4 hours ago
Friday 29 January 2016
Thursday 28 January 2016
Iceland
I took a trip up to Iceland for a week with friends - not fishing - just sight-seeing, swimming in the Blue Lagoon and eating some of the most fantastic food I've ever tasted. But as I always do each morning I checked The Wye river levels on my phone...
And they looked pretty perfect for the first time this winter. Now just because the levels are right it doesn't mean it will fish, they need time to settle - but it was looking good for a trip back as soon as I landed back in England...
The red dotted line is when my plane landed! Rather rotten luck - we're running out of time - fingers crossed I'll get at least one long weekend on there before the season ends...
Friday 22 January 2016
Friday 15 January 2016
Gliding Over All
Well the first session of the year was a blank, not the way I like to start, perhaps chasing a rare pike on a new canal wasn't the best way to start the year. And since my stickleback / dace trip I've been out with James a couple of times - but I was stuck in a slump.
Dace fishing, the first trip I was mostly and observer - exploring a fantastic new stretch of river - but I did have a few casts so it was officially a blank. Yesterday we went out for a few hours, again chasing dace.
I had stuff to do in the morning and by the time I got there James had landed two - both big, check his blog - but it was tough fishing. They were the only dace we saw all afternoon but a trout saved me from a blank. And James Snr had a cracking trout - yeah, they're out of season but they spawned weeks ago.
Two thing occupy my time at the moment; the biggest game launch I've ever been involved with and watching The Wye water levels - up and down like a bride's nighty! But I had set aside a few hours this afternoon. Time for my old favourite: chub.
And I'm glad I dragged myself to the river - 4lb 6oz (top) on rolled meat, on her way towards the net she was accompanied by several shoal mates - and she wasn't the biggest of the bunch - but they were spooked - I'll be back!
I also added three more barbel to the 100 challenge, 7lb 1oz, 5lb 10oz and 3¾lb - four more to go...
Friday 8 January 2016
First Fish Of The Year
With a fruitless canal pike trip with James last weekend and the weather looking a bit nasty for the weekend ahead I thought I'd fit a quick stick and pin trip in for a couple of hours today - between storms.
Gudgeon were at the back of my mind but using maggots any fish were welcome - and first up was this odd little fish, one of only a handful I've caught on rod and line - although me and my brother caught loads in minnow traps when we were kids. It's great in a world of pike, zander and even sharks & arapaima how much a tiny fish can make you smile!
The rest of the short trip provided plenty of dace with a couple of chub in the mix, the best perhaps scraping the pound mark. No gudgeon, but I've had my fishing fix just incase tomorrows weather report is correct!
And while I'm writing this I'm not really happy with the way the line flows through my new float rod, if anyone has any recommendations for a 12 foot, 3 piece rod (it has to be 3 piece because it will occasionally travel on the tube) - please let me know in the comments - thanks.
Friday 1 January 2016
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