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peter crabtree

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GUC Berkhamstead today for a mini match v son of Meldrew. Dark cloud, mild weather and a nicely coloured canal looked good for a few fish.
We decided on pole only for the 5 hr stint today to keep it fair.

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No interest whatsoever on the punch across by the boat which normally produces roach and skimmers so I cupped 3 small balls of dark groundbait down the middle and tried double pinkie, just dragging bottom in the tow. Bites immediately followed, gudgeon and small perch, SOM persisted with the punch long until I had a skimmer. Now trailing he changed rig and fished worm over chop knowing he needed a bonus fish or two to catch me up. He did hook one but lost it...later he landed his only fish of the day, a small perch.
I caught slowly but constantly on pinkie or red maggot, putting fish in the net for the remaining couple of hours, a bonus bream turned up too.

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...and yes, I am mr crabtree tonight...
 

Neil Maidment

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2017 has not been a good year as family bereavements were too common and at 64 :eek:mg: the realisation I am the oldest on my side of the family still alive and kicking was a bit of a shock. I reckon I deserve to be lucky :)

To be fair, I am lucky to have returned to Dorset and be in easy reach of what has always been my home river. In particular I've always had an affinity with Throop, it's where I mostly fished in my formative years having lived within walking distance. My family also has history down there dating back to the 1940's/1950's/1960's. Most of my uncles regularly fished there for decades and my late uncle Ron is credited with the 3rd heaviest salmon from the river at 40lbs 08oz. His ashes were scattered down there several years ago. :wh

Also to be fair the resident winter chub, particularly at Throop, are not the greatest of challenges once you've done your homework and applied the necessary lessons. That doesn't always mean piling in gallons of maggots, but that certainly can work. 4 pints is my maximum nowadays and was enough for two trips this week one of which was to a free stretch. A couple of Warburton's finest loaves regularly works its magic.

Despite cries of Otter destruction Throop and one or two other areas seem to be battling back. Other parts of the valley have been hit really hard. The chub population on Throop in particularly is big enough to sometimes make it a numbers game. Those numbers include a high proportion of 5's, excellent chances of a 6 and even something a bit bigger may turn up. They are indeed specimen chub and great fun on trotting gear.

This year in particularly I've had no interest in tough challenges in my fishing. Certainly since October(ish) I've just had a plan to put a bend in the rod. More specifically, catching with certain rods, reels, floats and stuff I've inherited. The Dorset Stour chub, barbel and roach have certainly obliged :)

If anyone fancies a trip in the New Year I'll happily try and help out, just contact me.

Oh! And the chub fishing will improve in January, February and March........:eek:
 

tigger

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2017 has not been a good year as family bereavements were too common and at 64 :eek:mg: the realisation I am the oldest on my side of the family still alive and kicking was a bit of a shock. I reckon I deserve to be lucky :)

To be fair, I am lucky to have returned to Dorset and be in easy reach of what has always been my home river. In particular I've always had an affinity with Throop, it's where I mostly fished in my formative years having lived within walking distance. My family also has history down there dating back to the 1940's/1950's/1960's. Most of my uncles regularly fished there for decades and my late uncle Ron is credited with the 3rd heaviest salmon from the river at 40lbs 08oz. His ashes were scattered down there several years ago. :wh

Also to be fair the resident winter chub, particularly at Throop, are not the greatest of challenges once you've done your homework and applied the necessary lessons. That doesn't always mean piling in gallons of maggots, but that certainly can work. 4 pints is my maximum nowadays and was enough for two trips this week one of which was to a free stretch. A couple of Warburton's finest loaves regularly works its magic.

Despite cries of Otter destruction Throop and one or two other areas seem to be battling back. Other parts of the valley have been hit really hard. The chub population on Throop in particularly is big enough to sometimes make it a numbers game. Those numbers include a high proportion of 5's, excellent chances of a 6 and even something a bit bigger may turn up. They are indeed specimen chub and great fun on trotting gear.

This year in particularly I've had no interest in tough challenges in my fishing. Certainly since October(ish) I've just had a plan to put a bend in the rod. More specifically, catching with certain rods, reels, floats and stuff I've inherited. The Dorset Stour chub, barbel and roach have certainly obliged :)

If anyone fancies a trip in the New Year I'll happily try and help out, just contact me.

Oh! And the chub fishing will improve in January, February and March........:eek:



That offer is very tempting!
 
B

binka

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I met this morning, for the very first time with one of our esteemed, at a Trent marina and it was none other than nottskev and about whom I would have to say that you could not wish to meet a nicer bloke!

The journey down the M1 was a bit grim though and a little like the weather really, a lengthy tailback eventually revealed an overturned car strewn across the opposite carriageways with a few not too minor bodywork modifications.

The extra generous start still ensured that we both met well before the planned 10am.

