Feeder Improvements

I'm all for making life easier and buying bits and bobs off the shelf is of course the easiest option. However, when the tackle firm balls up and change something for no reason, then I feel that I have to do something about it.

The feeders are of course functional as they are, but I find the plastic loop on some feeder a pain in the arse, so rather than chucking them, they get modified.

Now there is a few ways to do this and the very simplist option would be to buy some nitrate O'rings and replace the plastic with one of them. The O rings are tough as hell and usually results in you not only loosing the feeder but also the rig. So I have found that if you construct a loop using power gum you get the feeder back or the power gum knot pulls free under moderate tension, thus getting at least the rig back.

Net Full

Its always a good thing to keep on learning at any age or at any level angling experience and with river fishing I constantly learning all the time from a good friend whom is a very good river angler.

So when the weekend came and I had the chance to put some of learning points gleaned into affect on my second trip to the river of the season. Whilst I have fished this river a bit on an off I have always felt like I'm not fishing it effectively and have not capitalised when I've found the fish.

So with the car loaded I head up for a good hours drive to the river. I wanted to fish the opposite bank to last week, but after an hour walking the bank, I admitted defeat with 8ft of marginal reed hampering my efforts. Whilst I did have some tools that would help create a swim, I did have the tool that I needed aka a throw able reed cutter. So it was back to the layby swim for me because time was getting on.

The ground bait bucket was out and after consulting the book I mixed up a couple of kilo's of crumb and black Supercup laced with hemp, maggot, crushed caster and some pellets. Rather than balling out a load at the started, I put in five balls to get the fish going, the rest would go in via the feeders.

Next on the list was the rods, gone was the still water tip rod and out was the Avon rods with a 2oz tip. Both coupled with 400 reels and 6lb mainline. Rig wise it was to be a paternoster and a semi running rig nicked from a Nisa video on river feeder rigs.  In essence this was a sliding float stop, followed by a link swivel, I then formed a loop to connect the hook link to. Two size 6 shot was placed just above the loop knot to form stop and help pin the mainline to the bed of the river. A 14" hook link of 3lb material was added This rig can be used as either a bolt or running rig so is quite adaptable depending on the fish being finicky or not.

The big changes were the change of hook thickness and rod positioning. I opted for a thin gauge long shank 16's and 18's for the maggot/caster of The rods were how vertical beach caster style with the tips slightly under tension to form a shallow curve so that both pulls, taps and drop back would be shown.

I was all set up, feeders clipped on, hooks baited and out they went. The right hand rod had the big baits on, a corn and caster cocktail, the left hand rod had the standard double reds. I didn't have to wait to long for bites to start and soon a small roach was netted with after a confident bite on the tip which was easy to see. The small roach was soon followed by further roach and small perch too and bite continued nice a steady during the first 2 hours. A couple of 4lb bream took the corn/caster cocktail and I soon had 10lb weight of fish in the net. I took a break for a brew and head back to the rods, with a streaming mug of tea. The rod ere recast and action was resumed for another hour or so whereby a ten skimmers came along in quick succession. This was shaping up to be a good morning.

The action then slowed and I decided to mix up the hook bait, a small worm was hooked onto the left hand rod tipped of with a red and the bites started again. The big bait rod was slowing up, so this two was changed. This time it was double corn soaked in molasses and this started a run of a better stamp of bream self hooking them self which resulted in the rod being lifted off the back rest.
This problem was quickly solved with the baitrunner being engage to allow a hooked fish to run if hooked.

Morning was soon midday and I must have had near 20lb of fish in the net. Lunch was soon consumed with anther mug of tea and then back to the action. A large worm replaced the double corn and I continued with the worm/red cocktail on the other rod.
Now eels arnt my thing really and on light tackle they are a pain in the area, so imagine my job as the nodding tip was a sure sign one had been hooked. As it came in it dive and ducked, spun and coiled before I managed to get it to the edge unhook without it leaving the water. There was simply no way this snake was going to get its slime on the keepnet.

As soon as the small eel was away, I just had time to look up and see the big bait run being pulled off of the rests either with the baitrunner going. I clamped down and it was quickly apparent that another bigger, stronger eel had taken the lobworm. It completely flat rodded me and it took and age to get it under control and nearing the me, but every time I thought I had it beat it was off again. I was not looking forward to wrestling with this water snake and I was quite thankful then the critter finally bit through the light line in the margins. The rig was in a mess, so it had to be re rigged, but no further worms would be going on the hook.

The afternoon pushed on and further bream graced the
 net and added to the total. The rain started as a drizzle and this didn't put the fish off and for a further hour I had another 10lb of fish ranging from small skimmer to a couple of 4lb bream.

