The Challenge
A running total with a target weight lends itself well to blogging, and despite the fact I've talked up a good pike challenge, we are simply too far away from the nearest pike fishing to suit the squeeze an hour in here and a couple of hours after work there approach which worked so well on the previous challenges.
And lets face it; those barbel are far too tempting! Resetting out marker-weight to 5lb, Dan and myself have set a challenge weight of 300lb. And I'm feeling pretty confident - three months is just about long enough for us to forget how tough this little river is!
Wish List
Pike are by far my favourite species and I've pretty much neglected the other species since I was a kid, if I was fishing a lake full of carp and a pike is rumored to be in there, I'd fish for the pike!
But Dan's barbel obsession is starting to rub off on me, and it's made me think about taking a more serious look at some other targets. So this season I've made a wish list of the fish I'd like to catch (pike only take up one fifth of it).
Wish List Targets:
Barbel | 10lb+ | Wandte |
Roach | 1lb+ | Wandte |
Trout | 2lb+ | Wandte |
Pike | 20lb+ | Thames |
Perch | 3lb+ | Thames |
Barbel | 5lb+ | Thames |
Tench | 5lb+ | ??? |
Bream | 5lb+ | ??? |
Zander | Any Size | ??? |
Pike | 30lb+ | Wye (Still trying!) |
Ticking just one of these off my list would make my season (especially the bottom one), but I will have a serious go at each target. If anyone has any info they're willing to share, especially about the tench or zander, please let me know. I've never caught a tench over a pound, and never even seen a zander - thanks.
Back in England on the 13th, ready to hit the riverbank on the 16th... Can't wait...
Drop-shot technique, with soft plastic lures (with the hooks upside-down, so they don't get caught on the bottom) appears to be one of the most efficient methods here on the Continent.
ReplyDelete...for zander.
DeleteThanks. I was planning on doing a bit of bait fishing (so I can fish two rods) - I've read up on a zander fishing and have made a few rigs, based on pike rigs but resistance free and with single hooks.
DeleteBut I'll definitely try a few soft plastics.
Just need to locate a few zander :)
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zander
Delete[...]
...they are particularly well adapted to life in the slow-flowing, sparsely vegetated, rather murky waters that comprise so many of the British lowland rivers.[3] Zander thrive in water with rather low visibility, unlike pike, which often dominate the predator fish niche in clear water.
[...]
In July 2009 in Switzerland, a zander attacked tourists in Lake Maggiore, sending two people to the Emergency Room; the worst cut inflicted was about 10 centimeters long. The 70-cm 8-kg fish was later caught by the local police who cooked it and offered it to the tourists for the trouble it caused.[4] It is very unusual for zander to attack humans.
...on a more positive note, zander may reach 20kg (40 lbs) - possibly more than your PB pike? (That will get you hooked...) ;-)
DeleteI think the biggest zander caught here was just over 24lb, the current (claimed) record is 21lb 5oz... Still a pounder would do me... To start!
Delete:)
The G. U. Canal or some of the rivers in the G ouse system are about as near as they come to you aren't they? Assuming your not after stocked still water fish.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'll look into those systems. Not after a stocky, really after a 'wild' fish.
DeleteTwo of the top Three are possible, but will be hard!
ReplyDeleteGood luck,
Stu
On paper the easiest are the 5lb barbel and the 5lb bream... But the top 3 will take up most of the first few months. Lot less time on the water this year though
DeleteTarget lists are a great way to stay focused. I hope you get that Wye 30 this year.
ReplyDeleteSo close last year. To be honest I'd like to spend 2-3 weeks solid on the Wye towards the end of the season. I'm sure there are some big fish down at W.E. that won't see a bait all season, I think marker-baits followed by pre-baiting could locate them... See how work goes...
DeleteAlso I had a lot of luck last year locating fish where others couldn't. But looking back I lost the biggest pike, eel and barbel I've ever hooked... Need to get a few more on the bank this season!
DeleteHopefully you do manage to acquire your set targets this year Brian, all of which are possible just being there right place and right time is the hard part, maybe try some of the stretches you haven't fished before or have rarely fished you maybe pleasently surprised! Look forward to seeing you down the river soon, only 9 days now :) Kind regards James.
ReplyDeleteOne off the list would be great, more than that even better! Seen quite a few trout and roach, next comes the hard part... See you soon.
DeleteWhere abouts have you seen the Trout and Roach then mate, because I've spotted a few and I would like to think you've spotted another shoal and were they of any size??
DeletePeople get annoyed when I mention specific locations on here, but they were a long way upstream from where you've seen me fishing. Roach probably to a pound and a half, trout to about 5-6lb, mostly around the pound mark though.
Delete3 days to go...