It was a stocky, deep and wide-bodied fish. I mentioned it to one of the bailiffs when he sold me my ticket, and he told me that the other bailiff had had the biggest tench out of the lake at just over 6lbs. So perhaps around that size. Certainly a step up on the odd 5lb fish I'd caught before. Lovely colour; I was already thinking what a great photo it was going to make ....
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
dorsetandchub
Well-known member
As a kid, did you ever play that game, Fortunately / Unfortunately? As an example, Unfortunately a man fell out of a plane, Fortunately he had a parachute, unfortunately it didn't open.....you know the one?
That was my day today. Fishing tomorrow but I wanted to get a pair of training shoes that I saw the other day so parked the car next to the River Yeo and walked along the riverside path towards Sherborne.
At the end of the river season, I'd fished the stretch a handful of times and caught only small fish but the local scuttlebutt was that there are some good chub in the stretch.
Anyway, got to Sports Direct to find their stock finished two sizes short of my feet so I ended up buying another pair. No great disaster but a minor disappointment.
After a big mug of Five Bucks' finest, I set out back along the river and stumbled across some old railway real estate on the river's edge and followed a path from the walkway through some thickish undergrowth to the river's edge to look at the foundations of an old railway building.
Looking down, I knew I'd just accidentally found the best, by far, swim on the stretch. It just screamed chub at me and, better still, I found a way to access it.
I simply cannot wait for June 16th now. It has so fired me up and instantly got me thinking about how I'm going to fish it.
I appreciate I haven't even been fishing today but does HDYGO have to involve catching or even trying? Surely accidental discoveries can be allowed a place in it too? Hope so anyway otherwise I might be in line for a Crabtree Bad Urban Exploration Award!!
That was my day today. Fishing tomorrow but I wanted to get a pair of training shoes that I saw the other day so parked the car next to the River Yeo and walked along the riverside path towards Sherborne.
At the end of the river season, I'd fished the stretch a handful of times and caught only small fish but the local scuttlebutt was that there are some good chub in the stretch.
Anyway, got to Sports Direct to find their stock finished two sizes short of my feet so I ended up buying another pair. No great disaster but a minor disappointment.
After a big mug of Five Bucks' finest, I set out back along the river and stumbled across some old railway real estate on the river's edge and followed a path from the walkway through some thickish undergrowth to the river's edge to look at the foundations of an old railway building.
Looking down, I knew I'd just accidentally found the best, by far, swim on the stretch. It just screamed chub at me and, better still, I found a way to access it.
I simply cannot wait for June 16th now. It has so fired me up and instantly got me thinking about how I'm going to fish it.
I appreciate I haven't even been fishing today but does HDYGO have to involve catching or even trying? Surely accidental discoveries can be allowed a place in it too? Hope so anyway otherwise I might be in line for a Crabtree Bad Urban Exploration Award!!
flightliner
Well-known member
A big surprise today when Swmbo told me I should go fishing, dont need telling twice and an hour later I,m almost ready with a rod set up on the nearest water I could get to.
quivertipped maggot in some five feet of water soon gave me a nice perch, not big but at a half pound or so ne need to complain.
Two more , much the same , all thin fish which had me thinking they had spawned but with the third one shedding milt then maybe not.
Noon came and with it three successive bites gave up three sizable bream, the first went 5.25 lbs and the other two were like peas in a pod . That was it! Nothing else but others seemed to struggle so I must have dropped on a few that were willing to feed.
Happy with the surprise outing however, definately a bonus day out.
quivertipped maggot in some five feet of water soon gave me a nice perch, not big but at a half pound or so ne need to complain.
Two more , much the same , all thin fish which had me thinking they had spawned but with the third one shedding milt then maybe not.
Noon came and with it three successive bites gave up three sizable bream, the first went 5.25 lbs and the other two were like peas in a pod . That was it! Nothing else but others seemed to struggle so I must have dropped on a few that were willing to feed.
Happy with the surprise outing however, definately a bonus day out.
seth49
Well-known member
Steady days fishing yesterday, started on the feeder, micro pellets and a little chocolate orange dumbbell, a few little taps but no proper bites, usually works but not today, changed over to my 13 ft korum power float rod,my old trudex centrepin and a small dibber float.
