Its meant to be relaxing!

For along time I been trying to get sorted for regular overnight session just so I don't have to get up at silly O'clock for the dawn feeding spell.

So after sorting out the venue, gear etc I head out to the lake for a 24hr session in the hope of catching a tench.

I arrived to find a couple of anglers already setup, luckily none in the swim that I wanted and I barrowed the gear into the swim and then took a walk around the lake for a chat to the other anglers. None had any news or sighting of tench rolling, so it was a case of getting some bait out.

I had decided to stick with my normal spod mix but added something abit different after reading online about an ingredients that I had been using for winter roach, but for summer tench.

With the 5kg of pink mix ready, three area's were baited up ready for the evening and night. After baiting up was done and I had removed the sticky mess from my hand the rods and brolly were setup to ensure everything was ready for the night.

First rod out was the usual inline feeder, baited with three fake maggots, this was placed in a weed bed straight out in front of me. The second rod was the 90 degree rig, baited with a double strawberry boilie with a PVA bag full of micro pellets and placed out along the margins just infront of a willow.

A familiar face was also on the bank and we had a good chat about the lake and what had been coming out over recent weeks and general stuff on angling and tackle etc.
 Whilst we were deep in chat, the boilie baited rod indicator was jangling and then rose to the rod before the bait runner ticked over. I lifted into the fish and it pulled back.
After a tussle, the fish was netted first time by my mate and a chunky tench was lifted up the bank and onto the unhooking mat.

It went just over 6lb and was in good nick barring a small amount of mouth damage and went off fighting it.
This was the best tench so far this season and I hope more or bigger will follow from this water.

The boilies were still ok, so the rig was placed back out to the willow and I could now enjoy the warm evening's sights and sounds.

Whilst tucking into my first evening cuppa, the maggot feeder rod was away at a brisk pace and the rod hooped over into a nice curve but it didn't feel like a tench or even carp. A long lean fish boiled at the surface and the culprit gave itself away. Another pike on the tench gear, soon this toothy critter was at the edge and whilst unhooking it it spat out a small roach whilst had been attached to the hook with the fake maggots.

Alas the roach was no more and it was left in the margins to likely be snaffled by another predator during the night.

The evening rolled out and before the sun set, I spodded out another couple of kg of mix over the area's to top them up for the night and hopefully some early morning tench action.

With evening meal cooking, the boilie rod was away again, but by the lack of fight it was evident it was a small bream which it was. This was soon unhooked, but it had crushed the boilies.

After the rod was rebaited and recast, the light over the lake was starting to fade, so I snuggled down into the bag for the night listening to the varied sound of around the countryside. A barn owl was hooting in the distance, foxes screeched at each other and evening chorus of small birds got quieter and quieter. The sounds were replaced with sights of bats chasing insects on the wing and carp leaping from the water.

By 11pm it was dark and I was asleep, but not for long. I could feel a presence even whilst asleep and I awoke letting my eye's adjust to the dark. A voice then echoed around the brolly. "Are you awake?" it said, it made me jump and I soon realised who it was, the "old woman" of the lake was at my brolly and settled on the wet grass for a yarn. After 1/2 hour, he went on his way and I drifted back to sleep.

12:30am, the boilie rod was away and I woke in a start so see the Delkim's light fully illuminated and a one tone from the sounder. Fighting the sleeping bag, I was up and down the bank to the rod. The baitrunner was spinning and I lifted into a lump. The rod hooped over and the fish had taken quite a bit of line from the spool. Could this be a monster tench, After a good scrap, the fish came into the light of the head torch and my hope faded and suspicions realised. The lump was a carp and was giving a good account of itself. Once safely in the net, a plumb mirror carp was soon unhooked and weight. At 14.1/2lb it wasn't a record breaker, but was the biggest fish that has taken a liking to my baits intended for tench. With the carp back in the lake and the bait back out I snuggled back into the bag and drifted off to sleep.

1:30am and the same alarm was bleeping in short burst according to the receiver, I was out of the back and looked out into a sea of mist. I could just about make out the rods in the gloom and the air was very cold indeed. I got to the rod and lifted into a fish, I but the lines were crossed and after abit of picking, the fish was soon in the net. A bream of about 3lb was the culprit and I cursed it as the mess it had caused. The bream was slipped back whilst I mutter under my cold breath. Both rods were recast into the mist over the lake and a cold angler got back into his bag.


