jon atkinson
Well-known member
I honestly don't know, first time I've fished there but that was what we both felt was the most likely culprit...
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
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Pete Shears
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Or crayfish?
jon atkinson
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Also a possibility - happily not a critter that I've ever encountered in the flesh... yet!
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Looking at the river on Saturday my hopes were high, the relentless push through had weakened and the colour was fining down nicely, should be good for the last few days I thought to myself. I hadn't reckoned on another deluge of rain yesterday putting the river back into full flood conditions, but with just 48 hours remaining staying at home wasn't an option.
After numerous blanks decided to leave the lure gear at home and rely on my faithful chub setup,....a nice smelly ball of cheese. Didn't disappoint either with three nice plump chub caught in a two hour session, the best going just under 4lb.
Last day tomorrow and will be targeting a pike in the morning rounding off with another chub session in the afternoon, hope for me and all those able to fish, WE DONT BLANK.
After numerous blanks decided to leave the lure gear at home and rely on my faithful chub setup,....a nice smelly ball of cheese. Didn't disappoint either with three nice plump chub caught in a two hour session, the best going just under 4lb.
Last day tomorrow and will be targeting a pike in the morning rounding off with another chub session in the afternoon, hope for me and all those able to fish, WE DONT BLANK.
Bobnewboy
Well-known member
Went over to fish in the Leg Of Mutton pond at Bushy Park yesterday, as my HRP fishing permit runs out at the start of the close season (Thurs). It is quite local to me, so I tried to ignore the continuous rain and nagging cold breeze while setting up. There were three other anglers there, I presume all carping blokes, two in one bivvy, and one in an overgrown umbrella. Hmmm, perhaps I was under prepared in my waterproof desert camo shell jacket (full British Army goretex unissued and new for £40 - bargain!) and sports umbrella in addition to my usual outdoor clothes.....Maybe I should have another look at the bigger brollies before this 'summer' 
Fortunately the breeze dropped enough to make float fishing at a reasonable distance workable, so I set to. 12 foot match rod, 8lb mainline, 4lb hook to nylon with a size 14 hook. Fished with a 'franken-float': a crystal insert waggler with a large fluoro indicator from a drift beater float glued in when the original insert inevitably broke off... I used 4 mixed coloured maggots on the hook, and fished that over a limited amount of groundbait which I had prepared into balls at home.
So, setup, I cast out, sat back in my chair under the brolly, and began the watching and waiting. Not much was going on, so during recasts I went through the usual small changes of fishing depth, freshening the hookbait, and catapulting a little loose feed over the top. Barely even a line bite. At about 1300 I decided to have a cuppa coffee and my sarnies, and, as usually happens, as soon as I bit into my first sarnie, the float twitched in a way that couldn't have been a response to the now varying wind. By the time I had managed to put my sarnie down somewhere reasonably sanitary, there was nothing on the end of the line, but my maggots had been sucked dry. I re-baited and recast, and went back to my sarnie.
I just had my lunch stuff packed back into my roving bag when the float went again. This time I was a bit quicker, and managed to pull in a small roach of a few ounces. It was nice to break the drought of the previous two blank visits, even with a modest fish. This was to repeat 3 more times over the next hour or so, and then I went back to watching and waiting. The fish:
Eventually at around 1700, I peeked further out from under the brolly and found myself to be fishing alone. I hadn't seen or heard the other fellas pull anything in. The light was starting to fade so I went about doing some tidying myself, but I had read that some fish like to feed at sunrise/sunset, and since the park doesn't close until 1900, I decided to stick with it a bit longer. At least the float indicator was easier to see
While I was tidying, two young fellas walked up and started chatting about fishing. They too were anglers, but they hadn't been fishing in the park. At one point one them said that my float was moving, but of course I missed whatever it was. The other guy then said that he thought he had seen a good sized fish slowly meandering past while we were chatting. I hadn't seen that from my low viewpoint, but I redoubled my efforts close in to the bank. They wished me luck and moved off themselves.
