I find small perch the best for sink and draw. They seem to have tougher flesh to resist casting. Also I use a large catfish hook through the top lips/head and one barbless treble on the flank. I get less cast offs that way.
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
I find small perch the best for sink and draw. They seem to have tougher flesh to resist casting. Also I use a large catfish hook through the top lips/head and one barbless treble on the flank. I get less cast offs that way.
theartist
Well-known member
I Hadn’t been on a proper river trip since Autumn so headed out yesterday and it sure looked a lot different to last time, the old girl was not so much high but over the banks in places and raging through as if she was sticking two fingers up to those who drain her flow the rest of the year, all the platforms were underwater too so I headed to my favourite floodwater spot and fished from the path. I hadn’t seen the river this high for many a moon.
I love it when rivers are like this as you can catch fish in the strangest of places and my swim is no exception as it is often overlooked in summer as it doesn’t hold much but in these conditions there is safe haven in the slack water it offers, even so that looked a bit high and coloured this time and I was biteless for the first hour.
Often when it’s like this it is a case of finding the fish to I was more than happy to avoid a blank courtesy of a nice 10oz roach, more followed and they were all the same size in exactly the same spot where the back eddy met the main flow. Every now and then a small window of slackish water appeared as if by magic amongst the boils and during these were the only times bites occured , after a dozen identical roach I had the first chub, only 3lb but it went like stink in the fast water. I was using a heavier float than normal but the bites hardly dipped the float, I think due to the different water speeds at different levels, I suspect they were taking the bait as usual.
The flow had picked up in the afternoon and the river had risen another few inches so the only way to hold station was to cast upstream and flick the line over a piece of rush, the wind helped a lot with this as my new line sailed in the breeze before settling in the perfect spot each time, this held the float steady before I could release it into the slower boil when it came. It worked a treat as more roach came, once again all the same size but I was happy catching these and the sun was now out.
I was soon into what I thought was a much bigger chub although it did seem strange the way it wanted to go downstream, it also had a lot of stamina and a big flap of a tail on the surface signalled a carp, I should have known. There’s only so much stick you can give a fish on a size18 although the 3lb 7oz hooklength gave me a fair chance, from then on I used every trick in the book to keep it in the back eddy knowing a trip downstream would be goodbye. I eventually slid the net under a beautiful chunky mirror, probably not even double figures but any river carp caught on float this time of year is always a bonus especially in flood conditions.
I love it when rivers are like this as you can catch fish in the strangest of places and my swim is no exception as it is often overlooked in summer as it doesn’t hold much but in these conditions there is safe haven in the slack water it offers, even so that looked a bit high and coloured this time and I was biteless for the first hour.
Often when it’s like this it is a case of finding the fish to I was more than happy to avoid a blank courtesy of a nice 10oz roach, more followed and they were all the same size in exactly the same spot where the back eddy met the main flow. Every now and then a small window of slackish water appeared as if by magic amongst the boils and during these were the only times bites occured , after a dozen identical roach I had the first chub, only 3lb but it went like stink in the fast water. I was using a heavier float than normal but the bites hardly dipped the float, I think due to the different water speeds at different levels, I suspect they were taking the bait as usual.
The flow had picked up in the afternoon and the river had risen another few inches so the only way to hold station was to cast upstream and flick the line over a piece of rush, the wind helped a lot with this as my new line sailed in the breeze before settling in the perfect spot each time, this held the float steady before I could release it into the slower boil when it came. It worked a treat as more roach came, once again all the same size but I was happy catching these and the sun was now out.
I was soon into what I thought was a much bigger chub although it did seem strange the way it wanted to go downstream, it also had a lot of stamina and a big flap of a tail on the surface signalled a carp, I should have known. There’s only so much stick you can give a fish on a size18 although the 3lb 7oz hooklength gave me a fair chance, from then on I used every trick in the book to keep it in the back eddy knowing a trip downstream would be goodbye. I eventually slid the net under a beautiful chunky mirror, probably not even double figures but any river carp caught on float this time of year is always a bonus especially in flood conditions.
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sylvanillo
Well-known member
Oh yes perch is best option among freshwater species, I did use this as well especially for pike and it will catch several fish. The rig I use (used) is a home-made articulated drachko that has silicon tubes on a VMC treble hook that are think and micro barbed. The only issue with perch is not to forget a needle as it is so tough. I've never tried your rig. 2 or 3 pics here.
sylvanillo
Well-known member
To date on that long canal from oxford up to coventry I had perch, zander, pike. Before restarting a fishing life with a feeder rod I didn't know there were so much roach, bream, carp or chub! Even a barbel was caught around Somerton. Well I'm having the small roach for now, then I will try to upgrade! I was thinking to hair-rig the bread "pellets" so that I can keep the same hook but offer a string of those pellets if I want to go for bigger, for ex. any place where bream or chub has been reported. When you say bread flake, do you mean a bigger piece of pinrolled microwaved bread?
