Well decided to fish on a different stretch of the Ouse at Bedford,about three quarters of a mile downstream of where I was last saturday,decided to fish the waggler,feeding balls of black groundbait with a few handfuls of Micros and loose feeding red maggot(8-12 a cast)in the 7-8ft of water,double red maggot did the damage on an 18,I ended up with 11 bream between 2 & 4& a half pounds,31 roach from 4 to 12ozs,a chilled about 12ozs and a stripey about 6ozs. Just to add I was visited three times by an otter,she didn't stay,just past through in the margins,I spent a good part of the morning laughing my nuts off watching three guys trying to get pictures of it,running along the bank scaring the hell out of the poor creature,plonkers!
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
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Like a dog returning to it's own vomit I returned to the swim where I had a barbel the other day. The river had dropped about a foot but was still full of sediment and colourd up.
The wind was quite a strong northerly one, so even though it read 9 degrees on the car temperture gauge it felt a bit nippy, especially on the hands. I had only gone for an hour and arrived at the swim and started lobbing in maggots at 2.40pm. I had a barbel at about 3pm and carried on trotting until 3.20pm and that was enough for me. I took a pic of the fish at the bottom of the bank and it had it's dorsal fin caught in the net head. I untangled it's dorsal and rested it in the net head while I continued to fish. After 5 min's I took it up the bank for a better pic...
The wind was quite a strong northerly one, so even though it read 9 degrees on the car temperture gauge it felt a bit nippy, especially on the hands. I had only gone for an hour and arrived at the swim and started lobbing in maggots at 2.40pm. I had a barbel at about 3pm and carried on trotting until 3.20pm and that was enough for me. I took a pic of the fish at the bottom of the bank and it had it's dorsal fin caught in the net head. I untangled it's dorsal and rested it in the net head while I continued to fish. After 5 min's I took it up the bank for a better pic...
mikench
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Was that the Daiwa rod again Ian! It's getting some use!
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Seems an age since I’ve been on the bank, horrendous weather, poor river conditions and plenty of domestics with both the in-laws in a poorly state have colluded to keep me away, so it was a real joy to be standing in the mud today if only for a couple of hours fishing my local Stour through Canterbury.
Trotted maggot and the bites were scarce but eventually a few chublets turned up which had me doubly pleased. I’ve rarely caught chub along this stretch of the junior size, nearly always catch between 3 and 4 lb, so after so long any fish is welcome and to see the float dip under is such a good sight, also good to know another generation of chub will be gracing this river hopefully for many years to come.
Had one solitary dace, an absolute clonker which did not want to be photographed as it somersaulted from my hand.
A few maggots left over, maybe a trip downstream on Monday in search of roach.
Trotted maggot and the bites were scarce but eventually a few chublets turned up which had me doubly pleased. I’ve rarely caught chub along this stretch of the junior size, nearly always catch between 3 and 4 lb, so after so long any fish is welcome and to see the float dip under is such a good sight, also good to know another generation of chub will be gracing this river hopefully for many years to come.
Had one solitary dace, an absolute clonker which did not want to be photographed as it somersaulted from my hand.
A few maggots left over, maybe a trip downstream on Monday in search of roach.
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Was that the Daiwa rod again Ian! It's getting some use!
It's a normark avenger Mike, the one I used the day you and me went trotting
.I like using different rods and reels, it sort of spices up me fishin'
.Pete Shears
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The river Wreake was two feet lower than my last visit and very clear.The recent high water has left a large branch stuck in the middle of the deep pool,the thinner end stuck between rocks on the bottom so had to fish from the lower end of the pool with legered crust - chub of 3lb 12oz first cast then lots of nothing at all.Watched a buzzard glide over which in turn spooked a white egret lower down the river.
Walked about half a mile downstream feeding liquidised bread then worked my way back trotting flake and had 3 chublets and a bigger one of 1lb 5oz.Back on the big pool legered worms and flake did not get any response and with with the sun breaking through I headed for home about 11am.
Walked about half a mile downstream feeding liquidised bread then worked my way back trotting flake and had 3 chublets and a bigger one of 1lb 5oz.Back on the big pool legered worms and flake did not get any response and with with the sun breaking through I headed for home about 11am.
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
I arrived once more at my still water yesterday morning just as the sky was beginning to lighten at 07.45, so I took my time unloading the gear and walking around to the edge gravel pit. I'd 'ummed and arred' about where to fish on the journey and here I was standing next to the water, still undecided on swim choice.
I really did want a change of swim from the one I'd fished so many times this past month, so I dumped the gear and walked to several familiar swims, checking for wind across the surface and where the general detritus had collected but I was none the wiser, so in the end I chose one sheltered by trees (part hanging in the water) on both sides and set up in the now light sky.