3:30am and dawn was beckoning and a hopefully the tench would be on the feed. I laid in the bag enjoying the start of the morning chorus. This blissful awakening was then disturbed by the bleeping of boilie rod for the four time and I begrudgingly got out of the bag and down to the rod. The spool was spinning and the line was heading along the margin. The rod hooped over and a weight was at the end of the line, but it didn't feel like a tench and felt more like another carp.
A tussle ensued and whilst I did enjoy the feel of a weight on the line, but I was some what disappointed at the end result of another carp in the net. The carp was soon unhooked and photographed. This one wasn't as pristine as the first and had damage to a couple of area, but they were healing.

Carp number two was slid back and I sat on the bedchair with the first brew of the day and reflected on the busy night.

The sun rose and the wind came with it. It was blowing in a different and cooler direction to the day before. This did have a dramatic affected on the fishing and only the roach were showing.
It did stick a float out over the edge of the weed and baited a spot with casters and hoped that I would snag a tench. Bites came steadily but again it was not from the target species and a mixed bag of roach, skimmer bream and hybrids came along.

By mid morning it was time to pack up and head from home.

Happiness

There is something nice about teaching others to enjoy the sport we love, and on a sunny Friday it was my nephew's chance to have a day out.

My nephew, who is now six has been asking for ages to go out and fish again after trips last year. We had tried to go out in March, but it was just too cold for him and the pole fishing trip was soon abandoned.

They only question today was little pond or big pond and he choose the latter as it held a larger variety of fish for him to catch. So after picking him and his lunch up we headed for a commercial club water to introduce him to rod and reel fishing.

We arrived mid morning and the there was a number of others on the water, so were catching and some weren't, but I was confident that I could get the roach and rudd on the feed on a short float line.

I picked a swim big enough for the both of us and I soon had him sat with with a 10ft float rod and fixed spool reel. I started feeding a short line with a mixture of hemp and maggots in order to get the silver fish on the feed. Once he was sat happily watching a float, I decided to set up a rod on an alarm with a 10mm boilie on a bolt rig with a pva bag.The rod was soon case out, placed on the alarm and attach the bobbin, but there was an issue. No bobbin. I rumaged around the rucksack and couldn't find the them and remembered that there were sat with the third alarm in the tackle room. Plan B, make a bobbin. I soon made make shift bobbin using a length of braid, 2 SSG and a bent out quick change clip. Bingo!

In the meantime, the nephew was starting to get bites on the waggler and after a few aborted strikes, he connected with a small roach. Mission accomplished.

Once he had started catching perch, rudd and more roach with uncle help, he wanted to do catch more himself, but that involved more teaching around casting, baiting the hook and baiting the swim. The first few casts where a dual effort, but he soon grasped the idea, just the timing was out and we had a few short casts due to releasing the line to early or to late. Luckily we only had one cast to retrieve the float set up from the tree and he was happy catching steadily.

This left his uncle to muse over the other rod and why were weren't getting any positive takes. I decided to have a change on the rigs hook length and the length of the hair. The hook length was lengthened by 4" and the hair increased to 2". The pva bags were left off and a scattering of whole boilies were thrown out around the baited are near the pads.

15 mintures latter and the first positive take on the bolt rig resulted in a bream with the hook neatly in the edge of the mouth.
Bait was still ok,so it was recast back out and another half a dozen freebie scatter around it. This resulted in a near instant take.This was not a bream and after a short fight a small common carp came to the net. Uncle was happy too.

The nephew continued to fish with my guidance and we soon had him tackling the baiting of the hook with the wiggly maggots. He was a happy lad and was soon doing most of the fishing himself and relishing the challenge of catching a fish all on his own.

Another short run on the bolt rig and another bream came to the net, abit bigger than the first, but this was unhooked at the edge.

The bream had mashed the boilie, so it was rebaited and recast. This time to the edge of the lillies where I spied some slightly bigger carp moving the pads. in the afternoon sun.
We continued to fish the float and the nephew continued to cast roach, rudd, perch and the odd hybrid.
He was started to want to catch bigger and bigger fish, but ever time a larger fish took the bait, he either slacken the line letting his prize escape or pull the hook (must remember to slacken the clutch) and his monster evaded him.

Late afternoon was soon upon us and we were in the process of sorting out a float muddle in the margins when the alarm sounded a single bleep. Then the alarm screamed and the tightened bait runner churned slowly as a hooked fish powered into the lilies.
The float rod and muddled rig was left in the water as I grabbed the rod with the muscular fish attached and the rod hooped over nicely. With full pressure on the fish, I managed to convince the hooked fish to head out into open water and the battle continued. We had it at the net only for it to power off and with 10lb mainline and a 8lb braided hooklink there wasn't much I could do apart for let it tire itself out.

After a epic (nephews word) battle the carp came to the net, but as I slid the net underneath it it powered to the left and into the float gear muddle in the edge. Oh Sh*t, thought, what a pickle.
Bail arm was soon opened on the float rod and we'd sort the tangle of lines out if we managed to land it.

