How did you get on?

[markcw]

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 .

I thought the pet skunk could have been Ste Bink after his trumping post on here mg:

 

[Tee-Cee]

I went yesterday and caught a number of carp fishing a very tricky swim, and in the main it was very enjoyable...

However this is to the whole story; (I'll try to keep it short!)


After landing a decent fish on anchored crust I re-baited and a nice pendulum cast saw another chunk sitting nicely on the water. Because of the swim I 'always' switch the baitrunner on as a back up rather than just rely on seeing the crust disappear. Anyway, after the cast I turned to wipe my hand before settling down to watch the surface bait. I can honestly say without fear of contradiction that all of this took max half a minute or so....okay lets say a minute.

I heard the swirl and in the time it took me to turn my head back to the rod all I remember seeing was the rod racing forward, climbing over the rest and in a fraction of a second it was in the water and heading off under the trees at staggering speed. I didn't even have time to make a grab for it!!
I 'always' switch the 'runner on and no reason to think I didn't this time, either that OR the line had somehow become caught around the reel...The end result was mind blowing as the rod had just disappeared, in what, 2/3 seconds.

I sat in disbelief hardly able to move with head in my hands, and in total shock. I literally couldn't move for a few minutes.

Eventually I recovered and wandered up the bank in he forlorn hope of seeing the rod bobbing around on the surface. Ziltch. I then decided on fetching my swim drag from the car and I spent the next hour swinging this in and out without success in any number of swims. (I was fishing parallel to the bank so the rod took off in the same direction.)
After some tea I had another slow walk toward two swims further down peering through the brambles and very thick undergrowth. Why I stopped I don't know but I saw a long thin thorny bramble hanging in the water and moving in jerky movements, stopping and then starting again, so me with my bad back I then broke down the undergrowth until I could lay over a tree stump and it was then that I saw my line attached to the bramble and then to the right some 6" of rod poking from the water.

Back I crawled to fetch my net. I collapsed it, poked it through the bushes oh so carefully, laid flat and grabbed the line and eventually got the now fight less fish into the net. My head was 3' from the water. I unhooked it and quickly released it, none the worse for wear. I then grabbed to rod top and with great care gradually eased it slowly back through the brambles, with hands now bleeding from the experience. I was dripping with sweat from the exertion and shattered.

All's well that ends well and within 20mins I was sorted with the rod dried off and the precious Shimano Aero GT reel of great age wiped dry and seemingly none the worse from its dunking. (WOULD IT HAVE TAKEN ON ANY WATER, ANYONE??)

Back in my chair it took me some time to recover and I admit to becoming quite emotional and tearful for a time......The Drennan rod, a real beauty (Tench/ Bream Specialist @ 11' and 13/4lb TC) has served me well for many years but it was the reel that I fretted about and I,m a very happy chap to see it now - cleaned within an inch of its life and with new line..

Did I forget to switch the 'runner on, I just don't know, but it is just not me to miss what is second nature to this style of fishing and crucial.

Perhaps this should be in the ' You know you're getting old etc etc. thread....)


ps The carp weighed around 7lbs and as sleek as you like, just built for speed!!

 

[markcw]

Tony,in reply to your "adventure" the same thing happened to me last year, I had set the runner but it must not have
stayed in place, similar circumstances, cast in rod, on rest, I reached down for my brew and in that short space of time the rod was in, I managed to get it back with the help of a friend by rigging 2 more feeder rods up and having leads coming off the main line in paternoster style, after getting it back and drying it off, I operated the runner system a few times, and it did stick at first, but freed itself, went back fishing and had no problems with it since, but I have invested in a tight fitting rear rod rest to be on the safe side, Also it was a shimano reel.and it hadn't taken on any water, Maybe you had set it and it had not stayed in place ?

 

[seth49]

View attachment 4843
Out on my own yesterday, it was micks birthday and being seventy he was having a day with his family before going for a meal later.
Suited me I could have an early start for once, so up at three fifty, loaded car and at the fishery for ten to five, lovely day, I do like early mornings best part of the day for me, enjoyed the drive over never saw another car, and first at the fishery for once, I decided to fish what is the specimen lake, not easy but it holds some big fish.
Set up in one of my favourite swims, sleeper rod in the margin to my left and fed a swim just left of centre, with pellets and hemp, hoping for tench but happy to catch whatever came along.

Set up my feeder rod with a pellet feeder, and a Sonu eight mm wafter in chocolate orange flavour, and started fishing, within minutes there were tench rolling over the feed and fizzes of bubbles coming up, not to be with the tench though not a touch.

