Picture the scene; yesterday (Saturday) morning and I awake after a nice lie in – well, 9am is a lie in for me! Lisa was going out for the day to meet up with some old work friends and I had an unplanned day ahead of me – a rarity nowadays. As we lay there she asked what I was going to do and at that precise moment I had no idea. That is, until the sun poked through the cloud outside and suddenly lit up the bedroom through the curtains, “Hmmm, well, I might just nip down the road for a few hours
After a week at work, still struggling with the effects of this cursed cold I finished at lunch time.
My plan earlier in the week had been to enjoy an afternoon at a local pond where I could regain confidence in my ability to fish! as the last few non event outings had seriously dented my confidence.
Head bowed I dashed to my car almost bent double against the wind and rain, threw myself into the drivers seat, peered out of the window and cursed my luck silently.
A terrible day.
D
Had an enjoyable session on the Top Pool last night, although as suspected, I returned home fishless. Not that it matters much up there; it’s never an easy water and only gets harder during the winter months. Some people say I’m mad fishing on the Top Pool through the winter when I could easily be catching on other local venues, but where’s the challenge in that? After all, when they do come along it gives you such a sense of achievement that all the blank sessions just melt away. I remember doi
After spending all day Sunday fishing at Capesthorne, I was somewhat surprised last night when Lisa asked out of the blue if I was doing an overnighter on the Top Pool tonight - especially as the tone implied she would be happy irrespective of any answer I might choose to give. Never one to miss an opportunity I thought I’d dip my toe in the water and offered that I might have a bash if she were OK with the idea.
That was it, with no objections raised from the floor (I gave her all of five
Its a tiny world.
Went for a wander along Felixstowe beach last night and started talking to two anglers from Braintree, Essex.
They turn out to be Steve Coppolo and another AN member (cant remember his name due to a headache, number 8 in UK at tornament casting and a tackle tester). (4th his name on AN is TEL)
They had had a few doggies and small whiting as had a few match anglers I spoke to.
Cast a float around an area of the Gipping where I am not a member.
Caught several small roach, perch and chublets and one decent perch of around 2lb.
Did not see another angler all morning.
Maybe I was attacking the Main Lake all wrong at the weekend. A friend of mine has just informed me that he had a cracking 27lb+ mirror out of the same lake on a small deadbait last week! What can you say to that! It appears he cast out the small roach tail and sat back to let it develop. Shortly afterwards the rod rattled off and he thinks he’s into a decent pike. A few people gather by his swim to see how big the pike is going to be, only to be greeted by a cracking fully scaled mirror hooked
Well today between swapping my big car for a fiesta temporarily till they repair the damage, and going to my son's parent's evening I managed to get a little fishing in…. I do work for a living, honest!
On the way I was in a bit of a hurry so tried a new tackle shop, courtesy of advice from AN forum. EasyTackle.com in Shirley. Was a great shop, well stocked with a friendly bloke and cheap too… It’s a bit far from me normally but it might well be worth the drive. Their mail order service loo
So after a number of not particularly successful sessions, mainly on the river, and having had a car crash on the way to my last river trip I needed a confidence building fishing session, otherwise I was in danger of giving it up over the cold months. Last year Was my first full year of fishing and with some enthusiasm I fished through rain, sleet, snow and ice but I could se this winter being different if I didn’t get a confidence booster….
So I headed up to Blythe Waters, run by British W
Did a day on the Main Lake yesterday.
Did not catch anything but felt I did almost everything I could. Got down there about half seven and had a good look around before setting up. There was a strong wind heading right down from the shallows to the bridge with a proper chop on it (about 18-20mph wind). The garden pool was calmer but already had about six people on. I decided as it was so warm I would set up right in face of the wind (fool I hear you cry!) where it hit the bridge as I was su
Well started off Friday when i left my work place for the last time \o/ been there for 9 years and came to the decision that i wasn't getting anywhere there so i found myself a bit of courage and handed my notice in the week before.
Was planing to do a bit of fishing this past week as its the only time I'm gonna get off for a while due to starting my new job monday.....managed to get only two trips in though one of which was a good morning session full of dogs amounting to 17 and the other
All of these home made in the last few days, some I've created the shape myself by casting a cylinder and then using a pillar drill as a lathe. Others are copies of commercially made lures, I make silicone mould then create head inserts with eyes etc, and then pour casting resin. Still learning techniques, but made a few I'm proud of, just hope they can catch the fish.
