http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/ en Mon, 20 May 2013 19:21:51 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/ http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/209-into-valley-pioneering-part-1.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:21:52 GMT MAY 2006 SET DEEP IN a valley of the Lincolnshire Wolds, the Estate, which arable farmer and my new found friend George acquired some three years... MAY 2006
SET DEEP IN a valley of the Lincolnshire Wolds, the Estate, which arable farmer and my new found friend George acquired some three years ago, are two spring fed trout lakes, a fattening (stew) pond, another lake and a small pond, both also spring fed.
As you do, I met George in the local, following one of our pub fishing club meetings.
He was running the trout lakes on a £17 a session ticket and was thinking, now he had settled in a bit, that the time had come to take a look at spreading his interests into coarse fishing.

The fly lake
So, he asked my advice, having been pointed in my direction by the landlord.
I was quick to advise, that being no expert, his best bet, if he was thinking of going professional, was to speak to the Environment Agency.
I told him of our club's experience, on our short lived lease, of another farm lake where the EA, free of charge, gave us a report and advice on that lake's contents and potential.
He felt at this time (because he didn't want too many people aware of his plans) that the fewer who knew, the better (Taxman and cash in the back pocket came to my mind). Much to my delight, he asked me to fish the lake and the pond, primarily, to comment on the population.
Both the lake and the small pond, to his knowledge, certainly hadn't been fished for a number of years and he wasn't aware what fish existed within.

The lake at dawn
I arrived at the water at 5am, the light was just beginning to show on this early May morning and the dawn chorus of Canada Geese and Pheasant was all around. A Barn owl was quartering the perimeter of the first trout Lake, on what is the start of my adventure onto 'unfished' waters.
It became obvious to me immediately that the lake was teeming with small rudd and at least one carp of some proportion, it greeted me with an almighty crash, half way down the lake, as I settled in my chosen swim at the far end.
This lake is, I suppose, 100metres long by 30 wide. It has an island of about 5 metres round and 20 metres from the first bank. Obviously man made and perhaps 20/25 years old. Two of the banks are fishable, the first bank (south) across the width and, the nearside bank (west) by the grass roadway. The island is about 5 metres from the nearside bank.
There are old fishing stages in place, on three banks. The far bank (east) is tree lined, which with some work could be made accessible. The end bank (north), across its whole width, is a complete bed of reed, at present still brown but stretching from the bank, about three metres into the lake.
There are signs of a lily patch, just beginning to emerge to the front. A quick run around with my plummet showed an almost uniform depth of about 1.5m, no obvious shelf around the perimeter; well, at least the fishable perimeter.
I picked the swim at the far end, adjacent to the reedbed as my starting point. As I only had three hours available to me, I decided to sit it out in the one spot for the period.
Tackle
My tackle is a Shimano Hyperloop 420 FA rod and, to match, a Super Aero 1000GT, loaded with 2.5lb Maxima straight through to a size 14 Drennan Super Specialist eyed hook.

The lake
I've chosen, because of a brisk northerly blowing across the front of me, to use a Pete Warren Middy alloy stick, carrying four no.4 dotted down with a No6 tell tale shot.
Bait
My bait, for today's short session was maggots and casters fished on the bottom, with hempseed for additional loose feed. Fished about two rod lengths out, close to the reeds.
It becomes very obvious to me from the off, that the tiny rudd were going to cause me trouble with casters and maggots, so it doesn't take me long to get out the Enterprise Tackle plastic casters.
I was soon into a better class of fish. An unmarked rudd of about 8oz, followed very closely by a few more of the same stamp and one roach, of equal size. I then started to get the finicky bites that I've learned to associate with crucian carp. Before long and following a few missed bites, a 'crucian' of around the pound mark is in the net.
Again, a beautiful, unmarked fish that gave me quite a tussle and was followed in quick succession by four of its brothers, all fin perfect. So, the first hour done and things have gone quiet. I carried on feeding with my mixture of baits, the water continuing to foam with the tiny rudd and some bigger specimens.
On another day and in a different location I may have had a dabble with the rudd but I was determined to continue with testing the water.
So I waited patiently and before too long the float disappeared and I was into something somewhat larger that ran me straight towards the reed bed. My line and the fish parted company before it reached them.
I found, to my disgust, my line had busted at a shot. That will teach me not to bite my shots on the line. Yes I still do it, absent minded, me?
Quickly tackling up again, this time pinching my shot on the line, I cast to the same location, sat back and waited. There are 30 Canada Geese around this lake; yes I had time to count them. Their continuous squabbles, and mock fights, along with the monotonous drone of a diesel engine pump that supplies spring water from a stream to the stew pond and the sudden squawk of the cock pheasants around me all disturb the tranquillity that should surround this place.

One of the many!
Anyway, again i'm into a bigger fish and this time the hook pulls after a short tussle. The plastic casters were obviously acceptable to the inhabitants, except, that is, the tiny rudd that fiddle for a while then abandon them. So, what am I hitting; carp, tench? I was soon to find out.
Whatever it was, it was giving me a fair run-around with my reel tension giving it line, so I tightened right up, I didn't want it to go into the reedbed.
It was a carp, a beautiful common of just under 10lb; it certainly put the rod to the test!
Ten to eight, one more cast and another lovely conditioned common carp, about 6lb.
Time for breakfast, must phone 'the Boss', to get the Crastor Kipper from Waitrose in the grill. No signal, what more could I ask for? Down in the valley all is quiet. Well, almost.
So, visit number one was over. A longer stint next time, maybe an evening session?
I'll let you know. ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/209-into-valley-pioneering-part-1.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/208-into-valley-pioneering-part-2.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:18:17 GMT I AM NOT really a fair-weather fisherman, but a pet hate of mine is setting up whilst it's peeing down. So, my next visit to the valley was three weeks later, which turned out to be a dry sunny day, sat in the middle of our much reported drought! Roll on the warm, dry days of summer.

