A season's retrospective

[Anderoo]

With yet another season gone I find myself looking back at the adventures, the highs and lows and good times spent with friends over the last year. I hope you don't mind if I indulge myself with a little reminiscing

 

The season started as usual with some trout fishing, a nice mixture of reservoir and small stream fishing . The reservoir bank fishing was a series of very enjoyable days with Steve Walker at Farmoor, connecting with turbo-charged overwintered rainbows tempted by little epoxy buzzers and little assorted nymphs on a long leader under a float sight indicator I'm looking forward to more of the same in a few weeks. The small stream was my favourite little Thames tributary, stalking spooky little brownies with dry sedges and mayflies during the evening rise. I even managed one on the upstream nymph (a big mayfly nymph), a big fish from the stream at about 2lb which I could see twisting and bulging at the surface taking nymphs as they rose from the river bed. That was a very satisfying capture, I've said it before but the upstream nymph is by far the most difficult fishing I've ever done.

 

The late spring to late summer period was spent putting as much time in for a big bream as I could manage. I clocked up nearly 30 nights which may not sound much but because of the distance and physical effort felt it! I caught quite a few tench along the way up to just under 9lb but it wasn't until August I had the bite I was looking for. Just after dark in perfect hot, muggy, windy, drizzly weather the bobbin zipped up and after the traditional bream battle (i.e. wound it straight in) there he was, a wonderful PB bream (by 3oz ) of 17lb 6oz. I suppose with such a low head of bream the odd recapture is inevitable, but I was still a little disappointed that he was exactly the same one I caught last year! But even so, seeing one of those ancient looking giants slide over the net cord in the red light of the head torch is worth a hundred blank nights.

 

 

While at the pit I also had some good perch including a few 2lbers and a couple of 3lbers, the biggest a very angry and bold coloured fish of 3lb 7oz, my biggest this season.

 

 

The good company with likeminded anglers goes without saying

 

While not bream fishing I had a fun summer getting to grips with the new (to me) methods of jigging, both vertically from a boat and from the bank, and drop-shotting. The drop-shotting wasn’t as productive as the jigging and so I gradually gave it less effort, and am keen to pick it up again next season. Fishing the little soft plastic shads on small jig heads from the bank resulted in many blanks, a handful of small pike, and – what I was fishing for – several nice perch, with a biggest a really good fish of 2lb 13oz. I was so pleased with that fish!

 

 

The other side to the jigging was with Alex, both on his boat on the Severn in the summer and afloat at Rutland and Grafham reservoirs in the autumn. The Severn was good fun as always, up before dawn to motor to the good areas, fish all day listening to jazz on the radio, then back to the pub for a big steak, a load of Guinness, quick sleep in the car, then up again in the dark to do it all again. We had quite a few fish, I had nothing big but it’s such good fun that doesn’t matter at all. That little ‘donk’ on the tiny stiff rod and light braid when a zed nobbles the lure is like electric. A couple of big accidental pike turned up too to add a little drama, plus a surprise 2lb perch.

 

 

The reservoirs were really interesting, and a totally new experience for me. The same lures and techniques that worked on the river worked there too, which was good. The main difference was that instead of fishing 15ft down we were fishing up to 65ft down, and so fish caught have to be brought up and unhooked quickly and ‘torpedoed’ back down to prevent them getting into problems in case their swim bladder has expanded because of the depth change. Grafham was hard but we were hoping for one of the big ones that live there (we had a few but nothing massive), whereas Rutland was so productive it made our arms hurt. Brilliant fun!

 

 

Also in the autumn I was trying to catch some of the big perch that are in the upper Thames. I know where they are now but they beat me badly this year! I managed one good fish on a little bleak of 2lb 10oz, but I’m glad to say Rich made up for it with a string of good 2lbers. Next season we must settle that score I think… But as always, good company means there’s no such thing as a bad session.

 

 

As autumn turned into winter I was desperate to pick up the chub fishing again, and dig old Mr Chub himself (Chris) out of his annual summer retirement! I had a completely new stretch to explore and get to grips with, one that simply isn’t fished and has all the right ingredients for monster chub. However, the lack of rain meant that the winter was almost a complete write-off. No flow, no floods, no colour – it was terrible and a real disappointment after all the anticipation. I did a bit here and there and made a start on getting to know the new bit, and had two chub from either end of it, one 5lb 5oz the other 5lb 12oz, which I think in the circumstances was quite a result! While searching for the chub, Chris and I found a short section with some roach – something we’ve been looking for for years and never found, so this was exciting! Thoughts of chub were abandoned and we had several weekends fishing for the roach, which was enormous fun. After some very helpful pointers from Mr Wintle I got the rigs working well, and really enjoyed watching a tip and tiny feeder balanced perfectly against the flow, waiting for the jab, dropback of a roach bite. To many of you a 1lb+ roach is nothing special, but to me they’re properly big fish, and the biggest of 1lb 9oz blew me away; easily my fish of the season.

 

 

While fishing for the roach I also caught a silver bream, which was a wonderful surprise. Again, at 12oz it’s not the biggest silver bream in the world (or even the river!) but it was a stunning looking creature, and a PB to boot.

 

 

Even more unlikely were two Thames trout, which seem to be modelled on bananas.

 

 

As the season drew to a close it was clear conditions weren’t going to improve. A nice social day with Steve Walker, Rusty and JV44 on a bit of river lower down was great fun (even though I blanked, well, apart from a foul-hooked pike, but you know times are hard when you start counting those), but for the last 3 evenings after work I decided to do the sensible thing and fish the best bit of river I found last winter, and try for the big chub I know are there. This saved the winter to be honest, with a string of really good chub to 6lb 9oz. Last year's effort really paid off there.

