How did you get on?

[john step]

Breeding, Ian. it has been a noted tench lake for many years, and is never stocked. There are big shoals of small tench these days - in previous years I've had catches more mixed in size, with my best one just over 4lb, and plenty at 3lb. Not big, by any standard, but great fishing on light float gear.

I wish they would breed a bit better in my club lakes. We recently spent a lot of money stocking some .

 

[103841]

I’d love to spend a few hours fishing the whip on a lake with an abundance of tench.

 

[swizzle]

Something slightly different from me as well. Yesterday afternoon I was asked by a friend if I'd fancy going out on his boat for the evening. After the sudden squall that swung in I feared the worst. But it turned into a beautiful and atmospheric evening. Upon arriving at the spot beyond the needles we were greeted to the sight of a dolphin surfacing over the space of three hours.



The fishing was not great. We must have had 40 dogfish between the three of us at least and a solitary pout. Perhaps the dolphin scared most of the fish off. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful evening in great company.







N.b. This post was written last Monday, I got frustrated with how long it was taking to upload pictures so gave up. I noticed this evening that it was saved so gave it another go.

 

[Another Dave]

Little pond over the fields turns out to be overflowing with little rudd. Spent a pleasant 6pm - 8pm with cheapo telescopic, some stale burger buns, some isome worms, a wooden bead wedged with a matchstick for a little casting weight. Size 14 barbless.









If you look on the old maps there were ponds like this everywhere, virtually one for every field. This is the last of many within my range. I used to fish it as a kid when it was very silted up and coated with that fairy moss. It was dredged out a few years back but in a sympathetic way, basically what we wanted to do with it, a restoration.

Did get excited when a large shape loomed through the polaroids, then a bloody terrapin popped his head up!

 

[markcw]

I was at home this afternoon, checking and replacing elastics on my topkits, when a WhatsApp forum pinged asking for bailiffs
to go to a club water to remove swimmers,( again) I was brassed off because I had only manged to do seven kits and still
had more to do.Anyway I arrive at the water and two other bailiffs are there, The swimmers by this time had decided to play hide n seek in the bushes on the top end of the pool, As we were talking on the car park, a car pulled up and dropped two lads off, I "politely" told them to be on their way. Ten minutes later a car pulls up at the carpark gate, I pull the keys from my pocket and ask
if they are coming in, "Yes" was the reply, I let them in and relocked the gate, They sat in the car, not coming out. they must have realized that swimmers don't have keys to carparks, we were undecided to go off the car park ourselves and leave them locked in or tell them they are lucky the police hadn't arrived yet, I went over to speak to them, one said they weren't going swimming the other said they were. ! after taking photo of registration number we let them off the car park, We split up and did a tour round the pool,its 15 acres, the swimmers had seen sense and left. the police decided not to turn up after we had called them over an hour before.
so we left and went home, This is going to be a regular thing, with the hot weather and school holidays, some of the kids had been drinking, there may come a time they get in the water with drink inside them and an accident could happen, At the moment its a stand off between swimmers and bailiffs, they have threatened one angler, he packed up and left, they may threaten another who will retaliate and then he gets the blame for protecting his fishing tackle.

 

[tigger]

I would have gone Ian but I am away in France until later that week! If you see a decent wading stick going cheap( there were a few last year) get it for me would you as I may need one!!!:wh

Pity you can't make it.
I'm not sure that i'm going to make it either, but if I do go Mike i'll most definately have a look for you .
Failing that it's not hard to find a straightish sappling where they're in abundance and make your own.
Personally I never use one as it's just something else for me to carry....plus I like living dangerously lol.
You could also use a decent bankstick or landing net staff which you most likely already have!

 

[markcw]

Ian, as regarding Mike using a landing net staff, he gave me one when we went to Lloyds Meadow, so it seems he may have to
do a Jed Clampitt and start whittling some tree branches into shape :wh

 

[mikench]

I loved the Beverly Hillbillies y'all! Showing our age now Mark!

 

[tigger]

I loved the Beverly Hillbillies y'all! Showing our age now Mark!

Mike, youd be the bank manager Mr Drysdale,
Jethro reminds me of Ste bink.
Graham crow would be Granny,
Now who would be Miss Hathaway, someone who admires Stebink, I know we all do but I think Sam Vines fancies him !....so it would have to be Sam lol.
Elli May would have to be me since i am the prettiest on here.....by far .


Oops, almost forgot to mention Jed...that would have to be flightliner .

 

[thecrow]

Decided to have a morning on the clubs small reservoir after Crucians but while driving there I turned off towards another of the clubs pools, no idea why but I ended up here

imgurl

I had read on the clubs website that there was a decent head of Tench in there and it proved to be right. 11 Tench from around 2lbs to possibly 3.5lbs all on meat from 10ft of water just a rod length out.







Had about 6 of these also on meat left me wishing I had taken some tares with me.

post a picture

These then turned up even taking the meat on the drop, it was a signal to pack up and take the gaffer shopping



An enjoyable morning with another 2 still waters on the card still to be visited, £22 worth every penny.

 

[mikench]

Lovely tench Graham! That red T road sign clearly stood for tench rather than T junction!

 

[peter crabtree]

9 codgers turned up this morning at the same venue as last week. A chilly NE wind blowing and low cloud it certainly felt more like March than May...
The canal water was quite warm but the roach weren't in abundance like last week,
skimmers around 8 ounces, gudgeon and ruff made up most nets.
Around midday the rain set in, drizzle to start with followed by lightning and torrential downpours...