On the horizon the rain clouds gather and with the wind continuing to blow into my bank I decided enough was enough and this along with running very low on ground bait made my decision for me.

On loading the last bits on the gear into the car the heavens opened and it lashed the car as I drove off of the bank and onto the road.

The final net weight was near 30lb of roach, skimmer, perch and bream plus a slippery eel which didn't get into the net. This has to be my most successful day on any UK river with regard to overall weight and the constant action on the tip rods was a welcome change to sitting behind a bank of rods on alarms.

Like Buses

The weekend couldn't come fast enough as I was eager to get back out on the bank and fish again.

This time I was more prepared and got down to the waters edge for dawn and spombed the usual sweet mix into my familiar swim.
I did contemplate a different swim on arrival, but having seen more tench in this area then anywhere else on the lake, why go else where.

The morning was warm, but overcast and no one else was about. Perfect. The spombing was efficiently done after abit of raking was undertaken, the swim was rested until everything else was setup and ready.

The rigs were to be the same on the rods, but the bait on the boilie rod was to be the new handmade bait given to me by the bailiff to try whilst fishing fake maggots on the inline feeder rig.

With both rod now baited and cast out, it was time to boil the kettle, prepare bankside breakfast and enjoy the first cuppa of the session.
With the kettle bubbling aware the inevitable happened. The bobbin on the boilie rod was jangling , then swiftly lifted to the rod. Stumbling down the bank, I grabbed the rod as the reel started to spool. Lifting into a moving fish I was confident that this was a tench and that it was making off at pace across the lake. The fish fought well and gave a good account of itself before appearing in the upper layers. It was no tench, but one of the bream the resident bream.
After netting, unhooking and muttering about the slim it was slipped back to continue to pester the tench.


The bait was still intact and it was cast back out and I went back to enjoying the breakfast that was slowly getting cold. Alas it was to go cold, because no sooner had the next spoonful been put in my mouth and the Delkim was bleeping, bobbin was rising and the reel churned. This was certainly no bream. The line sung in the breeze and a paddle tail slapped the surface as it boiled and turned over before taking line. Weed floated to the surface as the tench made a bid for freedom down the margins. The tench turned for open water and was doing its best to shake the hook, but it was within the range of the net and soon in its folds.
Not a monster, but a good size for the water and another over the 5lb mark for the season.
It was soon unhooked and returned with a slap of the might paddle, but yet again it had mouth damage.

The early morning drifted along and the day was turning pleasantly warm. The float rod was un packed and soon I was watching the tip for shy biting roach or hopefully tench.

The float was soon dipping and I connected with a number of hungry rudd, roach and hybrids, nothing to write home about in relation to size but good fun.

Whilst enjoying the float fishing it was evident that there was alot of bream in the area, the bobbins lift and the alarms bleeped, only for the same to happen in reverse on repeated occasions. In between this there would be proper bites and a number of bream graced the net.

Mid morning came and I had a decent run again on the boilie rod, from the head shaking it wasn't another bream and a second tench was hooked. This one played out like the first heading along the margins disturbing the weed beds and then making for open water. Being slightly smaller it was soon in the net.

The pattern of bream to tench is on this water very high, a ratio of 1:10 won't surprise me and they home in on the bait very quickly. On a dawn you can see them rolling out in the middle of the lake, feeding or ascending insects, only for them to move quickly over the baited area with 15 to 20mins once baiting up has finished. These bream do seem to feed first and once they have had their fill, move on which allows the tench and occasion carp to pick up the scraps.
If I could isolate a single component of the mix that was particularly favourable to bream, I'd remove it, but its a simple particle mix with a additional 1/2 pints of dead reds, corn and pellet.

But its not just the fish that like the mix, the resident water fowl likes it too and they too home in on the sound of the spomb hitting the water and it become a game of cat and mouse with them.
I can usually get away with the initial eight spombs, but that next five area the ones where the duck get there fill. There is also the inevitable mix that get dropped or spilt in the margins and this is soon snaffled by the old bill.

The day was becoming hotter and I could feel the burn on the neck through the collar. With the rising temperature the bites steadily dropped off and by early afternoon even the float had stopped dipping so I packed and headed for home.

Wrong Ratio

a

The Easter break was a chance to get the rods out for the early season tench and after the usual morning duties I was soon driving through the lane to get to the lake.

After loading the barrow and pushing it along the muddy path, I was soon next to the lake and contemplating the choice of swim. Alas, my favourite tinca swim was taken by another angler, so plan B was put into action, have a chat with another carper to see what joy they may have had before deciding on plan C

So, with plan C hatched, I pushed the barrow to last weekends spot.

