First day of the season - perhaps it was a mistake?
Arrival time: 09.20 Weather: Started warm and cloudy but became very hot when sun broke through. Swim: Roving. Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 6lb line, 8 hook tied direct. Two SG shots on a short link. Baits: Luncheon meat, cheese Fish: Three chub and a small jack pike. Best fish chub 4lbs 5oz.
I can’t remember the last time I went fishing on the first day of the season. Probably when I was a lad. Actually we’re often away in June but this year we weren’t, so off I went. Read Full Report...
First time out fishing for over 6 months - unbelievable!
Arrival time: 15.00 Weather: Warm, bright and cloudy with a north-easterly breeze. Swim: Lily pads, NE bay and east bank. Tackle: 12ft Drennan Barbel Specialist, 8lb line, 8/10 hook. Bait: Luncheon meat. Fish: Small pike and a roach.
I can’t believe that I haven’t been fishing since last October. Where has the time gone? To be fair, I usually try to fit in some trips to the River Welland over the winter, but with all the rain we had, the river wasn’t a particularly attractive proposition, even assuming that it would have been fishable. But that’s really an excuse and I must try to get out more this year. It’s the damn golf that’s getting in the way, and I’m not particularly good at it, so I should put fishing first. Read Full Report...
First trip to the lake this year and a bit of luck.
Arrival time: 14.30 Weather: Cloudy with drizzle, brightening later. Windy but this didn’t affect the sheltered lake. Swim: Lily pads Tackle: 10ft Fishtec compact float rod with Shimano ST5000 reel, 6lb line and 16 hook. 11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano Exage 4000RC reel, 8lb line, 12 hook. Baits: Luncheon meat , worm and sweetcorn. Fish: One nice carp, 11lbs 6oz, a few roach and a small pike.
The first bit of good news was that the undergrowth hadn’t yet taken hold so I could actually get to what I call the lily pad swim without too much trouble. There were, however, no lily pads at this time of year. They’re obviously awaiting spring/summer like the rest of us. Read Full Report...
Arrival time: 08.30 Weather: Cloudy bright with no discernible wind. Swim: Lily pads Tackle: 11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano Exage 4000RC reel, 8lb line, 12 hook. Bait: All fish taken on luncheon meat. Fish: A couple of rudd, best 1lb 4oz, a small pike and a small roach. Broken by a carp.
Today I tried a morning session. My main reason for doing this was to avoid the mosquitos in the evening (I’ve been eaten alive this year), although it did also mean I could grab a round of golf later in the afternoon.
The lake was very enticing when I arrived. A mirror surface with the only noise being that of bees and other insect workers among the overgrown banks. Some of the blackberry thorns had re-established since I had cleared them on my last visit. Read Full Report...
Last trip to the river before the close season. Managed a couple of nice chub and a bonus jack pike.
Arrival time: 10.20 Weather: Overcast, calm and damp. Hardly a breath of wind. Swim: The large pool and roaming. Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 6 hook tied direct. Three SG shots on a short link. Bait: Cheese and luncheon meat. Fish: Three chub, best fish 4lb 5oz
I didn’t manage to get to the river last week, so this trip was my last before the close season.
I was hoping that I could end the season with a good day and things certainly started well. I catapulted some loose pieces of cheese and luncheon meat before I tackled up. First cast was with luncheon meat and after a minute or so the top twitched and then pulled round. The first fish was on. A brief battle, during which the fish repeatedly tried to get into the dead bankside vegetation to my left, ended with a fine 4lb 5oz chub on the bank. It was only 10.40. Read Full Report...
Arrival time: 12.15 Weather: Overcast but bright, although clouds were threatening. An easterly that freshened and became quite chilly. Swim: The large pool and a bit of roving. Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 8 hook tied direct. Two/three SG shots on a short link. Bait: Cheese, worm and bread flake. Fish: A couple of small pike followed by two chub. Best fish chub 4½lbs
Back again to the Welland. There were actually a couple of anglers on the stretch today. One was pole-fishing the far bank not far from the town while the other seemed to be roving. I made my way to the large pool, which was free.
I started with cheese but had brought some lobworms to see if I could tempt a large perch. There were a few sharp taps on the cheese but nothing that characterised a chub. I persevered but the lull was only broken when a jack pike of 1½lbs took the cheese as I was retrieving. Fortunately it was lip-hooked and soon returned. After a bit longer with the cheese I changed to worm. This produced more ‘bites’ but other than one lost fish (probably a smallish perch) and another even smaller jack pike that took the worm on the retrieve, there was nothing doing. Read Full Report...
I arrived just after 11.00 in the morning. It was bright and warm but very breezy. My tactics on this visit were to roam with a single rod and landing net and minimum tackle. I started free-lining but a downstream wind made far-bank control impossible, so I later switched to a couple of swan shot on a fixed link.
At the first swim I cast a free-lined piece of flake and immediately saw the line tighten. A 1lb 2oz chub came to the net. A fine start to the day. Things however got more difficult after that. About an hour later a 4½lb pike took my bread flake as I was retrieving; unexpected, but a good fight ensued.
After trying a number of unproductive spots, including the bridge swim where I had seen large fish, I concentrated on a shallow section where I could see the fish. After a while a chub emerged to take by bread flake, which I could see on the bottom in the shallow water. A fine 3lb 10oz fish was landed. Read Full Report...
Having caught nothing on the Monday, I returned armed with pellets, biscuits and maggots. This time there was no sign of the carp (typical) so I persevered with bottom-fed maggot on a waggler. The water is deep off the fishing stage; about 6 feet just by the reeds. This is obviously because on the stage you are a few yards out into the lake. After a while I tempted some small rudd. Then came a surprise; the float shot away and a better fish was on. I thought I had cracked the carp problem. However, it turned out it was a small jack-pike (about a pound) that had obviously lunged at a fish and become entangled in my line. It wasn't hooked but a loop of line was around its teeth; most odd. It was surprising that I got it in. Read Full Report...
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