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Error...no, I was referring to my previous post. Having said that one or two of the bream were a bit heavier but naturally with a fraction of the fight.
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
Error...no, I was referring to my previous post. Having said that one or two of the bream were a bit heavier but naturally with a fraction of the fight.
Net ban lifted, I thought I'd go and check out the Deep Lake. 9 or 10 feet deep at 10m, it's ideal for pole fishing, but I've left the pole at home for a few months while the wrist tendonitis heals, and I decided to fish a method I “discovered” one day here when I forgot all my pole rigs. So out went a small pellet feeder on a home-made 9' wand with one of those weird dumbell baits on the hook, a metre down the slope from the nearby island.
The lake was looking good after 3 months absence
But after a biteless hour in a spot usually full of F1's and decent bream, I was getting ready to pack up and flee before the bailiff turned up. I could see the only other angler on the lake 50m away, and he'd had nothing, like me. As if by magic, the bailiff materialised, took my money and informed me it was dreadful, duck, had been all week.
With a £4 stake in proceedings, I resigned myself to staying for a while and tried casting to different points around the island, eventually finding a few of these ( and a curious thing: I netted the first bream and looked over at the other angler, who was netting his first bream...).
And two of these, this one being the larger
I wasn't really geared up for carp – bream and tench are the target here – and my hook had been opened out a bit and bent back. So I kicked myself when a third carp, pulling a fair bit harder than the previous two, sprang the hook when I tried to stop it going round the back of the island.
Still, nice to be back, and if the Deep Lake fishes as well this winter as it did last, I won't complain.
The lake was looking good after 3 months absence
But after a biteless hour in a spot usually full of F1's and decent bream, I was getting ready to pack up and flee before the bailiff turned up. I could see the only other angler on the lake 50m away, and he'd had nothing, like me. As if by magic, the bailiff materialised, took my money and informed me it was dreadful, duck, had been all week.
With a £4 stake in proceedings, I resigned myself to staying for a while and tried casting to different points around the island, eventually finding a few of these ( and a curious thing: I netted the first bream and looked over at the other angler, who was netting his first bream...).
And two of these, this one being the larger
I wasn't really geared up for carp – bream and tench are the target here – and my hook had been opened out a bit and bent back. So I kicked myself when a third carp, pulling a fair bit harder than the previous two, sprang the hook when I tried to stop it going round the back of the island.
Still, nice to be back, and if the Deep Lake fishes as well this winter as it did last, I won't complain.
steve2
Well-known member
Fished my first match for 2 years today most probably be my last for another 2 years. It was 4 hours of boredom followed by half an hour of fish. If it weren’t a match I would have gone home early. I stuck it out and ended up with 6 carp for 24lbs only needed another 100lbs to win.
Couldn't believe the amount of tackle some anglers take with them.
Couldn't believe the amount of tackle some anglers take with them.
mikench
Well-known member
......a PC good (amazing) Angling award!
flightliner
Well-known member
A split tide on the Trent today gave me loads of time to amble down there with time to spare after making up my stickfloat gear prior to it running back to sea, time I spent chatting to a really nice eighty one years young lifelong trent man .
My god he was like a spring chicken running up and down the steep banks. To be sure he put loads of younger guys to shame, I just hope I can do it when I get to the same age, remarkable fella !
Anyway it was time to get started at 12-45 so baiting with hemp n tares along with my attempts to put a few redfins in the net.
The first two hours was rock hard-- two fish-- that's when the doubts kick in but I had no other bait which I always do with tare, you just have to stick with it.
Things looked up a little around three ish when four or five nice roach succumbed to my net before a short lull in the proceedings.
Pushing the bottom number nine shot some twelve inches further from the hook to give the tare a more natural action below the surface seemed to do wonders as things went from fair to good inside a few minutes resulting in a lovely net of roach and a chunky dace that crashed the party before time and tide had me packing away at five pm.
