Just got back in from a great trotting session :)

[Tigger]

Tigger,

 

Show me what 12 maggots and a couple kernels of sweet corn on one size #14 hook look like. You run them up your leader?

 

Phone

 

Phone, next time i'm out and if I can remember too, i'll take a pic of the hook baited up. Usually on the hook it's either up to 12 maggots or one or two peices of corn and half a dozen maggots. I do sometimes run a peice or two of corn up the line then pull it back down tight on top of the other stuff. I just strike like a panther so the hook pulls through it...no prob's with masking the hook. It would be easier to just use a 12's hook . Thing is you can swap and change the ammount of bait on a 14's going down to about 3 maggots without the hook looking massive and then squash on plenty bait if need be. I very the amount of bait on the hook until I get interest, then go with that.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Tigger

[Tigger]

I had a chance to get out for a couple of hours trotting today but I wasn't really sure wether to bother or not as it was blowing a gale and threatening to throw it down. In the end I bit the bullet and made tracks to my local stream. When I got there I took one look at the river and said to myself "why the hell did I bother". The river was up several feet, the colour of coffee and smelled like a sewer !

Anyhow I walked to my swim which was a walk of about a mile from where I parked. Walking was hard going as the wind was coming straight into my face and it felt horribly cold ! Only positive thing was it wasn't raining.

The swim was the same one as where I lost what felt like a really good fish last time out so I was hoping to meet up with it again. When I finally got to my spot... guess what... it started to rain... horizontal rain ! As it was being driven so hard with the wind it soon soaked through my waistcoat and hoody and it started to run down my legs into my freekin wellies, so I was pretty uncomfortable to say the least. My rod was made up but without the shot or float attatched and not put together so I threw in a few handfulls of corn and maggots while I assembled the rod hoping to get any fish feeding freely before my bait floated down past them. I'd rememberd to spool up 6lb line this time and i'd put on a size 12's animal (rather than the usual 14's) so as I could pull that bit harder without the hook pulling free.

I found controlling the line and float in the howling wind a bit tricky but with my superiour talents I managed ok . I think it was about severn or eight trotts before the float did a vanishing act. I struck into something quite strong and I immediatly rememberd the sunken tree where I lost a good fish last time out. As soon as I hit the fish I held the reel firm releasing no line at all, I preferd the idea of the hook pulling than losing the fish in a snag. The fish wasn't as heavy as the one I lost and I turned it ok, but it still took a fair bit of persuading in the strong flow. The fish put up a fantastic fight for it's size and was great fun to play. I weighed it and it was 6lb 4 ounces, small i know but what a scrapper ! ....

 

 

After that I caught quite a few chub, nothing of any size but they also gave a good account of themselves in the powerfull flow, here's a few of 'em...

 

Edited October 30, 2013 by Tigger

[Tigger]

I had a chance to get out on the local river today at 2pm; not a lot of time really as the sun sets pretty sharpish now. I'd had a quick look at the BBC weather outlook, it said no rain and light winds....sly barstewards anything but! No sooner I'd parked the car I met an aquaintence and was held up chatting to him. I told him i'd have to go as it was gonna be dark soon and I still had to walk a mile to my swim but he ignored me and kept rambling on. Not wanting to be ignorant I listened to him and then out of the blue he said you'd better get moving it'll be dark soon .
As I walked "on the double" up river I noticed a mother of all clouds in the distance coming towards me . You wouldn't believe it, as soon as i arrived at the swim it started to hailstone that hard I was concerned it might damage my rod and reel! Owing to the weather report I had no waterproofs on, just a thin t-shirt, a hooded top and a wading waistcoat.
The hail turned into driving rain and as usual (it seems to be getting to be the usual thing on my latest adventures) I felt the cold water coming through my clothes and then running down my legs into my wellies . I was in two minds as to just walk back but thought to myself Feck-it i'm here now just go for it, even if it's only for ten minutes.
I threw in a few handfuls of corn and maggots, then assembled my rod. It was already made up but without the shot or the float and the sections held together with 'laccy bands bound carefully so not to damage it. It hammered down constantly as I put the rod together and it was really icy cold rain. I had several trotts and honestly thought I was going to blank. The rain stopped and started harder than ever moments later which was really demoralising. Anyhow, I kept on trotting trying different lines and depths etc until finally the float slid under and I struck into a very angry chub that fought like a barbel, well not quite but certainly harder than the average chub that's for sure. The rain stopped for half an hour and there was a bit of bright sunshine then the clouds reappeared and the bloody rain came down again.
I finished up with four chub and caught a swan for a minute or so (not hooked, just had my float pulled under it's feathers). I was going to pull out a few of it's feathers if i'd caught it - to teach it a lesson .

 

[lutra]

Nice one Ian, but next time you laugh at that big silly bag I lump with me, remember it does have a waterproof in it and with my chestys on I'm bulletproof.

[Tigger]

Nice one Ian, but next time you laugh at that big silly bag I lump with me, remember it does have a waterproof in it and with my chestys on I'm bulletproof.

 

 

That bag !! Your just showin' off with that bag . I don't know about waterproofs, I reckon you've got a circus tent in there .

 

I have got a packable waterproof wading jacket (with a hood) that fits in the pocket in the back of my waistcoat but I never take the darn thing....so getting a soaking is my own fault really. I have a set of breathable chesties n'all but i've never worn 'em yet, just keep reaching for my thigh waders or wellies. My problem is I like to take as little as possible...just feels better. If there's no rain it's brilliant but obviously days like yesterday do crop up now and again especially at this time of year. I think the packable jacket will be in my pocket next time out.

[GregS]

Awesome story and pictures tigger would be nice if u could help me to start adventures with barbel fishing ? Is it any problem for you ? heh any advise would be great cheers mate

[Tigger]

Awesome story and pictures tigger would be nice if u could help me to start adventures with barbel fishing ? Is it any problem for you ? heh any advise would be great cheers mate

 

 

Greg,

Lutra (Brian) is the man to ask about barbel fishing....he's even got barbels growing out of his lips...infact I think he might even be a barbel !!

[Phone]

Tigger,

 

Where's my baited #14?

 

Great story as always. You know, even when I was in my 40's I was not good at going up against Mother Nature. Maybe a little wind from time to time but I have always been a "fair weather" fisherman. Well done to you.

 

Phone

[Tigger]

Tigger,

 

Where's my baited #14?

 

Great story as always. You know, even when I was in my 40's I was not good at going up against Mother Nature. Maybe a little wind from time to time but I have always been a "fair weather" fisherman. Well done to you.

 

Phone

 

Phone,

funny enough yesterday I thought about takin' a pic of the 14's animal with 10 or 12 maggots on it but in all honesty I thought you would have forgotton about it, next time i'm out i'll take a pic for ya. Not much to see though Phone, just maggots on a hook m8.

[GregS]

Nice one Ian, but next time you laugh at that big silly bag I lump with me, remember it does have a waterproof in it and with my chestys on I'm bulletproof.