Isn’t it funny how life seems much richer in the days immediately after a big fish? After my little floater fishing expedition the other night I keep catching myself smirking or grinning for no particular reason. Funny that.
My ‘fishing’ mind is now firmly fixed on tomorrow as I’m hoping to do a day on Capesthorne Main Lake. After a good initial session last Saturday on the Garden Pool end I’m looking forward to the new challenge this water offers, not to mention the possibility of banking
Woke to a breezy clear day this morning. Still in the good books from my gardening duties yesterday.
After my second coffee of the day decided today would be my last chance to wet a line until late next week owing to work.
Still sniffling from a bad cold (this one's taking some shifting!) I decided that maybe sitting perched on a seatbox may be unwise. A more roving approach would keep the blood circulating.
I had considered having a session on the river but felt with the previous nigh
What can I say, when I left the house last night I had no idea what was to come. I’d been watching the weather out of my office window (at home) all day but had not been outside. I live in an old Town House and my office window faces out north so its afternoon before the sun comes through the window, and as such it can be deceiving as it often feels colder than it is until the sun pokes through. It was about 3pm when I nipped outside to speak to a neighbour and I was gob-smacked at how warm it w
I thought this might do better as an 'off-list' discussion. Any forum members who wish can post comments to any of the main entries.
Street/Area mapping programs you'd recommend?
Any folks who are willing to house the Vail's for a day (or two) of fishing? We are both non-smokers (although I puffed for lots of years) and Jan is violently allergic to the stuff (which is why I quit) so if you smoke in the house, we can't visit. Not a preference but a matter of her health.
We are
Woke this morning to clear blue skies. I can't believe we are toward the end of October, a step outside my front door and the warmth of the Autumn sun felt more like a mid Summer morning!
Feeling as though I was getting the better of the aggressive cold I had endured all week and with the comforting thought of another day off work my mind wandered to fishing.
Conditions were very bright, the warmth would not have permeated the lower layers to such an extent as to spur frantic feeding, but,
Typical, last night was the first Wednesday night I’ve not nipped up to the Top Pool for a quick overnighter and the weather forecast last night said it was going to be one of the warmest on record for this time of year for us Northern lot. Ho Hum.
That said, they gave out today as a scorcher as well, so who knows, I may just sneak out for an hour after work to try and sneak an October carp off the surface. Yes, mad I’m sure you’ll agree but I’ve set myself a challenge to try and bag a fi
Okay, so technically it's only Thursday, but I'm gifting myself a long weekend.
Just got today to get through - mainly to be spent packing and despatching parcels. For my sins, I sell a few bits of tackle at http://www.tackle-auctions.com and my main business is giftware, http://www.collectorsgifts.com
My mate, Ed, and his nutty misses, Lou, are leaving Liverpool at about 1pm and heading down to our little village in Suffolk. They'll be down until Sunday.
It has been suggested tha
Managed to get on top of my emails this morning, and out for a bicycle ride by just after 12.
26th October, a decent day and Brenda's in London so I have the car.
Too good not to go fishing!
Took the quick route home, and threw some tackle into the boot (nearly forgot to pack a rod)
Stopped for 1/2 pint of red and white maggots at the local tackle shop then 1/2 hour drive had me at the waterside.
The river (more of a stream really, filled with wooden branches and waterlo
Right, let’s have a go at one of these Blog things then, eh?
I suppose I’d better kick off with a bit about myself for those that don’t know me. I’m in my early thirties and live in Leek (Staffordshire) with my wife Lisa; we’re busy renovating an old Town House at the moment and have a young’un due next March.
My main work is with Elton, running http://www.anglersnet.co.uk along with many of his other ventures! In addition I run my own website for carp angling in the North-West of Eng
26th sussed out how to use a blog - hurray
At around 9pm took a walk along Felixstowe sea front near manor end and gave some advice to two visting sea anglers from Northampton.
Result was a few dabs, a monster pound and a half sole and a few whiting.
Happy with myself.
Well, here we go, my first entry in my blog.
My name's Gaz, I've lived in Yorkshire all my life and have been seriously into fishing for around 10 years. I class myself as a pleasure angler and fish solely for the pleasure of getting out and about on the bank, be it river, lake, pond or canal.
I fish most methods with pole normally taking 1st place when fishing stillwaters. I have started to rediscover the pleasures of rod and line fishing, especially on the rivers.
I wish I had more t