After a few minutes I noted a new float movement, and picked up the rod from it's rests. In a wonderful moment the float tip disappeared and a golden flank flashed up in the shallow (c. 18 inches deep) water. Fish on! A short fight later, I was drawing a heavily bent match rod towards myself with one hand, and hastily re-assembling my landing net with the other. Thankfully the barbless size 14 held on, and I landed a superb common carp on the pad next to me. It was by far the prettiest fish I have ever caught, and seemed to me to be in excellent condition. I presume that the short fight was due to the low water temps, but I was glad that everything had gone so well. My heart rate must have at least doubled at the point of strike, and my hands were still shaking as I wet the weighing sling and zeroed the digital scales. I weighed the fish at 12lb 8oz, and took some photos, or the missus would never believe why I was out so late! Here we are:
I think I should have brought my larger net! I got the fish back in the water, and he sailed away. I had a celebratory cuppa, and then cast a new hookbait out. It really was time to clear up and pack away. I got everything packed apart from the rod, and as I reeled the line in, I got a bonus roach:
So a pretty good day all round - the poor weather was forgotten. I have learnt from this that I should stay later if I can. I may yet go again later on tomorrow (Weds), as a season closer....
Cheers, Bob
Fortunately the breeze dropped enough to make float fishing at a reasonable distance workable, so I set to. 12 foot match rod, 8lb mainline, 4lb hook to nylon with a size 14 hook. Fished with a 'franken-float': a crystal insert waggler with a large fluoro indicator from a drift beater float glued in when the original insert inevitably broke off... I used 4 mixed coloured maggots on the hook, and fished that over a limited amount of groundbait which I had prepared into balls at home.
So, setup, I cast out, sat back in my chair under the brolly, and began the watching and waiting. Not much was going on, so during recasts I went through the usual small changes of fishing depth, freshening the hookbait, and catapulting a little loose feed over the top. Barely even a line bite. At about 1300 I decided to have a cuppa coffee and my sarnies, and, as usually happens, as soon as I bit into my first sarnie, the float twitched in a way that couldn't have been a response to the now varying wind. By the time I had managed to put my sarnie down somewhere reasonably sanitary, there was nothing on the end of the line, but my maggots had been sucked dry. I re-baited and recast, and went back to my sarnie.
I just had my lunch stuff packed back into my roving bag when the float went again. This time I was a bit quicker, and managed to pull in a small roach of a few ounces. It was nice to break the drought of the previous two blank visits, even with a modest fish. This was to repeat 3 more times over the next hour or so, and then I went back to watching and waiting. The fish:
Eventually at around 1700, I peeked further out from under the brolly and found myself to be fishing alone. I hadn't seen or heard the other fellas pull anything in. The light was starting to fade so I went about doing some tidying myself, but I had read that some fish like to feed at sunrise/sunset, and since the park doesn't close until 1900, I decided to stick with it a bit longer. At least the float indicator was easier to see
While I was tidying, two young fellas walked up and started chatting about fishing. They too were anglers, but they hadn't been fishing in the park. At one point one them said that my float was moving, but of course I missed whatever it was. The other guy then said that he thought he had seen a good sized fish slowly meandering past while we were chatting. I hadn't seen that from my low viewpoint, but I redoubled my efforts close in to the bank. They wished me luck and moved off themselves.
After a few minutes I noted a new float movement, and picked up the rod from it's rests. In a wonderful moment the float tip disappeared and a golden flank flashed up in the shallow (c. 18 inches deep) water. Fish on!
A short fight later, I was drawing a heavily bent match rod towards myself with one hand, and hastily re-assembling my landing net with the other. Thankfully the barbless size 14 held on, and I landed a superb common carp on the pad next to me. It was by far the prettiest fish I have ever caught, and seemed to me to be in excellent condition. I presume that the short fight was due to the low water temps, but I was glad that everything had gone so well. My heart rate must have at least doubled at the point of strike, and my hands were still shaking as I wet the weighing sling and zeroed the digital scales. I weighed the fish at 12lb 8oz, and took some photos, or the missus would never believe why I was out so late! Here we are:
I think I should have brought my larger net! I got the fish back in the water, and he sailed away. I had a celebratory cuppa, and then cast a new hookbait out. It really was time to clear up and pack away. I got everything packed apart from the rod, and as I reeled the line in, I got a bonus roach:
So a pretty good day all round - the poor weather was forgotten. I have learnt from this that I should stay later if I can. I may yet go again later on tomorrow (Weds), as a season closer....
Cheers, Bob
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peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Last day on the rivers for me today as I'm otherwise occupied tomorrow. Decided to trot the deep swims on the Colne where it runs off the canal. With a view to fishing into dusk I parked on a residential street, the carpark nearest the river closes at 6pm.
Walked to the river and set up.
On my first trot down my phone rang, it was the police? Could I move my car asap as the water company needed to do some work, otherwise it would be towed! Packed up and walked back only to be told by someone in hi-viz that my car could stay there now.
