Yesterday's outing on the wharfe at Poole resulted in a brown trout around the 1lb mark a chub around 1.5lb and half a dozen dace.all taken on the maggot feeder.tried meat on the leger but not a touch.i'm on the swale in the morning so hoping to bag a barbel or 2 fingers crossed.
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
It has been a mixed bag since the start of the year. I have had some success on the Cambridgeshire lake which John Wilson visited years ago when making his Go Fishing program. Acting on a tip from a fellow member that the prey fish were wintered on the far side of the lake I managed to catch several double figure pike up to 12lb 8oz. Although modest in the scheme of things the fish were in great condition which several big catfish removed things are looking promising for the future. I few weeks later I managed by best pike of the winter at 15lb 4oz. It came on my exposed syndicate water on a very windy day when it was difficult to keep the rods on the rests. In the last few weeks I have been fishing the well known weir on the River Lea although I have blanked I gave enjoyed the challenge and learning more about the water and looking forward in fishing it again in the new season
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Well today's outing on the swale at helperby wasn't as productive as I was hoping for.no barbel again but I did manage 3 chub with the biggest around the 3.5lb mark.didnt take float rod so that was my lot.roll on 16th June now as I'm looking forward to many more river outings in 2025.
terry m
Well-known member
Last day of the season meant I was going to spend a few hours on the Avon
in one last attempt to find a big pike. Two fish landed but alas the best was a high single. Nonetheless I enjoyed the crisp morning and the solitude.
@Clive
Well-known member
Disappointing day on the big lakes. My old mate Wilf is back from his two months in Portugal and desperate to go fishing. I was dubious with his many and varied health problems and a forecast of 6C max in a stiff northerly wind. I picked him up at 9am and set off to Lac Lavaud where he should have been able to catch some fish on the feeder. It was bl**dy cold and by the time that I had set his rod up my fingers were numb. He had two roach before I had even set my float rod up, but shortly afterwards we decided that it was too cold to continue. It really was uncomfortable.
We packed up and got warmed up in the car while I toured the two lakes searching for an accessible spot big enough for two anglers and out of the wind. In two lakes of 120 hectares each there was only one swim that fitted the bill. Whilst it was more comfortable fishing the fish were absent. I had one bite on float fished waggler and Wilf had nothing on feeder.
I made the unlilateral decision that future fishing trips would be postponed until April.
We packed up and got warmed up in the car while I toured the two lakes searching for an accessible spot big enough for two anglers and out of the wind. In two lakes of 120 hectares each there was only one swim that fitted the bill. Whilst it was more comfortable fishing the fish were absent. I had one bite on float fished waggler and Wilf had nothing on feeder.
I made the unlilateral decision that future fishing trips would be postponed until April.
me too clive.next year i'm not starting fishing until april.the winter outings i've had this year have been at times uncomfortable to say the least.
hailstorms on one outing and snow showers on another,the things we do to practise the noble art eh?
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ian g
Well-known member
Last two trips of the season yesterday and today . The river was low and clear and yesterday's visit didn't really fill me with confidence on a stretch I usually feel good about . Fished a maggot feeder across the river and a float nearer the side . Plenty of fish showing but the worm remained unmolested . I had a couple of bream on maggots before I had a bite on worms which I duly missed . Another stretch today after perch again . Nice day though the fishing was slow . I managed a jack pike and a chub until last knockings when I finally hooked a perch 2.4 . Not the best season for perch but thats fishing.
Last week, just at the end of the brief mild spell, I went to the R. Great Ouse just downstream from Ely near where we live. To keep things simple, I fished groundbait feeder and red maggot about 25 yds out. The river was coloured and moving through a bit so a 60gm feeder seemed to fit the bill.
Over the last couple of years, since we moved here, I’ve fished this spot six or seven times, and I’ve always had problems hitting bites. I’ve tried most things; even tried braid, all with little change in my bite/strike to fish ratio. I reckon they’re mainly very small roach and skimmers.
