Summer fishing.
Another hot, rainless start to the season limiting the river fishing, instead I concentrated on some local ponds, targeting the carp & perch. Over the summer I landed 233 carp (including 27 doubles), 38 perch (to 3lb 2oz), 49 barbel, plus a few surprises. So here's a quick recap of the summer - written monthly as I went along...
April:
Cracking straight on this year - a few trips to the
Farm Pond during the river closed season. Frosty mornings and warm afternoons weren't idea conditions but I did land 3 carp in three sessions. Including a
double fully scaled mirror - and a fantastic double
grass carp - my first
grassy! Plus a bunch of little roach, rudd, bream and perch.
May:
The weather was gradually turning into summer - over the month I banked 43 carp, including
3 doubles (a hectic trip to a commerical accounting for 30). And my attention turned to stillwater perch - worms & livebaits producing 12 perch, four over 2lb, including my target three pounder, a
3lb 2oz new PB - plus a surprise three pound
eel.
June:
I continued my quest for stillwater perch, eels & carp, adding 28 carp, including
three doubles - from three venues. The highlight being a double mirror from
The Puddle - slowly starting to unlock this difficult venue! The river season opened in a heatwave - I banked a few chub but it was far too hot (the rivers were soon closed for fishing).
July:
The heatwave continued, no rain in sight! No fishing on
The Wye, but I did manage 3 days fishing the cool water of
The Small River - 21 little barbel & a hard earned
river carp finding the net. Continuing my carp quest I caught
seven doubles across the three target ponds (98 carp added). And managed to find an elusive
Puddle tench.
August:
Drought - rain seems a distant memory -
The Wye and many other rivers reaching a record low. The perch stopped feeding (at least for me) so it was a month just targeting carp. But with 38 carp landed, including
11 doubles to
15lb 4oz, and the 14lb 9oz
ghostie I've been chasing around
The Puddle all summer - I can't complain!
September:
The weather started to cool, although still no real rain - the rivers are desperate for it. I added 23 more carp, including double #27 to finish up the
Carp Challenge. A short trip to the
Small River added 10 chub & 28 barbel. First 12 perch from
The Lugg. And
four pike from
The Pits, including a double, to get a jump on the winter season.
Winter is coming.
It was an absolutely fantastic start to the season;
carp challenge cracked (including the grass carp & big ghostie I really wanted) PLUS my
3lb+ perch. But the seasons have shifted - perch will still be on the radar, and now it's pike time. Let's hope the winter floods are minimal and a few big river crocs find the net...
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