Coarse trip

A last minute dash to our local pond today, just for fun. No real intended targets.

Arrived to empty banks at 2pm. It gets dark at 5pm at the mo, so we got rods in the water asap.

Usual light leger and quiver tip for me / light leger and float for mike.

There were loads of floaters on the surface so someone must have thrown them in earlier in the day. This seemed to have spurred some feeding, which surprised us, as it was quite cold, (but thankfully, no wind).

At 4:40, I got a steaming run on the leger rod, that turned out to be a 3lb 2oz male Tench. Lovely :-)

15 mins later, the same rod went off from the same position and bait, with another Tench. ALSO 3lb 2oz exactly (fish cloning?). This was a female, and far darker in color.

Mike had a classic lift bite on his float rig, that turned out to what we 'think' might be a hybrid Roach / Bream'. The picture doesn't do the fins justice, which were very red indeed, making us think it was yet another big roach for mike, but something about the shape of the head just made us think twice.

So a brace of lovely tench, an odd genetic thingy, owl calls in the static winter dark, and fresh tea - suits us :-)

Packed up about 7:30 as it just started to rain.

Roach and Tench

So Mikes been catching Tench in the cold eh? Then we must go hunt again ! ...so we did....
A lovely afternoon, but on arriving, there were no less than NINE other cars there....
:-( BOO HISS !
Even so, we got into a nice swim and stuck out the usual feeder rods.
I was also quiver tipping to one side.

The action was quiet overall.
As usual, the kelly boiled and Mike caught yet another big roach....
(I sense a disturbing pattern in the force 'Fluke'...)


We both had small carp in the late eve after dark, but oddly, they were both on the very light "mini chod rigs" we had been testing for the bigger roach.


Basically a Helicopter carp rig, miniaturised, on light line.


Anyway, a good evening, but we have cunning plans for those big silver bars.... :-)

Roach trip

A very murky and damp Saturday afternoon indeed.

The plan was for a few hours hunting specimen roach, and also tench, because despite the fact that its horrid weather and the temp is dropping, mike (very bizarrely) caught 2 decent tench during last week in the same pond. A 3lb and a 4lb in cold weather is very odd. Maybe they are feeding up for the winter? The temp IS dropping, but maybe is just isnt actually 'cold' yet?

We arrived and got lines in the water by 4pm. A few other people were there so we had to 'chance it' in a swim we aren't used to, but didn't mind - its more fun trying something new.
It was getting more damp by the minute, so we got the brolly system up and dived under cover.

A leger rod (1.5lb test curve) went out to our sides each, with small method feeders feeding red crumb mix, baited with small red fishy boilies for specimen roach.
The light Avon rods (1lb test curve) were just swung out in front only 3 feet or so, on very basic lift bite floats baited with sweetcorn for tench and/or roach.
Now this may seem odd, and indeed actually seem backwards, but from experience fishing for carp and tench in this pond, its turned out that the best way to catch big Roach, is actually with tench and carp tactics - that is, a feeder and 10mm fishy boilie. This was discovered mainly by mike and by accident, as while fishing for other species we often picked up some very respectable roach. The feeder brings them in, but the boillie is only taken by a bigger roach - we guess...
Anyway, at about 5pm mike had a 3lb tench, in perfect condition.

After many hours, and no other action, about 8pm, mike had a good target species Roach of 1lb 5oz. A real bar of solid gleaming silver...

As usual, the Kelly kettle kept the tea going, and yet again we ran out of water for it.
(note to self - take more water - more water=more tea - this is a good thing.)


I only caught 1 little roach about half a pound. :-(
Probably cos I was too busy constantly making the bloody tea!

Chaos or Tidy ?

So, after getting tired of shouting at Mike for having what I reckon is the most chaotic and messy swims in existence, I thought Id find out what other people are like when fishing...


Are you like mike? or me?

Catfish trip

Another attack on the alleged catfish in our local pond.

