How did you get on?

[seth49]

Back on the fishery again yesterday, mick had recovered so a later start arrived at ten o clock, to blue skies and sunshine, it got warm later on very pleasant, surprised how the water had cleared after the frosty nights, it was really clear.

Now mick has bought the same margin pole as me, a drennan red range 8 meter margin pole, I’d helped him elasticate the night before so he was ready to go, I put him in the swim I’d fished last week, where I’d hooked five carp and lost them all?, I mean what’s friends for, I decided to fish the next swim which I’ve thought of fishing before but never did, in hindsight it was a bit shallow now it’s colder, and clearer but i did catch a dozen roach a skimmer and a couple of small perch.View attachment 5890
Mick was catching bream and roach in his swim, when he hooked a carp, so I went to watch and net it for him if he managed to get it close enough, it was really giving him a run around, but eventually he managed to bring it in and I netted a nice mirror of about eight pounds, so one up to mick at least he had landed one,and christened his new pole.

After that he hooked four more but they all dived into the rushes and shed the hook, not daft these carp, a decent day out in nice weather, a deeper swim next week now it’s cleared looks to be worth trying, a good day,out enjoyed it.

 

[steve2]

I use to like fishing matches on the GUC but the matches I fished were all moved to carp holes in one form or another. One of the reasons I gave up fishing matches.

 

[103841]

I had planned to spend the day on the river yesterday but when receiving a text in the morning with the dreadful news of Graham’s passing I really didn’t have the stomach for it. As it happens the heavens opened up and it rained all day, a very dark day indeed.

Had to get out today and a complete reverse of the weather found me sitting by the river on a cool but sunny morning.

Trotting with maggots (proper fishing), roach were the target but failed to show with a hour gone but then slowly they started feeding in spasmodic spells with one or two requiring the net.

This photo is reminiscent of a pose another member use to favour.

Hard work over the next few hours but managed to put together a few roach, chublets and a lone perch. At last knockings I hooked something big, maybe a carp but it shed the hook after a few moments of some nice rod bending.

I was treated to an aerial dogfight between a crow and two gulls, they flew overhead and disappeared behind me, I have a feeling the Crow had the last word.

 

[peter crabtree]

Arrived at the river colne this morning to find it crystal clear, which coupled with the bright sun looked a no goer..
Couldn’t be bothered to walk back and try elsewhere so I set up. 15’ ultralight, 3:2 float fish through to a 20 b511 to 0:07 and a 4bb stick.
Cracked out a slice of white sliced and a very small punch. Surprisingly, a bite first chuck, a netter roach...
A few more followed but diminishing in size every time..Then I heard a voice, ‘hi Simon’ it was my good mate Neil 1970 who stopped for a chat..
Tried maggots, caster and even hemp but no more bites. Back on the punch and I was soon catching roach again. As the sun got lower behind me the stamp of roach increased so I changed to a bigger punch, this also tempted a couple of chub and a feisty roach/bream hybrid..
Packed up at 4pm happy with my modest catch especially considering the conditions....

 

[The Runner]

Seems like the Colne is full of roach this year Simon. GX had a club match a couple of weeks back with 6 double figure weights, none of which included any chub or barbel and the winner had 15 lb of roach and dace from a swim which used to be chub or nothing, and I do mean nothing.

 

[The Runner]

Anyway, how did I get on ?
No report last week, was back down South and was all set to fish club match on Thames at Dorchester, arrangements made to pick up what remains of my match gear from mates garage, when remembered that both my remaining waggler reels were still 600 miles to the North. Didn't fancy fishing it just with pole and too much of a faff to ring round and borrow stuff, so pulled out.
So, back up here, made last minute decision last night to go today as there's a weather warning out for the weekend (already blowing a hoolie now); lure day again, back to the rocks south of Staffin slipway.
Had a quick look at the beach on the way in for future reference; very shallow and sandy after the end of the stones but could be well worth a go if an easterly stirs the sea up a bit. Can never have too many pics of Staffin Bay...
View attachment 5893

Usual set up, lightish spinning rod and variety of soft lures including the Pollack's favourite roach paddletails
View attachment 5894
and worked my way along the ledges on a rising tide, quite a heavy swell running right to left with a stiffening southerly (and cold) wind pushing it along . Shame there was a bit of a haze or the view across to the snow capped Torridon mountains on the mainland would have been a cracker

View attachment 5895
Had four pollack at irregular intervals, all on the larger of the paddletails and all about the size of this one, which actually took on the drop; rod nearly pulled out of my hands and it took the lure so far down that could only just see the 12gm jighead. Didn't reckon could get it out without too much damage so gave it the last rites and it will be on the grill shortly.
View attachment 5896
Actually had some other anglers out today, only the second time since I moved here that I've seen anyone. Three of them arrived about lunchtime 300 yards further back towards the slipway, saw one of them catch a pollack (I assume) but they left before I did.

