How did you get on?

[Ray Roberts]

I went to a different stretch of the river Eden this afternoon. It’s far harder fishing than the other stretch but it has some barbel, decent chub and tench. Not for me though. I tried what I consider a banker swim and where I once had five barbel and some chub in an afternoon. It wasn’t to be though. The fish usually lie up under an undercut bank and I have caught most no further than a foot from the edge.

Only one roach of about 10oz graced the net. I moved to another swim where I’ve previously had some success and had barbel, chub and my best tench from it, it looked great.

The main current flows near the opposite bank and it’s quite deep at about 11 feet. The farmer let his cattle into the field and pretty soon these bovine ba5tards gathered around me like an audience.

This wasn’t so bad, but some entered the river to munch on the vegetation on the far bank just a few yards upstream of where I was fishing. I think the disturbance killed my chances, as I never had a touch, despite fishing into dark.

Walking back to the car was “interesting” it was like playing hopscotch dodging all of the cowpats. As I locked the gate on my way out it was like flyagedon, as every fly and midge in the area flew into my car. The problem being that they set off the alarm when it’s parked. When I arrived home I put the interior lamp on and waited as they landed on the lamp. I killed about twenty before giving up and deactivating the alarm. I will buy some fly spray in the morning and keep it in the car.

Not the afternoon I had hoped for, but after all of the problems I’ve had recently it was just nice to be out.


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[mikench]

Glad to see you have recovered from Covid Ray and getting out again. I hope the same can be said soon for your sister in law.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Glad to see you have recovered from Covid Ray and getting out again. I hope the same can be said soon for your sister in law.

Thanks Mike.


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[john step]

Thanks Mike.


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Ray, I learned that lesson about insects and alarms and getting up in the night to disable the darn thing!
I always have that can of spray for when I lock it whether at a venue in summer or at home.

Anyway a rare Saturday trip today for a couple of hours. Fancying something other than the carp I opted for a light lure session on a club lake with no pike in it.
14 Small perch to various rubber creations scratched the itch.

I think that will be it for a week as life and SWMBO has appointments here there and everywhere. Appointments for health reasons seem to breed and magnify with age.

 

[wetthrough]

Had a day on the Dam yesterday. Arrived quite early, around 6.15. Bit of a trek to the peg set up two rods and didn't repeat the disaster of previous session fishing with one rod while setting up the other (mother of all tangles). 13' for around 10M, 3.3lb to 16s and 10'6", 2lb to 18s for the margin. Loose fed the margin with hemp and caster, GB at 10M. Margin didn't produce too well early on. Pulled a few Roach out around the 4oz mark. Long line performed better with around 6 or 7 netters through the day to a max of about 8oz. Kept going back to the margin, Tares getting some better fish, all Roach. The GB seemed to have brought some bigger fish to the long line, bubbles were coming up over the GB but they weren't for taking my offerings. Corn was the most productive, not a nibble to pellets, I even tried one of @mikench 's favorites (he'd given me a few) chocolate orange pellets, no interest. Maggots might have got me something else but couldn't get them to the bottom without being attacked on the way down by tiddlers. By around 3pm I'd got 50 on the clicker and decided, nice round figure, time to pack up (bustin' for a pee anyway). Couldn't resist a last dabble in the margin and picked up another 5. Packed up at around 3.30. Very pleasant weather wise even in the shade.

 

[mikench]

You must be tuckered out Gordon ; might have a chance on Friday. You always do well at the Dam whereas I struggle, certainly on the feeder. Apart from pike on float fished dead bait, I have never caught a thing there on the feeder.

 

[seth49]

Late start yesterday as it as raining hard early, but by 10am it had stopped almost so decided to go, mick said he wasn’t bothering but Neale said he would join me later, so off to usual fishery to find no one there, so picked a different peg to last time for a change.

sleeper rod in margin and fished paste on top kit in front over ground bait, with some corn and hemp as well, as usual first fish were skimmers, then started catching the odd tench, plus a few roach as well, also hooked a large carp which came off after a minute or so.

did get one carp on the margin rod plus a skimmer but nothing else, I took the keepnet out later and switched to my margin kit, fishing close in and still on paste, as well as 2 carp I had 2 barbel and another tench which made it 10 tench for the day, and a nice roach as well, plus 20 odd skimmers and 1 F1 as well in total.

so it was worth going after the rain, it turned out a decent day only spoilt a bit with the strong gusty wind, enjoyed it and Neale had a few as well, we were the only ones on as well.

