Tuesday 22 April 2014

Down On The Farm 3


I'm really getting in to this crucian fishing, it's the other end of the spectrum of course fishing for me - fine tackle and micro bites - unlike the barbel and pike fishing I normally go for. So on Saturday I headed back to Marsh Farm with James and we both had crucians on our minds.

Meeting at the train station it was obvious we had read different weather reports, me sporting a coat, waterproof boots and an umbrella, James dressed for a day at the beach... I hoped James had got it right... But I'm blaming James' shorts for scaring the sun in!


After last week expectations were high, but although we were both getting plenty of bites we both struggled to hit them. After a few silvers I hit a tench, 4lb 7oz, the biggest of the day.


And an hour or so later hit my prize, a 1lb 10oz crucian, the first of three in the morning, the others going 1lb 0oz and 2lb 4oz (top photo).

The afternoon was a mixed bag of tench, skimmers and silvers and my first rudd, perch & gudgeon from the venue.


I did land a surprise bream, at 3lb 8oz it was bigger than the stamp of fish we thought were in the lake. And a new PB, I'm still aiming for a Thames 5+ this year, but it was great to do three PBs in 3 trips.

All in it was 9 tench, 3 crucians & a bream for 29lb 14oz plus perhaps 5lb of bits. A tougher day but a great result.

And James, I'll leave his side of the story to his blog - but I will say he leaves these things to the last minute!


Beautiful fish, not the best day to break the camera. Fixed!

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Down On The Farm 2


Work had scuppered my plan to fish every 2 weeks of the closed season, so my aim was to catch 30lb of fish from this trip to Marsh Farm, 10lb for each week since I last fished. Fishing match tactics (but with a centerpin), 3.5lb line, size 16 hook, maggots for bait, targeting the tench and bream, and who knows perhaps even a crucian.

I was soon in to the skimmers and a tench early on signaled it was going to be a good day! I built a big shoal of fish infront of me and they stayed there all day. The wind was a pain, but back-shotting the float helped with presentation and soon it was non-stop action.

One fish I'd never caught before was a crucian and I was worried I might miss their legendary micro-bites, but the first one ripped the float under and I'd got one. My first crucian 1lb 12oz, the icing on the cake!

The next crucian did take very delicately, but once I got my eye in I was more confident with hitting the bites. I had a total of 14 crucians throughout the day and upped my new PB to 2lb 9oz, a beautiful fish.

I came close to cracking my five plus tench target, loosing a fish about 6lb at the net, but that will have to wait for next time. I really can't complain when you see the lists below...

Tench
4lb 0oz, 3-10, 3-9, 2-10, 3-9, 1-10 (yes, I weighed them all), 3-0, 2-4, 1-10, 3-3, 3-0, 3-2, 2-6, 3-7, 2-3, 1-15, 3-7, 3-12, 2-5, 3-1, 2-4, 2-11
22 for 62lb 10oz

Crucians
1-12, 1-2, 0-15, 1-6, 0-10, 1-4, 1-11, 1-11, 1-5, 2lb 9oz, 1-9, 1-3, 1-6, 1-0
14 for 19lb 7oz

Carp
2-6, 3lb 6oz, 2-14, 3-4
4 for 11lb 14oz

Others
Biggest bream was 1lb 10oz, with most between 6-10oz, the best roach was about 10oz with several others around the 8oz mark and a bunch of small ones. About 10lb of silvers and skimmers, perhaps a bit more.

All in it was a 100lb day, brilliant stuff! I was absolutely over the moon (and a bit knackered)... Can't wait to go back... Got my sights set on a three pound crucian!


I'm a tench fan... These fish fight.


My first ever crucian... Love at first sight!


First carp of the day.


Smallest of the bunch - but still fantastic!


The biggest bream at 1lb 10oz.


Beautiful.


Not the biggest roach, but they kept me busy.


The biggest carp of the day.


Person best crucian 2lb 9oz, what a start!

Saturday 12 April 2014

Bar Of Gold


It's been an incredibly busy three weeks at work, so I was really looking forward to today... And it didn't disappoint; 22 tench, 14 crucian carp, 4 carp, 1 bream and a bunch of skimmers & silvers... What a day!

Full report to follow, I weighed and photographed every fish that need the landing net so it may take a while to go through!

But if the father and son fishermen (I won't mention names as I didn't ask permission) who came and chatted for a couple of hours are reading this - I more than tripled my original target weight - thanks for the crucian advise and photography duties - and good luck tomorrow.