There's a float only day match on Sunday and tho tempted I can't make the time , one day maybe?
My god he was like a spring chicken running up and down the steep banks. To be sure he put loads of younger guys to shame, I just hope I can do it when I get to the same age, remarkable fella !
Anyway it was time to get started at 12-45 so baiting with hemp n tares along with my attempts to put a few redfins in the net.
The first two hours was rock hard-- two fish-- that's when the doubts kick in but I had no other bait which I always do with tare, you just have to stick with it.
Things looked up a little around three ish when four or five nice roach succumbed to my net before a short lull in the proceedings.
Pushing the bottom number nine shot some twelve inches further from the hook to give the tare a more natural action below the surface seemed to do wonders as things went from fair to good inside a few minutes resulting in a lovely net of roach and a chunky dace that crashed the party before time and tide had me packing away at five pm.
There's a float only day match on Sunday and tho tempted I can't make the time , one day maybe?
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Hugh Bailey
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A day to forget for me. Had some free time and unused bait but no fishing car so had to walk to the Basingstoke Canal.
Nightmare. Plenty of fish – good quality roach one a chuck (and some bream ☹) but a constant stream of people – never fished it at this time but it was a disaster – dogs, bikes, pushchairs, people with nothing to do – it was like trying to fish in Trafalgar Square. I don’t get many chances to fish but when my wife phoned to say she could pick me up (after a couple of hours) I was packed up and ready in no time. You’d have needed a crowbar to have got me off the Wey yesterday.
Lesson learned ☹
Nightmare. Plenty of fish – good quality roach one a chuck (and some bream ☹) but a constant stream of people – never fished it at this time but it was a disaster – dogs, bikes, pushchairs, people with nothing to do – it was like trying to fish in Trafalgar Square. I don’t get many chances to fish but when my wife phoned to say she could pick me up (after a couple of hours) I was packed up and ready in no time. You’d have needed a crowbar to have got me off the Wey yesterday.
Lesson learned ☹
Didn't post my report for last weekend which saw me after roach on my local river. I visited a stretch that is good when there is a decent flow on and was disappointed to note that it was only just moving, and very clear. I chose a swim with a little extra depth, only 5 foot, and plenty of weed cover to hide in. The weed proved an issue once the fish started showing as anything that pulled back could dig down and switch the hook from their lip. I continued for a couple of hours catching enough fish to keep me entertained, and enough weed to begin clearing a narrow passage back to the bank.
I returned the following day with a 15' rod and a longer handled net. The rain we had had now seemed to have entered the river making it push through a little stronger. Enough for a small 3bb balsa shotted with bulk at half depth and about 18" of shot free hooklength to bounce a maggot along the bottom. After an hour of moderate returns I bit the bullet and made up some groundbait, dark(rarely use anything else nowadays) laced with a little hemp and caster. Had to wait an hour for it to do it's job but it helped to pin them down to the one spot I could effectively cover. Some good ones too. Pound roach are very beautiful and tho there are better from our little river these were specimens to me. Got extra bonus too in that the tiny chub perch and blades were cut out of the equation. Not a single pike attack either until I went to lift the keepnet and a jack charged at it.
Flush with confidence from that trip I visited a different river yesterday with a very similar set up. I've taken to only carrying the one rod lately to force me to work at what i'm doing rather than chopping and changing. It seems to be paying off. This time it was an all out bread attack. No fancy preparation just a slightly stale uncut loaf shoved into a bucket of water on the bank. Set up on same rod and a slightly slimmer tip balsa pacemaker. Remember them? Two handfuls of hemp left over from last weekend, and ponging nicely, went in, and I went for a wander. This is a narrow and shallow backwater that has a steady flow nearly all season and is stuffed with roach. Everywhere I looked I saw shoal after shoal of small fish along most of the 200m stretch. A solitary chub no more than a pound was the only fish evident other than roach. Fine by me.