The Lake in the Valley
So, so far, we've had rudd and roach to 8ozs, crucian carp to about a pound and common carp to about 10lb.
Arriving at the lake at 4pm and there is a substantial change all-round. The brown stems of the reeds are now bright green and spreading, the lily patch is somewhat larger, the goose population has expanded, with yellow tinted goslings all around and, the Canada's have been joined by eight Greylag geese.
I decided to tackle up in exactly the same way as my first visit and to fish the same method. Although I was concerned that if I got amongst the carp I could be outgunned on 2.5lb Maxima.
This time also, I didn't take along maggots or caster, just hempseed and some BFW 3mm Elips pellets, left over from last seasons barbel fishing. I didn't feel feeding the hoards of rudd with maggots and casters served a great deal of purpose!
So, four hours of jiggling and adjusting, and wishing I'd bought with me some alternative baits (after all, with all this rain, the worms wouldn't have required a great deal of digging, would they?) not a bite, plenty of nibbles from the pesky rudd, but no decent bites.
Just after 8 o'clock I got my first bite, but guess what, it snapped me at the split shot after a short tussle.
Shortly after, having tackled up again, a lovely pale olive male tench of around 2lb succumbed to my plastic grub. My first of the year, and a tench from 'my' lake, great! In fact, as far as I can recall, my first since moving up to Lincolnshire in January 2003.

The reeds were now bright green and spreading
I am a big fan of tench and have not fished for them since moving away from the Milton Keynes AA waters and my PB of 6lb 13ozs. I live in hope, that some monsters lie within this lake, but who knows?
My next cast brings an instant take on the drop. I hit into something really powerful that I just cannot stop ……. It's gone, along with my float.
Make your mind up time Fred!
They've obviously come on the feed; do I continue with my lightweight approach and find myself outgunned or, do I switch tackle, at the risk of putting off everything but the carp? Assuming of course that is what has snapped me on my two visits.
Decision made, I have probably ninety minutes of good light left, so what do I have to lose? I decided to step up my gear, for I assumed that the fish may not have seen tackle for at least three years.
Out of my Double T sling, I pull my Midi Carp Reach Waggler rod, a prize from the match fishing related angling magazine, probably three years old now and rarely used. This rod has the ability, with the aid of a dolly section, to be used at 15, 17 or, 20 feet. I choose 15 feet, because from experience I know that at a longer length it becomes difficult to use my landing net. On top of that, I'm only fishing about 20ft out.
My reel is another Shimano, the Super Aero 4000R, freshly loaded this morning, with 4lb Maxima, just in case.
Suitably retackled, I start again, but it's gone dead on me. The nagging doubts start to mount, but the signs of bottom feeding fish start again, so I wait, encouraged by the signals.

A common of about 6lb
As I wait the diesel pump, for the trout fattening pool, fires into action, disturbing the tranquillity. Apart that is, from the robins, chaffinches and blackbirds singing their goodnight chorus. The things you have to put up with for the joy of fishing; it's tough. They're back, another straight under bite, a tough tussle and soon in the net, 6lbish of fin perfect common. These fish do give me a great fight for my money and, they certainly know where the reed bed is.
At 10 o'clock I can just about see my float and after six hours fishing it's enough for me. Slightly disappointed I pack up and wend my way home, dodging the dozy pheasants and the even dafter hare that runs along in front of me along the farm track.
As I sit at my keyboard writing this, I wonder if I'm going about this the right way, for a 'pioneer'.
I longed to catch a crucian again, just to see if they are true crucians, and to get your opinions. My photographs taken at the first session downloaded from the camera OK, but I lost them when the system seized on me, having automatically deleted the pictures.
So, has toughening up my tackle thrown away my ability to catch the more wary species? Let's be a bit interactive on this - what would you do?
One thing for certain, I think I am more comfortable fishing from first light, rather than last light, so my next visit will certainly be at the crack of sparrow's fart.
Come on, what do you think? What would you do? ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/208-into-valley-pioneering-part-2.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/207-into-valley-pioneering-part-3.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:40:05 GMT It's 3:45am and I'm awoken by the Song Thrush serenade. He sits on my fence next to the bedroom window every morning, and starts up his now boring, dawn chorus.
So, I decide to get up and visit my lake for another four hour session. Yesterday was 23 degrees C, so summer's here and the Rudd in my pond started spawning. I'll go and take advantage of them in the valley whilst they are busy on other things.

The Lake in the Valley
The dawn is very misty. Up here, they call it sea threat or, fret, or whatever. It got progressively thicker, as I drove down into the valley. I've decided to continue in what I consider to be the most fishy location, adjacent to the reed bed and lily patch. I'm fishing by 4:30am.
The rudd on the lake are not spawning, but I notice hoards of tiny fish in the margins, so something obviously has!
I'll step back a bit here. When I sorted my tackle out, after my last write up, I gave all the line a good going over, I wasn't happy with the breakages and thought that I may have an old brittle batch. Well, I don't know how long it has been in my tackle drawer!
It appeared OK, so thinking about the stepping up of tackle I had to do to allow for the carp, I decided to fish with a hooklength of MAP Fluorotex 0.17mm. I also took out a box of Dynamite Swim Stim 6mm soft hook pellets.

