Had to happen. I grabbed a couple of hours after work on the Thames at Cricklade. I didn't feel up to facing the cows down today, so I left the Cowfield swim for a deep little corner further upstream, amongst the water meadows. I've had chub and the odd nice roach out of this swim before on floatfished flake. It's a narrow deep(ish) bend into an overhanging tree. I set up a little way upstream and trotted down, feeding pinches of mashed flake at my feet.
Nothing. Nicht eine wurst. Pas une s
It's my aim to use this blog as my diary really and throw in my thoughts and results (or none results) along the way. Whether I actually bother to keep adding to it we'll have to see ? as I've never been one to keep a diary before now.
I am just starting to get my head around fishing, after being an angler on & off since I was 12
(i'm now 33 !) and have been getting more and more into it over the past couple of seasons.
This is the first Winter though that I have bothered to fish s
Considered having another crack at the Cowfield swim today, but was tempted away by thoughts of easier pickings on the Thames at Kelmscott. I wanted another crack at the chub with my special extra-stinky cheesepaste. I took a pack out of the freezer, microwaved it until gooey and then mixed in half a jar of anchovies for good measure. I’d had problems hitting bites last time, and hoped the oil from the anchovies would give a softer paste. This, as you will see, did not quite work out.
Arriv
Seem to be having a bad week with large hoofed beasts. Walking back to the car on Saturday I got back to the final gate as the last of the light left the sky. It was cold, and clear, and silent. I turned round to shut the gate behind me and found three huge equine faces staring expectantly at me from six feet away. To say I jumped would be an understatement. I still don't understand how they crept up on me; perhaps they were "stalking horses"?
Tonight, walking to the cowfield swim, the co
I've just had a short after-work session in the Cowfield swim. It really is an odd swim, it just screams fish yet it never really delivers the goods. I'm sure that I just haven't figured it out yet, but it's very frustrating. I fished it with my new favourite setup, trotting a very traditional looking crowquill avon with the 'pin. My casting with the pin is gradually improving, but is still abysmal. I've got used to trotting with it, though, and using it has become very comfortable. I managed a
The unfortunate, has become reality, a blank on the Surafce Challenge for January
I tried more than half a dozen times over the month to try and sneak one; and have had fish feeding on the surface within just a few feet away from me, but have not succeeded in hooking and landing one, on rod and line.
Ah well, now for the first fish of 2006 challenge!
I acquired this week, as birthday presents from my wife, a Drennan Super Specialist Duo Avon/quiver rod and an Okuma centrepin reel. I managed to get out for a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday to have a play with them, and have to say I'm very pleased with my new toys.
Saturday involved a short trip to a local free stretch of the Thames at Cricklade, starting at the weir by the farm and heading upstream to the Bridge Swim. Actually, my plan was really to fish the Bridge Swim for most
Myself and Steve Baker planned another session to Biddulph Grange on Sunday 15th January 2006, in the hope of catching my first carp of 2006, and Steve in the hope of fulfilling his target; to catch the venue biggie known as "Willy".
The on the day previous to our session on the lake, the weather was mild clear blue skies combined with mild night-time temperatures, things look set for the carp to be on the feed. The downside to this however was the unexpected frost the night before the sess
After my surface attempt was failed, I was determind to try and catch my first carp of 2006, on Sunday 8th January.
I decided that my best bet for a fish would be a local 'runs water' which holds carp upto around 13lb.
The conditions were quite cold and overcast with what i considered low light levels and chilling easterly wind. The water is usually quite cloudy, and the clarity of the water on the particular day, showed that the carp were much less active, which is not suprising consi
I tried to knock January of the list for the Surface Fishing Challenge today.
The weather was cloudy, with little wind. Water temperature was cold due to it being frozen two days earlier, and an air temperature of 5 degrees. I cycled to the venue and scattered a liberal amount of dog biscuits in each of the four bays of the lake, in the hope of getting the fish feeding, and then leaving them to build confidence whilst I went home to get my gear.
As I left the local EA officer called in
I ventured out to a totally new venue today. Had never before seen, let alone fished the venue in question, Biddulph Grange.
I arranged the session with a mate, and both myself and Steve Baker arrived at the venue by around 9.00am.
Upon arrival we noticed that around three-quarters of the lake was frozen. Fortunately, an area around the inlet was free; and was the area that we wanted to fish. I placed my baits at points in the overhanging trees that came from the island in front of me.
Intended to fish a pit local to my home today, for both Carp and Roach.
Armed with a pair of Carp rods, float rod, and a bag of dog biscuits for the Surface Challenge, plus other tackle, I walked to the venue in question.