I’d bought some worms last Friday and normally they keep ok on the concrete floor of my shed, but these had perished in the hot weather, there usually the best bait here for tench, so perhaps that was why I didn’t catch any.
View attachment 4844
This was the first fish I caught, roach /bream hybrid ?, it weighed two pounds four ounces and fought well, then the bream turned up.
View attachment 4845
This weighed over four and a half pound, and had recently spawned probably well over five pounds before.
There were a few carp cruising about, so started feeding a few dog biscuits, and they started taking them,so had a go for these on top with a biscuit for bait, caught two eight pounds nine and eleven pounds six, both looked to have spawned recently,
This is the biggest.
View attachment 4846
Had a walk round the lake at lunch, I knew both of the people who were fishing and they were in the sun, not in the shade like me, marked difference in temperature lot warmer on there side of the lake, they had caught a few but it was slow they said.

So back to my swim and fished till three, sport was patchy, catch a few bream then nothing for a while, then a few more, good to be out though, I do like early mornings, pity mick doesn’t , will have to go on my own a bit more, till later in the year when it changes, and fishes better afternoons till dusk.
Back again on Thursday, good forecast too.

 

[103841]

Now that’s what I call a “blood, sweat and tears” story.

Well recovered TC, and definitely a contender for the infamous award of which I now proudly own two.

 

[lakhyaman]

The Prof and I went up to the lake for a couple of days. Caught any number of fish on feeders and float legering over the three days we were there. Decided to fish a Drennan driftbeater float in the margins on the last day.


Yes, I know I haven't got the depth quite right.

I had barely put the phone down after taking the pic when the antenna shot up in a classic lift bite and a 7 lb mrigal found its way into the net.


Mrigal

I missed a bite and put the rod down with the hook barely in the water while I fiddled with something on the side. We were fishing bread paste and some must have stuck to the hook. It was enough for a Mahseer to nearly drag my rod in. Fortunately I grabbed it just in time as the fish roared off across the lake.


Mandan with Mahseer

A feeder fished on the side then proceeded to follow a Catla of some 13 lbs around the lake. Mandan, the ghillie, decided to use the large carp net to enfold the fish.


Catla

It was a beautiful full moon night so we moved to a fishing platform and carried on.

Finally the Prof muscled in a 17lb Catla by hooking it by the tail, much to his delight and my derision.


The Prof, Mandan and the Catla.

All the best

Lakhyaman

 

[Tee-Cee]

Mark...Yes, I suppose it's quite possible that it didn't stay in place but never known it before. When I sit and run it through my mind now I really don't remember doing what I would normally do and that is to take hold of the line in front of the spool and just give it a very short tug, just to make sure it would run if asked. Belt and braces comes to mind..

Such a reliable reel over the years with never the slightest fault, so much as I hate to admit it I believe it was down to human error, in which case I can only fall back on 'age' as an excuse. What I find even more galling is that I'm such a fussy bu$$er about such matters (bemoan others who lose rods in similar fashion) it's as though I have 'lost it' in some way. Ridiculous I know but what has come on today is almost a bout of anger......
However my wife has stepped in and given me a sharp talking to so I'll be fine come tomorrows session, AND I'm fishing the same swim!!

Btw, the reel, which spent the night in a barely warm airing cupboard, has been given a thorough workout this morning and it seems just fine, but the proof of the pudding..............................

 

[mikench]

Wow some great posts just recently! Tee cee I really feel for you and you did very well to retrieve your rod and reel! I recently bought a butt rest which really grips the rod after a 2lb F1 nearly took my rod off the rest!! Kev I find tiny tench the cutest of fish ; just like wriggling little bars of soap!

Lakhyaman I need a ghillie !:wh

Well turning to my adventures]today can only be an anticlimax after the foregoing posts but here goes! I returned to a local water which I had to myself all day which wasn't surprising as it started to rain at 10.00am and didn't stop! I managed 12 carp to 5lb on the feeder half to meat and the other half to corn!This was the pick and may be a fully scaled mirror!

View attachment 4858

I really enjoyed being under my brolly popping out to land the fish and to recast!

View attachment 4859

 

[tigger]

Having one of your larger bottom rod guides flush with the rod rest can help prevent a rod from being pulled in if you don't have a butt grip rest and cant get to the rod instantly.

 

[markcw]

Looks a nice water Mike, and that peg near to the tree looks inviting

 

[103841]

View attachment 4859

 

[mikench]

It's a lovely water Mark and shaped like a heart. It has too many carp for my liking to the detriment of the tench! It is due a stocking of tench and rudd which should improve things!

Yes John (s63) It is the Korum accessory chair and I find it very comfortable and easy to set up . I really like it and all the accessories work well! It weighs 6.2 kilos, so not exactly light, but, with the barrow kit it works very well. I have the Preston on box tray which slips into a sleeve on the back of the chair! I hold it in place with a pair of bungees!

 

[mikench]

Same lake, same peg, same chair but different angle and taken several weeks ago!

 

[wetthrough]

It's a lovely water Mark and shaped like a heart. It has too many carp for my liking to the detriment of the tench! It is due a stocking of tench and rudd which should improve things!

