How did you get on?

[nottskev]

Brrrr. I've just about warmed up after today's outing. I fancied fishing for perch on the Deep Lake, but a quick bait review – a handful of red maggots and no worms – dictated a less carnivorous quarry, so armed with corn, frozen hemp and a few questionable casters I headed off to the Old Lake, getting there at 11.30..

It was a bit chillier than I'd have liked, with a bit of a swirling breeze, so I set up on the west bank hoping to fish with my back to the wind.

Whereupon an eye-wateringly cold breeze set in from the north-east. Pole-fishing about 9m out into 6' of water, the first half hour was all a bit chaotic, with bites at all levels and a lot missed. Usually, feeding a handful at intervals, rather than a bit every drop, gets the fish to feed more catchably near the bottom, but it also draws in carp, and today I hooked 3 early on, with the final score 3-0 to them. Not getting them out on your roach gear is no disgrace, as they do run quite big, but it is a pain when, having patiently played a double-figure fish to a standstill, you're just weighing up how to shuffle it into the landing net when the hook opens out, leaving over-stretched elastic and a trashed rig. Oh dear, as I said at the time.


Back to the roach, a few began to oblige, including some decent ones

but their interest in the bait seemed to come and go, and I wasn't making a great job of lining them up. By 2.45 the duck population – must be telepathic – was queuing up for left over bait, and I was happy enough to hand it over.

There were a few more in the net than I remembered catching, and I wondered how they got there, until I realised, like the politician, that someone must have downloaded them when I wasn't looking.

By 3.00 I was locking the gate and heading off somewhere warm.
Apparently, it's only going to get colder

 

[peter crabtree]

8 old codgers turned up this morning for our Tuesday therapy on the outskirts of Berkhamstead. It was chilly with a light downstream breeze, cloudy skies and the canal was carrying a bit of colour. Having never been here previously I came down yesterday to have a butchers and there was a nice gentle flow from right to left. With that in mind I took my 15' rod, Abu 501 and some stickfloats.
On plumbing up I noticed there was no flow today so I assume what I saw yesterday was surface skim and not tow...

Son of M sat to my left by the bridge and the others were up to my right.
Although I had some wagglers I decided to try stickfloat and selected a 2bb Drennan double rubber balsa, these have a nice pointy top and are easier to see when dotted down to a tiny pimple. 20 B511 to 0:06 with punch to start with and after a while the roach, albeit small, turned up. After an hour or so I felt maybe my hook is too big for the better fish so changed to a 22 to 0:06 and single disco pinkie. This made little or no difference to the stamp of roach so I changed to caster, this bought a slightly better size of roach and a bonus perch..

After a while the breeze strengthened and it got decidedly chilly, had to go to and fetch a jacket so I gambled either wrecking or improving my swim by balling in 6 tangerine sized balls of VDE dark roach and left them to fizz while I went to the car...

In the event it didn't make much difference to my catch rate and I caught steadily to the whistle at 2pm. SOM had already packed up after losing a big perch and tipped back at least 2lb of bitsmg: What a ricket that turned out to be as he and the scalesman came down to me. Best weight from the 6 others was 1lb:13. SOM had witnessed the scales and politely informed me I'd pi$$ed it!
I had indeed with 3:15 which gave me my 3rd consecutive win on the last 3 canal matches...I may become unpopular if I keep this up?

 

[103841]

After a couple of blank sessions I was beginning to think a third successive one was on the cards. Thought I'd give the pike a day off and turned my attentions to the Canterbury chub but after walking up and down the swims spending ten minutes at each the wind chill was starting to get through and without as much as a touch was thinking of heading home. I had deliberately left my favourite swim til last and thought I'd give it just ten minutes to see if it came up trumps.

Usual setup freelining cheese and today using a circle hook as I've been deep hooking a few chub recently. It was a pleasant surprise after just a couple of minutes to feel the line tense between my fingers and a few moments later a nice chub in the net, "one more cast I said to myself".........an hour later I had taken a further three chub, I'd found the sweet spot and they "were aving it" most unusual in my experience and I've never had four chub from the same swim in such a short space of time. Didn't weigh any but the four went between 3 and 4lb as per usual, this was the pick of the quartet.

The circle hook? Worked a treat with three of the four lip hooked.

Will return tomorrow before the temperatures plummet again and see if I can find another pike.

 

[mikench]

Brrrr. I've just about warmed up after today's outing. I fancied fishing for perch on the Deep Lake, but a quick bait review – a handful of red maggots and no worms – dictated a less carnivorous quarry, so armed with corn, frozen hemp and a few questionable casters I headed off to the Old Lake, getting there at 11.30..

It was a bit chillier than I'd have liked, with a bit of a swirling breeze, so I set up on the west bank hoping to fish with my back to the wind.