I couldn't be arsed to walk all the way back so gave up and came home.
Walked to the river and set up.
On my first trot down my phone rang, it was the police? Could I move my car asap as the water company needed to do some work, otherwise it would be towed! Packed up and walked back only to be told by someone in hi-viz that my car could stay there now.
I couldn't be arsed to walk all the way back so gave up and came home.
seth49
Well-known member
View attachment 4051View attachment 4052
First day out this year, went on my own as mick has a cold,it was supposed to be dry today but there was a heavy shower just after I set of, it had stopped when I got to the fishery,and stopped dry all day after.
Set up feeder rod with a cage feeder on a heli rig, short hook length to a size sixteen hook, also set float rod up as well, to give me a choice.
Very slow at start, bit of groundbait and dead maggots in feeder, two live maggots on hook, had a bite after an hour or so, small skimmer, so not a blank, I put the lead of my thermometer in and it was a chilly 1.5 degrees C, the highest it got too was 2.6 degrees C.
Had two more skimmers, and then the roach, cracking fish it weighed one pounds and ten ounces, after that I had a small Rudd and another skimmer and that was it, gave it an hour but not a touch, so I packed up and drove home,air temp was 9 degrees so not cold, nice to be out again, enjoyed it.
First day out this year, went on my own as mick has a cold,it was supposed to be dry today but there was a heavy shower just after I set of, it had stopped when I got to the fishery,and stopped dry all day after.
Set up feeder rod with a cage feeder on a heli rig, short hook length to a size sixteen hook, also set float rod up as well, to give me a choice.
Very slow at start, bit of groundbait and dead maggots in feeder, two live maggots on hook, had a bite after an hour or so, small skimmer, so not a blank, I put the lead of my thermometer in and it was a chilly 1.5 degrees C, the highest it got too was 2.6 degrees C.
Had two more skimmers, and then the roach, cracking fish it weighed one pounds and ten ounces, after that I had a small Rudd and another skimmer and that was it, gave it an hour but not a touch, so I packed up and drove home,air temp was 9 degrees so not cold, nice to be out again, enjoyed it.
What a bummer! Hope you bag up on the GU next time.
I had the bright idea of fishing for bream on the Deep Lake on Sunday, but it fished very hard for just a few roach. So I chickened out today and went to the Old Lake, which is normally a bit more reliable. It certainly looked more cheerful
It's fed by a stream, and we had full day's rain yesterday, so the water was a few inches higher and you could see an inch or two into it at most. I wondered if the fish would notice the hemp and caster I was feeding; they certainly didn't pay much attention to the caster or corn hookbait for the first hour or so. I had a few old red maggots in the bag, so I put 3 on a 16 hook and that seemed to get their interest.
Roach were the first to show up, with a few nice samples
And a couple of perch. This one paid me back for catching it by cutting my hand
By this stage, the roach were taking the maggots readily in the bottom foot of depth, but the smaller ones were often first to the bait, and I tried to catch some of the lake's small tench by potting some bait in a couple of fresh spots and trying those from time to time. Something bigger eventually turned up, but it wasn't a tench, and it took a while to land on the .10 line.
So it was back to the roach. I feel I've seen enough roach for a bit, so I should be able to stand another go for the Deep Lake's frozen bream next time out.
It's fed by a stream, and we had full day's rain yesterday, so the water was a few inches higher and you could see an inch or two into it at most. I wondered if the fish would notice the hemp and caster I was feeding; they certainly didn't pay much attention to the caster or corn hookbait for the first hour or so. I had a few old red maggots in the bag, so I put 3 on a 16 hook and that seemed to get their interest.
Roach were the first to show up, with a few nice samples
And a couple of perch. This one paid me back for catching it by cutting my hand
By this stage, the roach were taking the maggots readily in the bottom foot of depth, but the smaller ones were often first to the bait, and I tried to catch some of the lake's small tench by potting some bait in a couple of fresh spots and trying those from time to time. Something bigger eventually turned up, but it wasn't a tench, and it took a while to land on the .10 line.
So it was back to the roach. I feel I've seen enough roach for a bit, so I should be able to stand another go for the Deep Lake's frozen bream next time out.
mikench
Well-known member
View attachment 4053
Escaped for a couple of hours this afternoon and set off to the local Mere ! I took my Drennan float rod and had a 2lb hooklink and a size 20 hook. I had maggots on the hook. The sun shone intermittently and it was dry. I had a few robins for company and lots of coots, moorhens, tufted ducks and mallards! I watched the various grebe duos doing their courtship dance and the male catching a small roach for the female. He fared better than me; Not a nibble !
