mikench
Well-known member
That's a cracking perch Pete
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
Pete Shears
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 883
- Reaction score
- 2,495
Another early start on the local reservoir in a cold easterly wind,no fish showing and the grebes were right across off the west bank which would have been even colder to fish until the sun broke through and then it is too hot in about 15 minutes.Two method feeders out,one long range other one closer off the weed beds.Nothing just a couple of liners whilst watching a buzzard,five ravens and a large group of blue tits working along the willows.Eventually had two bream,the biggest just short of 4lb so no blank but no tench.Probably be back tomorrow for another brain busting session.
bennygesserit
Well-known member
Fished Coppice Lane today
started out on the pool with the big carp in , method feeder to the island and catapulting pellets could see the fish feeding, 3 wrap rounds all Bream ( Yuk ! )
left it till around half ten then moved , as nobody catches during the middle of the day
Glad I did , fished the pole and caught loads of roach each about half a pound
A skimmer which leapt out of the water like a marlin ( nearly ) ( Maybe a hybrid [ saw something similar on a Des Shipp video ])
then a nice carp out 3LB then one a similar size did me in the weeds - lots of missed bites ( fishing sweetcorn which was maybe too big a bait )
Then back on the pool where the big girls hang out to fish the Margins !
Sat for 2 hours watching fish feed around my float - netted one bream ( about 3LB so not bad )
Shattered now - my chair broke and one of my gear cables on my bike snapped so was a long hot ride home
Sitting on the terrace now watching the humming birds among the orchids sipping a Mohito
( Sitting on the Patio , drinking a beer , watching the swifts )
started out on the pool with the big carp in , method feeder to the island and catapulting pellets could see the fish feeding, 3 wrap rounds all Bream ( Yuk ! )
left it till around half ten then moved , as nobody catches during the middle of the day
Glad I did , fished the pole and caught loads of roach each about half a pound
A skimmer which leapt out of the water like a marlin ( nearly ) ( Maybe a hybrid [ saw something similar on a Des Shipp video ])
then a nice carp out 3LB then one a similar size did me in the weeds - lots of missed bites ( fishing sweetcorn which was maybe too big a bait )
Then back on the pool where the big girls hang out to fish the Margins !
Sat for 2 hours watching fish feed around my float - netted one bream ( about 3LB so not bad )
Shattered now - my chair broke and one of my gear cables on my bike snapped so was a long hot ride home
Sitting on the terrace now watching the humming birds among the orchids sipping a Mohito
( Sitting on the Patio , drinking a beer , watching the swifts )
S-Kippy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 15,233
- Reaction score
- 7,667
Not actually MF itself Jezza....Johnsons over the back. There are still some big uns in the MF lakes but not as big or as many as there used to be. Plenty of lumpy tench though.
Went to one of my new clubs lakes yesterday,had 17 crucians getting up to a pound and a half,7 tench,a common about three to four pounds and around 15 roach to twelve ounces,all in the short pole and hard pellet,strange thing was the crus and tench fishing died a death around midday and the roach started feeding???
wetthrough
Well-known member
Fairly late start on the Dam yesterday arriving at about 6:30 and a little cooler than expected in the shade but comfortable enough. Slow start picking up Roach on maggot which is all they'd look at early on. That changed as the shadow cast by the sun got closer when they started taking caster. Things picked up on caster til about 11:30 when it went quiet. That's quite normal for the Dam. It dies early and picks up again around 1:00-1:30. Average size around 4 oz with 6 or 7 for the net. This being the biggest, maybe 10oz.
The Grebe is still feeding her young which are nearly as big as she is. Had a group of photographers with telephotos as long as your arm set up next peg up. They were so glued to their lenses they never even saw the Kingfisher fly 8M in front of them and past me twice. Cast a spinner out in the quiet spells to no avail.
Packed up at 4:45, 72 Roach in all (the hourly rate's going up!) and one tiny Perch accidentally caught while the bait was hanging over the peg. Not a sign of anything else feeding and only a cruise past at around 3pm of what I suspect were 2 or three Carp. Where have all the Bream gone?
