Highs & Lows of your 2009

The Scarlet Maggot · Dec 26, 2009

The Years been real eye opener for me, I’ve moved over to the darker side of fishing after years of “martyr angling” highlights were the knotless knot and plastic maggot. I continued to catch a string of 3lb plus size large crucians, and some memorable tench late in to the year. I think I learnt more this year about fish behavior than I have for a very long time. One odd rather quirky kink I developed was when crucian fishing, targeting larger fish, I would only catch or get bites when I wasn’t holding the rod, maybe just coincidence I don’t know, yogurt pot telephone perhaps…

Lows, falling in, hasn’t happened in 30 years of fishing, nearly hung myself in the process, a Cotswold Aquarius stalking bucket actually saved me, and my camera, was quite horrific really, a desolate boat marina on a rainy day, a slippery moss covered little pier that unknowingly wasn’t tethered, I hoped on and Whoooosh…

How about your 2009?

/TRM

S-Kippy · Dec 26, 2009

Funny old year for me.Haven't fished anything like as much as usual.

High spots.Two memorable trips to Wales for sea trout and grayling. For once I actually acheived what I set out to do.Great company too...brilliant.

Low spot : For some reason the knack of catching barbel has deserted me completely. I used to be able to catch barbel from a damp cloth but no more.I'm really getting quite concerned about this.

Day Breamer · Dec 26, 2009

Highs: I broke my PB Bream after very much hard work.

Lows: I lost a very big Bream a few feet from the bank, 8 months later and it still hurts like hell.

Rickrod · Dec 26, 2009

No real highs for me this year.But one low.After reading a thread on fm i was determined to get to gripps with spinnerbaits.Had a few jacks and odd perch with them.Then what i thought was a jack spat the hook just in veiw for me to see it was a huge perch.Ive had them to 3lb7oz and this looked bigger.

Steve Spiller · Dec 26, 2009

Highs
Breaking my roach pb on several occasions, fished with Mike Townsend and it now stands at 1.13, which just pips my river pb of 1.12.

Equaling my barbel pb (11.10) for the third time.

Equalled my chub pb (6.02) with Andy Nellist. Learnt a hell of a lot from both Andy and Mike, for which I am very grateful.

Meeting Derek Gibson and his lovely family and learning how to lure fish properly.

Met some new faces from FM at Blenheim Palace and some more at the John Ledger Memorial.

Lows
Not getting my 2lber yet. When I thought I had a venue sussed, waited for the rain to come only to find it didn't do what I expected it to. That was a real low for me...

Seeing my Son get made redundant and splitting up with his partner and watching my Dads health going downhill. Very sad and painful times for all of my family, but there are loads of us so we all pull together.

On reflection it's been a fantastic fishing year for me, hope next year is the same. Looking at my post, it would seem that I am driven by numbers, in a way I suppose I am. But the friendships I've made whilst achieving those numbers mean the world to me. If it weren't for FM I wouldn't have made those friendships, so thank you FM...

slime monster · Dec 26, 2009

Highs without doubt the two FM fish ins I attended and meeting a lot of really nice people and making real friendships ,I managed a few decent Perch early in the season and the odd quality Roach but other than that it has been a truly unremarkable fishing year and due to the amount of rain we had here I have not had a single trip to any river.

Lows losing a frighteningly big Perch that grabbed a Roach and of course Maureen breaking her wrist Christmas eve which apart from everything else means I wont get out fishing this year but that can wait .

alan whittington · Dec 26, 2009

My season has been my worst in 25 years plus,i have not had a good bag on the river despite being on it most weeks,with many blanks,odd reasonable fish yes,but a consistant run of bites definitely not.

Fred Bonney · Dec 26, 2009

Not been in the right frame of mind this year, family illness(es) probably getting to me more than I think.

Had two fun days with FM boys at Blenheim and Clattercote, met a few more new faces. Missed a few too, at John Ledger's do.
Taking a 68 year old rookie out and getting him an 11lb pb barbel, only his
3rd uk barbel, he got his 2nd with me that day too.
I seem to have done that a few times, and all have beaten my pb.
May take up guiding, talk a better fish than catching!!:wh

Looking forward to some trips in 2010 to the Kennet and the Severn, when I get myself sorted.May even get across to the Upper Gt Ouse for some of them chub.

