How did you get on?

[mikench]

I was going to practice a bit of casting in the garden yesterday until my neighbour gave me a strange look and asked if I had already started on the gin. He looked at me as if I was an addict desperate for a fix which of course I am.

 

[Roger Johnson 2]

As in UK, lockdown continues here in France, at least until May11, and no public gatherings therefore no bars/restaurants and so no BnB business until mid July. Fishing remains a disallowed activity at least until May, however in anticipation of having some free time between May and July, I spent sometime this afternoon making a transom for my canoe so an electric motor can be fitted. I have visions of drifting down the river casting a dray flay at any visible brine trite, or trying out some fly and lure fishing for pike on the hydro-electricity reservoirs.

I’ve probably over engineered it but a we say in my native Bedfordshire,” it ain’t gooing noowhere “


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[stu_the_blank]

Hi All,

My angling opportunities have been severely curtailed over the last couple of years, hence my absence from the forum.

This year though I had joined a new syndicate, made plans for a re-boot this spring, the best laid plans etc.!

To rub salt in the wound, the inevitable occurred this week when our annual fishing (boozing?) trip to France was a minor casualty of the virus.

New it was coming but still a great disappointment. Rods are all made up in my 'tackle room' with nowhere to go.

Hope that you are all well and riding out the lockdown, and looking forward to getting out there again.

I would normally sign off 'Tight Lines and Bent Rods' but doesn't seem quite right at the moment, so

Keep safe

Stu

 

[mikench]

Good to see you back.

 

[PH]

It was such a nice morning yesterday...………..



I just had to have go, this is probably the best looking of 15 carp.



Believe me I feel very sorry for all that are unable to get out at the present time.

 

[mikench]

Keep an eye open for an inflatable boat.

 

[tommos16]

Well, it wasn't to be on my big return today. Fished a new pond, never stocked and only rumours to go off as to what lies below. Float went under a few times, seen fish topping and a flying Roach (looked to be getting chased by a Pike, or at least I hope so!)

Most interesting thing was a Goose chasing a Heron which was trying to attack some Moorhen chicks, which I'd never have seen had I not at least been out there.

Enjoyed myself immensely, but just one fish of any size would have been the icing on the cake. But it's not always about the fish, especially in these dark days, on to the next one!

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[mikench]

We'll i couldn't resist going and bluntly I had nothing better to do. I had a venue in mind on one club water and late yesterday PAAS confirmed that fishing could resume and my current favourite was open. What could I do? I switched rods and went early doors .



It was cold and looked like rain but it never materialised. The car park was half full and at least 15 were fishing by late morning and most in their 70's ; go figure.

It was lovely being on the bank again despite the cold and I ended up with 29 fish comprising mainly gudgeon, roach, Rudd, and Bream to 3lb. I caught 2 common and 2 mirror to 6.5lb all on the same 8mm pineapple boilie. The rest were caught on the float and on corn and dead reds.



A very enjoyable day and one I will be repeating asap.

 

[peter crabtree]

There was a long queue of cars waiting to enter the huge pit at London colney this morning at 6:45 when I arrived. They were letting just 3 cars at a time go in and use the ticket machine. I was quite impressed how sensibly and responsibly the staff organised what would otherwise have been a stampede.
I set up a method feeder with gb, 4 dead maggots on the 14 hook.
First chuck at 8am and an almost immediate drop back bite, carp on and landed. 2nd chuck another bite and a bream.

From then until 3pm not a single bite.

 

[sylvanillo]

It's good to see this thread popping up first in "new posts" !!!

 

[Mark Wintle]

I waited for the rush to die down and fished a large Dorset pond. Plenty there when I arrived mid afternoon but they packed up during the next couple of hours, many having struggled for a bite. After getting bites I couldn't see on the waggler I switched to a very sensitive pole rig and ended up with about 20 roach and skimmers, probably losing and bumping more than I landed. Some work need on my gear and hopefully when it warms up and the fish aren't scared half to death I can enjoy some sensible fishing.