Edit: Didn't fish the slider this time. Just the 12M line about 6" off bottom and a margin rod which produced nothing at all.
The Grebe is still feeding her young which are nearly as big as she is. Had a group of photographers with telephotos as long as your arm set up next peg up. They were so glued to their lenses they never even saw the Kingfisher fly 8M in front of them and past me twice. Cast a spinner out in the quiet spells to no avail.
Packed up at 4:45, 72 Roach in all (the hourly rate's going up!) and one tiny Perch accidentally caught while the bait was hanging over the peg. Not a sign of anything else feeding and only a cruise past at around 3pm of what I suspect were 2 or three Carp. Where have all the Bream gone?
Edit: Didn't fish the slider this time. Just the 12M line about 6" off bottom and a margin rod which produced nothing at all.
Last edited:
Mark Wintle
Well-known member
In a heatwave it's not unusual for the bream to shoal just 2 - 3ft under the surface; they're still catchable on the waggler fished shallow - I've done best with casters for them. It may take a while to get them to feed.
Hugh Bailey
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2005
- Messages
- 333
- Reaction score
- 244
This is exactly what they are like on the Basingstoke near me - very big shoals all on or near the surface.
mikench
Well-known member
theartist
Well-known member
Same here, slow sinking bread is devastating for them on the canal and pools
So a disappointing day Alan
No Mike,a pleasant day and thoroughly enjoyable.
rich66
Well-known member
Last day of my week off and my wife had plans, so off I went a fishing. River Soar today, decided on taking just what I might need rather than lugging tons of gear around. So a handful of floats, couple of disgorgers and my hook length box, reel, rod, landing net & handle was the sum of my gear. Dropped into my local for 1/2 a pint of maggots and a new bait box.
Arrived bankside at 10ish sun beating down. Decided to fish from the canoe launching area a favourite spot of mine.
Used a wire stemmed stick float that belonged to my late brother, still very hard to think he’s not here with us anymore.
Water was reasonably coloured after the recent rains and had a bit of flow.
Fed a few maggots every cast and caught a range of sizes & species from the size of my little finger upwards.
As the session progressed I could see a build up of fish in my swim all chasing the free feed and my hookbait some larger roach amongst the shoal was chasing the feed . However what I did notice I wasn’t catching the larger fish. Thought it was the little ones getting in first but as I was watching it came abundantly clear that they where pulling back from my hook bait. I could see them dart towards it but every time they swerved away at about an inch away. Obviously my presentation was not quite right for these guys. Size 20 hook and 1 1/2 lb hook lengths, tried hooking the maggots through the head, tail, back even hiding the hook shank light lure style in the body of the maggot. No luck at all with the bigger ones. Plenty of 4-6oz Roach, some Perch about the same, chublets etc.
By 11:45 I felt I’d exhausted the swim but thought I’d try a different one a little further down and fry my front instead of my back !
New swim very little for a start but 18” or so deeper.
Noticed some slack water to my right and cast into there & fed the same few maggots every minute or so. Few bites later a tiny chublet with a big appetite took my maggot. Things started to warm up fish wise catching regular now still nothing massive but a real bit of fun. I really love this kind of fishing.
A brief pause while a family of swans, mum, dad and the 4 kids sailed by. Such a narrow stretch 20’ or so I was not prepared to risk hurting these magnificent birds.
Started to scrabble around for maggots now, looked in my bait tin to see probably 15 min max fishing but as it was now 12:20 ish I thought it was time to call it a day.. 1 more cast and a much better Roach came out finally got to use my landing net for a something a bit bigger than the rest of the batch I’d had. So I thought I’d got enough bait for 1 more cast ( yes I know
but you know how it is) and bang another good bite and another roach worth the landing net. Don’t think anything would have topped 10oz but I was happy. So was the group of mums and kids watching from the bridge. “ mum can we go fishing? “ I’d heard a couple of times. Anyway time to wend my way home and prepare for work tomorrow.
Did I mention I fished on Friday too ?? What a lucky lad I’ve been this week. Only had one small perch but spent the day with one of my brothers so a good day.
