How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
Having not fished since the Monday before Christmas I was keen to get out on the banks last week. The mild weather had turned cold bright and frosty so I gave some thought of where to go. I decided to go pike fishing on my local lake. There was a cold NE wind so I decided to fish a bay with the wind at my back. Once the sun came up it was quite pleasant as the club has a two rod ruling I decided to fish a dead roach on a sunken paternoster and since I had an 13lb 8oz pike on an eel I elected to start with this on a float rig set up as a slider. I was in straight away on the eel the dish fought well and just made double figures at 10lb 3oz. About an hour later a 9lb 3oz which I thought might make double figures was caught on the roach. I had a jack of about 5lb and at 2.30 had one of 12lb 15oz also on an eel which gave a great account on the P1. Once the sun went down it got very cold and here in Hertfordshire we had the hardest frost of the winter the following night.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
After a few days of rain I was sure the river would be unfishable. But there was a swim with a back eddy that might hold the fish in high water conditions, as long as it was not over the lip of the bank.
I had recommended a rod to my fishing friend and when he said he would buy one I said "buy two". At under 60 euros each they sounded a bargain, and we could split the postage. So they arrived today and I love to Christen a new rod quickly, so we popped down the river for a couple of casts and then explore for some new swims.
Well, I set the rod up and it looked like it fitted the job I wanted it for, but I was not too sure of it coping with todays conditions. I cast out a feeder and boilie, within ten minutes the 3 ozs quiver tip was showing an interested fish. Finally the tip pulled down properly and I lifted into a decent fish. A good fight and the rod had the power low down. After a few minutes the fish was in the net, a very well conditioned barbel of 6 lbs.
Fishing buddy had not brought his rod but had brought a new (old school type) thermometer. Although overnight it had been -4c and afternoon temperature topped at 5c the river was showing 6c - must have been warm water coming out of the limestone of the high Causses.
Not too bad a temperature for early January, hopefully there will be more barbel in a few days. It's a good forecast now and the river should clear quite quickly.
Having properly tested the Daiwa Ninja X 3.3 m feeder rod I packed up. The sun had dropped behind the hill and the temperature plummeting with it!
We drove further along the river track looking for swims, this one was hidden in woodland........
Looks more like the Amazon in this photo!
No slack water here! and I doubt you would see the sun all day at this time of year! Maybe it will look better in the Spring, summer will be busy though as they may launch canoes here.
Very enjoyable two hours out of the house.
I had recommended a rod to my fishing friend and when he said he would buy one I said "buy two". At under 60 euros each they sounded a bargain, and we could split the postage. So they arrived today and I love to Christen a new rod quickly, so we popped down the river for a couple of casts and then explore for some new swims.
Well, I set the rod up and it looked like it fitted the job I wanted it for, but I was not too sure of it coping with todays conditions. I cast out a feeder and boilie, within ten minutes the 3 ozs quiver tip was showing an interested fish. Finally the tip pulled down properly and I lifted into a decent fish. A good fight and the rod had the power low down. After a few minutes the fish was in the net, a very well conditioned barbel of 6 lbs.
Fishing buddy had not brought his rod but had brought a new (old school type) thermometer. Although overnight it had been -4c and afternoon temperature topped at 5c the river was showing 6c - must have been warm water coming out of the limestone of the high Causses.
Not too bad a temperature for early January, hopefully there will be more barbel in a few days. It's a good forecast now and the river should clear quite quickly.
Having properly tested the Daiwa Ninja X 3.3 m feeder rod I packed up. The sun had dropped behind the hill and the temperature plummeting with it!
We drove further along the river track looking for swims, this one was hidden in woodland........
Looks more like the Amazon in this photo!
No slack water here! and I doubt you would see the sun all day at this time of year! Maybe it will look better in the Spring, summer will be busy though as they may launch canoes here.
Very enjoyable two hours out of the house.
Last edited:
seth49
Well-known member
First trip of the year today, not bad weather wise, no wind and 8 degrees C around lunch time, on the new fishery which two friends of ours fish, choice of two ponds and only four pounds a day, needed my heated waistcoat to be comfortable and it kept me warm all day.
It wasn’t too bad for the time of year had eight roach best about six ounces, and a twelve ounce perch, not one of the three pound plus perch which are in here but welcome enough.
It wasn’t too bad for the time of year had eight roach best about six ounces, and a twelve ounce perch, not one of the three pound plus perch which are in here but welcome enough.
