How did you get on?

[Philip]

HDYGO ? ….Badly is the response for the fishing however something worth mentioning…

I had a rare day free so shot off armed with a multitude of rods & tackle to try my luck. Three different venues tried but I drew a blank. However on arriving at my third venue around 4pm I suddenly realized I had left my net at the last place. It was a good quality net too, a Darent valley 3m handle and Large Korum folding spoon net head so a fair value but it was a 2 hour round trip to go back. I contemplated doing it but as I had left it on the ground on a canal towpath in full evidence to every passerby I suspected the chances of it still being there were small so swallowed my annoyance at my own stupidity & left it although it nagged away at me for the rest of the day.
Next morning I unintentionally woke around 5am & not able to go back to sleep I decided I would make the trip back to the canal and leave a note on a stick saying I had lost a net and with my phone number on the remote chance some kind soul may return it.
Jumping in the car an hour or so later I arrived at the canal …as I turned the car into the layby I noticed something on the ground …it was my net…still there and untouched.

To say I was rather surprised was an understatement. Although the area is very rural, it was very easy to spot & many people must have passed it during the day but clearly everyone who did realized it had been left by accident and had left it there for the angler to come back and collect.
I was quite moved by it and said a “thank you” out loud to the town. I know it sounds a little OTT but my confidence in people actually rose a notch as a result.

 

[peter crabtree]

11 codgers fished at Berkhamsted town centre yesterday, a bright and sunny day with a gentle breeze. A nice venue where it’s possible to fish the opposite bank to the busy towpath.
I set up 2 rods, one 17’ Aco with a light pole rig to hand and a 22 B511 hook for pinkie.
12’ microlight with 3BB Stillwater blue waggler to a 20 B511 for maggot/caster across by moorings.
Had to wait 2 hours for my first bite down the track, a skimmer which fell off at the net!
Soon after that I had short bursts of bites landing more small skimmers and the odd small perch.
During the last hour I fished the waggler and maggot across to a boat where I had been pinging maggots, taking a few more skimmers and some roach.
Weighed in 2:12:0 for 5th place.
Winner had 2 bream in the first hour on punch for 6:12:0.

 

[peter crabtree]

Just received this rare pic of me yesterday,

staring intently at my waggler across by the boat. Taken without my knowledge by Son of Meldrew.

 

[mikench]

Gordon and I went fishing today to a pool we know well and which usually obliges with one or more substantial bends in the rod.

This was my peg and one which rarely lets me down. Early on it was chilly in a cold wind. We both fished on the float and I had around a dozen small roach on maggot. Gordon caught more I think and a few roach were over 8oz. I managed 5 carp on robin red pellet which was the only bait that got bites. I had 4 Mirror between 5to 7lb and this common which nearly pulled my rod in. I was curious as to its weight but it was only 7lb. It looked and felt bigger.

I left Gordon in search of a bend in the rod around 3.30 as I needed to see my lawn man. It was an enjoyable day with very little rain and when the sun shone it was very pleasant. Thanks Gordon and let's hope Friday is better,

 

[john step]

Struggled today at the same place I had 8 carp yesterday. Similar weather but they just didnt want to know. I managed just one.
Its the sort of place that if you chuck a bit of bread out you get interest even if you cant hook one. Not today the water was dead even if I know in reality its fish soup.

 

[S-Kippy]

First trite trip of the year for me today. I chose trite because by now I’d have reckoned to have had 3 or 4 trips and spring trite fishing is one of my great pleasures. So.....Ho for Farmoor and a bit of buzzer fishing.

Slow start but once it warmed up a bit and the buzzers started to hatch things improved. It was never easy but once I’d worked out they were in the top 3-4 feet I was fairly confident of getting the odd fish. The method seemed to be buzzers fished as static as the stiff breeze would allow or to cover any fish that rose and twitch it away from him. That worked 3-4 times with Mr Trite absolutely nailing the top dropper fly....my favourite red head daiwl bach.

