How did you get on?

[peter crabtree]

Last Sunday I fished a club fixture on a club lake in Iver, Bucks. A long thin lake with depths up to 12’. I set up a 10’ float rod with a 5gr. waggler sliding on the line with a float stop set so my baited hook was laying on by around an inch. 3” above this a no6 shot as a telltale shot.


.

A 4:5gr olivette suspended by a no1 shot above the link swivel.

A banded half dendrabaena worm section and a bronze maggot for visibility. At the off I balled in 6 babyheads of fish meal groundbait ( nothing else added). I’d also set up a short 7m pole line for a couple of spots closer in.

Cast out the waggler and the shot on the hooklink just sunk the float to a red dot, perfect. Opposite me another angler opted for a pole line c11m out..He was soon landing decent bream and took an early lead.

Moments later my float lifted up about 4” and I lifted in, my first bream. This was followed by 2 more very noticeable lift bites, but my opponent opposite was landing a fair few by now. After an hour the lake went very quiet as it always does when the pressure of a match kicks in.
I took a walk round and 14 of the 16 competitors was blanking or had a few small fish.

4 hours of frustrating lack of bites followed, even the Rudd and roach I was catching on the pole line dried up?

During the last hour things improved, I had another bream on the Waggler and my oppo took a few more too. Another angler opposite me had a carp of 11lb+ before the final whistle..

I weighed in 11lb dead which got me 3rd overall. The carp of 11:12:0 took 2nd and my oppo had 26lb with his 9 bream.

My fish….

 

[103841]

Seems an age since fishing the estate lake, most probably no more than a couple of weeks, I realise why I enjoy spinning on the beach so much, there's a lot more prep and kit to take for the fresh stuff.

I normally have the lake to myself but apon arriving there were already four members present and catching fish, nice to see and saves me from pondering for ages which swim I should choose.

Gone back to early season tactics and reluctantly ditched float fishing close in for the method feeder targeting the far bank.

used a variety of pellets embedded in a mould of ready to go feeder pellets for the lazy angler.

Over the course of four hours had one nice sized bream, some clonking roach and a nice golden tench to finish off the short session. I tried something I'd seen on YouTube, I embedded an unbaited hook in the feeder mould of pellet and lo and behold it hooked me a roach!

 

[seth49]

Arrived at our club pond at seven am yesterday morning, ideal conditions it was overcast and warm with light winds ,already two fishing and one chap just arrived before me, the peg I fancied trying was free so I made for that one, after being a member for thirteen months, I still hadn’t fished all the 25 pegs so I’d decided to try them all, instead of the same ones I usually fish.

Was a good move, the one I picked was a good one, as usual sleeper rod in right hand margin, with method feeder and wafter, and set my pole up and had a plumb round at top kit plus two sections, for the tench etc, and also the margin for later with the other top kit.

First fish was a small mirror carp of a couple of pounds, and then the tench moved onto the chopped worm and ground bait, and fishing half a worm I had a selection of tench, F1s, skimmers, roach, and a crucian.
Usual quiet spell around 12 till around half 1, by then the sun had come out and it was hot, should have fetched my light brolly to keep the sun off, it was very hot.

Around two the carp started coming into the margins, so I swapped top kits to use just that in the margin with two sections assembled ready to connect if I hooked one, the first one was the biggest at nine and a half pounds, gave me a good scrap I didn’t realise just how far this Preston Dura Slip can stretch, I’ve found now that I can hold the pole at ninety degrees to the fish, and just let the elastic play the carp, it would set of and with pole held low it would stop and then the elastic would fetch it back, till it was close enough to just use the top kit and puller kit to be able to net it, I use the size thirteen elastic which is all I need with no snags.

I’ve rambled on a bit here so I’ll just sum up, finished with five carp, ten tench, three F1s, one crucian, and a selection of roach, skimmers, and ide.

 

[wetthrough]

Arrived on the Bridgewater east of Lymm yesterday around 6:30. Later than I would have liked but it was just the time I woke up. In the past I've found the crack of dawn to give me more chance at the larger Roach. Once the sun comes up they dissapear, at least that's why I think they dissapear. I have a preferred spot under a tree which with a 10'6" rod isn't a problem. The trees on the opposite side however can be, sometimes.

I'll generally have the 13' rod set up for the bottom of the near drop off and down the center as it's just a matter of swinging the rig out. Only downside being the tree canopy having dropped a little lower meant I could end up with the rod tip in the tree when landing fish/striking. With that in mind I set up a little further left than I would have liked. That left me with a tricky cast with the 10'6". A sort of 45 degree right hand swing to get under the overhanging branches on the far side which I managed, most of the time...

Stuck with the 6lb main line to 2lb and 20s on the 13'. That way if I got inundated with 5lb Roach I could up the hook length without having to strip the whole rig down. Started at the bottom of the near drop off with maggot picking up small Roach and just the one small Perch. The line slowed down around 11 so switched to the far shelf with the 10'6" picking up even smaller Roach, it's just 3ft deep where I'm casting to. 3lb main to 2lb FC and a Tubertini 22. It was just the next hook length in the pile, left over from my winter attempts. Most going to caster. They wouldn't look at caster on the near line.

