How did you get on?

[binka]

I did however like the colour of your towel though

I thought it was his long johns drying Jerry

 

[dorsetandchub]

Don't we have enough pollution problems??

 

[binka]

I had no plans to do any fishing today but after seeing that the river was carrying several inches of badly needed fresh water I soon made some.

A bit of a weird session really, everything looked perfect and the typical "fill yer boots" type of situation but I ended up struggling after a good start for a couple of hours beginning around mid-afternoon.

A nice fish of around 9 1/2lbs within the first hour but then nothing, not even any interest on freelined meat just under armed onto the edge of the flow and so, in a situation that seemed to be getting more positive as the river rose, I made a negative move and went down from my usual weighty lump of meat hair rigged to a size 8 to a tiny piece on a size 12 and it did the trick and produced two more nice fish.

With the river still rising nicely I was rubbing my hands in anticipation as the evening approached but it completely fizzled out on me and I couldn’t buy another bite.

Still, three nice fish which I wouldn’t have caught sat at home and all for the sake of half a tin of meat.

In common with the theory that fish are very much like women and the big ‘uns ain’t often the prettiest, here’s one of the others…





A day at work tomorrow (unfortunately) but we’ll see what the rest of the week brings.

:w

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

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Paul wanted to go barbel fishing so down the hill we went and while I tried to catch a pike Paul persevered.

The river was up a foot and as the first bit of water in for a few weeks had too much debris for more than midstream.

Anyway it was steady fishing with some interesting sights including a green woodpecker and the first egret seen in this part of the country for me.

We had intended to try for perch but as no sign of hunting fish continued to dusk on the feeder.

After a couple of barbs including the one above I moved Paul into my swim and he finished with 5 including a superb 10.7.
A double from the Wye.....cracking.

 

[Pete Shears]

What a difference a day makes - yesterday at the reservoir,strong SW wind,foam in the margins,rod tops bouncing all over the place - all for one 12oz roach: this morning - like a sheet of glass,the breeze when it did start was SE - managed four bream to 4lb 8oz and three skimmers, lost a bigger fish which powered off on the second rod whilst I was playing in a 4lb bream - when I got to it ,it felt like a carp although the hook pulled & checking it ,it appeared to be squashed almost like a circle hook - a pike I think, a carp would have straightened it. Back tomorrow for some more puzzlement.

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Had a good week fishing a pond for carp
Most were around the 8lb
Best was 11lb ish didn't weight it

 

[tigger]

I had a couple of hours out on a small tributary later this avvey, more to test out that new sling bag than anything else. I caught a few decent dace and some small chub so didn't blank! I kept the bag on for a good 2 1/2 hours, it had all my trotting bits in it including a camera, head torch, knife etc and a bottle of water which fits in a specially designed pocket at the bottom of the pack. If i'd worn my waistcoat it would have been digging into my neck before i'd got to the swim which is about 3/4 of a miles walk and I would have had to take it off as soon as I reached the swim. Being totally honest...the sling didn't dig in or hurt my neck at all. I left it on purposely throughout my session to see if it would start to cause a problem with neck pain or by getting in my way whilst fishing...it didn't, it was great so I can confidently recommend it to anyone who fancies one!

 

[flightliner]

What was it Martin Luther King said?, sorry, a silly thing to ask but with his words rolling around the back of my mind I headed across to a quite corner of a water with a few half decant Tench.
Family commitments had severely restrained my fishing for almost five weeks and it had been difficult to find the odd few hours for an opportunity to get out with the gear.
I was away by six and fishing a couple of hours later once the baiting up was completed and the rods carefully positioned and it was nice to just sit back and hope that tinca would oblige before the sun climbed too high to reduce my chances.
He missed his appointment, noon came and went and tho I saw a couple roll a few swims away from my pitch the indicators never moved.
I was confident that my end tackle was ok, in the correct position, bait--- popped up corn-- and choice of swim were correct but as the afternoon slowly approached my appointment with my own dietary requirements the little voice of uncertainty became louder by the minute----------- peeeeeep--------
I was in----- and not a minute too soon, it felt a hefty fish that gave several good runs as it approached the net but eventually it was netted and on the digital scales it went 7-10 exactly---- a good fish and one that was as so nice to see---- a last minute lifesaver !.
I had no time left and was away soon after.
Hopefully with the right conditions I'll be out on the tidal Trent with the stick float hemp n tares early next week,bait apron on looking like a throwback to the eighties, cant wait--- why ar'nt there nine days in a week, so much to do, so little time!.

