How did you get on?

[S-Kippy]

I hope your suspicions aren't right John - another EE threat to fish stocks here - let's hope it was just a natural 'freak' - or a 'koi'/goldie cross. There are some odd-coloured goldies around - like this one:

[/IMG]

S-Kippy - Did ya happen to get a photo of it?

Tight Lines y'all:thumbs:

F
No I didn't....I did have a camera with me but didn't think to take a shot and the camera on my phone is about 0.000003 of a megapixel. Rubbish in other words.

If Kemosabe turns up again ( or one of his relations) I'll try to remember to get a mugshot.

 

[peter crabtree]

With the forecast showing 20degrees and a SW wind I headed down to a local gravel pit. A spot I have walked past many times and remembered the double figure bream I caught there 8 years ago. The wind straight in the face and it was cold too as I set up a tip rod with cage feeder. I cast out a few times to reach my target which was a floating boat shed about 30yds out. Clipped up and cast 10 cage feeders full of groundbait (sweetfishmeal) laced with casters.
Tried Double dead maggot, one dead one live maggot, treble dead, treble live on my 16 hook to 0:09 link.
6 hours shivering in the chilly wind and a blank!

Neil1970 cheered me up when he ambled by and stopped for a chat..
Happy days.....

 

[wes79]

Finally got to smash her back door in

Only cost me a fiver for the taxi home, yeeah.

Joined two fishing clubs today!
Loads of waters, River & Ponds

Roll on June.

 

[tigger]

I had several hours today trying for a tench I did manage two with some small perch and rudd mixed in. How the hell the small rudd and perch engulfed a size 12 superspade hook with two prawns and seven or eight maggots squeezed on beats me !

 

[john step]

Tigger, nice photos. I notice you are using a rod with the wrapping still on the cork handle. I always take mine off before use with the feeling in the back of my mind that when wet the fungus and mould could get a hold on the cork.

Have you found any problems?

---------- Post added at 11:19 ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 ----------

I hope your suspicions aren't right John - another EE threat to fish stocks here - let's hope it was just a natural 'freak' - or a 'koi'/goldie cross. There are some odd-coloured goldies around - like this one:

[/IMG]

S-Kippy - Did ya happen to get a photo of it?

Tight Lines y'all:thumbs:

The ones I caught in the Rhone looked to me like proper crucians but silver. Not quite like the illustrations on the web. The locals called them CARASAN.
They didn't behave like them however. I caught loads trotting corn and bread in swift water. They were in shoals. Good sport at about 2lb apiece but not welcome here in UK

 

[tigger]

Tigger, nice photos. I notice you are using a rod with the wrapping still on the cork handle. I always take mine off before use with the feeling in the back of my mind that when wet the fungus and mould could get a hold on the cork.

Have you found any problems?

Hello John, thank's for the comment i'm glad you liked the pic's.

To be honest i've never had any prob's with the plastic still being on the cork. I always wipe my fishing rods down after use anyhow so even without the placcy on the cork it always looks nice and bright. I will take the placcy off when it starts to aggrivate me though .


Skippy, the rod in the pic is the Hardys 11 ft avon specialist...I tested it the other day to see if I could find it's test curve since Hardy only give a line rating. I put line through the rod, tied it to a placcy bag containing 1lb 8 ounces and lifted it to see how far the rod bent round before it reached 90%.
It lifted the 1.8lb just before it's full test so I reckon it's a good 1.5lb test or possibly several ounces above that.

 

[S-Kippy]

Skippy, the rod in the pic is the Hardys 11 ft avon specialist...I tested it the other day to see if I could find it's test curve since Hardy only give a line rating. I put line through the rod, tied it to a placcy bag containing 1lb 8 ounces and lifted it to see how far the rod bent round before it reached 90%.
It lifted the 1.8lb just before it's full test so I reckon it's a good 1.5lb test or possibly several ounces above that.

Interesting....feels less than that to me but I've not really given it enough bank time to have yet formed a proper view of it. What I need to do is take only that rod with me one day and see how it behaves.

Lovely rod......just still not sure what for yet.

