How did you get on?

[nottskev]

The tendonitis seems to be receeding, so I felt like a bit of pole-fishing, something I'd left alone for a few months. The Old Lake had fished ok for roach on the waggler on a frosty day last week, so I hoped it would be better still in todays south-westerly breeze. In the summer, the big problem is how to dodge the roach and catch the tench and crucians, but today the roach would be the target.

I started off at 11.30 with the slightly upgraded roach gear advisable when there are some big fish of various species about - .10 line and a doubled no4 elastic. At first I loose fed hemp and caster, but the bites were coming anywhere between the surface and the bottom 6' below, so I potted in a good handful at intervals and that settled them down near the bottom. The stamp of roach was better than last week's frosty outing

I was happily catching roach, when the friendly bailiff came by and instead of advising me to get some meat on for the better roach, actually gave me a small box of cubed meat. I felt obliged to put a piece on, and before long, as I feared, I was wondering which bit of my tackle would fail first as one of the lake's big carp woke up to the fact that it was hooked and put on a turn of speed. When I'd set up another rig, I went back to caster or corn, and although that didn't prevent carp problems, the next four were juniors and all ended up in the net. After a few sessions chasing scatter-brained grayling around the Derwent, it was great to spend the afternoon on a water where the fish seem to understand the basis of our relationship – we'll give you bites if you give us food. I wrapped up at 3, with the first drops of rain, and it was pouring as I drove out of the car park.

 

[mikench]

Some nice looking roach there Kev! Glad you are on the mend and had a good day!

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Day of mixed emotions on the Salwarpe Sunday. On the bank at 8.30 and had the river pretty much to myself apart from a couple of guys moving down the far bank spinning for pike. Two biteless hours later (on my banker peg!) I decided to start roving, three hours later, one solitary dacelet to show for my endeavours so back to my first spot for one last hour. Having fed maggot sparingly decided it was time to try a different tack and started a barrage toward the far bank, within three trots the float finally dipped and my presumed small chub made its predictable dash for the nearside vegetation only to come out as a pike. I'm not experienced enough to gauge its weight but looked around 3'0 long and was taking line for fun, second time I've hooked one here, both times with an 18 to 2.5lb bottom! Nearly had him netted twice, each time it bolted at the net, gave him a few more minutes and thought could be third time lucky slid the net under only to be left with a chub around the half pound mark, slightly chewed but fit enough to bolt off on release
Unsurprisingly, the following half hour passed uneventfully and as I decided on a last fag and a change back to worm, finally connected to a better fish, another chub, 3lb 1oz and my second target of the season:w

Itchen next week, a 2lb grayling awaits

 

[Aussie Bob]

Back to the lake last night again another hot day pushing 30 degrees. The fly rod got a run and with the trout rising everywhere to another large hatch of spinners i went for the dry fly (royal stimulator). Early on they ignored me but then as the light dropped a little bit i missed a rise probably hitting it too early then hooked a small rainbow which came in very easily. Missed another rise again probably going too early ..the light faded and things died off. Would have liked to stayed out later and tried fishing mudeye patterns as the dragonflies were up and about but had to come in for a night shift....nice evening to be out hopefully will get out later on today for another go.
I finally made up some line degreaser which worked pretty well but was a bit thin so will add some more fullers earth to it....might go a little lighter on the tippet as well they seemed to shy away from it early on until the light went a bit and there was a touch of breeze on the water...

 

[103841]

Woke up to the sound of the wind whistling through the window and the sight of trees at not there normal angle, however it was a barmy 15 degrees with a clear blue sky and a nice golden sun low in the sky, looking at my barometer app made up my mind that a fishing session was in order with a nice trough of low pressure.

After a few blanks chasing my only second ever pike I was hoping the theory that they become more active with low pressure present was a correct one.

Headed straight to my local weir pool in Canterbury where the water has risen an inch or two and showing just a tad of colour. A piece of lamprey float fished soon had the attention of an inquisitive Jack.

