How did you get on?

[nicepix]

Yer, trick of the light get's away with murder........................

You ought to see my fingers at the moment. I got a new batch of mole traps last week and I set about tuning them to make them more sensitive. Trouble is they are now like Arkwright's till

It's always the same for the first week or so then they settle down. In the meantime I've got scars and cuts all across the top knuckles on my right hand

 

[barbelboi]

You ought to see my fingers at the moment. I got a new batch of mole traps last week and I set about tuning them to make them more sensitive. Trouble is they are now like Arkwright's till

It's always the same for the first week or so then they settle down. In the meantime I've got scars and cuts all across the top knuckles on my right hand

Joking aside Clive, wouldn't it be easier to use something like Phostixin - or is it necessary to be chemical free?

 

[mick b]

You ought to see my fingers at the moment. I got a new batch of mole traps last week and I set about tuning them to make them more sensitive. Trouble is they are now like Arkwright's till

It's always the same for the first week or so then they settle down. In the meantime I've got scars and cuts all across the top knuckles on my right hand

Think yourself lucky your not having the same problems with a Fenn mg:

 

[greenie62]

Eventually - a Carp on the fly:

Last evening there were tons of midges on the water - A few fish started moving so I thought -
'perhaps tonight's the night' and setup the fly rod (Daiwa Whisker
AFTM5-7*) and tied a Cdc emerger pattern to a 4lb tippet on an Airflo
plaited leader - one of the stretchy ones - to act as a shock absorber -
lightly Ginked the body of the fly.
A few casts later the fly started to sink just under the surface film -
gave it a short draw - just to straighten the line - bang! Straight
down to the bottom - gave the rod a good bend - could feel it bumping
round the bottom - then it headed toward the middle - hung on tight just
giving it a bit of line at a time - it turned and charged for the reeds
- gave it a bit of side strain as I stripped in line as fast as poss -
turned it away from the reeds - came quietly up to the net - then dived
underneath it - spooked, took off for the middle again - gave it more
side strain - came round nicely so switched the side strain - then back
again to keep it out of the reeds - then off it goes again - repeats
this 4 or 5 times - I think it was getting bored / dizzy - next time
round guide it over the net and haul it up!
I thought it went 8-9lb but weighing it clocked just over 6lb - might have been a bit skinny post mating!

Once I had it in the sling - it woke up and tried to fight again - so
just took a quick snap and got it back in the water asap.​

 

[nicepix]

Joking aside Clive, wouldn't it be easier to use something like Phostixin - or is it necessary to be chemical free?

The people I deal with have usually tried all the alternative methods including poisons, gas, smoke and detonators with little or no success. Then they call me in and I sort their problem in three visits using traps

Mick, I have a couple of Mk. 4 Fenns that I use occasionally for pine martens that raid people's chicken runs. Unlike mole traps they have a safety catch so you can fine tune the trigger mechanism while the trap remains perfectly safe. I wouldn't like to get in the way of those jaws when they close.

 

[binka]

.............

 

[neil1970]

A 3 hr session yesterday, starting at 11am resulted in 3 tiny perch.

The biggest of the bunch.



1.5 hours today, upstream of where I've been fishing ended up with one bream that came off (looked about 3-4lbs)

 

[binka]

............

 

[greenie62]

A 3 hr session yesterday, starting at 11am resulted in 3 tiny perch.

The biggest of the bunch.

That's an enormous unhooking mat you've got there!

 

[Tee-Cee]

After reasonable success on the first two days of this week I went yesterday with an almost cocky attitude that suggested I would be equally successful. I'd even said to my nearest and dearest that 'I had the roach cracked' on this particular water and turning up was all I had to do....
Thank goodness I was bought down to earth with a bang (lest I should let this cockiness take hold) as, although I caught fish, I never did manage to 'get them going' over the 7 hours I spent trying !
I found the fish pernickety to say the least as the first three took flake but then stopped for an hour...They then decided hemp was the way to go and several more came over the net until this too was rejected as 'bait of the day' and they fancied a single grain of sweaty sweetcorn, or at least another two fish did.
It kept me busy without doubt but much time was spent waiting to see if another roach would be landed only to be disappointed as 30 mins slipped by without a result.......