---------- Post added at 12:33 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------

The ones I caught in the Rhone looked to me like proper crucians but silver. Not quite like the illustrations on the web. The locals called them CARASAN.
They didn't behave like them however. I caught loads trotting corn and bread in swift water. They were in shoals. Good sport at about 2lb apiece but not welcome here in UK

Aaaargh......I really,really hope my fish wasn't one of these.mg: Bloody Illegal Frog Fish in my crucian lake......whatever next.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Bloody Illegal Frog Fish in my crucian lake......whatever next.

Poles and rollers on the Itchen:doh:

 

[jimlad]

I've been a bit quiet of late, mainly because of lack of fish! I've decided, whilst the rivers are shut, to tackle a couple of waters that are pretty difficult but known to hold good tench and carp. It finally paid off tonight after a run of 4 blanks, with this tench of 6lb 8oz, a new pb

Caught on good old meat. Now to target a 20+ carp!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[peter crabtree]

That's worth a punt to frame in my BIG TENCH challenge Jim...

 

[Keith M]

That's a lovely Tench, congrats on your new PB. :w

Keith

 

[S-Kippy]

Another day at Milton after the crucian with Pol Pot.

Unfortunately yesterday appeared to be the annual outing of Dorking Old Boys AS and when I arrived they were plotted up like a lot of little gnomes around 2/3 of the lake. Fortunately the area I fancied trying was gnome free although I didn't get exactly where I wanted because I like a bit of space between me and the next guy. Nothing worse than being in crucian super stealth mode when the bloke next door is balling in groundbait by the bucket load and launching 6oz method feeders skywards every 3 minutes...and that is not uncommon down there!

Even slower start than usual.....took me an hour of careful light feeding [interupted only by a solitary tench] before the crucians moved in and I started to catch. Smaller stamp of fish than I've been getting initially but eventually some better ones moved in. Fished really well for 2-3 hours despite the blistering sun before someone threw the switch and the whole lake just died. I found a few more fish by going a bit further out but my back up margin swims [left & right] let me down bigtime with not a bite from either. This is very odd as normally you can rely on reed margins to produce.

I then struggled to get any interest at all....even to the point of moving to the other side of the lake to see if I could winkle a few bonus fish from a known tench nest. I had just the one tench and 1 roach and I know enough about that place now to know when I'm wasting my time...which I patently was. The gnomes were doing no better,though they'd spent most of the day under the trees in the shade picnicking. They emerged late afternoon for a round of bite alarm testing and a few more cruise missile feeder launches but I didn't see much caught. I'm surprised they were all still alive given that the only one to speak to me was togged up like an extra from Scott of the Antarctic

"Bit warm today,isn't it" he says sporting a sweater that would not have been out of place on a trawler.

"Yes"...says I "I dont think you need that jumper do you".

"No" he says "but I will if it gets chilly later" . ???????

The bloke was sweating like a farrowing sow [and of similar build] with a face like an overcooked beetroot. He was still alive when I left but he wasn't looking any cooler. The rest of the gnomes were ribbing him mercilessly too.

I finished with around 20+ crucians...best about 1-6....4 tench and a roach. Enjoyable session but I had hoped for a bit better given the conditions. The lake switched off even earlier than usual yesterday & when that place switches off it never comes back on.

Ah well....there is always next week !

 

[S-Kippy]

With Beloved Daughters help here's few pics from yesterday. You might just be able to see my trusty sidekick Pol Pot...the gnomes are lurking under the trees to the right but have abandoned their toadstools and are stretched out in the shade.

And a couple of typical pigeon chested Milton crucians...I could happily catch these little blokes all day long. What better way to spend a spring day ?

 

[peter crabtree]

Nice pics skippy and I'm loving your tidy gear set up as well.
Did your daughters help with that too

 

[barbelboi]

Nice one Skip - something about catching those little critters that always makes it an enjoyable (if not sometimes frustrating) session....

 

[S-Kippy]

Nice pics skippy and I'm loving your tidy gear set up as well.
Did your daughters help with that too

Cheek ! Yes....it does look incredibly organised doesn't it ? Positively binkaresque. But as you would no doubt point out it has to be like that when you're pole fishing or disaster beckons. This pole fishing lark has made me get terribly organised though....normally my swim looks like a SAS training range.
I'm convinced the tidiness is a major reason why I find this so relaxing....its still hard work cos it keeps you busy and thinking all the time but that is part of the appeal is it not ?

