The Flying Tench

Hi I'm a coarse angler thinking of having a try at some sea fishing. The bad news (for me) is that I know almost nothing about it, but the good news is that almost any fish is a first and so I'm easily pleased! I'm going on a fishing break to the Bournemouth/ Christchurch area in July, and as well as coarse fishing I was thinking of having a crack at sea fishing, but would welcome some advice on what might be achievable and where to try. Just having coarse tackle I couldn't cope with strong currents. The places I've unearthed on the web are: Bournemouth and Boscombe piers, Mudeford Quay, and Christchurch harbour. Which of these would be the best bet for a beginner, where I could expect to catch a fish or two over , say, half a pound? Or maybe you will suggest somewhere else? For health reasons I'd need to park nearby. Thanks for your help

I'm treating myself to a 4 day fishing break in the Bournemouth/ Christchurch area in July. If anyone knows the area could you advise me on places to try? I'm attracted of course to the Royalty and Throop, but I'm wondering if I've chosen the wrong time of year? If the rivers are low or it's hot and bright am I right that prospects might be limited, except perhaps at dusk? I'm not really a barbel specialist, more of a general coarse angler. I see that you can get day tickets for Christchurch harbour, which includes coarse fish as well as sea trout and mullet. How would the coarse fishing there compare with Throop and the Royalty? Also, if the rivers are not in good shape I guess my 'Plan B' would be lakes. The ones I know of are Hordle Lakes and Orchard lakes. I'd appreciate any views on which might be best for general coarse fishing, particularly roach, rudd and crucians. Thanks

So what do we think the fish in Tigger's picture is? I can't see any hint of barbles (re being an F4), and it doesn't look 'goldfishy'. I don't know if there are goldfish in the water, Tigger? I must say catching them almost up to 4lb is pretty impressive!

Various books and articles advocate different shotting patterns, but don't always give a very clear argument for why. Two thoughts: Trotting. I've recently read something that advocates 'shirt button style' and does give a rationale, being to keep in touch with the hook so the slightest bite is registered. OK, broadly, but a small point - should account be taken that the flow rate is faster near the surface? Does this mean that slightly heavier shot (or closer spacing) be used near the surface than lower down? Fishing shallow in still water. I've known several good anglers, including recently on AN, advocate that there should be no shot between the float and the hook. I can see the point that the falling bait has to look as natural as possible. But this is at the expense of not keeping in touch with the hook. Is there anything that can be done to combine the desired natural fall with keeping in touch with the hook? If you are fishing at 3 feet depth, might there be an argument for having a light shot at 18 inches? And is there a case for casting so that the hook and bait go ahead of the float keeping a straight line, or is that unwise as the fall of the bait won't look natural as it will be pulled sideways towards the float?

I had a brief crack today at Ken's approach of having a very under-shotted float so only the better fish (with big enough mouths) would pull it under. It wasn't the right day for it, there were not enough fish biting, though I was pleased to catch a 1lb rudd on double maggot. The main thing I learned was the importance of groundbait up in the water. In the fist hour I didn't bother with groundbait as I thought the free offerings of maggot and bread would be enough. They weren't. But as soon as I put in a cloud of groundbait the swim woke up and the rudd moved in.

Grove Pond 3.30-5.30pm My original plan was to catch roach on meat up in the water, but the roach weren't in evidence, except a few very small ones, and for a time the rudd were. My rudd pb is a hefty 2lb 2oz, but after that I think my best was a mere 9oz. So I was very pleased to catch a second best rudd at 1lb 0 oz. I had 5 rudd in all, a couple in the 6-7oz mark.

Martin, interesting you haven't just had carp. What other species have you had on cat biscuits?

Thanks, Ken. I have just bought a 'small adult' pack. As you say, being able to put a hook through them sounds a great help.

Thanks both of you. I've never used lift method with any seriousness, but after my forthcoming cataract operation it will hopefully become viable for me. But Chris, I know you fish for crucians at night. What method do you use? Do you have a lighted up float or use (method?) feeder? And out of interest, what's the logic for using method feeder for crucians?

I used to fish for carp this way, and in those days the recommendation was to use Pedigree Chum Mixer. But things have changed in the dog food market. I think the equivalent now would probably be Pedigree Dry Adult Dog Mixer. Or do you have any other suggestions (for carp and chub)? Also, does anyone have experience of using smaller size dog biscuits for roach and rudd?

I've caught very few crucians, but always assumed that the way to catch them is on the float. But I also know that in recent years specimen hunters have used bolt rigs, obviously involving ledger. But what about an ordinary but very sensitive ledger, without the bolt rig? How di you catch them, specially if you do so at night?

Thanks Martin and Ken Martin, I'll certainly try your suggestions of single caster and punched meat. They really amount to Ken's option of down-sizing. But Ken, I'm intrigued by your suggestion of up-sizing. Really counter-intuitive! I take the point that the reason the bites are un-hittable is probably because of the size of the bait. I'll be fascinated to see what the roach make of my float that will scarcely be shotted at all!

