First session of the season today on my local river, albeit only a short one. I headed onto the Calder with my mate Martin unsure of what to expect, it looked good if not a little low but word from the guys fishing yesterday was it was hard going.
I arrived a while before Martin and jumped into a favourite spot, a nice deep glide off the point of an island. Trotting maggots I expected some quick action but I was rather surprised when after 15 minutes I had not had a bite, clearly for some reason the fish were not in residence so I waded out across the shallows to trot another couple of deeper runs between gravel beds for the same result.
Martin arrived and we headed up into the weir pool run off to trot the pools and runs that are dotted about. With a couple of anglers already fishing the largest of the pools we were forced to explore some of the smaller ones, Martin dropped into one he has had good results from before and I settled for what is probably the smallest not expecting a deal from it. However I was soon into a procession of small chub and the odd dace. I had soon caught most of its residents and possibly spooked the rest so I moved onto the next pool, by this time Martin was catching quite a few fish in his pool. My next choice turned out to be a lot shallower and just a few minnows fell to my trotted maggots.
As I waded towards Martin I came across a long run that was much deeper, 4ft deep in fact and ran for quite a way so I stopped short of his position and set about feeding some maggots. Soon enough a steady stream of small chub plus odd dace and roach came before I hooked my first decent fish of the day, a chub of just over a pound. I then had a hand full of cracking Calder roach up to around 12oz before the rod hooped over, the fish put up a good scrap diving back into the fast water at the head of the pool before gliding into my hand. Trout number one was soon released and I was back into the smaller chub and roach.
After what was probably an hour or so the fish got bigger, roach to almost a pound, chub and trout to two or a good sized dace came on just about every trot. Each time I looked over my shoulder Martin was into a fish too and from what I could see his were of equal size. But alas, as expected fishing such short runs sport dried up so we did a lap of the entire weir pool picking the odd small fish up here and there before Martin had to head off home.
I made my way back to the cars with him for some refreshments before heading back into the pools, the only one I had not fished so far was the one Martin had been in so I decided to give it a go now that it had had a rest. A few small fish came right away but lots of missed bites prompted me to try a caster Martin had left me. First run through the float buried and the rod hooped over, the biggest chub of the day at around 2lb slid into my waiting hand. I had 6 or 7 of these better sized fish mixed in with a few smaller ones over the next half hour before it died.
Almost time to head home my self I decided to drop back into the run I had caught well from, the fish were there but now very cagey with bits coming well down the run. I moved down a little way to make controlling the float easier but I was now almost on top of the fish. A few more small chub and dace were landed but bites were rapid and hard to hit, Each time I fed some bait I watched the fish drift back down the pool and onto the shallows below as if spooked by it so with that I called it a day. I recon I had well over 30lb of prime silver fish with 3 trout chucked in for good measure, and all in less than four hours. Cracking fishing, although I'll be happier when the fish spread out a bit and move out of the weir allowing chance to stay in one swim and build it up.
Monday, 17 June 2013
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Old skool vs new skool
I took the opportunity to have a bit of a change with the seasons tench fishing this week, due largely to the opening up of a very old, very mature overgrown pool offering the chance of catching virgin tench on the float. This pool is connected to a historic tench water that is no longer accessible and contains the same original strain tench which have been supplemented with a few extras from the main lake. There are also a few odd small carp and silver fish but the bulk of the stock is made up of quality tench which are rumoured to hit 8lb.
Tactics for the day were to be a mix of modern and traditional, one rod fished with a bolt rigged maggot feeder on an alarm to one side and float fishing the other. Now despite owning my first centre pin for a good couple of years I have only used it for trotting on the rivers and not managed anything significant to give me a good pull so I was hoping today would change that. And for a bit of nostalgia I had also rigged up with a proper goose quill float to fish lift style.
Setting off at 3.30am saw me arrive lake side at not much after 4, two guys were already there so I left a good gap between us and dropped into the next but one swim along. My plan had been to fish both rods but on looking around the lake I just couldn't bring my self to launch feeders when it looked so promising for float fishing. But after fishing close in by the reeds with not a sign, even a fizz from the tench I decided(or should I say the fish decided for me) that the feeder had better go out into the jacuzzi like activity that was going on in the middle of the pool.