Back at station the bread got roughly mashed by hand then dumped in the landing net to strain a bit. Once happy with it's consistency I flicked a small nugget downstream and punched out a bait from the fresh slice on my bait box lid. No tiny winter punch this. Instead a favourite old piece of metal pipe about 6mm wide that gives a decent portion of thick sliced toastie. First chuck in was a 4oz roach that's like as not never been caught before. Another nugget, another cast, another roach. I fished for 5 hours in the end and the rhythm barely changed. With, obviously, the need to retie hooklengths that I'd clumsily knotted up, or stuck in the tree behind me when I dropped one as I lifted it to hand. Always good to rest a swim anyway. Very good net by the end of my time there. My estimate was more 20lbs but no working scales with me to check that. Biggest roach was about 12 oz, most 2-4oz; some pristine river rudd and a single gudgeon made up the rest until a jack of about 5lbs nabbed a rudd. He ended up in the landing net too and I took that as a good cue to pack up and get some tea.
Cracking day. I will try to resist returning there tomorrow for fear of spoiling it. Beside those roach turn up like their on a conveyer belt whenever you've got time to line them up. Cherry on the cake is it's free fishing!
I returned the following day with a 15' rod and a longer handled net. The rain we had had now seemed to have entered the river making it push through a little stronger. Enough for a small 3bb balsa shotted with bulk at half depth and about 18" of shot free hooklength to bounce a maggot along the bottom. After an hour of moderate returns I bit the bullet and made up some groundbait, dark(rarely use anything else nowadays) laced with a little hemp and caster. Had to wait an hour for it to do it's job but it helped to pin them down to the one spot I could effectively cover. Some good ones too. Pound roach are very beautiful and tho there are better from our little river these were specimens to me. Got extra bonus too in that the tiny chub perch and blades were cut out of the equation. Not a single pike attack either until I went to lift the keepnet and a jack charged at it.
Flush with confidence from that trip I visited a different river yesterday with a very similar set up. I've taken to only carrying the one rod lately to force me to work at what i'm doing rather than chopping and changing. It seems to be paying off. This time it was an all out bread attack. No fancy preparation just a slightly stale uncut loaf shoved into a bucket of water on the bank. Set up on same rod and a slightly slimmer tip balsa pacemaker. Remember them? Two handfuls of hemp left over from last weekend, and ponging nicely, went in, and I went for a wander. This is a narrow and shallow backwater that has a steady flow nearly all season and is stuffed with roach. Everywhere I looked I saw shoal after shoal of small fish along most of the 200m stretch. A solitary chub no more than a pound was the only fish evident other than roach. Fine by me.
Back at station the bread got roughly mashed by hand then dumped in the landing net to strain a bit. Once happy with it's consistency I flicked a small nugget downstream and punched out a bait from the fresh slice on my bait box lid. No tiny winter punch this. Instead a favourite old piece of metal pipe about 6mm wide that gives a decent portion of thick sliced toastie. First chuck in was a 4oz roach that's like as not never been caught before. Another nugget, another cast, another roach. I fished for 5 hours in the end and the rhythm barely changed. With, obviously, the need to retie hooklengths that I'd clumsily knotted up, or stuck in the tree behind me when I dropped one as I lifted it to hand. Always good to rest a swim anyway. Very good net by the end of my time there. My estimate was more 20lbs but no working scales with me to check that. Biggest roach was about 12 oz, most 2-4oz; some pristine river rudd and a single gudgeon made up the rest until a jack of about 5lbs nabbed a rudd. He ended up in the landing net too and I took that as a good cue to pack up and get some tea.
Cracking day. I will try to resist returning there tomorrow for fear of spoiling it. Beside those roach turn up like their on a conveyer belt whenever you've got time to line them up. Cherry on the cake is it's free fishing!
flightliner
Well-known member
Great fishing there Rubio!!!
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
I might say the same about you, flightliner! A bag of beautiful, pristine roach to be proud of and caught on that top roach bait, tares....
