How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
My money is on TEAL as you said.
House prices are below the national average Kev.
A couple of years ago I drove over to Boston to pick up a pole. This summer I drove over to Gainsborough to pick up a seatbox part. Both times I had a strong feeling I'd stepped into a better world where things are much more laid back, having stayed to nose around a bit and find somewhere to eat.
Alan, don't take this wrong, but I'm reassured when you don't get x chub, y barbel, and z roach every time! I was getting an inferiority complex.
It was a better day for a walk around than for fishing.
John Aston
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2007
- Messages
- 929
- Reaction score
- 2,351
It's grim up north in winter if you like light lure fishing , as I do. Every time Robbie Northman posts another article about thumping great perch and big pike I become a little greener with envy. In my last six trips , to three different venues - river , small lake and canal - I have had one palm size perch, an even smaller pike , a common carp of about 6lbs I lost at the net (it took a paddletail jig) and two missed takes. It is soul destroyingly rubbish locally.
Why ? Well , when I started jigs 'n Neds n' dropshots in 2012 I think I was the only one doing it on my nearest canal. It's only about 2miles long but Id get between 2 -3 and 30 perch. If the numbers were small the perch were big and vice versa. I didn't see a soul lure fishing until three years ago . But last time I walked the canal I counted 8 lure anglers, most of whom were hurling huge lures around . I suspect most of the perch legged it back to the river or one of the two marinas . I used to see lots of fish activity - and now there's not even a sprinkle of fry being chased .
Stillwaters are as bad. I was lucky to be allowed to fish a small commercial with lures on quiet days - and I still can. There were never many perch but five years ago I might get up to 4 two pound plus fish a session . I think most have died off - last winter's total tally was a single two pound perch, sundry 'nuisance ' carp and ide .
My rivers are ok in summer -not good in the sense that some southern ones are (I grit my teeth when reading those reports in the press glibly saying 'We had a few two pounders before we got into the big perch ') but not bad. But Pennine spate rivers in winter are often unfishable and even when the levels are lower they are very hard - often deep , snaggy and with treacherous banks .
The odd time I've ventured onto the midland canals has been a revelation . Much easier to fish , miles and miles of water and obliging perch and zander. Trouble is , I adore fishing light lures but the end of my tether is in sight ... So it looks like grayling on Boxing day and roach tomorrow - and what a change it will be to go fishing expecting to catch and very, very rarely being disappointed .
If anybody knows of some hot perch action north of York do tell..
Why ? Well , when I started jigs 'n Neds n' dropshots in 2012 I think I was the only one doing it on my nearest canal. It's only about 2miles long but Id get between 2 -3 and 30 perch. If the numbers were small the perch were big and vice versa. I didn't see a soul lure fishing until three years ago . But last time I walked the canal I counted 8 lure anglers, most of whom were hurling huge lures around . I suspect most of the perch legged it back to the river or one of the two marinas . I used to see lots of fish activity - and now there's not even a sprinkle of fry being chased .
Stillwaters are as bad. I was lucky to be allowed to fish a small commercial with lures on quiet days - and I still can. There were never many perch but five years ago I might get up to 4 two pound plus fish a session . I think most have died off - last winter's total tally was a single two pound perch, sundry 'nuisance ' carp and ide .
My rivers are ok in summer -not good in the sense that some southern ones are (I grit my teeth when reading those reports in the press glibly saying 'We had a few two pounders before we got into the big perch ') but not bad. But Pennine spate rivers in winter are often unfishable and even when the levels are lower they are very hard - often deep , snaggy and with treacherous banks .
The odd time I've ventured onto the midland canals has been a revelation . Much easier to fish , miles and miles of water and obliging perch and zander. Trouble is , I adore fishing light lures but the end of my tether is in sight ... So it looks like grayling on Boxing day and roach tomorrow - and what a change it will be to go fishing expecting to catch and very, very rarely being disappointed .
If anybody knows of some hot perch action north of York do tell..
Hugh Bailey
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2005
- Messages
- 320
- Reaction score
- 222
Re. Kevs post (struggling to quote), ideally I’d like to live where Sam does (or maybe Grayson) but after my trip in the summer I’d really seriously consider Lincoln - really lovely place.
