How did you get on?

[peter crabtree]

Early start down the M40 this morning to south Oxfordshire and the river Thames. An enchanting venue at Little Stoke for an interclub match against Hanwell AC who control the stretch. Quite a walk to my peg across fields in the bright morning sun. It was a bit of a parrot cage with trees either side but afforded a good view in both directions on the river.

Set up my usual 15' rod, sliding 3.4gr insert waggler with the bulk weight 18' from the hook then 3no10 shot as droppers. Size 18 carbon match hook to 2lb bottom.
Mixed 2kilos of gb and formed 10 balls to start off with.
Bait today was simply maggot, caster and hemp. No need for anything else...

The depth a third of the way over was about 8 to 9' deep, at the off at 9:30 I cast out my rig and used the float as a target for my gb balls. A good steady underarm lob saw most balls bang on target .
Baited my hook with double maggot and it was bites from the off. Roach mainly, some small skimmers and a chublet. After an hour I was motoring, virtually bite a cast I was building a good net. Chopped and changed between maggot and caster, even a cocktail of both it didn't seem to matter, these fish must have been starving. Feeding hemp and casters liberally and top up balls of gb every hour the action continued until 3pm, with half an hour to go someone flicked the switch and the bites diminished to zero... Feeling exhausted I decided to start packing up a quarter of an hour before the end. Had to wait 45mins for the scales to arrive, 18lb14 was top weight so far, my fish tipped the scales to 17lb:14.
Back in the car park I was pleased when an envelope marked 2nd was presented to me. 3rd had 16:4.
All 3 top places were Tring anglers, collectively between 9 of us we landed over 100lb of fish. Hanwell did ok but were firmly beaten on their home water....
19 fished......

 

[iain t]

Thought i try to see how long i can catch with the same hook over the last 48 hrs. Size 14 Animal hook to nylon that costs 16p. I kept the same hook but refreshed the hook length a few times. 2 x Rivers mixed bottoms, 1 x Stillwater with a silty bottom. 32 fish with a mix of Rudd, Tench and Carp on Stillwater. Hook still sharp. Still caught me out a few times by hooking myself. Ist River. Sandy to stone bottom. 18 fish Carp, Trout a few Roach. Due to the stoney bottom and weed, the hook had started to lose its edge. 2nd River Stoney and weedy again. 20 fish mix of Rudd, Roach and Bream. So one hook gave me a sack of 70 fish. At the end of the sessions, the hook was pretty dull and more noticeable due to losing more fish. I put this mainly down to the stoney bottom or the Rivers. I would normally change a hook once or twice per session or when needed. So i suppose 16p ain't bad to last me that long.

 

[mikench]

Are you sure you are not from Yorkshire Iain tha nos!

Last time out I had 42 roach a couple of carp, gudgeon and perch and thus the greatest total of fish in my career( all 3 years of it

All the roach were on maggot and caster the latter being maggots which had turned within 24 hours of buying them! I'm not complaining though! This was the typical size of roach!

View attachment 5811

Today was simply deja vue, same peg same tactic but my Tricast rod and pin! I had 33 roach, the vast majority on single caster like this one which was around a 1lb!

View attachment 5812

I tried meat, corn, pellets, double maggot and single maggot! Only the latter produced the odd few fish and small at that! Single caster was a different story! I tried a 16 hook with little response and all were caught on a size 18 red Drennan hook! I remain surprised and must learn that size and small does matter!!!!

 

[103841]

“Size and small does matter” where have I heard that before?


Today was to be a non fishing day, but having not been out for at least three days the urge was strong and with a ninety minute window between taxi duties and other chores too boring to mention I threw the dropshot rod in the car and did my best to plunder a large perch and creep up the leader board with an hour on the Stour.

A handful of perch, one needing the net coming in at just over the pound.

Good attempt but must do better.

 

[steve2]

Nice quiet days on the river today apart from river being low and clear I had to contend with just canoes, paddleboarders, dogs and people swimming and constant stream of walkers. Needless to say I gave up after an hours lure fishing.Half term school holiday I forgot.

 

[wetthrough]

Back at Dunham today. It's the only place I can fish at the moment. 7:45 start and it's a bit sharp but not too bad but getting a bit close to my limit. Fishing into the wind it was a slow start picking up the odd skimmer and Crucian nothing of any great size. Fishing an 18s on 2lb hooklength and did contemplate dropping to a 20s then a Mirror of about 2 1/2lb came to the net so changed my mind. Tried a few baits picking up the odd fish on caster with just one Rudd but bread was getting the most bites so carried on with it. Another Mirror around 3lb and a Common of about 4lb later on when it started picking up. 32 altogether, mostly Crucians by the time I packed up at 4pm. Lovely day with the sun out for quite a lot of it albeit on my back.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Despite the very low water levels, my session on the Dorset Stour, at Throop, turned out pretty good.... if you ignore the middle several hours of bright sunshine and blue skies! First time I've fished down there on a Saturday for a very long time and surprised to find very few anglers about on what is usually one of the most popular and easily accessible areas on the fishery.