 

[mikench]

Forgetting to charge my phone wasn’t a great start but as I usually have no signal anyway at most fishing locations, it’s real use Is for photos. I managed one early on.

A familiar venue. Why do we call almost gale like conditions breezy when the sun is shining and the sky is blue? It was very windy so I stuck to the feeder save for a brief attempt at floater fishing. I achieved a first today in catching a fish on fake bait namely an Enterprise Tackle fake dog biscuit. It induced a common of around 5lb to take it. The ducks , coots and moorhens then appeared from nowhere and I reverted back to the feeder. All in all a pleasant day with around 14 fish ranging from skimmers to gudgeon with crucians and commons in between. Not prolific or even close but fun regardless.

 

[Pete Shears]

Watching an osprey just after 5am this morning at the local reservoir, strong gusty SW wind but mild, set up the two feeder rods hoping as usual for tench. The osprey failed to find its breakfast and moved on to be replaced by a red kite and a kingfisher trying to find the best perch and nine white egrets with three herons stalking the margins.
Out of the blue the left hand rod roared off producing a female tench of 3lb 14oz which looked as if it had been in an overcrowded keepnet on a hot day - lots of scales missing on both flanks - just small roach playing head tennis with the plastic corn on the other rod.
Another run on the left hand rod ended up with a male tench at 4lb 13oz - scale perfect. Shortly afterwards another run had a 3lb jack pike on the same rod and same bait - a 12mm pop up manila boilie !

 

[Ray Roberts]

Watching an osprey just after 5am this morning at the local reservoir, strong gusty SW wind but mild, set up the two feeder rods hoping as usual for tench. The osprey failed to find its breakfast and moved on to be replaced by a red kite and a kingfisher trying to find the best perch and nine white egrets with three herons stalking the margins.
Out of the blue the left hand rod roared off producing a female tench of 3lb 14oz which looked as if it had been in an overcrowded keepnet on a hot day - lots of scales missing on both flanks - just small roach playing head tennis with the plastic corn on the other rod.
Another run on the left hand rod ended up with a male tench at 4lb 13oz - scale perfect. Shortly afterwards another run had a 3lb jack pike on the same rod and same bait - a 12mm pop up manila boilie !

I fished Weirwood reservoir a few years ago and I had the privilege of seeing an osprey at first light. The only one I’ve seen in over sixty years angling. They will be leaving soon to migrate.


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[john step]

I fished Weirwood reservoir a few years ago and I had the privilege of seeing an osprey at first light. The only one I’ve seen in over sixty years angling. They will be leaving soon to migrate.


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We usually get one in the Spring pausing whilst heading North and its probably the same one in the Autumn heading South on way to Africa.
It usually takes some roach off the surface but seeing how many there are it does no harm.

 

[nottskev]

Out this afternoon with a friend, we headed for the fastest length we could find on a river that's been low and clear all season. Moving baits outfish static ones on hot afternoons, and I had some punched meat, small drilled pellets and a pack of mussels from the depths of the freezer. Swapping between these on a simple rig, a lead-wired hook plus or minus a blob of modelling clay up the line, got bites from the off. A few barbel of this size

View attachment 22501

A couple of decent chub

View attachment 22503

And a couple of long, fit barbel that put up the kind of fight where you both need a rest after

View attachment 22505

The more I fish for them, the more I see how these fish which are often tackled with heavy feeders, carbelling etc can be caught with baits that are rolling, bouncing or even dropping through the water. And floatfishing, of course. Meanwhile, my friend in a nearby swim was having a day made up of snags, break-offs and tangles. I wrapped up as I've still got a case of barbel angler's elbow and enough is enough, and we moved to another stretch where I sat with him and gave him a bit of a tutorial in rolling baits - he's got a static bait habit - and by the time I left him there he'd caught 5 barbel and was converted to lead wire and mussels. I told him my bill would be in the post.

 

[mikench]

And worth every penny.

 

[seth49]

Usual fishery today, I was there just after 6am Mick arrived at 8, we were the first on 5 more arriving later, another day fishing paste as the worms just seemed to attract small perch, so fished paste over ground bait straight in front just using a top kit on the marginal slope.

plus sleeper rod in margin with method feeder and a yellow wafter, soaked two mm pellets on feeder, this rod catching a couple through the day a carp and a barbel, plus a few skimmers as well.

did well on the paste had 8 crucians, 6 tench, 2 barbel, and a 8lb carp which was fun on the lighter elastic I had on for the tench and crucians, had 4 carp in total.

just after three I switched to the 17 elastic on the margin kit still with paste for the margin, had a couple more tench and then hooked a good carp which gave me a good scrap, it weighed 16lbs 8ozs a good common, and looking at it in the water, the one I lost a fortnight ago must have been near 20lbs.

so another good day, the crucians especially like the paste, never caught as many in a day before, they seem to like the Swim stim green I use, plus it catches everything else as well, will pick another bag up today.