Fed a bit of hemp and micro pellets, fished 6 mm expander pellets,maggots, and strawberry flavoured sweet corn as hookbaits, caught small roach and skimmers on maggot,plus one lovely coloured Rudd about six oz, not much on the pellets today, started to get a few bream around two pounds or so, but none of the bigger bream in here, they go to seven pounds in here, finished with about fifteen bream, and a dozen or so small roach and skimmers,
Best fishing was in the morning, a cold wind got up later, and it quitened down after,bites were very delicate and missed a few,
Usual robin was with me all day after maggots, also saw a white throat, and a wood warbler, latter was good to see, I haven't seen many of these, also chiff chaffs ,willow warblers and swallows.nice to be out,looking more like spring now,needs to warm up though, but it's giving it colder next week, will have to see.
Fed a bit of hemp and micro pellets, fished 6 mm expander pellets,maggots, and strawberry flavoured sweet corn as hookbaits, caught small roach and skimmers on maggot,plus one lovely coloured Rudd about six oz, not much on the pellets today, started to get a few bream around two pounds or so, but none of the bigger bream in here, they go to seven pounds in here, finished with about fifteen bream, and a dozen or so small roach and skimmers,
Best fishing was in the morning, a cold wind got up later, and it quitened down after,bites were very delicate and missed a few,
Usual robin was with me all day after maggots, also saw a white throat, and a wood warbler, latter was good to see, I haven't seen many of these, also chiff chaffs ,willow warblers and swallows.nice to be out,looking more like spring now,needs to warm up though, but it's giving it colder next week, will have to see.
barbelboi
Well-known member
It was back for a stroll over the fields to the pond in the woods for, hopefully, some more crucians. I took a slight detour of half a field to check on the stream which, of course, is not a molten chocolate turbulence now like it was for the last three weeks of the season. The first pool looked quite inviting.
Anyway, back on course for the pond and set up in the swim I fished at the back end of last week when the crucians were most obliging. The morning started off quite sunny but quickly clouded over with a bit of a breeze picking up early afternoon – the method was a single red fished over hemp again. The fishing was quite patchy with around a dozen roach, a tiny tinca and just three crucians in the first couple of hours.
As the crues weren’t really up for it, it was plan ‘b’ for the roach. A grain of plastic hemp, fished on the shank of an ‘20’ with a few grains of hemp thrown in each cast produced lightning bites that I couldn’t hit so changed up to an ‘18’. Bingo, I was now hitting more than I was missing and had quite a hectic hour and a half until I decided for a calmer last half hour and went back to a red as bait. No more crucians, a few more roach and the first perch from this pond that was above finger size.
Fished from 10am-2.40pm and noticed that the 13 new born ducklings from last week have become 6 somewhat bigger ones.
Anyway, back on course for the pond and set up in the swim I fished at the back end of last week when the crucians were most obliging. The morning started off quite sunny but quickly clouded over with a bit of a breeze picking up early afternoon – the method was a single red fished over hemp again. The fishing was quite patchy with around a dozen roach, a tiny tinca and just three crucians in the first couple of hours.
As the crues weren’t really up for it, it was plan ‘b’ for the roach. A grain of plastic hemp, fished on the shank of an ‘20’ with a few grains of hemp thrown in each cast produced lightning bites that I couldn’t hit so changed up to an ‘18’. Bingo, I was now hitting more than I was missing and had quite a hectic hour and a half until I decided for a calmer last half hour and went back to a red as bait. No more crucians, a few more roach and the first perch from this pond that was above finger size.
Fished from 10am-2.40pm and noticed that the 13 new born ducklings from last week have become 6 somewhat bigger ones.
mikench
Well-known member
I had another plan! As Baldrick would have said"it was a cunning plan" for those pesky tench! I prepared several PGA bags containing a GB allegedly irrestible to tench, some maple peas, chick peas, cheddar cheese and the ubiquitous pellets.