The second rod had been out about 20 minutes when the alarm signalled a bite and tench number one was soon in the net, a scrappy male around 3lbs. Then over the next hour or so I lost one to a hook pull and one just fell off as I picked the rod up on a screaming run. The activity died down a little and things went quiet for an hour or so and the float also remained still. I had decided against putting any ground bait in as these fish are not used to anglers baits so I stuck to feeding maggots, casters and hemp over the float and just maggots in the feeder.
Around 7am I had two more screaming runs on the feeder and again lost them both, one of which felt a good fish and I was now cursing my look or rather the hooks! I use very few barbless hooks as most places I fish do not insist on them but this pool does. Been short of time last week meant I could not get to the only shop in the area that sells the hooks I use(korum expert in case you are wandering, also available in barbless), so I had opted for another pattern from my local. Clearly they are rubbish and will be going in the bin.
By 8am things were looking grim, I had still not had a bite on the float down the margins and the feeder line seemed to have gone quiet too so on with plan B. I had brought along some of my CSK ground bait I have been testing and decided to mix some up and put 3 tangerine sized balls over the area I had been float fishing, By now I had also changed the hook on my feeder rod to another pattern but I only had quite large ones with me. To get around the problem I threaded a fake maggot up the shank of a size 10 drennan super specialist hook and added 2 real ones and tbh it didn't look too bad and the fake maggot took the weight out of the hook anyway.
Around 9am with the sun rising fast and the wind dropping less than an hour after introducing the ground bait a patch of tiny bubbles appeared in the swim so I promptly wound in and put on a fresh bait, it had not been in the water 5 minutes when the float buried and I missed it! I re-cast and what happened next was like something out of Mr Crabtree goes fishing and is in fact, despite all my years fishing and catching a few on the lift method the first time it has happened to me. I was watching the quill float along side the reeds when a patch of tiny bubbles appeared around it, the float shook slightly before dipping, then rising slightly a couple of times. It almost disappeared under the surface before it sat upright, half out of the water at 45 degrees before shooting under. The strike was met with the sound of not a screaming clutch, but a screaming ratchet. Proper old skool magic.
As I was returning that 4 pounder the feeder rod screamed off again, this time though the new hook held and another stunning looking 4lb plus fish lay on the mat. I got both rods sorted and cast out and within not ten minutes the same thing happened again on the float rod. This time though the fish put up a more substantial fight, the feeling on the pin very different to what I am used to. I managed to keep it out of the reeds either side and luckily as it took a dive for the near bank it went straight in the waiting net. Not quite 6 I would say be well over 5, turned out to be the best of the day and I'm not 100% but I think it was a male too.
Despite more bubbles coming up on the float line I had no more action, the sun was getting hotter and by 10.30 I was starting to think about packing up when the alarm on the other rod screamed into life once more, again though the new hook held firm and another 5 pounder landed on the mat. That though was the end of the action and I packed up at 11 as the pool had gone flat calm and the fish had stopped fizzing.
Tactics for the day were to be a mix of modern and traditional, one rod fished with a bolt rigged maggot feeder on an alarm to one side and float fishing the other. Now despite owning my first centre pin for a good couple of years I have only used it for trotting on the rivers and not managed anything significant to give me a good pull so I was hoping today would change that. And for a bit of nostalgia I had also rigged up with a proper goose quill float to fish lift style.
Setting off at 3.30am saw me arrive lake side at not much after 4, two guys were already there so I left a good gap between us and dropped into the next but one swim along. My plan had been to fish both rods but on looking around the lake I just couldn't bring my self to launch feeders when it looked so promising for float fishing. But after fishing close in by the reeds with not a sign, even a fizz from the tench I decided(or should I say the fish decided for me) that the feeder had better go out into the jacuzzi like activity that was going on in the middle of the pool.