For an hour I flogged away with my flat float set up with only two 6" roach to show for the effort, so I had a cup of tea in the hope that a it and a brainwave might offer a way forward, when suddenly the float started to drift quickly across the surface from left to right for no apparent reason. Up to that point it had been motionless in the wind free swim and I was at a loss as to why this 'surface drift phenomena' had arrived out of the blue, but what it did was help me decide on a change of swim!
With only a few hours available to me I cut my losses and decided to drop into the productive swim again as it offered a better chance of catching something and within 20 minutes i was making my first cast. (A slight noise made me look up and peer along the bank where I could see another angler had dropped into my previous swim and the thought crossed my mind that if he started catching I might just go and push him in!!)
The next three hours produced 20/25 roach to almost a pound, a catch spoilt only by the loss of three good fish. I checked the new 20 hook carefully and although it seemed fine, I changed it. Next cast, yet another loss, so off came the 20 to be replaced by an 18 - a little on the big side for single maggot, but it did the trick and the losses stopped. In the past I'd used 18's and the fish didn't want to know.........................Mmmm.
Pointless trying to fathom these things sometimes so I just got on with enjoying the morning!
Loved being out, and can't wait to do it all again!
ps The other chap didn't catch anything but lost a small carp............
I really did want a change of swim from the one I'd fished so many times this past month, so I dumped the gear and walked to several familiar swims, checking for wind across the surface and where the general detritus had collected but I was none the wiser, so in the end I chose one sheltered by trees (part hanging in the water) on both sides and set up in the now light sky.
For an hour I flogged away with my flat float set up with only two 6" roach to show for the effort, so I had a cup of tea in the hope that a it and a brainwave might offer a way forward, when suddenly the float started to drift quickly across the surface from left to right for no apparent reason. Up to that point it had been motionless in the wind free swim and I was at a loss as to why this 'surface drift phenomena' had arrived out of the blue, but what it did was help me decide on a change of swim!
With only a few hours available to me I cut my losses and decided to drop into the productive swim again as it offered a better chance of catching something and within 20 minutes i was making my first cast. (A slight noise made me look up and peer along the bank where I could see another angler had dropped into my previous swim and the thought crossed my mind that if he started catching I might just go and push him in!!)
The next three hours produced 20/25 roach to almost a pound, a catch spoilt only by the loss of three good fish. I checked the new 20 hook carefully and although it seemed fine, I changed it. Next cast, yet another loss, so off came the 20 to be replaced by an 18 - a little on the big side for single maggot, but it did the trick and the losses stopped. In the past I'd used 18's and the fish didn't want to know.........................Mmmm.
Pointless trying to fathom these things sometimes so I just got on with enjoying the morning!
Loved being out, and can't wait to do it all again!
ps The other chap didn't catch anything but lost a small carp............
Went to a stretch I haven't fished in a while, the river has dropped away nicely. One of the best Chub lies is under an old half fallen willow, so I was worried to see a huge bush, complete with the rootball,had come down in the last flood and was resting on the willow.
The flow had changed considerably, but there is still a nice looking slacker bit as the current goes round the obstruction.
In went the flake, and after a while a few knocks and twitches, which didn't develop.
Eventually the tip went over just a bit, so I struck, not expecting much, and found an angry Chub on the end that did its best to get under all the debris.
Just the one today, but a nice one for here.
The flow had changed considerably, but there is still a nice looking slacker bit as the current goes round the obstruction.
In went the flake, and after a while a few knocks and twitches, which didn't develop.
Eventually the tip went over just a bit, so I struck, not expecting much, and found an angry Chub on the end that did its best to get under all the debris.
Just the one today, but a nice one for here.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
First day fishing since a week before Christmas, a club do on the canal near Tring. A lovely mild morning, no wind and the cut carrying a tinge of colour, it looked ideal.
Reality..... it was pants!
It was 3 hours before I had a bite, a tiny gudgeon on single pinkie.
The overhanging bush usually holds fish, skimmers in particular. Maybe they were there and just not feeding?
Had 3 more gudgeon and a tiny roach which I didn’t bother weighing in.
18 fished...
Reality..... it was pants!
It was 3 hours before I had a bite, a tiny gudgeon on single pinkie.
The overhanging bush usually holds fish, skimmers in particular. Maybe they were there and just not feeding?
Had 3 more gudgeon and a tiny roach which I didn’t bother weighing in.
18 fished...
On the river today and met up with Steve. He'd been making some Avon sliders and wanted to try them out on some deep pacey pegs. We thought the river was coming down quickly but there was still some 18" on, and when it's 12-14' deep and pushing through quickly, it's a bit of a challenge.
