Friday 31 December 2021

Lazy Fisherman 2021


The fifth year of tracking how far I walked with my lazy hobby - I do love stats! And it's 2,472 miles this year - think that's the furthest I've walked since I first started wearing the Fitbit. Happy New Year!

Distance Walked 2021


Distance Walked 2017-2021 (5 Years)

Thursday 30 December 2021

Stomping Grapes


Dec 24 (+0.8m) - Blank
Dec 26 (+1.2m) - Pike 18lb 10oz
Dec 28 (+1.7m) - Blank
Dec 30 (+2.1m) - Blank (barbel blank-saver)

The Wye isn't too flooded to stop me trying - but too high and unsettled to stop me catching pike. Even chucking out a barbel rod alongside the pike gear isn't helping much!

Some days you get to drink the wine,
Some days you've got to stomp the grapes.

Monday 27 December 2021

Christmas Fishies


A couple of days searching the river with deadbaits and the pike are playing hard to get! A float-fished sprat lowered into a little slack producing the only run in two days. But well worth the effort - a beautiful 18lb 10oz Wye pike to kick things off... (+0.8 / 1.2)

Wednesday 22 December 2021

Winter Solstice


The shortest day and almost the end of the year - would 2021 go down as the year I failed to catch a pike? To the Kentish Stour and while James tried to add another double barbel to his growing river list - I took the opportunity to float some livebaits about.

I just needed a run - and in a beautiful deep bowl I got my wish. The float sailed away - there is nothing more exciting than watching a pike float disappear! Cracking fight before a beautiful 8lb 1oz pike was in the net - job done!! Delighted. River Wye next...

Friday 10 December 2021

Quick Barbel Report (164)


It's really turning into winter out there! And I've got a cold - first one in about 3 years. At least the barbel are still playing; three added to this season's count - plus two bonus chub. Soup time...

Wednesday 8 December 2021

Kidnapped!


An on-again, off-again quick pike mission to a little pond - in fact James said the only way he would be able to find the time is if me and Richard kidnapped him - no problem...


Still time was short, as soon as the sun got above the tree line the pike would switch off in the shallow, gin clear water - but James and Richard bagged a mini-jack each...


None for me this trip - but it was just nice to see a pike in the net. I really have got to land a pike this winter - it's been over a year since I last bagged one! Pike Challenge 2021/22: land a pike!!

Thursday 2 December 2021

Double Damn


I saw a big tail sticking out of a weedbed, trundled a cube of spam down to it - and fish on! A good double hammered around before finding a snag - I pulled this way and that, but it was stuck. Giving it some slack eventually it swam out - game on! Great fight - until - as it was in front of the net the hook pinged out!!

Only an angler knows that feeling - you can only look on as your prize sinks back into the depths - gutted! A mild day after the recent cold snap - and I thought the barbel might be on the munch. They were - seven barbel and 2 chub found the net - including two barbel in 2 casts (one was resting in the net). Not a bad consolation prize!