The second rod had been out about 20 minutes when the alarm signalled a bite and tench number one was soon in the net, a scrappy male around 3lbs. Then over the next hour or so I lost one to a hook pull and one just fell off as I picked the rod up on a screaming run. The activity died down a little and things went quiet for an hour or so and the float also remained still. I had decided against putting any ground bait in as these fish are not used to anglers baits so I stuck to feeding maggots, casters and hemp over the float and just maggots in the feeder.
Around 7am I had two more screaming runs on the feeder and again lost them both, one of which felt a good fish and I was now cursing my look or rather the hooks! I use very few barbless hooks as most places I fish do not insist on them but this pool does. Been short of time last week meant I could not get to the only shop in the area that sells the hooks I use(korum expert in case you are wandering, also available in barbless), so I had opted for another pattern from my local. Clearly they are rubbish and will be going in the bin.
By 8am things were looking grim, I had still not had a bite on the float down the margins and the feeder line seemed to have gone quiet too so on with plan B. I had brought along some of my CSK ground bait I have been testing and decided to mix some up and put 3 tangerine sized balls over the area I had been float fishing, By now I had also changed the hook on my feeder rod to another pattern but I only had quite large ones with me. To get around the problem I threaded a fake maggot up the shank of a size 10 drennan super specialist hook and added 2 real ones and tbh it didn't look too bad and the fake maggot took the weight out of the hook anyway.
Around 9am with the sun rising fast and the wind dropping less than an hour after introducing the ground bait a patch of tiny bubbles appeared in the swim so I promptly wound in and put on a fresh bait, it had not been in the water 5 minutes when the float buried and I missed it! I re-cast and what happened next was like something out of Mr Crabtree goes fishing and is in fact, despite all my years fishing and catching a few on the lift method the first time it has happened to me. I was watching the quill float along side the reeds when a patch of tiny bubbles appeared around it, the float shook slightly before dipping, then rising slightly a couple of times. It almost disappeared under the surface before it sat upright, half out of the water at 45 degrees before shooting under. The strike was met with the sound of not a screaming clutch, but a screaming ratchet. Proper old skool magic.
As I was returning that 4 pounder the feeder rod screamed off again, this time though the new hook held and another stunning looking 4lb plus fish lay on the mat. I got both rods sorted and cast out and within not ten minutes the same thing happened again on the float rod. This time though the fish put up a more substantial fight, the feeling on the pin very different to what I am used to. I managed to keep it out of the reeds either side and luckily as it took a dive for the near bank it went straight in the waiting net. Not quite 6 I would say be well over 5, turned out to be the best of the day and I'm not 100% but I think it was a male too.
Despite more bubbles coming up on the float line I had no more action, the sun was getting hotter and by 10.30 I was starting to think about packing up when the alarm on the other rod screamed into life once more, again though the new hook held firm and another 5 pounder landed on the mat. That though was the end of the action and I packed up at 11 as the pool had gone flat calm and the fish had stopped fizzing.
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Estate lake bliss
Most of my friends and followers know only too well how much of a dislike I have for holes in the ground stuff to the brim with fish. I much prefer old, mature natural waters over any carp puddle. Quality makes up for the lack of quantity on these places. Four fish today may seem like a bad day to most anglers but these fish are stunning, wild and showing their true colours. Not dulled in anyway by spending their lives in muddy murky water been over fed on commercial pellets, they fight like stink too. No doubt shocked by what is happening and the fact they are not heavily fished for.
Then there is the scenery, not a paving flag or scaffolding pole in sight. Real natural banks unspoiled by man other than well worn patches of grass marking the best spots flanked by beds of reeds. The sun was just starting to rise as I was setting up this morning and over the next hour or so I was treated to a stunning display as the breeze blew the morning mist from the water and the sun started to break through. Then out of the mist came a train of swans, the parents proudly escorting their nine young around the lake. Once the mist cleared it was a lovely warm clear morning and the whole area was alive with nature.