 

[mikench]

Gordon and I returned to a favourite venue just as it started to rain. It threw it down as we set up and I delayed getting wet for almost an hour having put up a brolly above my chair. In truth the rain barely stopped all day and affected the fishing. The sun did come out but showers, often sharp, were never far behind. I managed 3 of these so I was happy.

I had half a dozen roach and perch on the maggot feeder and that was it. Mr Metronome had over 20 roach and perch on the float. There were some interesting cloud formations when the sun shone and blue skies emerged.

An enjoyable day despite the horrible weather. We packed up early whilst it was dry and Sod’s law dictated that the best weather of the day arrived as we left. Cheers Gordon.

 

[Badgerale]

I had an unexpected free afternoon so drove to a local drain for a few hours on the wag and mag.

Here in the south east we are still in serious draught mode so i wasn't sure what would await me, especially given the fierce sunlight today.

The water wasn't as low as i feared but was a slightly toxic green colour - i thought i was in for a tough time but pleased to find plenty of fish biting- some good perch, roach, bream, and a big eel that slipped the hook as i was trying to put it on a mat and had to be dug out from the bushes before being slipped back.

Given the conditions I was happy, but I'll feel happier still to see the heavens open and refill out waterways.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Yesterday I had a lure session on the Rother near Wittersham in Kent. It was warm but quite windy.

I wanted to test out the modifications I had made to my Daiwa multiplier. I had renewed all of the existing bearings and replaced the plastic/nylon bushes with proper ball races. Additionally I added a drag clicker and a lightweight spool for lighter braid. I spooled it up with 20lb yellow flouro braid. It cast superbly and was super smooth, which is all incidental really, as instead I caught on my heavy set up with very large shads. These seem to do better here than any other type of lure by about four or five to one. The only take I had on the new outfit was a chomped lure, the tail was chopped clean off.

I persevered and fished hard throughout the day without much luck. The best swims are at the far end of the stretch, which I would guess is about a mile and a half long. As I approached this area I spotted a digger on the far bank and it was working. Also over on the far bank a group of guys were holding a practice for a match on Sunday. B@gger! As I neared the area I had my first fish, which had nailed the large shad. I lost a fish in the winter from the same area and it was massive. It straightened out a split ring, after this I upgraded all of the split rings on the shads. I fish these large shads on a FreeSpirit jerk bait rod and a Shimano Tranx loaded with 65lb braid, consequently the Jack didn’t put up a huge fight on such heavy gear. The marginal weed was far worse than on my last visit and extended up to twelve feet or so from the bank.

As I got closer to the digger, where the river forks, I saw that the digger was inundated with cattle and the digger driver had given up, lol.

I had one more fish, a Jack of about seven pounds. Not much to show for the day but better than working.

As I was packing up a herd of bullocks came to say hello, they looked a bit frisky and weren’t intimidated by my presence at all. Having no wish to be trampled underfoot I departed.

I don’t have anything against cattle, but they seem to have it for me lately, the sooner they are repurposed into steaks and shoes the better.


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[ErikaWilliams]

I love fishing too, but I like to fish for sport, not to eat the fish I catch. There is excitement in this activity, as far as I know, fishing is even considered a full-fledged sport in some countries. The only thing that bothers me is my physical abilities because my joint problems make it hard for me to sit in one position for a long time in wet places. However, I have been told that there are supplements that can help combat this ailment. They are a steroid derivative but less toxic to the body. If you struggle with osteoporosis or weak muscles, you may benefit from buy Ligandrol. For me, it has a positive effect. I would also like to know if anyone has had any experience taking something like this. Or maybe someone can leave their own advice.

 

[markcw]

I love fishing too, but I like to fish for sport, not to eat the fish I catch. There is excitement in this activity, as far as I know, fishing is even considered a full-fledged sport in some countries.

It is , and a lot of countries fish in world championships , England have the two highest world champs ,
Alan Scotthorne 5 times world champion
Bob Nudd 4 times world champion .

 

[mikench]

And we catch and return all course fish.