 

 

So, a really nice mixed year, lots of new experiences, great company, and plenty to build on next season. I want to get a lot better at the lure fishing for both perch and zander, and this year I’ll be leaving the bream and concentrating on the tench fishing for the first time in several years, so that will be a nice change. Those big Thames perch are still taunting me, so I must work out how to catch them. And a couple of the chub I lost at the very end of the season felt absolutely enormous…I could do with meeting them properly and making sure…

[AddictedToScopex]

An excellent season Anderoo and great pics. I got out far less than I had hoped to this season with various things going on from weddings to births and everything in between. Had a great season as far as catches and PB's go but would have loved to have got far more time on the bank. With the new addition to the family next seasons escapades are likely to be limited again but I fully intend to get stuck in as much as possible. I love that about angling. You can simpy pick up where you left off.

Edited March 16, 2012 by AddictedToScopex

[Errrm]

When I look back on the season I feel I haven't had that great a season but when I actually look at it as how many PBs I got it probably wasn't bad.... I think it was mostly down to not catching that many fish and experimenting more and trying new stuff out which has been fun :-).

 

Highlights....

 

New PB Carp - 25lb-11oz

New Eel PB - 5lb 8oz

New Tench - PB 8lb 9oz

 

Last season my main goal was a 20lb carp which I achieved but I think if I do much carp fishing this year I will be aiming to consistently catch fish up to my PB, I'm beginning to think PBs are a bit more about getting lucky then consistantly catching good sized fish. Also I started lure fishing at the end of the season and caught my first river pike and had fun wondering about on a river bank.

 

Main plans for this season, get better at catching with session style tactics (i.e. better rigs, baiting, position etc) and start lure fishing hopefully out in the Fens, light lures, roving and hoping for some chub, perch and pike :-). I've never fished in the Fens before, does anyone fish them at all?

[Dales]

Sound slike Anderoo and Errr have had fantastic seasons

 

I started well with the early months of the season producing lots of good Tench including 5 nines up to a PB of 9-11 with lots of good 8lb fish. I also managed a new PB Bream of 14-03 and the AN Wingham Fish-In was kind to me and I managed a number of 3lb plus eels up to a PB of 4-13. (I am very envious of errms 5lb 8oz eel)

 

After such good early results I had a feeling this was going to be an awsome season. I thought I could do no wrong but things fizzled out through out the summer but I still managed a few 7lb Bream and some more nice 8lb Tench. However my best Carp was only 18lb. I lost a huge Perch which was a little bit of a downer and that was my worse ever freshwater one that got away, but hay that's fishing

 

My Autumn Zander fishing at Bury Hill went well and I ended up with 3 double figure fish up to a PB of 10-12, I failed to connect with any of the Lea monster Chub but to be honest I got caught up in trying for a Lea Zander and big Perch and I think the Chub need to be specifically targeted to get the real biggies. I have a slight regret I did not put more effort in to winter Chubbing as ever year I think I will do some and it just never happens as I get caught up in my Piking and in recent seasons Zander fishing. I caught plenty of Pike over the winter but nothing big but it keeps me happy.

 

Still unsure about what to do this year, I will not be doing any early Tench fishing but will do a little in the summer. I think I will be doing more Carp fishing this year then in recent years and hoping to combine that with some Cat fishing and maybe trying for a first Grass Carp. Come Autumn I will be back after Zander, Pike and Perch and maybe just maybe I will find some time to catch a few nice Chub.

[Steve Walker]

That's a pretty superb season when you lay it out like that - much better than mine, I just don't have time to fish as much as I would like.

[JV44]

Caught a lot of fish fairly consistently but nothing big to speak of ,had a great crack fishing with Rusty [esp the dropshotting adventure]at many venues and intend more of the same next year and indeed in the close although at times i am am sure i do his head in ....2 lost fish haunt me that Chub esp and the Pike ....sussing out some new bits of the Thames for next year lots of small clubs have water for peanuts and you don't see many anglers on her and you don`t know what swims there.....if she has any water in her.......thinking she will be a more viable bet than the Kennet though water wise ...depressing ain't it steve.

[Matthew Simmons]

Nice summary Anderoo and I am particularly envious of the perch and bream - 2 species I did target this year but failed to do the business. I did have some nice perch but never when I was looking for them! and had one great bream session on the Thames - but the pits eluded me. Well done and some nice pics! Nevertheless I had a top year and made myself try new venues and methods - the breadpunch on the K&A over the last couple of weeks has been deadly for an hour after work into dark. Some big chub in that canal among the roach and dace. Matt

[Phone]

Androo,

 

Love the photos.

As always, well written!

 

Thx

 

Phone

[Errrm]

I started well with the early months of the season producing lots of good Tench including 5 nines up to a PB of 9-11 with lots of good 8lb fish. I also managed a new PB Bream of 14-03 and the AN Wingham Fish-In was kind to me and I managed a number of 3lb plus eels up to a PB of 4-13. (I am very envious of errms 5lb 8oz eel)

Lol I was carp fishing though although I was using a bait that I was aware that they would take just in case, if you are really interested then I can let you know the lake in Cambridgeshire, it's a fairly inexpensive carp syndicate which normally has spaces and there are loads of big eels, reports of 8-9lb eels from carp fisherman not sure if they are weighed though, but it wouldn't suppose me they were a nightmare on fishmeal baits :-)

[Steve Burke]

Congratulations to all!

 

I've fished less this season than any in my adult life, mainly due to buying and renovating a cottage. I didn't fish at all for over 6 months from early June, and I've had only 2 1/2 days since.

 

The highlight of my season was an early Wingham tench of 10-04 that contained almost no spawn.