How did you get on?

[sam vimes]

Ding, ding, round three.

Wasn't planning to go today, the windy forecast put me right off. However, the nice warm sunshine changed my mind.

Went to the same stretch of river but plumped for a different peg. In theory, the forecasted wind would be an upstreamer. It didn't quite work out that way and the fishing was difficult. I wan't helped by choosing to use a closed face reel (in an attempt to deal with the wind) which decided to play up a bit. I struggled to get twenty dace and a single perch before giving in and moving.

The next peg was far easier to fish, despite the swirly strong breeze. A bit more depth and flow certainly helped. It also allowed me to ditch the waggler in favour of the long rod and centrepin.
The move worked a treat, catching fish from the off. Ended up with seventy dace and a single perch. It was also the scene of one of the most incredible fishing experience I've ever had.

I was playing a rather nice grayling. It went on long enough for me to idly wonder if I was going to break the 2lb mark, and where my scales were in my bag. Eventually working the fish upstream, I was just thinking about picking up my landing net when I heard a plop, looked round and saw a trail of bubbles making a beeline for the grayling. The fish hit the surface, closely followed by a big whiskery nose and a fine set of teeth. It's official, otters don't half pull! I played it for a little while then had to clamp up as it headed under some upstream nearside undergrowth. Thankfully, I got a full rig back, but the otter got his tea. After about half an hour the cheeky sod came back through my swim and briefly sat on the bank about ten yards downstream of me. The only saving grace was that it didn't seem to put the dace off at all.

 

[108831]

A return to the deep lake and forced to fish a swim I'm not overly keen on(don't know why),well I should be because the bottom was virtually clean of weed in around 13ft,I had a strange start struggling for a bite,in fact my first bite was after about 45mins,I struck and had a greeting of a 50yd run,some 40 minutes later a big mirror over 25lbs was wallowing with its nose at the net,the line had wrapped around the fish,going around the odds and anal fins for quite a while during the fight(which is why it took so long)and I take it,it loosened the hook hold as it came off,on well,I ended up with 24 roach to 1lb 6oz and a 'consolation' 15lb 4oz mirror...I

Just to add I saw a small wader,wasn't sure what it was,so had a word with mister google,turns out it was a little stint,a transit wader,wing span of 13cms,when I first saw it,I thought it was a sand martin,but they've left for warmer climes,though swallows and house martin's are still over the lake,it actually landed in the next swim,so I got a good look at a relatively small and fast bird,happy days...

 

[Jelster]

Back to Whitepost Lakes today. Decided to fish the front lake after visiting the back lake last week.

Arrived at around 08.00 and noticed a few carp on the surface so I threw in some crusts pieces and within10 mins they were feeding on them.

So, I fished a top mounted waggler about 6-7ft to a size 8 and went with a big piece of crust. I was getting take after take but not hooking anything, so I scaled down the bread and hit the next fish. A strong powerful fight ensued eventually with me getting him to the net. A fat chunky common which was pushing double figures.



Next cast, and a similar sized Mirror, although not quite so broad.



I went on to catch about a dozen or so Carp, with all the better ones coming from floating crust. Had a few on the feeder and one on float fished pellet.

Hopefully will try the Frome next week.

 

[d.owens]

Got out fishing for the first time in a few weeks, headed to a small lake straight after my final night shift.
The morning was overcast, punctuated by light showers, the lake surface rippled from a steady breeze.

Bait tactics for the day came from the £3 spent in the B&M on the way into work last night.

View attachment 7532

The Plumrose Bacon Grill, used with a meat punch, was outstanding. Carp, Roach, Crucians & a Bream all fell victim.

View attachment 7533

Good old Green Giant corn tempted a couple of Roach and Carp.

View attachment 7534

Finally, the ever reliable Warburton loaf pulled in a couple of Carp and Roach.

A very enjoyable day, about twenty fish, not bad for three quid! I really enjoy keeping my fishing simple.

View attachment 7535
View attachment 7536

 

[john step]

I went in to Band M recently and stocked up on that Bacon Grill. The cheeky so and sos have put the price up to £1.15p a tin from 99p last year. At that rate I will have to remortgage!!:wh

 

[Another Dave]

Great stuff Mr Owens, i bet you thought of nothing else during your night shift.

 

[d.owens]

I went in to Band M recently and stocked up on that Bacon Grill. The cheeky so and sos have put the price up to £1.15p a tin from 99p last year. At that rate I will have to remortgage!!:wh

I've found it to be a great hook bait. Well worth the huge price tag!

 

[d.owens]

Great stuff Mr Owens, i bet you thought of nothing else during your night shift.

Yeah! Its become a habit now on my last night shift, if I sleep in the day I struggle to adjust back to daytime life. Much better to go straight to some water and fish until I have to get the kids from school.....looking rough by then!