After much heaving and huffing we slid the net under our prize, along with a tangle of float and bolt rig to boot.

We'd won the day and our mid double specimen was on the mat being admired by its captors. After a couple of snaps, our prize was released with a flick of its tail.

We packed up soon after and within ten minutes of leaving the lake, two weary anglers were on their way home. One asleep in the back of the car and one luckily not asleep at the wheel as we heading for home happy for so many different reasons.

TL

We Are Not Alone

Another weekend and another quest for perch was in order. So after sorting out the usual at home and explaining to the dog why he was being left at home today, I ventured out of the house.

The morning was breezy, with slight chill in the air and the occasional drop of rain from the pasting storm. It could go either way, so I quick got the brolly out and packed it into the car, just in case.

It didn't take me long to travel along the back roads and soon I was down by the lake side, but I wasn't alone.
As I approached the bank a huge swirl erupted in front of me and a black shape turned up and over into the lake. I had my suspicions and I followed the lines of bubbles along the margin. Soon enough the monster of the pond emerged again and the shimmering body of a dog otter was eye balling me.
Well, all hell broke loose,  and I began cursing and swearing, whilst screaming like an banshee to try to scare the living daylights out of the fish eating terror that was residing in the lake.
After five mins of demonic behaviuor the smooth criminal had disappeared from my sight and with mission accomplished, I ventured off to my tackle.

All was quiet again.

I soon went about setting up the rods. The first was baited up with a large lobworm on a running ledger, and cast under the trees on the far bank. Bobbin attached, Delkim on and the bait snatching gear was put into action.
It didn't take long half a dozen roach and rudd to oblige and take the bait and soon one was being cast out on a paternoster into the shade.

With the rods baited and carefully positioned, I sat back in the chair with the first cuppa to take in the sights and sounds of the lake. A Green Woodpecker  with its looping flight and screeching call, pasted along the far side in the wooded area, whilst the resident pair of Buzzard had found an early morning thermal. With each graceful turn, the pair gradually gaining height on the column of hot are, whilst offering a reassuring calls to one another.

The morning was still cool, but the first rays of sun started to break above the treeline and cast a shadow onto the lakes surface. All was still, including the bobbins.

After an hour or so of inactivity on the rods, a recast was in order, but with the lobworm looking a little worse for ware, I decided it needed to be changed. The morning sun had defrosted the king prawns and with there pungent smell wafting out of the bait box, it just seemed rude not to hook one up.

Resting back in the chair, I was starting to loss myself in the quiet when one of the alarms starting to wake from its slumber. Those bleeps turned into a continuous tone and the reel fizzed,  but didn't need to strike as the fish was hooked.After a hectic fight, a small Common Carp was landed.

Rebait and recast, but the bait had hardly settled before another carp snaffled the whole prawn. Not quite what I was intending to catch, but it showed that something was feeding other than the small 3" Roach and Rudd.

The other rod was surprisingly quiet, and I wound in to check to see if the bait was still intact, which it was so it was cast back out to the far bank.

Midday came and when and I noticed that other anglers were catching the carp too on various methods from simple float fished bait to zig rigs. With the first bite of a sandwich, the prawn baited rod bobbin was twitching, but suspecting another carp I didn't give it much attention. That was until the bobbin started to rise to the top and the baitrunner started to click. Dropping the salad and chicken sandwich, I struck and felt something other than a  carp.
It didn't take long to have the a solid perch of a pound in the net, but it was a first on a king prawn, so I felt quite chuffed with the change of bait.

After slipping back the perch, and attaching another prawn to the hook, I finished lunch and sat in the midday sun.

By early afternoon, the sun had moved over the lake and the shade was now on the near margin. So sensing the fish were keeping out of the sun, I decided to have a little play with the 4m pole.

I introduce a few pieces of chopped prawn around the float and it didn't take long for a series of small perch to snaffle the bait which was just touching bottom. But along with the perch, there was also a couple of other species of fish.

Fish after fish after fish came to the prawn and in between the crucian's, tench and countless perch, the pole elastic was stretch on a number of occasions by carp in the 3-5lb bracket.

Most were landed, but one wasn't. The float had hardly settled when the float slide away and the line went solid. But as I started to exert pressure on the fish, it move off at a pass and before I could react, the hook pulled.

By 5pm, with the prawns running out and the carp playing havoc with all bar the rudd baited rod, I decided enough was enough and headed for home.

TL

Better than working for a living

The day was due to be dull and overcast, and with a day off and bait to use up, it was time to head out.