I had 12 trite in total....11 rainbows and a brown and they all fought like tigers. Best was about 4lb I guess. That’s not a bad day as I’d have taken half a dozen when I left home. Packed at 2pm because a dozen fish is quite enough and I didn’t want to spoil a good day. Hundreds of swift barrelling about all over the ressie and a cuckoo was calling from the woods on the Thames bank all day. Doesn’t get much better than that for me.

 

[Pete Shears]

A few more roach on float fished corn this morning t the local reservoir with only liners on the feeder rods. Only 'piked' the once without losing any tackle. Watched a crow struggling to gain height to mob a red kite as it was getting a bit near its nest. No rain,even better but still no tench but the warmer weather has brought the butterflies back - orange tips and brimstones. Still haven't heard a cuckoo.

 

[nottskev]

I tried the tench lake a couple of weeks ago. Sat for 3 hours without a bite. The sort of session that doesn't make you rush back. I turned up at 2.30 today and headed for the comfortable pegs with the flat bank. Only one chap there, but he'd had two bites in as many hours so I got back in the car and drove around to a deep corner which is a) a reliable early season swim b) the most awkward on the lake.

When you've lowered all your gear down the bank, the problems aren't over. Standing in the edge with my back to the water, I tried every which way to set my box up. On the bank? not enough room. In the water, similar - it drops off sharply. Two legs on the bank, two in the water? Can't level it, and I would be practically standing up. In the end, I took the back legs off, put the front legs in the water and set about tackling up without moving my feet.

It's also a bit of a parrot cage, with trees left, right and above, hanging down to the water 8m out, so you've no choice but to fish pole, and then you fish in dread of a hook pull as your float will definitely rocket into the branches. There's 8' of water 6m out, and I had two rigs in my box that I'd made for this swim two years ago, a .75g float, .14 line and an 18 Drennan Wide Gape Match with the barb squashed, and black hydro in the pole. A walnut of groundbait and a few maggots cupped in next to the trailing branches left and right, and I'm ready to start. Actually, I'm fit to drop. 20 years ago I'd have had a fag. Instead I had a flapjack and a sip of water. I've found that to catch on this peg you have to get right up against the trailing branches, so that involves (everything is awkward in this swim) putting on an extra section, pushing your float out past the branches, taking the section off and pulling your float back tight.

I sat back to wait. And 10 seconds later that very welcome harbinger of summer, the first tench was on its way in.

A few maggots and the odd little ball of groundbait kept bites coming. All the fish tried to get under the tree to my right, and I understood why when biggest, which pulled out a lot of elastic, snagged me up there and broke free. There's all sorts of debris and fallen branches in this corner, which faces into the wind, and something new has evidently lodged under the tree. It got to six o'clock, and a second fish had made it to the snag, so I called it a day with around 30 tench in the net, and started plotting how to get back to the surface.

I posted an extended moan on another thread today, about the loss of local waters to carp angling. On my way out I stopped to check that the sign was still in place

I forgive the bad spelling.

 

[Roger Johnson 2]

HDYGO ? ….Badly is the response for the fishing however something worth mentioning…

I had a rare day free so shot off armed with a multitude of rods & tackle to try my luck. Three different venues tried but I drew a blank. However on arriving at my third venue around 4pm I suddenly realized I had left my net at the last place. It was a good quality net too, a Darent valley 3m handle and Large Korum folding spoon net head so a fair value but it was a 2 hour round trip to go back. I contemplated doing it but as I had left it on the ground on a canal towpath in full evidence to every passerby I suspected the chances of it still being there were small so swallowed my annoyance at my own stupidity & left it although it nagged away at me for the rest of the day.
Next morning I unintentionally woke around 5am & not able to go back to sleep I decided I would make the trip back to the canal and leave a note on a stick saying I had lost a net and with my phone number on the remote chance some kind soul may return it.
Jumping in the car an hour or so later I arrived at the canal …as I turned the car into the layby I noticed something on the ground …it was my net…still there and untouched.

To say I was rather surprised was an understatement. Although the area is very rural, it was very easy to spot & many people must have passed it during the day but clearly everyone who did realized it had been left by accident and had left it there for the angler to come back and collect.
I was quite moved by it and said a “thank you” out loud to the town. I know it sounds a little OTT but my confidence in people actually rose a notch as a result.

