Fair Enough

Wye Rush?

Three quick opening week trips on The Wye. Water conditions and weather against - but you've got to give it a whirl! Ten chub to about 3lb & two eels to 2lb - but no barbel yet (either spotted or caught). Think I'll stick with the perch & carp until conditions improve...

Ugly Double

A couple of hours on the commercial after work - half a loaf of bread, float and a bit of fun on the light gear...


The only people on the pond and the action was hectic from the off - I landed a total of 24 carp before it got dark...


Most of which were in great condition - except this surprise double at 10lb 4oz - and I even messed up the photo...


But another double added to the challenge, that's 8 doubles from three venues - two more to go over summer (and hopefully a few barbel).

Wye Opener

Time (and undergrowth) were against me - but needed to have a cast on opening day! Had to cut my way to the river (genuinely took a machete with me). No barbel, but a couple of River Wye chub to open the account (and a few swims opened up for next time).

Countdown

Nearly time for the summer river season, but first another blast at those perch. First to the livebait was a 3lb 0oz eel - cracker!


A couple of perch, the best going 1lb 8oz. Total of 20 over the closed season - going to have to target a big river perch this year.


And a carp off the top - the 50th of the closed season - and double number 7 at 10lb 9oz. Three more doubles still to find this summer...

The Puddle IV

It's light pretty late now, just as well as this carp waited until 9.45pm to pick up my freelined bread. Was convinced she was double #7 - but 9lb 14oz on the scales - never mind, any carp out of The Puddle is a win!

The Puddle III

Back to The Puddle, starting to get a handle on it? Not sure - but a couple of carp fell for the slow sinking bread - including double #6 at 11lb 5oz. Mint carp - wonder if they've ever seen a hook before?

Perch Plus

Farm Pond, five perch; 4 wasps on worms and this 2lb 13oz beauty on a livebait. Loving this perch fishing! Plus a couple of carp off the top, including double #5 at 12lb 1oz - half way to my double target.

The Puddle II

Back to The Puddle, searching for that first bite. I spotted the ghosty I saw last time - and this time conned her into a bit of crust. First Puddle carp! With the blank spell broken I soon followed with a little fully scaled, before my mate Wayne bagged a similar size common.


Next step a double? We'll be back...

Perching Surprise

Picked up a ledgered livebait - and convinced me I was connected to a monster perch - fantastic eel at 3lb 2oz! Plus a fully-scaled off the top. No perch but a three pound plus eel more than made up for it - let's hope I bump into a few more during my perch quest...

Challenge Cheating

My mate Steve was taking his grandaughter to catch a carp, did I want to tag along? Two little fish-filled commerical ponds - hell yeah I was going! Firstly to assess the perch potential, and secondly - a rod and a loaf of bread to annoy the carpy residents.


Ten carp from the fun pond in an hour, followed by 20 carp from the specimen pond in the next 3 hours. Fast and very fun fishing, with lots of fish between 5 & 9lb. It would take my challenge total up to 41 carp - if I include them - now the challenge is really all about the doubles...

Mirror Mirror

With a bait out for the perch for a couple of hours I thought I'd float a bit of crust about - and this 14lb 11oz stunning looking mirror soon took a fancy to it. No perch but double #4 on the carp challenge...

Is There A Four?

Is there a four pounder lurking about in the Farm Pond? Three perch hit the livebaits - best went 2lb 2oz - great fish but on further inspection (of the photo) it's a recapture - bit unlucky. There's so many baitfish there must be a decent amount of perch - and hopefully a monster...

The Puddle

A tiny little pond found by a mate of mine. You can walk around it in a minute, it's only a couple of feet deep & full of life - and we've seen carp. So far we've spent about 7 hours fishing it (2 sessions) without a bite - the carp seem to ignore the free samples; bread, corn, maggots & boilies. I like a challenge, wonder what will tempt them?

Revamp & Revise

Too many missed runs / bumped fish last trip - so a few tweaks to my perch livebait rig and setup. Time for a test, back to the pond. Four runs, three perch landed (2lb 2oz, about 1lb & one about 10oz) - that's better - but there's always room for improvement...

Sunshine & Perch

Back to the Farm Pond, back to my perch quest. A couple of little livebaits out on the lead. And after missing a couple of runs I hit one - it was the one I was after. A beautiful, hard earmed 3lb 2oz perch was in the net - got my three pounder - absolutely fantastic!!


A few more runs but I either missed them or bumped the perch, so I thought I'd use up the rest of the (livebait-bait) bread before it got dark, and stalk a carp - or in this case two. Best was a 9lb 1oz common carp - love getting them off the surface.

Nice Blank

With a little livebait searching for a perch, I thought I'd try and stalk out a carp in the afternoon sunshine. And 4 little carp (to 8lb 1oz, below) slipped up - if you've got to blank for perch - that's the way to do it!

Mayday!

Typical May bank holiday weather - hammering down. And four carp managed to slip the hook before this beauty found the net - 10lb 7oz. Soaked through but job done; double number 3 on the scorecard.

Perch Starter

Beginning my search for a three pound perch - to the Farm Pond. Far too bright really but managed 6 perch to about a pound. Using worms I also bagged up on little roach, rudd & bream - nice to get a few bites. Did spot some larger perch chasing the rudd - livebait next time.


Couldn't resist stalking out a carp on floating crust before I headed for home (and a beer) - a fantastic 14lb 1oz fully scaled mirror - perhaps, given the conditions I should have just targeted the carp. But it's a perch start - and a lovely afternoon in the sunshine!