Anyway, back to the fishing. I continue to use the plastic maggots and loose feed with hempseed, dead maggots, casters and the last of my BFW pellets.
On my first two visits to the water there had been quite a chop on, but this time the water surface is flat. I decide to use a straight 4 x No. 4 waggler and to lay on with an SSG shot about three inches from the hook.
One of the benefits of fishing this calm surface is that I was able to see fish bottom feeding, with groups of 5 or 6 small bubbles rising and groups of pin head size, almost fizzes and, occasionally, eruptions, as a fish ploughed it's way through the bottom.
My first fish is a 5lb 2ozs common, landed with no problem, within the first 15 minutes.
Then the nagging doubts started again as my hook length snapped, and then again above the float; an unstoppable fish that ploughed straight through the reedbed. There are obviously some big carp in the lake, as I've managed to handle fish to just under 10lb on the same gear.
As usual on my trips down I've gone with the bare necessities of tackle, in this case, the Midi rod and the 4000R. Do I move up to 7lb line or stick it out with 4lb? Decision made, straight through with 4lb, same method.

Start again, in the meantime, the fizzing is quite active around my loose feed, maybe Tench I think. Time to switch bait, and give the Swim Stim a try.

I was soon into a crucian
I brought these with me after reading Jeff Woodhouse's review of them, and decided to try them again. I wasn't happy using them as they didn't inspire confidence in me that the bait was still actually on the hook after falling through the multitude of rudd.
Having reaffixed an SSG to the line I was fairly confident that with an underarm cast the pellet would reach the bottom safely two-rod lengths out. It did and I was very soon into a crucian, winkling out seven of the beauties in quick succession, all around the 1lb mark.
I was tested yet again with another bigger fish. Fortunately it swam in the opposite direction to the reeds, so, I was willing to give it a little more line. This common gave me a great tussle and, to my surprise, only weighed in at 8lb 12ozs!

A hard fighting common
All went quiet for a while; I think the last maniac Carp had killed the swim off.
So, I waited, and listened to another Song Thrush, singing that same old tune, or had my thrush followed me, just to wind me up?
Nah.
The perpetual drone of the diesel pump continues with its freshening up of the trout fattening pond but the geese have gone very quiet. They are not on the lake but probably in the fields with their young.
I'm in again, into a crucian that is, and another four follow before I decide to call it a day.
Monthly meeting of the pub club tonight. I haven't seen George around since the last meeting. Perhaps, he'll be in tonight and I can buy him a pint and give him my initial report.
In the meantime I'll gather my thoughts for the next trip. I know there are a good head of fish so a change of approach is needed.
I think I may well step up the gear to find out what those unstoppable fish are and, perhaps, as Gary Knowles suggested to me at the Barbel Society Conference, to have a go for eels in case there are some in residence.
I'll be back! ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/207-into-valley-pioneering-part-3.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/206-into-valley-pioneering-part-4.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:38:10 GMT 17 / 08 / 06

I suppose those of you still following this experience of mine think, "He's gone quiet; is he into some massive fish and not telling us, so that we can't send the scouts out?"
Well, no.
I've been down 3 or 4 times since the last update but, when it comes to discovering what lies beneath the surface, I'm still not quite certain.
I've tried stepping up my gear and used my 1.75 Barbel rod and hit into an immovable object - well it moved at first, stopped and I couldn't budge it, resulting in a hook pull! So I stepped up to my 2.75 rod and, no surprises, I was back to catching the normal stamp of fish.
So, to reiterate, this, so far, is what I've discovered in my lake:
Rudd, thousands of them, none so far above 8ozs.
Roach, not so many, up to 8ozs.
Crucian carp, plenty all around the pound mark, no more, no less!
Common/mirror carp, 8ozs to my best so far 10lb 14ozs.
One tench!
I am pretty certain there are, or is, a predator of some kind, although a legered sprat went ignored for six hours. It marauds through the surface scattering the rudd in all directions, maybe a rogue trout from the ponds. No sign of Perch.

Cruising under the surface
During my other free time I've been down to the middle and tidal Trent, hunting out the barbel and chub. I've caught a few of each, but what is noticeable is that they all need a good feed. My most recent capture was a chub at 4lb 10ozs, it was longer and deeper than my PB of 6lb 12ozs but was very empty. Roll on winter.
My latest visit to my lake yesterday (8th August), came about as a last minute thought. I'd been in the garden all day pottering backwards and forwards looking at the site and the question of swim hogging. So, at 6 o'clock, after asking the bosses permission I was off to lake hog!
I packed up everything I thought I would need, and headed for the lake. On arrival, when I opening the hatchback I noticed that in my rush to get out (before the boss had time to answer) I'd left my bag of kit on the garage floor. So, I had my seat, landing net, rod, pellets and nothing else. No choice then, back home I had to go.
I sneaked in and out without being spotted, and was back at the lake in 15 minutes.
Whilst I had been planning my getaway, I had decided to float fish. So my kit was the Hyperloop 420FA, the SuperAero 4000 loaded with 8lb Suffix and a hook length of 4lb 1oz Fluorotec. Once again, because of the surface ripple and wind, I decided to use a wire stemmed stick float and finished it off with a size 12 Drennan Super Specialist.
My hookbait was to be the Enterprise plastic caster and maggot. There is no real way to get through the rudd with natural baits.
Loose feed was 3mm BFW pellets - the hempseed was still frozen!
This feed certainly attracts the crucians and the commons, and I was soon into the usual size of fish, my first being a stunning fin perfect common of 9lb 4ozs.

9lb 4ozs
I'll digress here for a moment, I've seen on this water, for the first time anywhere in my fishing life, on a few occasions, commons tail walking, if that's the right expression. Just rising out of the water with only their tail below, and moving along for some time. Too quick for my digital camera though; amazing power.
Anyway, back to the fishing, no break-offs this time, and my best common from the lake is fin perfect and weighing 10lb 14ozs, along with two at around 9lb which could have been twins. Also, a dozen or so crucian carp.