A 2nd trip to the Fosdyke this week . Much better than Monday despite a severe overnight frost. 35 Roach ,silver bream, perch and a rudd.
Frequent pauses in the pole action when the pike tore up the swim.
I learned that one doesn't necessary need punch crumb to entice fish to the punch. It seems dark continental mix works OK.
Frequent pauses in the pole action when the pike tore up the swim.
I learned that one doesn't necessary need punch crumb to entice fish to the punch. It seems dark continental mix works OK.
Pete Shears
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 872
- Reaction score
- 2,459
Another deadbaiting trip to the local reservoir for pike this morning, -1.5C the car told me but was kept warm carrying the kit to my chosen peg.
Set up one rod with sprat, and a sardine split between the remaining two rods,most pleasant with a coffee watching the sky light up as dawn approached. A kingfisher flashed by before it was fully light,fish were topping everywhere.
Whilst chatting to a colleague ,who had just come out for a walk, the rod baited with sprat went ,the fish fell off, rebaiting about ten minutes later off it went again,the fish nipping the sprat off the single hook.
Casting out again with another sprat on the single hook resulted in a pike of 10lb 5oz in the net about twenty minutes later.
No action whatsoever on the sardines - watched a flock of lapwing circling the reservoir,a red kite over the fields opposite and a family group of long tailed t**s working the hedgerow.
Set up one rod with sprat, and a sardine split between the remaining two rods,most pleasant with a coffee watching the sky light up as dawn approached. A kingfisher flashed by before it was fully light,fish were topping everywhere.
Whilst chatting to a colleague ,who had just come out for a walk, the rod baited with sprat went ,the fish fell off, rebaiting about ten minutes later off it went again,the fish nipping the sprat off the single hook.
Casting out again with another sprat on the single hook resulted in a pike of 10lb 5oz in the net about twenty minutes later.
No action whatsoever on the sardines - watched a flock of lapwing circling the reservoir,a red kite over the fields opposite and a family group of long tailed t**s working the hedgerow.
seth49
Well-known member
Back on my usual fishery today, set my new tip rod with a bomb and a two ft hook length with three pieces of punched bread on the hair with a small disc of foam too pop it up of the bottom, placed to the side on an alarm while I fished my pole with maggot for the silvers.
Had one carp on the bread so christened my new rod, and had a mixed bag of roach, skimmers, perch gudgeon and one crucian on the pole, so not a bad day, I was glad of my heated waistcoat as the other three fishing were all complaining of being cold, think they will all be buying one of these.
Had one carp on the bread so christened my new rod, and had a mixed bag of roach, skimmers, perch gudgeon and one crucian on the pole, so not a bad day, I was glad of my heated waistcoat as the other three fishing were all complaining of being cold, think they will all be buying one of these.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Last night the temperature dropped to -4c and it was still -4c when I went to defrost the car at 11 am. But the forecast had said 8c for 2 pm and I had arranged to fish with Alistair on that basis. The sun is powerful here and we should feel its full warmth for about 3 hours - if I could find a swim facing it that had no cliff faces opposite! The sun would still be quite low and the cliffs on the south side of the river often a couple of hundred feet high. They cast a long shadow!
The first swim I took us to was still a bit frosty but the sun was steaming the earth. The river had vapour coming off turning the air quite milky in the sun. I hoped the barbel would be appreciating the rising temperature as much as us anglers.
My long range rod had a good bite after about 10 minutes, it felt like a bream and it came off half way in.
Next bite came on my new Daiwa Ninja X 3.3m rod. A nice barbel of over 4lbs.....
Then a 4lb chub on the same rod, it's getting to be a lucky rod! ......
Then Alistair had a barbel of about 5lbs. It went quiet for about an hour until my distance rod picked up a barbel of about the same size.....
The sun was dropping and the shadow from the hill opposite rapidly spread over us. The temperature that had been pleasant in the sun dropped rapidly, we decided to try another swim a few miles upriver. Cajarc would be warm for another hour.....
.....and the view made up for a fishless hour here, though I did miss one strong bite.
January and the river has been kind to us. No "winter blues" here! ?
PS for no unhooking mat, got left at home! The rotting weeds and silt made for a good surface, and I supported the net to keep some of the weight off the fish
The first swim I took us to was still a bit frosty but the sun was steaming the earth. The river had vapour coming off turning the air quite milky in the sun. I hoped the barbel would be appreciating the rising temperature as much as us anglers.
My long range rod had a good bite after about 10 minutes, it felt like a bream and it came off half way in.