Not long before the float dithers and it slides under and I'm striking into something a little bigger. It tried to get in the sunken branch to the right of the target but didn't quite manage and came to the net the way Bream do. Going to a single caster.

Nasty looking old wound on its side. Looks like it had been wedged against something for a while.

Next out was a hybrid I think. Nice fish in good condition though. Again to a single caster.

It slowed down on the far shelf so switched back to the near swim but it never turned back on despite loose feeding regularly. Packed up at 4 with 23 on the clicker. All in all not a bad day.

 

[mikench]

Inundated with 5lb roach Gordon !!!! I wish; bagsy that spot next time.???

 

[silvers]

The absence of reports from myself since last October have been down to
a) no matches during lockdowns
b) a sojourn in hospital for a heart op with complications
luckily both have been resolved well enough now for me to resume the piscatorial pleasures!

all my matches have been on the Barford AA stretch of the Warks Avon, which has been decidedly subdued:
openimg weekend ... an open contest on a high but dropping river saw a paltry 4:8 of bits & bobs.
a week later, the Riverfest qualifier on the same venue saw a better swim, but two lost chub meant only 7:10 was returned and no cigar (or prize).

then last week was the annual festival ... with sections rotated above and below the weir (above is slow, deep and rubbish ... below is fast, gravel bottomed and preferable). My rotation was above on the first day and then below On second and third. The river was high on the first day, but dropping. 54 anglers fishing ... so a decent attendance.
On day 1 i eked out a few perch and roach on pinkie in 11ft of water (the shallowest peg on the upstream length). Then had a few better roach on hemp in the last 45 mins to weight 6 pounds and 1 oz ... a couple of pounds ahead of next in section. This is a good start for a match decided on cumulative section points over the three days.
on day 2 I drew the weirpool peg. I’ve never done much good on this peg and struggled all day to catch 4 pounds of bits and pieces. fortunately my section was even worse ... making my four pounds enough for 3rd in section ... still in the hunt then .... in fact only 3 anglers were ahead of me, with a section win and second each.
On the final day I drew a peg that I have fished many times before ... usually in the autumn when it is good for a few dace and roach. However, the small fish have been largely absent so far this season. I’d be up against it, with some chub fliers in the section as well). I took it very cautiously, trickling in casters and hemp for best part of 4 hours ... and catching some tiny dace with the occasional better stamp fish. After nearly four hours I also started to catch some roach on hemp. Then with forty minutes of the allotted five hours left there was a large fishy splash from under the bush at the downstream end of my peg. This was the cue for me to start lacing in casters... I must have fed nearly 2 pints in that last forty minutes!!! My reward was two chub .... on of two pounds and a four pounder five minutes from time. I weighed in 13 pounds and 8 oz , so was pretty happy with that result from the peg. The chub fliers didn’t take flight and that was enough for the section win.
My final total was good enough for second place overall ... which was a great outcome on a tricky river ... and for my first frame result since last October. Roll on summer!

 

[S-Kippy]

Well....that was rubbish again !

The BF bullied me into going to Bury Hill again assurring me that it was fishing having made a call to the bailiff. On arrival said bailiff said it didn't fish at all yesterday because of all the rain they had on Monday. Deep joy.

The fat fraud parked himself in my favourite swim so I wandered off round the corner and picked one with a few pads. A couple of hours later Grumpy came round bemoaning the fact that he'd only had 2 crucians and was being driven mad by tiny little dips and lifts. That was 2 more than I'd had at the time but while he was skylining me I dropped in over a patch of bubbles and had a tench. That prompted him to scuttle off back to his swim but before he got there I had my first crucian.I then suffered from the little dips and dithers though I did manage another 2 crucian,1 more tench and lost another after twice bullying it out of a lily bed. It was very bright and increasingly warm and the bites just petered out. Grumpy managed 5 crucians....I had 3 and 2 tench plus a couple of good roach ( 12-14 oz) plus about a dozen hand sized rudd.

I quite enjoyed it as it was really challenging but thats a pretty meagre return for 2 blokes who know the place fairly well and can normally get a few.I love it there but it can break your heart some days.

 

[Pete Shears]

Early start on the big reservoir with two method feeder rods in a cool NW breeze which was drifting large mats of weed out of the shallows where two swans were feeding.
Finished up with 14 real bream between 2 & 4lb, 4 skimmers and two roach around the pound mark. Packed up around 1pm as it was beginning to get uncomfortably warm.
Not much wildlife of note, two buzzards miles away and six terns continually patrolling.

 

[Hugh Bailey]

The absence of reports from myself since last October have been down to
a) no matches during lockdowns
b) a sojourn in hospital for a heart op with complications
luckily both have been resolved well enough now for me to resume the piscatorial pleasures!

all my matches have been on the Barford AA stretch of the Warks Avon, which has been decidedly subdued:
openimg weekend ... an open contest on a high but dropping river saw a paltry 4:8 of bits & bobs.
a week later, the Riverfest qualifier on the same venue saw a better swim, but two lost chub meant only 7:10 was returned and no cigar (or prize)….