Arrived bankside at 10ish sun beating down. Decided to fish from the canoe launching area a favourite spot of mine.
Used a wire stemmed stick float that belonged to my late brother, still very hard to think he’s not here with us anymore.
Water was reasonably coloured after the recent rains and had a bit of flow.
Fed a few maggots every cast and caught a range of sizes & species from the size of my little finger upwards.
As the session progressed I could see a build up of fish in my swim all chasing the free feed and my hookbait some larger roach amongst the shoal was chasing the feed . However what I did notice I wasn’t catching the larger fish. Thought it was the little ones getting in first but as I was watching it came abundantly clear that they where pulling back from my hook bait. I could see them dart towards it but every time they swerved away at about an inch away. Obviously my presentation was not quite right for these guys. Size 20 hook and 1 1/2 lb hook lengths, tried hooking the maggots through the head, tail, back even hiding the hook shank light lure style in the body of the maggot. No luck at all with the bigger ones. Plenty of 4-6oz Roach, some Perch about the same, chublets etc.
By 11:45 I felt I’d exhausted the swim but thought I’d try a different one a little further down and fry my front instead of my back !
New swim very little for a start but 18” or so deeper.
Noticed some slack water to my right and cast into there & fed the same few maggots every minute or so. Few bites later a tiny chublet with a big appetite took my maggot. Things started to warm up fish wise catching regular now still nothing massive but a real bit of fun. I really love this kind of fishing.
A brief pause while a family of swans, mum, dad and the 4 kids sailed by. Such a narrow stretch 20’ or so I was not prepared to risk hurting these magnificent birds.
Started to scrabble around for maggots now, looked in my bait tin to see probably 15 min max fishing but as it was now 12:20 ish I thought it was time to call it a day.. 1 more cast and a much better Roach came out finally got to use my landing net for a something a bit bigger than the rest of the batch I’d had. So I thought I’d got enough bait for 1 more cast ( yes I know
but you know how it is) and bang another good bite and another roach worth the landing net. Don’t think anything would have topped 10oz but I was happy. So was the group of mums and kids watching from the bridge. “ mum can we go fishing? “ I’d heard a couple of times. Anyway time to wend my way home and prepare for work tomorrow. Did I mention I fished on Friday too ?? What a lucky lad I’ve been this week. Only had one small perch but spent the day with one of my brothers so a good day.
mikench
Well-known member
I have noticed on one of my waters that to start with you get rudd, rudd and more rudd until you have caught a load, then they disappear and the roach become catchable!!
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 6,172
- Reaction score
- 1,950
What a difference a day makes. Arrived yesterday at Stonar lake to be greeted by a strong gusting wind that whipped up the lake creating waves that I had no intention of doing battle with.
24 hours on and arriving at 4-30am all was calm, warm and beautiful.
Bagged my favourite swim again and set up the whip in the usual manner.
However, I wasn’t going to allow gatecrashing carp spoil the party today and also brought two rods, one setup with a slider float at 20ft and the other rod for a spot of surface fishing.
I always kick off on the whip and i dont know why I do because the rudd are late starters and don’t come up in the water til the sun is overhead, today was no different and after thirty minutes switched to the slider rigged with sweet corn tempting the first fish of the day, a nice plump tench of about 3lb. This was closely followed by an unwelcome eel and then the bream took over, must have been quite a shoal feasting on my loose fed concoction of leftovers and in the end netted 32 of the slimy blighters some going to 6lb.
Had a break when Ralph phoned me and by the time we had finished catching up it had turned 10am, time to go back on the whip and it wasn’t long before the rudd were coming up for food. The next few hours saw 42 netted and most around the pound plus mark, the float dived once more but this time there was no stopping it and the hooklength went ping catapulting my rig clear of the water into an overhead tree, the carp had arrived. In great numbers too, switched to the surface setup and it wasn’t long before a lump of bread flake was engulfed and a lengthy scrap ensued before a nice 14lb common was landed. I couldn’t get the wily blighters to take a dog biscuit however I presented it but they woofed up the freebies, i managed two more on bread before it ran out.
