Otter’s Pocket

Fishing is mad enough; all that effort, only to look at a fish for 20 seconds before setting it free. But pike fishing is next level insane - let's go fishing in the worst weather of the year.


Absolutely hammering down, and the gravel pits had 3 foot waves on them. Bit like sea fishing. But a couple of pike - including my first pit double at 11lb 0oz. Totally worth it..!

Lured & Shaken

Well, that didnt go to plan; two lost doubles on the lures! Perch consolation prize (partly) took the edge off!!

Steps

One run all day - but it's going the right way on The Wye - 16lb 10oz. Float-ledgered sardine did the trick - and what a fight!

The Pits

A reccy to The Pits with my mate Jack. Research for later in the season, easier to see the features in low, clear conditions. It's very overgrown & unloved - the perfect environment for a big esox to hide away!?


Too many miles to travel without a cast though - we couldn't resist - and five beautiful gravel pit pike in the autumn sunshine (Jack also had two before he had to rush off early). Can't wait to go back...

The Runs

Less than idea conditions - it rose five foot while I fished, and it was cold water. But deadbaiting mid-river, moving closer into the slacks as the river grew produced five runs...

Two missed, one lost fish (didn't feel big) and two pike on the bank, including the first double of the season at 11lb 6oz. Float-ledgered or paternoster sardines did the trick.

Been a very long time since I've had five runs in a day on The Wye - not since I ate that dodgy scotch egg!

Pike Time

Reccy to a new section of River Wye - Facebook & Google Earth are useful - but you can't beat boots on the ground. Lot's of wandering about & chatting with the locals to start to build up a picture.

And I needed a pike to start the season - far from a monster but a lttle jack on a sink 'n' draw joey was just the job. Plus I lost a far bigger (unseen) pike - that'll insure I'll be back very soon!

Summer Fishing 2025

Quick look back at the summer (written monthly as I went along). Very hot, very little rain & not much water in the rivers. Instead of my usual summer barbel quest I turned my attention instead to carp - both running & stillwater. I did land 84 barbel but carp provided my main fishing fix (landing 33). Oh, and there was those eels...

June: I started the season chasing barbel. Opening couple of days on The Wye saw 5 landed from a rare summer flood - before a drought that last months. And then back to London for three afternoons on the Small River - 35 barbel in the summer sunshine - mostly on floating crust. No big fish, but a cracking way to start...

July: No water in The Wye & too hot to target barbel, I turned my attention to a small Farm Pond - a bit of an unknown. Initially using bread, then adding boilies to the mix I caught common carp, mirror carp & a beautiful fully-scaled. And while trying to catch a perch I landed a surprise 3lb 7oz PB eel, plus a (targeted) back-up 2lb 10oz eel...

August: I continued my carp quest, initially on the Small River - stalking out a mirror, common & ghost carp from the clear water - plus 19 barbel. Then back to the Farm Pond for a few short evening sessions to get my fishing fix - getting into this carp fishing! And an afternoon on The Wye with the stick 'n' pin provided some great chub action...

September: Last trips to the Farm Pond included a double full-scaled mirror carp - a great way to wrap up the summer carp campaign! Three afternoons on the Small River added 25 barbel to my season. But I did lose a Wye double - that Wye double still eludes me. A bit of rain, a wash through the river and few nice chub rounded out the month.

Winter is coming. The weather has turned, and that can mean only one thing - pike time! I'm going to start once again on The Wye - and expand my search as the winter progresses - fingers crossed for a few crocs..!

Carp In The Headlights

My Dad has been bagging a few chub & barbel over the week - including a Wye double! Thought about heading to the river - but decided to hit the Farm Pond to try and catch one last carp before winter.

Hard going; cold weather, strong wind & pain-in-the-arse swans not helping, but eventually I winkled one out on the boilie sleeper rod - as I was packing up. I'll be back next spring...

Double Damn

An afternoon on the rapidly rising Wye, it rose 4 foot while I was there, had to keep moving back! The wash through it really needs...


About a dozen chub, a few over 4lb. But I did loose a barbel - a good double right over the net - my Wye Double still eludes me...


So I taught my audience of cows a few new swear words..!

Splash & Faff

Another afternoon on the Small River - wandering about in the last of the summer sunshine. No rush, just scanning the river as I mooched about - ten barbel plus an ornamental koi - smashing!


7lb 3oz (top), 7lb 0oz above.


Half time...


6lb 0oz above, someone's pet koi (below)

Splashers & Dashers

Not monsters, but 10 Small River barbel - plus 2 chub. It's great to be stalking about on running water again!

Splash & Dash

It's been raining. First real rain in months. So with time against me, but the rivers refreshed, I shot down the Small River to see if the barbel were celebrating. And they were - five barbel to 7lb 10oz plus a bonus chub. Looks like Autumn is finally here!

Fully Scaled Up (FP12)

A change in the weather - finally some much needed rain! And possibly my last trip to the Farm Pond this year...


A beautiful 14lb 0oz fully scaled mirror & a common carp (ghost?) to christen my new reel - and brighten up a dull afternoon!

Carp Fishing (FP11)

I've gotten into this carp fishing. What started as floating a bit of crust about as a fishing-fix has really become my fishing summer. Pond carp have never really been my thing - but as summers get hotter and drier perhaps it's becoming a better option than the rivers.

Now I don't think I'll be sat in a bivy behind 3 rods any time soon, but I think I'll have a more serious crack at it next summer (running out of time this season). I'd like to find a fairly local water where there is a chance of a thirty - and a quick search seems to show a few options.

Ideally somewhere within an hour's drive where I can fish for 3 or 4 hours an evening. Boilies on one rod, something more traditional on the other - crust or float-fished corn. Plenty of time for more research. And a few more trips to the Farm Pond before it's time for pike...

Last Second (FP10)

Packing up the kit - leaving the rods in until the last second. Totally worth it - both away at the same time. A fully scaled mirror & a common carp in the dark - and I thought I was looking at a blank!

No Water, No Problem

I have pretty much neglected The Wye this summer - it's the lowest I've ever seen it. But I knew one fish that is always on the munch - chub!


Stick 'n' pin, half a loaf of bread & a wander about - couple of fish from each swim then move. Probably two dozen chub fell for it!


Oh, and saw a couple of skinny dippers - who seemed unfazed by my sudden appearance opposite them - the things you see when fishing!!

Reluctant Perch (FP9)

I've seen some nice perch in the Farm Pond - so had to try and bank one. Even though there were pound-plus fish in front of me I could only tempt the wasps (4 of them) - little beauties - but their big brothers didn't want to play. Perhaps a lure would sort out the bigger perch...


Nice double common carp.


Roger helped himself to a small carp.

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And he's only gone and landed double barbel number 30 of his 40 River Double Challenge - which I believe is only 2 away from the record! Sailing towards the target!! Blog post is here.

Shortening Days (FP8)

Pike time is coming, you can feel it in the air. Evenings are getting shorter and the leaves are starting to fall. But enough time for a few more trips to the Farm Pond. And three hours saw 5 carp landed (too dark to photograph the last one). Starting to get a handle on it..!

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Oh, and while we were struggling on the beach the other day I got a call from James, who'd added yet another barbel to his 40 River Challenge - fantastic! Blog post is here.