Next bite came on my new Daiwa Ninja X 3.3m rod. A nice barbel of over 4lbs.....
Then a 4lb chub on the same rod, it's getting to be a lucky rod! ......
Then Alistair had a barbel of about 5lbs. It went quiet for about an hour until my distance rod picked up a barbel of about the same size.....
The sun was dropping and the shadow from the hill opposite rapidly spread over us. The temperature that had been pleasant in the sun dropped rapidly, we decided to try another swim a few miles upriver. Cajarc would be warm for another hour.....
.....and the view made up for a fishless hour here, though I did miss one strong bite.
January and the river has been kind to us. No "winter blues" here! ?
PS for no unhooking mat, got left at home! The rotting weeds and silt made for a good surface, and I supported the net to keep some of the weight off the fish
Last edited:
mikench
Well-known member
I'll bet Pete.??
My local small river has dropped back nicely having been up for a few weeks so I decided on a Chub session.
Took a 13ft float rod and maggot.
A bit damp and dank this morning but not too chilly.
It fished really well in the Autumn, producing good numbers of fish, but always seems to drop off once it gets into the new year, although the fish are generally better.
Well, they certainly weren't jumping on the bait, but steady feeding and persistence got me three fish, one about 2, one about 3 and a lovely deep fish which deserved a weigh and took the scales to 4 and a half.
Obviously it was in the most hairy swim I fished, hit and hold territory, with snags and willow all over the place, but a bit of luck and swearing got it in the net.
Took a 13ft float rod and maggot.
A bit damp and dank this morning but not too chilly.
It fished really well in the Autumn, producing good numbers of fish, but always seems to drop off once it gets into the new year, although the fish are generally better.
Well, they certainly weren't jumping on the bait, but steady feeding and persistence got me three fish, one about 2, one about 3 and a lovely deep fish which deserved a weigh and took the scales to 4 and a half.
Obviously it was in the most hairy swim I fished, hit and hold territory, with snags and willow all over the place, but a bit of luck and swearing got it in the net.
The BBC weather forecast was incorrect for Wednesday morning. There was a warning out for fog in the Hertfordshire area which didn't materialise there was absolutely no visibility problems driving. I decided to go pike fishing again on my local water the swim I choose was a narrow channel between an island it was around 70yards from the swim where I had 4 fish the previous week. The weather was again bright and sunny after a frosty start. After an hour I was away on the float fished eel after a very spirited scrap it turned out to be the same 10lb 3oz fish the previous week. This was followed later by a jack of around 6lb. I managed to break my scales so all in all was a disappointing day. After the repeat capture I will be fishing a more remote part of the lake next time.
Out again this morning on a bigger river. It can be tricky here as it tends to be too high to fish when it's carrying colour and by the time it's dropped enough it's very clear. Today it was something in between so I opted for a few swims on the inside of a big bend.
There are usually a few Swans here but today there were a lot, about 60 in fact, but luckily all out in the field.
Same tactics as yesterday and a similar result. 4 Chub between 2 and a half to just under 4.
Happy with that for a couple of hours on the bank.
There are usually a few Swans here but today there were a lot, about 60 in fact, but luckily all out in the field.
Same tactics as yesterday and a similar result. 4 Chub between 2 and a half to just under 4.
Happy with that for a couple of hours on the bank.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Fished 11:30 to 3:30 today on the river Colne in town. Maggot feeder and double maggot on a 16 hook.
Really quiet until 3:15 when my quiver tip (1:5oz) flew round. After a spirited tussle I landed this lovely chub ( seems to be chub, perch or bust at the moment ) . Luckily Neil 1970 ambled along with his dog and once again took the photos..
5:11:0 on the scales….Happy with that…
Neil‘s dog ( a Romanian rescue dog ) was fascinated and wouldn’t stop licking the fish? He’s just visible at the bottom of the pic…lol!
Really quiet until 3:15 when my quiver tip (1:5oz) flew round. After a spirited tussle I landed this lovely chub ( seems to be chub, perch or bust at the moment ) . Luckily Neil 1970 ambled along with his dog and once again took the photos..
5:11:0 on the scales….Happy with that…
Neil‘s dog ( a Romanian rescue dog ) was fascinated and wouldn’t stop licking the fish? He’s just visible at the bottom of the pic…lol!
Last edited:
mikench
Well-known member
Amen to that.??
no-one in particular
Well-known member
That's a great chub from a canal.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Read it again Mark? Lol..