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Pete Shears

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Another piking trip to the canal feeder reservoir this morning, a superb fiery sunrise. Decided to fish the 'jungle' swim, had toclear out broken semi-submerged branches and other debris and the wind was gusting viciously - still waiting for this mild weather to turn up,i think it failed to get past the M25. Had a run on the head end of a large sardine and netted a pike of 9lb 6oz,blind in its left eye and seemed past its best as from its length etc it should have gone over 12lb. A bit later another run on the same rod had a fish shake the hooks out.
About midday I packed up as the wind was making the alarms sound constantly. The pair of great white egrets are still there and a kite started aerobatics as I drove off.
 

Keep

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last pike session of the winter, jump out the car and it's a 40 min walk to a position I'd assume most pike anglers were too lazy to reach turned the corner and oh lovely, 4 pike anglers sitting around said spot. hung around for an hour to witness the disgusting and bizarre act of one of the pikers grab a freshly caught jack pike and throw it by it's tail some 40 meters across the river and that was good cue to return back to the car
 

peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
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With the Colne still a bit fast and flooded I decided to have another day piking on the town pit. It’s real name is Batchworth lake, a 10 acre spring fed gravel pit dug out in the mid 1920’s to provide aggregate for the building of the original Wembley stadium.
Set up 2 rods with 10gr bungs and small (3”) roach as bait laid on in roughly 4’ of water to combat the considerable tow whipped up by the wind today.

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Started around 8:30 and it remained quiet until afternoon when one of the bungs started to bobble, a quick lift was met with solid resistance; fish on. A lovely pike around 8lb was soon banked and conveniently both trebles fell out of it‘s jaws in the landing net.

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Within the next hour I had 2 more of a similar size, strangely all on the same right hand rod.

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Pete Shears

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Another trip to the Wreake this morning.Found the level had dropped again with a nice colour but the wind ruled out the float and using the quiver I managed a chub of 2lb 4oz and a roach of around 8oz then the sun came out and all the little knocks,tugs and rattles stopped,time for a move.
Had another chub of 2lb 1oz on legered flake and then it was home time to carry on painting fence panels before they get fitted next week.
 

Steve King

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Near ye village of Tardebigge!!
I’m keeping it local tomorrow. I’m not sure how the Severn, Teme and Avon are fishing at the moment, so I’ve decided to give Astwood Fishery a go. It’s not quite as commercial as Woodland View and you can use two rods. I’ve fished there once before and there is a mix of carp and silvers.
 

Ray Roberts

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No fishing for me but I took a walk along the GUC as I was in the area on business. The canal looked okay. I wanted to check out a couple of spots for future use. When I reached the area I had seen some fish swirling in previously it was already occupied.
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mikench

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Well in true Blackadder style I ventured forth but it was hardly worth the while what with a strong and cold wind and the abysmal cricket. Bizarrely I chose the original lake for a change and everybody else ( around 12 ) chose the newer lake which I prefer.

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I fished a feeder rod to begin with using a magot feeder and a helicopter rig a la Coster. Sadly it did not induce any interest. I set up a float rod and fishing maggot on a size 18 i only managed 5 roach around 4 - 6 oz. it was cold despite the sunshine and blue sky. I chatted with a few other guys who packed up after a few hours saying it was hard going with just tiddlers showing. I fancy piking again so the only local venue with Pike shall be my next venue. I did enjoy my picnic and being out. I only tuned into the cricket about 3 times and it was India all out, England all out again and India winning by 10 wickets. My maggots turned in disgust.
 

bullet

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No fishing for me but I took a walk along the GUC as I was in the area on business. The canal looked okay. I wanted to check out a couple of spots for future use. When I reached the area I had seen some fish swirling in previously it was already occupied.
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Looks like he's been doing well for himself.
 

Steve King

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Near ye village of Tardebigge!!
Well, not the best day’s fishing I’ve ever had! Four little carp of a couple of pounds each!

The pool I fished is supposed to have a mix of carp to 24lb and silvers. I caught nothing on the float, which was a pity, because I’d dusted off my Normark Titan and Abu 505! That rod and reel combo is great for silvers and small carp!

Another angler said that the venue had been up for sale recently and there was a rumour that many of the fish had been sold!!

I may give Woodland View a try next week
 

itsfishingnotcatching

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Well, not the best day’s fishing I’ve ever had! Four little carp of a couple of pounds each!