Pete Shears
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 871
- Reaction score
- 2,455
Second trip to the upper Soar this morning. Started trotting bread with no takers,switching over to the quivertip and crust saw two brown trout at 1lb 10oz and 13oz, the first bearing marks of otter attacks on three fins. Moving upstream saw another trout at 1lb 8oz landed along with two chub
1lb 15oz and 3lb 1oz ,losing another fish in the remains of a reed bed and missing another bite completely whilst watching a kingfisher.
Moving upstream again saw another chub of 2lb 1oz landed and a final fling trotting flake near the farm buildings had another fish fall off - again my fault not striking hard enough ,watching the kingfisher again.
Collected the turkey from the farm,that's it until next week with the enforced jollities over the weekend.
1lb 15oz and 3lb 1oz ,losing another fish in the remains of a reed bed and missing another bite completely whilst watching a kingfisher.
Moving upstream again saw another chub of 2lb 1oz landed and a final fling trotting flake near the farm buildings had another fish fall off - again my fault not striking hard enough ,watching the kingfisher again.
Collected the turkey from the farm,that's it until next week with the enforced jollities over the weekend.
Kev,I quite agree,but in the middle of Bedford where I fished today,it is full of roach,dace,bream,with a good spattering of perch,odd tench and carp,I didnt expect a netful but I expected a few more bites than the one I had,10 little roach wouldve been nice,I thought when I had my bite that they were going to start biting,lol,thats why its called fishing not catching...
wetthrough
Well-known member
Merry Christmas to everybody and I wish you all a Happy and healthy New Year.
Had a day at Dunham fisheries yesterday. I'd run out of credits on my club card but didn't fancy driving far or humping the gear for so thought it was worth it. As it turned out the nice lady wasn't charging. The one chance in the year she gets to get some money out of me and she throws a freebie
A bit on the cold side at 8am but tolerable as I'm well wrapped up and have both hand warmers with me. Hardly a breath of wind and a overcast, great for the waggler. Just two other anglers on but on the opposite side of the island out of sight.
I wasn't expecting great things given how cold it's been and I've fished it before in Winter and blanked. By 12 all I'd had was a small Roach from the margin to maggot fishing 2lb to 20s LWG and a half decent skimmer at mid depth in 4' around half way across. Both to maggot, couldn't get a look in on caster. It's not a good caster water so no surprise there.
Carried on struggling for bites until around 2pm when some Rudd woke up. Had around 7 and a couple more Roach, all quite small and another Skimmer around the same size all fishing mid depth.
Had a day at Dunham fisheries yesterday. I'd run out of credits on my club card but didn't fancy driving far or humping the gear for so thought it was worth it. As it turned out the nice lady wasn't charging. The one chance in the year she gets to get some money out of me and she throws a freebie
A bit on the cold side at 8am but tolerable as I'm well wrapped up and have both hand warmers with me. Hardly a breath of wind and a overcast, great for the waggler. Just two other anglers on but on the opposite side of the island out of sight.
I wasn't expecting great things given how cold it's been and I've fished it before in Winter and blanked. By 12 all I'd had was a small Roach from the margin to maggot fishing 2lb to 20s LWG and a half decent skimmer at mid depth in 4' around half way across. Both to maggot, couldn't get a look in on caster. It's not a good caster water so no surprise there.
Carried on struggling for bites until around 2pm when some Rudd woke up. Had around 7 and a couple more Roach, all quite small and another Skimmer around the same size all fishing mid depth.
Notts Michael.
Well-known member
Desperate to get out after a week of cabin fever, stuck indoors with a case of Man-Cold, and watching many many hours of Youtube fishing vids I felt up to a visit to a local club pond in the grey mist and drizzle, A couple of small roach and a perfect little (3lb ish) mirror carp in the chilly wind made my day!
Good for the soul after suffering too much TV and the same 4 walls.
passing the up and coloured small local river on the drive back makes me want to get out in the next couple of days with minimal baggage to try for a chub.
Good for the soul after suffering too much TV and the same 4 walls.
passing the up and coloured small local river on the drive back makes me want to get out in the next couple of days with minimal baggage to try for a chub.
