[It's a SIX]

Good result fella. Thats a real beauty.

[What would you really, really love to catch?]

I must have been lucky, at least so far as roach go. I have spent little time fishing for them, yet have had quite a few over 2lbs. They turned up in matches on large German rivers where the target species, purley for the weight advantage was bream. We fished remarkable small ponds in West Lancashire and took both roach and rudd well over 2 lbs. That was back in the 80s. The summer before last I took my biggest roach. Just after dark it went for a large popped up lob on a size 4 intended for perch. My reaction when I saw what it was being 'how did you get that lot down?'. I'm not bragging, I probably didn't deserve those big roach, maybe just a case of right time. right place an' all that. The species doesn't hold especial fascination for me, indeed I tend to think of them in the 'bait' category (not the 2 lb'ers, but the usual 4-6" ones).

 

Love to catch?... ahh! now your talking, a fantasy, fantastic...mine is like this, it's a summer evening, going on for 11 and still comfortable to be in t shirt. Position the boat so that the small hardly discernible breeze takes me into the weed fringed bay in a slow drift. the braid shoots through the rod rings as the 6" surface popper arcs out and then hits the water with a rattling splash. Wait, let the ripple rings spread and fade... Wind, twitch, wind jerk...anticipation, that feeling which only comes now and then, that sixth sense certianty that something is about to happen, electricity in the air...dace dimpling...wind twitch, wind jerk..pause...fry scatter somewhere off in the extreme left of vision, traffic nose distant, distant in miles, distant in worlds, it has no place here. Focused, willing, expectant, yet knowing if...no tonight, when it happens it will be heart stopping. Wind, pause, wind, twitch....Craaaaaash, ooooh!, the head breaks the oily surface from right to left, a fleeting comparison of a croc taking a zebra at a water hole. That fraction of a second pause looking at the surface turmoil, has it? has it?

...yes the line is tight, the rod bends...first few seconds slower than expected...then it's moving fast, kites and then out, all but tail clear of the lake...it's a 20, no bigger, can't be, imagination, wishful, the setting sun distorts scale and distance. Turn it from the weedbed....was that really a worn part on the braid? should have changed it. glance at the reel, how much braid is left on it. It can't go deep the bay is shallow, the boils are 30 yerds away, speeds up, line rushing to the surface, it's out, twists like a gymnast tail walking, red gill flare, how many hook holds? when were they sharpened, home made trace, do I really trust myself? Slower now, gaining line, pump and wind, pump and wind, than she is away again, all that line off the reel again, tug or war, I get some, she takes some...here she comes head down, tail paddling the surface. 3 feet from the boat...a 20? no this thing would eat a 20...under the boat reel singing again rod buckled. pump draw wind...she is on her side, net? no how will I lift that with one hand, get her in the net then drop the rod, no dare not...c'mon have to do something... make a decision, reach for the gill cover splash and thrash....steady now, deep breath, firm resolve..heave stagger back fall on the deck..hold her hold her!

54lbs, (come on it is a wish/fantasy so no need for 'realistic targets' ) prime condition, fin perfect, will all of life be an anticlimax after this?

I got out of breath just reading that lol

[So why are big roach still so few and far between?]

Its a good question. One i have often ponded upon. Unlike a lot of other species that have seemed to increase in there average weights the last decade or two, Due to anglers baits. A roach of a good size, Say even a pound plus is still a good fish.

Rustys theory is interesting and possibly a factor, Being delicate feeders maybe they just haven't progressed on to new style baits as much as other fish. Though i think a true roach just hasn't got the potential to get big, Without any form of hybridisation. Like Vagabond said "how many big roach are true roach?.

I havent had any big roach for a long time round my neck of the woods. The Suffolk stour above Nayland use to be a good area and about twenty years ago i was lucky enoungh to have a run of quality fish on the float, and also when chubbing in the winter with flake. But the roach have all but gone now. The larger ones at least.

[What would you really, really love to catch?]

A thirty five plus pike is my realistic target. As long as it beats my personel best i would be happy. I like to think it would come on a mild November afternoon, With leaded skies and a bit of drizzle in the air. On a drifted 6oz live roach. On a lake with very few anglers and maybe the company of one good friend just to help me enjoy te moment.

[Wanting to start pike fishing, advice eyc please.]

Well people I have been piking today, and would you guess it one, and I mean one other person was fishing on the whole place. Guesss what he was fishing for.............................bingo...........Pike.

 

I went over to say hello and asked him if he minded helping me out, he didn't mind in the least, a really nice bloke.

 

I have sat one peg down form the guy all day, learn't a alot and bagged 2 pike, granted only Jacks 4lb max, but it made me smile. It was nothing like as much hard work as I thought, what I already knew and have been told worked just fine. I had images of some really complex stuff, after having a pike there hooked infront of you and having how to sort things explained, it aint that hard. infact more or less exactly the same as every other fish. Nothing that can't be explained to anyone other than a muppet.

 

I can underand why people who are pikers get miffed about silly mistake's damaging or killing fish. Both mine today went back fine and to be totally honest I can't see how a larger pike would be that different, time will tell I guess.