On arrival, there were already 4 cars there.
We had a look round, and decided on a spot that could be fished in the afternoon, but then command most of the lake when the other pleasure anglers inevitably went home for tea.
Eventually they did :-)

This time we only used live baits to avoid any eel entanglements. We got some better sized baits too.
We used the usual tactics of a sliding leger, but this time with a good sized pva baggy of groundbait tied to the lead. The thinking here, was to attract a whole bunch of small fish into the area of the feed, and the feeding could attract the cat. On the cats arrival, the fish would scatter - except one, the one going round in circles above our lead :-)
We also mixed the groundbait with sardine oil to give off a huge scent trail.

To cut a long story short, we spent a fantastic evening sitting there on our own, with the Kelly Kettle boiling away every half hour providing the most fantastic hot fresh tea.
(very Chris Yates :-)
The evening was full of wildlife and very mild, the water dead flat, and felt very fishy.

It was the most gorgeous evening, and all was right with the world - until about 7:30 - I started feeling very odd. It felt as though someone had pulled the plug on every ounce of strength and energy I had in me. My limbs felt like lead, and I felt very woozy, faint and shaky and decidedly rough. By 8pm I was feeling sick and ready to abandon all my gear and go home on the spot. Having not had any definitive bites, but just the endless occasional beeps from line bites, Mike and I decided to call it a night, and packed up - slowly for my part.

So, another catfish trip with no catfish. But a great afternoon out with the smoking kettle at least (notwithstanding feeling ill).

http://www.kellykettle.com/

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Update.
I ended up taking the following day off work too, cos everything aches. I must have a virus or something. :-(

Magpie Love

Yet again the tree outside my office offers up another nice shot.

This time a pair of courting Magpies.

The male on the left kept very gently nuzzling the neck feathers of the female on the right, and each time he did, she lowered her head and turned her head slightly.

Woodpecker

What is it with my office window recently?
Now this guys turned up !

Bass Spinning Trip

We went out for an afternoons spinning and plugging today.
Three of us, armed with enough lures to sink a ship.
High tide at 3 pm, a stunning day, warm, almost like a summers afternoon, but in October!
Fished it from 2pm till about 6pm.
We tried several marks along Haybrook bay in Plymouth, but no joy at all. Not so much as a lost mackeral.

I did however LOSE FOUR lures, two of which were damn good ones. :-(
Oh well....

At least it was a great day out, and a stunning sunset to boot :-)

Catfish trip

It turns out someones put a couple of catfish in a local pond, so Mike and I made a trip to see if we could snag 'em out again.

A fabulous evening and early night. The weather was dead calm, with clear skies and a stunning sunset, plus the clearest and brightest moon seen for a long time.
We also had the lake to ourselves, which was very odd, considering it was a Saturday with good weather.
All in all, one of those really memorable fishing trips.

We tried the halibut pellet approach, but kept getting 3-6lb carp, so switched to ledgered live baits in the form of small roach caught in the margins.
This changed things. We started getting little knocks, which we guessed were small eels. Mike is an eel hunter of the old guard (he's an old git, used to fish for giant eels big as your leg on dodo livers with a tank arial.... or somthing.....) ....anyway....on a hunch he thought there might be bigger eels in there, so changed to a dead bait really close in to he margins. This rod then spent ages getting beeps and knocks, and eventually 'eeked away slowly, giving a positive take. Mike struck, and was lucky enough to get into a good 2lb eel. He was very pleased with that. :-)


For my part, I got a very positive run on a live bait, which could only have been a catfish I reckon, but struck into nothing. On inspecting the bait however, I only had a small piece of roach head left. So how close did I come to hooking my first catfish ?
We'll never know...
We're going back soon though....

All time Lures?

Are there really any all time best lures ?
Well apparently so....

FRESH WATER (Pike, Perch, Zander)


Rapala - Super Shad 14cm
Big lure. Floating version. Dives when cranked back. Great for Pike.


Kuusamo - Professor
Big spoon. Sinking. Great erratic movement. Copper color good for Pike.


Muskie Innovations - Bulldawg
Big Soft plastic (Rubber) Lure. Sinking. Very famous. Available in lots of new sizes.


Heddon - Crazy crawler
Daft looking but very successful surface lure that floats and wobbles along making ripples on the surface.


Creek Chub - Pikie
Classic. Very effective lure.