Not too much in the way of wildlife today, everything that was going to go South has just about gone. The usual ravens and rock pipits, and put up a couple of snipe on the boggy ground behind the rocks but that was about it.

 

[John Keane]

Someone suggested I put my report up in this thread so here it is. Sorry no photos, perhaps next time.

Second grayling trip to the Welsh Dee in the space of a week saw me doing okay, with half a dozen nice grayling. Leaves in the river are starting to be a minor problem.

Found a great run where I could get in up to my backside and do long, straight trots and stay in direct contact with the float. I only have 60 yards of line on my Abu 506 but the limit of my vision (in the light conditions) was around 40 yards. All the fish I had were at longer range. My mate was having a break for a butty further down the bank so he was spotting for me and when I couldn’t see the float he shouted “STRIKE!” when it went under. This tactic brought the two best fish of the day at around 1.5lb each. It did feel rather Mr Crabtree though with me being a rather superannuated “Peter”.

The line on the Abu tends to bed in after a good fish making the next run down the pool a bit jerky with having to constantly feed it by hand. A fishless trot sees full mobility restored but I think the ‘pin is a nicer way to fish if you don’t need to worry about casting distance and don’t mind the long retrieve time.

 

[wetthrough]

Fished Dunham again today. 7:15 start and it's a bit on the chilly side, fingerless gloves next time if only for setting up. A Wren chirping to one side and a Buzzard stretching it's wings in a distant tree. Later on it (the Buzzard) was perched on top of a vertical branch/shoot that looked no thicker than my finger. It didn't look like it would support the weight of a starling never mind a Buzzard. I've had slow starts before but I'd had one float knock (don't think it was a bite) by 10:15 and things didn't improve much. I was fishing an 18s on 2lb hooklength and dropped down to a 20s in the vague hope it might make a difference, it didn't. I did pick up a couple of small Roach and decided to give up any thoughts of anything bigger and just fish maggots casting around (noone on the peg left or right of me) in the hope of dropping one by a fishes nose enought to annoy it into taking a bite. Managed to pick eight up but nothing bigger than 3oz and all Roach. Around 3 o'clock the float went under and I struck into something a bit more solid, still on maggot. Some time later, which seemed like forever and this came to the net -



Just over 6lb Still amazes me how a such tiny hook can keep a hold in a fish that size.

Note to self - cameras work better if you don't put your fingers in front of the lensmg:

 

[mikench]

Your experiences Gordon serve to show that day ticket waters are not a sure fire certainty and skill, bait, weather and the mood of the fish still have a part to play! I bet you don't miss the "boot"?

 

[wetthrough]

Your experiences Gordon serve to show that day ticket waters are not a sure fire certainty and skill, bait, weather and the mood of the fish still have a part to play! I bet you don't miss the "boot"?

The boot stays on for another week Mike

 

[mikench]

Never mind! Watch out crucians I say!

 

[bullet]

Out after a few Grayling this morning.The river is very low for the time of year, so ditched the trotting gear in favour of the nymphing tackle.
A few midges and olives coming off when I arrived, and a couple of Dippers messing about, which always gives me a bit of confidence as I think when the other river creatures are busy, the fish might be as well.
The first short run produced about half a dozen...


The next pool is usually a productive spot, and it turned out to be today, but the best Grayling hole was full of Spotties...


After a few runs through and nothing but these, I moved upstream and left them to it.
By now, quite a few olives had started coming off and the Grayling were really locking onto them along the edges of a fast run.
Off came the nymphs and a suitable size and colour dry brought plenty more to hand over the next half an hour before the hatch petered out.

 

[Neil Maidment]

I met up with three good mates this week for a couple of days social fishing.