First jobs first, mixing up the ground bait for rod one and spodding the particle mix out on rod two.

Once this messy task was done and the usual rigs were placed out over the top it was time for breakfast (porridge) and the cuppa to start off they day. The morning was mild for March and there was a real sense that spring was around the corner, the male pheasants were fighting on the hill, the buzzard was using the thermals to get to a heady height and the green woodpeckers were whooping at each other from opposing trees.

The blissful sound were then disturbed by the bleeping of an alarm and the bobbin rose to the rod before the baitrunner started to tick over. No need to strike a fish was on, but alas soon the plod, plod of a blank saving bream was felt on the end of the line.

This was soon netted,unhooked and returned.

The rod was swiftly rebaited and recast, but I struggle to attach the bobbin as it kept lifting to the rod and falling of. Errrh you muppet fish on and after a not so long tussle another slab came to the net.

The early morning drifted on with the feeder being recast frequently to top up the swim. This paid off and shortly after 9am the alarm single tone and the baitrunner was spinning. Certainly no slab and with a spirited fight an small tench came to the net.

Unfortunately this lovely tench had a damaged bottom jaw and whilst it seemed to be feeding, it did seem abit thin for its length. Otherwise it was in good health and was soon slipped back.

The rest of the morning was spent unhooking slabs in the 3-5lb bracket and by lunch I decided to switch to new area's and fish single baits with pva bags of offerings. Alas the photo summed up the afternoon.

Its been a case of, warm enough for fish to feed, but not the species I want to catch. So I do I carry on with this venue for another few weeks with similar ratios' or do I switch to the harder venues?

Will see what the weekend brings.

Something New

There are time when you just need to do something different or tackle something new and fishing for specimen roach is something new to me.

For the last four days I'd been planning and musing what species to tackle and what venue to fish, and come Saturday lunchtime I'd decided on roach and an a large reservoir.

Now we all caught roach, mostly on the float or feeder as kids, but a large roach is a magical sight.

So after deciding the species and venue, I tackle up with suitable gear, in this case a pair of 12ft 1.1/4tc Avon rods, 4000 bait runners, 6lb mainline.

The reason I was using heavy mainline was due to the need for repeated casting of  small loaded feeders at regular intervals. I also took along a 13ft waggler rod just in case I fancied a dabble on the float.

I arrived nice and early hoping to see roach topping all over the surface, but it had been a cold over night and nothing was moving. I drove about looking at different places around the water for a good hour before finally settling on an area that to be frank had not been kind to me over the years. This area have not produced for me, but I had an gut feel that for roach it may be different.

First job was to mix up some simple crumb with hemp, caster and a smattering of red maggot. This was catapulted out to a range of 30-40 yards. Knowing the water as I do, I knew there would be a consistent depth of around 10-12ft out in from of me after the initial drop off,

With the baiting up done, the first of the loaded feeders on a heli rig with two reds on a size 18 was cast out to the baited area and setup on the alarm. The second rod was again a feeder rig, but on a simple running rig but on the size 18 was a pair of fresh casters.
With the rods out, it was time for the breakfast and the first brew of the day whilst taking in the sights and sounds of the wildlife waking up. On the far bank a Munjac deer could be heard barking out its order to its rivals to stay away, a buzzard called out whilst starting its ascend on the early morning thermals and the chaffinches chatted in the blackthorn along the track.

With breakfast and brew finished and the feeders retrieved and reloaded, it was time to set up a third rod. As the water was pretty still I decided the waggler rod would be more fun than setting up a third rod on a buzzer. So the waggler rod was assembled and after plumbing the depth the first cast to the marginal shelf was made.
There is something calming about watching a float, so much so that when it dipped I missed the bite by a country mile. After putting on fresh bait and recasting it didn't take long for the float to dip, but this time I connected with something.

Not the biggest roach in the world, but the first of the roach campaign and a blank saver.
The roach was soon unhooked and returned to either grow into a specimen size or become a tasty snack for a predator.

The float gear was recast and whilst watching the float half dip once and a while, the Delkim let out a bleep and the bobbin started to dance on the line. Putting the float rod down on the rests, I hovered over the rod hopping the dancing bobbin would lift to the rod. Alas it didn't and after 10 minutes of nothing I reeled in to find the maggots smashed and just the skin left. Good sign that something was out there over the baited area.
The re baiting and recasting the rods on the alarms continued along with a number of bite size roach come on the waggler, and I was content that at least there was an abundance of small roach in the area. By mid morning, the bites on the float rod stopped and I decided to rest the area for a while, while concentrating on firing out a few more balls of ground bait.

