How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
After a wet morning the skies cleared and out came the sun. Spent the afternoon trotting maggots on the Colne.
At least I had some bites..
At least I had some bites..
seth49
Well-known member
So the result was.
wetthrough
Well-known member
Back to the Bridgwater yesterday. Set off around 7:10 in the rain which had almost stopped by the time I got to the bank at 7:40. I got there early to get some time in before the boats arrived. One of the downsides of dark mornings, it's not long before the boats start coming. Not helped by losing a hooklength on the first setup cast to the far shelf with the shelf rod then having to pull the mainline for a break from the trees above with the near rod. Sigh, it's going to be one of those days is it. Water's covered in leaves and going like a train right to left despite there not being a particularly strong wind. Both surface and undertow going in the same direction.
The far shelf is going to be hard work if not impossible with the waggler. GB in and started picking Roach and Perch up at the bottom of the near drop off. Nothing of any great size, 3:4oz then the boats started. Time to do battle with the far shelf. Managed a few here and there on caster despite the float going at quite a pace, it was nigh on impossible to sink the line properly. It went quiet after a while and I suspected Pike presence although hadn't seen any evidence. Chucked a spinner around for a while to no avail. Switched back to the near swim fishing 'downstream' so able to hold back with the 13' rod. Carried on picking up the odd one here and there. More boats come through so switch back to the far shelf. That's when Mr Pike had a go at one of my catches.
Back in with the spinner, yes, got you little b******
Another smaller one followed. Put them both back 100M further up. Surprisingly it didn't seem to improve the fishing just picking the odd one up here and there for a total of 34 the biggest being a Roach of around 5 1/2oz. I was a bit gutted at one point when I heard a splash directly in front of me while watching the float to my near left. Turned to see the Kingfisher coming out of the water (fishless). No idea how long it had been there.
The far shelf is going to be hard work if not impossible with the waggler. GB in and started picking Roach and Perch up at the bottom of the near drop off. Nothing of any great size, 3:4oz then the boats started. Time to do battle with the far shelf. Managed a few here and there on caster despite the float going at quite a pace, it was nigh on impossible to sink the line properly. It went quiet after a while and I suspected Pike presence although hadn't seen any evidence. Chucked a spinner around for a while to no avail. Switched back to the near swim fishing 'downstream' so able to hold back with the 13' rod. Carried on picking up the odd one here and there. More boats come through so switch back to the far shelf. That's when Mr Pike had a go at one of my catches.
Back in with the spinner, yes, got you little b******
Another smaller one followed. Put them both back 100M further up. Surprisingly it didn't seem to improve the fishing just picking the odd one up here and there for a total of 34 the biggest being a Roach of around 5 1/2oz. I was a bit gutted at one point when I heard a splash directly in front of me while watching the float to my near left. Turned to see the Kingfisher coming out of the water (fishless). No idea how long it had been there.
mikench
Well-known member
Nice pike there Gordon. You have wetted my appetite so next time on the canal it's deadbaiting or lure fishing .
Yuk... 
,go chub fishing instead with breadflake,far more entertaining,in fact go bream fishing,with Jerry and S-kippy,lol...
Just to add,just thought i've hardly caught a bream this season,most unusual,venues i've been on just don't have em...
,go chub fishing instead with breadflake,far more entertaining,in fact go bream fishing,with Jerry and S-kippy,lol...Just to add,just thought i've hardly caught a bream this season,most unusual,venues i've been on just don't have em...
Back to the canal today and I didnt actually forget anything this time.
It stayed dry but after all the cold rain last night it was a little slow.
The canal was flowing slightly back towards the Trent. I guess this happens when the tide is going out and it drags the water with it.
Just 32 perch/roach/skimmers and the highlight a ruffe. I dont see many of those nowadays. An essox entertained me for quite some time as it would not let go of my perch at first until a prod with the landing net did the trick.
Pole/dead reds/worm close in due to a very unpleasant wind. Not mine the natures one!
It stayed dry but after all the cold rain last night it was a little slow.
The canal was flowing slightly back towards the Trent. I guess this happens when the tide is going out and it drags the water with it.
Just 32 perch/roach/skimmers and the highlight a ruffe. I dont see many of those nowadays. An essox entertained me for quite some time as it would not let go of my perch at first until a prod with the landing net did the trick.
Pole/dead reds/worm close in due to a very unpleasant wind. Not mine the natures one!
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flightliner
Well-known member
A change to a canal today, I had a fancy for some roach on breadflake so, gear sorted, a short eleven foot rod to help with the tree canopy, a loaf of good old sliced and I'm off the twenty miles into Nottinghamshire to a reach of the canal I've fancied for years but never got round to fishing.
I settled near the bridge and plunbed up to find some four feet max in the middle with no definate shelf like it is nearer to home but it didn't concern me unduly, it was the water clarity that did that.
I could see right across the bottom most parts but my spot wasn't so visible.
I used an invert crow quill set some four inch overdepth and on starting put a little mash in the dhosen area and settled down to do the business.
It didn't come, I was an hour into the job without a bite and worrying that my day would end up a blank but then a narrow boat came around a bend and passing thro churned up cloads of mud and silt-- it worked, a few minutes later I had my first bite, a ice roach some eight oz or so followed by another similar one, I was away!
Surprisingly nearly all my twenty plus fish afterwards were all Rudd, a surprise to me, but lovely to see any day.
My only concern was that the water would clear eventually and so it was with a subsequent loss of bites until they dried up entirely.
I enjoyed the outing tho, even trying to connect with the smaller rudd that can so frustrating at times.
Only one more craft came along later but not heavy enough to cloud the water.