Hi Bayleaf I was in Newbury from 1994 to 2014. Have just been reading some of your blog entries with a touch of nostalgia. I can't comment on how to lose less fish on the method, as I've never used it. On the subject of good roach, however, I'd like to say I think you are doing pretty well. In 20 years I never had a roach of over about 8oz from the lakes, though I did get a few quality roach from the river up to 1lb 2oz. John

I was trying a new bait for me today, small 5mm cubes of meat fished on the float for rudd and roach. I've ledgered big junks of meat for chub and barbel, but today's method trying for smaller fish was new. I quickly discovered that the roach were up in the water, and I adjusted the depth to about 3 feet. For a while it was bite-a-chuck, but I found it very hard to hit bites - much more so than in the past with maggot or hemp and tares. The float would bob, coming up again almost as soon as it went under. I felt that possibly one problem was that they were feeling the resistance of the float. My eyesight isn't perfect, and perhaps it wasn't shotted down as much as it might have been. So I adjusted that. I think that brought a slight improvement, but my hit rate was still very low. The float was a 2AA waggler - not an insert waggler as I'd find it too hard to see. Does anyone have any tips how to hit this type of bite, or how, by rig adjustment etc, to induce slower bites? In two hours I had just 6 roach (no rudd), but was very pleased that two of them were 8oz and 15 oz. So I feel it's an approach I'll try again.

Grove Pond 3.30-5.30pm I'd been told this lake holds roach up to about a pound, so the aim of today was to start a quest for these (also rudd and crucians) by experimenting with a new bait, meat. I've used big chunks of luncheon meat ledgering for chub and barbel, but only once tried smaller pieces on the float for smaller fish. I started with maggot to build confidence. Quite slow, I soon found small pieces of meat approx 5mm square got just as many bites, and I hooked a couple of small roach. So I tried slightly larger bits of meat, and the revelation was that the roach were up in the water. I'd cast beyond the spot where I'd put the loose feed, and as I was winding in a couple of times a roach (no rudd on this occasion) hit the moving bait. So I adjusted the depth to about 3 feet, and for a while it was 'bite-a-chuck'. But they were very fast tricky bites and I hooked very few fish. Any tips? But I was very pleased to get 2 decent roach of 8oz and 15oz. So I had almost hit my 1lb target on day one!. I also caught a 2lb bream , which shouldn't have surprised me if I'd remembered that I've caught bream on floating dog biscuit in the past when fishing for carp. A pleasing short session, I'll be back!

Thanks everyone for very helpful replies

I've recently joined a new club which mainly consists of a small lake. It's got carp, tench and bream (nothing too huge, I think) but also smaller fish - roach, rudd and crucians. I've had all the latter three up to 6oz on maggot, but of course the problem with maggot is that it attracts so many small fish. So my question is, how best to target the better roach, rudd and crucians? Meat seems to be a popular bait on this lake. I know roach will take it. Does anyone know if rudd and crucians will take it? For rudd I'd use it as a falling bait. A subsidiary question is whether to buy a meat cutter. I've just watched a video on this. They seem quite efficient, but do I want one more greasy bit of equipment in my garage? I'd be interested to know if anyone uses one. Or is there another bait you'd recommend? There's sweetcorn of course. Though one angler I spoke to didn't find it worked well on this lake.

3.30 - 5.15pm This lake belongs to Wantage Angling Club, of which I am a member. After a series of cold nights, and bright sun all afternoon, I had few expectations of catching fish, but I was pleasantly surprised. I float-fished maggot and had about 15 small roach, about 5 rudd (best a chunky 7oz) and 3 nice crucians, all about 6oz. As far as I know this lake doesn't hold any mega-specimens, but it's a very pleasant lake to fish.

Thanks BB

I asked the guy in the angling shop for some spare sawdust ages ago and it's lasted years. But I don't bother to riddle it out. Should I? What's the problem if you don't?

So, another river season is over. How did it go for you? Was your fishing affected by Covid? Do you have plans to do anything differently in the new season? For me the summer was affected by a house move. The main effect of covid on the winter was that a number of times when the Thames was up I'd have liked to fish the lock cuts, but the EA didn't issue permits this year because of covid. In the coming season I plan to treat myself to a couple of fishing breaks, the first of which will be to Christchuch with the Stour and Avon and maybe a dabble in the sea. Something to keep thinking about during these next few weeks.

Thanks both of you for interesting videos. But it doesn't sound easy. I'm planning to go to Christchurch in June for some coarse fishing, and was wondering about an afternoon to target mullet. But it sounds as if I'd need to have a few sessions to find the fish, talk to local anglers etc. Still, that could be very worthwhile.

Great catch, Chris! One question. I don't imagine you'd normally have that number of chub of that size in one shoal. Many would ledger for big chub, but I think you usually float fish. Is a possible advantage of this approach that by loose feeding you were drawing fish up from some distance below?

Sounds a good set-up. Am I right in thinking you can catch mullet in two different types of water: a) salt water, such as harbours; and b). tidal stretches of rivers where the water probably may only have a little salt. In the case of b) I think I'm right in saying you can catch them on coarse fishing baits such as maggot or bread, though I don't know if you would ever catch a mixed bag of, say, roach and mullet? In case a) am I right in thinking you would normally use sea baits, such as ragworm, though for some reason they will also take bread?

That's interesting. I'd love to catch a mullet. I haven't done much fishing over the past year but I'm planning to stay in a b&b in Christchurch for 4 nights in early July - partly the Avon and Stour, but I was thinking of trying for a mullet as well in the tidal bit. The trouble is I can't stand too long because of back trouble, so trotting is tricky. I don't suppose ledger is any good for them? I've always seen people fish for them with a float.