Friday 30 November 2012

Unexpected Day Off


I was all set to work on a computer game today, but a phone call last night informed me that my programmer was unavailable... Unexpected day off, yay!

I needed a lie in, it's a shame to waste daylight hours but work has been going nuts recently. The cat decided that at 9.30 enough was enough, so I got up, we had breakfast, I grabbed my trotting gear and I headed out into the frosty morning.

I was heading to a new stretch in search of a winter trout. James had pointed me roughly in the right direction, and when I arrive a couple of local fishermen pointed me to some likely spots - cheers guys!

With my new found information I soon had a bite and my first Wandte trout was on the bank, only small but a new fish on this year's species list.


With new confidence I went after his bigger brother, but only two more bites were forthcoming and I missed both. Still I covered a lot of water and did some exploring - all good research for next time.

One problem I had was this area has suffered from the pollution and some stretches are still devoid of fish - it all looks good but I'm sure I must have spent a lot of time fishing in baron water... Still more research to do!



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Species Challenge


So my species list for this year stands at eleven, beating my 10 from last year. But there are still more to find, and I wouldn't mind landing a bigger trout...

16 comments:

  1. Well done on the brownie. Off hunting for one or more tomorrow and if they don't show hopfully the dace will.

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    1. Good luck tomorrow, not sure if we're allow though, see comment below. But good luck anyway.

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  2. Brian - check your seasons for trout mate. Youre doing the equivalent of fishing for river barbel in the middle of May!

    Of course you might accidentally catch a few OOS trout fishing for chub, grayling and dace etc but the tweed brigade and EA might not be too happy if you targeted them deliberately

    Ian

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    1. I honestly didn't know, had the EA turned up I'd have happily told them what I was up to... Was going to try and get a bigger one tomorrow, going to try for my December barbel instead.

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  3. http://www.wandletrust.org/ true that Ian, probably not the best time of year to go out and target a trout given the WT's head story!

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    1. Surely they aren't breeding now. But hey, I play by the rules - still chuffed with it - it was out of the water for less than 10 seconds. I'll get the big one when the trout season starts.

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  4. yup, right about now is brown trout sexy time. all this clear cold water is like Barry White music, over priced chocolates and ill-fitting lingerie....
    never doubted your intentions for a moment, a quick look at the blog suggests you're definitely one of the good guys!
    only picked up on the blog a few days ago - i've had a barbel/wandle itch for months. I'd love some advice on the gear you're using, I think I might be tackling up a little light for them (i'm not looking for what spots you fish, its a small river, i'll find them!)

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    1. I've upped my gear this year, 8lb line straight through, I tend to use an ounce weight - perhaps a bit heavy but I prefer an anchor and a size 12-8 hook depending on the bait.

      The most important thing is a barbless hook, it's a small river with loads of snags so occasionally they will best you - and from what I've read they'll normally shed a barbless within a few minutes.

      Good luck with the barbel!

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  5. Im with Andy Brian, never doubted your intentions for a moment - you only have to read your blog, we're at the highpoint of browny getting jiggy time, one of the reasons I dont wade while grayling fishing at this time of the year, the other being it'll freeze my nads off! I had a few OOS browns yesterday males were thin thru not eating and milting a bit, females had just spawned out. If you want that big girl late september is the time or early june on a fly

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    1. Didn't even cross my mind to check - and it drives me nuts when I come across people course fishing in the closed season.

      Just as well you guys mentioned it as I'd have been out today trying to catch another - went barbel fishing instead but they didn't want to play.

      I'll be out in June with the fly gear...

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  6. I managed to freeze myself half to death wading/trotting a float down the river this afternoon for one bite from a Chub of about 3.5lb, which promptly shed the hook just as I was bringing to my hand to lift from the water (I was wading). Cracking rod bending fight on trotting gear though. Might get up early tomorrow AM to see if the Dace want to play.

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  7. Surely the species hunt would be crowned with a pike! Some deep bits below Weir Road and above the William Morris must hold a pike or three!

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    1. Been carrying a wire trace and a shad all season... Only ever seen 2 pike in the river and we're a bit worried one of them might have been poached. But I agree, a pike would be brilliant!

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  8. Better chance of a rogue Salmon.

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    1. Have you seen the pike this season? Saw her a couple times last year. I've seen the little one a couple of times.

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