After Saturdays failed river piking session, my mojo for pike and the rivers was at an all time low, so out with the perch rods!!!

I venture to a local lake that is a bit different to my normal venues, its small, very small. Infact its not a lake really but a large pond.

This lake/pond call it what you will, is home to some cracking perch and is a really pleasant place to be, perfect for a 1.2 day session.

I arrived a bit later than planned, but earlier enough to see the sunrise and soon the gear was out. 

Running ledger rig with worm on one rod and float fished caster worm on the other. It didn't take long for the first fish to come. A nice fat, annoying carp!! But in alot of ways it was fun and I it was a welcome sight.

The 4-5lb carp was soon returned only to be quickly joined by carp number two, these critters were certainly awake under the trees', but the float fished lobworm remained untouched.

After an hour, the alarm sounded again and for a second I thought it was a perch, but alas another critter carp!!!!!

The float fished lobworm was still untouched, and with the sun coming around, it was unlikely this would result in a perch taking it. So it was changed over to a second running ledger rig with a big lobworm on the size 8 hook.

It was only out for about 1/2 hour in the roots of a tree when the bobbin jangled and the alarm sounded. After a brief struggle, a nice perch was landed. At 1lb 10oz it was the biggest perch I've caught (i think), so to date and it will be enjoyable try to better it. The pond does hold bigger, so a 2 or maybe a 3lb is realistic target in the coming season. Perch are becoming a favourite small species of mine and I can see perch fishing becoming an obsession.

The perch was soon returned, but I did curse myself that it did picture of me holding the perch. 

I recently purchase from Dave Lumb or Lumbland a second hand Lumix G2 with wireless remote for just this occasion, but alas I forgot to use it. So you will have to make to for the time being with these action shots instead.

So now I have gotten to grips with the new camera, I should hopefully get more shots of me with fish.

Quiet Day?

This fishing game can be hard work. Well, that's what it felt like after one particular day on my perch lake.

Up nice and early before the sun has gotten out of bed and I was by the lake side in the morning gloom with only the sounds of the farmers cockerel and his barking dog. No birds chirping nothing, the near quiet was lovely.

The target for the session was for some of the resident perch. It was perfect perch weather too. Cool,  a slight breeze and overcast. Nice.

I have been toying with various ideas and methods for getting a bait out that wouldn't be targeted by the resident carp population, so the ideal bait was either a fresh roach or rudd on one rod, whilst fishing the lobworm on the float rod in the margins.

What I hadn't envisaged was that catch a roach or rudd on this day was to be somewhat challenging, well in fact it was nearly impossible.

I started with air inject lobworm on one rod for the perch, whilst I tried to catch the bait on the other rod. But after 2 hours, I had failed to catch a single roach or rudd, so I decided that I had wasted enough time on the bait snatching and it was time to change tackle over to fish half worm/maggot combo on the float in the margin for the perch.

All started well enough with a number of small perch honing in on the wormy crumb mix, but nothing of any size. Then Mr Carp came along and then the usual fun and games ensued and after a spirited fight it was landed.

More perch followed on the float, but nothing to the other rod alas. So a change of bait was required, but what. Well I did have a dying perch in the margins, so after reading up on how perch can on some waters be caught on a dead bait, and with this little perch fitting the bill. I decided to put in on and see what happened.

Whilst, this was all happening the local juniors arrived in their normal quiet manner (not). So after explaining what I was fishing for, how I was doing it and where my baits were, they setup camp in the next door peg. So much for a quite session. The usual questions then started, what have you caught, was it very big, what bait are you using, etc, etc, etc.

With all this going on the perch had completely switched off, it could have had something to do with the bombardment of bait and rigs that was hitting the water.
So then the teach in began, how do I make this rig and how do I to tie a strong knot, oh hum. But at least they are fishing rather than on the PS3 or Xbox!

Back to my fishing, well with not a perch in sight, the carp moved in over the bait and before long I had a couple on the bank and had hooked and lost again the only double in the lake (memo to self, must catch him and see how big he actually is).

Lunch came and went in a blur, the junior were on my shoulder every time I hooked a carp. "Carp are the best" one said "No point in fishing for anything else" said another, expect one lad, Tom his name is and he is the eldest of the group and loves his perch. It was Tom's birthday the other week and he had a bumper birthday and was lucking to have parents whom managed to get him some nice new lures, chair and other bits and bobs.

Tom started to fish with the new lures and on his very first cast hooks and lands a perch of about a 1lb in the swim to my right (poacher). After landing it for him and doing the usual photo's, Tom returns to the other swim, to tell the other lads what he had caught.

The floats dipped again and its zooming off, carp number 4 on the bank. None are of any size, but they are fun of sorts on autumn day.

