How did you get on?

[d.owens]

The rain was torrential as I left work this morning. My fishing gear was stashed in my car but only an idiot would go fishing in that weather. My wife phoned me and, in her words, only a mentalist would sit by a lake during a monsoon, especially after doing an 11 hour night shift. "Yes Love," I agreed.

I arrived at the lake by 8.30 and set up for a bit of ledgering on a 2oz quiver tip.

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Have I mentioned the rain?

Today was going to be all about simplicity. 8lb line, a small drilled bullet sliding free, a rubber float stop bead about 10 inches from the hook and size 10 barbless hook. Bait was punched bacon grill with a small tin of sweetcorn if needed. I was hoping for some nice tench. The rod nearly flew off the rest after two minutes, I played a really decent sized common carp for some time then lost it as it was sliding into the net! It was still raining.

Stayed for a couple of hours but alas no tench. Had 3 decent carp, 2 commons and a mirror, but eventually the rain won and I headed for a nice dry house.

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Will be throwing out hints for a fishing umbrella as Christmas approaches!

 

[103841]

Bonus points for enthusiasm!

 

[seth49]

You probably suffered the hook pulls due to using the heavier test curve,to be honest fish of that size are probably better player on a 1.25lb t.c. rod,maybe a float rod,balanced tackle is key,though is totally dependant on swim problems...

In an open water swim I would agree with you, but this is an old mill lodge, there’s sunken walls, snags and bricks and rubble etc, if you don’t stop the first run and bring them out away from the snags, you’ve lost them anyway, it does hold a lot of fish though.

 

[john step]

The rain today was of biblical proportions. I sat in comfort behind three buzzers under my Korum brolly with wings held secure with storm rods.
Funnily enough I was the only one on the reservoir. Cant think why.
I had four runs. 4 Carp two were doubles.
Plenty of tea and coffee.
Hard life.:wh

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[108831]

In an open water swim I would agree with you, but this is an old mill lodge, there’s sunken walls, snags and bricks and rubble etc, if you don’t stop the first run and bring them out away from the snags, you’ve lost them anyway, it does hold a lot of fish though.

I would expect to be able to virtually stop fish of the sizes you speak of on 6lb bs and the rods I speak of,confidence is key,we all use the gear we are happy with,but hook pulls are caused by too much pressure on the hook,especially if it's barbless...

 

[peterjg]

I don't normally post my catches. I fish three days a week and usually there is not much of interest to report. However yesterday was one of those days which (for me anyway) was a bit special. I fished the Thames and the fish were 'avin' it! The roach fed all day long - even I could do no wrong!

Arrived before first light. Left hand rod upstream leger with dead maggots, caught 4 snotties to about 4lbs and a small perch before I could get the other rod out! Right hand rod legered flake on a size 10 hook and caught roach to about 16ozs. I had to give up with the LHR because it was all too manic. Mid morning swapped to floatfished hemp, loads of bites and roach again to about 16ozs but also lost 3 roach to pike! Moved swims to try to avoid the pike, restarted to leger bread flake and still quality roach kept on feeding. Fished until nearly dark, absolutely knackered.

 

[seth49]

I would expect to be able to virtually stop fish of the sizes you speak of on 6lb bs and the rods I speak of,confidence is key,we all use the gear we are happy with,but hook pulls are caused by too much pressure on the hook,especially if it's barbless...

Forgot to mention, there’s a minimum 12 pounds breaking strain rule here, when fishing for carp, so need to step up the rods to match.

 

[108831]

Ahhh,therein lies the problem,the fishery having such a rule equates to lip damage....if you give carp that size the stick such tackle can apply,the answer,fish for tench,catch carp....

 

[peter crabtree]

11 until 3 today in the gusting wind and showers on the town pit.
Waggler and maggot 3 rod lengths out..

Plenty of bites from rudd and perch.

 

[Pete Shears]

A very windy morning at the local reservoir today,not cold just the wind strength making it uncomfortable so out with the brolly,roped and pegged down to form a windbreak - quite cosy tucked away underneath it.no bites though on the method feeders.Watched a buzzard trying to soar then a red kite showed up and gave it a precision flying lesson.A single goose flew over and circled the reservoir - chestnut brown chest,white wing patches and black flight feathers - my ref.books come up with a pink foot - winter visitor,must have booked with Thoams Cook.Then the wind knidly uprooted my brolly,wgen I had sorted that out,started to get bites - all bream,best 5lb+ the the wind shifted and blew the brolly inside out so I packed up whilst the kit was still serviceable.

 

[mikench]

As you mentioned Thomas Cook Pete....

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[neil1970]

I haven't been out much recently. I've had the odd quick session catching loads of tiny Perch but its been more about taking other people.
I recently introduced my two nephews to fishing and threw them in at the deep end using lures.
Two sessions later and they're casting well and catching fish....and asking to come again.

