How did you get on?

[S-Kippy]

I always feel reluctant to click on like to a post full of woe and depicting a miserable days fishing but I feel for all of you who brave the elements. I hate wet weather and muddy terrain. Some days are just not meant to be; if only we knew which ones.

Unfortunately some of my best days have been when I've been washed off. Doesnt mean I have to like it though....its the mud that's doing my head in, it is everywhere. Ive spent all morning just cleaning my gear, never mind drying off the wet stuff. The garden is full of drying gear and more rain forecast for later....howl !

 

[103841]

This is the peg you need Skip.

One of the biggest gripes members have when fishing Grove Ferry through the Summer are the numpty canoeists, kayakers and paddle boarders wreaking havoc on the river. Fortunately the hire company closes for Winter so peace and calm returns to the river for a few months. The other upshot is using their launch ramp which I did for the first time today.



Lovely conditions with a cool breeze just about tolerable and I was sat comfy on my luxury platform, just one problem, the fish had gone on strike, four small roach and after trying different lines, different depths and assorted baits, waved the white flag after four hours. As a relative novice still I always wonder what I’m doing wrong when I have days like this but it was comforting to see a fellow member of considerable experience having the same lack of action as me.

Did discover that the handles on my pin are more of a hindrance than a help, off to the workshop to get the Dremel out.

 

[sam vimes]

A decidedly short session this afternoon, even for me. I only went to stave off stir crazy. The fact that there was little wind, the forecast for the next few days is lousy, and I'm out beating tomorrow, overcame the off-putting water levels.
I knew it would be a matter of scratching around, and so it proved. Two grayling and a trout were nowhere near enough to tempt me to stay once it started raining.

 

[mikench]

Surely John , you will need at least one handle to wind in with a fish on.

 

[sam vimes]

Did discover that the handles on my pin are more of a hindrance than a help, off to the workshop to get the Dremel out.

Be wary if you can't replace them. Handles can undoubtedly be a pain sometimes. However, you might find bigger fish a bit of a struggle without them, especially on a reel that you can't go "finger through". I've tried a pin without handles. Even though it was one I could go "finger through", I found I couldn't manage to play bigger fish unless they were very obliging. If you have no ambition beyond tiddlers, you'll be fine. However, I'd seek the advice of an experienced no handles pin user before getting the Dremel to it.

Surely John , you will need at least one handle to wind in with a fish on.

Not necessarily. Not my idea of fun though, especially in fast water or with bigger fish.

 

[S-Kippy]

Aaargh......leave the handles alone.Take em off and sooner or later you will regret it

 

[103841]

Surely John , you will need at least one handle to wind in with a fish on.

Not the fish I catch Mike! Anyway they’ve gone, if it’s been a mistake it’s no problem replacing them. On a water where I might catch bigger fish, handles it will be.:thumbs:

 

[mikench]

As long as you can replace them or at least one , that's ok. I can't bat properly with just a float on the line let alone a chunky Chub or barbel.

 

[steve2]

Not the fish I catch Mike! Anyway they’ve gone, if it’s been a mistake it’s no problem replacing them. On a water where I might catch bigger fish, handles it will be.

What pin are you using, I have never had a problem with handles on any of mine.

 

[103841]

What pin are you using, I have never had a problem with handles on any of mine.

It’s a Speedia. I have arthritis in my fingers, gripping things like a pen or a pin handle is hard work, I find batting a reel much easier, I understand the need for handles when playing a larger fish but that’s unlikely on my stretches of river.

 

[peter crabtree]

Last Sunday I fished a club fixture on the river Thame just outside Thame itself. After the same fixture last year, which was rock hard, I vowed never to return. However I was encouraged to go on the promise it had improved since a lot of work parties. Weed had been removed and swims renovated and tbh it did look better.

The fishing however was still pants! I admit it’s not the best time of year what with the sudden drop in temps and cold rain going in, but it was dire. The swim above was the second I tried after failing to get a bite in my first choice. Trotting down the middle produced nothing, I had to get the pole out and run a tiny float down the far bank, uncomfortably close to the bushes. This produced tiny roach and chublets. I also found a few in the slack beneath my feet. In the 3 hours I fished it I had about 15 fish for 9oz!
The flyer peg above the road bridge won as usual with 3lb+.

Tuesday saw me return with 14 other codgers for our midweek match to the GUC near Leighton Buzzard. Having struggled there last week on a practice I didn’t hold out much hope. Whilst organising the draw I dropped my flask which smashed the glass inside. Then I drew 15 so was last to walk off, missing out on the favoured early pegs..
5 hours of trying everything I remained biteless.
Blanked! To cap it all it rained on and off too.

Small consolation I suppose but it was picturesque.

In all 9 codgers blanked, top weight was 3:12:0 on the first peg. Second had 0:8:0! Third 0:4:0..

 

[103841]

With a few exceptions it’s been a miserable few days on the HDYGO.

 

[Philip]

Well ok as its quiet, I had this chunky Ide 2 days ago from my prebaited spot on the river. As Roach were my target you can imagine what I thought went I caught the first glimpse of that rising up from the depths ...

 

[peterjg]

Peter Crabtree - re your post, at least it's not just me struggling at the moment! Capt. LA Parker in his book 'This Fishing' said that the last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November were the hardest - I'm not arguing.

 

[mikench]

I'm not missing much then.

 

[john step]

I'm not missing much then.

No you are not. All that rubbish they spout about fish fattening up for winter...HuH.

 

[Molehill]

Well that is all very encouraging as I head off tomorrow for my first fish since mid September.

Got to the sod it stage, river far from perfect, damn cold but not raining so going to pick up a pint of maggots and have a few hours trotting for grayling. A 120 mile round trip I am hoping for something, anything!

 

[Keith M]

Whilst organising the draw I dropped my flask which smashed the glass inside.

Peter I didn’t realise you could still get flasks with the fragile glass inside them

Keith

 

[peter crabtree]

Thermos still make them. I've replaced it with a steel one...

 

[mikench]

They are not as good but far more robust.