I had been so busy with non stop action I hadn’t noticed the heat,it was only when packing up I knew I’d had a knackering day having caught in excess of 150lb of fish, makes up for the many blanks I’ve had recently!
Back home by 4, quick shower and met swmbo down at the beach hut overlooking a packed Whitstable beach and enjoyed a cool beer and some fish and chips.
Just about a perfect day.
24 hours on and arriving at 4-30am all was calm, warm and beautiful.
Bagged my favourite swim again and set up the whip in the usual manner.
However, I wasn’t going to allow gatecrashing carp spoil the party today and also brought two rods, one setup with a slider float at 20ft and the other rod for a spot of surface fishing.
I always kick off on the whip and i dont know why I do because the rudd are late starters and don’t come up in the water til the sun is overhead, today was no different and after thirty minutes switched to the slider rigged with sweet corn tempting the first fish of the day, a nice plump tench of about 3lb. This was closely followed by an unwelcome eel and then the bream took over, must have been quite a shoal feasting on my loose fed concoction of leftovers and in the end netted 32 of the slimy blighters some going to 6lb.
Had a break when Ralph phoned me and by the time we had finished catching up it had turned 10am, time to go back on the whip and it wasn’t long before the rudd were coming up for food. The next few hours saw 42 netted and most around the pound plus mark, the float dived once more but this time there was no stopping it and the hooklength went ping catapulting my rig clear of the water into an overhead tree, the carp had arrived. In great numbers too, switched to the surface setup and it wasn’t long before a lump of bread flake was engulfed and a lengthy scrap ensued before a nice 14lb common was landed. I couldn’t get the wily blighters to take a dog biscuit however I presented it but they woofed up the freebies, i managed two more on bread before it ran out.
I had been so busy with non stop action I hadn’t noticed the heat,it was only when packing up I knew I’d had a knackering day having caught in excess of 150lb of fish, makes up for the many blanks I’ve had recently!
Back home by 4, quick shower and met swmbo down at the beach hut overlooking a packed Whitstable beach and enjoyed a cool beer and some fish and chips.
Just about a perfect day.
Last edited:
mikench
Well-known member
A truly red letter day John; I'm pleased for you ! well done to you.
well done to you.bennygesserit
Well-known member
love it John ! great post mate !
The Runner
Well-known member
Original plan for today was to head right up the North End again but to fish next headland along at the Aird/ Kilmaluag. However was going to be a hot one again (by Skye standards anyway) and didn't fancy the longish, rough and pathless walk in so just went to Staffin instead (short walk in, again by Skye standards , at about half a mile from An Corran and the slipway)
Hot weather has brought out the hordes of bathers to Corran beach...
View attachment 6971
Got to usual area at around low tide, only a slight swell right to left and looked spot on
View attachment 6972
Only had lure rod with me, slow start, chopped and changed between paddletails, jellyworms and metals, and half an hour on floatfished sandeel, nothing for a couple of hours and then as the tide rose over the bottom ledges started getting regular takes. no size though.
Ended up with 12 or 13 fish, mostly coalies with a couple of pollack but all around this size
View attachment 6973
Did lose one pollack about a pound when the hook pulled right in the edge, no sign of the better fish that live here but still, good fun on light tackle. Speaking of which, two other anglers there today didn't have anything decent either, but they'd fished one of the west coast headlands yesterday , a SERIOUS walk in especially in the heat and one of them had had an 8lb spurdog on light spinning gear. Bet that went a bit.
Not such a good day for wildlife, very little over the sea, one gannet flying south and two Black Throated Divers (or the same bird twice) north. One thing in abundance though, the sea close in looked like SpongeBob's favourite place, Jellyfish Fields. Endless processions of them drifting past and at least a dozen times reeled in to find strands of them on the hook
Hot weather has brought out the hordes of bathers to Corran beach...
View attachment 6971
Got to usual area at around low tide, only a slight swell right to left and looked spot on
View attachment 6972
Only had lure rod with me, slow start, chopped and changed between paddletails, jellyworms and metals, and half an hour on floatfished sandeel, nothing for a couple of hours and then as the tide rose over the bottom ledges started getting regular takes. no size though.