The pool I fished is supposed to have a mix of carp to 24lb and silvers. I caught nothing on the float, which was a pity, because I’d dusted off my Normark Titan and Abu 505! That rod and reel combo is great for silvers and small carp!

Another angler said that the venue had been up for sale recently and there was a rumour that many of the fish had been sold!!

I may give Woodland View a try next week
I understand Wassell Grove is open Steve, I may give it a go Sunday and let you know how it's fishing
 

S-Kippy

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A mad scramble down to the aquadrome today,meeting the BF down there. I had to pack around lunchtime as my support bubble was visiting. Simon popped down for a chat,perched on his little folding stool he looked like a little gnome. Anyway....apart from a coot picking up one of Phil's roach neither of us had a touch. Once again despite no rain being forecast it did but not seriously. Another soft and springlike day when it was nice just to be there doing it even though we blanked.
 

seth49

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Arrived at the fishery about 8.30 am, first there so had my pick of swims, walked roundto the far side but the peg I fancied had the wind blowing into it, and it felt cold so I walked back to the other side, were it was a lot calmer and picked a swim there.

So fetched my gear round and set a carp rod in the margin, and then set my pole up, to fish out at top kit plus two sections, were I had about four foot of water, fed a small pot of groundbait with some maggots, and fished over it with double maggot on a size fourteen hook, to o.11 hook length, to a small 4x10 float.

Had a couple of small roach first, then two skimmers before catching a nice little tench, couple more skimmers and then another tench, so I decided I’d put my keep net in as I was catching a few fish.

Ended up with a mixed bag, of seven tench, four ide, one small carp, roach and skimmers,plus one gudgeon, lost a crucian at the net as well, not bad for February up here.

One thing that was a nuisance was about 12 Canada geese , which kept squabbling over choice of partners, lots of noise and fighting, they were a pest, had to move my pole a few times to stop them crashing into it, nice to see a pair of curlews in the field behind us though.
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Pete Shears

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A white egret flew up from the river as I walked through the farmyard to get to the upper Soar this morning. A fantastic winters day with a frost on the fields but no wind and blazing sunshine, the river level lower but with a steady pace and colour. Hard work though walking across the fields as the cattle churn them up even the roads are in better condition. Started off on a long slow bend trotting flake and had a mental brown trout at 1lb 8oz but switched to the quiver with crust on the hook getting another brown trout at 1lb 8oz (a different one) and two chub - 3lb 3oz and 2lb 11oz.
Moved upstream after a biteless half hour going through flake,cheese paste ,crust,worm and flake.
Spent a few minutes watching a great spotted woodpecker high up in a willow tree drumming away and the first bee flew past, a buff tip bumble bee.
Had a chub of 3lb take the crust about 5 seconds after the feeder had settled then nothing,moving again saw two more trout - 1lb 5oz and 1lb, landed. Tried trotting flake on a wonderful looking straight steady section but no bites although a fish grabbed the flake as I wound in then let go.
Back on the quiver and crust saw a signal crayfish on the bank,the only way of getting my hook back was to use the size 9 disgorger.
 

wetthrough

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Yay, back in the saddle :) Managed a day on my local pool yesterday. An overnight frost didn't fill me with confidence but I was really looking forward to getting back on the bank after so long. Arrived just after 9am tackled up with the Greys 10'6", small antenna to 2lb FC and a Drennan 20s maggot/Carp, the red ones. Thought I'd try them for a change. Guru, my usual hook don't do smaller than 20s and the Guru 20s are more like an 18s. Not impressed with the Drennan. Had to bend it back twice during the day pulling out of weed. Not something I've ever had to do with the Guru LWG. Lovely day with a brief visit by a Kingfisher and one very inquisitive little boy of around 4. Three Crucians, three or maybe four small skimmers, a couple of small Perch, 5 or 6 mini Roach the rest Roach to about 6oz, 37 in all mostly on maggot. Not much interest in caster though one of the skimmers took a caster, bread punch much the same, not a lot of interest. I'd almost forgotten what fresh air tasted like. A good day, roll on 2021:)

Just an aside but I'm starting to get white finger occasionally, it happened early on yesterday despite having a hand warmer with me. I've found that if you swing your arms violently, like goose stepping on steroids, you can get the blood to go back into them. Worth a try if you 're a sufferer. Though you might get some funny looks if there's anyone about...
 
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