I settled near the bridge and plunbed up to find some four feet max in the middle with no definate shelf like it is nearer to home but it didn't concern me unduly, it was the water clarity that did that.
I could see right across the bottom most parts but my spot wasn't so visible.
I used an invert crow quill set some four inch overdepth and on starting put a little mash in the dhosen area and settled down to do the business.
It didn't come, I was an hour into the job without a bite and worrying that my day would end up a blank but then a narrow boat came around a bend and passing thro churned up cloads of mud and silt-- it worked, a few minutes later I had my first bite, a ice roach some eight oz or so followed by another similar one, I was away!
Surprisingly nearly all my twenty plus fish afterwards were all Rudd, a surprise to me, but lovely to see any day.
My only concern was that the water would clear eventually and so it was with a subsequent loss of bites until they dried up entirely.
I enjoyed the outing tho, even trying to connect with the smaller rudd that can so frustrating at times.
Only one more craft came along later but not heavy enough to cloud the water.
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mikench
Well-known member
I see what you mean Mick. So boats do have their uses then.
flightliner
Well-known member
Yes Mike. It was a really good example of how fish can come onto feeding when a water coulers up.I see what you mean Mick. So boats do have their uses then.
I would have given it another hour and if no bites would have got my drag line out the car and worked the swim for some couler, spooks the fish for a bit but it works at times!
Still enjoying my wandering sessions on free stretch. It's 30 minutes from door to bankside and parking is easier now it's cooler.
Fish are in every swim, predominantly roach with with dace and chub regular. No sign so far of any bleak here. Whereas a they are increasingly common just a couple of miles upstream.View attachment 10931
Beautiful bucolic surrounds too.
Trotting bread under a bulk shorted small Avon is simple and effective. Nothing caught in the specimen range at all. Lovely clean shiny roach of 6-10 ounces cutting across the flow in 4 foot of water is just fine by me. Who knows what a proper angler could net!
Fish are in every swim, predominantly roach with with dace and chub regular. No sign so far of any bleak here. Whereas a they are increasingly common just a couple of miles upstream.View attachment 10931
Beautiful bucolic surrounds too.
Trotting bread under a bulk shorted small Avon is simple and effective. Nothing caught in the specimen range at all. Lovely clean shiny roach of 6-10 ounces cutting across the flow in 4 foot of water is just fine by me. Who knows what a proper angler could net!
mikench
Well-known member
You are a proper angler. You fish and you catch.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
A dry morning and no wind, but where do I go for a dangle? Decided to give the small stream which runs off the river Chess, around the grounds of an old Manor House, then into the Colne.
The colour I’d expected had dropped out but the flow was nice. Sat where I had a direct trot down the middle with small stick float.
Single maggot on a 20B520 hook bought bites from very small perch, roach, gudgeon, dace, chublets and bleak. The fish were much further down the trot due to the clarity of the water, had a few though...
Sometimes it’s good just getting a bite, size doesn’t matter...
The colour I’d expected had dropped out but the flow was nice. Sat where I had a direct trot down the middle with small stick float.
Single maggot on a 20B520 hook bought bites from very small perch, roach, gudgeon, dace, chublets and bleak. The fish were much further down the trot due to the clarity of the water, had a few though...
Sometimes it’s good just getting a bite, size doesn’t matter...
no-one in particular
Well-known member
I tried this stretch yesterday, a cold west wind so I found a tree to get behind which helped a bit. Some posh oat brown bread and some left over sweetcorn which I fished close in-in about 5ft of water. It took a while but I started to get nibbles. Then a fish leaped clean out of the water just next to my float, I couldn't recognize it, about 8/10 inches long and a light brown colour, no idea what it was but it made me pay attention. However, all I had was one small Rudd in the end and I decided to get the earlier bus home, I didn't fancy another 2 hours. In fact I have decided to give this place a miss; after 6 sessions not had much but small Rudd, further up about 5 miles away I have always caught, chub and some roach and last week one very good chub and this place is a bit bleak and featureless, it looks like you wouldn't be surprised if Magwitch from Great Expectations to leap out of the bushes, the other place is prettier and the river more interesting where it narrows; . Not much bird life except for a pair of grey wagtails and lots of crows. The water was coloured and dirty and about 6 flat boarders came through, one lady didn't look like she had not made much of an effort to blend in, perhaps she was on her way to do the Saturday shopping!
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no-one in particular
Well-known member
Must be something in the water
The thing that struck me is this part of the river is dangerous, it is deep and strong currents, it can change quite quickly to a rage of swirls and boils. Does she look like she has come prepared for the eventually of toppling over. I used to be a good swimmer and even then I wouldn't fancy falling in fully clothed in that water and it must be cold now, that soon numbs the senses and the body, with no lifejackets!!. I believe these are hired from the boat yard down the way and they let people out like that. From then on there are no people or buildings it is open and wild, no one to help if there is an accident, no where you can scramble up the bank, he wouldn't be able to rescue her, she would probably topple him in as well, he is elderly and fully clothed, within minutes they would become hypothermic and they will just drown. Crazy and stupid, there will be a disaster one day.
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mikench
Well-known member
There will and then the nanny state will go into overdrive. Why can't we accept that humanity comprises idiots and morons who , frankly get what their stupidity deserves. If I was affected by that I would take those pictures and some of the company hiring the gear and sent it to the local paper and trading standards. You might get them shut down.
no-one in particular
Well-known member
It is a thought Mike and maybe I should, I doubt I will though.There will and then the nanny state will go into overdrive. Why can't we accept that humanity comprises idiots and morons who , frankly get what their stupidity deserves. If I was affected by that I would take those pictures and some of the company hiring the gear and sent it to the local paper and trading standards. You might get them shut down.