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I have personally had success with the Rapala Jointed shad rap 7cm. The action on this lure is fantastic and I particularly like the colors.


There is also the Rapala "X-rap Jointed Shad" 13cm.
This Lure is near neutral buoyancy with a very slow rise (suspending with wire leader), has the action of a Jointed Shad, the size of the Super Shad, and great versatility. A Fantasic all round lure fishable in many diff ways.


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SALT WATER (Bass, Mackerel, Pollock etc)
General consensus claims seems to be that these are very good.


Dexters - Wedge
Famous silver wedge of shiny metal. Good casting weight. Very easy to cast. I personally have never caught on it, but then that's probably more a reflection of my skill.


Rapala - Jointed 'J13' (13cm).
Floating lure (available in diff sizes) that dives on the retrieve. The J13cm is just big enough to have a little casting weight. I have several colors of this lure including a couple of copies that were a little cheaper but have almost the same action if not the build quality of the rapalas :-)


NOTE.
A great deal of the lures for Fresh or Salt water can be used in either. But remember 3 things.
1 - Are the hooks meant for fresh or salt water? Fresh water hooks on a lure wont survive long in salt water use. However hooks are easily replaced with different salt versions.
2 - The buoyancy of a lure is inbuilt, and designed for either fresh or salt water. So a sinking lure designed to sink at a particular rate, may behave differently in fresh water. Or a neutral buoyancy lure may sink or float. Bear this in mind, but don't let it bother you.
3 - Your lures are designed to mimic a bait fish of the species in the water your fishing. eg. use a perch pattern in fresh water, and mackerel pattern in salt water. Having said this, you could always try anything you like. You never know what might work on the day!

Learn Peace

If you wish to learn peace, learn to fish....
......ancient (japanese?) proverb.

Furry Friend

I had to share this.
This little fella was spotted in the tree outside my office window :-)

Wind in East

For those who have never heard it, or dont know the full rhyme (?)...

An East wind is seen as unfavourable for fishing.
"wind in east" is a little ditty that you sometimes hear.
Any truth in it? Well, Ive often had very bad days sport in East winds....
But then Ive had bad days sport in ANY wind direction....

When the wind is in the East, the fish bite least.
When the wind is in the North the fisherman does not go forth.
When the wind is in the South it blows the bait into the fishes mouth.
When the wind is in the west the fishes doth bite best.

I guess its South-Westerlies then ! :-)

Now some fish.

OK, now for some actual fish :-)
These are from some past trips, to kick off this diary....



Here's my first double figure carp. 13lb. Caught from an old irrigation lake that turned out to only have about a dozen carp in it to 20lb.
I was very pleased :-)


First ever rudd, which is more likely to be a goldfish hybrid.




Introducing Mike "two sheds" Mallet, with a beautiful tench and a very lucky picture on my camera phone :-)

Mike again, with the smallest pike weve ever seen, caught on a lob worm meant for perch just as the light was about to go (hence the bad picture quality)




My first and only Mullet to date !



I love the look on this carps face...
"oh god how embarassing, Im caught first cast...."
Stunningly perfect fish though :-)




My best Carp to date. 20lb 2oz :-)




My best Tench to date 4lb 2oz.



Mike being a jammy git with yet another 2lb roach.


Now hes just showing off. A brace of 1lb 8oz roach caught at the same time on both rods ! lol


Lastly, my mates son Alex, with his first carp of 9lb.

The daft grin says it all really :-)

Mill pond

Hows about this eh?

I was float fishing on my favourate local pond, and realised that the water was so incredably still, that the sky was perfectly reflected.

I grabbed my little cam and got the best shot I could :-)



Almost looks Like Im fishing in the clouds...

Wonderful Skies...

How about some piccies of some past times?
I thought Id kick off with some images of skies I was lucky enough to fish under....

This last one actually won me a competition, netting a copy of the Rapala Book :-)

A Year on...

Well well. A year on after creating this blog, and I finally get the time and inclination to write on it. As the title suggests, it will be about my fishing trips, interspersed with stuff I feel the need to write about.
We'll see how well I do.....