 

[seth49]

On my own again yesterday, mick managed to drop his petrol mower on his foot, the other day and his foot is swollen and sore, so early start and arrived at fishery for quarter to six, to find I was first there, so had my pick of swims, I went straight to what’s thought to be the best swim on the pond, and set up there.

On rod with a pin, and one with a Shimano 4000 baitrunner, both barbel rods, they will handle any carp in here, and they have a nice through action, both rods with method feeders on, bait either chocolate orange wafters, or as I’d fetched some today cockles.

Had a good days sport, landed eleven carp, between six and ten pounds, did lose one that felt bigger, due to the knot coming undone, never had a grinner knot fail before, but it was fairly dark when I tied it, must have done it wrong, the bit of curly line was the giveaway.

Caught fairly steady all day, best way I found was a wafter on the hair, and a couple of cockles on the hook to hide it, the waters clearing now, and this seemed to work, as it disguised the hook possibly,still got some bites that pulled the rod round, and then nothing,plus a few that came of after a few seconds, nearly all the fish were lightly hooked as well.
Here’s a couple of the better commons I caught today.


The commons are nice to catch, always give a good account of there selves, so hopefully mick will be recovered by next Tuesday,when the weather is looking good all week, for a change.

 

[DeanoJ]

As a newbie, I love reading all these posts and picking up little snippets and seeing all the pictures, getting me excited for goi g this Sunday again!

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[bracket]

Today I fancied a spot of sea fishing. My education into beach fishing is on the nursery slope of a very steep learning curve, so I take every opportunity to try and move it along. Seven thirty this morning found me on Chesil Beach at high tide, for three hours fishing. Conditions were fine, there was a brisk wind, fortunately blowing straight out to sea, which was calm, and the sky was overcast.

I have been suffering with a twinge in my right shoulder lately, so I left the long beachcaster and feathers in the bag and used 9ft spinning rod and lure (courtesy of s69). With this set up I can manage a 60 yard chuck without too much pain and it is easy to handle. The few anglers on the beach weren't catching, so I had no expectations, just happy to be there. I spent a pleasant hour brushing up on my casting and admiring the scenery, Chesil is a great place. Then out of the blue this turned up:

No big fish, but I was over the moon, its the first sea bass I have ever caught, lovely little fish. So I took the photo and duly returned it. I picked up a good sized mackerel after two hours and that was the sum total of my success. I had a sit down for bit, contemplating my navel and unbelievable had another first, sighted a small pod of dolphins about 500 yards off shore. That was enough excitement for one day, one nice little bass still swimming around off Chesil and one fat mackerel gutted, filleted and ready to join some fresh salmon for tonight's meal. I gave it best then and 10.30 saw me plodding back to the car, over the Chesil shingle, as the sun broke through, thinking "well your still managing to do it, you old git". Life's good. Pete.

 

[103841]

That’s brilliant Pete, pleased the lure has done the business, more than can be said of my bass fishing this Summer

A trip to Hythe on Monday and that maybe it til next year.

Enjoy the mackerel.

 

[103841]

Start of a hectic schedule with a trip today followed by further fishing over the next three days, with a mixture of rivers, lake and sea.

Today was a short session on the river Stour at Grove Ferry. Chose a different swim to my normal one, I was fishing an incoming tide and needed a good glide going to my left for a decent trot.



A very slow start, the reason became apparent when I hooked my first roach which was instantly attacked by a pike, this happened a few more times, the critter even went for my float when retrieving it at one stage.

I invited a passing lure angler to fish my swim and see if he could catch the pike but no amount of fancy lifelike lures would fool it, it wanted the real deal as soon after it latched onto a small perch.

After an hour the tide turned and started coming in, I’ve always thought that the fishing was poor on the flood and so it proved to be with just a few roach and skimmers. There was one highlight though, a solitary bream coming in at 5lb 10ozs, easily my biggest fish (bar pike) from a river.

 

[peter crabtree]

Town pit yesterday and an early start. It was cold and cloudy as I made my first cast. After a few minutes the tip flew round, almost ripped the rod from my hand! Picked it up and nothing there?
Recast and another rip round on the tip but once again nothing there but a loop and knot which had been my hooklink...
3 fresh maggots on a new hook and eventually a positive pull which connected me to a solid feeling fish.

6:6:0 on the scales...
Nothing more all day.

Today I set off early again down the M25 to Runnymede, I was expecting to see some mates there but after reading the arrangements again I realised I was a week early...doh !
Set up my sliding waggler and balled in 12 big balls of gb.

Barely any flow on the Thames today but the roach instantly latched onto my double caster.
After a good 2 hours of roach sport a couple of skimmers joined in but by midday all fell quiet, I persevered for an hour or so trying single maggot out of desperation, this achieved one small perch....