In looking back I did notice that the early morning air temp was considerably lower than the previous two days and one could almost say it was chilly first thing so maybe this put them in a bad mood.
Either way it was an odd day but I went home happy in the thought that I had made an error of judgement in thinking the 'roach had been cracked' otherwise it may have become all too easy..............................

I shall go again on Monday with a clearer mind and expect nothing - by far the best way!!


ps I think I noticed a wry smile on my wife's face when relating a limited amount of detail of my day's frustration....

 

[barbelboi]

Up at silly o'clock again Tony? - of course it's bloody chilly.........................

 

[nicepix]

Up at silly o'clock again Tony? - of course it's bloody chilly.........................

Old people are like that. When I used to drive to work to start at 8am I would always see a group of twirlies queuing outside the post office and barbers.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Actually things are starting to turn for the worse now, with the loss of roughly a minute per day reduction of daylight now we're past the longest day......
I said to the missus Jerry has trouble with the cold, not to mention leaving his bed, and she said she has an old coat hanging in the shed just waiting to be used again plus a rarely used alarm clock for when folk come to stay.
I have no idea what she was talking about but she did mention 'men and mice' .......................I said I couldn't possibly comment as we are talking 'reputations' here............

I had thought one might be staying up too late watching the 'dodgy' channels on TV but again one needs to be careful...

Anyway, proper fishermen were about at 5am including an 84 year old who was fast into his first 6" roach just after 5.30am. We shared a cup of tea at six but didn't find it necessary to cuddle up for warmth !!!




ps Is the loss of light ' one minute per day '?? I seem to recall a weatherman saying this, but what do they know.

pps As a special treat I shall be 'laying-in' tomorrow morning as the wife and I are off to the smoke to see a museum and then to Jamie Olivers '15' restaurant for lunch as it is the wife's birthday and concessions must be made....No sweat as it's likely to be raining so fishing would have been a pain anyway...
Never let it be said that fishing is way of life for me...................................................





Meant to say; I'm not fishing today as I have washing and ironing to do and as you must know Jerry these things have to be fitted it eh??

 

[Peter Jacobs]

tomorrow morning as the wife and I are off to the smoke to see a museum and then to Jamie Olivers '15' restaurant for lunch as it is the wife's birthday and concessions must be made.

Good choice Tee-Cee.

If there for lunch, and if it is still on the menu then try the Potted SeaTrout starter and the Home-made Sausages with wild fennel for the main.

 

[barbelboi]

It won't be long before I also start getting up at first light Tony, the end of November at 7.45 I believe. At present it's just a matter of putting plenty of sun cream on before I leave the house after taking an early lunch....................

 

[Tee-Cee]

I shall give it a try Peter as both on the lunch menu...The really special outing is next Tuesday when we shall be going to the Manoir aux Quat'Sasions of Raymond Blanc off the M40 near Great Milton Oxon.
We have been before and it was an experience to remember.....I've been saving up ever since to go again !!
I've gone the whole hog and ordered a taxi both ways so we can enjoy the wonderful selection of wines available. We can't wait!!

It'll be banana sarnies for the following days fishing though...............

 

[barbelboi]

Hope you both have a great time Tony.

PS If you can get a doggie bag let us know next time you're at the farm pond...........

 

[neil1970]

I went out yesterday 9am-11am.

The most excitement/annoyance came when I was concentrating on the tip; a flick on the ear made me jump out of my seat.

It turned out the lovely wife was having a walk with her friend.

Brought me back to my school days

 

[barbelboi]

I went out yesterday 9am-11am.

The most excitement/annoyance came when I was concentrating on the tip; a flick on the ear made me jump out of my seat.

It turned out the lovely wife was having a walk with her friend.

Brought me back to my school days

Why's that, did your wife do that when you were at school..............

 

[neil1970]

Why's that, did your wife do that when you were at school..............

I wish, I'd have sorted myself out along time ago if that was the case!

I've just been indignantly informed that it was her mate doing the flicking