Whilst return the little carp to the lake, I overhear the third and smallest lad say he hasn't catch anything yet and he was thinking of heading home.
So with the carp completely ruining my perch  session, I hatched a plan, I tell the young fish less lad, that when I hook the next carp, he can play and land it.
He has to wait no longer than 10 minutes and a carp is hooked and is zooming off. The lad soon has my rod tucked underneath his arm and is playing the carp. The clutch is clicking away and the lad is happy. After what seems like an eternity, Tom slips the net expertly underneath the carp and its ours!!! We place the handsome carp on the the mat and soon the camera phones are out. Before I have even managed to slip the carp back, the lad has the picture sent via MMS to his mum, dad, sister, infact the world via facebook.

It was a real Mr Crabtree moment for me, the look on this young lads face was great, grinning for ear to ear, happy as Larry.

The rain then started, and the junior gang, decided the it was no fun fishing in the rain, and headed for home.
With the rain beating down on me to and with the brolly in the car, I had to agree with the juniors and I too decided, this young angler need to head home too.

btw, the perch deadbait remained untouched. Back to the drawing board!!

Autumn Break (part 2)

The second day saw we heading back to the still water for more perch (hopefully) action.

My mood was somewhat better that the previous day, as I ventured out of the house, the sky was clear and with the weatherman saying no rain, I hoped for a better day.

I arrived at the still water in the early morning gloom and like a rat up a drain pipe I was soon settling into a my favourite swim before the normal mid week matchmen had even had their cornflakes.

Fishing was to be simple today, air injected lobworm on one rod under the snaggy willow. And chopped worm maggot combo on the float by the lily pads.

The plan for the snaggy rod was to sit it out in the hope that the resident big perch would find the large lobworm before the carp in the lake became active.

The float rod which was to be fished next to the lilies was to be the line that I would work during the day and present bigger and bigger baits after seeing off some of the small roach and perch.

A half kilo of worm crumb was soon mixed up with a couple of shots of worm juice to spice it up, this was fed into the lilies at 10 min intervals to entice the perch into the area. This was topped up with some micro pellets in order to get the small roach going and cause some activity in the swim.

The float soon dipped and a perch was on the end. Nothing bigger that a 6oz, but it was a start.

This was soon added two with a further few similar sized perch

The sun was starting to rise and the cockerel on the farm starting to crow. The float bobbed and very slowly slid away. After a spirited fight which involved the  fish trying to get to the lilies and a spikey fin broke the surface of the lake.

It was a decent sized perch that warranted weighting, was it going to be a 2lb fish?

At 1lb 11oz, it wasn't one of the bigger fish that I seen, but a very nice fish.

I slid this fine perch away from the swim and returned to the float. More perch followed and an occasional roach soon came to the worm/maggot combo before the carp became active.

I did manage another 1lb+ perch in the later stages of the morning, but with the carp now crashing about the swim and happily taken any bait put in font of them, I decided to retire home early with the warm autumn sun happy in the knowledge that I'm starting to crack open the hidden gems in this lake.

Oh C*rp!!

Another Saturday and another chance to wet the line on one of the smaller club lake. This was the place to go with the idea of catch some of the perch that lurk beneath the depth.

The day started off well enough with a lovely perch of just under a 1lb, but alas the perch fishing didn't go to plan.

The chopped worm ground bait with a huge lobworm or a bunch of dendrobaena as hook bait was simply too much of a temptation for the resident carp. But whilst not being my chosen species, they provided great sport on light tackle.

I fished the whole day and managed a few small perch, the odd roach and crucian carp, plus another 3 small carp.

I then switched onto the ultra light lure rod and managed another half a dozen perch to a pound on a mepps spinner.

The highlight of the day was loaning this setup to a young lad who is a regular visitor to the lake for the carp. On seeing the rod, he asked to have a try. He loved it, and hooked and lost a monster perch. I think he is know changing him mind on what rod he's asking for his birthday.

TL

And We've Off

Belated birthday fishing session yesterday, and a return to to my challenging tench water for another session after this elusive species.
Woke up nice and early, but didn't / couldn't get up, the mojo for tench is waning after a high number of session without a sniff of one. None of my tench session have been a blank, with plentiful amounts of bream and roach to save me blanking, but when your after tench, everything else can be a disappointment.

Don't get me wrong, I love my bream and roach fishing, but my mind has been set in targeting a PB tench from this water where they grow to double figures.

I left the house with the rods after the usual jobs of feeding animals etc, so with a cuppa in hand I set about the task of driving to the lake. Now normally this would be eventful and I could tell you about the wonders of the wildlife on route, not today. Today it was all in a blur and I was soon parked up think I had, had a senior moment and couldn't remember the journey. Ho hum.