10lb 14ozs
The dominant species is, apart from the rudd, common carp, I am certain there are bigger fish, but I'm not too interested in them at the moment.
I know there are more tench than the one I have caught; I've seen them porpoise. Perhaps they are being bullied by the carp?
No doubt a different groundbait is required before it's too late in the season. So, I'm going to think about this and try for them specifically on my next trip down.
I am also going to have a go for eels, as soon as I can get a decent stock of lobworms.
Perhaps I should say that I haven't yet reported to George, the owner, in fact I've not seen him in the pub or by the Trout lakes, too busy with the harvest probably.
Oh yes, and the geese have reappeared out of the fields, they've had a great year by the looks of it, many, many youngsters and therefore more **** to slip on!
See you next time. ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/206-into-valley-pioneering-part-4.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/205-into-valley-pioneering-part-5.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:35:29 GMT It's Friday August 18th , the start of the FM Species Race, and what better place to get me up and running, than by my lake in the valley.
We've decided to have skate and chips for dinner, so after discussing what we had planned for the rest of the day, a decision is made for an early dinner at 3o'clock, which as usual in our house, I will be cooking.
This would give me the opportunity to get to the lake at about 4 o'clock, and fish through until about 9pm. All through the day, on and off, very welcome rain had been falling. It was the good soaking type of rain which gave the garden a welcomed drenching. So part of our plan for the day, which involved the garden, was put on hold.
Anyway dinner time came and went, and in came the big clouds and the blackness descended. We had an almighty storm, which put paid to any idea I may have had, of going out at 4 o'clock. I wasn't going to be waving 14 feet of carbon fibre about in these conditions, not even for charity!
At 5 o'clock I decided that it looked safe enough to go out and wave my wand around, so off I went. The lake was looking as serene as it always does, and now the sun was well and truly out, making it quite a warm, early evening.
Once again I had decided to float fish, but this time, with my Enterprise plastics as back up, I decided to try out Dynamite's Swimstim soft pellets. I also decided on a different swim, where the lake narrows at about halfway along it's length, near the island, and where a small lily patch lay, but with no reeds (which was not apparent there on my first visit to the lake).
There was something about this swim that reminded me of somewhere else in my past, where I had many a good Tenching session. So I was keyed up for this. A couple of hand full of BFW 3mm pellets were strategically placed and after a few attempts at hooking the soft pellets, I got the idea how it was done. This didn't give me a great deal of confidence though, as I suspected for a while, that they would not stay on the hook, especially as the Rudd population would have other ideas too.

Second cast, second catch! A tench of 3lb
On my first cast I landed a Rudd, maybe about an ounce and one point for my Species Race tally. Just in case this was my only Rudd, the appropriate photograph was taken, and the fish then returned to the lake.
I quickly talked myself into moving my shot down the line to get the bait down quicker, which worked well. Believe it or not I landed a Tench of 3lb. Two casts, and already two points! My firm belief that there was more than one Tench in the lake was also justified.
By now the swim was fizzing. These pellets of BFW's certainly seem to be an attraction. I next landed a 12oz roach, my biggest so far from the lake and was very soon into a snotty, of no more than half a pound. 4 points. Then came the carp, a small common of about 2lb. Following this was a smashing Linear/Mirror of 6lb.5 or 6 points. Same fish? Common carp? No doubt I would be put right at the final tally.
All went quiet for a while, after the truly mad tussle with the Linear, but soon, after another good handful of the feeder pellets, the fizzing restarted. This time it was the tench that were in charge, and in very short time I had landed a further 7 of the beauties, ranging in size from a 1 pounder, up to the biggest at 4lb 15ozs. I wasn't going to call it 5lb, as it was one of those that hovered between on the scales.

Another point on the board
As you can imagine I was well chuffed! The prospects for even better fish kept me plodding on.
Now comes the gripe. These so called soft shot from Dinsmore, well they're not. After struggling to get them on the line, without biting them shut, I was constantly having to replace them after each decent fish. And eventually this told, as my Fluorotec hook length parted through the constant wear and tear of shifting and putting on new shot. There must be a better way?! Bring back lead shot I say!

A crucian makes a show
Anyway, a new hook length and on my way again. By this time darkness was setting in, and with 5 or 6 points in the bag, I was looking for the Crucian to make a show, which of course they did. Two on the trot, one of 14ozs, the other a pound. This then followed by a few more of those slimy things, bream I think they're commonly called!
I wasn't putting up with them and besides, it was getting difficult to see the float, so it was off home for me.
Being well and truly pleased with my evening session, a celebration drink was called for, and as expected, a bottle of red was ready and waiting. Ah, this is the life! Roll on the next visit to my lake, in the valley. ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/205-into-valley-pioneering-part-5.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/204-into-valley-pioneering-part-6.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:34:26 GMT What a grey miserable day it's turned out to be, sitting on the bank with a sprightly east/south easterly, whipping up the surface. Autumn is here and this is probably my last trip down, certainly as a pioneer, as the pub club has joined me.
Well, I've met up with George, at long last. As an arable farmer, it would appear to been a good late summer for him this year. No complaints thou, but it has been very busy. The weather's been good up here on the Wolds to. I gave him my views on the lake and the fish contents, as I've found them, and he's off to think about it.
In the meantime I've asked him to allow the pub club to have a 'match', so as to see how the fishery reacts to numbers. Probably unfair I suppose, as we are now into autumn and perhaps not the best time for a real test. He agrees, so we line it up for Sunday 15th October fishing 9am until 4pm. George says he'll try and get down for the weigh in.