Three chub to around 5lbs in the first hour or so before the sun burnt off the morning mist and then three more with a best of 6lbs on the nose in the last hour as darkness came far too quickly.

Bring on the rain and lots of it!

 

[O.C.F.Disorder]

Went to Wyken pool omw back from the indian sector in Coventry and had a quick bash on lures. Missed a nice pike 1st cast then went on to catch nothing and lose £20 worth of lures

 

[103841]

Went to Wyken pool omw back from the indian sector in Coventry and had a quick bash on lures. Missed a nice pike 1st cast then went on to catch nothing and lose £20 worth of lures

That’s not good, what breaking strain braid are you using?

 

[flightliner]

Had a nice day on the lower Tidal Trent, some nice roach, not many, six to be precise but what beauties.
Best at or near a lb two others at 3/4 and 1/2 lb respectively with the others close behind.
LOts of chaff fouling the bottom gear giving me the impression that the roach had more to contend with than feeding.
A small Barbel pushed its nose into the proceedings as did two skimmers and a bleak.

 

[S-Kippy]

I was all set to try for a Bury Hill zander today until I saw the barometer reading for Dorking of 1036. I know that place well enough by now to know that anything over 1030 is a complete waste of time so the roach went back in the freezer !

Today was my only " free" day this week and with the weather on the turn and new meds starting tomorrow ( howl ! ) I was determined to get out somewhere. More in desperation than hope I grabbed the carp gear and shot off to my club " runs" water. For once the M25 was kind to me and I was there in no time....even better the lake was quiet and I got my favourite spot and nobody in my eyeline either. A first !

Leaf was all up the other end so that wasnt a problem either but the lake was calmer than I'd have liked with no fish showing anywhere. Still....I set up and settled back confident I'd get a fish. An hour or so later and the LH rod is away....a very pretty common of about 11lb or so. Another hour went by and the RH rod is off....I could tell straight away it was a better fish and so it was going 19lb exactly


I really dont know why it does that.

As the light started to dim the RH rod is off again but its not the 20 I was hoping for but a scraper double. That's 3 fish though and its not even dark yet. Plenty of time.

But the forecast cloud cover didnt arrive and the temp dropped instead of holding up and the lake went deathly still. I thought I'd be lucky to get another fish now. Last cast and I popped the LH rod right in the margins and started to pack the other rod away. Sure enough...off went the LH rod. It felt a very good fish but after 5 minutes of a rather weird fight I began to wonder if it was foul hooked. 10 minutes later having still not seen it I was convinced it was either a big double foul hooked or the biggest fish in the lake. I got it up and got one half decent look at it before the hook pulled ! It certainly wasnt the big one so my money is on a big foul hooked double.

I'd have taken a brace when I arrived so I was more than happy with 3 fish for 4 hours work.

Nice sunset too


Why is it turning my pictures round ? Does anybody know ?

 

[O.C.F.Disorder]

That’s not good, what breaking strain braid are you using?

It was 80lb braid today but the trace was a a 40lb daiwa titanium thing and that broke before the hooks bent I really do swear by the savage gear line thru series. I got snagged up so many times but the hook bent every time and I got the lures back. R.I.P. Mike the pike #1

 

[seth49]

View attachment 5820
View attachment 5821
Out on my own yesterday,mick still not so well, arrived at the fishery at seven thirty, no one else there so had a walk round to find a sheltered swim as it was blowing a gale, anywhere in the wind was just covered in leaves.

Decided to fish the swim above as it is in a sheltered corner of one pond, there’s a patch of irises and reeds at both sides of the swim with a good clear area in between, cast the sleeper rod to the right hand margin, had to set the tip well up to clear the reeds, and then set my new pole up and plumbed the swim , decided to fish one swim at the left hand side at the side of the reeds, and one in open water in front, used the pole pot to cup some two mm pellets in, fed them dry as they fizz for a while, and put some smell in, and hopefully draw fish out of the reeds.

Started catching some nice roach at first, and then the skimmers and bream moved in, they started to get bigger as the day went on, mainly by the reeds, if it went quiet I just cupped some more pellets in, and that got me more bites.

At around twelve thirty the fun started, hooked the first carp, which plodded around at first, in the open water, thought it was a big bream at first, then it woke up and came back towards me and into the reeds and left the hook in the reeds, I hooked four more after that two shed the hook in the reeds, and two I lost to hook pulls in open water, this pole fishing lark is certainly different, I’m fine catching silvers but I’m struggling with the carp at the moment, to hook five in a day is good for here, it’s just getting them out.
Finished up with twenty one silvers which is good for this time of year, Just need to sort out playing carp on a pole,back on Thursday it’s forecast lighter winds as well, I’ll have to find a clearer swim with some carp in.

The pole is certainly effective I’m catching a lot more on it, Just needs some more time with it.

 

[103841]

It was 80lb braid today but the trace was a a 40lb daiwa titanium thing and that broke before the hooks bent I really do swear by the savage gear line thru series. I got snagged up so many times but the hook bent every time and I got the lures back. R.I.P. Mike the pike #1

Those are expensive lures! You could try introducing a split ring with a 30lb BS between hook and rig, that ought to give first when pulling for a break with your current set up.

