How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
One of my clubs has acquired the fishing rights to a farm lake in rural Bucks. It was rather neglected but several work parties have taken place and there are some nice pegs cut out.
As we have a match there this Sunday I thought I'd give it a go today. It's very shallow all round at about 18" deep but there's plenty of fish and they don't seem to mind.
Started on a method feeder with micros and a meaty pellet, lots of pulls and twitches but no proper pull rounds. After a frustrating hour or so I set up a waggler rod with light line and maggot, this brought a steady succession of nice roach, Rudd and perch.
Back on the tip while I ate my sarnies and had a drop back bite which resulted in my first tench in a while..
During the afternoon I started to think about my tactics for Sunday and decided I'd not make my usual mistake and fish 2 or 3 different methods but stick to just one for the entire 6 hours.
Such was the frequency of bites and the quality of the silvers I decided I'll stick with the wagg and magg ( famous last words).
I reckon I could feasibly amass 20+lb of small fish and do ok. That's if the effect of 15 anglers doesn't put the fish down?
I stuck with the float for the rest of the afternoon and even landed a carp on my roach rig.
As we have a match there this Sunday I thought I'd give it a go today. It's very shallow all round at about 18" deep but there's plenty of fish and they don't seem to mind.
Started on a method feeder with micros and a meaty pellet, lots of pulls and twitches but no proper pull rounds. After a frustrating hour or so I set up a waggler rod with light line and maggot, this brought a steady succession of nice roach, Rudd and perch.
Back on the tip while I ate my sarnies and had a drop back bite which resulted in my first tench in a while..
During the afternoon I started to think about my tactics for Sunday and decided I'd not make my usual mistake and fish 2 or 3 different methods but stick to just one for the entire 6 hours.
Such was the frequency of bites and the quality of the silvers I decided I'll stick with the wagg and magg ( famous last words).
I reckon I could feasibly amass 20+lb of small fish and do ok. That's if the effect of 15 anglers doesn't put the fish down?
I stuck with the float for the rest of the afternoon and even landed a carp on my roach rig.
I returned yesterday from two weeks holiday in Dorset,Christchurch actually,fishing all but one evening,I ended up with 5 barbel,the three biggest went 12-5,12-3 and 12-1(caught a long way apart and yes I checked my scales a few times as I thought they were stuck around 12lbs but they weren't)15 chub and a bream finished up to be a very nice fishing break.
P.s. Just to clarify,by checking I mean putting various weights on my scales to see they pick up various weight changes...
P.s. Just to clarify,by checking I mean putting various weights on my scales to see they pick up various weight changes...
Last edited:
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
Some very nice fish Whitty, and congratulations on your catch!
Can I ask if they were caught from the Avon or Stour?
I know the area quite well from numerous trips to fish various stretches of both rivers as a young chap. Not an easy area to take good barbel despite the reputation so I think you did exceptionally well...
Mind you, I haven't fished it for donkeys years so I'm out of touch, really, but I remember Christchurch being an ideal centre for a fishing holiday and one of the last places to have a turntable for turning round busses - plus a dodgy cinema!
I'm prattling on again so I'll cease now....apologies
Can I ask if they were caught from the Avon or Stour?
I know the area quite well from numerous trips to fish various stretches of both rivers as a young chap. Not an easy area to take good barbel despite the reputation so I think you did exceptionally well...
Mind you, I haven't fished it for donkeys years so I'm out of touch, really, but I remember Christchurch being an ideal centre for a fishing holiday and one of the last places to have a turntable for turning round busses - plus a dodgy cinema!
I'm prattling on again so I'll cease now....apologies
Last edited:
markcw
Exiled Northerner
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2017
- Messages
- 13,720
- Reaction score
- 12,673
I loaded the car at 6.45am, in the rain, drove 20+ miles down the motorway to the meeting point.