Escaped for a couple of hours this afternoon and set off to the local Mere ! I took my Drennan float rod and had a 2lb hooklink and a size 20 hook. I had maggots on the hook. The sun shone intermittently and it was dry. I had a few robins for company and lots of coots, moorhens, tufted ducks and mallards! I watched the various grebe duos doing their courtship dance and the male catching a small roach for the female. He fared better than me; Not a nibble !
Alan Tyler
Well-known member
I can't say I'm not a trifle envious, NK.
Today, I aimed low and missed: couldn't get a tap from gudgeon, roach, chublets or even (shudder) minnows, and missed a half-decent offer on mussel while trying.
Even the more interesting birds failed to show, apart from a wren. No Robins? When I'd brought suet and mealworms specially? Outrage!
Today, I aimed low and missed: couldn't get a tap from gudgeon, roach, chublets or even (shudder) minnows, and missed a half-decent offer on mussel while trying.
Even the more interesting birds failed to show, apart from a wren. No Robins? When I'd brought suet and mealworms specially? Outrage!
mikench
Well-known member
Another bag full Kev! I too am envious! Come on bream don't let me down!
mikench
Well-known member
Don't hold your breath Kev!:wh
Pete Shears
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A few hours this morning on the river Wreake which was higher than ever,where I started on Sunday was under 2ft+ of water.Out with the legered crust and had two chub - 14oz & 1lb 4oz,tried worms,prawns and cheese paste to no avail but did notice as soon as the water stopped rising and eventually started to fall the bites stopped - strange.Got that odd feeling that made me turn round to find two hares watching obviously wondering where I had escaped from.with no action around 11am I headed for home.
S-Kippy
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Oh Happy Day ! Not !
First up it took me 2hours to hack my way round the M25 to Bury Hill. I think the bar$tards at the Dept of Transport have fitted another tracker to my new car as not only was the M25 particularly spectacular this morning they were digging up the pavements in Dorking as well.Why ? Who knows ?
The BF rocked up 5 mins after me having left 40 mins later ( git) and bullied me into fishing an area Ive never done any good from...but which the owner assurred us was "full of fish" . On reflection I cant believe we fell for that old chestnut as 4 hours later I'd had 3 single bleeps which never moved the bobbin and a 1" jerk. Phil had had 1 bleep and a 2" jerk so he was winning.Despite less than ideal conditions ( bright sun,little wind) I was getting very fidgety so decided to shift down the bank 30 yds or so as the zander can be very localised and refuse to move at times. This put pressure on Grumpy and he soon upped sticks and dropped in 30 yards below me. We were both now fishing areas we knew and felt much happier in...especially when I had another bleep bleep and a 1 incher first chuck.
2 hours later neither of us had had any other indication.....and then it started raining. Proper raining. Of course....I foolishly believed the Met Office forecast at 6-30 this morning which said no rain at Dorking and I had neither coat nor brolly. Me, my seat and all my gear got absolutly soaked as it pelted down for a good half hour. By now it was 4-30 so, being soaked through and pretty cheesed off I resolved to give it 20 minutes and then pack as chuck off was 5-30. With 10 mins to go my rh alarm burst into life and the bobbin lifted halfway up....and then bloody stopped. The classic Bury Hill not really interested pick up and drop.
That was enough for me. I packed up and squelched my way back to the car. Grumpy sat it out until 5-15 but never had a touch.
By all accounts it fished its bloody head off last week with multiple catches ( one guy had 15 zander and another had 9) but in our experience the water can often suddenly crash when that happens. Whether its the pressure of multiple catches spooking the fish or they simply stuff themselves silly then dont feed for a fortnight I dont know but we've experiencd if before. The secret is to be on there when they are properly on the munch....Ive been lucky enough to experience that a few times and it is a bit special but they can literally switch off overnight.
So...my first,last and only zander trip of the winter ends in an ignominious Serge. Its not blanking that bothers me ( it happens) but its the chore of spending all tomorrow drying my gear off....again. PITA or what ?
First up it took me 2hours to hack my way round the M25 to Bury Hill. I think the bar$tards at the Dept of Transport have fitted another tracker to my new car as not only was the M25 particularly spectacular this morning they were digging up the pavements in Dorking as well.Why ? Who knows ?