Top fishing and well done!!
Nice pc, BTW..
Top fishing and well done!!
Nice pc, BTW..
no-one in particular
Well-known member
I fished that a few times near Weybridge, same problem, narrow path, walkers, bikes etc.. It got bad at one point, a kid on a tricycle collided with a woman on a bike and she fell off and landed in my maggots, well actually it was a high point, quite enjoyed it, posh sort, she wasn't very happy about the maggots.
The fishing was quite good, plenty of good roach and the odd bream but no room to set up and sit, had to sit at an angle.
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flightliner
Well-known member
Tee cee, thanks for the kind remarks.
In the main the Trent is still pretty much a neglected river when it comes to roach, mostly Barbel anglers in the main using two or three rods sat in bivvies which is fine but the real treasure (the roach) are still ignored by anglers.
I fish for them from time to time as I do most species, they were the fish I cut my teeth on as a lad and so I look forward to such outings with anticipation.
I have just joined a small club whose members seem to be like minded as they have float only matches, a rare Trent occasion where a few really good known anglers attend and do what they do best.
I may go down on one such occasion just for old times sake and join in for the craic .
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A very interesting couple of hours spent on the river earlier. Much talk about urban fishing with the FishingTV thread, today I saw the best and worst of urban fishing.
The bad.
Shopping trolleys and push bikes are a common occurrence in the river but a fully laden clothes horse? haven't a scooby how it arrived there, hasn't been any wind to speak of.
The good.
Arrived at the river the same time as another angler who I hadn't met before. Eric was primarily in search of pike but I noticed he also had a short lure rod as well his pike setup with dead bait already to go. We walked the bank together exchanging banter and it was soon evident that Eric was a very competent angler. We chose our first swims about 50 metres apart, I lobbed out a free lined lump of cheese and had an instant take and was immediately trying to extract a chub from the thick streamer weed. At the identical moment Eric had also struck into a chub, this time freelining a lump of crust on his lure rod. Both landed at the same time and the two of us grinning compared catches, mine went 3lb, Eric's just under 4lb.
Eric moved on and when I passed him some thirty minutes later he was engaged with a pike, possibly a double but it wasn't to be as it spat the dead bait out and motored off.
We went our seperate ways, Eric going upstream, me returning downstream and had a further chub of about 2lb. Was just thinking of calling it a day when I heard my name being shouted from some distance away, I looked up to see Eric frantically waving trying to grab my attention. Apon arrival I was greeted by a very happy angler, shaking with excitement as a pristine common lay in the net in front of him. I weighed it for him (7lb 8oz) took photos and helped him return the fish in a very tricky swim.
A tad envious but also felt immensely privileged to witness the first river carp I've ever seen caught. Wouldn't have batted an eyelid had it been a Stillwater, that's the beauty of the river and all within moments of a bustling city centre.
The bad.
Shopping trolleys and push bikes are a common occurrence in the river but a fully laden clothes horse?
haven't a scooby how it arrived there, hasn't been any wind to speak of.
The good.
Arrived at the river the same time as another angler who I hadn't met before. Eric was primarily in search of pike but I noticed he also had a short lure rod as well his pike setup with dead bait already to go. We walked the bank together exchanging banter and it was soon evident that Eric was a very competent angler. We chose our first swims about 50 metres apart, I lobbed out a free lined lump of cheese and had an instant take and was immediately trying to extract a chub from the thick streamer weed. At the identical moment Eric had also struck into a chub, this time freelining a lump of crust on his lure rod. Both landed at the same time and the two of us grinning compared catches, mine went 3lb, Eric's just under 4lb.
Eric moved on and when I passed him some thirty minutes later he was engaged with a pike, possibly a double but it wasn't to be as it spat the dead bait out and motored off.