You've guessed it,not a tench in sight It was another miserable cold and windy day. The dark clouds were full of foreboding but the rain held off just like the tench. It was really cold and all I had to show for my efforts was 5 bream
I did however practice my tackle set up and the preparation of pva bags. The fish were disinterested in all my techniques and baits except for simple 8mm pellets! I am learning but it is slow progress. There were about 15 other hopefuls pitting their wits against the fish and nobody caught either carp or tench just bream and roach!My tally at least bore comparison with my fellow anglers. It was a complete contrast to yesterday apart from the weather. Can I manage a fourth day on the trot! I doubt it
I prepared several PGA bags containing a GB allegedly irrestible to tench, some maple peas, chick peas, cheddar cheese and the ubiquitous pellets. You've guessed it,not a tench in sight
It was another miserable cold and windy day. The dark clouds were full of foreboding but the rain held off just like the tench. It was really cold and all I had to show for my efforts was 5 breamI did however practice my tackle set up and the preparation of pva bags. The fish were disinterested in all my techniques and baits except for simple 8mm pellets! I am learning but it is slow progress. There were about 15 other hopefuls pitting their wits against the fish and nobody caught either carp or tench just bream and roach!
My tally at least bore comparison with my fellow anglers. It was a complete contrast to yesterday apart from the weather. Can I manage a fourth day on the trot! I doubt it
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With a change of wind direction I thought the fish might be biting so a trip to the estate which had another angler already set up present for company, not a sight I've seen much of since joining the syndicate.
Had a nice sail away bite within thirty minutes, a nice tench to 3lb graced the net and gave me hope of a productive day. Wasn't to be though, struggled over the next few hours for a few bream and a solitary roach.
The other angler had packed up and gone home leaving me once again with the lake to myself. There is a downside, the grounds are open to visitors a few hours per week and as I was contemplating packing up when a group of about twenty pensioners toddled over and conversations ensued, usual stuff, what's in there? Have you caught anything? do you take them home?
Just as I was starting to wish that they would move on to look at the gardens my rod tip had dipped below the water, a very solid resistance and I soon realised I was connected to something larger than a tench. A ten minute battle commenced with an audiencemg: lots of oohs and aahs and what can it be, it's bending that mans rod right over. I then realised that I only had a small landing net set up, this could end up very embarrassing. With a stroke of very good fortune it was one of those fights that started off like Rambo but ended like a wimp and I was able somehow to shoehorn this beast into the net accompanied by a round of applause.
Not caught anything like this before, weighed a smidgen under 14lb, is it a Koi?
Had a nice sail away bite within thirty minutes, a nice tench to 3lb graced the net and gave me hope of a productive day. Wasn't to be though, struggled over the next few hours for a few bream and a solitary roach.
The other angler had packed up and gone home leaving me once again with the lake to myself. There is a downside, the grounds are open to visitors a few hours per week and as I was contemplating packing up when a group of about twenty pensioners toddled over and conversations ensued, usual stuff, what's in there? Have you caught anything? do you take them home?
Just as I was starting to wish that they would move on to look at the gardens my rod tip had dipped below the water, a very solid resistance and I soon realised I was connected to something larger than a tench. A ten minute battle commenced with an audience
mg: lots of oohs and aahs and what can it be, it's bending that mans rod right over. I then realised that I only had a small landing net set up, this could end up very embarrassing. With a stroke of very good fortune it was one of those fights that started off like Rambo but ended like a wimp and I was able somehow to shoehorn this beast into the net accompanied by a round of applause.Not caught anything like this before, weighed a smidgen under 14lb, is it a Koi?
mikench
Well-known member
I don't know but it looks like it has a black eye is it a hybrid of some kind?
is it a hybrid of some kind?Club lake for me today should of been working but fishing's more fun
Set up a carp rod with a tutti frutti boilie in the near margin then set up a method feeder on the feeder rod.
With a very slow start I started getting a few knocks on the tip then hooked into a decent bream which came off before I could net it, then I hooked into something which smashed the hooklink so new hooklink then caught a bream of about 3lb.
The carp rod was silent all day until the afternoon, it then sprung into life and resulted in a 10lb carp.
I had to get home for 5pm so I started to pack away the feeder rod, as I was taking the feeder off the line the alarm screamed on the carp rod so had to run to pick up the rod, at first it seemed like a smaller carp then it swam off and pulled line. After about 10 minutes I netted carp number 2 which went to 16lb
So it was a pretty decent day:w
Set up a carp rod with a tutti frutti boilie in the near margin then set up a method feeder on the feeder rod.