It had rained in the night, and inspecting my first choice peg had us slipping and sliding on a little patch of mud on a steep slope poised above umpteen feet of water, so I settled for a concrete slab where the main flow raced past a huge eddy. I'd come with a balsa slider set up on one rod, but I plumbed around and found I could fish fixed at 12' with a 6g fat-topped balsa float, with an old Daiwa Powermesh Avon and an Adcock Stanton pin. It was an odd peg to fish: you could run the float down the crease for 25m, then your float ran in 15m towards the bank and finally proceeded to run back towards you til it ground to a halt as the swim shallowed up.
We managed, more or less, one bite each, and it wasn't for lack of trying. Steve had the first fish, a chub of about 3lb, and I had this barbel a bit later, which resisted doggedly in the heavy flow. We were mystified why the fish were so elusive, but the bailiff confirmed hardly anything was being caught, and the anglers above us caught less. Still the weather was fine and floatfishing without a bite is somehow more satisfying than feedering without a bite.
It had rained in the night, and inspecting my first choice peg had us slipping and sliding on a little patch of mud on a steep slope poised above umpteen feet of water, so I settled for a concrete slab where the main flow raced past a huge eddy. I'd come with a balsa slider set up on one rod, but I plumbed around and found I could fish fixed at 12' with a 6g fat-topped balsa float, with an old Daiwa Powermesh Avon and an Adcock Stanton pin. It was an odd peg to fish: you could run the float down the crease for 25m, then your float ran in 15m towards the bank and finally proceeded to run back towards you til it ground to a halt as the swim shallowed up.
We managed, more or less, one bite each, and it wasn't for lack of trying. Steve had the first fish, a chub of about 3lb, and I had this barbel a bit later, which resisted doggedly in the heavy flow. We were mystified why the fish were so elusive, but the bailiff confirmed hardly anything was being caught, and the anglers above us caught less. Still the weather was fine and floatfishing without a bite is somehow more satisfying than feedering without a bite.
maggot_dangler
Well-known member
Made it to the Stour at Stourton .
Blank . Either my methods are letting me down or the fish were just sitting there thumbing their gills at my bait one slight pull that was it so gave up after 3 hours and came home .
Think i may need to put more time in on the rivers that is only the 3rd time on a river for me in 2018 must do better next year especially at £40.00 quid a year ..
PG ...
Blank . Either my methods are letting me down or the fish were just sitting there thumbing their gills at my bait one slight pull that was it so gave up after 3 hours and came home .
Think i may need to put more time in on the rivers that is only the 3rd time on a river for me in 2018 must do better next year especially at £40.00 quid a year ..
PG ...
nicholaslukey
Well-known member
Fished the River Dove a few miles from the house, never fished it before. Mainly went to try out my centrepin which was an Xmas present from the wife. Felt nice on the Acololyte plus, fished for a couple of hours, the weather was pretty ****, with a very fine drizzle and a cool wind. Fished maggots, flake, and cheese paste, maggots produced the only fish, a lively grayling. Nice to be out though, blew off the cobwebs.
Chatted to a chap fishing further upstream on a different ticket, he'd had several chub on the bomb. Nice stretch of river, and only 10 minutes from the house.
Chatted to a chap fishing further upstream on a different ticket, he'd had several chub on the bomb. Nice stretch of river, and only 10 minutes from the house.
jon atkinson
Well-known member
Work being what it is, today was my first trip out this month & although my NYR will be to do more running water fishing, we're still in 2018, just, so I opted for my still water comfort zone. Newby is a natural, picturesque pond on the PSAC card - it's not an easy water but the surroundings & tranquility are plenty of compensation for a low catch rate, well kinda...
3 others fishing when I arrived - small roach & perch seemingly the order of the day, & so it was for me with just the one half decent roach of 12oz or so the stand out amidst a handful of 'bits', but in truth I was just happy to be on the bank again!
Plenty of avian activity with jackdaws particularly prevalent, a number of buzzards heard but not seen & a pair of long tailed tits investigating nesting possibilities in a gorse bush - a good day to be out & about!
3 others fishing when I arrived - small roach & perch seemingly the order of the day, & so it was for me with just the one half decent roach of 12oz or so the stand out amidst a handful of 'bits', but in truth I was just happy to be on the bank again!
Plenty of avian activity with jackdaws particularly prevalent, a number of buzzards heard but not seen & a pair of long tailed tits investigating nesting possibilities in a gorse bush - a good day to be out & about!
mikench
Well-known member
Good to see you back Jon! I thought you might be struggling under the amount of wine samples to be tried!!!
jon atkinson
Well-known member
Good to see you back Jon! I thought you might be struggling under the amount of wine samples to be tried!!!
Thanks Mike - it's good to be back - strangely working on a Sunday isn't as enjoyable as fishing is - go figure...
mikench
Well-known member
Mmm you do surprise me!
Lovely photos as usual Nick!
Lovely photos as usual Nick!
