the owls hooting (in daylight as they always do here), the kingfishers shrieking and shooting up and down stream nearly skimming the waters surface, the mink mooching back and forth along the river, the curlews in the field behind me etc etc.
It wasn't exactly high octane angling but I did catch several chub and a barbel so better than a blank. It felt weird sitting behind a rod and I very quickly got bored and started making rigs for the hell of it . I managed to suffer 3hrs of that torture before I wrapped up and went home feeling like it was a month since my last meal....i'm nice and bloated now .

 

[thames mudlarker]

Last day of the current season, would have been very rude not to have a trip to the river today. Just a few minutes to pack the minimal kit before getting under way.

On arrival the river didn't disappoint, low and gin clear as it has been nearly all season. This has been my first season of river fishing and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment, even the blanks which may not have been so numerous if the conditions were more favourable, you can see from one of today's swims just how low the river is, like the plug has been pulled out.

The old back was aching somewhat after a few hours gardening yesterday but if it hadn't been for the few juicy lobs I collected during the dig I may have blanked today for it was only the trusty worm that attracted the four chub I caught, none of any great size the best going just under 4lb.

I feel I've learnt a lot during my various trips but there is so much more to unravel and discover but it has become abundantly clear that in the words of the delightful Kirsty Allsop, "location, location, location"is key to success and during the close season I shall continue to walk the river seeking new swims to plunder come June.

Arhh.....me favourite river, well done mate, I presume down at Grove

During the close season probably late next month or into May I'll also be walking a few miles along the river as I'm just about to renew me membership for the CDAA, if yer interested can always meet up some time and have a little wander along the river :thumbs:

 

[Neil Maidment]

It felt weird sitting behind a rod and I very quickly got bored and started making rigs for the hell of it . I managed to suffer 3hrs of that torture before I wrapped up and went home feeling like it was a month since my last meal....i'm nice and bloated now .

Love it! :thumbs:

Great chub and barbel as well!