nicepix
Well-known member
It appears that Peter has gone missing so I'll kick it off. Are any of you venturing out this weekend?
I managed a day out on Thursday. I had been watching the forecast for a few days and Thursday appeared to be a dry window in the wet weather. It was forecast to be warm, dry and with a very strong southerly wind. After a leisurely breakfast I set off and noticed from the car temperature gauge and rain splattering on the windscreen that the forecasters had only got one element right. It remained stubbornly around 7C all morning, half that was promised although the rain helpfully stopped just after I arrived.
I walked up and down the river bank with the dog looking for signs of life where there were none and putting a bit of hemp seeds in likely spots. Then back to the car and tackled up for some margin floodwater fishing using worm as bait. After a couple of hours and three changes of swim I came to the conclusion that every crayfish in the Vienne had congregated in that stretch of river. So, as I only had about four hours left on the clock I decided to opt for a safe swim at a mate's lake that I knew would be sheltered from the strong blustery wind.
A fifteen minute drive and 1/4 mile walk through woodland saw me at the far end of Dave's lake where a stream runs int a shallow bay. The lake is about 6 acres and completely surrounded by woodland so appears very claustrophobic to me as I prefer larger waters. This is only one of two swims that don't feel like you are fishing in prison.
I plumbed the depth and set up a waggler in a deep channel about three or four rod lengths out. Feed was hemp seed and milled maize and I had a red worm on a 14 hook. Bites came straight away, the frustrating will it / won't it that crucian anglers will identify with. As there are no crucians in the water and the tench aren't due to be delivered until next month I suspected small carp might be responsible. A bit of juggling depth and shotting pattern resulted in hook ups; carp around 1.5 - 3lb that were unhooked in the shallow margins. I changed to a 12 hook and bigger bait and as I still had just over an hour to fish before I had to have the car back I invested in a pouch of magic chicken pellets into the swim. Bingo! bigger carp was the result. The dog wasn't happy as she was using the net as a bed and had to be shifted off it. Try attracting the attention of a deaf spaniel who is fixated on the fish at the other end of your line!
The last two fish were like chalk and cheese: one a long thin eel of a creature and the other chubby like a butcher's wife:
So. What are your plans for the weekend or results from mid-week?
I managed a day out on Thursday. I had been watching the forecast for a few days and Thursday appeared to be a dry window in the wet weather. It was forecast to be warm, dry and with a very strong southerly wind. After a leisurely breakfast I set off and noticed from the car temperature gauge and rain splattering on the windscreen that the forecasters had only got one element right. It remained stubbornly around 7C all morning, half that was promised although the rain helpfully stopped just after I arrived.
I walked up and down the river bank with the dog looking for signs of life where there were none and putting a bit of hemp seeds in likely spots. Then back to the car and tackled up for some margin floodwater fishing using worm as bait. After a couple of hours and three changes of swim I came to the conclusion that every crayfish in the Vienne had congregated in that stretch of river. So, as I only had about four hours left on the clock I decided to opt for a safe swim at a mate's lake that I knew would be sheltered from the strong blustery wind.
A fifteen minute drive and 1/4 mile walk through woodland saw me at the far end of Dave's lake where a stream runs int a shallow bay. The lake is about 6 acres and completely surrounded by woodland so appears very claustrophobic to me as I prefer larger waters. This is only one of two swims that don't feel like you are fishing in prison.
I plumbed the depth and set up a waggler in a deep channel about three or four rod lengths out. Feed was hemp seed and milled maize and I had a red worm on a 14 hook. Bites came straight away, the frustrating will it / won't it that crucian anglers will identify with. As there are no crucians in the water and the tench aren't due to be delivered until next month I suspected small carp might be responsible. A bit of juggling depth and shotting pattern resulted in hook ups; carp around 1.5 - 3lb that were unhooked in the shallow margins. I changed to a 12 hook and bigger bait and as I still had just over an hour to fish before I had to have the car back I invested in a pouch of magic chicken pellets into the swim. Bingo! bigger carp was the result. The dog wasn't happy as she was using the net as a bed and had to be shifted off it. Try attracting the attention of a deaf spaniel who is fixated on the fish at the other end of your line!
The last two fish were like chalk and cheese: one a long thin eel of a creature and the other chubby like a butcher's wife:
So. What are your plans for the weekend or results from mid-week?
