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Season retrospective


Anderoo

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It's that time of year when I look back on the last season, and it's been a good one - a few decent fish caught but more importantly a few surprises and a lot of fun :)

 

Spring was spent chasing crucians, learning a new water and new techniques, and was fantastic. I can't wait to start again in a few weeks. Quite a few good crucians came my way among the hoardes of tench, with a biggest of 3lb 7oz, a PB by a big margin:

 

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They were beautiful fish and made a very interesting change to the tench fishing I spent the previous several seasons doing. There are no keepnets allowed but occasionally a little group would pass through and you'd get 2 in the net almost at the same time!

 

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A few really nice rudd made an appearance too:

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As did this very unexpected 1lb 12oz roach - I'll definitely be fishing with these in mind this year!

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The Wingham fish-in in May was a great event as always, and even though I could only muster a blank it was lovely to be back.

 

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In the summer I spent a fair bit of time trotting at the little Thames tributaries, which were in great condition for a change, plenty of water and flow. Lots of fish of different species were caught, mostly small, but one in particular stands out:

 

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Micro-barbel - really wasn't expecting that in Oxfordshire this year! A very good sign for the future. A few bigger chub kept things interesting:

 

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The little rivers are just such lovely places to be.

 

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I had a few good dace but nothing worth photographing. One day while trying to catch dace I found myself connected to a wild brown trout of 4lb 11oz, the biggest brownie I've ever caught, which gave me endless problems as it crashed about on light tackle.

 

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Also in the summer I tried and failed to catch some big rudd at a local gravel pit. They proved extremely difficult, but I haven't forgotten about them ;)

 

The autumn was spent vertical jigging for zander at Rutland, I'm just hopefully addicted to it and can't get enough. The fish aren't big and it's a long way to go for a day, but none of that matters, it's the most fun fishing I've ever done. I got a lot better at boat control and lure control and it was nice to feel like I was improving. I had quite a few good days with lots of action - I don't know exactly how many zander I caught but it was probably around 450, no wonder my arm started to ache!

 

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The Rutland fish-in was great too - hopefully ANers will want a return visit this autumn, and if so I'll be very happy to arrange it.

 

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The winter was spent as usual fishing for chub at the Thames and Cherwell. I hadn't fished the Cherwell for a few years so it was good to return to old haunts and see whether the fish were still there - they were, including this chub of 6lb 4oz:

 

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And a real surprise on a big blob of cheesepaste, a hump-backed roach of 1lb 9oz!

 

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The Thames chub were hard to pin down but a couple of sixes visited the bank, the biggest 6lb 9oz:

 

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We also caught some good bream in both the autumn and winter, and on the final day a manic trout that may or may not have visited the seaside:

 

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The Thames was in good condition almost for the whole winter, and although I couldn't find the roach this year, it's always such an exciting place to be.

 

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I also did a bit of lure fishing for perch over the winter when the chub fever started to wane a bit. This was really great fun and although no big perch were caught it was still really enjoyable.

 

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Looking back at the season just gone is always a bitter-sweet experience, but this one was a good one. Lots of variety, good company, plenty of surprises. Can't wait for the next :)

Edited by Anderoo
  • Like 6

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Some great photos and fish you have there Anderoo :thumbs: and what an odd roach. Caught a deformed koi last year with a S shaped spine from head to tail .wont put pics up though it very recognizable.

 

had some nice carp and tench fishing near the end of the season. 11 tench on the last day is my PB and will aim to try beat that this year if I can muster the enthusiasm.

 

The pike fishing was dismal, the most depressing of all. im glad its almost over with tbh. first with finding a dead body in the canal while out with lures put me on a downer then another kick in the balls with poach so this year better be kind to me. just looking forward to being out somewhere quite watching a float.

Edited by Andy_1984

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

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Very nice report Anderoo and some lovely photos, sound like you had a very good season.

 

For me 2014/15 was a rather unremarkable season and I can't remember a season for many a year when I have fished less. The last few months i have either been in a can't be asked mood or when I have wanted to go other stuff has got in the way. When I did go most of my catches where plain average.