I use bread flake which is put on the hook in the normal manner but I do punch it made from old sections of fishing rods to keep the size consistent. These punches are around 3 inches long and vary in diameter from about 10mm to 25mm depending on hook size. In coloured water I usually flavour the flake with either Morrison's Caramel or Robin Red liquid.
Big lumps of flake produces a lot less bites but it tends to sort the better roach.
I make smaller bread punches from old telescopic radio aerials.
I don't bother to microwave the slices but if the bread feels a bit dry I just give it one squirt from an atomiser with a tiny amount of flavouring in it. Don't put Robin Red in an atomiser, the bits in RR will clog it up.
Hope this helps.
sylvanillo
Well-known member
Remarkable tricks that you employ Peter! Thank you very much for the tips. It will be worth keeping a bottle of flavourer then. And, if I can ask another question, do those liquids add colour to the bread? because I was wondering whether a yellow or other brighter, "exciting" bait would produce different results. Just wondering!
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Back on topic....
I was pleased to see the owl and the pussycat are still alive and kicking, their boat moored at Boxmoor...
4 of us fished today practicing for next Tuesday’s codgers fixture...The area we fished is not usually within the boundaries set in previous matches.
After today’s rather poor results I’ll probably leave it out..
This pound is usually dominated by small chub, I caught one first chuck today but very few showed after that. Some stonking gudgeon showed along with small roach and skimmers. Most caught on simple wagg and magg.
I was pleased to see the owl and the pussycat are still alive and kicking, their boat moored at Boxmoor...
4 of us fished today practicing for next Tuesday’s codgers fixture...The area we fished is not usually within the boundaries set in previous matches.
After today’s rather poor results I’ll probably leave it out..
This pound is usually dominated by small chub, I caught one first chuck today but very few showed after that. Some stonking gudgeon showed along with small roach and skimmers. Most caught on simple wagg and magg.
The flavours mentioned do very slightly colour the bread but not enough to make a difference.
markcw
Exiled Northerner
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Well done the two of you. I see you met up at a Tackle shop so how many poles did you buy.
I was in Leigh Tackle and Bait today, came out just shy of £300 lighter in my wallet, I bought a new margin pole.
theartist
Well-known member
Back on the river this morning hoping it had dropped and it had so I went past my flood swim for what was a steady glide. Soon regretted that decision as an extra foot of water came down along with some more colour. Had to use big bunches of maggots on a heavy float which isn't my cup of tea but it worked for three mug chub and lost a barbel which i'm pretty certain was foulhooked anyway. Packed up at lunchtime a bit windswept, oh how I hate the wind.
mikench
Well-known member
Well done Rob. I enjoyed your earlier post and your evident skill and enthusiasm.
theartist
Well-known member
Well done Rob. I enjoyed your earlier post and your evident skill and enthusiasm.
Thanks mate but dunno about the skill bit, come to think of it the enthusiasm was waning a tad today too
sylvanillo
Well-known member
:director: To all anglers of oxfordshire, go to the canal banks NOW before Mark!!!
Today was my only chance to go fishing this week, decided to make a start on my project of catching from every park lake in Liverpool. After dropping my big lad off at school, I headed for Greenbank Park. The rain was relentless, but the forecast was for it to brighten up. The forecast was wrong. Long story short - I blanked whilst sitting through freezing rain with only waterfowl for company.
View attachment 8109
I tried frugally feeding maggots with two on a 16 barbless hook. Had a crack with bread then sweetcorn. Not one bite. Not one sign of fish. Still, I'm starting night shifts tonight, it was a trip that had to be made.
View attachment 8110
View attachment 8109
I tried frugally feeding maggots with two on a 16 barbless hook. Had a crack with bread then sweetcorn. Not one bite. Not one sign of fish. Still, I'm starting night shifts tonight, it was a trip that had to be made.
View attachment 8110
theartist
Well-known member
Nice challenge, don't let one blank set it back, bring it on!! Worthy of a thread on it's own, perhaps when completed with all the adventures along the way :thumbs:
POLEMINATOR
Well-known member
Can you fish on Stanley park ? I remember there being water there during my time in Anfield
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Yes, but it's changed since I fished it as a kid. Now full of chubby carp, the lads lining the banks in their bivvies know their names.
Liverpool Council offer free fishing on all park lakes, just need to register your details to get a card. Some decent fishing on them.
Will carve out a niche for myself as a scally Jeremy Wade!
Clodhopper
Well-known member
Clodhopper
Well-known member
Uh oh..... apologies if I've messed up there.
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