Whereupon an eye-wateringly cold breeze set in from the north-east. Pole-fishing about 9m out into 6' of water, the first half hour was all a bit chaotic, with bites at all levels and a lot missed. Usually, feeding a handful at intervals, rather than a bit every drop, gets the fish to feed more catchably near the bottom, but it also draws in carp, and today I hooked 3 early on, with the final score 3-0 to them. Not getting them out on your roach gear is no disgrace, as they do run quite big, but it is a pain when, having patiently played a double-figure fish to a standstill, you're just weighing up how to shuffle it into the landing net when the hook opens out, leaving over-stretched elastic and a trashed rig. Oh dear, as I said at the time.


Back to the roach, a few began to oblige, including some decent ones

but their interest in the bait seemed to come and go, and I wasn't making a great job of lining them up. By 2.45 the duck population – must be telepathic – was queuing up for left over bait, and I was happy enough to hand it over.

There were a few more in the net than I remembered catching, and I wondered how they got there, until I realised, like the politician, that someone must have downloaded them when I wasn't looking.

By 3.00 I was locking the gate and heading off somewhere warm.
Apparently, it's only going to get colder

Kev that's a brilliant bag full! I am often relieved that keep nets are not allowed on the majority of my waters( and I do not possess one in any event) so my paltry catches are not so transparent! Well done! The weather sounds horrible for later in the week when I can join you on the bank metaphorically speaking but I have a plan and it involves bread, magic mushrooms and bronze maggots!

 

[tigger]

I had the last couple of hours daylight out today on the river swimming the stream as usual .
There was a nasty biting wind as I walked along the river bank and I looked over at a very dirty looking river which had been pushed back by the tide. Fishing an incoming tide is my favourite time to fish but I think I was just a bit too late and had missed out on the best part as the tide had just turned back to the big water. Anyhow I started to fish and was catching plenty small chub of about a pound or so. I used a Match aerial and for some reason I was seriously hindered with line stick after every fish! As you can imagine it was quite annoying and on several occasions I was close to stamping on the reel.The other day I used a daiwa rod and had no line wraps, today I used a drennan acolyte and had way too many mg:. I had nothing but agg all through my session and the old dead nettles etc seemed like magnets for my hook as I was constantly hooking into them and having to faff about removing the hook .
On two occasions I kept my catches of chub in my landing net head and each time after having 6 or 7 fish in it I bent down to put another one in only to find the barstwerads had had a jail break lol. I wasn't really bothered,i'd only kept them to make a better picture since they where only small fish...never mind .
I found I could hardy make out the float from the beginning of the session because of low light conditions but it was barely visible at 3.15 and by 3.30 it was impossible to see it as it had gone so overcast.

 

[maggot_dangler]

I have a plan and it involves bread, magic mushrooms and bronze maggots!

That sounds like some mega weired hippy psychadelic brew in the making ...:wh .

PG ...

 

[jimlad]

After a couple of blanks on a gravel pit, I needed to get back on the river for a bit of sanity. Got out at 9pm, river was up a little and pushing and bloody cold. After fishing a couple of pegs without a touch, I settled in to my final swim. The rod flew round quickly and I missed the bite. Same again, but this time a very satisfying response ended up with a cracking 6lb 3oz tees chub.






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[john step]

I had a day on a syndicate lake today with a break from piking.
BLANKETY BLANK. Not a whisper of a bite to worm, gits, prawn.

As I tackled up the Red Arrows were giving a free performance whilst they practised. That stopped when thew cloud cover arrived.

Later I reeled in and had a walk to warm up and was left gutted.

One of the big mirrors was there on the bank well and truly ottered.
There has been much speculation as to why the were plenty of tench in 2016 but only 3 or 4 caught in 2017. Now we know why.

Its not in a position that we can protect it. We shall have to see what transpires as its not cheap and any members lost will be the death knell.

 

[mikench]

That sounds like some mega weired hippy psychadelic brew in the making ...:wh .

PG ...

Man if only you knew man!!!

 

[mikench]

After a couple of blanks on a gravel pit, I needed to get back on the river for a bit of sanity. Got out at 9pm, river was up a little and pushing and bloody cold. After fishing a couple of pegs without a touch, I settled in to my final swim. The rod flew round quickly and I missed the bite. Same again, but this time a very satisfying response ended up with a cracking 6lb 3oz tees chub.