Pete Shears
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Very mild walking across the fields this morning to the upper Soar,too warm in all the winter gear but glad as it started to drizzle on and of for about thirty minutes.The minnows had woken up and were giving superb bites on trotted flake eventually getting a chub of exactly one pound,then a dace of 10oz followed by a trout around 6oz,then that swim died.Moved upstream and had a bigger trout on legered crust of 1lb 8oz.Moving again saw a chub of 2lb 2oz landed using legered crust.Plenty of small fish knocking the cage feeder about,other distractions were feeding a robin and watching a kestrel.
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Turning 65 and becoming an OAP does have a few advantages.
Today I decided on a bit of stick float fishing for roach a few miles downstream of Canterbury at Grove Ferry. I normally have the river to myself but apon arriving at the car park I thought a match was about to take place, half a dozen anglers unloading their cars and frustratingly a few minutes in front of me, my favoured swim had been taken by two lads fishing for pike and carp and most of the swims had been taken with the exception of a few that were far too perilous for me to attempt with a very wet and muddy steep bank to negotiate. The one swim that was free and right on top of the car park was the OAP/disabled peg. Got in quick before that got snaffled to, a nice flat, level dry platform to fish from.
Ultralight Matchpro rod matched with my Abu 506M with 4lb line going through to an 18 hook on a 2lb hooklength was the setup and it was a pleasant surprise to get a roach first cast, normally takes an hour to get them feeding.
Plenty of fish followed, none of any size and the net was only needed for a few skimmers. With no wind and an acceptable 9 degrees I was very comfy in my old mans peg, that was until a fine drizzle started, the sort that’s so wet, this co-incided with the bites coming to a halt as the tide was about to turn.
The lads to my left had a 14lb pike, whilst to my right a chap was screaming out for a large net as he skilfully guided a decent sized carp to his net caught on his fragile silvers rig. There was a day when a river carp caught in Winter would have made headlines but many seem to come out of this stretch of river, my turn soon I hope.
A good time to pack up about 2pm, 51 fish, mainly roach but a few skimmers and one chublet, a pleasurable way to end 2018.
On that note, a very Happy new year to all.
Today I decided on a bit of stick float fishing for roach a few miles downstream of Canterbury at Grove Ferry. I normally have the river to myself but apon arriving at the car park I thought a match was about to take place, half a dozen anglers unloading their cars and frustratingly a few minutes in front of me, my favoured swim had been taken by two lads fishing for pike and carp and most of the swims had been taken with the exception of a few that were far too perilous for me to attempt with a very wet and muddy steep bank to negotiate. The one swim that was free and right on top of the car park was the OAP/disabled peg. Got in quick before that got snaffled to, a nice flat, level dry platform to fish from.
Ultralight Matchpro rod matched with my Abu 506M with 4lb line going through to an 18 hook on a 2lb hooklength was the setup and it was a pleasant surprise to get a roach first cast, normally takes an hour to get them feeding.
Plenty of fish followed, none of any size and the net was only needed for a few skimmers. With no wind and an acceptable 9 degrees I was very comfy in my old mans peg, that was until a fine drizzle started, the sort that’s so wet, this co-incided with the bites coming to a halt as the tide was about to turn.
The lads to my left had a 14lb pike, whilst to my right a chap was screaming out for a large net as he skilfully guided a decent sized carp to his net caught on his fragile silvers rig. There was a day when a river carp caught in Winter would have made headlines but many seem to come out of this stretch of river, my turn soon I hope.
A good time to pack up about 2pm, 51 fish, mainly roach but a few skimmers and one chublet, a pleasurable way to end 2018.
On that note, a very Happy new year to all.
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mikench
Well-known member
Well done John and a happy new year to you too and to everyone. I plan to start the new year with a day's fishing for roach! I do hope my day justifies a post!
wetthrough
Well-known member
Back on the Dam today on the same peg. Same setup as last time although I had to change to a 3AAA straight crystal waggler on account of a heavy tow despite there being next to no wind. Started without any loose feed or GB casting around to see if I could find where they were shoaled up or up in the water. Not a nibble anywhere round the peg. Struggled to keep the float still and couldn't put a back shot far away from the float due to the depth being fished. There would have been a high probability of it fouling the top ring while landing fish (forever the optimist!). Laying on about 18" with a couple of No10s by the hook slowed it down. I ended up letting the line bow by pulling some off every now and then which did the trick. Arrived about 9:30am and didn't get a bite til 1pm. Roach, not huge, about 6oz but better than last time. Nothing after that until about 3pm and landed a Bream/Roach hybrid of around 8oz and finally on the last cast at around 4pm a nice skimmer of around 1lb, maybe a bit more, all on maggot.
Doesn't sound great but just being able to fish without freezing to death at this time of year is a treat.
Doesn't sound great but just being able to fish without freezing to death at this time of year is a treat.