Fen fishing Social

[Dales]

If all goes well on this first event & enough show an interest after, I will sort out another location for March 2012 as a season closer. I already have a local in mind a bit deeper into the fens. Hope all enjoy a great weekend & new freindships are formed..

Mark

 

Cheers Mark for all the work you have done it's much appreciated

 

These fish-Ins and get togethers such as this one and ones organised this year by Rusty and Steve Burke and in previous years by many other AN members really make the forum come alive and a great place to hang out.

 

I notice earlier posts in this thread refer to a Fish-In organised by Anderoo, come back Andrew we miss you and need you.

 

So many Cheers to Mark for organising this get together and to all the others who have put themselves out over the years to arrange get togethers in the past.

[Dalesdad]

Latest from KLAA

 

Written by Darren Reed

Thursday, 25 August 2011 18:00

The last seven days has continued in the same way as the Middle Level continues to dominate the river scene whilst Shepherds Port, Shepherds lake goes from strength to strength.

Middle Level, the top end of the level has been showing really well during the last seven days, St Germans through to the High Road has been in terrific form with anglers finding plenty of mixed bag catches. Bream and skimmers have been reported in virtually all the catches recorded but also plenty of tench to 6lb and roach to 10 oz showing to. Nets to 50 lb have been recorded on 4 separate occasions, Bream to 5lb and skimmers nearing the 2lb barrier have all been showing on the tip, rudd have also been showing well at the St Germans End, even the carp have been making an appearance at this end of the level with a reported common carp to 11lb 9 oz. Pellet, corn and dead maggot have all been used in selecting the better fish, Peters, has also been showing good form even a few bigger roach have been showing when feeding plenty of hemp, on the pole line at 13 meters.

High Road -Neepes also continuing the trend with catches to 36lb being reported , large skimmers being the bulk of the fish reported,but a few good size roach also showing with the perch and the odd tench and eel. tip and pole anglers both finding the fish between the 13m and 25 m range. Pingle bridge has also seen a few anglers all reporting good mixed bags with average sized fish reported.

 

Unfortunately nothing mentioned about any Predator anglers

[lyn]

I've just trolled all through this thread to see when it is as I said to Liam we would go if we could after Budgie mentioned it on my Manor Farm thread. I have to go into hospital on the 9th for an op and not allowed to drive for 48 hrs after it!! So we won't be able to come and I've always fancied fishing the Fens

[Norfolkdipper]

I've just trolled all through this thread to see when it is as I said to Liam we would go if we could after Budgie mentioned it on my Manor Farm thread. I have to go into hospital on the 9th for an op and not allowed to drive for 48 hrs after it!! So we won't be able to come and I've always fancied fishing the Fens

Sorry to hear that IVN, hope you are better soon. Farnham are such memories. I am ex REME from Bordon & often visited a bistro in Farnham. Great area & lovely people.

Took tackle to camp once, got laughed at, until I started lifting perch & carp from the emergency water tanks in the barrack complex. Awkward to net them over the barbed wire though. Next week in the evenings many were copying me. It got stopped by the use of safety l;aws & the fish were taken out to lakes around Hampshire. So you could be catching the same fish or it's offspring.

get well soon.

Mark

[lyn]

Sorry to hear that IVN, hope you are better soon. Farnham are such memories. I am ex REME from Bordon & often visited a bistro in Farnham. Great area & lovely people.

Took tackle to camp once, got laughed at, until I started lifting perch & carp from the emergency water tanks in the barrack complex. Awkward to net them over the barbed wire though. Next week in the evenings many were copying me. It got stopped by the use of safety l;aws & the fish were taken out to lakes around Hampshire. So you could be catching the same fish or it's offspring.

get well soon.

Mark

 

Thanks Mark, I'm fine just having a 'growth' removed, well will be as long as the oncologist is right in his assumptions!! Used to be a Housing officer/estate warden for the army. My friend is in the family office at Bordon and my son has joined this year and is with REME at Arborfield doing aircraft technician.