In terms of the fishing itself the conditions were perfect with mild temperatures, overcast skies and mist still hanging above the moored boats…

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We both settled in and went with contrasting approaches, Kev on the slider waggler to the middle of open water and me on my worm and bobber under the rod tip and the depths were good with nine to ten feet right up to the edge.

I decided to fish up to a large Dutch Barge which, combined with the depth and the cover, screamed a big perch…

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That was until the occupant appeared and told me there was no fishing up to moored boats as per a sign which, despite several attempts to find, didn’t exist :confused:

Still, I was biteless up until that point and a move to a few feet further along wasn’t a big deal, unlike the 57’ of steel narrowboat which moored up sock bang in front of Kev, effectively cutting off his direct area.

Not to worry…

We were eventually squeezed shoulder to shoulder but it was no bad thing as it saved having to shout to each other and it would be fair to say that we had around five and a half pounds between us.

In other words Kev’s waggler and caster had accounted for around five pounds of that!

I did manage a half decent stripey around mid-afternoon which I think would have managed 3/4lb along with a handful of roach and a skimmer but the big fellas never turned up, unless the string of bites which I missed around dusk, were the targets but it wasn’t without giving ‘em enough time on the big worm before striking.

A really enjoyable day in equally enjoyable company and a true gent to boot!

There is even a rumour circulating that one of us, on nothing more than light worm gear, banked a 20lb pike but I wasn’t holding the camera and I don’t have the image rights ;)

Many thanks Kev, i've really enjoyed the day and I’m looking forward to those urban Field Mill roach next… :w
 

mikench

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Sounds like Smashy and Nicey , sorry Steve and Kev had a good day !:rolleyes:

Should we all all plus Tigger take up Neil's invitation?:wh

Ps great photos by the way!
 
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mikench

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Hording for a while but planning a rationalisation at some point.
Will the rationalisation involve eBay or a more select and preferential gathering of those whom you earnestly desire regardless of cost will give your unwanted rods a jolly good home?
 

nottskev

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Off to a local marina today, to meet up with Steve (Binka). Would we solve the riddle – where do Trent fish hide in the winter? Well, we found the water at least, despite a misty start.

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We'd decided to set up in the most comfortable of pegs – south-east facing, level concrete, a wall keeping the breeze off behind and a big barge making a handy windbreak. I put up a little slider for roach, with 11' or so in front, while Steve assembled a tasty Hardy rod and pin combination with a beautiful miniature perch bob from his collection. I'd suggested he take the barge peg for its predator potential – which was working well until the occupant came out and objected, drawing our attention to an invisible notice. And then a huge barge materialised and moored immediately in front, leaving us to share the few feet of bank left.


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But we were undeterred. The day was as fine a winter day as you could wish for, and we managed to coax a few bites from roach, perch, dace, skimmers, ruffe and even a pike


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It was great to have Steve's company, and between the forum, all the local waters we were both familiar with, life and the universe, we weren't stuck for things to talk about. From our little space between barges we probably caught 7lb or so between us. If it hadn't got dark so early, we could probably still be there now, with as much as 10lb in the net!

Thanks, Steve – lovely day's fishing, and I'll look forward to the next time.
 

rubio

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Took the chance to wet a line yesterday at club lake. Quickly set up and fishing on the whip to the edge of the ice. Took 20 mins to get a bite, which of course was missed. Switched around with punch, maggot and caster for a selection of roach rudd and perch, all in the small category. I had hopes of a crucian to continue my 1 a month run. Sadly need another go for that.
Today a short trip to the river. Still little flow and a bit grey in colour. Needs a big wash out. For a change I wasn't fishing in isolation. Another was already set up at the end of the stretch , and yet another above us both on the mill pool. hard work for small rewards for all of us. For my part I took an hour to get a perch of about 8ozs. Then through a series of incompetent mishaps I failed to get a bait back in the water for 20 mins. When I did I snagged another branch which came halfway in; released, and sent the whole rig into the bushes behind me. ( Not for the last time either)
Eventually got a roach on bread, which turned out to be a rudd/roach hybrid on closer inspection. A few more hook ups on the bottom saw me reaching for another packet of hooks. I must have chosen a good 'un cos it held onto a decent chub, kept it safe levering it away from the dead weed stalks around the swim and into the net. I thought it would make 4lbs for sure so decided to weigh this one. In continuance of my shambolic performance so far I managed to lift it's head in just the perfect manner to ease it smoothly along the grass and slip elegantly and stately like a cruise liner into the margin and out of sight. There was time enough to try for more, but I used up most of that in another string of minor disasters before surrendering and headed for the car.
 