After waking up again, the first challenge of the day, put the new barrow together. This is one of these TFG Blazer barrow's (birthday present from the wife). 

Decided that with all the bait etc I'm now carrying for a session that I need to get a load shifter or not take as much stuff. A barrow came out the winner, as I can take the quantity of bait I need without damaging my back.

Te barrow was soon loaded and off I went pushing it along over the bridge, throw the meadow and to the lake. Luckily the cold gloomy day had put every one off the idea of fishing and I had the place to myself. This made it easier to decided which swim to setup on. The swim is nicely placed to fish a number of different features and normally it is taken up with a carper.

Soon the rods were out, method feeder, maggot feeder and marginal bolt rigged boilie. The boilie was a new type that I was trying out for a manufacturer, I had hopes that something large would decide it needed a fast food snack and snaffle it. Ten tennis ball sized balls of ground bait were catapulted out into grazing area.

The other two rods were baited with red maggot and these soon got the attention of the resident roach shoals. The method feeder was soon away and a roach was in the hand. The nice thing about the roach in this water is that the average size is 8-10oz with a few 1lb fish making an appearance.

The "rig" was soon away too and a perch was hooked, again another species that seem to grow big n this water, and maybe another species to target in the autumn.

Both rods were rebaited and recast out to the baited area and it wasn't long before more 8-10oz roach were landed. The carp on the far side were crashing about and grabbed my attention with their antics.

By 9am, I had landed about a half a dozen roach and then it when quiet, a few more balls of ground bait were catapulted out to liven things up and soon the bite started again.

The method feeder bobbin then twitch, before climbing to the rod ring and the bait runner started to sing, this wasn't a roach. The rod hooped over and by the feel of it, a better fish was hooked. It was either a small carp or a tench. The latter was what I was hoping for.

After a spirited fight in which included a could of short runs, a tench tail broke the surface and my heart started to beat faster.

The tench was soon over the net and it was mine. Off the mark at last. It was soon unhooked and weight 5lb 14oz with the sling, so that's a health 5lb 6oz tench to get the campaign going.

Rod was soon rebaited and cast out and the roach were back on the bait. By the end of the session I must have had fifteen plus 8-10oz roach and one of nearly a pound.

The marginal rod didn't get a look in until last knockings, whereby the alarm was screaming, but the fish, which was likely to be one of the carp broke the 8lb hook link.

Only other large species I had was a single male bream of about 4lb, its head was cover in the white tubercles, so spawning was probably on there mind.

May as many other bloggers have said is the costed since year dot, and the tench fishing have mostly been awful. We have all struggled for tench, but with a warming wind set to blow through June, I hopin to catch a few more before I start fishing the rivers again.

TL

Kite, Cats and.....

At last the 2 day fishing/social trip to Oxford was here. Time for some fun in the sun (hopefully).

The venue for one of this years pikers pits socials was the Orchid Lake fishery in Oxfordshire.
We were fishing the Club Lake, which is home to the Wels Catfish.

Left home mid afternoon on the Thursday for the two and a half hour drive to the fishery. Traffic was its usual leave and after a couple of pit stops, I arrived at the fishery in good time.

After I had met up with the rest of the group, we draw for pegs, my name was first out of the hat and I picked peg number 5. This peg had lots on offer, snags, overhanging trees and bushes, open water and a  small bay. Hopefully, one of these area's would hold a catfish or two.

 I soon have the bivvy up and soon the two rods out. Being newish to catfishing, I decided to opt for 12ft 3.5tc rods, with my trustworthy Shimano Arelex 7000 reels, which were loaded with Big Game 25lb mainline. The hooklinks were made from Quicksilver 45lb braid and the hooks with eagle weave, sizes 2 - 4/0 depending on the bait.

For bait, I had brought along a small selection along with me these including large/small halibut pellets, tins of luncheon meat, whole squid and large lobworms.

The first baits to go out was a whole squid on a running ledger under the far bank trees, with a scattering of halibut pellets and attractor, and the margin rod was baited with five juicy lobworms on a dumbell rig.

Now I no expert on catfish, and I still waiting to land one of these giant tadpoles, but the organiser of the event was quietly confident that some would come out over the next 3 days.

So with the rods out and the bivvy set, there was not much to do exempt have a yarn and a cup of earl grey with a slice of victoria sponge.

As the afternoon turned to evening it was time for the social arm of the event to kick off, so after reeling in the baits we head off to sample some of the delights the cook had brought along. Tonight it was hommus with french sitick for starter and the main was beef curry, all washed done with some John Smiths and a couple of glasses of Roja.