Still raining but heavier, we got a message from one of the lads who had gone straight to the venue saying a couple of roads were closed and diversions in place, it seemed you doubled back on yourself down the country lanes a few times to rejoin the road.Everyone putting postcode in satnav,3 different postcodes depending on which review on website you clicked on.The rain eased off a little and started up again. I made an "Executive decision " for myself.. Do I faff around looking for the place via diversions, go back down the motorway to previous junction and go to it from there, or go back down the motorway to go home. If you are reading this around 8.40am you will realize it was the 3rd option. Still raining, tackle still in the car, having a brew and relaxing. The Rugby League Challenge Cup on TV later, Warrington , the team I support is playing Catalan Dragons so I will be watching that in the comfort of my own home,
Still raining but heavier, we got a message from one of the lads who had gone straight to the venue saying a couple of roads were closed and diversions in place, it seemed you doubled back on yourself down the country lanes a few times to rejoin the road.Everyone putting postcode in satnav,3 different postcodes depending on which review on website you clicked on.The rain eased off a little and started up again. I made an "Executive decision " for myself.. Do I faff around looking for the place via diversions, go back down the motorway to previous junction and go to it from there, or go back down the motorway to go home. If you are reading this around 8.40am you will realize it was the 3rd option. Still raining, tackle still in the car, having a brew and relaxing. The Rugby League Challenge Cup on TV later, Warrington , the team I support is playing Catalan Dragons so I will be watching that in the comfort of my own home,
markcw
Exiled Northerner
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2017
- Messages
- 13,720
- Reaction score
- 12,673
Get them to put a couple of gaps in the central island, makes ideal ambush points to catch the fish
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
When I looked outside at 7:30 this morning my neighbour's car had gone. I imagined he'd left early to fish our usual venue.
When I got there however he wasn't there?
I decided to go elsewhere and ended up nearer home on a venue which I've never fished in summer. Would the roach be there today as they are usually shoaled up here in winter?
Set up 2 topkits, one for the track and a lighter one for halfway up the far shelf. Started on the punch down the middle, slow at first or was I not concentrating? A bloke was asking loads of questions about pole fishing and wouldn't jog on!
Second bite I had the biggest roach of the session, a cracker of around 14oz..
A change to double pinkie (my Kingsmill was a bit past it and wouldn't punch out properly) bought me some more quality roach and couple of skimmers.
It certainly didn't fish as well as winter so I'll probably not return till then.
Not too bad a result.
When I got there however he wasn't there?
I decided to go elsewhere and ended up nearer home on a venue which I've never fished in summer. Would the roach be there today as they are usually shoaled up here in winter?
Set up 2 topkits, one for the track and a lighter one for halfway up the far shelf. Started on the punch down the middle, slow at first or was I not concentrating? A bloke was asking loads of questions about pole fishing and wouldn't jog on!
Second bite I had the biggest roach of the session, a cracker of around 14oz..
A change to double pinkie (my Kingsmill was a bit past it and wouldn't punch out properly) bought me some more quality roach and couple of skimmers.
It certainly didn't fish as well as winter so I'll probably not return till then.
Not too bad a result.
A day on my syndicate res on the pin for carp. I had 3 so its no overstocked venue. Nothing big. 8lb biggest but they go like stink in the deep clear water.
Good old JW barbel rod and a pin and a float.
View attachment 5429
Good old JW barbel rod and a pin and a float.
View attachment 5429
Roger Johnson 2
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 213
- Reaction score
- 529
Down to the swimming pool for my daily bream, had to scale down to 3lb hooklink and 16 hook and 4 mm pellet as usual size 10 on 8lb with 8mm pellet was just getting twitches. New rig sailed away within 3 mins of casting. I might have struggled if I’d hooked a barbel though. I must get back to fluff chucking before the trout season is done.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
B
binka
Guest
Back on the river for me and for what seemed like the first time in ages, the conditions really did scream Barbel and so muggins here decided to have a go at the Perch!
Well…
There’s no point in doing what you don’t fancy on the day, is there?
I set up an ambush on a likely looking patrol route, using the long rod to poke a worm laden bobber out under some near bank cover in around five feet of water but despite really working at the chopped worm and maggot feed I didn’t encounter a big stripey…
I did have a respectable mixed bag of smaller fish though and this included a couple of nice Roach, something I haven’t encountered on the river for some time and the Chub were being their usual greedy selves.
