How did you get on?

[103841]

We don't do Christmas presents in our family, haven't done for decades, just some dosh for Grandchildren. But having been such a good boy over the past few weeks tackling all the chores er indoors would normally do but can't with a fractured wrist I felt it only right and proper to treat myself, a nice treat too, an Esox Piker Lure rod and a Shimano Stradic to pair up with it.

Today was a good day to get out and give the new toys an outing, the Stour at Grove Ferry was the venue.

Temperature up to an almost balmy nine degrees without a puff of wind but the sky was leaden and the landscape had that monochrome look about, the only splash of colour coming from my pike float and a quick glimpse of a Kingfisher as it flashed by skimming the surface,first I've seen on this stretch. I had the river to myself and the sound of distant crows added to an eerie atmosphere but a nice kind of eerie.

Stuck out a deadbait on a float rod and set the bite alarm whilst I turned my attention to the lure rod. Just the second cast and I had a take, nothing big but that hit was quite exciting and the new rod displayed a handsome bend in it. Always nice to christen a new rod first time out.

As is so often the case, expectations were high after a good start, but another four hours so no further action as I roved between the boats switching between the lure rod and a bit of drop shotting. The deadbait rig did have some twitches and on inspection some mouth sized chunks were being taken from the sardine, I'm guessing eels.

Came away not realising that there had been a constant fine drizzle that had soaked me and all the kit but I was a happy bunny having caught my fourth pike and my first on a lure.

My new lure still intact, a Slug Go.

 

[mikench]

Well done John ! You must have some kit collection ! I hope to be out tomorrow for roach with maggots and casters on the float!if you don't hear from me you can draw your own conclusions!

Is your new rod the Drennen 12' variety?

 

[103841]

Well done John ! You must have some kit collection ! I hope to be out tomorrow for roach with maggots and casters on the float!if you don't hear from me you can draw your own conclusions!

Is your new rod the Drennen 12' variety?

Thanks Mike, yes I do have a bit of a collectionmg: hopefully I'll get to use most of it over the next decade if I'm still around.

The rod is the other end of the scale an 8ft 1.75lb tc, lovely with the super light Stradic on it. Should be useful for a bit of chub/carp stalking too. I'm told Drennan have now discontinued them so I'm pleased to have grabbed one before they've all gone.

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[binka]

Barring the odd, fortnightly read through to catch up on everyone else’s reports I’ve been a virtual stranger to this thread recently.

I’ve had two or three sessions but lean is the best way of summing them up, mainly down to lack of planning and preparation for the sake of actually getting out at short notice.

It was a welcome change today though, having had a bit of time to plan what I wanted to do although a stillwater would have been the wiser option considering the amount of mucky snow melt still coming down a swollen and heavily coloured river.

These things are what they are though and it was what I fancied doing, I had the Ultralite Avons rigged and in by shortly after eight this morning, both fishing light leads with one on meat and the other on cheesepaste.

Barring a couple of heavy knocks I spent the day biteless and only on the very last cast did the tip of the meat rod wrench around and I was rewarded with a nice Bertie…

My phone camera has an auto light setting and managed to make it look like broad daylight but it was rolling nicely into dusk and a good way to declare it the last drop in of the day.

Tackle all nicely turned around and ready for tomorrow where I’m meeting one of our esteemed at a Trent marina for another session and I think I’ll be on the worm gear to see if the milder weather has tempted a few stripeys into moving about and a nice 10am start should ensure we miss the early morning rain... :w

 

[103841]

The HDYGO contributions haven't been the same without regular bulletins from the Binka, they nearly always provide a decent fish and I'm pleased that you managed to winkle one out when they thought it was all over.

A 4lb stripey tomorrow will do nicely, no pressure.

 

[mikench]

Easy peasy for Binka!

 

[maggot_dangler]

Well actually got out today Late but still made it to water .

Had a dental appointment at 14:00 (what a time ) so that over went to the club pool to try out a new to me silstar rod so fitted it with a new Advanta IKON pin loaded with 4lb floatfish lump of bread on a 16 hook interest almost instantly lots of little dips fishing a 4BB float then it was away like a goodun after a bit of a tussle landed a Carp of 9lb got pictures when i can get them uploaded any how total of 4 Carp biggest just over 11lbs smallest not much more that half a pound in the space of 1.5 hours

Pity i had to pack up hope it is a nice day on Sunday now ...