And this from a die hard anti pole man. I confess....I was wrong but you'll still never see me shipping out 15 metres. Strictly close range stuff for me.

---------- Post added at 19:29 ---------- Previous post was at 19:21 ----------

Nice one Skip - something about catching those little critters that always makes it an enjoyable (if not sometimes frustrating) session....

I absolutely love them. Frustrating little blokes at times but so well mannered and awfully good fun. You never catch an arsey or grumpy crucian..they are like little favourites uncles and if fish could appear happy then I've always thought of crucians as happy little chaps. Bit shy...probably bullied at school.

 

[neil1970]

I made the mistake of trying for a Perch on the canal today.

Due to the annual canal festival the boat traffic was endless, and not many spots available, with boats moored all along, some 3 abreast.

I decide to try my little lure in the lake on the way home, with no luck, until I bumped into my lucky charm (Simon) who was fishing in a peg at the end of my walk. After a chat I said I'd go and give the swim next to him a few casts.

Second cast and a fish was on, and off quickly. A couple of casts later and I got a jack to the margins, only for it to spit the lure right at the net.

Simon came to have a look and on the next cast I hooked something that tore line off the reel like I've never experienced before.

'I think you better stop that' said Simon, and my clumsy attempt lost what felt like a huge fish to a hookpull.

A few casts later and a jack hit the lure at our feet.

A very exciting 20 minutes.

Thanks for the help and photo Simon!

 

[robtherake]

Back to Willow House for a few days, Thursday to Sunday. I managed a couple of fish on Friday before the heavens opened - the lawned areas around our van had turned into a marsh and I'd only been away half an hour. Cursed the weather Gods, stashed the gear under the van, shower, change of clothes and into a book. Not so bad!

Saturday and Sunday were better and this week I was completely alone, apart from the ducks and moorhens. A biting wind made things a little difficult and I had to work hard for bites. Made my day when a barn owl ghosted out of the twilight, skimming silently at hedge-top level. Beautiful.

Sunday saw the appearance of some tiny moorhen chicks, shepherded by the frantic mother hen and behaving like toddlers on chocolate. More fish were forthcoming, although I missed plenty of bites while trying to identify a songbird singing from cover and with an astonishing repertoire - a real virtuoso and I still haven't found a match for it. Never caught anything that took line all weekend, but the fish looked newly-minted and the solitude more than made up for their lack of size.

 

[robtherake]

And this from a die hard anti pole man. I confess....I was wrong but you'll still never see me shipping out 15 metres. Strictly close range stuff for me.

---------- Post added at 19:29 ---------- Previous post was at 19:21 ----------



I absolutely love them. Frustrating little blokes at times but so well mannered and awfully good fun. You never catch an arsey or grumpy crucian..they are like little favourites uncles and if fish could appear happy then I've always thought of crucians as happy little chaps. Bit shy...probably bullied at school.

Please don't do this. I've resisted buying a pole for donkey's years, but that bloody accuracy...lordy, this could turn out expensive.

But I adore those little critters, too; and the sensitivity and accuracy of placement and feeding.....nah, I couldn't sell out, could I?

 

[S-Kippy]

Please don't do this. I've resisted buying a pole for donkey's years, but that bloody accuracy...lordy, this could turn out expensive.

But I adore those little critters, too; and the sensitivity and accuracy of placement and feeding.....nah, I couldn't sell out, could I?

Sorry mate......I'm a convert and I have been rabidly anti pole for years. The ability to feed accurately and pop your bait right on the money is awesome.....and you hit bites you'd never get near fishing a waggler. I have no desire to fish for carp with a pole,nor to scratch barge owners arises with one on the cut.....but for what I've been doing and for roach on stillwater I just don't think a pole can he beat. This from a bloke who's resisted for years,has been out with Pol Pot only 3 times and is not easily impressed.

And I'm not using a particularly good pole......cost about 65 sovs. An upgrade is definitely on the cards though.