With a very slow start I started getting a few knocks on the tip then hooked into a decent bream which came off before I could net it, then I hooked into something which smashed the hooklink so new hooklink then caught a bream of about 3lb.
The carp rod was silent all day until the afternoon, it then sprung into life and resulted in a 10lb carp.
I had to get home for 5pm so I started to pack away the feeder rod, as I was taking the feeder off the line the alarm screamed on the carp rod so had to run to pick up the rod, at first it seemed like a smaller carp then it swam off and pulled line. After about 10 minutes I netted carp number 2 which went to 16lb
So it was a pretty decent day:w
dorsetandchub
Well-known member
I was really looking forward to today but have to admit the river season is still at the forefront of my thoughts - not that I'm wishing my life away but roll on June 16th.
After a good session last time out, I was packed and tooled up and ready to go, toute suite.
I arrived at the local Commercial and plonked myself on a swim I know fairly well with a lovely reed bed and island in front of me, easily reachable with 14.5m. The rig was a .50g Image float to 8lb main down to a Middy 14 to 6.1lb hooklength.
A selection of bait saw me kitted out with 6mm Skret pellets, 6mm bandem dumbells in pineapple and white chocolate flavours and 8mm cubed meat, plain and coconut covered.
I baited with Milky Bar band em and pushed the float out in conditions that gave me confidence, a little overcast but shirt sleeve warm. But - nothing. Couldn't beg, buy or steal a bite.
After half an hour, the desparation kicked in and I poured coffee and broke down to top four. Still nothing.
I was even contemplating buying maggots before the first hour was up. This was starting to hurt but, no, I dug in mentally and started to change things around. Keeping it simple, I merely changed to a cube of plain meat for starters and ta da, after ten minutes or so, the float dipped and a mirror of a whole 1lb came kicking, screaming and flipping to the net. Blank saved.
I stuck at it with the meat and over the next four hours scratched out a couple more small carp, a couple of tiny roach and a half pound skimmer and even managed a rudd of around 6oz.
This was really beginning to remind me of a trip out roughly this time last year. After a good session, the next one, in near identical conditions had me really fighting to rescue the day. It eventually finished with a prawn caught carp around five and a half which kicked me just into double figures. Could lightning strike twice?
I'd guess, roughly, at this point I'd have about five pounds to my name and I started hoping against hope. I slipped on a second cube of meat in the hope of one chance.
After about 45 minutes, the float dipped into solid resistance and a good stretch of elastic. I thanked the Heavens and played it very carefully. After a plodding, heavy fight I slipped the net under a scarred mirror circa 6lbs and felt absolutely delighted.
On a day that should have produced results, the fish had clammed up and I finished really believing I'd earned my double figure (just!) net.
As a last move, I looked down whilst putting things away and saw a juicy looking redworm which I snatched up and impaled and swung out on the top four whilst pouring the last of the coffee.
I had visions of a perch that Binks would be proud of and, when the float dipped, I jettisoned the coffee and struck - into a whole 3oz stripy which dislodged the worm. I did all that I could - I laughed.
I packed up, not disappointed but wondering why some days I win and some days they just don't turn up.
Last one for a fortnight and not the sort of session that would live long in the memory but can't win em all, can we?
After a good session last time out, I was packed and tooled up and ready to go, toute suite.
I arrived at the local Commercial and plonked myself on a swim I know fairly well with a lovely reed bed and island in front of me, easily reachable with 14.5m. The rig was a .50g Image float to 8lb main down to a Middy 14 to 6.1lb hooklength.
A selection of bait saw me kitted out with 6mm Skret pellets, 6mm bandem dumbells in pineapple and white chocolate flavours and 8mm cubed meat, plain and coconut covered.
I baited with Milky Bar band em and pushed the float out in conditions that gave me confidence, a little overcast but shirt sleeve warm. But - nothing. Couldn't beg, buy or steal a bite.
After half an hour, the desparation kicked in and I poured coffee and broke down to top four. Still nothing.