With levels going up on the main rivers and spring time temperatures I decided it was time to explore a tiny back stream which is inches deep & you can jump across in places but can throw up some surprises at this time of year. Although its not far from civilization its a little oasis tucked away in thick woodland. Access is difficult and requires a jungle trek through mud and undergrowth.
I took the minimum of kit and the little 8 foot Darent Valley rod which is ideal here....
Starting at one end I worked my way down plopping a bait in any spot were I could poke a rod through, a feat in itself in some places. It was snag city so I was continually having to re-tackle , half a dozen times in the first hour which is tiresome but I plugged away.
Quite unusually for me I didnt fish over any bait, not even loose feed so just hookbaits. Some of the deeper bends were full of little fish & I was getting tugs and trembles as soon as the bait hit bottom. I knew if I fished maggots or bread I would catch dozens of them but I was specifically trying to avoid these & target the bigger ones.
The 1lb 12oz cracker..
By the time I had worked my way down the whole quarter of a mile or so streatch I had landed just 5 Roach but 3 of those where over a pound and the best an absolute cracker of 1lb 12oz , which was an amazing fish for such a small water.
These were the other two that went over a pound ...
Its surprising what can be hiding in tiny venues like this that many anglers pass by without a second glance, but your timing has to be right...
I took the minimum of kit and the little 8 foot Darent Valley rod which is ideal here....
Starting at one end I worked my way down plopping a bait in any spot were I could poke a rod through, a feat in itself in some places. It was snag city so I was continually having to re-tackle , half a dozen times in the first hour which is tiresome but I plugged away.
Quite unusually for me I didnt fish over any bait, not even loose feed so just hookbaits. Some of the deeper bends were full of little fish & I was getting tugs and trembles as soon as the bait hit bottom. I knew if I fished maggots or bread I would catch dozens of them but I was specifically trying to avoid these & target the bigger ones.
The 1lb 12oz cracker..
By the time I had worked my way down the whole quarter of a mile or so streatch I had landed just 5 Roach but 3 of those where over a pound and the best an absolute cracker of 1lb 12oz , which was an amazing fish for such a small water.
These were the other two that went over a pound ...
Its surprising what can be hiding in tiny venues like this that many anglers pass by without a second glance, but your timing has to be right...
Last edited:
xenon
Well-known member
Cracking roach Phillip-my favourite kind of venue/fishing.
Keith M
Well-known member
Lovely little stream. It’s surprising the fish you can catch in these small streams.
There’s a small stream that’s not far from me (below) that throws me up some very nice Roach plus a few small Barbel and Chub; and anglers usually just drive past on their way to other larger venues, not believing that such fish even swim in it.
Those Roach that you caught in your small stream are truly excellent. That’s top fishing?
Keith
There’s a small stream that’s not far from me (below) that throws me up some very nice Roach plus a few small Barbel and Chub; and anglers usually just drive past on their way to other larger venues, not believing that such fish even swim in it.
Those Roach that you caught in your small stream are truly excellent. That’s top fishing
?Keith
Last edited:
Clodhopper
Well-known member
" I knew if I fished maggots or bread I would catch dozens of them but I was specifically trying to avoid these & target the bigger ones"
I'll 'bite', Philip. What bait WERE you using?
Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk
I'll 'bite', Philip. What bait WERE you using?
Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk
It was a home made pellet. The key point being that I wanted it to be hard enough to withstand the attacks of the small ones while waiting for a bigger one to come along. The problem with bread or maggots is that they would be stripped in seconds.
Hard maize can do the same job as well.
Hard maize can do the same job as well.
Last edited:
mikench
Well-known member
Lovely fish Philip. That is the kind of water that would pass me by completely in that I would never see it or go looking for it. I accept I'm hopeless in my requirements. Bonne Année.
Pete Shears
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 871
- Reaction score
- 2,455
Spent the morning at the local canal feeder reservoir watching red kites quartering the fields on the opposite bank,buzzards trying to shake off crows,two flocks of lapwings, a kingfisher zooming back and forth whilst consuming turkey sandwiches and coffee - quite breezy but very mild, the only bugbear being working up a sweat carting all the deadbaiting gear back to the car.
Another glorious blank !
Another glorious blank !