We went our seperate ways, Eric going upstream, me returning downstream and had a further chub of about 2lb. Was just thinking of calling it a day when I heard my name being shouted from some distance away, I looked up to see Eric frantically waving trying to grab my attention. Apon arrival I was greeted by a very happy angler, shaking with excitement as a pristine common lay in the net in front of him. I weighed it for him (7lb 8oz) took photos and helped him return the fish in a very tricky swim.
A tad envious but also felt immensely privileged to witness the first river carp I've ever seen caught. Wouldn't have batted an eyelid had it been a Stillwater, that's the beauty of the river and all within moments of a bustling city centre.
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peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Fortunately the early morning showers which were forecast didn't materialise, it was cloudy and mild when I arrived at the GUC near Hemel this morning.
Colour and flow were also a welcome sight after yesterday's disappointing visit to the Thames.
Haven't had the pole out recently so it was nice to give it an airing. Set around 8m to fish the bottom of the far shelf with a 0:3gm float and a bulk shot arrangement to get it down quick in order to dodge the pesky bleak.
Still caught plenty of the little nuisances but when the single maggot did reach the depths it was mainly roach, albeit only small ones today.
Roll on winter....
Colour and flow were also a welcome sight after yesterday's disappointing visit to the Thames.
Haven't had the pole out recently so it was nice to give it an airing. Set around 8m to fish the bottom of the far shelf with a 0:3gm float and a bulk shot arrangement to get it down quick in order to dodge the pesky bleak.
Still caught plenty of the little nuisances but when the single maggot did reach the depths it was mainly roach, albeit only small ones today.
Roll on winter....
mikench
Well-known member
Pleasant afternoon on the large shallow Mere but nothing doing on the carp rod and apparently nobody had caught in two days. The bottom of the lake is sandy but apparently after heavy rains it silts up and becomes soft so all bait disappears in the mud . I noticed that on the retrieve the rod and reel felt heavy and I thought there was a problem with both rod and reel! Thank goodness there wasn't!
I fished a maggot feeder on the second rod and had 6 roach to 12 oz and a couple of skimmers. My maggots were insane! After the soaking on Wednesday I had dried and cleaned everything but forgot the maggots in their two containers which had been soaked. They were wet and the maize was horrible and the whole lot was bubbling and stinking! Despite washing them off the maggots were the most active maggots I have ever seen and constantly escaped from their container! I had to close the lid after every recast! I do not like maggots
Have parental duties to perform tomorrow as eldest daughter is visiting us and home made Sunday lunch is compulsory !!!
I fished a maggot feeder on the second rod and had 6 roach to 12 oz and a couple of skimmers. My maggots were insane! After the soaking on Wednesday I had dried and cleaned everything but forgot the maggots in their two containers which had been soaked. They were wet and the maize was horrible and the whole lot was bubbling and stinking!
Despite washing them off the maggots were the most active maggots I have ever seen and constantly escaped from their container! I had to close the lid after every recast! I do not like maggotsHave parental duties to perform tomorrow as eldest daughter is visiting us and home made Sunday lunch is compulsory !!!
edsurf
Well-known member
I give up it wont let me load my photos
B
binka
Guest
Well…
Following all of my recent (and prolonged!) unrest, today’s session on the river was very much designed to be 'the healer’ now that things are settling back down again and as far as relaxation goes it fulfilled its brief to the maximum.
A dawn start, a bucket of worms and, with a sheer drop to five feet straight off the bank with lots of bankside cover, a drop dead cert of a big perch swim…
The only problem was that the Mohicans hadn’t read the script, except for the hordes of marauding juveniles…
I persevered with it for a few hours in what seemed like perfect mild and dull conditions but the big lads were conspicuous by their absence, this being about the best out of scores of small fish whish snaffled a worm under a bobber…
After getting the feeling that it just wasn’t going to happen with the bigger specimens I decided to change to the shorter rod and maggot to see what else was around and the river was amass with silvers which consisted of chublets, the occasional gudgeon, small roach and even a rare, scarlet finned Trent rudd in addition to many plump and plentiful dace…
I’m quite happy with that, if the float went under once it went under a hundred times.