Soon the sun was descending and it wa time to head back to the rods and get the baits out for the night. I was sticking with my baited areas from the afternoon and with precision cast the squid landed on the far bank trees. A couple of hand fulls of pellets were catapulted out over the bait, to hopefully draw the cats out of their liars.

As darkness draw on the first night, the bites started. To be honest, the squid was left alone, but the worms were being battered by nocturnal feeding carp and a couple of time they even managed to draw me out of the warmth of the sleeping bag.

Night turned to dawn, and with that the nights silence was broken by the birds, I was soon up and inspecting the baits. The squid, which seem to have remained intact, had drawn the attentions of something, as upon inspection, the squids head was missing. The lobworms were another matter. All the battering during the night had left very little left.

Both baits were replaced and rods recast, in the hope that a cats would still be on the prowl. This is when I saw my first red Kite over the Oxford countryside, flying above me looking for breakfast. After I had breakfast  time myself, I reeled the rods in and wend for a walkabout. The other catfishers were slowly stirring from their night time slumbers.

The day was uneventful on the fishing front for me, and in fact no catfish were caught for the whole two days. Some of the lads brought float or quiver rods and managed to winkle out some nice tench, bream and a solitary double figure carp. But my catfish baits remained untouched for the whole weekend.

Whilst I didn't catch, it was nicet being out again on the bank for a weekend. Something I hope to do again soon once there weather turns into something resembling summer.

TL

Off the Mark

Sunday morning saw the alarm sound early, but instead of getting straight up I laid in bed for another 45 minutes before I couldn't resist the urge to get out on the bank. The trouble was it was  minus 2 outside with a frost. So much for spring.

With a slightly heavy heart, I went through the motions of getting the animals fed, me fed and baits out of the various cupboards and cool bags (maggots are ban from the fridge now).

I finally set off for the lake a little after 06:00, later than planned, but with the frost on the car that the extra time in bed was worth while.

After driving along the country lanes to the lake, the cars' temperature gauge showed that it wasn't getting much warming, in fact the temperature was dropping and the fog was rolling in across the fields. Now normally, I would be commenting on the wonderful sight of the wildlife on route, but alas today I couldn't see sod all apart from the old rabbit sitting in the middle of the road waiting to be run over.

I arrived at the lake and parked up, not a sole in sight, just how I like it, and was soon lugging the gear to a predetermined swim based on the wind direction. The swim or peg is positioned on a steep bank, which can make setting up troublesome, but it has a number of features both close in and out in the middle.

I was soon setting up the rods, but due to the fog, I couldn't picture the distance I needed to put the bait out at, so the marked float was deployed, after some impromptu feature finding.

Whilst setting up, a text had come through from a mate, asking if I was alone or not. As my reply was yes, he decided to join me at the venue, rather than at his last water which wasn't challenging enough.

I soon had a feature found, a bar at about 40 yards with 2ft of extra water either side of it. This was to be the main feature for the days session.

Three rods carp style were deployed, all on self hook / bolt rigs, two with feeders (open and method) and one with a lead. Baits were a mixture of pinkies and maggot, imitation maggot and 10mm Nash Squid boillie.

The method mix was one from my local bait supplier (Lake Wizard) which is  a fishmeal based mix with additives.

I soon had all three rods out and sat back in the fog with the first brew of the day. As the fog was being burn off the first of the action started and a nice 8-10oz roach hung itself on the rig. This was soon unhooked and returned. As the sun started to burn through, then jagged roach bites increased and I soon had another roach self hooked and on the bank, trouble was the gear was abit heavy for roach, but they were a welcome sight on a cold morning.

With the sun shining, the entire lake and the surrounding countryside seemed to be waking up from the winter solace. The warblers were singing in the reeds, the carp with jumping for joy and the bees were busily collecting much needed nectar. The whole place was alive including the fish. With roach and rudd topping over the lakes surface, their movements stirred the predators lurking below and soon vast shoals of fry were being scattered by shoals of hungry, hunting perch.

By lunch, the mornings tally was four roach and rudd, all in pristine condition, but no sign of the bream or tench that i was craving. To be far, conditions were far from ideal for either species and I did resign myself to catching the occasional roach, rudd and maybe a skimmer. But that thought was premature.

Soon the alarm was sounding, but instead of the ultra light bobbin just rattling, the line was being pulled through it and the baitrunner on the reel was signing with a running fish. I struck and felt the weight of a fish and wasn't sure what I had hooked, tench, bream or carp?????