I’m not surprised, Philip, there was an occasion when I left my debit card on the seat of my motorbike while I walked up a mountain to watch a cycle race, it was still there when I returned 6 hours and a lot of passerbys later. Life is different in (rural) France


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[108831]

Went yesterday,on a club pit i've never had a touch on,went hoping for tench,anyway,sat in a peg set back from the path and baited in the margin(8ft out),in 8ft of water,opting for a slider because of overhanging branches,anyway,it wasn't long before I had fizzing,with line bites occuring every chuck,then HE came,HE stood behind me(sorry in front of me)spooking anything out,it was no good saying anything he had done the damage by then,I never had a sign for three hours when bubbler arrived again,same line bites,then a carp angler(loose terminology)arrived and stood on tip toe to see if he could see what was bubbling,doh,the club has a rule not to walk around the waters if your not fishing,yeah right...time came to pack,it rained,God.... Got back to the car soaked,opened the gate gate to leave and noticed my new number plate that i purchased from Halfords(they fitted it)had one screw off and was hanging off,I tied it up with some 10lb line and set off,every route I took was chockablock with traffic,road works with traffic lights meaning a half hour journey became an hour one...Oh,and I blanked,lol!

 

[mikench]

Some very good posts there. Normality is returning as Kev is getting out fishing and posting. Long may it continue .


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[Peter Jacobs]

I had a couple of hours yesterday on a little private stretch of the Upper Hampshire Avon with a 3# Sage and Battenkill set up.

Managed to winkle out two small-ish brownies but it was just pleasant to be out in what little sunshine there was.

Nothing much in the way of a mayfly hatch (thankfully) . . . . and that part of the river looked really lovely if a little on the clear side. I did have a little bonus in seeing a little roe deer coming down to take drink while I was having a coffee from my flask.

I am not too fond of trout, in all honesty (unless it is smoked) but my old next door neighbour was very pleased to take them and assures me he is having them from breakfast today.

 

[John Aston]

Having moaned about a cold , dry April and a sodden May , yesterday was utterly perfect . My little river on the North York Moors was flowing hard , with a delightful chestnut tinge but as it carries little sediment , visibility was about 8 inches or so , and thus was eminently suitable for fly. I had a trout on my fourth cast, on a goldhead pheasant tail nymph on a klink and dink set up. I had last fished with a 14ft Acolyte Plus , and using a wisp of a 6ft#3 was a shock for the first few minutes .

The trout was the first of 19 , biggest about ten inches , over the next three hours and I also caught 7 grayling, mainly of 12oz-1lb but with two of about 1-8 each , which put a serious bend in the little Shakespeare. Now well mended after spawning early last month, so they were silver and solid .

We all have special places , and this is mine. I first fished here as a kid in the Sixties , splodging a worm . I returned in the early Nineties and will never leave .Every trip is a privilege . It is high up in the catchment, so spates and runs off fast , and as it runs over limestone the fly life is fantastic - contrary to the 'we're all doomed 'narrative beloved of some. True , fly life nationally has declined , but there are beacons of hope . (A large stonefly nymph is pictured below .)

I have fished for just about every UK species except catfish , with varying expertise and success, but the most satisfying fishing I do is to enjoy days like this . The technique is virtually impossible for a newcomer, but easy when you know how. Once casting is a formality , it is all about location and presentation . Unlike other fishing , you are on the move all the time and your best chance is always the first cast . It is totally immersive and mesmerising , and when you stop , eventually, for a late lunch you feel like you are waking up after a dream . Add in the smell of garlic and spearmint , the sound of rushing water and willow warblers, curlew , buzzards and new born lambs and it feels like heaven.

Enough lyricism already - here's some pictures.

And a few more - lovely, no ?

 

[Silure]

Yesterday had a couple of hours in the afternoon at my lake. The carp have been spawning and now seen very hungry. Also the roach and rudd very plump. It was a fish a cast at 11 metres. J

ust manages to get the car loaded up before the rain.