 

Will look forward to reading all about it. I'm sure you'll all have a great time, Anglers Net fish ins are always good events.

 

lyn

[Anderoo]

A question for the Norfolk lads. What sort of species are likely or may be in the Fens?

 

Just thought some one finding this thread late on might think it's a dedicated predator Fish-In with a few of us talking about Zeds and they might be put off if that is not there thing.

 

Not knowing much about the Fens, I am not sure what other species may be about.

 

Don't want to put the Roach botherers off thinking it will just be a load of old Pikers . Well we will need some one to catch fresh bait

 

Unfortunately I won't be able to make this one, but I'm sure everyone who goes will have a great time. Well done again to Mark for organising it, rest assured both those who are lucky enough to go and those of us who look forward to reading about it afterwards all appreciate the effort.

 

In response to Dales' question, the main species are bream and roach, plus tench, rudd, perch and eels. On the predator side, pike and zander.

 

The Level is a deep drain, and if fishing for the roach/bream/etc. I would concentrate on the extreme margins, both the near bank (a pole is useful) and the far bank (feeder). Building a swim up slowly with groundbait is usually the best way to go.

 

If you find the bream, try to hold them - the zander won't be far away.

 

Catching fresh bait for the zander is usually an eventful affair. A few times I've watched my friend Wayne attempt to stop an angry fenland tench that has taken a liking to his single maggot on a 1lb hooklength - always a pleasure to watch

[Norfolkdipper]

Thankyou very much Anderoo for all your support. I am sorry you cant attend this event, but I am working on a season ending event on March 10 / 11 2012 & hope you can make then. I intend on it being a section new to as many of us as it can be. A section of fen not fished so much as it mat hold a lot of fish as left alone. More details later, when location confirmed, but it will be a good place.

Mark

 

12 days to go!!!

[Dales]

Catching fresh bait for the zander is usually an eventful affair. A few times I've watched my friend Wayne attempt to stop an angry fenland tench that has taken a liking to his single maggot on a 1lb hooklength - always a pleasure to watch

 

Certainly sounds fun and a real test of your playing ability

 

But on as serious note does any one know the local club rules on taking baits, size limit etc or are the EA rules in place? It would also be interesting to know the local etiquette on taking baits as even if the rules allow it, some times it can cause a whole lot of grief.

 

If bait fishing goes well are there certain species that it would be best not to use? I am sure small Tench/Carp if caught would be strong baits and last a long time but there use might not go down well with other anglers. Any stuff like that might be useful to know. Don't want a "this is a local water for local anglers situation" when the bailif turns up and you are caught using one of the newly stocked fish for bait

 

Plus does any one know which species might make the best baits for Fens Zander?

 

If you find the bream, try to hold them - the zander won't be far away.

 

It's not the first time I have heard about find the Bream and you will find the Zander in reference to the Fens, so my assumption is that skimmers would be ideal baits but is there an ideal bait or just a case of go with what you have got?

[Anderoo]

You won't catch any carp and if you do catch any tench they'll be too big for baits. Basically anything of the right size, so roach, skimmers, perch, rudd. If you do catch eels, I'd put them back (as tempting as it is to use them as bait). Rules are on the KLAA website, the locals won't care what you do. The fish aren't stocked, it's all natural and all wild.

 

Why zander are often near the bream I don't know, as they aren't able to eat them. But there's a definite connection. I've now seen the same thing when zander fishing on the Severn.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Anderoo

[Dales]

Why zander are often near the bream I don't know, as they aren't able to eat them. But there's a definite connection. I've now seen the same thing when zander fishing on the Severn.

 

Thanks Andrew

 

The whole Zander/Bream thing is fascinating. I have read about it a few times most recently in Mark Barretts book Zander - A Complete Guide but no ones seems to explain why they are found near them. Very odd.