Last Saturday I announced I was going out and was very pleased to hear the words 'can I come too?' from my youngest daughter.
We were out til after dark and had a great time.

This evening I went out and lost a really nice Pike on a 20cm lure, but had a couple of greedy jacks
as a consolation prize.

Opened my lure box tonight and said a little prayer.

 

[rich66]

Visited Frisby lakes this morning, arrived about 9:30, packed up by 1.
Dry but very blustery, about 12:30 it looked like the heavens where going to open.
4 bream, 3 on the float and 1 one the feeder. Nothing much to shout about but all needed a landing net, which I managed to jam the handle up on, blinking thing one of those telescopic jobs it fell to bits I tried to put it together a bit quick and put it together the wrong way round. Had to wait to get home to free it up with graphite powder and a whack from brook handle down the end.

 

[Hertsbloke]

Went back to the Moat at Eaton Bray yesterday.

Not many there, and the fishing was very slow, didnt see anyone else land anything. I had this one stinky and then couldnt buy a bite.....

 

[peter crabtree]

Today I fished an open match at Marsworth reservoir near Tring. Anyone who has been here will know it’s probably the windiest place on Earth.
Today was no exception.

14 seasoned anglers started at 11am, after 3 hours there were just 10 left. It was rock hard.
I set up a cage feeder and a waggler rod and alternated between the two.
I had just one bite on the waggler close in on single maggot, rather than being the expected perch it was a carp which whizzed off towards the distant reed beds, my 2lb hooklink snapped when I applied the brakes on my spinning drag.
Rather than the 100lb+ bags of bream, which used to be the norm not so many years ago, the match was won with 2 perch for 1:7:0!
Runner up 1 perch 1:3:0..
All the rest including myself blanked...

 

[d.owens]

Sounds like a long hard day!..

 

[108831]

Today I fished an open match at Marsworth reservoir near Tring. Anyone who has been here will know it’s probably the windiest place on Earth.
Today was no exception.

14 seasoned anglers started at 11am, after 3 hours there were just 10 left. It was rock hard.
I set up a cage feeder and a waggler rod and alternated between the two.
I had just one bite on the waggler close in on single maggot, rather than being the expected perch it was a carp which whizzed off towards the distant reed beds, my 2lb hooklink snapped when I applied the brakes on my spinning drag.
Rather than the 100lb+ bags of bream, which used to be the norm not so many years ago, the match was won with 2 perch for 1:7:0!
Runner up 1 perch 1:3:0..
All the rest including myself blanked...

Incredible Simon,what has changed on the lake,has there been a fish kill,are surveys being planned,it was solid with bream and roach only a few years ago???

 

[108831]

Today I fished an open match at Marsworth reservoir near Tring. Anyone who has been here will know it’s probably the windiest place on Earth.
Today was no exception.

14 seasoned anglers started at 11am, after 3 hours there were just 10 left. It was rock hard.
I set up a cage feeder and a waggler rod and alternated between the two.
I had just one bite on the waggler close in on single maggot, rather than being the expected perch it was a carp which whizzed off towards the distant reed beds, my 2lb hooklink snapped when I applied the brakes on my spinning drag.
Rather than the 100lb+ bags of bream, which used to be the norm not so many years ago, the match was won with 2 perch for 1:7:0!
Runner up 1 perch 1:3:0..
All the rest including myself blanked...

Incredible Simon,what has changed on the lake,has there been a fish kill,are surveys being planned,it was solid with bream and roach only a few years ago???

 

[peter crabtree]

Alan, the ressies' decline has been discussed ad infinitum and no conclusion has been reached.
I think it's cyclical and will rectify itself within time.
Restocking is not an option as it's an SSSI...

 

[no-one in particular]

Had a nice surprise this morning, went for a couple of hours early for me to dodge the predicted rain this afternoon. Using up a small amount of hemp and sweet corn from the freezer plus a few slices of brown bread. On my old bit of free river, couldn’t make my new day ticket water and this old bit of river has declined a lot over the last 10 years but that’s another story. One thing happened first, some people left the gate open in front of me with a field full of sheep, I gave them a good telling off, I can’t believe people do that.
It felt like a fishy day and the river was high with a bit of colour. Started catching some nice roach, average but nice colour and then the float disappeared. I thought I had a big eel on at first and then a feisty bream maybe and then I caught a slight glimpse of it and I thought that’s a bloody big roach. It turned out to be a nice carp, maybe 4/5lb, not great in the carp world but that’s only the second one I have ever caught in the river in 20 years. Chuffed to buggery was me, river carp are rare and it put up very good fight..
My big old cork float, de rigueur for me now, 14 hook, 4lb line and sweet corn was what they wanted, one of those sweet corn days.
On the way home I noticed how high the sea was the other side of the sluice gate, never seen it so high, flooding the banks, this means there must be an exceptionally strong alignment of the planets creating a big surge of gravitation pull. I couldn’t help thinking this is why the fish were having today, theres more to this fishing than we will ever know!