Catch Up

Well I've done a bit of fishing over the last couple of weeks - but there hasn't been a great deal to write home about...


Locally I'm catching a few chub and barbel but I did manage to loose two big chub in three casts - inexplicable hook pull followed by getting one weeded up - and both looked well over 5lb...


I've spent an hour or two on several rivers chucking a lure about for perch - lots of fish but maxing out just over a pound...


And an afternoon using the method on The Thames produced a bite a chuck - mostly roach and skimmers with the odd perch mixed in - I'll be back with a keepnet...

Eel Quest

Perhaps inspired by the Bloggers Challenge or my own Specimen Challenge I popped out for a few hours eel fishing yesterday evening - first time in years I've deliberately targeted eels!

Fishing a ledgered thin slice of luncheon meat in a few weirs and holes I thought I'd get a few on the scoreboard before trying to work out how to target the bigger ones - 3lb plus is the target.

But it's an old photo above, I couldn't find one, or they just weren't feeding - I had a chub and three barbel; 4lb, 6lb 8oz and 8lb 9oz - makes a change eel fishing and getting plagued by barbel... Love it!

Quick Experiment

Quick barbel mission to test an experimental new bait, fished static and waited for that bite we all know and love - 8lb 1oz - and one hell of a fight - brilliant!

Weight Watchers

Afternoon on the river - two barbel 4lb 0oz and a stocky 8lb 9oz fish, best of the season so far. Plus half a dozen chub to about 3lb.

Distinctive fish, caught in March by James at 10lb 3oz - shows the weight variation. So barbel caught now over 8½lb could be a double by the end of the season.

There's A Storm Coming

You can feel it build and fade daily - it hasn't broken yet - but I have a feeling it's going to be thunder and lightning and lots and lots of rain. I'm hoping it's tropical and I'm watching from a pub!

The rivers really need some water but I thought I'd take advantage of the low, clear water and go barbel spotting. They are easy to spot but getting wise - about 90% avoid the bait or spit it out so quickly you don't stand a chance.

Beautiful afternoon in the sunshine and I managed seven barbel to 7lb 2oz plus a few chub. I also spotted a few carp which are now on the target list. Roll on the storm...

Wye Not?

Where is the water? A few days on The Wye, hoping to land Paulos on a barbel - and it was going to be tricky in these conditions...


The chub wanted to play, watching them home in on the 'plop' of freelined luncheon meat was an exciting way of catching them...


Free sweets - well, wild cherries anyway. Hawks, hedgehogs, foxes - it's great to be away from the city in the summer...


A few perch and chub on Mepps and Rooster Tails, a couple of lost tiny jacks and only one propper pike showed any interest...


The American fish hold! As the light was fading the chub and eels became ravenous. And I'm sure the barbel were there...


In fact spending more time on the water than the American I landed four barbel - Paulos had a lot of other commitments...


But I couldn't let him leave without one - and this one really put up a fight - mission accomplished! Coming back for a pike?

Summer Rudd

I'm on a mission to up my PB list - but when it comes to rudd I want to beat it (aiming for a 2lber) with a fish in it's summer golden colours - just to add another level of difficulty.

I'm told they turn silver after the first flood, so not sure exactly how long I have. But it wasn't today, the best two went 1lb 5oz and 1lb 4oz - beautiful fish, I look forward to catching some more soon.

Melting

A midday mission to the river - the worst time for catching fish but the best time for spotting them, I also wanted to see what features had changed - new weed beds, shopping trolleys etc.

And it was hot. Bloody hot. My Spam was melting, really soft and didn't want to stay on the hook - need some co-op luncheon meat, that stuff is pretty indestructible!


The fish were at bottom weight but were really on the munch despite the weather, and fought hard! Ten barbel the best two both weighing 7lb 12oz each...


I lost count of the chub but I landed five over 3lb with the best going exactly 4lb 0oz...


Fed up with the meat I went and bought some bread and landed four roach, weighing one at 12oz. Plus a bonus trout about 2lb...


I could have had more but it was hot. Bloody hot. So there was only one thing for it..!

Glorious*

The day we've been waiting for was finally here, the kit was prepared and alarm set for 2.30am...

Opening day and I was on The Stour for sunrise to continue my quest for a 7lb chub, but as the light began to reveal the river I could see the chub were still spawning - they weren't interested in feeding...


By 7am the sun was already strong and a couple of hours later I thought I'd switch to lure fishing, aiming for a back-up perch my first fish of the season was nearly a big trout before he spat the hook.

The first fish was the mini-perch above, followed by several more of his (slightly) bigger brothers. A couple of follows by jacks - but even they wouldn't commit in the hot daylight...


The only option was a bait 'n' wait into dusk, would a chub or two slip up? Yes they would - but only fish up to about 12oz - not the ones I was here for - I'll be back for them...

*The title 'Glorious' refers to the weather, not the fishing!

Gold Mine

With a job cancelled and a break in the British weather I thought I'd head down to The Farm, crucians were the target and I was soon into the fish.

I landed fourteen crucians, five of them were over a pound to 1lb 14oz, no monsters but 14 bars of gold - I'll take it!


I also added 40+ tench to 3lb 4oz, a load of roach to 8oz, six gudgeon which maxed out at 1oz and a 6oz rudd - in fact I really got value for money out of a 99p bag of frozen sweetcorn!

Reactions fine-tuned, getting ready, the river season is nearly here...