PG ...

 

[Another Dave]

Floatfishing bread today down the usual swims. I was after chub but they weren't playing along.

After an hour and a half of getting the hang of trotting with my new rod i decided to change swims, having caught nowt.

The next swim up had a lovely mini eddy just beyond the rod tip, a dustbin lid sized area where the float just gently went round and round. This spot was constant bites, clearly smaller fish but the action was refreshing. I didn't have any spare tackle with me so had to make do with the size 8 hook i had on. This was clearly too large but i managed to get a small roach from the eddy and a nice dace trotting beyond the eddy.

Hoping to be able to get back soon with finer terminal tackle as it seems clear the fish like this spot.

 

[Neil Maidment]

More of the same today except I headed for a different stretch of the Stour further upstream. I deliberately travelled light as although I had fished the opposite bank a few times, I hadn't fished this bank for many years, so had planned to have a wander to see what I could find.

I had quite a few chub in various spots topped by a sparkling 6:03 backed up with several very nice 5's. Returning to rested swims worked very well indeed. A few of the better fish fell to trotted flake but most to maggot. More than pleased and a little surprised with the quality and condition of these chub from an area having been described as decimated by the resident Otters!

 

[Another Dave]

Good lord.

 

[mikench]

My initial thoughts were to say nothing! After all how do you complete with that Maidment chap who catches specimen Chub as though they were tiny roach which is all I caught!

Today was one of those winter days when it didn't seem to get light and you expected rain at any time! I ventured out to my favourite lake (Kev knows the one) with a float rod and maggots. I ended up with 10 roach to 6oz which was 10 more fish than the only other angler there caught! I also caught the smallest carp I have ever seen at around 1lb at most ! This was on bread and I thought it was going to be the first of many! It turned out to be last of one!

I enjoyed being out and whilst it was 10 c it felt much colder and I packed up as a thin drizzle descended ! Might get out tomorrow or Saturday but I am happy to wait until after Crimbo.

 

[103841]

My initial thoughts were to say nothing! After all how do you complete with that Maidment chap who catches specimen Chub as though they were tiny roach which is all I caught!
.

If you were Jose Mourinho you could say this "Maidment chap" just got lucky.

 

[mikench]

I could John but he gets lucky far too often!

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Fished the Wye where we had our Fish In.
After telling the owner that the quattro would get up heartattack hill!!!!!

Fished the slippery banks with maggot feeder hoping to catch a frozen barbel. Nothing first hour so pike rod came out. First couple of slacks nothing then next couple of bobs on the float and the strike met with some resistance. It was a 3ft long S-Kippy fish about 4lb that let go as it neared the bank.!!

Cast again and couple more bobs, pulled it a bit, resistance and pike on. It was about 13/14lb as it spat the bait and hooks out near the bank!
Next cast a 9lber followed the Mackerel in but didn't take.
Bxxger this I said. Back to the feeder.

No barbel were hurt in the following 3 hours but did manage 5 chub to around 4lb.

The exciting bit.

As I drove up the deeply muddied hill after a good start the car decided at one stage to go sideways

Managed to reverse back 20 yards and just about made it up.
Thank you quattro.....just.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Another Dave said.
"Good Lord"

The way young Maidment catches, he'll be answering to that name soon!!!!

 

[sam vimes]

A relatively disappointing few hours for two grayling, two trout, a parr and a couple of minnows. Looked bob on too, but they weren't really having it.

 

[tigger]

A relatively disappointing few hours for two grayling, two trout, a parr and a couple of minnows. Looked bob on too, but they weren't really having it.

Did you use the Browning rod Chris ...how'd it feel?

 

[sam vimes]

Did you use the Browning rod Chris ...how'd it feel?

Yes, better than the other long spliced tip rod.

 

[mikench]

Tell all Sam! How can we evaluate what rods are brill when you speak( type ) in tongues!:wh

 

[sam vimes]

Tell all Sam! How can we evaluate what rods are brill when you speak( type ) in tongues!:wh

I won't say much about any rod until it's had plenty of outings. Just because it's new and I hope it'll really float my boat doesn't mean it will.