Also changing tack a bit away from the Trent, to tackle the smaller local ponds/ rivers/canals/drains for some roach, tench & perch.

peter crabtree · Dec 26, 2009

High points this year.........
Clattercote, met some faces.. and thoroughly enjoyed it. A new stillwater roach pb 1lb 10 from a commie match venue.. winning the first Tring ressie open back in april, and a write up in the angling times......... landing a 12lb carp from the colne on the pole........ errr

meeting up with amushroom on the tidal, prob the the years highlight day.

low points, none to do with fishing

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Dec 28, 2009

Highs,
Two Fm fish ins. No PB's this season, but plenty of fish. Helping a couple of friends get their first double figure Barbel, 14lb 12ozs and 13lb, the look on their faces said it all.

Lows,
Two family deaths, and following Spiders in a car, take it fom me, your better off with a women next to you gving you the wrong directions.

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Dec 29, 2009

Quality Fishing on the Dane early season. Discovering the Dove.

Brilliant companionship at PaSC days out, Press Manor, Blenheim, John Ledger day and through the forum as a whole.

Fishing regularly with Spiders (used notes only please Derek)

My lads doing OK in their chosen fields; even if it does mean one of them will be in California for at least 18 months. And the rest of my family being in good health from the 80+ crowd to the young uns!

Low points

This blooming pneumonia which has clobbered fishing in the last half of the year and shattered the career and bank balance! However I'm sure its going to create new opportunities......gentleman burglar perhaps?

So lets say a fond farewell to all that was good in 09 and cheer in the great things that will happen in 2010. :w:w

Peter Jacobs · Dec 29, 2009

Highs for 2009: every minute I spent with a fishing rod in my hands . .

Lows for 2009: all those times I couldn't fish!

Prospects for 2010 not too good with a new Project just started and only the weekends to fish.

Work really is the curse of the fishing classes!

Oh well, I am looking forward to the start of the new river trout season though, but don't think I'll get on the Avon after those Chubs and Roaches this week, which is a real downer.
And my local commercial is still iced over - great time to have 2 weeks off work eh?

slime monster · Dec 29, 2009

Yes Peter great indeed ,the cold weather eased a little here only to be replaced with northerly winds and lashing rain,what happened to autumn we just do not seem to get seasons anymore just one long miserable windy rainy cold stretch from october on ,Autumn and winter used to be my favourite time for fishing .....I must be going soft in my old age .

Sean Meeghan · Dec 29, 2009

A so-so year for me. No real fishy highlights, but some great FM socials.

Low points? None really, except that running my own company meas that I don't get out fishing as much as I'd like.

Morespiders · Dec 29, 2009

High Points, Getting a new set of scales, and catching a record tench and perch soon after, should have bought them years ago, the old ones weighed way overweight

Fishing with you lot

Fishing with Poshers and Elwin, Elwins not impressed with me though, buggered off to Indonesia

Low point, Keep meeting Ray Clarke
losing one of my new hooks on the Idle

Rickrod · Dec 29, 2009

Eddie nicked your hook

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Dec 29, 2009

hahaha, and we will meet again in 2010.

alan whittington · Dec 29, 2009

Go get him Ray.

Morespiders · Dec 29, 2009

Ray Daywalker Clarke said:
hahaha, and we will meet again in 2010.

No wonder I suffer from bad nerves
Ric, Eddie was to cold to nick anything

Highs & Lows of your 2009

The Scarlet Maggot

Well-known member

S-Kippy

Well-known member

Day Breamer

Well-known member

Rickrod

Well-known member

Steve Spiller

Well-known member

slime monster

Senior Member

alan whittington

Guest

Fred Bonney

Banned

peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

Ray Daywalker Clarke

Well-known member

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)

Moderator

Peter Jacobs

Moderator

slime monster

Senior Member

Sean Meeghan

Well-known member

Morespiders

Senior Member

Rickrod

Well-known member

Ray Daywalker Clarke

Well-known member

alan whittington

Guest

Morespiders

Senior Member