 

[dorsetandchub]

Flight,

That's a really interesting observation you just raised there, bait aprons and the 1980s. I've tried everywhere to find a decent replacement but the modern ones are rubbish, open backed and made with inferior materials.

I do wish somebody would market a decent model. I'm getting close to designing and manufacturing my own, myself and I don't give a bu99er if I look like a Bake Off contestant. The boy ain't no stranger to cake, anyway!!

 

[peter crabtree]

Flight, are you entering your 7:10 tench in my challenge?

 

[flightliner]

D a c, I know exactly what you mean. I have two, the best by far is my dear old thirty plus year old Shimano apron thats in the "tabbard" style, it just wont wear out, a little cracking along the piped edging and a very sensible array of pockets n pult holder.
My other is less than ten months old which I bought when I was fishing my local river Don for greyling back early in the new year, its the black Daiwa job thats like tissue paper compared to my old one--- dont get me wrong but it does do what I want it to but if it lasts any more than a few seasons I will be a bit surprised.If I get out Trentside next week it'll be the shimano that I will take.I can only surmise that a better quality apron will appear if float fishing on rivers makes a strong comeback.
I hope you can find what you are looking for.

 

[tom_moran]

Flight, are you entering your 7:10 tench in my challenge?

He should do, that's a cracking tench!
I've got one more session left before the end of the month

 

[flightliner]

Flight, are you entering your 7:10 tench in my challenge?

Peter,tempting but I'm going to pass on this occasion, thanks for asking tho!.

 

[maggot_dangler]

Well my usual pool yesterday just trying all sorts of things out , Single grain of Strawberry sweetcorn out about 15 meters on a smallish peacock quill 1.0Gram .

Just sitting there not expecting anything much to happen as Everyone says sweetcorn dont work here yea right float dives huge splash of mud muck and twigs rod bent round and almost in the water just managed to get a foot on it in time anyhow the result was a Common Carp of around 7 pounds .

This was followed by what i was actually after Tench and Crucians so not a bad day all in all .


PG ..

 

[sam vimes]

Flight,

That's a really interesting observation you just raised there, bait aprons and the 1980s. I've tried everywhere to find a decent replacement but the modern ones are rubbish, open backed and made with inferior materials.

I do wish somebody would market a decent model. I'm getting close to designing and manufacturing my own, myself and I don't give a bu99er if I look like a Bake Off contestant. The boy ain't no stranger to cake, anyway!!

Still got an early nineties Shimano job that'll outlast me, but lack of use helps. I tend to prefer a simple maggot pouch. I doubt it could be replaced with anything approaching the same quality these days. However, there is one modern one out there that isn't backless. It's the Daiwa Supermatch Smock. I suspect calling it a smock limits the number of sales when people look for aprons. I suppose they call it a smock to differentiate between the backless apron.

 

[tigger]

Still got an early nineties Shimano job that'll outlast me, but lack of use helps. I tend to prefer a simple maggot pouch. I doubt it could be replaced with anything approaching the same quality these days. However, there is one modern one out there that isn't backless. It's the Daiwa Supermatch Smock. I suspect calling it a smock limits the number of sales when people look for aprons. I suppose they call it a smock to differentiate between the backless apron.

I have a serious dislike of those bait aprons, they're uncomfortable intrusive things that if you dare to wade into the river much above your knees give your maggots a good soaking allowing them to crawl up the pocket and drop off the edge to freedom or death by drowning. I'd rather use a bait pouch such as the ESP types than an apron, at least you can hang them over your neck or off your shoulder in deeper water.
Imo the best option is a cotton neck bag that dries out quickly after a dunking and the maggots can't do a great escape once dunked.
I always think those horrible old bait aprons where more of a match anglers contraption and obviously weren't designed for wading but more for standing in the margins maybe up to the top of a pair of wellies :w .

 

[binka]

I recently had to bin my old favourite bait apron, it was a plain green jobbie in substantial material without any big gold stars or thunderflash graphics, it had a split and lined main pocket and useful upper pockets in two rows for disgorgers, hooks, fags etc.

I bought it from Gerrys of Nottingham in the 90's so it's served me well and I suspect they had someone local making them so I might take a trip over there to see if they have anything equivalent.

Luckily I bought a cracker off of Ebay around a year ago but just can't get on with the dark grey colour.

Tart!

 

[flightliner]

Sam, thats the other smock that I bought early on this year. £7 from fishing republik.

 

[barbelboi]

Flight, are you entering your 7:10 tench in my challenge?

Shouldn't count - he was probably after snotties..................

 

[sam vimes]

Halkon Hunt do an apron. Should be able to get one made in pretty much any colour you like if you call them.