Yes John (s63) It is the Korum accessory chair and I find it very comfortable and easy to set up . I really like it and all the accessories work well! It weighs 6.2 kilos, so not exactly light, but, with the barrow kit it works very well. I have the Preston on box tray which slips into a sleeve on the back of the chair! I hold it in place with a pair of bungees!

But probably lighter than a chair and separate trolley/barrow? Do the arms come off? Can't be doing with arms for float fishing. My trolley is going to give up the ghost sooner or later and right now the Korum system is looking a likely candidate.

 

[seth49]

Never had a problem with the arms on this chair, they are set far enough back not to get in the way, and I’m six two and fifteen stone, and there’s plenty of room for me.

 

[mikench]

I have never found the arms intrusive Gordon and wouldn't be without them which isn't a choice in any event! A great chair and a simple barrow kit! You are welcome to try mine whenever you wish!

 

[wetthrough]

Do you have any plans to fish Dunham in the near future? I haven't yet decided where I'm going tomorrow if you're there?

 

[mikench]

Pm on its way Gordon!

 

[thecrow]

With one eye on the forecast heavy rain and thunderstorms (that never came) an early start at the same water as Tuesday was called for.

Fished a corner and although I was the only angler on there the next one to turn up decided to fish the other side of the corner why I have no idea maybe he was frightened to be alone who knows it annoyed me somewhat though.

Five Tench today with this one being the biggest and the others not far behind it so a decent average size.



The Tench were interspersed with some of these that were a bigger stamp than the last lot.



Surprise of the day was when this little fella turned up, I knew some had been stocked but was told they had disappeared



The session finished early as three women were talking in very loud voices to man round the corner the laughing sounded like chickens with a fox in the pen, I put up with it for 30 mins but could stand it no longer and packed up.

 

[wetthrough]

Tuesday: Lymm Dam fishing on the Church side. On a big water such as the Dam (about 13 acres) I work on the basis that you either have to go where the fish are or get them to come to you. With that in mind I balled up 500g of groundbait and put it in Monday night at around 10:30pm.

Arrived around 5:30am Tuesday. There is a good head of decent sized Bronze in there and I was hoping for a mixed bag of Roach and Bronze. I've fished the peg before and by 8:30am I'd had 4 skimmers around the 3:4lb mark and a Bronze at 5 1/2 plus some nice Roach but managed to spoil the swim by loose feeding. At least I think it was caused by loose feeding but who knows.

Fishing about 2 1/2 rod lengths out in 7'8" of water, laying on about 3". Hoping not to make the same mistake of loose feeding I bait droppered several mixed loads, put a couple of solid balls of groundbait in and let the swim settle while I tackled up. Fishing a 5bb GlowTip Antenna, 5lb main and 3.3lb fluorocarbon hooklength with an 18s light hook and red maggots.

Picked up some nice Roach then at about 6:45 the float went under and I struck into something solid. Fully expecting Bream of some sort but this was no Bream and it wasn't for coming in quietly. For the next 50 minutes or so I'd no idea what was on the end. Thought it might be a big pike except I'd get it near enough to see the float and it would charge off again stripping 30:40M of line each time. It must have done this four or five times. After maybe the fourth time of bringing it close I finally get to see what I'm up against, a good sized Mirror. Murphy's law being what it is, for the first time in that spot I've only assembled two sections of my net handle and there's nobody about to sort it out for me. I finally managed to get it close enough and land what turns out to be an 11lb 14oz Mirror and I'm not sure which is more knackered, it or me. It had taken me just over an hour to land.



Did I catch it though?
I don't think it took my bait although it may have been going for it.
I didn't hook it.
I didn't foul hook it.
I didn't dive in and swim after it.
I didn't run round after it with a net
and the line wasn't tangled round it.

It was already hooked but had snapped someone off. My hook had caught the tail rubber of a safety clip.



Did I enjoy it? To be honest I can't say I did. It was nice to have landed it and it's the biggest fish I've landed so far but all the time I'm trying to land it I'm not fishing! The following morning I fully expected to be aware of muscles in my arm I never knew about but oddly it's the muscles in my neck making themselves known.

Spent the rest of the day catching some really nice Roach, probably 20:30 and a good size, only 2 or 3 in the 2:3oz range, the biggest being around 8oz (not the one in the picture) but mostly 5:6oz. Still using the bait dropper to keep them on the bottom but despite that they moved up in the water and I started picking them up on the drop. Learned something though that if fish want to be up in the water they'll be up in the water whether there's food on the bottom or not. Started loose feeding and that seemed to send them down a bit - strange things fish. Not a Bream to be found. No doubt the tussle with the Mirror had them heading for safety.



Despite the misgivings of playing big fish on light tackle it was a good days fishing overall and on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed it.