For one reason or another the fishing was slow going today, I had started by casting half a dozen feeders to my spots and then spodding some loose particles over the top. Hooks were baited with the ever faithful combo of real and fake maggots and both rods were out ready and waiting by not much after 4am. It was well after 7am when I received my first take, 3 fake casters D-rigged on a size 12 hook proved the down fall of the fish. A heavy slow fight commenced and it took me a while to gain any kind of advantage but soon enough a nice fat lady was posing in front of the camera, at 5lb 7.5oz she was far from the biggest in the lake but one of the most stunning I have had with not a mark on her.
Just as I had slipped her back a mate of mine popped down to see how I was getting on, no sooner had he arrived than the same rod fished long was away again. This time a small male around 3lb was the culprit. The time flew by while we chatted and I added an average size bream in the process, this fish falling to maggots alongside a fake one rigged mag-aligner style. It was soon after 9 and my mate was just about to head home when the same rod roared off again, another slow plodding fight gave the game away from the off and bream number two hit the back of the net captured by my mates well timed camera shot!
This one was much bigger than the first but wafer thin after spawning, I'm sure though that in a few weeks it will be well over the 6lb mark. Expecting more action I stayed on later than I often do here but no more bites were forth coming. The weather this spring has clearly had an effect on the fish as even the carp lads are not getting bothered by the tench and bream as much as the normally do.
I have just one more session planned on here this year and feel sure that the fish will still be in a pre-spawning feeding mood and the chances of a fat female are high. Next week me and JD are having a day out on another stunning old natural water, but this one has not been fished for many many years and only recently opened back up to anglers. Tales of un-caught monsters and original fish stocks are sure to mean sleepless nights between now and next Sunday. But of course we are all waiting impatiently for the opening of the rivers. I don't like to gloat but I do have the first week of the season booked off work but wont be in a rush to hit the rivers hence my one last shot on the estate lake. My feeling is that with opening day been on a Sunday there will be so much bait chucked in it would be wiser to wait until later in the week.
Then there is the scenery, not a paving flag or scaffolding pole in sight. Real natural banks unspoiled by man other than well worn patches of grass marking the best spots flanked by beds of reeds. The sun was just starting to rise as I was setting up this morning and over the next hour or so I was treated to a stunning display as the breeze blew the morning mist from the water and the sun started to break through. Then out of the mist came a train of swans, the parents proudly escorting their nine young around the lake. Once the mist cleared it was a lovely warm clear morning and the whole area was alive with nature.
For one reason or another the fishing was slow going today, I had started by casting half a dozen feeders to my spots and then spodding some loose particles over the top. Hooks were baited with the ever faithful combo of real and fake maggots and both rods were out ready and waiting by not much after 4am. It was well after 7am when I received my first take, 3 fake casters D-rigged on a size 12 hook proved the down fall of the fish. A heavy slow fight commenced and it took me a while to gain any kind of advantage but soon enough a nice fat lady was posing in front of the camera, at 5lb 7.5oz she was far from the biggest in the lake but one of the most stunning I have had with not a mark on her.
Just as I had slipped her back a mate of mine popped down to see how I was getting on, no sooner had he arrived than the same rod fished long was away again. This time a small male around 3lb was the culprit. The time flew by while we chatted and I added an average size bream in the process, this fish falling to maggots alongside a fake one rigged mag-aligner style. It was soon after 9 and my mate was just about to head home when the same rod roared off again, another slow plodding fight gave the game away from the off and bream number two hit the back of the net captured by my mates well timed camera shot!
This one was much bigger than the first but wafer thin after spawning, I'm sure though that in a few weeks it will be well over the 6lb mark. Expecting more action I stayed on later than I often do here but no more bites were forth coming. The weather this spring has clearly had an effect on the fish as even the carp lads are not getting bothered by the tench and bream as much as the normally do.
I have just one more session planned on here this year and feel sure that the fish will still be in a pre-spawning feeding mood and the chances of a fat female are high. Next week me and JD are having a day out on another stunning old natural water, but this one has not been fished for many many years and only recently opened back up to anglers. Tales of un-caught monsters and original fish stocks are sure to mean sleepless nights between now and next Sunday. But of course we are all waiting impatiently for the opening of the rivers. I don't like to gloat but I do have the first week of the season booked off work but wont be in a rush to hit the rivers hence my one last shot on the estate lake. My feeling is that with opening day been on a Sunday there will be so much bait chucked in it would be wiser to wait until later in the week.