The walk is probably just under a mile, although it felt like a hundred miles as my tackle bag dug into my shoulder during the journey!
After anticipating the sport of the day ahead, I was then very dissappointed to see the water, which hardly ever freezes, froze
Boxing Day... Thought I would go and catch myself a Christmas Carp
Arrived at the venue at 2.00pm, knowing that I would have to be off at dusk, around 4.30pm. My plan of attack being a pair of carp rods, and a float rod, in the hope of trying to tempt either a carp, or one of the large roach that reside in the local venue.
I opted for a peg that had a tight group of trees to my left, that were right on the water's edge, providing a slight amount of cover, and with a slightly deeper ar
Went stalking for an hour today after work. Had seen the forecast mild temperatures in the week, and was gagging to get fishing as I neared the end of my day at work.
I arrived at a local pit at 3.15pm, and was packed up by 4.30pm.
Firstly, I walked around and scattered a few dog biscuits in each of the four bays. It took a long time for the fish to come up and feed confidently. I was stood well back from the water’s edge, and groups of fish would come and feed in a “spell” whereby ea
I managed to sneak an hour session in on a local pit on Sunday (December 4th) afternoon.
When I arrived i walked round the lake, which basically consists of the main body of the lake with an island, and then four small bays in each corner.
I walked around and scattered a few freebie dog biscuits in all of the bays and set up ready for action. The fish came up feeding confidently, and I stood for a few minutes and watched a few fish around 5lb pick off my biscuits by some reed stems.
just a short one this time
After doing a workparty last weekend which involved pulling chopped down trees from an island across a frozen lake, we went to a small stream after some grayling. The stream is called wincham brook and is one of the few places i can class as a banker when most other places are frozen over. The set up consisted of 11ft rod with 3lbb line straight thru to the hook, 3AAA stick float with all the shot about 8" from the 16 hook which was dressed with 3bronze maggots.
T
We all cheered as the teacher said we were having to leave school - great shame, not!
One of the many great things about snow is the fact that when we get a flake or two, our school seems to shut, so I thought what I perfect opportunity it would be to catch a fish and have the snow in the backgriound - wishfull thinking.
I got home and grabbed some lunch before stepping into my lockup to grab a rod, bag full of bits n bobs, warm clothes and seat.
I arrived hoping that it wouldn'
Managed to sneak off work early at lunchtime.
Decided not to go straight home but to check out a few local venues to see how they were fairing with the weather.
First venue visited was a particular favourite of mine, a small intimate stillwater pond, well stocked and guaranteed catching water. Not today - the whole surface was frozen.
Although the ice was thin and could easily be broken I decided not to go home and get the rods out. The lack of any other anglers also confirmed my decision
Well after a somwhat "tense" build up to my holiday, I'm off at 3.00am tommorrow morning. I'm going to a different part of the River Ebro, a different section, known as The Top Lake or Upper Lake, where the cats are more in numbers and lesser in weight. However it's a new experience and challenge and with a good bunch of people, it's set to be a good old trip. Adios!
- Blizzards when I get back, what a lovely welcome home!
Well, the plan was to try and sneak either an overnighter or at least a day session this weekend!
But unfortunatly the frosts took over, and unless I went Ice Fishing I would be unable to get on any of my target waters
A frozen local venue means no fishing - thanks to the harsh frosts
Hopefully this snap of clear skies and frosts will subside soon and allow me to maybe sneak a few more kippers before the real "Freeze Up" of winter
On 15th November I had a school trip to London to watch Journey's End, for £30 it seemed like a good scive off school
Two buses set off, and just 45 minutes down the A50, bus number 2 breaks down
Fortunatly they sent another one out to replace it, and off down to the hussle and bussle of London we go, quite a site really. Enjoyed going past the likes of Wembley and Lords, and to be honest the tour around London was better than the actual play at the theatre!
To cut a long stor
After my last episode on the river Dane after falling in the river i thought my luck has got to change sooner rather than later, so with this in mind i ventured down to the river severn last thursday(7th Nov) ignoring the warning of floods. River calll said that Abermule(near welshpool) was only 1.3m up and steady at 00:01 so i thought it would be on its way down after a night of clear skies and no rain. Arriving at the river i found it to be about 2 ft from the top of its banks and like chocola
Last night I stepped outside briefly a cuple of times and saw the clear skies with the bright moon shining. I knew it would be a cold night, and the heavy ground frost this morning as I awoke proved this
...Here we go agian, another harsh few months of rubbish cold windy weather, where fishing seems like a waste of time, aaaaah don't you just love winter sessions, lots of brews, lots of blanks,
-don't you just love the british weather!?