As the last ball hit the water, the alarm on the caster baited rod sounded and the bobbin lifted straight to the top and stayed there. I struck and could feel something on the line. With 2.7lb hook links and a small hook, I couldn't give the fish to much stick, but after a short while the silver flacks of a nice roach came into view and the magical sight of a nice specimen was drawn over the net. Result!

A quick snap on the mat and after weighing it, the roach was slipped back into the coloured water. The rod was rebaited and cast back out, and I could reflect on the tactics that had lead to the downfall of this specimen. Whilst it isn't common in the specimen angling world to use a running rig for big roach, or come to think of it for most species, it still does have its place on shy biting fishing. A good friend of mine, who is also a good all round angler reminded me earlier in the day about the importance to try something different from the other and it had already paid dividends,

The running leger rig is the simplest of rigs to use and with the small light bobbins I use for most of my fishing, it is a effective method.

More roach of various sizes followed on both rods and it became difficult to keep both rods out for a time and I was frequently having to reel in micro roach on both rods. Then the inevitable happened and a pike snatched a roach off of one of the rods as I retrieved it. The pike instantly bite through light hook links resulting in me having to re tackle. This happened on both rods, so I decided to rest the area for an hour to see if the uninvited dinner guest would get bored or full and leave the area.

I set about getting the float gear out again, but the bites were patching and shy. I did manage to hook a couple including a half decent one, but I managed to loss it even thought I had it in the fold of the net.

After an hour, I decided to get the rods back out on the alarms and within a few minutes the alarms started to sound and the bobbins started to dance again. Some more small roach were landed and another specimen roach was also netted before the bait started to run dry.

By 4pm and with the last of the casters used I decided to pack up and head for home.

First & Last

 Another day in pursuit of tench was the aim for a day on the bank of one of my new favourite venues.

So after getting up bright and early, I set off on the drive to the lake.

Upon arrival at the lake, I was surprised to find two cars already there, I was hoping that neither were in the swim that I want.

The morning was cold, but luckily no frost so with wet grass under my feet, I barrowed the gear around to my the swim hoping that it was still vacant and it was.

I soon had the gear unloaded and set about setting up the rods, mixing the ground bait and generally ensuring everything was to hand.

Twelve spods were send out and deposited on an area were there is in the summer a bed of weed, but the spot is a good few feet shallower than the rest of the lake and the fish more in for time to time to feed.
Unlike last time, the water wasn't boiling with topping fish, after the last spod landed, but it was noticeably colder than last time out.

Soon the three rod were baited and two method feeder were cast to the spodded area and the third setup on a bolt rig in the reedy margins.
Once all was done, I sat back in the chair and started the waiting game, eagerly anticipating the first bite of the day.
The lake inhabitants might not have been stirring yet, but the bird life was in full song. The wildlife around this lake is amazing and you can all sort of birds from you humble blue tits in the willow trees to the buzzard soaring high about on the thermals. I did seen one bird that I have seen for before, I knew it was Bunting , but had to look it up at home to confirm it was a rmale Reed Bunting.

After what seemed like an eternity, the roach bites started in earnest, but none were positive enough to hit and I found myself having to sit on my hands.
Recast and rebaiting was required on the method feeders, and a fresh pva bag of dead maggots and corn was attached to the margin rod before that was underhand cast back out to the reeds.
By 8:30am and after too many cups of tea, a comfort break was needed, but whist in full flow, the margin rod alarm sounded and a fish was running. Lifting into the fish, I could feel there was quality fish on the other end.
As short under the tip fight ensued, but with strong tackle, it wasn't long before the fish came into view and into the weighting net

The tench was hooked in the corner of the mouth and was soon unhooked and weighted. Nothing massive but at 4.1/2lb it was the biggest tench so far.

Couple of shots on the mat and then it was released. I'm not a fan of keepnets, preferring to return each fish after capture. If the fish is of a size that I want a photo of , it normally a mat shot unless, it is over a pb, and then it will be retained whilst the self take gear is set up.

After another hour of waiting, the baited are came to life and soon a bream of 4lb was in the net.
The morning grew into midday, and after a few more bream were landed, I decided that I wanted to change tact abit and try to target more of the tench. Some bigger fake baits were but onto the method rods, but the marginal rod was to continue with the pva bags.

