Wingham Fish-In

[poledark]

Steve, with no wind against I can put them up to 95 yards. With a tail/slight cross wind they go a bit more. They are designed to hold the feed in on impact...............and they seem to work, sometimes I even get to land a fish with some of the feed still in place. Loaded with feed they weigh about 3.25 oz,so require a reasonably powerful rod and line, but I don't use "big pit" reels. They are also tangle free..gauranteed

 

I should be able to reach those "tasty" channels OK

 

Most method feeders will weigh about 2.5oz fully loaded, but as the feed is not shielded it often comes out on impact. This is ok if you have a swim full of fish, but my thinking is "slow release" sometimes left for several hours.

 

I will have a few spares with me.

 

Den

[Guest tigger]

I will have a few spares with me.

 

Den

 

 

 

Den, has one got my name on it ?

 

 

Also how do you prepare your vitaline and do you do itr before you go to a venue?

Edited May 9, 2009 by tigger

[poledark]

No probs Tigger. I grind the vitalin up in a blender, I don't want any big chunks Always make mix fresh by waterside. Basic mix is 3 parts ground up halibut pellet, 1 part vitalin, and 1 part brown crumb. Mix dry and put enough for 1 session in a bucket and add water.....just enough to wet it all. After about 10 mins mix it up by hand so it binds quite well (it has to stay in place when you cast. I add the maggots each time I load the feeder, but inevitably there is a buildup of maggots in the mix, and as long as they are lively then OK.

 

The mix feels a bit crumbly when fresh, but after several hours it stiffens up and becomes too sticky so I discard it, but if you feel that the maggots can still escape slowly then OK. I have used the stiff stuff by making a cup and putting a few maggots in the centre.

 

Den

[Guest tigger]

No probs Tigger. I grind the vitalin up in a blender, I don't want any big chunks Always make mix fresh by waterside. Basic mix is 3 parts ground up halibut pellet, 1 part vitalin, and 1 part brown crumb. Mix dry and put enough for 1 session in a bucket and add water.....just enough to wet it all. After about 10 mins mix it up by hand so it binds quite well (it has to stay in place when you cast. I add the maggots each time I load the feeder, but inevitably there is a buildup of maggots in the mix, and as long as they are lively then OK.

 

The mix feels a bit crumbly when fresh, but after several hours it stiffens up and becomes too sticky so I discard it, but if you feel that the maggots can still escape slowly then OK. I have used the stiff stuff by making a cup and putting a few maggots in the centre.

 

Den

 

 

 

Thank's for that Den, your the second person who's been helpfull with advice

[Jeffwill]

Thank's for that Den, your the second person who's been helpfull with advice

 

Please can someone who has fished Wingham please take 5 minutes to give an idea of the type of fishing we can expect, so we can streamline the gear a bit. I was thinking of bringing bog standard 1.5TC rods for the tench, able to chuck a fair size lead / feeder. A spod rod for a bit of hemp maybe, or would a catapult / arm throw be okay for some groundbait. I take it the fishing generally is 20 - 30 yards out or do you need to cast further?

 

Would corn on a hair or Kamasan maggot feeders with mags straight on the hook work okay?

 

Is there a tackle shop nearby, where maggots can be bought? Is there a chip shop nearby that serves Steak and Kidney Pies I dont own a bivvy, can I get away with using a tent.

 

All advice gratefully received. Thanks Jeff.

[Dick Dastardly]

Please can someone who has fished Wingham please take 5 minutes to give an idea of the type of fishing we can expect, so we can streamline the gear a bit. I was thinking of bringing bog standard 1.5TC rods for the tench, able to chuck a fair size lead / feeder. A spod rod for a bit of hemp maybe, or would a catapult / arm throw be okay for some groundbait. I take it the fishing generally is 20 - 30 yards out or do you need to cast further?

 

Would corn on a hair or Kamasan maggot feeders with mags straight on the hook work okay?

 

Is there a tackle shop nearby, where maggots can be bought? Is there a chip shop nearby that serves Steak and Kidney Pies I dont own a bivvy, can I get away with using a tent.

 

All advice gratefully received. Thanks Jeff.

 

Depends on what you want to target really Jeff but the tackle you describe is fine.Dont go to light on the main line or if you do incorporate a rubbing leader as the bars are numerous and very sharp.Also if useing short hook lengths dont be tempted to go light the tench dont care about heavy hook lengths and are quite capable of smashing light ones!

 

When you get there you will be able to look at the aerial photos of the lake which show the bars etc.When he gets time Steve normally goes to everyones swim and points out the various features and where fish have been caught from.There will be several of us syndicate members there to asasist as well as several ANers who have fished before.

 

1.75 rods are pretty much the standard at Wingham but If you havnt got those Im sure you will manage with your 1.5's. The tench are feeding well at the moment so unless you get lucky these will be your main quarry.Expect fish averaging 7-8lb with a double very possible! They fight really hard during the day in the ultra clear water.