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Bit of a musicle tale
With not a deal to tell today I thought id do something a little fun.
My local tench water is definitely one of these places.
And although not blowing like i would like it to have been it still looked good for a fish or three, but after 4 hours with not a touch or even the sight of any bream rolling I was starting to wander
With time to kill and not been in any rush to go home I decided to have a mooch around and see what was, or wasn't going on. All was revealed when I found huge shoals of bream tucked up in a quiet corner of the lake.
I have no doubt that the tench were also up there, feasting on fresh bream eggs. By the time I can get back to the lake which will be two weeks things should be back to normal. I cant wait as I know there's plenty of time before the rivers open................................
My local tench water is definitely one of these places.
And although not blowing like i would like it to have been it still looked good for a fish or three, but after 4 hours with not a touch or even the sight of any bream rolling I was starting to wander
With time to kill and not been in any rush to go home I decided to have a mooch around and see what was, or wasn't going on. All was revealed when I found huge shoals of bream tucked up in a quiet corner of the lake.
I have no doubt that the tench were also up there, feasting on fresh bream eggs. By the time I can get back to the lake which will be two weeks things should be back to normal. I cant wait as I know there's plenty of time before the rivers open................................
Friday, 10 May 2013
Plan B
Wednesday morning saw me back on the tinca trail on my local water, arriving as normal before first light I settled into the swim I had been baiting now since the weekend. The night before I had been down and spodded another couple of pints of bait in to one spot and there were signs of fish around as I saw a couple of backs break the surface. The rods ready clipped up from Monday were cast into position and I sat back waiting for events to unfold.
Again though the day dawned still, the sun strong and little in the way of any ripple on the surface. Soon enough though the alarmed rod on my heavily baited spot sprang to life and a fish was on, it was another spirited fight and I was unsure if it was the intended tench or a good bream. It turned out to be the latter and my best from this venue at 5lb 12oz.
I was expecting more to follow but as had been the same on Monday with the lake flat most of the time and the temperature rising much higher than of recent the fish refused to bite.
Today saw me back for one last bite of the cherry before its back to work next week. My spot had been primed every day now for a week, I arrived this morning just after 4am to find too bloody carpers had set up in my chosen area and just cast their rods out. I've never felt the need to swear on my blog before but I was seriously pissed off!!! This left me with two options, head to the left where the now strong southerly was blowing or head right to a swim that involved wading out further and due to the lay of the land sitting on the edge of a large patch of that horrid black stinking silt stuff that was just covered with water.
Now who in their right mind would chose the one on the right?
I did! Based purely on the fact it has been producing a few fish this year but as it started to rain I was questioning my sanity. However my choice paid off and after only half an hour or so one of the rods was away, at first I thought it had come adrift then thought it was a small fish until it saw the net and me knee deep in stinking black silt. It was a tench, only a small one though around 21/2lb and it then decided to go nuts like those small splasher barbel do. It was a nice sight though to see that some young fish are coming through.
Soon after the bream turned up and I had 3 fish between four and five pounds in the next 90 minutes or so and then lost another fish again. JD turned up to join me and after collecting some bait he headed to the swim to the left I decided against earlier in the day and I landed another good bream of just over 5lb and lost yet another. It had now turned 8am and what is traditionally on here the start of a quiet spell. At around 10am JD decided he had had enough of blanking and sitting in the full force of the wind and was off elsewhere, I did comment as he left that sometimes they come back on around 10 but he was off.
As if by magic as soon as he was out of sight the alarm signalled a one toner, I picked up and bent into what felt a good fish. I had just started to gain some line when it set off again and snapped me clean off. Gutted, I wound in and sorted the rig and chucked back out. It had not been out there more than ten minutes when it was off again, bream number 5 soon hit the mat after another good scrap. These fish have obviously not read the rule book as they tend to pull back a bit, even with 1.75lb Tc rods and 8lb line.