 

I did have one fish of note, a 5 1/2 lb Trout caught by accident when fishing for Grayling. A PB but now I feel so bad, it was out of season and I should not have weighed or photographed it :-)

Stephen

 

Species Caught 2014

Zander, Pike, Bream, Roach, Tench, Perch, Rudd, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Eel, Grayling, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Species Caught 2013

Pike, Zander, Bream, Roach, Eel, Tench, Rudd, Perch, Common Carp, Koi Carp, Brown Goldfish, Grayling, Brown Trout, Chub, Roosterfish, Dorado, Black Grouper, Barracuda, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon, Red Snapper

Species Caught 2012
Zander, Pike, Perch, Chub, Ruff, Gudgeon, Dace, Minnow, Wels Catfish, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Roach, Bream, Eel, Rudd, Tench, Arapaima, Mekong Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Marbled Tiger Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Thai Redtail Catfish, Batrachian Walking Catfish, Siamese Carp, Rohu, Julliens Golden Prize Carp, Giant Gourami, Java Barb, Red Tailed Tin Foil Barb, Nile Tilapia, Black Pacu, Red Bellied Pacu, Alligator Gar
Species Caught 2011
Zander, Tench, Bream, Chub, Barbel, Roach, Rudd, Grayling, Brown Trout, Salmon Parr, Minnow, Pike, Eel, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Koi Carp, Crucian Carp, F1 Carp, Blue Orfe, Ide, Goldfish, Brown Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, Golden Tench, Golden Rudd, Perch, Gudgeon, Ruff, Bleak, Dace, Sergeant Major, French Grunt, Yellow Tail Snapper, Tom Tate Grunt, Clown Wrasse, Slippery Dick Wrasse, Doctor Fish, Graysby, Dusky Squirrel Fish, Longspine Squirrel Fish, Stripped Croaker, Leather Jack, Emerald Parrot Fish, Red Tail Parrot Fish, White Grunt, Bone Fish
Species Caught 2010
Zander, Pike, Perch, Eel, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Mirror Carp, Common Carp, Crucian Carp, Siamese Carp, Asian Redtail Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Rohu, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Pacu, Long Tom, Moon Wrasse, Sergeant Major, Green Damsel, Tomtate Grunt, Sea Chub, Yellowtail Surgeon, Black Damsel, Blue Dot Grouper, Checkered Sea Perch, Java Rabbitfish, One Spot Snapper, Snubnose Rudderfish
Species Caught 2009
Barramundi, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Wallago Leeri Catfish, Wallago Attu Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Mrigul, Siamese Carp, Java Barb, Tarpon, Wahoo, Barracuda, Skipjack Tuna, Bonito, Yellow Eye Rockfish, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Black Fin Snapper, Dog Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Marble Grouper, Black Fin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Mutton Snapper, Redhind Grouper, Saddle Grouper, Schoolmaster, Coral Trout, Bar Jack, Pike, Zander, Perch, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Common Carp, Golden Tench, Wels Catfish
Species Caught 2008
Dorado, Wahoo, Barracuda, Bonito, Black Fin Tuna, Long Tom, Sergeant Major, Red Snapper, Black Damsel, Queen Trigga Fish, Red Grouper, Redhind Grouper, Rainbow Wrasse, Grey Trigger Fish, Ehrenbergs Snapper, Malabar Grouper, Lunar Fusiler, Two Tone Wrasse, Starry Dragonet, Convict Surgeonfish, Moonbeam Dwarf Angelfish,Bridled Monocle Bream, Redlined Triggerfish, Cero Mackeral, Rainbow Runner
Species Caught 2007
Arapaima, Alligator Gar, Mekong Catfish, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Pacu, Siamese Carp, Barracuda, Black Fin Tuna, Queen Trigger Fish, Red Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Honeycomb Grouper, Red Grouper, Schoolmaster, Cubera Snapper, Black Grouper, Albacore, Ballyhoo, Coney, Yellowfin Goatfish, Lattice Spinecheek

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I had a week at the beginning of the season on The Wye after the barbel. Having only fished The Thames and Medway for them it was refreshing to catch some without too much trouble!

 

16854904042_7d5cf71372.jpg1523483_10154313362990249_6924938890069170871_o by 123Christian, on Flickr

Also had a couple of days at linear fisheries for my birthday in July. Took a gallon of maggots and managed quite a few tench, the biggest being this one at 9.07lbs. My 'biggest' fish to date.

 

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The Thames gave me a busy hour and half one morning, I managed two fully scaled mirrors of 23 & 17lbs, as well as an 18lb common and a nice bream.

Had a small stream carp of about 14lbs on my trudex as well which was about as exciting fishing as I've experienced.

It was off to uni after that and there hasn't been anything to note since. Hopefully it'll warm up in time for a few tench before exams. Definitely one of my most enjoyable seasons for the time put in.

Edited by Christian T
  • Like 2

"the countryside must be experienced in its worst weather to appreciate the shades of its beauty"

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The crucians have inspired me to see if there is anywhere locally I can catch them. I've emailed a club which has produced some good ones to see if they are a realistic quarry or just something that pops up now and again.

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