The BF rocked up 5 mins after me having left 40 mins later ( git) and bullied me into fishing an area Ive never done any good from...but which the owner assurred us was "full of fish" . On reflection I cant believe we fell for that old chestnut as 4 hours later I'd had 3 single bleeps which never moved the bobbin and a 1" jerk. Phil had had 1 bleep and a 2" jerk so he was winning.Despite less than ideal conditions ( bright sun,little wind) I was getting very fidgety so decided to shift down the bank 30 yds or so as the zander can be very localised and refuse to move at times. This put pressure on Grumpy and he soon upped sticks and dropped in 30 yards below me. We were both now fishing areas we knew and felt much happier in...especially when I had another bleep bleep and a 1 incher first chuck.
2 hours later neither of us had had any other indication.....and then it started raining. Proper raining. Of course....I foolishly believed the Met Office forecast at 6-30 this morning which said no rain at Dorking and I had neither coat nor brolly. Me, my seat and all my gear got absolutly soaked as it pelted down for a good half hour. By now it was 4-30 so, being soaked through and pretty cheesed off I resolved to give it 20 minutes and then pack as chuck off was 5-30. With 10 mins to go my rh alarm burst into life and the bobbin lifted halfway up....and then bloody stopped. The classic Bury Hill not really interested pick up and drop.
That was enough for me. I packed up and squelched my way back to the car. Grumpy sat it out until 5-15 but never had a touch.
By all accounts it fished its bloody head off last week with multiple catches ( one guy had 15 zander and another had 9) but in our experience the water can often suddenly crash when that happens. Whether its the pressure of multiple catches spooking the fish or they simply stuff themselves silly then dont feed for a fortnight I dont know but we've experiencd if before. The secret is to be on there when they are properly on the munch....Ive been lucky enough to experience that a few times and it is a bit special but they can literally switch off overnight.
So...my first,last and only zander trip of the winter ends in an ignominious Serge. Its not blanking that bothers me ( it happens) but its the chore of spending all tomorrow drying my gear off....again. PITA or what ?
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S-Kippy
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No....you can still get day tickets for the " forseeable future" according to the latest blurb. Dont really know how this syndicate thing works. Last time I looked it was £25 to join and then session money on top of that. I dont really know how its supposed to work or what the benefits are (if any) for the angler. I doubt there are many.
Neil Maidment
Moderator
So that's it for another river season. Somehow managed just a couple of chub and a few bits in the two weeks of March but it was fun in the mud, rain, snow and extra floodwater!
Pretty good late Autumn and Winter on the Dorset Stour, not quite to the heights of the last two years, but some superb fish, every one of which fell to the float. Encouraging numbers of chub in the 4lbs to 5lbs range and big numbers of mainly small roach throughout the lower stretches.
Notable fish for me were Barbel 11.08, Chub 6.10, Roach 1.15
Pretty good late Autumn and Winter on the Dorset Stour, not quite to the heights of the last two years, but some superb fish, every one of which fell to the float. Encouraging numbers of chub in the 4lbs to 5lbs range and big numbers of mainly small roach throughout the lower stretches.
Notable fish for me were Barbel 11.08, Chub 6.10, Roach 1.15
mikench
Well-known member
Really I didn't like this post as it just makes me feel inadequate !
Cracking fish Neil and clearly a successful season for you! I have several advantages over you though! First I have never caught a chub and still have that pleasure to come so there!:wh Second I'm still after a double figure barbel and thirdly , erm , erm I'm younger than you!!!:thumbs::behindsofa:
Anyway today the bream came to my rescue and I grabbed a bakers dozen with several around 4lb! The forecast said breezy with sunny intervals! The latter were as rare as my chub and the former was more reminiscent of hurricane Katrina!
It was horrible and cold! Had to come home early as son is expected for a flying visit. It was far too windy for lure fishing today so didn't bother!
Cracking fish Neil and clearly a successful season for you! I have several advantages over you though! First I have never caught a chub and still have that pleasure to come so there!:wh Second I'm still after a double figure barbel and thirdly , erm , erm I'm younger than you!!!
:thumbs::behindsofa:Anyway today the bream came to my rescue and I grabbed a bakers dozen with several around 4lb! The forecast said breezy with sunny intervals! The latter were as rare as my chub and the former was more reminiscent of hurricane Katrina!
It was horrible and cold! Had to come home early as son is expected for a flying visit. It was far too windy for lure fishing today so didn't bother!
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