It was just after 11, all had gone quiet and I was thinking of calling it a day whilst chatting to a couple of officials from the club when one of the rods when into melt down again. This time though after leaning into the fish I slackened the clutch off a touch as for one reason or another I seem to be loosing a quarter of all the fish I'm hooking so far this year. This fish felt better and I knew from the off it was no bream, as the club officials looked on I waded out to meet the fish and let out a little cheer as another stunning looking tench hit the back of the net. I felt sure it would go 6 however it managed 5lb 8oz, still fresh from its winter slumber I guess. All of the fish today were again taken on feeder tactics using my CSK groundbait and a combination of real and fake maggots on the hook.
It turns out the club were down to do some survey work with the EA to look at what can be done to tackle the weed and silt problems the lake suffers with, and as they were going to be working their way around the shallow water poking and prodding from a boat I called it a day.
Again though the day dawned still, the sun strong and little in the way of any ripple on the surface. Soon enough though the alarmed rod on my heavily baited spot sprang to life and a fish was on, it was another spirited fight and I was unsure if it was the intended tench or a good bream. It turned out to be the latter and my best from this venue at 5lb 12oz.
I was expecting more to follow but as had been the same on Monday with the lake flat most of the time and the temperature rising much higher than of recent the fish refused to bite.
Today saw me back for one last bite of the cherry before its back to work next week. My spot had been primed every day now for a week, I arrived this morning just after 4am to find too bloody carpers had set up in my chosen area and just cast their rods out. I've never felt the need to swear on my blog before but I was seriously pissed off!!! This left me with two options, head to the left where the now strong southerly was blowing or head right to a swim that involved wading out further and due to the lay of the land sitting on the edge of a large patch of that horrid black stinking silt stuff that was just covered with water.
Now who in their right mind would chose the one on the right?
I did! Based purely on the fact it has been producing a few fish this year but as it started to rain I was questioning my sanity. However my choice paid off and after only half an hour or so one of the rods was away, at first I thought it had come adrift then thought it was a small fish until it saw the net and me knee deep in stinking black silt. It was a tench, only a small one though around 21/2lb and it then decided to go nuts like those small splasher barbel do. It was a nice sight though to see that some young fish are coming through.
Soon after the bream turned up and I had 3 fish between four and five pounds in the next 90 minutes or so and then lost another fish again. JD turned up to join me and after collecting some bait he headed to the swim to the left I decided against earlier in the day and I landed another good bream of just over 5lb and lost yet another. It had now turned 8am and what is traditionally on here the start of a quiet spell. At around 10am JD decided he had had enough of blanking and sitting in the full force of the wind and was off elsewhere, I did comment as he left that sometimes they come back on around 10 but he was off.
As if by magic as soon as he was out of sight the alarm signalled a one toner, I picked up and bent into what felt a good fish. I had just started to gain some line when it set off again and snapped me clean off. Gutted, I wound in and sorted the rig and chucked back out. It had not been out there more than ten minutes when it was off again, bream number 5 soon hit the mat after another good scrap. These fish have obviously not read the rule book as they tend to pull back a bit, even with 1.75lb Tc rods and 8lb line.
It was just after 11, all had gone quiet and I was thinking of calling it a day whilst chatting to a couple of officials from the club when one of the rods when into melt down again. This time though after leaning into the fish I slackened the clutch off a touch as for one reason or another I seem to be loosing a quarter of all the fish I'm hooking so far this year. This fish felt better and I knew from the off it was no bream, as the club officials looked on I waded out to meet the fish and let out a little cheer as another stunning looking tench hit the back of the net. I felt sure it would go 6 however it managed 5lb 8oz, still fresh from its winter slumber I guess. All of the fish today were again taken on feeder tactics using my CSK groundbait and a combination of real and fake maggots on the hook.
It turns out the club were down to do some survey work with the EA to look at what can be done to tackle the weed and silt problems the lake suffers with, and as they were going to be working their way around the shallow water poking and prodding from a boat I called it a day.
Monday, 6 May 2013
ITS SUMMER!
It would see we have skipped spring and jumped right from winter into summer in a little over a week, I bet the fish don't know what the hells happening. I know one thing though, it killed my tench and bream sport dead.