103841

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After a short lull in proceedings the HDYGO thread is coming towards the end of the year with some wonderful tales from the usual suspects, today's bulletins particularly good.:thumbs:
 

flightliner

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My evening out last week for a chub in the snow was something I had a yen to repeat in the hope that an even bigger one would seccumb to my liquidised bread and flake attack. The river was carrying a few inches of extra water and a little more flow and colour so I was in high hopes on arriving around noon in much higher temperatures than my previous visit.
A few minor changes to my end tackle included a slightly bigger hook and hooklength on account of the extra flow , that was it, other than two betalights on the rod top instead of the one and I was away.
I'd like to say that a hoped for daylight bite resulting in a fish transpired but sadly it did'nt but a flash of blue from a kingfisher skimming low and downstream is always a pleasant thing to witness.
Almost dusk and two fish , exactly the same as last week rolled just a few yards above me so once again my hopes were raised the same as last week.
Darkness finally descended and an hour in I was thinking It may have been an idea to have included a little of my liquid cheese flavour that I bought but never used in 1990 from ---- was it Kent or Ashford angling centre, I forget but by about now it must be about as high as it can get but too late anyway.
I soldiered on and another highlight , well six actually was a superb sighting of a shooting star that if I had my trajectory right and it was big enough should have destroyed either Barnsley or Wakefield but there was nothing on the news to that effect this morning.
The other five were all satalites in orbit during a relatively short spell when the night sky was clear of clouds.
I was reluctant to leave but I reckoned any effort would have produced a chub by that time , maybe it was snow melt 'oer in Derbyshire that killed it but I still enjoyed it and made the most of my evening.
 

103841

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Since moving to Whitstable I've ignored a water that is just a five minute drive from my front door, the Seasalter drain that runs through the salt marsh. Did have a couple of tentative dangles catching a few small Rudd some time ago but haven't returned since.

With another day of fine weather I had a couple of hours to myself so headed down with nothing more than my lure rod. A pleasant ramble along the drain that sadly wasn't interrupted with even the suggestion of a take. The scenery and bird life made it a worthwhile trip high I must repeat more often.

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Literally on the other side of the road is the coastline and I must have a go with my lures one day when the tide is just right.

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With er indoors still incapacitated with one arm in a cast I I'll have a busy couple of days cooking, washing AND drying up:( looking after the old folk.

Better get one more quick session in tomorrow whilst the madness of last minute Christmas shopping is happening all around me.
 

sam vimes

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Another couple of hours in the same place as yesterday. I had dumped a bit of old bait in the swim at end of play yesterday. I wasn't entirely sure whether it might have killed the swim stone dead, but I know I haven't been putting much bait in recently, and I doubt anyone else will have been.

Things started rather positively with a grayling on the first run through. Shortly after I had a trout from a long way down the run that made a valiant effort to trash the whole swim by breaching every few yards as I brought it upstream. Eventually, I managed another trout which was slightly better behaved. The final fish of the session was an even bigger, and even more acrobatic, trout. Sadly, only the last fish was free of some kind of predator damage.

Will the rationalisation involve eBay or a more select and preferential gathering of those whom you earnestly desire regardless of cost will give your unwanted rods a jolly good home?

I've not thought about it that much yet. However, I've got no green rods with castles.
 
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nottskev

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It's 10.00 on December 22nd and you're pondering the big question over coffee and croissants. Christmas shopping or fishing?

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Exactly. I got to the old lake at about 11.00. I had a bit of bait left over from yesterday's outing; using that up was clearly the right thing to do. There were two other anglers on the lake. One, the bailiff told me, had had two tench! The lake was frozen over on Tuesday. I set up in a favourite peg with the usual approach, pole at 10 m, one spot left, one right, fed differently to see which they preferred. Neither, apparently, and nothing much happened between 11.30 and 1.30. At which point, as if a switch had been thrown, the float started to dip and a few roach fed. There are some good roach in the lake and a couple turned up


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But today they were generally smaller, not to say fewer, with the odd perch and a single carp joining in. The last hour of daylight would probably have been the best, but all three of us on the lake, with an eye on the ring-road traffic, on a day when more people were shopping than fishing, were packing up by 3pm.

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Still, I've had worse days, and you can't complain when it's 9 degrees C a couple of days before Christmas.
 

Another Dave

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Off for beers with my (non angling)mate today. Twenty minute walk to the other side of town, but i knew it was right near a river. Couldn't resist taking my pound shop telescopic and a plastic curly tailed grub on a jig, what harm could there be in giving it 5 minutes.

Met my mate at the little weirpool, 4 minutes later i had a perch which i'm calling a pound, an official personal best. Pics are here:

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Five minutes later and we're in the club having a pint. Had everyone talking fishing, which must have bored my mate silly. One guy had tales of stunning pike by divebombing them from a tree as a lad, another had been taken under Bob Nudd's wing as a youngster.
 
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