Ended up with 12 or 13 fish, mostly coalies with a couple of pollack but all around this size
View attachment 6973
Did lose one pollack about a pound when the hook pulled right in the edge, no sign of the better fish that live here but still, good fun on light tackle. Speaking of which, two other anglers there today didn't have anything decent either, but they'd fished one of the west coast headlands yesterday , a SERIOUS walk in especially in the heat and one of them had had an 8lb spurdog on light spinning gear. Bet that went a bit.
Not such a good day for wildlife, very little over the sea, one gannet flying south and two Black Throated Divers (or the same bird twice) north. One thing in abundance though, the sea close in looked like SpongeBob's favourite place, Jellyfish Fields. Endless processions of them drifting past and at least a dozen times reeled in to find strands of them on the hook
What a difference a day makes. Arrived yesterday at Stonar lake to be greeted by a strong gusting wind that whipped up the lake creating waves that I had no intention of doing battle with.
24 hours on and arriving at 4-30am all was calm, warm and beautiful.
Bagged my favourite swim again and set up the whip in the usual manner.
However, I wasn’t going to allow gatecrashing carp spoil the party today and also brought two rods, one setup with a slider float at 20ft and the other rod for a spot of surface fishing.
I always kick off on the whip and i dont know why I do because the rudd are late starters and don’t come up in the water til the sun is overhead, today was no different and after thirty minutes switched to the slider rigged with sweet corn tempting the first fish of the day, a nice plump tench of about 3lb. This was closely followed by an unwelcome eel and then the bream took over, must have been quite a shoal feasting on my loose fed concoction of leftovers and in the end netted 32 of the slimy blighters some going to 6lb.
Had a break when Ralph phoned me and by the time we had finished catching up it had turned 10am, time to go back on the whip and it wasn’t long before the rudd were coming up for food. The next few hours saw 42 netted and most around the pound plus mark, the float dived once more but this time there was no stopping it and the hooklength went ping catapulting my rig clear of the water into an overhead tree, the carp had arrived. In great numbers too, switched to the surface setup and it wasn’t long before a lump of bread flake was engulfed and a lengthy scrap ensued before a nice 14lb common was landed. I couldn’t get the wily blighters to take a dog biscuit however I presented it but they woofed up the freebies, i managed two more on bread before it ran out.
I had been so busy with non stop action I hadn’t noticed the heat,it was only when packing up I knew I’d had a knackering day having caught in excess of 150lb of fish, makes up for the many blanks I’ve had recently!
Back home by 4, quick shower and met swmbo down at the beach hut overlooking a packed Whitstable beach and enjoyed a cool beer and some fish and chips.
Just about a perfect day.
A great day and no mistake,sounds a lovely water...
mikench
Well-known member
It's official! I had a referendum , a bit like that which cannot be named, full of lies , hyperbole and muddled thinking but I voted for float fishing as my favourite method. I was the only one to vote and feeder fishing came close. I had a few early hours on my current favourite water. It was much cooler than yesterday with a strong breeze. I set up in a different peg with the wind at my back.
View attachment 6976
I started and finished with floated dog biscuits catching 14 carp like this.
View attachment 6977
I used Bakers complete for small dog which are soft floating cubes. I hair rigged them and pushed the hook into the top of the biscuit. Surprisingly it worked.
I fished conventionally on the float with corn and maggot and had several decent roach, Rudd, gudgeon and skimmers. I had to leave at lunchtime as eldest dotter is coming to visit with boyfriend and they want a BBQ . A really pleasant way to spend Sunday morning and I had the place to myself until 9.00am.
View attachment 6976
I started and finished with floated dog biscuits catching 14 carp like this.
View attachment 6977
I used Bakers complete for small dog which are soft floating cubes. I hair rigged them and pushed the hook into the top of the biscuit. Surprisingly it worked.
I fished conventionally on the float with corn and maggot and had several decent roach, Rudd, gudgeon and skimmers. I had to leave at lunchtime as eldest dotter is coming to visit with boyfriend and they want a BBQ . A really pleasant way to spend Sunday morning and I had the place to myself until 9.00am.