I was even contemplating buying maggots before the first hour was up. This was starting to hurt but, no, I dug in mentally and started to change things around. Keeping it simple, I merely changed to a cube of plain meat for starters and ta da, after ten minutes or so, the float dipped and a mirror of a whole 1lb came kicking, screaming and flipping to the net. Blank saved.
I stuck at it with the meat and over the next four hours scratched out a couple more small carp, a couple of tiny roach and a half pound skimmer and even managed a rudd of around 6oz.
This was really beginning to remind me of a trip out roughly this time last year. After a good session, the next one, in near identical conditions had me really fighting to rescue the day. It eventually finished with a prawn caught carp around five and a half which kicked me just into double figures. Could lightning strike twice?
I'd guess, roughly, at this point I'd have about five pounds to my name and I started hoping against hope. I slipped on a second cube of meat in the hope of one chance.
After about 45 minutes, the float dipped into solid resistance and a good stretch of elastic. I thanked the Heavens and played it very carefully. After a plodding, heavy fight I slipped the net under a scarred mirror circa 6lbs and felt absolutely delighted.
On a day that should have produced results, the fish had clammed up and I finished really believing I'd earned my double figure (just!) net.
As a last move, I looked down whilst putting things away and saw a juicy looking redworm which I snatched up and impaled and swung out on the top four whilst pouring the last of the coffee.
I had visions of a perch that Binks would be proud of and, when the float dipped, I jettisoned the coffee and struck - into a whole 3oz stripy which dislodged the worm. I did all that I could - I laughed.
I packed up, not disappointed but wondering why some days I win and some days they just don't turn up.
Last one for a fortnight and not the sort of session that would live long in the memory but can't win em all, can we?
Pete Shears
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A milder start this morning,showing 10C on the car dashboard - still only had skimmers on the feeders and small roach on float fished corn.The water still cold and still being run off to keep the GUC topped up.The osprey circled the reservoir twice before being mobbed by crows and flying away.The crows,about 14 of them,just down the bank were having a right ding dong - three times two of them were really fighting and tangled,fell into the water with rest spectating - 3 minutes later all was quiet and they had dispersed.
Still no more tench . . . . . .
Still no more tench . . . . . .
buick_toni
Well-known member
I had planned for the whole week to go open my season today, but it has snowed since last night... How convenient.
Well, we'll see if I get the inspiration to go. It's about "fishing fever vs. conditions" now. Fever is getting pretty bad though!
Well, we'll see if I get the inspiration to go. It's about "fishing fever vs. conditions" now. Fever is getting pretty bad though!
mikench
Well-known member
I was really looking forward to today but have to admit the river season is still at the forefront of my thoughts - not that I'm wishing my life away but roll on June 16th.
After a good session last time out, I was packed and tooled up and ready to go, toute suite.
I arrived at the local Commercial and plonked myself on a swim I know fairly well with a lovely reed bed and island in front of me, easily reachable with 14.5m. The rig was a .50g Image float to 8lb main down to a Middy 14 to 6.1lb hooklength.
A selection of bait saw me kitted out with 6mm Skret pellets, 6mm bandem dumbells in pineapple and white chocolate flavours and 8mm cubed meat, plain and coconut covered.
I baited with Milky Bar band em and pushed the float out in conditions that gave me confidence, a little overcast but shirt sleeve warm. But - nothing. Couldn't beg, buy or steal a bite.
After half an hour, the desparation kicked in and I poured coffee and broke down to top four. Still nothing.
I was even contemplating buying maggots before the first hour was up. This was starting to hurt but, no, I dug in mentally and started to change things around. Keeping it simple, I merely changed to a cube of plain meat for starters and ta da, after ten minutes or so, the float dipped and a mirror of a whole 1lb came kicking, screaming and flipping to the net. Blank saved.
I stuck at it with the meat and over the next four hours scratched out a couple more small carp, a couple of tiny roach and a half pound skimmer and even managed a rudd of around 6oz.
This was really beginning to remind me of a trip out roughly this time last year. After a good session, the next one, in near identical conditions had me really fighting to rescue the day. It eventually finished with a prawn caught carp around five and a half which kicked me just into double figures. Could lightning strike twice?
I'd guess, roughly, at this point I'd have about five pounds to my name and I started hoping against hope. I slipped on a second cube of meat in the hope of one chance.