Two points of note, in that I was done twice in one day by usually elusive river Carp…
(Judgement on me for knocking their Frankenstein, stillwater cousins?)
The first one was my own fault, I felt it was landable on the 4.4lb bottom and I’ve had them to 17lb + from this swim but I overplayed my hand and put too much on it which resulted in a lost hook.
The second was a different ball game altogether and it wasn’t hanging around to pass the time of day!
I’d moved up to a 5.5lb hooklink by this time (in light of the previous encounter) but this thing just kept powering on upstream whilst I did little more than hang on until it was a good thirty yards above me, by which time I had the rod held well below the water to undercut a large overhanging bush to my left.
The inevitable happened and everything went solid… I was in a snag!
The fish was long gone and I was facing the prospect of losing a handmade float but Lady Luck was smiling on me and after pulling for a break and then having to bat the ‘pin furiously to get the float back under the overhanging snag pit to my left, before it had the chance to surface and snag up, I finally swung it back to hand.
It was getting on for half six in the evening by this time and although I thought the best was still to come I’d had enough and so I decided to call it a day.
In the absence of little else to upload here’s an accidental and rather uninteresting picture of a size 11 boot…
:w
Well…
There’s no point in doing what you don’t fancy on the day, is there?
I set up an ambush on a likely looking patrol route, using the long rod to poke a worm laden bobber out under some near bank cover in around five feet of water but despite really working at the chopped worm and maggot feed I didn’t encounter a big stripey…
I did have a respectable mixed bag of smaller fish though and this included a couple of nice Roach, something I haven’t encountered on the river for some time and the Chub were being their usual greedy selves.
Two points of note, in that I was done twice in one day by usually elusive river Carp…
(Judgement on me for knocking their Frankenstein, stillwater cousins?)
The first one was my own fault, I felt it was landable on the 4.4lb bottom and I’ve had them to 17lb + from this swim but I overplayed my hand and put too much on it which resulted in a lost hook.
The second was a different ball game altogether and it wasn’t hanging around to pass the time of day!
I’d moved up to a 5.5lb hooklink by this time (in light of the previous encounter) but this thing just kept powering on upstream whilst I did little more than hang on until it was a good thirty yards above me, by which time I had the rod held well below the water to undercut a large overhanging bush to my left.
The inevitable happened and everything went solid… I was in a snag!
The fish was long gone and I was facing the prospect of losing a handmade float but Lady Luck was smiling on me and after pulling for a break and then having to bat the ‘pin furiously to get the float back under the overhanging snag pit to my left, before it had the chance to surface and snag up, I finally swung it back to hand.
It was getting on for half six in the evening by this time and although I thought the best was still to come I’d had enough and so I decided to call it a day.
In the absence of little else to upload here’s an accidental and rather uninteresting picture of a size 11 boot…
:w
The Runner
Well-known member
Got back up here on Wednesday after a week and a half back down South working
Tides not good and/or strong face winds for the various headland marks, so just had a couple more sessions near home on Loch Portree. Had a couple of hours up to the top of the tide in the shallow water over the mud/weed/lugworm beds South of the town. Had taken a rod with me when digging a few worms at low tide and clipped up to the channel about a foot deeper than the rest, about 30 yards from high water mark which must have looked a bit strange to the couple walking the shore path...Didn't do me any good though, two little rattles on the tip that could have been anything but came to nothing. Will give it another go though as sure there must be some flounders about, looks perfect for them.
Back out digging some more bait today, usual 30 or so worms for a five hour session and got some cockles as well as had a plan B. Walked the mile back home, exchanged fork for rods and walked a mile and a bit out the other side of the loch. Lovely warm late afternoon
View attachment 5430
Set up 13' Normark Multitip and ounce bomb for worm and 13' MAP carp waggler rod with 8gm slider and cockle on a 6. Bomb produced a few little cod and pollack to start but not expecting anything better until tide further up as on my last visit. Float was a bite a chuck though, small pollack mainly with a couple of coalies but nothing over half a pound and wind gradually got up quite strong making the float too much like hard work from 12ft above the water. Rapidly running out of cockles anyway.