3 careless codgers forgot their brollies and swiftly packed up early.
As organiser I had to do the weigh in, during which I got well and truly drenched.

Winner had 6lb:4. 2nd. 6:2:8. I was 3rd with 4:1.

Had the heater on full blast on my homeward journey in my steamed up car...

 

[Redeemed]

Barlow Fisheries

Me and the lad chanced our arm getting a peg at Barlow, third time lucky and we got in okay. Not too many oldies there, must be pensions day.

So we kit up and straight away I'm having problems with line flow through the rod.

I have a look and I'd managed to get the line twisted round the upper section whilst moving in between rings!

So I strip down, re-run line, set up again and once more the line just isn't flowing smoothly. Close examination - I've missed a ring!

Now totally cheesed off I cut the line, rethread and then cannot join the line back together due to a neurological condition flaring up in my hands

Son comes to the rescue, rejoins but now the tails are getting caught on the rod rings so I decide enough is enough and strip it down

Time for a tea I think, but the lad has forgotten the milk!

So it's off to the fishery cafe for two teas, I get 10 yards and drop both - said neurological condition strikes again

Now at this point I would have gone home but the lad had been catching since his first cast, nice roach up to about 12 oz, so I wasn't going to spoil his party.

Still fuming I rig up the feeder rod, lightweight cage feeder with bait popped up about 6" with a bit of rig foam.

Straight away i'm into a nice roach and the day continues afoot. After awhile the roach get wise to the luncheon meat so I switch to corn for a while and still pull a few in.

The boy was fishing bread but I couldn't stop my hands shaking enough to get the hook into the punch and the bread on the hook

Now there are some behemoths in this pond, grass carp up to about 8-10lb and they are just cruising the surface, no intention of feeding whatsoever.

The resident tench and chub, small barbel etc have no intention of playing ball today either.

The roach are being co-operative though, less is more on the hookbait and we both finished the day with about a dozen or more each, and I have to say they were in wonderful condition and real scrappers.

I spent a bit of time supervising two young lads who had come with their mothers who had no idea about fishing, and the two lads being about 8 years old didn't have a clue either.

Managed to stop them doing damage to a roach of about 1lb by unhooking it for them, sorted out numerous tangles, and seeing as neither liked touching maggots (!) I furnished them both with a fake maggot apiece for their size 20 hooks.

My kindness was repaid by the bailiff refunding my day ticket! Gravy!

It's a good venue with plenty there to catch when they are in the mood, some real submarines all the way down to small roach. Decent cafe and serviceable toilets.

What's not to like?

 

[stu_the_blank]

Had to cancel my long anticipated week in France, last week. my father in hospital meant an enforced miss


The lads kept me I informed of the string of large carp they landed, comely French waitresses etc. deep joy! Actually delighted for them.


Hopefully will make up for it next year. (with the fish if not the waitresses)


Stu

 

[nottskev]

I didn't plan to fish today. In the morning, I realised the passport I'll need in a couple of weeks has expired - how could I have known? I've only had it ten years - and the next few hours involved the post office, form-filling and arranging an expensive visit to an office in Peterborough. By tea-time I was ready for a break, and I pictured myself basking in the evening sunshine, as the day had been lovely.

I got to the Old Lake, the nearest option, just as the cloud closed in and the trees began thrashing in a high wind. Still, with my back to the wind, it was ok except when you needed to re-bait and your line was flying like a flag; I had to put a heavier float on just to be able to grab it.



I went for the rod and pin again, as there would be less for the wind to blow around. The first couple of fish were tench, and if you think it would be impossible to catch any smaller than yesterday's, you under-estimated me



At this lake, you sometimes see a big orange carp swim past. I had a closer look at it today



The bailiff told me it weighed 14lb last time it was on the bank; it was certainly a chunky fish. All my best efforts to get the tench and crucians to feed on the bottom were getting nowhere, and the only interest was coming from roach in the upper half



so I spent the last hour fishing for these. I never really got them lined up, but it's a great time of year when you can spend the day on boring c**p and still have time to fish for a few hours

 

[thecrow]

arranging an expensive visit to an office in Peterborough.

There's a car park almost over the road from where you need to visit.

 

[S-Kippy]

Kev

That tench is about the same stamp as the ones they've just stocked in Bury Hill. I dont really follow the logic of tipping fish that size into a small lake that's already got a good head of decent tench. They are slow growers and it will be years before they are of any size.

And is there anything in the world slipperier than a 4 oz tench ? I think not....not even an eel gets close.

 

[nottskev]

Kev

That tench is about the same stamp as the ones they've just stocked in Bury Hill. I dont really follow the logic of tipping fish that size into a small lake that's already got a good head of decent tench. They are slow growers and it will be years before they are of any size.

And is there anything in the world slipperier than a 4 oz tench ? I think not....not even an eel gets close.

I agree. It took several attempts to pick that little one out of the landing net (it's undignified for tench to be swung in). That lake is another of the rare places where tench breed and proliferate, and you catch them from a couple of ounces to several pounds.

 

[markcw]

Another afternoon seeing swimmers off the water, this lot had a bit more sense in as such they didn't try to come onto the car park
and be locked in for a while. If this carries on I am going to send a bill in to the parish council for petrol expenses.

 

[nottskev]

There's a car park almost over the road from where you need to visit.

Good! Nice catch, Graham; looks like you've found a good local water.