The bites are weird: sometimes they’re normal, probably when the fish hook themselves, but mostly the only indication you see is a slight shiver of the rod tip, then nothing. Reel in the sucked maggot and try again. I’ve struck early; I’ve allowed bites to develop but still no improvement.
Last week’s change tested a crude helicopter rig with a 4” hook-length. It did seem to make a difference, probably with more self-hooking. My first fish was a 4oz perch which didn’t really test the system as the tip just swung round in an unmissable bite.
It’s the sort of venue where ultra-accurate casting is crucial and I’m afraid that’s never been a strong suit of mine. No matter how hard I try I spread it all over the place, however this was one of my better days and after a while it seemed to be working with slightly bigger roach and easier to hit bites.
Just after lunch time I had a decent bite which I struck into in the usual way, but it was a bigger fish altogether. After three or four nervous minutes I got the net under a lovely tench of 4lb 3oz. Modest you might say but I’ve never had a good ‘do’ with tench and this one was my first ever river tench. I have a PB of 5lb 4oz caught on the float in an estate lake in Norfolk. I reckon in my 59 years fishing I’ve probably only caught twenty tench at the most! I look on in amazement at the nets stuffed full of just tench that are often pictured in HDYGO, so I’m dead chuffed.
Just hoping for some better weather in the upcoming spring.
Andy
Over the last couple of years, since we moved here, I’ve fished this spot six or seven times, and I’ve always had problems hitting bites. I’ve tried most things; even tried braid, all with little change in my bite/strike to fish ratio. I reckon they’re mainly very small roach and skimmers.
The bites are weird: sometimes they’re normal, probably when the fish hook themselves, but mostly the only indication you see is a slight shiver of the rod tip, then nothing. Reel in the sucked maggot and try again. I’ve struck early; I’ve allowed bites to develop but still no improvement.
Last week’s change tested a crude helicopter rig with a 4” hook-length. It did seem to make a difference, probably with more self-hooking. My first fish was a 4oz perch which didn’t really test the system as the tip just swung round in an unmissable bite.
It’s the sort of venue where ultra-accurate casting is crucial and I’m afraid that’s never been a strong suit of mine. No matter how hard I try I spread it all over the place, however this was one of my better days and after a while it seemed to be working with slightly bigger roach and easier to hit bites.
Just after lunch time I had a decent bite which I struck into in the usual way, but it was a bigger fish altogether. After three or four nervous minutes I got the net under a lovely tench of 4lb 3oz. Modest you might say but I’ve never had a good ‘do’ with tench and this one was my first ever river tench. I have a PB of 5lb 4oz caught on the float in an estate lake in Norfolk. I reckon in my 59 years fishing I’ve probably only caught twenty tench at the most! I look on in amazement at the nets stuffed full of just tench that are often pictured in HDYGO, so I’m dead chuffed.
Just hoping for some better weather in the upcoming spring.
Andy
Crystal Bend
Well-known member
Lovely Tench @Skoda
With regard to missing bites have a look at "Feeder Fishing for Dace" on Drennan's YouTube Channel with Alan Scotthorne from 3yrs ago.
He has a twizzled boom with a diamond eye swivel running on it incorporated into his feeder rig which should help your predicament.
Best of luck and I hope you catch more Tench. A big hook with 3 dendras and a bunch of red maggots (Korma Curry flavoured) sorts the spring Tench out.
Although, I've just realised, this could be your river closed season. The same bait will work on stillwaters too though with chopped worms & maggots in the feeder.
With regard to missing bites have a look at "Feeder Fishing for Dace" on Drennan's YouTube Channel with Alan Scotthorne from 3yrs ago.
He has a twizzled boom with a diamond eye swivel running on it incorporated into his feeder rig which should help your predicament.
Best of luck and I hope you catch more Tench. A big hook with 3 dendras and a bunch of red maggots (Korma Curry flavoured) sorts the spring Tench out.
Although, I've just realised, this could be your river closed season. The same bait will work on stillwaters too though with chopped worms & maggots in the feeder.