Next weekend sees the cream of FM’s North Yorkshire representation coming down for a much awaited annual session and there’s a definite feeling of ‘we’re back in business’ in the air… :w
Following all of my recent (and prolonged!) unrest, today’s session on the river was very much designed to be 'the healer’ now that things are settling back down again and as far as relaxation goes it fulfilled its brief to the maximum.
A dawn start, a bucket of worms and, with a sheer drop to five feet straight off the bank with lots of bankside cover, a drop dead cert of a big perch swim…
The only problem was that the Mohicans hadn’t read the script, except for the hordes of marauding juveniles…
I persevered with it for a few hours in what seemed like perfect mild and dull conditions but the big lads were conspicuous by their absence, this being about the best out of scores of small fish whish snaffled a worm under a bobber…
After getting the feeling that it just wasn’t going to happen with the bigger specimens I decided to change to the shorter rod and maggot to see what else was around and the river was amass with silvers which consisted of chublets, the occasional gudgeon, small roach and even a rare, scarlet finned Trent rudd in addition to many plump and plentiful dace…
I’m quite happy with that, if the float went under once it went under a hundred times.
Next weekend sees the cream of FM’s North Yorkshire representation coming down for a much awaited annual session and there’s a definite feeling of ‘we’re back in business’ in the air… :w
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The bad.
Shopping trolleys and push bikes are a common occurrence in the river but a fully laden clothes horse?
Maybe you should have asked Eric to wade in and remove the clothes horse as he was already wet from standing in the river whilst holding the carp
.A long session down the T&M canal.
Ledgered some fat worms, which got me a number of average sized perch and a couple of large slimy bream!
Got something large hooked up, pretty heavy, but snapped off before I could get it to the surface so god knows what it was. I was on pretty strong gear, so I suspect it may have been a zander and the line got cut, as there are [apparently] a lot of zander round that area.
Managed a lovely perch of just under 2 pounds, then it went dead for hours, too many boats I think.
Ended the day with a 4lb bream, which should please me but I hate bream, or rather I hate the mess they make of my landing net.
Nice day regardless, just got to decide where to fish tomorrow now
Ledgered some fat worms, which got me a number of average sized perch and a couple of large slimy bream!
Got something large hooked up, pretty heavy, but snapped off before I could get it to the surface so god knows what it was. I was on pretty strong gear, so I suspect it may have been a zander and the line got cut, as there are [apparently] a lot of zander round that area.
Managed a lovely perch of just under 2 pounds, then it went dead for hours, too many boats I think.
Ended the day with a 4lb bream, which should please me but I hate bream, or rather I hate the mess they make of my landing net.
Nice day regardless, just got to decide where to fish tomorrow now
mikench
Well-known member
Well…
Following all of my recent (and prolonged!) unrest, today’s session on the river was very much designed to be 'the healer’ now that things are settling back down again and as far as relaxation goes it fulfilled its brief to the maximum.
A dawn start, a bucket of worms and, with a sheer drop to five feet straight off the bank with lots of bankside cover, a drop dead cert of a big perch swim…
The only problem was that the Mohicans hadn’t read the script, except for the hordes of marauding juveniles…
I persevered with it for a few hours in what seemed like perfect mild and dull conditions but the big lads were conspicuous by their absence, this being about the best out of scores of small fish whish snaffled a worm under a bobber…
After getting the feeling that it just wasn’t going to happen with the bigger specimens I decided to change to the shorter rod and maggot to see what else was around and the river was amass with silvers which consisted of chublets, the occasional gudgeon, small roach and even a rare, scarlet finned Trent rudd in addition to many plump and plentiful dace…
I’m quite happy with that, if the float went under once it went under a hundred times.
Next weekend sees the cream of FM’s North Yorkshire representation coming down for a much awaited annual session and there’s a definite feeling of ‘we’re back in business’ in the air… :w
Who could that be?