Yesterday saw me heading to a local carp puddle, hole in the ground type thing. Now don't go thinking I'm loosing the plot as we all know how much I hate those kind of places but I actually enjoyed it, only because I had both kids in tow and took them for a few hours fishing. Kyle can pretty much look after himself now apart from removing the odd deep hooked fish so once I had him set up and fishing I sat on the floor with 4 meters of pole and entertained Lilly for a while. For a 3 year old she did well, or rather I did managing to keep her amused for near on 3 hours.
Plenty of small perch and skimmers were landed between us, me and Lil managed a nice looking carp hybrid/brown goldfish type thing around a pound plus a couple of nice 10oz rudd. Kyle added a nice bream around 2lb as we were ready to pack up. It was warm, we caught fish and the kids enjoyed it and that's what it all about.
My latest session started last night when I headed to my tench water armed with a bucket of spod mix and the rod. One chap was down for the evening and once he had me sussed out the info started to flow back and forth. He revealed something to me that I never imagined possible on that water and gives me something to definitely look at in the future should my current plan start to fall apart.
With the bank holiday I expected it to be busy today so made sure I was first there to get the pick of the swims, my swim in fact I baited last night! It was 4.10am when I pulled through the gate this morning and as the light grew the lake looked truly stunning, one of those classic fully misted mornings it looked just like ghosts drifting over the glassy looking surface. Out when the rods and I sat back ready for the action to kick in.
I waited, and waited, and waited. I knew early on it was never going to happen, there was not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind. The water stayed like glass for most of the morning and temperature was rising as high as the sun. Around 9am and totally out of the blue one of the rods rattled off and I landed a bream around 4lb, afterwards much the same. Nothing. I have noticed before on here, hot, sunny windless days are the kiss of death. However, on a plus note my next trip is Wednesday when it looks like a nice low pressure front will be moving in.
Yesterday saw me heading to a local carp puddle, hole in the ground type thing. Now don't go thinking I'm loosing the plot as we all know how much I hate those kind of places but I actually enjoyed it, only because I had both kids in tow and took them for a few hours fishing. Kyle can pretty much look after himself now apart from removing the odd deep hooked fish so once I had him set up and fishing I sat on the floor with 4 meters of pole and entertained Lilly for a while. For a 3 year old she did well, or rather I did managing to keep her amused for near on 3 hours.
Plenty of small perch and skimmers were landed between us, me and Lil managed a nice looking carp hybrid/brown goldfish type thing around a pound plus a couple of nice 10oz rudd. Kyle added a nice bream around 2lb as we were ready to pack up. It was warm, we caught fish and the kids enjoyed it and that's what it all about.
My latest session started last night when I headed to my tench water armed with a bucket of spod mix and the rod. One chap was down for the evening and once he had me sussed out the info started to flow back and forth. He revealed something to me that I never imagined possible on that water and gives me something to definitely look at in the future should my current plan start to fall apart.
With the bank holiday I expected it to be busy today so made sure I was first there to get the pick of the swims, my swim in fact I baited last night! It was 4.10am when I pulled through the gate this morning and as the light grew the lake looked truly stunning, one of those classic fully misted mornings it looked just like ghosts drifting over the glassy looking surface. Out when the rods and I sat back ready for the action to kick in.
I waited, and waited, and waited. I knew early on it was never going to happen, there was not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind. The water stayed like glass for most of the morning and temperature was rising as high as the sun. Around 9am and totally out of the blue one of the rods rattled off and I landed a bream around 4lb, afterwards much the same. Nothing. I have noticed before on here, hot, sunny windless days are the kiss of death. However, on a plus note my next trip is Wednesday when it looks like a nice low pressure front will be moving in.
Friday, 3 May 2013
Start as you mean to go on.
What a difference a week makes eh? I even had my coat off today. I was up and out of the house at not much after 4am this morning and was pleased not to be met by a freezing blast for once. Arriving at the lake it was clear the fish felt the same today, for the first time this year(from what I have seen anyway) there were signs that the fish were around and feeding.