 

At the end of the day all fish can get hooked in a bad way, all fish can die and any and I mean any part of any food chain ain't good to lose.

 

Andy has made his point, granted in a strong way but maybe he has ran into afew proper numptys piking in his time, lets face it we have all seen some muppet's fishing doing everything wrong. Jesus look on youtube there are some right fools posting vid's on piking, holding fish wrong and dropping them from waist height .

 

The advice about going with a experinced piker I fell is a good idea, but I think that relates to any form of fishing. With a basic base knowledge of fishing, pike do not apper to be some unatainable goal. With basic knowledge you can learn. Without any basic knowledge of fish handling or treatment, same as any fishing GET HELP!!!!. Pike are slightly different to most but, nothing like as much as I thought.

 

I will keep posting about my future piking adventure's but im pleased to say I've scored the two today. Onward n upward ehi!!! . Ever so slightly loved it .

 

Glad you enjoyed yourself slickfish.

 

Well done on your fish. That's a classic example of how it should be. Learning on the bank from somebody else is the best way to learn the vital skills. If people want to fish for pike they will have a go whether they have someone to show them or not. At least learn as much as possible about the techniques and handling.

 

Like budgie said us more experienced anglers should not try to put newcomers off the sport but incourage and educate. I know us pikers can be a cagey lot but i know of nobody that wouldnt help someone out on the bank if they needed it,

[invisible weights]

I think its a load of b£$%^%$s I remember a long time ago reading an article in a carp mag. It might well have been crapworld. oF someone using chandelier dangly thingys as wieghts. As for the electric feild thing, When i think about most carp waters most are strewn with lost rigs. Thats a lot of electricity on the lake bed i think.

[Wanting to start pike fishing, advice eyc please.]

Must be that time of year again fellas.

[What was it?]

Sorry couldnt resist this.

Just reminded me of a song. Beware.

[Wanting to start pike fishing, advice eyc please.]

Sound advice from Budgie Slickfish.

 

Read all you can about the subject but no amount of research will prepare you for unhooking a vulnerable fish (maybe deep hooked) for the first time on your own. Far better to see an experienced pike angler put the theory into practice.

 

Alternatively just don't fish for the horrible ugly things

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But i concur, Its best to get out with a experienced piking to learn from first hand. Its all well and good reading articles and watching the likes of Matt hayes and browny. But as with most things in life theres no substitute for the real thing. Nothing wrong with a little racker rash to teach you how to hold a pike proper. Lol

[Popping up deadbaits]

Hello fella.

If the roach deads are fresh there's no reason why you shouldn't leave them as long as you like, If you are happy with their position. Like Budgie said naturals can be a killer bait on a lot of waters where the pike have seen a lot of oily unnatural baits. Its a bit early in the season i think to be worrying about pressured fish. Unless you are going somewhere that noddy's been pounding all summer. A good early season bait is smelts and if you can get some quality fresh ones they can be popped up quite well with the use of a syringe once thawn out.

 

Using a running ledger is a good rig to start with. Nice a simple. And give it a twitch now and then. I am a great believer that pike often move in on a bait and sit and watch it for a long time. And a little tweek now and then can sometimes be enough to induce the fish to take the bait. Don't neglect the float though. i love float fishing for pike i think it can on occasions be the best approach, Especially when you don't know the water to well. You can cover a lot of ground. And providing you mount the bait well you can put a lot of life into it. Again twitching it now and then and keeping it just of the bottom.

 

My post is a bit late. I been working but hope i helped you a little. For next time.

 

 

Regards Wayne.

[Fishing River Stour - Essex]

If I'm not mistaken Dedham mill pool and a couple of hundred yards up stream is day ticket on the bank. Or it use to be, Don't quote me. Colchester APS, And colchester PS. Control most of the lower Stour. Its my local river and spend a lot of time there, But this summer i have been struggling with the lack of rain. Most of my chub stalking has been pretty fruitless apart from dusk and beyond.

If your folks live in Ardleigh why not have a day on the ressie feeder fishing. As for barbel down stream from dedham goes you will have more chance of catching a burbot lol

[Halitbut pellets]

I see no reason why they wont take them. I have caught quite a few sizable bream by accident when fishing with pellets intended for carp

[New product that I am launching. Need advice]

I wish i had invented the disgorger. What a simple little item.

[Car Boot Sale Rod - Bargain?]

I think you got a bargain there fella. I love walking round the old car boot sales. you can always find something of value if you get there at the right time. The only thing that worries me when i find a stall with some good quality stuff on it is if its cosher. I always quiz the vendor a little first to make sure the origin of the merchandise isnt hooky.

[Good idea?]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/...-from-cops.html

 

In principle a good idea, and the intentions are right, but I wonder if it might not create follow on problems. If these, or any other youngsters that have been on similar schemes, get the fishing bug then where will they get their tackle from? Somehow I don't think it will always be the shops! It is okay creating the desire, but what about the means to fulfill it?

 

I agree Peter, Its a good idea but it isn't the first time this has been done. Taking a load of kids fishing and trying to introduce them to it is all well and good. But how many of them actually got the bug? Very few i think. The tax payers money would be better spent on educating them about being a good citizen an having respect for other people in their own environment.