 

[thecrow]

Met up with Kev at 07-30 yesterday for a day on the Trent, conditions were not looking good with the river very low and clear and low temperatures the night before, but you have to be in it to win it as the saying goes.

Started in a swim near to where I have fished before but I just had the feeling it wasn't going to produce so after an hour or so with much help from Kev I moved to another swim, smallish gap between trees with the downstream bit having something of a raft of debris.

Started on an almost freelined piece of cheese allowing the bait to pull round under the branches as Kev had advised, after a few cast doing this the rod pulled round and................ nothing I suspect it was a Chub moving off with the bait in its lips, after that it was quiet so out came the bait dropper and around 2 pints of mixed size pellets were deposited into the swim.

After the swim had settled and not wanting the bait to move from the droppered pellets on went a 2oz lead, bait was 2 red Sayuri pre drilled pellets on a short hair, perhaps 20 mins later while Kev was standing with me the rod pulled round and althou I initially thought it was a small Barbel it turned out to be a Chub of aroun four and a half to 5 pounds. (I did have a picture that Kev took and e mailed to me but somehow when trying to save it I lost it :doh: ) .

More pellets were bait droppered in which resulted in another good pull that I somehow missed (hair to long ) the next pull was hooked though and it was another Chub. All the bites after using the dropper were on those red pellets, I tried others but nothing came of them, perhaps it was the colour in the clear water that made them stand out?



Even though the fishing was difficult because of conditions I really enjoyed meeting up with Kev again, saw plenty of wildlife including kingfishers x2 yellow wagtails and a cheeky robin that had a taste for spam hot and spicy.

Thanks for all your help and another enjoyable day Kev.

 

[Another Dave]

Readers familiar with my pellets advice thread will know i was set to try the pond again today, and i did indeed manage to drag myself out of bed. After feeding and walking the dog i got my kit together and was at the pond by 8:15. You can tell it's not summer any more and yet it didn't feel or look like autumn either:



The sleeper rod ended up with not a touch all day, but my focus was on the 4m whip with a tiny pole float, both no.8's down by the hooklink. I was getting tentative bites on corn and stuck with this for ages before i decided to change things up and try a pellet for the first time ever, well half a pellet. First chuck with this and a toddler crucian was mine:



I kept feeding hazlenut sized balls of homemade groundbait made of stewed chicken seed mix, bread and ready brek. The next few fish were rudd, mainly on corn, then a surprise because i didn't know these were in here. Not a bad stamp either, in the scheme of things:



Finished the morning with a reasonable catch including another roach and 2 or 3 more crucians, most of which i kept in my landing net to show you lot:

 

[mikench]

Lovely chub Graham! I am glad you had a great day with Kev!!

 

[nottskev]

Met up with Kev at 07-30 yesterday for a day on the Trent, conditions were not looking good with the river very low and clear and low temperatures the night before, but you have to be in it to win it as the saying goes.

Started in a swim near to where I have fished before but I just had the feeling it wasn't going to produce so after an hour or so with much help from Kev I moved to another swim, smallish gap between trees with the downstream bit having something of a raft of debris.

Started on an almost freelined piece of cheese allowing the bait to pull round under the branches as Kev had advised, after a few cast doing this the rod pulled round and................ nothing I suspect it was a Chub moving off with the bait in its lips, after that it was quiet so out came the bait dropper and around 2 pints of mixed size pellets were deposited into the swim.

After the swim had settled and not wanting the bait to move from the droppered pellets on went a 2oz lead, bait was 2 red Sayuri pre drilled pellets on a short hair, perhaps 20 mins later while Kev was standing with me the rod pulled round and althou I initially thought it was a small Barbel it turned out to be a Chub of aroun four and a half to 5 pounds. (I did have a picture that Kev took and e mailed to me but somehow when trying to save it I lost it :doh: ) .

More pellets were bait droppered in which resulted in another good pull that I somehow missed (hair to long ) the next pull was hooked though and it was another Chub. All the bites after using the dropper were on those red pellets, I tried others but nothing came of them, perhaps it was the colour in the clear water that made them stand out?



Even though the fishing was difficult because of conditions I really enjoyed meeting up with Kev again, saw plenty of wildlife including kingfishers x2 yellow wagtails and a cheeky robin that had a taste for spam hot and spicy.

Thanks for all your help and another enjoyable day Kev.

Cheers, Graham! I thought I'd leave the report to you - as the person who actually caught fish. I couldn't make much out of missing a couple of bites, nearly getting stuck at the bottom of a high bank and eating sandwiches.

Well done for winkling out a couple of chub on a grim day. Any time you think you can stand the traffic - I was shocked to hear what time you got home - we can give it another try.

 

[Another Dave]

That is one big old grumpy looking fat headed brute there!:wh

 

[thecrow]

Any time you think you can stand the traffic - I was shocked to hear what time you got home - we can give it another try.

One and a half hours stuck on the M69 wasn't what I had expected but as you know I am always up for getting on the river when we have had some rain