Time to concentrate on the bomb as the tide rose higher, a couple of slightly better codling about 10oz as well as a few smaller ones and then about an hour before high water, three wrasse in the space of ten minutes, all about this size
View attachment 5431
Quiet again for 20 minutes, small fish seemed to have moved off, and then a double rattle on the tip, lifted into it and something went off, backwound about ten yards before it stopped and then just a heavy dead weight coming in slowly with the occasional nod. Got it about 20 yards out when the hooklength parted, bitten off (10 lb) rather than broken I think. Apparently there can be the odd ray about here so that's what I'll put it down as.
Next chuck, tip banged over and its a half decent codling
View attachment 5432
Another one the same size next put in but then nothing more as the tide turned and bites stopped completely.
A busy evening, nothing any real size but good fun on match tackle.
Tides not good and/or strong face winds for the various headland marks, so just had a couple more sessions near home on Loch Portree. Had a couple of hours up to the top of the tide in the shallow water over the mud/weed/lugworm beds South of the town. Had taken a rod with me when digging a few worms at low tide and clipped up to the channel about a foot deeper than the rest, about 30 yards from high water mark which must have looked a bit strange to the couple walking the shore path...Didn't do me any good though, two little rattles on the tip that could have been anything but came to nothing. Will give it another go though as sure there must be some flounders about, looks perfect for them.
Back out digging some more bait today, usual 30 or so worms for a five hour session and got some cockles as well as had a plan B. Walked the mile back home, exchanged fork for rods and walked a mile and a bit out the other side of the loch. Lovely warm late afternoon
View attachment 5430
Set up 13' Normark Multitip and ounce bomb for worm and 13' MAP carp waggler rod with 8gm slider and cockle on a 6. Bomb produced a few little cod and pollack to start but not expecting anything better until tide further up as on my last visit. Float was a bite a chuck though, small pollack mainly with a couple of coalies but nothing over half a pound and wind gradually got up quite strong making the float too much like hard work from 12ft above the water. Rapidly running out of cockles anyway.
Time to concentrate on the bomb as the tide rose higher, a couple of slightly better codling about 10oz as well as a few smaller ones and then about an hour before high water, three wrasse in the space of ten minutes, all about this size
View attachment 5431
Quiet again for 20 minutes, small fish seemed to have moved off, and then a double rattle on the tip, lifted into it and something went off, backwound about ten yards before it stopped and then just a heavy dead weight coming in slowly with the occasional nod. Got it about 20 yards out when the hooklength parted, bitten off (10 lb) rather than broken I think. Apparently there can be the odd ray about here so that's what I'll put it down as.
Next chuck, tip banged over and its a half decent codling
View attachment 5432
Another one the same size next put in but then nothing more as the tide turned and bites stopped completely.
A busy evening, nothing any real size but good fun on match tackle.
markcw
Exiled Northerner
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2017
- Messages
- 13,720
- Reaction score
- 12,673
jon atkinson
Well-known member
mikench
Well-known member
I'm not sure it is accidental having seen your feet on many a pic even on other members posts!
theartist
Well-known member
I'm not sure it is accidental having seen your feet on many a pic even on other members posts!
Spot on Mike!, have you seen his used boot business, they are taking over Angling direct as we speak, Footwear Indirect
theartist
Well-known member
Road trip up the Severn yesterday and as it was mainly sunny, roach were the quarry but would settle for anything, the water was quite clear and the wind was a downstream pain in the proverbials, despite this I still fished light and shallow. I had been knocking on the door of a 'two' all season up there with many between 1.10 and 1.15 so was due a bit of luck. Although following on from the two last week on my local river I guess two x 'two's' in a week is jammy, not much more to say other than get in! Again lol
mikench
Well-known member
Congratulations Rob! Lovely fish!