Graham Elliott 1
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Cracking fish Master
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
mikench
Well-known member
I was eager to have a go at trotting on my own and despite the cold I went armed with a rod, pin, landing net, fishing vest( admittedly stuffed to the gunnels) and gentles I had the river to myself so set up a chubber float and began!
The river level had dropped but there was a good flow . I fed a few maggots and tried my casting ( still pitiful most of the time) and had fun in the sun ! I mistook many dips of the float for bites when in reality it was either shallow water or streamer weed! I had one positive bite but lost it in a snag. I never saw the fish!
I gave each stretch about 15 minutes and enjoyed the roving but still failed to catch! Whilst sat having a butty and a cup of coffee I saw woodcock, snipe, buzzards, kingfishers and a couple of heron! Whilst the sun shone it was quite pleasant and I practiced my casts, different floats and depths but to no avail as th fish were not interested! If I had caught it would have been a memorable day but the blank took the gloss of the event!
I had the river to myself so set up a chubber float and began! The river level had dropped but there was a good flow . I fed a few maggots and tried my casting ( still pitiful most of the time) and had fun in the sun ! I mistook many dips of the float for bites when in reality it was either shallow water or streamer weed! I had one positive bite but lost it in a snag. I never saw the fish!
I gave each stretch about 15 minutes and enjoyed the roving but still failed to catch! Whilst sat having a butty and a cup of coffee I saw woodcock, snipe, buzzards, kingfishers and a couple of heron! Whilst the sun shone it was quite pleasant and I practiced my casts, different floats and depths but to no avail as th fish were not interested! If I had caught it would have been a memorable day but the blank took the gloss of the event!
I was eager to have a go at trotting on my own and despite the cold I went armed with a rod, pin, landing net, fishing vest( admittedly stuffed to the gunnels) and gentles
The river level had dropped but there was a good flow . I fed a few maggots and tried my casting ( still pitiful most of the time) and had fun in the sun ! I mistook many dips of the float for bites when in reality it was either shallow water or streamer weed! I had one positive bite but lost it in a snag. I never saw the fish!
I gave each stretch about 15 minutes and enjoyed the roving but still failed to catch! Whilst sat having a butty and a cup of coffee I saw woodcock, snipe, buzzards, kingfishers and a couple of heron! Whilst the sun shone it was quite pleasant and I practiced my casts, different floats and depths but to no avail as th fish were not interested! If I had caught it would have been a memorable day but the blank took the gloss of the event!
I'm impressed you got out! I've been waiting for the temperature to rise.
mikench
Well-known member
I struggled Kev but enjoyed the experience! I did have a few tangles too and suspect I had too much line on the pin ( the Conquest)! I am going to respool it tomorrow ! I still have a lot to learn but enjoyed the day nonetheless !
The surroundings were delightful ! It was the same section that Andy May fished! There is a reason he is a professional angler and I am a lawyer! Horses for courses!
The surroundings were delightful ! It was the same section that Andy May fished! There is a reason he is a professional angler and I am a lawyer!
Horses for courses!
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I struggled Kev but enjoyed the experience! I did have a few tangles too and suspect I had too much line on the pin ( the Conquest)! I am going to respool it tomorrow ! I still have a lot to learn but enjoyed the day nonetheless !
The surroundings were delightful ! It was the same section that Andy May fished! There is a reason he is a professional angler and I am a lawyer!
Well in Mike, at least you got out in the fresh air bud....you will have gained some knowledge even if it doesn't feel like it just now!
sam vimes
Well-known member
Too much line shouldn't cause any tangles at all. What it can do is result in bedding in, which means the lie doesn't come off the reel as easily as it should. Don't be in too much of a rush to bin the line that's on the reel. Perhaps take some of it off if you are suffering from bedding in.
I struggled Kev but enjoyed the experience! I did have a few tangles too and suspect I had too much line on the pin ( the Conquest)! I am going to respool it tomorrow ! I still have a lot to learn but enjoyed the day nonetheless !
The surroundings were delightful ! It was the same section that Andy May fished! There is a reason he is a professional angler and I am a lawyer!
No disrespect to any ardent pin users out there, but most anglers get used to fishing running water with the, initially, easier option of a FS or CF reel before taking up the pin (I know some were born with a centrepin in their hand), getting the hang of some of the basics, like line control, feeding, adjusting the rig to get real bites and avoid false bites, holding it back, letting it go etc etc With the option, too, of easy casting to anywhere in the swim. You've opted to take on both rivers and pins at the same time, so that's twice the challenge, and it's not surprising if it's tough on one of the coldest days of the year. You said nobody else was out on the river.....