Good to see you back and a smashing report!

 

[peter crabtree]

Another day on the town pit yesterday. Method feeder with gb and treble maggot hook bait proving positive once more.
2 beautifullly coloured tench both around 5:8:0 and a 9:8:0 bream.

 

[peter crabtree]

Out again this morning on the river Colne in town. Trotting flake on the stick and 15’rod.
Very pleasant morning, overcast and warm. Plenty of bites and some quality roach, dace and skimmers.

 

[S-Kippy]

Is that bloody boat out, Simon ?

 

[peter crabtree]

It came out around one o’clock. Its not out Mondays or Tuesdays. Lake is fishing it’s head off for Tench..

 

[S-Kippy]

It came out around one o’clock. Its not out Mondays or Tuesdays. Lake is fishing it’s head off for Tench..

So I've heard. I haven't joined this yearyet and tbh that damned boat plus the stupid on and off times put me off. If i could get on early I could be gone by the time Captain Birdseye weighs anchor.

 

[The Sogster]

Went to the estate lake again today, arriving around 1pm.

Couldn't be bothered setting up the float rod my mojo just wasn't up for it so decided to concentrate on the method feeder with sticky pellets and an 8mm banded pellet to a 4" hooklength.

So out with the medium feeder and my favourite baby baitrunner 2500 xtfa only to find that the line on the reel had somehow between now and my trip last week had resolved itself into something resembling the Gordian knot.
So out with the spare reel a 4000 sized super GTA-RA which is also a good reel but it just didn't feel right and took some re-getting used to.
It's odd how small things like this can affect your mood.

Anyway on to the fishing.
The swim I had chosen had a short underarm lob to a dense set of pads perhaps 15 yards and a nice bush to the right overhanging the lake at about 3.5 yards.

First put in and within 10 minutes the rod hooped round and a few moments later this gorgeous roach was in the net.

I thought then that the day may not turn out too bad after all. Continued fishing to the pads with plenty of knocks and rattles but no proper bites.
I put this down to small fish and the relatively large (to them) bait not being picked up.
This continued before two skimmers of around 8oz kindly impaled their selves pulling the tip round with a vigour worthy of any gudgeon.

At this point I changed tack and placed my bait under the bush. Ten minutes later and whack the tip slams round with a much harder fighting fish with little interest in surrendering and a minute or two later I was blessed with this lovely tench of around 3lb.

This was followed in quick succession by this slightly smaller beauty.



The lake then seemed to shut down around four and nothing really happened for the last couple of hours with just another 4 small skimmers.

 

[no-one in particular]

Had a walk up the pier yesterday, not fishing but about 10 were. A chat to one nice chap and he said absolutely nothing had been caught, I asked about mackerel and he said none had been seen yet, no bass no nothing. I still think mackerel will become the next danger list fish. The sea was very calm but the official water temperature is 60f so maybe still a bit cool. Hopefully things will improve.

 

[seth49]

Back on club lake again yesterday, arrived at 7 am to find just one other angler on, so back on Tuesdays peg again, I’m liking this peg already added to favourites,.
Usual set up of one rod in margin, and pole for out in the water for tench and silvers, soaked pellets on method feeder with various wafters, and chopped worm and ground bait cupped into swim at top kit plus two sections, using mainly half a worm for bait, with paste occasionally for a change.

While I was setting the pole up I had a tench and a roach on feeder rod, and I started on the pole catching mainly skimmers, until the tench turned up, also had a barbel of about 3 pounds which gave a good account of itself, thought it was a small carp at first, the tench weren’t as easy as usual, had quite a few come of within seconds of being hooked, also had a small crucian which was nice, also had a few F1s as well, one was as fat as a pig, had a real belly on it.must be good feeding in here, the tench have doubled in size from half a pound when stocked last autumn.

Kept watching for the carp to come into the margins, but not as many as on Tuesday, did manage to land one after losing two which I think were foul hooked, also another barbel on the margin rod, mick and Neil also had one apiece so they are starting too show up in catches again, after a long time with none being caught.

Finished with one carp, nine tench, one crucian, two F1s, two barbel, and various roach skimmers and ide as well, enjoyable day although very hot in the afternoon, was glad I fetched a brolly for some shade, lots of damsel flies about, plus one dragon fly and various butterflies.

 

[john step]

Another 24 hours on heartbreak pit. New Bivvy tried.
At last a run. A 28lb common. Nothing to give scale in the photo but 28 it was.
screenshot software for windows

 

[Philip]

Thats a corker of a common.Carp.

Some really good fish being landed. Special mention for Mr Crabtrees 9lb 8oz Bream which appears to have passed through without too much comment which is a little surprising

Cracking Bream.

 

[103841]

Thats a corker of a common.Carp.

Some really good fish being landed. Special mention for Mr Crabtrees 9lb 8oz Bream which appears to have passed through without too much comment which is a little surprising

Cracking Bream.

i was extremely reluctant to mention it, but that was the first thought in my mind. Well done PC.