 

[ian g]

I had a late afternoon lure session on my local canal . I didn't fancy sitting on the tow path with social distancing as the area has become quite popular with walkers and cyclists of later . Fished hard lures on my baitcaster setup . Not really done a lot of this style of fishing so I wanted to practice as much as anything . The cut was fairly clear and I had been checking a few spots that looked fishy , branches snagged on the bottom etc. I had a good time , a few birds nests and one spot I really fancied produced a pike around 1 1/2 lb , straight afterwards I had a solid hit from a hard fighting perch which unfortunately slipped the hook at the net , always a pain but I had a good evening , I'm going to avoid travelling far for a while though I've spotted a few places I can hide away on the bank out of the way from passing tow path users.

 

[sylvanillo]

Ah that's a good idea Ian. Well done.
Thought as well about a walk & fish session as I used to - but I can't anymore. A good option to keep moving to the most intimate places when needed (and almost the usual approach, covid or not covid) The oxford canal has good stretches further in the north, some for zander, some for pike, some for perch

 

[ian g]

Sylvanillo

I live close to the Llangollen canal , it passes through some lovely countryside , unfortunately this means it's normally really busy with boaties on holiday . This makes it normally a winter only lure venue , one of the plus points for me at the minute is no one is on a boat holiday . I really wish they were but you've got to take advantage of these opportunities when you can . Hopefully you soon feel fit enough to get out fishing soon.

 

[peterjg]

I went yesterday, initially to a small gravel pit, floatfished dead maggots and pearl barley. Caught two tench and a few roach and rudd. I am hopeless with technology, my daughter had previously texted an app which records and identitys bird song. The birds (noisy blighters) were singing away and I recorded nightingales, cettis warblers, robins, black caps, wrens, chaffinches, Canada geese, long tailed ****.

At midday moved to another lake (14ft deep) and on the float leger caught a few more roach and perch. Had a decent roach on a helirig.

The other anglers observed social distancing, wearing disposable gloves, etc. Bottles of hand sanitiser were hanging from string on the gates.

Be careful, stay well.

? The word **** has been replaced with asterisks! ?

 

[mikench]

Long overdue.

 

[rich66]

An early, cold start this morning. My car told me it was -1.5c
Arrived at the lakes expecting to possibly queue even at 5:45am but not a soul in sight. Only me.
I must admit to enjoyed the solitude and bird song more than usual after the last few crazy weeks.

Fished with my new feeder rod and a float line in at the same time too. Feeder out performed the float.
First bite of the day went to the feeder, almost immediately followed by the float going under.
2 fish in the landing net at the same time is a first for me.
4 carp all small mirrors, 2 bream and a tiny perch. With 3 lost fish I’m not used to that happening that often ! Hope it’s not the new feeder rod ?
Had one car drive by at 9 ish then 3 other anglers turned up around 10:30. So much quieter than I expected.

Packed up about 11:30 and the day had warmed up quite nicely too.
When I left there was still only 11 cars on the complex.

 

[seth49]

Early start today, up at four am, car loaded etc by 4.45am, and away by five. Had to defrost windows on car before I could set off.

As it was I didn’t need to set of early as only Neil turned up at nine thirty, and just one more later, had my first fish at six thirty, a 5 lb 1 oz bream, on the pellet feeder.

Turned out to be the biggest fish of the day, nothing else on feeder did have a small tench later, plus small roach, skimmers, and gudgeon on my pole.

First time I’ve fished this pond, it should be ok when the weather warms up, it was minus 3.5 C when I arrived, with a white frost.

 

[mikench]

Well done Keith. It's b***** cold for mid may and the fish are wary, well that's my excuse. It can only get better!

 

[sylvanillo]

Sylvanillo

I live close to the Llangollen canal , it passes through some lovely countryside , unfortunately this means it's normally really busy with boaties on holiday . This makes it normally a winter only lure venue , one of the plus points for me at the minute is no one is on a boat holiday . I really wish they were but you've got to take advantage of these opportunities when you can . Hopefully you soon feel fit enough to get out fishing soon.

All year round on UK camals I always noticed the same fish behaviour, it's because they're so shallow. At dawn and until the first boat has disturbed the water, searching for for zander / pike / perch on wobbling deadbait or lures is productive; after that first boat movement, bites all gone. No idea why anglers assume that zander would keep active in a muddy water, they don't on shallow waters.
At the moment canals must be clearer, it's been months I haven't been but it's probably the right time especially for pike and perch. Enjoy and don't feel guilty!!!!!