The beauty of fishing this pool is the fact your above the water and when it's clear you can observe all the action as it happens (or doesn't). Didn't take long for the Jack to succumb to the lamprey, I'm using a single circle hook and the advice is to just tighten the line almost immediately without a strike as such and the hook should catch in the scissors, just as it happened with my first pike, didnt work this time though as I watched the bait ejected and pike bolt off. A few minutes later the pike returned, this time with a mate of slightly larger size and it was this pike that gave me my second take, left it a few seconds this time but the same againmg:

I would have thought they would have been spooked off by now but the smaller of the two came in for a third time, it took the bait and remained completely still, I really didn't know when to set the line, so this time gave it enough time to properly swallow the bait which worked a treat and a short but spirited fight ensued.

I should have looked a lot happier with my second capture of a pike albeit a baby one but think my headline news has been overshadowed with the breaking news of an alleged record carp of 83lb being caught just a couple of miles away.

 

[mikench]

You should know by now John that size doesn't matter and that a 83lb carp is akin to a 30 stone woman;unhealthy and not natural and ,in my case , not my cup of tea!

 

[maggot_dangler]

Woke up later than intended , A bit breezy is the best way to put it but headed to the pool setup and straight into fish 5 decent bream later phone goes Humm pick up or ignore judging by the ring tone it was work drat pickup someone had keeys stolen needs locks changing ****** can you wait till around 12:00 that sorted back to the fish couple of chubb njormal sort of size for the pool 1.75 lb or there abouts dang phone goes again MORE dang work so packed up just gone 11:00 not appy as the fish were feeding well .

Hope these muppets oops customers realise Wednesday is Day off charges .:wh

Just hope the weekend is decent now

PG ...

 

[Pete Shears]

Out after pike again on the club waters again today after two blank sessions on the reservoir where I think the pike are feeding on fry and am at a total loss on how to tempt them - any ideas anyone ?One of the club lakes is meant to be stuffed with pike so three deadbait rods out sit back and watch for signs of life.It turned out more was going on above water than below - group of around nine long tailed tits with blue and great tits working the willows and then a goldcrest,wrens and a tree creeper.Two carp rolled,no pike.Moved to a different swim still no action except for the cracking of tree branches,bits of tree falling in the water in the ever increasing wind so time for the spinning rod and after ringing the changes a white spinnerbait accounted for a pristine pike of 6lb which fought well.Dentist tomorrow . . . . . . .

 

[Neil Maidment]

Didn't intend to get out today but woke up early and thought "why not?" Turned out to be a good decision. Faffed about a bit when I got down to the Stour because I hadn't realised just how strong the wind was.

I headed for an area I knew would get the wind sort of over my shoulder and, with waders, could get in the water to hopefully control the float. It worked well but I had to wait for over an hour for the first chub to show.

Six hours of windswept heaven followed with mostly chub around 4lbs with the best not quite making 5lbs.

Then I struck into a more spirited fish which turned out to be a barbel of 4lbs 10oz. One of the smallest I've had from Throop for many years and good to see.

A couple more chub followed plus a couple lost to the mid river weed.
Then I found myself attached to something in a different league. It spent most of the time just thumping away down the end of the swim and just didn't want to come up to my bit of river.

Slowly, slowly I got it up and opposite me and then cajoled it to keep going slightly upstream of me. It then turned towards me and glided straight into the net at the first attempt. Another barbel but a "proper one" of 11lbs 08oz.

Not a bad day at all trotting a single red maggot on a #20 under a 8grm Balsa.

 

[S-Kippy]

With the weather still mild (albeit a mite windy) and leftover bait from yesterday to use up I barrelled off to Royal Berks again today. I like the place if not the owner....he and I got off on the wrong foot and things haven't improved much overnight. TBH if he keeps on talking to me like I was a 6 year old he can stick his ponds up his gongapoosh no matter what might be in there.

Anyway....i was torn between the swim I fished yesterday ( which I'd baited up) and one on the adjacent lake. In the end I fished the same swim as yesterday but concentrated on the LH side. Same tactics....prawn over drip fed reds. After a couple of hours all I'd had was a couple of F1s and 3/4 skimmers. Wandering back to the bogs I met Herr Flick who proudly announced that hed had 2 perch over 2.5 lb from the swim on the other lake I nearly fished. Damn !