I like fishing with a pin - if the circs are not too difficult - and I've nothing against them at all. But I'd be tempted to try a session or two practising with a stick float and one of the ABU CF's. I think you'd notice the contrast, at this stage. No reason why you need learn on only the more difficult option. You can still become a pin purist if you choose.
mikench
Well-known member
Thanks Sam! I had line tapped on the spool by a loop! I cannot figure out how this happened! By the time I had removed all the tangles I feel there isn't enough line now hence why I intend to respool!
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Just for reference Mike, getting the loop on the spool is often caused because you haven't spooled the line up tight enough. The only thing to do in that situation is to hook into a post or something and walk the line off the reel and then wind it back tighter as you walk back to the hook.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
I got out of the skating rink sorry meant to say drive today and sat in a sheltered spot on the lake in the constant drizzle for one jack of 7lb.
If you thought that was silly....a member arrived to do AN ALL NIGHTER FOR CARP
If you thought that was silly....a member arrived to do AN ALL NIGHTER FOR CARP
flightliner
Well-known member
Some biggies in there John, could be worth his time!
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I got out of the skating rink sorry meant to say drive today and sat in a sheltered spot on the lake in the constant drizzle for one jack of 7lb.
If you thought that was silly....a member arrived to do AN ALL NIGHTER FOR CARP
Sounds like he might be having a bad time at home
mg:.Some biggies in there John, could be worth his time!
More than some biggies but lifes too short cos they are very hard at the best of times.
Neil Maidment
Moderator
The Stour was dropping slowly but still holding a fair bit of colour. The down stream wind just added to the chill and challenged controlling the float.
I managed three chub, all mid 4's, and a few smaller chublets.
I also hooked a substantial fish which fought with all the dour characteristics of a very big chub but only revealed itself as a sea trout as it came to the netmg:
I managed three chub, all mid 4's, and a few smaller chublets.
I also hooked a substantial fish which fought with all the dour characteristics of a very big chub but only revealed itself as a sea trout as it came to the net
mg:
mikench
Well-known member
............ only a seatrout Neil! Better than stringer weed! I would kill for a seatrout!
I would kill for a seatrout!
Neil Maidment
Moderator
Plenty of them in the river at the moment and the odd salmon. All out of season and typically wreckers of patiently building the swim for chub mg:
mg:
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Plenty of them in the river at the moment and the odd salmon. All out of season and typically wreckers of patiently building the swim for chub
I'm trying to find a crumb of sympathy for you Neil, truly I am but finding very hard.
With lots of taxi duties and an overload with the domestic chores due to er indoors having a fractured wrist I haven't been fishing this week
to be fair the wind chill would have kept me at home anyway I suspect but I was getting a little stir crazy so with a drop in the wind and a cold but pleasant morning managed to nip over to the pool for a short session.Was greeted by a swirling pool as all the sluice gates had been opened after an average amount of rain, Canterbury can breath easy as another major flood is avoided
Spent an hour with a deadbait in various parts of the pool, not a sniff of action, switched to a worm on the whip, still nothing. I guess the fish find new areas when the dynamic of the pool changes dramatically in a matter of moments.
No sea trout to upset the swim, just a TK Maxx carrier bag that was safely dredged out and binned.
The only thing that did catch my eye was the reflection from a suspended lure left here a few weeks ago by a certain FM member.
mikench
Well-known member
Ralph does like his Christmas decorations!
Pete Shears
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Out on the reservoir before dawn this morning after pike once more,like a sheet of glass,nothing moving whatsoever.
Three deadbaits were cast out,comfortable in the chair with a coffee and waited for the dawn,well I was still waiting at 1pm as it never really got light.
First run on the middle rod,fish fell off - recast,ten minutes later off it went again,this time a pristine pike of 16lb,again recast and about 30 minutes later another run - a pike of 6lb 10oz.
Managed to make out a kestrel and kingfisher in the gloom,two pied wagtails hopping around not far from me and a robin fed on breadcrumbs.Five too many cormorants eventually and a white egret suddenly appeared and spotted three goosander flying over the water.
A better result than a mid-week visit to Sywell which was another piking blank for me although my mate had a scale perfect pike of around 7lb but better still the platform which had been anchored out in the middle had been removed resulting in only two cormorants flying about instead of the usual 6+ .
Three deadbaits were cast out,comfortable in the chair with a coffee and waited for the dawn,well I was still waiting at 1pm as it never really got light.
First run on the middle rod,fish fell off - recast,ten minutes later off it went again,this time a pristine pike of 16lb,again recast and about 30 minutes later another run - a pike of 6lb 10oz.
Managed to make out a kestrel and kingfisher in the gloom,two pied wagtails hopping around not far from me and a robin fed on breadcrumbs.Five too many cormorants eventually and a white egret suddenly appeared and spotted three goosander flying over the water.
A better result than a mid-week visit to Sywell which was another piking blank for me although my mate had a scale perfect pike of around 7lb but better still the platform which had been anchored out in the middle had been removed resulting in only two cormorants flying about instead of the usual 6+ .