This change seem to slow the bites down, and the fish that did take the baits, did so with vigour and soon another 5 bream on the 3-4lb bracket had been landed. But alas no tench.
But late afternoon and with time running out, I decided to try one of the fish flavoured 10mm boilies on the margin rod.
After this landed, and the bobbin attached, the fake maggot/corn cocktail was away out in the middle of the lake.
Another spirit fight with the fish boiling on the surface and I could see my target species again, the second tench.

This one was bang on 4lb, so again, not massive, but very welcome.

Tightlines

Method in my Madness

 Firstly, sorry for not posting for near on six week, but I been very busy with PAC teach in, family do, etc. This has left me with little time to fish of late, but things are settling down and hopefully with a good wind, a few more trips should be made.

I had been out the last Monday for a short session, but due to unintelligent angling, and lack of time, my caught rate was poor with only a couple of bream and roach coming to my rods.

So with Saturday promising to be fine weather, I planned to go out for the whole day after tench, but half expecting bream to turn up as well.

Car was duly loaded up at first light and I was soon on my way to the lake for the day.

On arrived in the car park, I was surprised to find no other cars there, so I had the choice of the swims.

Barrow was soon loaded up and I was on the far bank with the wind on my back.

After a 10min walk, I was in my favourite swim and happy unloading the gear in my usual OCD manner.

Soon the rods were on the pod and the spodding was to begin in earnest. Twelve large spods of bait mix was deposited in an area about 35-40 yards out  on a gravel feature which was three foot shallower than the surrounding water, so the fish home in on the area during the day. I also baited a marginal area with a pint of hemp/corn/dead maggot mix next to some reeds.

After 1/2 an hour of allowing the swim to settle from the spod bombardment, Two baited methods feeders were cast out, one baited with three hair rigged fake casters and the other double reds to the mark float.

The method feeder rig I use is nothing special, it comprise of a Fox 43g method feeder and quick change swivel then the hook link using hooks between 12 and 8 depending on hookbait.
I had added in recent weeks a 1/4g pin down lead to help reduce the number of line bites and the hook length material have also been altered from standard mono to either braided or flurocarbon in 6" lengths.

The marginal rod was a simple semi-fix bolt rig, with a 10mm boilie for bait with a pva bag of crushed offerings.

It didn't take long for the bite to come and soon the bobbins on a long drop were jangling away with small roach attacking the baits.
Then a sail away bite came on the middle rod and the bait runner was clicking over. Grabbed the rod and a nice bend was felt with a fish on the end. Short but spirited fight and soon the target species appeared at the net, a tench!! Not a huge tench, but the first one of the season.

Quick snap on the camera and the tench is returned and I'm eager to get the rod back out, but the other rod is away and a large roach graces the net. All before 8:30am!!!

Both rods are now baited and recast to the marker and as the second feeder lands, a pair of lapwings can be seen on the horizon, another first for the season.

The lake is alive with activity and not just with the rolling tench and bream over the baited area. The whole place is alive with falcons, buzzards, song and games birds. The grass is green, the trees are in bud and there is real sense that the bank is awake and alive.

Whilst I'm in surveying the local wildlife the bobbins are twitching again and one of the method feeder rods is away again. The tell tell nod on the rod tip tells me its a bream, so soon its on the surface and in the net, score for the fake casters!!

Rebaited the feeder and its back out, but the other rods is away and a 2nd slightly bigger bream is soon subdued and in the net.

By midday, the total stood at a tench and roach, plus 4 bream and all when quiet. Time for lunch and a rebait of the margin rod which had remained untouched. The boilie bait was changed to fake corn with a real piece to top it off and this was put back out to the baited margin.
I was surprised that nothing have taken the boilie given the number of fish rolling over the top of the baited area, perhaps boilie wasn't on their menu today.

The quiet period ensued for a couple of hour and I started to think more spods were required, but then the margin rod baited with the corn raced to the top of the rod and dropped back to a complete slack line. The rod was grabbed and the reel frantically wound to catch up with the fish that was coming back along the edge towards me. Fish was self hooked and running, must be a tench or even a carp. Nope a 5lb Bream!!!!

The action then started to heat up on the method feeders, but the bite had changed, instead of fizzing runs, the bite became long and drawn out, three bream in succession gave the same type of bite, but each one was a fish in the 5-6lb bracket judging by the last dustbin lid fish.

By now time drawing on and with only an hour to go the total bream should at eight, in the last hour three more bream where added to the total giving me eleven bream, one tench and roach.
The total bag was in excess of fifty pounds of fish, with 4kg of mix used up, plus a tin of corn, half a pint of reds and some boilies.

The biggest bream was a good 6lb fish, maybe even a close 7lb fish.

What a result!

Tighlines