 

[wetthrough]

\not \much to sdd to mike's write uphttps://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/threads/how-did-you-get-on.350900/post-1567089. a most enjoyable dys ihing ThanksNKS \MIKE. \I CARRIED ON PICKING UP ROACH TO ABOU 5OZ+ DESPERATELY HOPING TO GET PROPER BEND IN THE ROD AFTER ONE IN THE MORNING SLIPPED THE HOOK. A MIRROR OF AROUND 5/6LB FINALLY TOOK A SINGLE CASTER AT 16:50. gvwe me bit of a run around and was a relief to see it in th net. packed up at about 16:15

 

[seth49]

Back to usual fishery yesterday, the attack of gout I’ve had all week has eased off enough for me to drive and walk short distances, usual sleeper rod in the margin and set up my pole for tench and silvers, did try raking the swim I lost the pole section in last week, but no joy.

Very quiet on the pole no tench, and just one small skimmer, nobody was catching much, but it does seem to fish better here in the afternoons, the carp were very cagey if they touched the line, they were off, with a swirl and bow wave, resorted to free lining a bait with a couple of shot up the line to pin it down out of the way, did get one run on the sleeper rod, which went in the bank side vegetation and cut me off.

Hooked another later which found a snag in the margin and did me, dropped my weed rake in and got hold of a large sunken log, which I removed with Micks help, a few had complained about this snag, it’s out now, that quitened things for a bit, but I did manage a nice chunky common later, nothing really worked for me and yet Mick had five carp a few swims away, and Neil had a couple as well, it’s just not happening yet for me. Should improve with the warmer weather I hope.

 

[chevin4]

Yesterday was a cool miserable day with the wind in the east but the fishing was decent. I went to my syndicate lake hoping for tench but had heard from a friendly dog walker that one of the members who had been fishing three nights a week had been catching plenty of sizable

Bream. I fished three rods at a range of 30yards the most successful method was either a Fox method feeder with a piece of artificial corn as bait or a Helicopter rig with a 12mm red fish meal boilie topped with a piece of artificial corn. I finished up with 2 x Tench between 4 and 5lb, and 4 x Bream between 7lb 15oz and 11lb 13oz. The cold rain in the afternoon did not deter the activity in the swim. The lake is starting to see the weed coming through now and before fishing I used a castable rake which I find are great for creating a channel between the weed beds and its surprising how much weed they shift after just a few casts.

 

[mikench]

Gordon and I set forth this morning for a days fishing and we decided to try the pegs on the opposite side of the natural spring snake lake for a change.

It was dry with little wind but still chilly in very overcast conditions. Gordon was delayed by having to return home for his rod- he didn't fancy using a feeder rod on the float. I caught about 30 small roach, Rudd and a few enormous gudgeon. I had one very decent roach around 12oz and 4 carp around 3lb. Gordon caught a similar number and I left him catching up for lost time. I'm sure he will have had a few more.

Some days just catching tiddlers with the odd decent bend in the rod is very satisfying and enjoyable. Today was one of those days. Cheers Gordon and remember those fish were down to my maggots. I bought mixed maggots for the first time and enjoyed making a cocktail of colours on the hook. It stayed fine and the nearest anglers were 100 yards away. A good day!

 

[john step]

Like Mike above I was satisfied with silvers today. Wag and Mag on a cold hard brick pit in a nithering Easterly wind. I had a dozen skimmers and about the same amount of perch and roach.
Bites were tiny and the only way was with a tiny piece of redworm accompanying a maggot. No worm, no bite.
Satisfying day on the Ultra and fine hooklengths for a change with no risk of a carp.

 

[Pete Shears]

A morning spent on the big reservoir in a brisk northerly. Set up the two method feeder rods and nearly two hours went before there was any sign of interest then had three skimmers around the pound mark before getting 'piked' again. That slowed the bites for a while but managed a roach of 1lb 10oz on the plastic corn. Had two real bream about 5lb each before heading for home. Plenty of swallows,swifts and martins over the water and spotted a kestrel on the pursuit of breakfast and a crow mobbing a buzzard and then a seagull had a go at both of them.