The kids in inner cities nowadays just have nothing to look forward to and with their gang cultures that are rife these days i dont think the old bill taking them fishing is going to make a lot of difference.

[Where to fish, and what for?]

Just rejoined alton for the year. I do not really do pike fishing so its mainly feeder for me there. If you need any up to date info just ask. We have been fishing it for 3 years know and its very different to the old days.

 

Am going to join ardleigh as a full member next year so I can night fish for the bream. They seem very elusive during the day.

 

Is ther any bream fishing to be had at abberton or is it all pike?.

 

thanks

 

john

I would imagine there are still plenty of big bream in Abberton. Trouble is you are very restricted to where you can fish. And i can honestly say i have never seen anyone doing any thing much other than piking there. except in the days when you could fish the layer breton end. That use to be some exellant roach and perch fishing.

[Where to fish, and what for?]

Hi Wayne

 

Ardleigh could well be worth a look for perch. I had 4 around a 1lb and one at 2.4 whilst roach fishing 2 sundays ago. The pike anglers there did not do any good that I saw.

 

At least with the big reservoirs, although the levels are down, there is always a blow on the water and plenty of depth so oxygen levels are not a problem.

 

You should give alton a go for lure fishing its very productive.

 

regards

 

John

 

Cheers John

I fished ardliegh a few times last autumn, Just general feeder fishing. And had a few good perch, Along with some nice roach. Your quite right it has a bit of potential perch wise. And being a five minute drive from my house i should give it a bit more attention. Trouble with ardliegh for me is i use to fish it years ago when the pike were in abundance during the trout stocking years and had my share of nice fish from there. I have been out on there a few times since and struggled.

As for Alton, Funny enough it was on my mind for a bit of feeder fishing. Love to give Abberton a go this winter but sadly not a member at the moment. Bring back the god old days of day tickets. I spent most of the eighties and nineties there.

[Where to fish, and what for?]

We really need some rain here in Essex, The rivers are very low and its making things very hard at the moment. Normally this time of the year i would be sorting my piking gear out for a few sessions but with the weather the way it has been lately its a bit to mild for my liking, I can see me starting my piking a lot later this autumn October will probably see me at one of my local ressies doing a bit of perching, I might even dig the lures out for a while.

[night fishing tips for carp]

As far as fishing goes its the same as in the day, Its just dark. Make sure you have the visual aids. Spare batterys for your torches are a must. invest in a head torch you really cant beat them when playing fish and rebaiting etc Plenty of spare clobber.

Get there well before dark so you can familiarize yourself with the swim. Johns idea of scattering a few night lites on the water line is good one.

A few tips on torches, Dont use them more than you have to, Dont shine them round the lake it annoys others, When baiting up keep one eye shut then you wont loose your night vision.

Dont drink any alcohol or do drugs.

Best go with someone who is experienced at night fishing.

Last thing is remember all those strange noises you will hear at night have a reasonable explanation. dont let you imagination run away with you..

 

Enjoy.

[Pick up your live bait at the tackle shop?]

I don't think its a good idea at all, I can think of quite a few reasons why. My first concern would be the tackle shops maintaining a high standard of healthy fish. My other concern would be that anglers would be transporting fish around in bait buckets in their cars. Dispite when you buy these fish from a dealer you will get some sort of reciept. But how is a EA bailiff to know if the fish in the bucket are the ones you bought from the shop? I can just see it being abused. To many ways to flaunt the law again.

[Boilies]

I have always found its best to stick with one type of boilly. And persevere with it. Especially if you are fishing the same water, Sooner or later the fish will get on it. Finding out what everyone else is using is also good as you can get the benefits of a short term bait, Before it blows like most do.

 

As far as pop ups go i never use them in the summer months unless i feel a need to. I much prefer a critically balanced hookbait though i would use neither in a bag. Winter time is when i use pop ups the most, not that i do a lot of winter carping these days but i found the hi viz colour ones are very effective. I feel that the flavour is unimportant its purely a visual thing in the winter a lot of takes i believe are mere curiosity on the carps part. Hence you can fish them with no other bait near them out in the middle of the lake

[Available from Tackle tarts R US]

After all that poncing about i was waiting for it to collapse. And him falling in.

[The relative cost of things]

I'm the same i think nothing of spending money on bait and terminal bits. But when it comes to other bits of kit i very rarely buy anything new nowadays. I always keep a look out for second hand bargains. The last time i bought any new rods was about ten years ago.

Like Budgie said a lot of people put to much enthesis on their rods and reels they are mearly tools to put the important part of your fishing in the right place. You could go down the river with a bit of garden cain and catch fish if you wanted.

[So thats what cammo is for!]

Great. Just dont drown in it. The police divers will never find you.

[So thats what cammo is for!]

I thought the point of wearing real tree etc was so you can squat against a tree and have a dump and not be seen.

More seriously though i have managed to restrain myself from buying any of the in fashion camo style gear. I am quite happy with my gortex para smock for stalking.