After about 45 minutes, the float dipped into solid resistance and a good stretch of elastic. I thanked the Heavens and played it very carefully. After a plodding, heavy fight I slipped the net under a scarred mirror circa 6lbs and felt absolutely delighted.
On a day that should have produced results, the fish had clammed up and I finished really believing I'd earned my double figure (just!) net.
As a last move, I looked down whilst putting things away and saw a juicy looking redworm which I snatched up and impaled and swung out on the top four whilst pouring the last of the coffee.
I had visions of a perch that Binks would be proud of and, when the float dipped, I jettisoned the coffee and struck - into a whole 3oz stripy which dislodged the worm. I did all that I could - I laughed.
I packed up, not disappointed but wondering why some days I win and some days they just don't turn up.
Last one for a fortnight and not the sort of session that would live long in the memory but can't win em all, can we?
I echo your sentiments and feel comforted that I am not alone in feeling exasperated. Same peg, same conditions, same or similar bait but the fish decide not to bother! We cannot always win, I agree, but it would be nice to be seriously ahead on points:wh
A few hours on the local pond this morning after the tench. Had one bite on float fished Lobworm which resulted in a tench of about 3lb. I'm a bit miffed as the same pond fished really well at the same time last year with multiple fish in an evening session. I'm struggling for bites this year. Fishing eh.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
The GUC at Hemel is fast becoming my go to venue and today it fished its head off. It was bite a chuck on wagg and magg up the far shelf.
It was mainly roach with a few nice dace showing too. Also a chublet, some gudgeon and skimbobs...And before you ask if that blue rod was mine, it was not! It was my neighbours....
Fished in the mild sunny weather from 9:30 to 3:30 with a short break for lunch.
The fish didn't stop feeding around midday they just kept coming until I packed up....
It's a shame I can't fish here during the week as the parking is restricted, otherwise I'd be down every day....
It was mainly roach with a few nice dace showing too. Also a chublet, some gudgeon and skimbobs...And before you ask if that blue rod was mine, it was not! It was my neighbours....
Fished in the mild sunny weather from 9:30 to 3:30 with a short break for lunch.
The fish didn't stop feeding around midday they just kept coming until I packed up....
It's a shame I can't fish here during the week as the parking is restricted, otherwise I'd be down every day....
B
binka
Guest
Finally, after a run of three blanks on the bounce, I’ve caught a fish...
A few in fact!
The biggest surprise of the day was by far the weather, with the forecast reading heavy and overcast conditions coupled with temperatures in their low teens I fancied my chances but when the sun burned through late morning it was glorious and must have exceeded 20° judging by my face and arms.
Out the house very early this morning and I returned to the recce water which I visited a few weeks ago and had a bit more of a committed go at it, it was a case of travelling light as I planned to fish three swims for three to four hours each depending on results but I still took the pair of light Avons with the ‘pins.
The first swim came good just after 6am after I was getting repeated, tiny bobs on the float and a twitch or two of the worm on the drum of the reel confirmed my suspicions…
Not a problem though, it was a fish and a nicely marked one at that which had parked the idea of yet another blank.
I went on to take a couple of small perch from this swim but by 9am it had gone quiet and a cormorant surfacing right in front of me sounded the bell to move on.
Nothing at all from the second swim despite it looking a banker, two rods out with worm under bobbers with one tucked under an overhanging tree and the other at the bottom of a sheer slope from the bank into the water and so by midday I was on the move again.
I settled into my final swim of the day and plumbed around, choosing two lines again.
I hadn’t finished plumbing the second rod up when the float on the nearside rig just sailed away without warning and it was a target perch, not big at a pound or so but nice to think they are returning again after their nookie.
The same rig went again about an hour and a half later and I then enjoyed a flurry of nice perch topped by this handsome fella…
Didn’t weigh him but circa 2lb I reckon.
With the exception of the pike, all the fish throughout the day fell to the same rod with a slightly lighter set up but this has happened too many times with identical rigs to think that the lighter rig had anything to do with it.
I feel as though I’ve paid a bit of a price by staying on the perch recently when I do know better but the truth is I didn’t really fancy the alternatives so I've gone with the flow and still enjoyed it… :w
A few in fact!