Two of them had the privilege of a full Tuesday on a private piece of the Test and filled their boots with plenty of fish. Roger and I then met up with them and fished the Hampshire Avon on Wednesday and the Dorset Stour on Thursday. Plenty of banter and fish throughout including some proper specimen fish.

Wednesday - Hampshire Avon:

Dave hit the jackpot with a chub of 7lbs 07oz, a truly spectacular fish which will be even heavier towards the end of the season.

View attachment 5900

I wandered about for a few hours, retracing my steps several times, but finally settled into a good looking trotting swim. It did require a bit of a paddle as I waded out to mid river to trot the float down the substantially deeper area close to the far bank. It turned out to be the right choice as I enjoyed the finest afternoon's trotting I've had for decades. I had specimen dace lined up in front of me for more than 4 hours. Most were of the size that I should not have been swinging to hand or or lifting out by hand! I did net several others and took one back to the bank to weigh. That went 14oz. Tempting fate I took the scales back out with me to mid river but they continued to oblige. I weighed two more but just couldn't get them past the magic 16oz

Here's an average example of what I was catching throughout the afternoon.

View attachment 5901

Thursday - Dorset Stour:

Roger and I started early and found plenty of roach up to around 1lb. Roger added several good perch as well. They completely switched off after 2 hours, just as the other two arrived! Here's some examples temporarily retained in the landing net:

View attachment 5902

Plenty of time to have a chat and gossip while we waited for the last hour or so of daylight to arrive. The chub finally obliged for me but they left it very late. I ended up with 4 and lost 1 pretty much all in that last hour.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Roger has since returned to the Hampshire Avon and netted a glorious 2lbs 10oz roach!

 

[Neil Maidment]

I have no idea why some images appear in full and some in link form!

 

[103841]

I have no idea why some images appear in full and some in link form!

You haven’t posted many reports in hdygo in recent months Neil, much missed. But boy have you made up for them with this report, amazing stuff.

Shame I cannot view all your photos, they are also amazing.

 

[Neil Maidment]

I'll try again with the missing three:

Dave's chub:



Taken from the opposite bank of the Avon!

One of my dace:



Some of the Stour roach:

 

[108831]

Finding it difficult to motivate myself after Graham's passing,along with conditions it doesn't seem worth the effort...

 

[john step]

Lovely fishing Neil.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Managed to get out yesterday morning and enjoy the excellent fishing conditions. I'm still fishing hemp/tares etc on still waters and although the water temp is dropping the roach are still feeding (reasonably) well. In the first hour I had eight up to 10ozs and all looked set for a good session, but low and behold the bite became finicky and in the next hour only managed another four, this by spraying hemp and fishing fairly shallow.
With aching arm from the constant casting I eventually decided I was there to enjoy a nice steady day so I changed the set up to a light float ledger fished close in with curried chickpeas and settled back to enjoy a cup of tea.

Twenty minutes of tea and breaking up chickpeas as loose feed finally did the trick, producing two roach of around 10ozs in quick succession, but with the swim so shallow (4') every fish disturbed the swim it was of waiting for them to return, which they did, periodically....

A really lovely morning to be out made so much better by the half dozen long tailed tits flitting around the bush next to me searching to the odd insect. Such a pretty, busy little bird.....

Come noon , with aches becoming more apparent, I slowly packed a way the baits and with fresh curried chickpea made the inevitable 'last cast'. Within a couple of minutes the float sailed away but I connected with fresh air! (I seem to be repeating this on almost every post!!).
I sat for a minute before deciding I could manage yet another 'last cast'. Again, within 3/4 minutes the float dithered and very slowly sank from view. A sideways sweep connected with a decent fish and from the solid thumps I thought it might be something really special, but on the scales it registered 14ozs or so.

Don't get me wrong though, as it still a special fish and I was dead pleased to see it in my net.......

The real point is that it is never too late to pick up an odd decent fish. It comes down to making that one last effort before calling it a day, and it happens to me time and time again. Mind you, I sometimes need have to at least half a dozen 'last cast'..................................................

BTW, The curried chickpeas were fished on a buried 16 with just a 4" tail. Any longer and bites just didn't happen. Thought you would like to know that but could come under the heading 'useless information'..

Into London today for an exhibition and lunch but back in time to sort the gear for tomorrow - if I'm not too knackered!!