 

Maggots are a great bait there and so is worms but there are a lot of eels who love them to! good to not use these baits after dark if you dont want the eels,all though these are of a high average size.All baits seem to work.

 

Try reading up on the Bream and Ultimate Bobbin threads as these will give you a bit more about the type of fishing.Anything specific feel free to PM me.

[Steve Burke]

Please can someone who has fished Wingham please take 5 minutes to give an idea of the type of fishing we can expect, so we can streamline the gear a bit. I was thinking of bringing bog standard 1.5TC rods for the tench, able to chuck a fair size lead / feeder. A spod rod for a bit of hemp maybe, or would a catapult / arm throw be okay for some groundbait. I take it the fishing generally is 20 - 30 yards out or do you need to cast further?

 

Would corn on a hair or Kamasan maggot feeders with mags straight on the hook work okay?

 

Is there a tackle shop nearby, where maggots can be bought? Is there a chip shop nearby that serves Steak and Kidney Pies I dont own a bivvy, can I get away with using a tent.

 

All advice gratefully received. Thanks Jeff.

 

The swim I've provisionally allocated you won't involve casting more than 25 yards at the most. Unless there's a strong wind blowing, the hotspots are within catapult range.

 

Both corn (with or without a hair rig) should work well, as will maggot feeders. Float fishing (with a slider) with worm, maggot or corn also produces in this swim.

 

There's no nearby tackle shop so you'll have to bring maggots with you. There's 2 fridges and a freezer just for bait in the clubhouse.

 

Pies are available at the Jet garage just before you reach the fishery, or in the bakery on the right at the far end of Wingham village. There's 2 microwaves and a cooker in the kitchen in the clubhouse, together with a fridge for food.

 

A tent will do at a pinch, but I'm sure someone can lend you a bivvy. I'm already lending mine out, and Rob Ward is bringing a spare for another guest.

 

Can anyone else help with a bivvy please?

 

In fact if you can help with a bedchair or camping/cooking gear please let me know as this year we've 3 guests who've done little overnight fishing.

 

I'd add that the tench are still feeding a lot at night, although this might change by next week, whilst the bream are almost totally nocturnal..

[Will Wilkinson]

Just back from 2 nights at Wingham (9pm Friday - 11 am Sunday) and can confirm that the Tench are still feeding at night as well as dawn & dusk.

 

Had 3 Tench - 8lb 7oz (2am Saturday), 7lb 2oz (8pm Saturday) & 5lb 10oz (5am Sunday) and lost a 4th (9pm Saturday). All came to corn, either popped up or critically balanced with 1 artificial grain and 1 or 2 genuine. Tried caster, worm and pellet as well but no runs on these (caster and worm only during the day to avoid the eels). Missed a couple of other runs, one at dawn on Saturday and one late Saturday evening. Plenty of signs of fish moving at dawn and dusk with some Tench rolling and a few Carp crashing in the middle of the lake. Had one classic Bream line bite just before 2am this morning but nothing further developed - this liner kept me watching the rods until 3am just in case. Also caught one of the infamous Wingham vegetarian Pike (5lb 8oz) at 8 this morning on corn, a very long, slender, and fit fish. Very little activity where I was during the day, not even line bites.

 

The bird life's very vocal at the moment - Saturday's Cuckoo "clock" woke me at 4:45 and the Nightingales and Cettis were almost as bad

 

Looking forward to getting back down next weekend.

 

Will

[Angly]

Oh gawd, the excitement's killing me!

 

As 'carpers' often catch large bream and tench whilst 'carping', i.e. casting out 2oz method feeders loaded with 4oz of bait, and of course in doing so they require a substantial test-curve rod (2.5lb or more usually), long winded but we're getting there, would it be OK to fish with a rod of this test-curve specifically for tench and bream at Wingham?

 

In my arsenal I have a 1.5lb TC rod which of course will be pressed into service, but really want to fish a two rod attack, and my medium feeder rod is neither suited to the bite alarm/bobbin style of fishing or the heavy casting weights, my 2.75lb medium fast action rod however...

[Will Wilkinson]

You don't need to fish heavy leads - I was using 1 1/4 oz inline semi-fixed on one rod and 1 3/4 on the other 2. The method approach, while good for the Tench, doesn't feel the best for the Bream (though I think everyone agrees there's an awful lot to be learnt about the Bream) and that's my main target, the Tench are a bonus

 

I'd go with the heavy feeder if you're after the Tench or Bream - 2.75lb test, particularly with a semi-fast action's rather over-gunned, however there are a (very) small number of large Carp so it could depend on where you're fishing. I might be able to lend you my 1.25lb test avon for Saturday night, but I've yet to decide my options and probably won't make a final decision until I get there. If I'd had time to finish the 2 1lb10oz avons I'm currently building then there'd have been no problem lending a rod or 2, but I doubt they'll get done this week.

 

Will