How did everyone get on then?

It's the old pincer movement once again gents and following on from Simon's "Anyone fishing this weekend?" thread how did everyone get on?

Was it a warm chair and a box of tissues as you spun that pin or did you get out, cover it in maggot goo and make the most of the rivers now that we're in to the closing couple of weeks of the season... or was it a stillwater venture for you?

I ventured out on to the Trent today to test the light spinning rod and jigs i've just brought and found the river perfect but the fish frustrating.

Managed a couple of follows and a take right below my feet from a nice double which had hit the jig on the previous cast and flanked right in front of me before making two attempts on the following cast, the latter of which connected for a few seconds before the jig pulled free but it at least put aside my fears that the rod wouldn't handle such a fish.

Decided to call it a day and have a couple of hours on a local lake on the way home and enjoyed some good action with the perch... very pleasing as it was my first foray into jig fishing and whilst no monsters some of the fish were very respectable and without a mark on 'em



So then, where did you all go... how did you all get on... ?

Quick 4hours at a local pond

Fishing was tough, but I managed a few roach and a perch of about 2lb

Thursday I fished the open at Stanborough lake Welwyn. A bitter north wind and bright sunshine. The skimmers were not happy and everyone struggled.
I had 1 bite in 6 hours, a small skimmer. I didn't hang around for the result but the weights were poor.
Today I fished at a commie in Essex. At least the cold wind had ceased but most pegs were iced over. Lots of splashing with ice breakers ( stealth not )
which wasted precious setting up time. At the all in I was still shotting the rigs I tied yesterday. Due to the ice I had to start at 9m and and caught some small roach. After an hour the sun came out and melted the ice, I could now get out to 14m. Had constant bites for the whole 5 hours, ended up with 22lb 11 of skimmers and some clonking roach, all on single red maggot over micros. Came 3rd in my section of 8, and 12th over all.
22 fished..

I had several hours trotting and managed I think 10 or 11 chubblies, nothing worth weighing but varying between 2 and 3lb.

What a change in the weather, a very pleasant sociable day, only one dropped run on my pike rods, my mate finished the day with half an hour floating crust in the remains of the reeds and had two, a 13-08 mirror and a lovely 15-08 common as the light went down.

Back home now with a glass of wine, smashing day.:w

Stu

Had a few hours on the Don on Saturday avo. Some young lad beat me to the swim I wanted so I ended up on the opposite bank. Fished with cheese paste for a couple of hours but blanked. Had what may have been a drop back bite but didn`t react quick enough. Wrapped up about 4pm and wandered down and had an hour or so spinning on the canal but again failed to catch. Nice to get out though.

I went on the River Anker for a few hours Saturday, but I joined those who were already there by not having a bite.
Whether there's still rubbish water going through the rivers at the moment as it seems to be the case with a lot of anglers struggling

I'm just about to set off. Got some mole traps set before breakfast, put the wood that had been delivered away, made the fire for little wife to light if she gets cold, washed the car and loaded it with tackle. Just waiting for lunch (we are one hour head of UK time).

The blustery SSE wind has arrived as promised to I might end up quiver tipping rather than the hoped for zoomer or swing tip approach. But, I'm hopeful that my Christmas present keepnet will get its first bream slime on it. Haven't had a keepnet in about thirty years.

On the Arrow, seemed much colder than Saturday, ledgered meat without a sniff of a bite but had a chublet and a couple of gudgeon trotting some maggots. Better than stopping at home and cutting the lawn

Blanked 2 days running on the Severn. Made a flying visit to the Avon on Sunday (probably drove past you IFNC) and had a couple of decent chub.

Also blanked. First time I haven't had a bite since coming to France. Wind was blustery and variable. Couldn't fish the place I wanted to so had to make do with a more sheltered swim. Never saw a fish. Brought the remains of Farmer John's Cattle Feed Groundbait back with me to bait up the River Vienne for a session on Thursday or Friday.

Arrived at the Wye Sunday morning -5 and put the kettle on and set up camp. Ventured up to the grayling run and trotted maggot for a couple of hours with no joy. Worked my way back down trotting the swims Id baited with mashed bread, still nothing. More tea and hot soup and off with the leger rod as the light was going. Out with a cube of garlic spam and as soon as it touched bottom the tip wrapped round catching me completely by surprise and I missed the only bite of the weekend. Gave up about 9 as the meat froze. This morning only -2 so confident of better things but no good so finished at seven and came home.