It's down in the trees!
My advice to him is that he should sell season tickets for the water, say £50 a year to people recommended by friends, that is initially our club, and friends of our club members. This would enable him to see how he likes the idea of people arriving at the lake at all times of day or night, or alternatively, only allowing dawn 'til dusk fishing, as with the trout lakes.
The water would effectively become self-policing, with only known fisherman in attendance. As for the stock, I feel that, although there are too many rudd and carp in the lake we should let it stay as it is for a year, and then get a consensus view from the members fishing.
As I mentioned in my earlier pieces, there are two trout lakes. George appears to be unhappy with these as they are fished on trust. That is anglers leave their day ticket money in the fisherman's hut and restricting themselves to two fish. He has become somewhat mistrusting, you can guess why, and just can't afford the time to police the lakes. These could well be available for future expansion of the coarse fishing, if he decides to expand into a full-blown fishery business. We shall see.

Number 2 Trout lake
Anyway back to the match! 8am Sunday morning, as usual only 9 of the 25 members show up. I identify the swims we should fish, and the draw takes place. I've given nobody clues on how to fish, save as to tell them of the rudd population, the size of the carp and generally, what else to expect. By the way I didn't draw my swims. I've also insisted, expecting many good sized fish to be caught, that any fish appearing to be in the region of 3lb, should not be keep netted. With the benefit of hindsight this could have been a bad decision, as we don't obviously have a nets man, but the only coached match fisherman amongst us, has the scales and weigh sling!
During the match our nets man has the call eight times, the first within 15 minutes. That was from old Doug, he's the old boy, who along with his elder brother Bob, turn up to every match rain or shine and sit there all day catching, or sometimes not, each with a ledger rod out with a worm or a chunk of cheddar!
Doug by the way, is in for the biggest fish trophy this season, and holds the all time club record for a mole, caught when a cast of his, ended up on a far bank and his worm attracted the poor creature!
First decent fish to Doug, a common of 5lb 10ozs, as it turned out, his only fish. To cut a long story short, the rudd had obviously lost interest in feeding, on what was a bit of an on/off day. The 9 of us weighed in a total of only 76lb3ozs, the nets man winning with a total of 13lb 10ozs, despite his eight trips up and down the bank.
Nearly time to go
The biggest fish a 7lb 10ozs common carp, Bob's only fish. Two very nice tench at 4lb each, and a surprise chub that looked all of 2lb, but weighed in at 3lb2ozs. No crucians caught.
George did turn up for the weigh in, and was pleasantly surprised with the standard of the fish caught. As a country boy, he knew what the species were too.
I may well go down again this year, as I still have the small pond to test out. I will let you know if I do. As well as that, I suppose I should also let you know how George wants to treat his fishery. As far as the club goes, they want to go again. The variety of fish caught and the quality was commented upon, as the main reason.
'We don't want to just catch carp' ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/204-into-valley-pioneering-part-6.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/202-my-story-part-1.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:29:22 GMT 17/10/2006 FOR ME, WITH NO MENTOR or family member to take me fishing, what got me into fishing from a very young age was my inbuilt lust for the... 17/10/2006