As is quite common on here during the week I had the place to my self and headed straight to my first choice swim and with the rods clipped up ready to go it was just a matter of setting the alarms up, putting some bait on and away we go. Well that is exactly what happened too! With fish showing well out I cast my long range rig first. This was baited with 2 rubber casters and a real one glued to a short hair and arranged so as to look like a small pile of free offerings. Before I had even finished spodding bait out the alarm sounded into life and a nice 4lb bream hit the net.
I finished the baiting up which consisted of 6 spods full of dead maggots, casters, hemp and corn over each line plugged with my new CSK ground bait I was testing. The feeders were filled with the same with a good sprinkle of the spod mix mixed in too. Once that was sorted I got both rods out and soon had another bream of around the same size. It then went a little quiet until around 7am when out of the blue one of the rods roared of and I knew this was no bream. I was correct and my first tench of the year graced my net.
By now the wind had dropped, the lake was flat calm and the morning sun felt much warmer than it had all year, this did do as I expected though and no more bites were forth coming for well over an hour. At around 8.30am I had to put my coat back on as the wind had picked up and scattered clouds kept blocking the sun, this had an almost immediate effect on the fish as they suddenly went on the rampage. First up was another bream before the tench moved in, 2 landed over the next hour all between 4 and 5lb plus two unfortunate breaks and another bream.
It was soon 10am and I had to start thinking about heading home as the other half was working and I had to take the little one to nursery. Out went both rods for the lucky last cast. First away was the far rod, the way it screamed off I was expecting another tench but the slow plodding nature gave the game away. It did give a good account of its self though and a solid 5lb bream wallowed into the net.
Unbelievably I was still holding the fish in the water to recover when the other rod screamed off, this though was no bream and the fish took line on more than one occasion, once close in it made a couple of determined attempts at getting into the reeds but i was more than ready for it and it was soon laid on the mat. As with the bream, this one turned out to be the biggest tench of the day at a shade over 5lb. O how I wish I didn't have to head home. Luckily I have all next week off work and will be spending 3 days on here with some baiting up in between.
As is quite common on here during the week I had the place to my self and headed straight to my first choice swim and with the rods clipped up ready to go it was just a matter of setting the alarms up, putting some bait on and away we go. Well that is exactly what happened too! With fish showing well out I cast my long range rig first. This was baited with 2 rubber casters and a real one glued to a short hair and arranged so as to look like a small pile of free offerings. Before I had even finished spodding bait out the alarm sounded into life and a nice 4lb bream hit the net.
I finished the baiting up which consisted of 6 spods full of dead maggots, casters, hemp and corn over each line plugged with my new CSK ground bait I was testing. The feeders were filled with the same with a good sprinkle of the spod mix mixed in too. Once that was sorted I got both rods out and soon had another bream of around the same size. It then went a little quiet until around 7am when out of the blue one of the rods roared of and I knew this was no bream. I was correct and my first tench of the year graced my net.
By now the wind had dropped, the lake was flat calm and the morning sun felt much warmer than it had all year, this did do as I expected though and no more bites were forth coming for well over an hour. At around 8.30am I had to put my coat back on as the wind had picked up and scattered clouds kept blocking the sun, this had an almost immediate effect on the fish as they suddenly went on the rampage. First up was another bream before the tench moved in, 2 landed over the next hour all between 4 and 5lb plus two unfortunate breaks and another bream.
It was soon 10am and I had to start thinking about heading home as the other half was working and I had to take the little one to nursery. Out went both rods for the lucky last cast. First away was the far rod, the way it screamed off I was expecting another tench but the slow plodding nature gave the game away. It did give a good account of its self though and a solid 5lb bream wallowed into the net.
Unbelievably I was still holding the fish in the water to recover when the other rod screamed off, this though was no bream and the fish took line on more than one occasion, once close in it made a couple of determined attempts at getting into the reeds but i was more than ready for it and it was soon laid on the mat. As with the bream, this one turned out to be the biggest tench of the day at a shade over 5lb. O how I wish I didn't have to head home. Luckily I have all next week off work and will be spending 3 days on here with some baiting up in between.
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