Jump to content

Autumn River Campaign


Chris Plumb

Recommended Posts

Wow - well done - looks every ounce... :clap2:

 

C.

 

 

You're right, it looks huge! Looks loads heavier than that. Have you got small hands Anderoo? :D

"I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 260
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Thanks folks, I am still grinning! I have normal sized hands (I think?) and accurate scales, if it did weigh more than that you can blame that bounder Goosequill - he read the dial for me :D

 

It was a very deep fish but not especially long. I was about to give up and go home, it was pitch black and the landing net had frozen to the bank!

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brilliant! Many congratulations! :clap2::clap2:

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve- if you missed this thread during your hiatus there's some nice perch on the early pages! ;)

 

 

C.

 

Aren't there just! Very well done to all! :clap2::clap2:

 

Just off to measure up for our house move next week. So no fishing for me for a while. :(

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a terrific evening chubbing with Chris today. Very cold but managed a couple of bites:

 

4lb 14oz

DSCF1484.jpg

 

6lb 3oz and a new PB!

DSCF1486.jpg

 

:)

 

 

Fantastic result Anderoo. More details please. What tactics were you using for a starter?

 

Trotting maggots or quivertipping with some devilish cheese paste?

 

My only trifle would be the name of the thread.

 

Time to start up a Winter River Campaign thread methinks... :)

Edited by tiddlertamer

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days without taking a fish. (Hemingway - The old man and the sea)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true, not exactly autumnal is it :cold:

 

It was the good old quivertip and cheesepaste again. The first fish was from a far bank spot where some brambles overhang the water and the current slows, so you need to get a cast very close to the snags and let a big bow of line out so the weight (4 swan shot in this spot) just holds bottom. When a fish picks up the bait the weight is dislodged and the tip bounces away, and hopefully the fish doesn't feel any resistance. I'd had a couple of little touches before I hooked the fish but wasn't sure if it was fish, crays or just debris.

 

That fish fought like mad! There was a load of overhanging thorny branches and brambles downstream of me and it kept trying to bury in it all, with me leaning out as far as I dare, heaving it out. I was sure it was all going to go solid. Luckily I kept it from going too deep in and was able to draw it out, phew! It looked about 3lb in the net but it was very deep. After seeing its depth I thought it was going to go 5, but at 4.14 on a very cold day I was more than happy, especially as I've blanked the last few sessions there. That one was caught at about 4.15pm.

 

The bigger one didn't bite until about 6.15 and it was properly dark by then. We'd moved down to a wide, slow, deep, boring bit of water with a nice comfortable flow, and had baited up a spot a rod length out and a couple of rod lengths downstream with some cheesepaste blobs. I only needed a couple of swan shot there to get it down and hold it on the bottom. The temperature had really plummeted, my net was frozen to the bank and my rod and landing net handle had a thin covering of ice. Chris came over for a chat and to warm his feet up and after a few minutes the tip knocked ever so slightly, trembled and pulled round a couple of inches - it was a very delicate bite indeed. I struck and felt this heavy weight that didn't do anything, it was wierd! I actually thought I might have hooked a decent bream. It pulled a couple of times but that was it, just this heavy weight, it must have been too cold to move! The moon was very bright so I netted it without a headtorch, still unsure what it was. When we saw it I couldn't believe how big it looked - like a carp. And the scary thing is that the (barbless) hook was just nicked right on the very edge of the lip - I must have been so close to losing it :o The depth of it was just incredible, the biggest chub I've ever seen, and in absolutely mint condition. A really memorable day in quite hard conditions.

 

(We had another quick evening session yesterday but we're back to blanking!)

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.....let a big bow of line out so the weight (4 swan shot in this spot) just holds bottom.....

Briliant fish Anderoo well done!

 

I have a question. I don't ledger rivers much but always thought that enough weight was needed to maintain a tight line between rod tip and bait. When I have tried it I end up using far more weight than I think it should need but still struggle to hold bottom, I never know where the bait ends up. 4 swan doesn't seem a great deal at all and it wouldn't take much of a flow between bait and rod to move it, how does letting out a large bow help?

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Rusty :thumbs:

 

I can't explain the bow with physics, but it does work! With a tight line from weight to rod tip I would have needed several ounces to hold bottom. Not only would that have made it very unsensitive for old chevin, the wallop of it hitting the water would have scared them witless :D

 

With 4 swan shot the bait/rig sinks straight to the bottom (slow water along the far bank) where it lands, so as long as the weight isn't moved, the bait stays put. The rod tip is held high and line let out to form the big bow. It's just trial and error to see how much you need - if the weight is dragged along you need more line out. Assuming the river is flowing right to left and you're fishing a spot directly opposite, when you get it right the tip is pulled round to the left and it looks as if you're legering downstream somewhere, but the bait is still where it dropped initially. With a tight line it would be pulled out of position instantly.

 

When a fish picks up the bait you get a pluck on the tip and as the weight is dislodged the tip knocks and trembles.

 

It's a bit of a leap of faith but there not really another way to fish those far bank spots. Another benefit is that you can dislodge the rig intentionally if you like, which trundles the bait along the far bank, rather than across the current towards the middle.

 

(I hope any of that made sense :rolleyes: )

 

QUICK EDIT: I expect this would be a good way to quivertip for perch too.

Edited by Anderoo

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

As this thread started with perch :rolleyes: - it might as well finish with them. Making the most of a small window of opportunity I was down the canal in a thrice this morning to take advantage of ideal perching conditions - a rare event this winter!

 

The perch were hungry and in under 3 hours I had ½dozen - including 3 over 3lb. Biggest was 3lb 11oz - very bad self portrait below. At the start of this season my pb Stripey was 3lb 9oz - this morning's fish was the 4th this autumn/winter over that! :D Still awaiting that elusive 4!

 

Stripey3lb11oz.jpg

 

 

C.

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.