Monday 16 March 2015

Season Review 2014/15


Well it's all over for another season, a season which once again was governed by a lack of time, but unlike last season I maximised my fishing, averaging nearly a session a week - although some of them were pretty quick.

I managed my time, working when it was dark whenever possible and changing my fishing techniques to maximise success rates, deadbaits were wobbled, meat rolled, maggots trotted and swims hopped. I didn't wait for the fish to come to me I went and found them.

To say it's been a brilliant season would be an understatement, a season that included four new species, time spent on species I haven't really chased before and ten person bests! As well as new venues, new challenges and fishing with a great bunch of people.

Here is a quick breakdown of the season:


April: No closed season blues for me, for the first time ever I fished on through. Three trips to Marsh Farm bagging up on the tench and crucians, including a 100lb day, a stunning 2lb 9oz crucian and a 4lb 7oz tench.


May: Work was really starting to get busy but I did manage to escape to the Farm for a day, continuing to catch the tench and crucians, I even managed a PB bream of 3lb 14oz - which turned out to be the best of the season.


June: The glorious sixteenth was a bit of a wash out, I think I always target barbel too early in the year, I did manage 2 barbel over the first three days. And a couple of trips to the farm resulted in another 100lb day and a PB tench of 5lb 4oz.


July: A game launch really took all of my time, just one quick trip to a pond for some gudgeon bashing - but not much can beat a few hours catching mud skippers followed by a nice cold pint in the sunshine. Perhaps I could have got out a bit more.


August: A carp early in the month, but the really story was the barbel deciding to play towards the end of the month, rolling meat was devastating - the technique for the season. It was the start of multi fish catches and a 10lb 1oz barbel was the icing on the cake!


September: The barbel-fest continued and was only interrupted by a long weekend on the Wye. Me and James were targeting pike and perch, a successful trip that included James' first Wye double and a new PB perch for me, at 2lb 4oz a beautiful fish.


October: Zander time! Three trips to Bury Hill in search of my first zander, and I found them, tricky fish to hook but I landed nine to 5lb 10oz, a very respectable PB. I will be back this year hoping to better it.


November: I continued to bag up on the barbel and a bream mission to the Thames threw up a surprise ruffe. We travelled north to Coventry to join Jeff and the Midlands bloggers for a social zander session, where my luck was in, adding 2 more fish to my zander tally.


December: Back to the Wye in search of pike, and it wasn't flooded for a change. But the unsettled water conditions proved tricky, I did manage 8 pike to 12lb 2oz - so a better result than recent Christmas breaks.


January: Still bagging up on barbel I turned my attention to catching a 3oz gudgeon, armed with digital kitchen scales I was able to put some proper weights to these mini-monsters. Weighing lighter than they look I managed a 2.7oz fish, a great start.


February: Four trips to the Test Valley chasing my first grayling, a fish I have fallen in love with and the best was 2lb 1½oz, bigger than I'd even hoped for. I also managed a few bonus rainbow trout to 3lb 1oz and a stunning PB roach of 1lb 12oz - Proper red letter fishing.


March: A weekend on the Wye made a dent in the challenge, including my best pike of the season at 13lb 2oz and some lovely perch. A couple of sessions on the local river took my barbel total to 71 fish. And a North London pike provided a cracking end to a brilliant season!


Just brilliant. And now we're back in the closed season, well no closed season blues for me again this year - in a couple of weeks it'll be time to hit the ponds. I will be chasing tench, crucians and hopefully a rudd or two - got a 4oz PB to beat... Crack on!

6 comments:

  1. A good year for you although getting another 10 PBs next year might be tougher? Probably see you at the Farm in the next few weeks, when this cold weather gives up, but will the beard have gone by then?. Never did manage that Wander gudgeon - on my list for next season.

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    1. A great year chasing species I haven't really bothered with before, which explains the number of PBs. Would still like to crack some personal bests this season... Starting with crucians... See you down on the Farm!

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  2. You had a good season mate, I'm sure you enjoyed it all, even the tough days......chasing them elusive pike, yes to the farm I have a date with a Crucian of 3.2 or more to break a long standing PB, looking forward to it.

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    1. Great season all round, and we had some red letter days chasing those grayling. Need to get a few more pike sessions in next season, always leave it too late.

      And yeah, crucians next, I want to beat my 2lb 9oz fish from last year but I'd really love a three. Roll on the warm weather...

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  3. Fantastic season. Looking forward to what the summer brings you.

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    1. Was a great one, put a few new species on the radar and learned a lot. Can't wait to get on those ponds now!

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