Thought I’d pack up and beat the Friday afternoon traffic on the M25, too late, it was bloody solid ...

 

[mikench]

Gordon and I went river fishing today on the Dane. Whilst it was chilly early on before it was light, it soon warmed up considerably as the sun shone.

View attachment 7542

We trudged up and down the length available but there were only a few manageable swims offering access to the water as the water was much lower than the overgrown banks. We settled on a pair of swims near a bridge and before a weir. It was very picturesque and we settled in to try and emulate my hero.

View attachment 7543

We both trotted and now understand why minnows are regarded as pests. The novelty soon wore off after the 30th fish but I managed half a dozen dace to 8 oz and some small roach. Gordon did similarly. By 2.00 pm we were minnowed out and my back was suffering from being stood up in the same spot. No Chub unlike my hero but it was a lovely day and we enjoyed the experience. Thanks Gordon; the Dam seems a great venue now.:wh. Oh and thanks again for the Gordon rod rest- brilliant bit of kit. No pics as it was all I could do to remain on the bank.

 

[108831]

Await the frosts before you return Mike,the chub might oblige then....

 

[wetthrough]

Oh and thanks again for the Gordon rod rest- brilliant bit of kit. No pics as it was all I could do to remain on the bank.

You're very welcome Mike. It has been gathering dust for over a year. Much better that you can make use of it. Thanks again for company it was much appreciated. Shame about the fishing! At least there are no &*((&*^^(* Minnows in the Dam

 

[bullet]

Today I fancied a spot of sea fishing. My education into beach fishing is on the nursery slope of a very steep learning curve, so I take every opportunity to try and move it along. Seven thirty this morning found me on Chesil Beach at high tide, for three hours fishing. Conditions were fine, there was a brisk wind, fortunately blowing straight out to sea, which was calm, and the sky was overcast.
View attachment 7539
I have been suffering with a twinge in my right shoulder lately, so I left the long beachcaster and feathers in the bag and used 9ft spinning rod and lure (courtesy of s69). With this set up I can manage a 60 yard chuck without too much pain and it is easy to handle. The few anglers on the beach weren't catching, so I had no expectations, just happy to be there. I spent a pleasant hour brushing up on my casting and admiring the scenery, Chesil is a great place. Then out of the blue this turned up:
View attachment 7540
No big fish, but I was over the moon, its the first sea bass I have ever caught, lovely little fish. So I took the photo and duly returned it. I picked up a good sized mackerel after two hours and that was the sum total of my success. I had a sit down for bit, contemplating my navel and unbelievable had another first, sighted a small pod of dolphins about 500 yards off shore. That was enough excitement for one day, one nice little bass still swimming around off Chesil and one fat mackerel gutted, filleted and ready to join some fresh salmon for tonight's meal. I gave it best then and 10.30 saw me plodding back to the car, over the Chesil shingle, as the sun broke through, thinking "well your still managing to do it, you old git". Life's good. Pete.

Lovely post, Pete.
There should be a "super like" button for ones like that!

 

[sam vimes]

Working on the change being as good as a rest principle, I had a day out on the lower Tees. My prime motivation was an attempt to replace the dominant dace, of further upstream, with roach. I've not fished that far down since my very early twenties, half my lifetime ago. I don't recall if the barrage was in operation back then, but it certainly is now.

One thing for sure is that this is well out of my comfort zone, but my favoured bolo floats, and 17' rods, don't seem quite as incongruous in 15' of a formerly tidal river. One thing that was very strange was that the flow changed from zero to some, and back again, several times during the day. This lack of consistency seemed to upset the fish somewhat. I can only assume that they play with the barrage level a fair bit. This isn't particularly apparent in the higher reaches.

Bites were sporadic, at best. A reasonable variety of fish, and long periods of nothing, meant that my counts went out of the window quite early on. Roach and dace made up the bulk, with a good showing of half decent perch, one razor blade skimmer and one proper bream. Amongst the roach, there were maybe half a dozen in the 6-12oz bracket, but a fair number were tiny. The vast majority of the dace were the finger length variety. Having caught such small dace in a very slow river for the first time in years, I can understand the general antipathy towards them. I've had more exciting Manual Handling lectures. A total contrast to catching decent sized dace in fast water where bites are often quite violent and the actually put up a fight. Still, they beat the bejasus out of minnows!

 

[john step]

I have fallen in love....with my new Acy ultra 14ft. I had a morning trotting on the lower Trent with maggots.
A Billy Lane avon was my choice. This is the second time trotting in about 20 yrs. Last time about 3 years ago was with Sam V on a white water slalom course called the upper Swale.

Only perch and bream but a very enjoyable time. The rustiness soon faded and soon got smooth again. It never seems to leave you, like riding a bike.