The biggest surprise of the day was by far the weather, with the forecast reading heavy and overcast conditions coupled with temperatures in their low teens I fancied my chances but when the sun burned through late morning it was glorious and must have exceeded 20° judging by my face and arms.
Out the house very early this morning and I returned to the recce water which I visited a few weeks ago and had a bit more of a committed go at it, it was a case of travelling light as I planned to fish three swims for three to four hours each depending on results but I still took the pair of light Avons with the ‘pins.
The first swim came good just after 6am after I was getting repeated, tiny bobs on the float and a twitch or two of the worm on the drum of the reel confirmed my suspicions…
Not a problem though, it was a fish and a nicely marked one at that which had parked the idea of yet another blank.
I went on to take a couple of small perch from this swim but by 9am it had gone quiet and a cormorant surfacing right in front of me sounded the bell to move on.
Nothing at all from the second swim despite it looking a banker, two rods out with worm under bobbers with one tucked under an overhanging tree and the other at the bottom of a sheer slope from the bank into the water and so by midday I was on the move again.
I settled into my final swim of the day and plumbed around, choosing two lines again.
I hadn’t finished plumbing the second rod up when the float on the nearside rig just sailed away without warning and it was a target perch, not big at a pound or so but nice to think they are returning again after their nookie.
The same rig went again about an hour and a half later and I then enjoyed a flurry of nice perch topped by this handsome fella…
Didn’t weigh him but circa 2lb I reckon.
With the exception of the pike, all the fish throughout the day fell to the same rod with a slightly lighter set up but this has happened too many times with identical rigs to think that the lighter rig had anything to do with it.
I feel as though I’ve paid a bit of a price by staying on the perch recently when I do know better but the truth is I didn’t really fancy the alternatives so I've gone with the flow and still enjoyed it… :w
dorsetandchub
Well-known member
Loving those pics, Steve - straight out of the 1957 Mr Cholmondeley-Warner's Guide to Predator Fishing.
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Tee-Cee
Senior Member
Lovely marking on both fish, matched only by those on the floats!
Good stuff IMHO................
Good stuff IMHO................
Graham Elliott 1
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Well like Binks I'm a bit short of alternative options, so I ambled off to the Perch lake hoping they had spawned and were active. Mate Howard was planning to have a go as well and I was hoping he could catch a decent one.
I got there half hour early, and low and behold first cast a cracking 2.9 perch. No sooner had I slipped it back than H appeared! At least the pic was encouragement.
5 hours passed....brim brim roach hybrid rudd mini perch.....pretty much non stop. Then for me a carp around 12lb followed by a couple of smaller ones then a 13 and a 14 common.
At last H hooked something big. Such fun as he followed the fish back and forth around 50 yards each way for a good 15 minutes. Finally netting a 12lber. Such fun watching these centrepin guys.
Another couple of carp for me and another for H.
Baliff told me about the crucians in a couple of swims, reckons they go over 3. Never knew that. Logged.
I got there half hour early, and low and behold first cast a cracking 2.9 perch. No sooner had I slipped it back than H appeared! At least the pic was encouragement.
5 hours passed....brim brim roach hybrid rudd mini perch.....pretty much non stop. Then for me a carp around 12lb followed by a couple of smaller ones then a 13 and a 14 common.
At last H hooked something big. Such fun as he followed the fish back and forth around 50 yards each way for a good 15 minutes. Finally netting a 12lber. Such fun watching these centrepin guys.
Another couple of carp for me and another for H.
Baliff told me about the crucians in a couple of swims, reckons they go over 3. Never knew that. Logged.
maggot_dangler
Well-known member
Local canal this afternoon .
Terrible afternoon water was very clear wind blowing very sharp sum for the session 1 Perch and that almost did not make it just as i was about to remove it from the water a gull swooped in and grabbed it still with the hook in it's mouth rescued a much battered and scarred perch these gulls are becoming a pain all over now .
PG ...
Terrible afternoon water was very clear wind blowing very sharp sum for the session 1 Perch and that almost did not make it just as i was about to remove it from the water a gull swooped in and grabbed it still with the hook in it's mouth rescued a much battered and scarred perch these gulls are becoming a pain all over now .
PG ...