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I've had loads of Chub like that Jim so there! only in my dreams you understand; I blame the magic mushrooms !:wh

 

[mikench]

I had the last couple of hours daylight out today on the river swimming the stream as usual .
There was a nasty biting wind as I walked along the river bank and I looked over at a very dirty looking river which had been pushed back by the tide. Fishing an incoming tide is my favourite time to fish but I think I was just a bit too late and had missed out on the best part as the tide had just turned back to the big water. Anyhow I started to fish and was catching plenty small chub of about a pound or so. I used a Match aerial and for some reason I was seriously hindered with line stick after every fish! As you can imagine it was quite annoying and on several occasions I was close to stamping on the reel.The other day I used a daiwa rod and had no line wraps, today I used a drennan acolyte and had way too many mg:. I had nothing but agg all through my session and the old dead nettles etc seemed like magnets for my hook as I was constantly hooking into them and having to faff about removing the hook .
On two occasions I kept my catches of chub in my landing net head and each time after having 6 or 7 fish in it I bent down to put another one in only to find the barstwerads had had a jail break lol. I wasn't really bothered,i'd only kept them to make a better picture since they where only small fish...never mind .
I found I could hardy make out the float from the beginning of the session because of low light conditions but it was barely visible at 3.15 and by 3.30 it was impossible to see it as it had gone so overcast.

Well done Ian! Not one of your rods and pins can moan about neglect! I don't know how you manage to alternate them all!

 

[tigger]

Well done Ian! Not one of your rods and pins can moan about neglect! I don't know how you manage to alternate them all!

You know the old saying Mike... "variety is the spice of life"....I used to swap and change my women but nowadays I've been lowered to switching my fishing gear about mg:.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Couldn't resist another go today hoping to take advantage of the mild overnight temperatures and overcast skies. But the Stour is running low and clear so out came the #20 hook and single red maggot.

Managed the first chub quite quickly which turned out to be the biggest of the day at 5lbs 05oz.

I had the occasional chub throughout the rest of the session managing a further five, all of which were around 4:08/5:00ish.

Hard but enjoyable work.

 

[mikench]

You know the old saying Mike... "variety is the spice of life"....I used to swap and change my women but nowadays I've been lowered to switching my fishing gear about mg:.

I hope the wife doesn't look in!

 

[103841]

Couldn't resist another go today hoping to take advantage of the mild overnight temperatures and overcast skies. But the Stour is running low and clear so out came the #20 hook and single red maggot.

Managed the first chub quite quickly which turned out to be the biggest of the day at 5lbs 05oz.

I had the occasional chub throughout the rest of the session managing a further five, all of which were around 4:08/5:00ish.

Hard but enjoyable work.

Your Dorset Stour seems not unlike the stretch of Kent Stour I fish Neil, that is apart from the volume of chub and the fact they seem to average between 1 and 2lb heavier!

Do you get plagued by small fish when fishing so light? Love the action shot.:thumbs:

 

[Molehill]

A cracking day yesterday trotting for grayling on the upper Wye, plenty of fish of all sizes. A stretch I've never fished before so a bit of walking about and trying different swims - but caught everywhere , plus a tidy chub and usual assortment of rather thin, post spawning trout, which would be good sport in 6 months time.
I took a friend who has never been grayling trotting before, so good to see him into some fish. The river has a hell of a head of grayling in there and a great mix of sizes from tiny 3 inch fish upwards, bodes well for the future.
Thanks to Graham who gave me a few tips on where to start, it paid off and put some fish in the net early on.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Your Dorset Stour seems not unlike the stretch of Kent Stour I fish Neil, that is apart from the volume of chub and the fact they seem to average between 1 and 2lb heavier!

Do you get plagued by small fish when fishing so light? Love the action shot.:thumbs:

I often have to wade through minnows, dace and chublets especially at this time of year before the winter arrives properly. But the key is to fish areas where the chub are not going to be far away, feed them enough to get them interested, then feed a bit more to get them competing. Works for me enough times to keep me going back for more.

Had I fished the static maggot feeder yesterday, which is a rare thing for me, I would almost certainly have been hammered by minnows. However, that method is highly successful for the chub and invariably improves the chances of hooking the bigger ones at that.

 

[mikench]

Thanks Neil.i envy you catching such superb fish in such lovely surroundings and having your own personal photographer to record the events! Merry Christmas!

 

[103841]

With plummeting temperatures overnight the chances of catching fish today seemed remote and coupled with a biting wind chill it should have been enough to put me off but having spent the entire day indoors yesterday gazing out at the rain battering the window I was going a little stir crazy.

I wanted to try my latest purchase, a Slug Go lure, this model given the wonderful name of the Arkansas Shiner.

Spent a couple of hours casting into various swims without a bite, at least I now have a lure set up that can be trawled through the weed without snagging. Ended up at the weir pool and after half an hour had the cold wind penetrating my many layers of insulation and had my mythical "last cast". Retrieving with the thought of warmth from the car in mind just minutes away when a pike emerged from the shadows and circled the lure with a look of curiosity. Thoughts of warming up dismissed as I spent another thirty minutes in the hope curiosity would turn to attack but it wasn't to be.

The drive home was cosy.

 

[neil1970]

I've cast to a certain spot, under a garden platform on the far bank, 100s of times and only caught jacks and chub, today was different.
I really didn't think there were Pike this big in our little river.
New PB at 16lb 9oz

:w