After a short but spirited fight, the first bream of the season was on the surface and in the net. Nothing huge, but a very welcome fish of about 4lb. It was noticeable that this was a male, as it had already started to show the white spots or tubercles that the male fish get prior to spawning time.
The rod was baited again and recast, it wasn't long before another rod was away and another male bream of a similar size was in the net, but this one had a damaged mouth, probably from it having an encounter with a carper last season.

As the afternoon rolled on, I soon had three bream landed, with the biggest being 5/6lb. But the sun was now shining very brightly and the the bites dried up. The boillie was changed to a maggot bait and the lead replaced with a feeder.

15:30 came with a bang, and the baitrunner was away again, and another battling male bream was kiting across the swim in an attempt to get its self in a tangle with the other rods. Another bream in the 4lb class, and this was followed by another in quick succession.

The day was getting on, and the pinkies had been finished, so another opened feeder was deployed for the last hour of the day. The wind picked up and the sun disappeared, and with that the bites started again, alas I was running out of time, but I did manage one final bream at final knockings.

By the end of the day, the count was four roach, two rudd and seven bream.

It was soon time to pack up, and on reflection, it was a good day, nothing huge, but the three species all welcome as it gives me three target species to fish for on this particular venue along with the elusive tinca, which as yet haven't made an appearance, still in bed I guess.

Tightlines

Tinca & Abramis Start

Now that my winter piking has finished for another season, so the search for big tinca and Abramis brama begins.
I been lucky enough to find a few waters locally that hold some decent size fish of both species, so the campaign began and I might even stumble on some carp along the way.

It began with an early drive to the chosen water through the back lanes of the county with the wonderful sights of spring along the way. Mad March hares in the fields, lapwings on the wing and a solitary barn owl hunting in the early morning gloom.

The gear has been changed from last year, as it really wasn't up to the task for distance fishing for bream and tench, so the rods have been up rated to 2.5lb tc carp rods and reels have been changed to better size for casting, but are light weight.

I arrived to fine the wind blowing from the north east as predicted and sleet/snow in the air. The lake had a fresh feel about it and, some i chose a deep corner of the lake were it was both comfortable for me and hopefully the fish.

Rods were soon out and baited up, one with a conversion method feeder with 12" hook link and baited with double red. The second was a inline maggot feeder, this was loaded with pinkies and would be recast or catapulted over every 10-15 mins to build up the swim.

Soon I was relaxing on the bank with a steaming cuppa and enjoying just begin out there again. The sun was out and it felt warm on the back, spring is here. Then a bloody big black cloud came over and dumped a 5min snow shower over me and the gear. Soon the sun was out again and with the warming rays the first tentative bites started on 2nd rod and the light bobbins were twitching with small roach bites.
Hopefully a something would hang themselves on the rig and get the session started.

The twitchy bits continued in between the snow and my confidence started to grow. Out in the distance, over the valley, a buzzard was being chased off by a couple of noisy crows and a green wood packer was hunting for ants on the far bank.

The left hand rod was away half hardily and on inspection, the maggots were sucked lifeless. This was soon re baited and recast, whilst I sat back with another cuppa and tied some of my version of DL "The Rig". Its really a version of the helicopter rig, but with some changes.

I have replaced the ESP power gum with a similar BS, just this one is clear, the hooklink is attached via a big eyed swivel and the hook is a 16.

Lunchtime came and a flask of stew was consumed with another cuppa, the snow had returned and it felt bitter in the wind so the brolly was put up to give me some shelter from its icy bite. The afternoon was colder than the morning and the twitchy bites dried up.
I noted in the corner of the swim that these was some fish moving about, so I introduced a handful of freebies  to see what their reaction was. After 20 mins, it seemed that the movement was fish, species unknown, but if they were feeding, then there was a chance I could catch them. I hastily put together the 13ft float rod, but the reel attached with a pin with 6lb mainline, which was left over from the winter river fishing, so I hoped they weren't carp. I soon dropped in a lift method  float setup with a small clear crystal straight waggler, with a banded 10mm boilie attached and waited.

There was some fizzy about the freebies and I tried to moved the float so the baited hook was in amongst them and sat back again with another cuppa. Nothing happened for for an good hour so I recast to the shadow lurching beneath the surface, but my cast with the pin had no finesse and the bait plopped into the swim and scared off the beast beneath.

The rest of the afternoon went off without any action, apart from a barn owl who stole a tasty mammal from a hunting kestrel. The kestrel was having none of this and pursued the much bigger hunter, in a mid air duel.

The snow returned for a final time and with the lack of action and the air temperature dropping, I admitted defeat, but as I packed up the last rod, a carp went airborne as if to aid to my bitter mood.

Elsewhere I learn't that some had been more fortunate, and had managed to winkle out both bream and tench. There is always next time.