He'd had these fishing double red on an 18 and drip feeding maggot so I tried that where I was but got bitted out by little roach,skimbobs , another couple of F1s and a solitary gudjin. Back on the prawn and another damned brim and another F1......then it went very quiet. Away sails the float finally and it is a perch but only about 12oz. Next chuck and a long wait and I'm in again and this is a much better fish...typical jag,jag,jag fight of a big perch. Excellent....right up to the point when the hook fell out. I'd have sworn except that's against the rules too.

To say I was gutted is an understatement. That was my 3 pounder without any doubt.

By now it was starting to get gloomy and as Adolf wants you off by 3-30 (ffs !) I thought that was my lot. It was in terms of perch but I still managed a common of about 7lb and another F1. Those bloody things never seem to fall off.

Still.....ive learned a bit more and this place really does have a lot of potential notwithstanding the fact that it seems to be run on similar lines to North Korea. I'm not sure how long i am going to be able to bite my lip down there.

 

[103841]

"Gongapoosh". I think you just made that word up.....I like it. The owner does sound like a mouth breather.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Skips. You should listen to your helper more and do as you are told

Herr Flick. Just nod and don't speak.

Next time your 3lber.

 

[Another Dave]

Little tub of lobs in one pocket, little tin of tackle in another. Tiny weird float that allowed me to alternate between freelining and micro trotting. Approached from upstream, huge tree behind me that way. Same swim as the cheap chinese plug pic in my last post. First cast and ridiculously close in:

 

[tigger]

Little tub of lobs in one pocket, little tin of tackle in another. Tiny weird float that allowed me to alternate between freelining and micro trotting. Approached from upstream, huge tree behind me that way. Same swim as the cheap chinese plug pic in my last post. First cast and ridiculously close in:

]

The float looks like a small pike bung where your line goes through a slit in the body and you push in the stem from the top or bottom to trap the line.

 

[Another Dave]

The float looks like a small pike bung where your line goes through a slit in the body and you push in the stem from the top or bottom to trap the line.

Yep. Only thing i had that i could put on or off depending on the swim. Managed to get 3 perch that session too, one with the 'float' and the other 2 freelining.

MagiDeal 12Pcs Tear Drop Foam Float Fly Fishing Strike Indicators Accessory: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

 

[Another Dave]

Also meant to say about the pic of the swim, that pinch point is about a yard wide, if that. Hope that gives a sense of scale.

 

[nottskev]

Little tub of lobs in one pocket, little tin of tackle in another. Tiny weird float that allowed me to alternate between freelining and micro trotting. Approached from upstream, huge tree behind me that way. Same swim as the cheap chinese plug pic in my last post. First cast and ridiculously close in:

Nice fish/swim/float! I have my eye on the chub in a little brook nearby, when the foliage dies back a bit more. Those floats look like an improvement on the little bits of peacock I use - saves fiddling with float rubbers.

 

[tigger]

If I want to leger or free line I just slip the float out of the rubbers and then trap then around my weights using a split shot etc. I suppose you could use a longer stem in those little pike bungs and get away with one small rubber on your line if you wanted to. After saying that looking at the stream your fishing the little bung looks spot on!

 

[S-Kippy]

Skips. You should listen to your helper more and do as you are told

Herr Flick. Just nod and don't speak.

Next time your 3lber.

Graham

I know,I know. TBH I was saving yours for a day when I can take the BF to distract Herr Flick.....which I'm pretty sure I could sell tickets for. This week was just about getting a feel for the place.

He is a serious ar$ehole that bloke. Reasonably helpfulbut in a very unhelpful way to start with before everything went South. I dont think he likes me very much which is fine as I think he is a total git.

 

[S-Kippy]

"Gongapoosh". I think you just made that word up.....I like it. The owner does sound like a mouth breather.

Not me....the BF uses it all the time. He says it is a very bad foreign word which he learned from his assembly line ladies. That's debatable but whenever he uses it I know exactly what he means.