FOR ME, WITH NO MENTOR or family member to take me fishing, what got me into fishing from a very young age was my inbuilt lust for the countryside and all that was in it.
Born in Hammersmith Hospital, London, March 1949, my first 18 months of life were spent in Fulham, living at Uncle Ted's house, my mum's eldest brother.
My dad was a glazier by trade and an electrician by qualification. He wasn't your typical house window type glazier (although he could do that and we did keep him busy!) he was more of a big London storefront window glazier. Up on the brewery roofs, replacing their glass, were his daily load.
He was on Charlton Athletic's books as a goalkeeper before enlistment, and the war put a stop to all that. He was a good all-round cricketer as well, which stayed with him almost throughout his whole life. Well, he still played into his early 70's! He had no spare time, or inclination for fishing, but he never discouraged me. In fact, from time to time, he would buy me a little item of tackle, nothing major, just bits.
I was 1 year and 2 months old when my brother Bill came into this world and the opportunity to be re-housed, out of the smoke, to the new London County Council, which were housing estates being built in the countryside. One of these was offered to my parents. The choice apparently was Crawley, Sussex or Harold Hill, Essex. Much to my mum's disgust, as I learned later in life, we moved to Essex, despite my dad, having been evacuated to his family in Sussex, and being enlisted into The Royal Sussex Regiment. He chose easy access to London, and the transport system available to us. He also never owned a car until the early 60's.
Anyway, two extra brothers and a sister later, and a mum tied to the house, we started to roam on our own, me at around ten years old, with two brothers in tow. My dad now was working for Romford Borough Council five and half days a week and playing cricket for Gidea Park & Romford at Gallows Corner, every Saturday afternoon.
Just over from the cul-de-sac we lived in, behind the houses on our main road, were acres of open field. Not farmer's fields, just open meadows. Within these fields were two ponds, and a stream, the River Ing, bound the fields on one side. With the aid of Christmas present Observer books, we learnt all the flowers, all the birds, animals and water life of those fields.
So there we were, bird nesting, stream jumping and pond paddling. One of the ponds was almost a marshy dip but was full of great crested common and maybe Palmate newts, some of which very often ended up in a jam jar, to be taken home and shown to mum. The other pond, as well as common newts, was the home for loads of small perch, tench, crucian carp and stickleback.
This became my first experience of fishing, with literally the bamboo bean cane, cotton, and a bent pin for a hook. Fishing for newts at first, with just a worm tied to the thread and then, not catching the perch, because they didn't hold on, the bent pin was attached.
This pond was decimated by the winter of 1963, the newt pond was flattened to make way for a new grammar school's playing field, and the stream was culverted to make way for more housing in later years.
This was also where I met Michael Cuthbert, who was two years my elder and had a proper fishing rod and reel. For a short few years he became my friend on fishing expeditions to the pond and further afield. These other spots were always within biking or bus distance such as Romford, Dagenham, South Ockendon and Rainham. Park lakes, ponds or gravel pits were our targets, but no rivers.
I can't quite remember how I got my first rod and reel but it was a fibreglass two-piece with a tin centre pin reel. I bought bait and bits at Jeffrey’s Cycles in the newly built shopping centre, paid for from the proceeds of the paper round I had. I read all I could from the weekly angling papers that were available to me on my rounds, and the library of course. My only heroes were Mr Crabtree and Tom Williams.
To this day I still have a dog-eared copy of 'The Angler's Handbook, 3rd Impression, April 1962, “Especially written for SPRATT'S by a well known angling expert”. Spratt's by the way, for the younger of you, were pet food manufacturers who had a line of groundbait called 'Silver cloud' as well as 'Anglers Bait' (a paste) and sealed packets of cooked hempseed.
At the age of 11, I moved up to the senior school and very soon became aware of a few more individuals, who had an interest in fishing. One of whom was my old friend Colin Adams, who became a constant fishing companion, until I got married and moved away from Harold Hill. We just seemed to drift apart after a few years. A Shame!
We fished for many years on all the local ponds and gravel pits, spreading our wings, as often as possible on London Transport, to trot the Thames at Hampton Court and Eastern National buses, to fish the Chelmer and Stour. We also did many a bike ride to the Roding.
There were not many monster fish landed and I can't remember if we ever thought of catching records, just catching fish, learning techniques and presentation.
By this time, I had acquired a Dawson's of Sheffield split cane and fibreglass three piece rod, plus an Intrepid Monarch fixed spool reel. This of course bought us results, but it wasn't until our working lives started at 16, and Colin got a Company van, that we really started to stretch ourselves, moving from the Essex countryside, to holidays on the Dorset Stour and Hampshire Avon. Never straying further north than the gravel pits around Cambridge.
My equipment then was a Black Arrow float rod, a Mark IV carp rod, a Mitchell 300 and an Avon Royal Supreme. We always used plenty of hempseed and my mum didn't seem to mind the smell when it was cooking. She always had an old stocking available for draining it off and for the transportation. Our main baits were hemp, gentles, worms and bread flake, with occasional added flavours, like aniseed. We targeted mostly roach and tench and on the trips to Hampshire and Dorset, better chub and the odd barbel. Well, just one for me in fact!
With no car available to me, and the dwindling visits from Colin, at the age of 23 I decided it was time to learn to drive. A car wasn't needed up until this time as I was commuting to London and I didn't have the money until then, and Colin was always available. Having got myself a new job and a cheap mortgage with Abbey National, things started to open up for me. ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/202-my-story-part-1.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/201-my-story-part-2.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:26:59 GMT My first motor was a Cortina Mark II, second hand, red with a go faster white stripe down the side. It held all my tackle with ease. Then started my... My first motor was a Cortina Mark II, second hand, red with a go faster white stripe down the side. It held all my tackle with ease. Then started my next phase of fishing. I never really ventured any further locally than the Shell Angling pits at Stanford le Hope, where I caught many a fine tench and equally fine roach. I missed the company of a fellow angler and so trips became occasional.
I joined my first club, the Abbey National Angling Club. We used to have monthly trips to waters owned by Taywood Angling, to whom the club were affiliated, and fished their pit's around the M4. It was on one of those trips that I landed a massive bream, it came in like a wet sack, I was so disappointed with it, I didn't even bother to weigh it, and I have not purposely fished for them, or caught one anywhere near it's size since.
During this time I did visit The Trent, at Holme Pierpoint, but apart from seeing the river from the M1, I had no experience of such a river. Anyway we had a match against other building societies, and I came 6th in my section with a chub of 1lb 4ozs! But I was not to return until many years later.
My other visits, apart from when THE BOSS, Pauline, fancied the idea of a picnic or a holiday, were on my own. I don't think she has ever forgiven me for taking her on our honeymoon, to The Bull at Downton, and I complained about possible damage to my rods, as she fell over a stile, spraining her ankle in the process. Women!
She's still putting up with me, after 40-odd years.
Then came a job relocation in 1983 to Milton Keynes with the Abbey. I remember telling my boss that the move would be no problem for me. I would have the chance to get back into fishing, with easy access to the Upper Ouse, the Grand Union Canal and many gravel pits. It was a good move for us, into a smashing area, north of the City. We were quickly accepted into the village and the darts team in the pub.
What happened? Well after six months I got a job offer I couldn't refuse, back in London. I also took up two games a weekend cricket. No time for fishing! Well, there was after the occasional frustrating day commuting or in the office. I would pop down to the River Tove, which was close to my house, to fish for chub and roach in all weather conditions. Bliss. During this period, I continued reading all I could about fishing and started up my angling book collection. It was always my intention to get back into fishing and after all, I had all the time I needed to read whilst commuting from Milton Keynes to London every day.
Fifteen years and three village clubs later I ended up becoming a club captain and chairman. I got fed up with petty village politics, ditched it all, and reviewed my fishing tackle.
I still had everything stored in the garage, but decided to supplement my tackle with a Mitchell 410, a Blue Diamond light bomb rod, and waggler rods. The Black Arrow is retained in storage to this day, the Mitchell 300 and the Royal Supreme, to my big regret, sold on eBay.
I took up a Membership at MKAA and my fishing started again. The Upper Ouse and MK's other waters were my targets. I also started fishing with three mates from the pub dart's team. Many visit around the country, but never north of Leicester, other than on our way to Holyhead, for our Ireland trips.
It was soon apparent to me that my waggler rod was not suitable for fishing the Ouse in flood. So I brought my MK IV out of retirement, and coupled with the 410, soon found I could handle the conditions and keep hold of the very good chub inhabiting this river. I also had some experiences of being broken up, by big fish, which later I put down to barbel. Not what I first thought, carp. Once again, the MK IV was abandoned, eBayed, and replaced by a 1.25 Leeda Specialist. Another regret…
My 52nd birthday came, and I took retirement on the closure of the C&A empire, my job for 18 years. More fishing time! I fished Adams Mill for the last two,, before it was syndicated. In the meantime FishingMagic came into my life, it must have been some time in mid-2001, as the computer was a leaving gift. My dreamtime experiences of The Mill can be found on the site so I won't bore you by relating them again.
From then on, and as a result of FM, I started to meet more anglers, the first of whom was Paul Thompson (Tommo) an enthusiastic carp angler. At that time he was living in Luton. We had a few trips together on the Ouse, and at Furzton. He moved to Hereford but we're still in touch.
I also attended my first 'Fish-in', at Clattercote, and met many of the people still contributing to this site. I made it to two more of the same Fish-ins, and fished an intersite match for FM and therefore I've met a few more.
In late 2002, we decided to change our lives; Pauline took a voluntary redundancy offer from Parcel Force. We downsized and moved to the Lincolnshire Wolds, in the middle of a snowstorm, in January 2003. It wasn't our intention to move so far north. We nearly bought a house near Spalding, but this location is almost perfect for a countryside lover like me. I say almost. The River Bain, although rising in my village, is not fishable until a 45-minute drive away, and the Trent is an hour away.
Through this site I then met up with Ron Clay, who met me for my first experience of the tidal Trent at Sutton, prior to the Barbel Society taking it on. A major experience for me, as I had not fished a tidal river since my days on the Thames in the 60's.This was an entirely different river though. With his advice, on the day, I was to take my first Trent barbel, of about 4lb.
I disappointed Ron a bit, because, I didn't bring any gear for a night session. He obviously was ready for one though. A case of lack of communication between us I think!
My next move was to join the Barbel Society, primarily to fish Sutton on Trent. I've met many new friends as a result of this, some of whom I meet and fish with regularly on the middle Trent. They occasionally have a dabble on FM too.
My most recent friend, as a result of FM, is John Ledger, who took me along to the Idle for a reintroduction to trotting and who I have since fished with on the middle Trent a couple of times. One of a number of Yorkshiremen I am pleased to be acquainted with since my move up north.
So, there you have it, a potted history of me and my angling over 40-odd years. Plenty of places and plenty of new friends met. I've never been one to keep records of fish sizes, or personal bests, apart from tench, chub and barbel, my three favourite fish. In fact, I have only kept a fishing journal, since last season. I do aim to have a good go at some roach fishing from this autumn onwards, and of course with luck, make a few more angling friends. ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/201-my-story-part-2.html http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/200-dreams-adams-mill.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:23:45 GMT 6/03/2002

My expeditions to Adams Mill, MKAA's stretch on the Upper Great Ouse, started in late November 2000 . Being only four miles from my home and with all the media reports and comment in the angling press, curiosity got the better of me. So I decided to go and have a look at this now legendary fishery.
If the place was as crowded as reported, with people queuing to get in at the appointed hour, I could trundle down to another MKAA water at Ravenstone, another couple of miles or so, into the Northamptonshire countryside.

In the car park at 8.30am there was only one other vehicle, still, it was a weekday and some people do not like fishing in the cold, do they? I had many similar visits, most of the time blanking and on occasions being alone all day.
My catches to date are two chub, 6lb12ozs and 4lb 14ozs, a barbel of about a 1lb (which was a good sign, demonstrating that some smaller fish were coming through) and a few perch to ½ lb.
I've made possibly 20 trips, maybe more. I didn't start a diary until this year, not a lot to enter in it, but on every visit the anticipation involved in fishing this water is unbelievable. I have never experienced anticipation to this degree before; you just do not know what may be lurking below your rod tip.
On one of the days I visited, at the end of January, I spoke to a guy named Gary, who I think is a head bailiff with RMC. He travels the motorways for about an hour (on a good day) to get there. We had shared a couple of blanks and a passing chat on previous occasions. On the Thursday of the week before he had witnessed the photographing of an 18lb 13oz Barbel, and was determined to get amongst them.
Tackling up in a swim just above me and just below the weir, he was straight away into a 7lb Barbel. On the next cast he lost one at the net of approximately 8lb. Than all went quiet for both of us.
I blanked again.
The next day was miserable, fine persistent rain, the kind that soaks you through. Only one other angler on the bank, who I later learned was Ray Walton, as I witnessed him catch and assisted him with the photography of a 14lb 6oz specimen, later to appear in his DVD Ouse..ing Barbel.
I didn't stay much longer, leaving at about 2 o'clock. I'd got snagged and broke off a few times and had left my backup leads in the garage.
I needed quite a bit of weight to hold bottom in those flood conditions, conditions I couldn’t get used to at that time.
That night I was sleepless after witnessing Ray's catch, the most beautiful specimen of a fish I have ever seen, very stocky compared to my previous sighting of a good barbel. My first, and therefore my personal best, a sleek 8lb 9oz Throop specimen, caught in November 1972. The image of his great fish has made me even more determined to have as many hours as possible at the Mill, until at least the 14th March, the sell out day, in an attempt, to match, or improve on, the size of Ray's fish.
Perhaps I may even buy a syndicate ticket from MKAA, having taken 'early retirement' last March following 35 years of commuting into London as a property manager for the C&A retail empire. I should be able to get my money's worth. That is, if my face fits. (It didn’t!)
What is also on my mind, at this time, is that I want to catch, and get a picture, of at least a 6lb 12oz chub, my personal best, having forgotten my camera when I landed it, on the 18th December last.
I'll never forget it again, my FUJI Finepix 4700Z is now a permanent fixture in my Double T carryall, although I do like the look of the FUJI Finepix S8000 .
The day started as normal, breakfasting on Walls dry cured smoked back bacon layered on thick-sliced Kingsmill, coated with a sliver of Flora (I am watching my weight) and splashed with HP brown sauce, together with a big mug of Assam from Tesco's Finest range.
Having chauffeured the wife to Milton Keynes and her offices at Parcel Force meant my duties were over,.
I arrived at the entrance road to Adams Mill at 8.15 am and traversed the potholes in my totally unsuitable Ford Escort 1.8 cabriolet. I said to myself, I shall have to get the wife a Skoda Estate, it must be more suitable.
As experienced on previous occasions I was the only angler there. The river was just below its banks following overnight rain, but was still lower than when I arrived for the previous day's session and was the colour of milky Nescafe Instant Coffee.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining quite brightly, so I reached for my Optilab's prescription polarising glasses. I was not sure that the Sundridge Nimbus two-piece I was wearing would be needed. Settling myself down in a swim just above the bridge, which is where I caught my best chub, I was just in time to get my first glimpse of the kingfisher - what a wonderful life I live. (I keep telling myself that).
I removed my Fox Barbel Specialist 1.5 rod from my Double-T quiver and fitted my trusty Shimano 5010 baitrunner, filled to the brim with 10lb Maxima Chameleon, to which I attached, to keep the tangles away, a ready-made Korum helicopter ready rig, complete with a size 4 Drennan barbel specialist barbless hook and added to this, an ounce Dinsmore's Arlesey bomb.
I decided not to feed the swim with my usual mixture of Dynamite Baits hempseed and Green Giant sweetcorn, but to try a couple of casts without groundbaiting.
My first bait of choice was a chunk of Spam, about a quarter of a big tin. I would probably follow up with a couple of lobworms supplied by Wiggly Wigglers, if needed.
I attached my offering of Spam, threaded onto the hook and cast , letting the bait settle just off the current. My rod was placed in the rests, set up high enough to keep the line out of the torrent, the baitrunner facility left off. Then I settled down in my Fox Adjuster level chair.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw the distinctive Ray Walton arrive, we gave each other the acknowledging wave. (He seems like a nice bloke). Good I thought, at least I would have a witness this time - you know that inner feeling you get sometimes?
For a few minutes I sat there with my first John Player Special of the day contemplating life and my retirement, when I noticed a distinctive twitch of the rod tip.
Rather than wait as usual I reached for the rod, hands poised ready, at the same time the top pulls around. I was sure there was no need to strike, although I did so automatically, and the quarry was on.
The fish headed into the current. I was unable to judge its size, but I thought it was a chub. It then moved to my left towards the overhanging bush. With plenty of side strain, I had control. It didn't feel a bad size fish, but the current was deceiving. After a short battle, without too many scares, I netted the fish. It was, as expected, a chub.
From the weight I felt when lifting the net it was heavier than my usual 4lb/5lb fish of the Ouse and appeared to be about the same size as my personal best. I pulled out my Double-T weighing sling and their separate unhooking mat, reached for the WAYMASTER scales and zeroed them. The fish was in great condition and weighed in at 6lb 12ozs. Is it the same fish, I wondered?
Some time passed ,another JPS was smoked, and I watched the world go by.
That kingfisher was busy and was catching.
Then it happened, as usual, just as I opened my stainless steel Thermos flask for a warming cup of Heinz tomato soup, the rests rattled and I lurched forward to grab my rod as it leapt towards the murky depths. Thankfully, I'd remembered to ensure my rear drag was adjusted and had a bit of give, because, as I leaned into the fish I knew this was bigger than anything I had hooked on a river before.
I'd got trouble, the fish was heading off downstream towards an overhanging willow and potential disaster. I'd put all my weight behind the Fox Specialist, struggled for a while until the fish was held. I now knew I could trust the rod, previously thinking it may be too light for big fish.
The quarry then started coming back towards me at a fair rate of knots, but the 5010 kicked in and was equal to the fight, keeping me in touch with this unseen leviathan.
Ray was now at my shoulder, and was giving me good advice. Just to my right was a reed bed, below the current water level and unseen, good job I'd fished this water in most winter conditions and was aware of the potential snags. All was going well.
I was beginning to feel I had the upper hand, we then got our first sight of the fish. It was definitely a barbel, and it was big. I wondered if it could be the 20-pounder that everybody was suggesting would come out this winter?
Excitedly, with heart thumping, I reached for my Ray Walton Whitlock folding landing net, slipped and slid on the bank, that only the day before was underwater. My Country Concept 4X4 Fellsman boots gripped firmly (another good buy) but the slight slip had done the damage, my long suffering sciatic nerve had become trapped. I was in agony.
“Oy you, I'm trying to get some sleep, will you stop fidgeting”.
My wife's voice? What was she doing on the Ouse?
The dream faded , as I rubbed my back, I realised she had given me a good kick. I told her to push off, or words to that effect.
I laid there, for sometime, my heart still pumping, feeling sorry for myself, waiting for Sarah Kennedy's dulcet tones on the radio alarm, so that I could start the day……again.
Dreading the anticlimax that is almost certain to happen.

“Do you want boiled eggs or Special K”? ]]> Fred Bonney http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/blogs/fred-bonney/200-dreams-adams-mill.html