Just got back in from a great trotting session :)

[Anderoo]

 

 

LOL, I think i've got a few more to catch before I catch 'em all....especially those pesky doubles , I think you've got your name on them !

Maybe we should start targetting the roach and show those Southern softies how to catch 'em .

Do it!

[Tigger]

Do it!

 

 

Blimey Anderoo....i've not upset you have I ? Only jokin' about Southern softies m8

[Anderoo]

No, not upset, I am coming down with roach fever and it would be nice to see some more roach fishing reports! Although if I was in your shoes I think I'd find it hard to tear myself away from those barbel...!

 

Seriously, I would love to see what your rivers produce in terms of roach, and how you go about catching them.

[AddictedToScopex]

Yeah, i've had some really good sessions with the float this year...I only go at night and use night vision goggles so I doubt you'll ever suss out my spots...plus you haven't got the right club book LOL.

Hehe damn it.

[Tigger]

No, not upset, I am coming down with roach fever and it would be nice to see some more roach fishing reports! Although if I was in your shoes I think I'd find it hard to tear myself away from those barbel...!

 

Seriously, I would love to see what your rivers produce in terms of roach, and how you go about catching them.

 

 

OK .

I do sometimes think about targetting the roach but i'm trying to make the most of the trotting for barbel while it's still warm. When the temp's drop off in the next few weeks barbel arn't as keen to take a moving bait so the only productive way to target them is with the ledger set up which is ok but no really my favourite method. I'll most likely try and catch some roach at the back end when they've shoaled up tighter and moved downstream. Rather than catching the odd decent sized one amongst lots of small ones at this time of year, later in the year your more likely to have a string of decent sized ones. Only snagg, chub come into the equasion later along with grayling so it's decisions decisions. I do prefer the fight of a grayling over a roach and even a chub....guess I must be a ladies man .

[Rice Crackers]

Nice... Haven't caught a Barbel in ages...

[Tigger]

I wanted to get out again today but only managed to start out at 4pm. As soon as I arrived at the river I had about 1 mile walk to my planned glide. Second trott through and the float did it's disappearing act and I struck into my first fish which turned out to be a nice chub of approx 4lb. I was stood mid river and unhooked it without even removing it from the water and off it went back to tell all it's m8's....don't eat the maggots !! lol.
Narrh, I don't believe that happens as i've had 64 chub in one session a few years ago so they don't go and grass on you, it's an old wives tale .
As soon as the chub was released I threw in a few more freebies and continued to trott. Several more trotts and the float disappeared once more but when I struck this time the fish pulled back a little harder so I knew straight away it was a barbel. After 5 or 6 mins of tug of war I slipped the net under a nice little barbel of about 6 or 7 pounds. I waded back to the bank and took a quick picture of it...




Very next trott and the float dipped straight under and it was another barbel but this one felt quite heavy, either it was a big one or it may have been foul hooked as the hook pulled after a couple of minutes of hard pulling back and forth. I carried on trotting but only got one more barbel pretty much the same as the first. After that the dace moved in; I had one a trott.
I became fed up with the dace so moved about 500 yards up stream to one of my favourite glides. Straight away it was dace with a few decent chub of between 2lb to 3lb and small trout mixed in. The dace as large as they were, because some of them where really large specimens, quickly became monotonous and so I decided to head home to fill up my belly .

Edited August 29, 2013 by Tigger

[Phone]

Tigger,

 

Thanks for taking the time for a pic. Another beauty

 

It's NOT an old wives tale. Schreckstoff is a long-standing biological mystery but confirmed over and over. To the best of my knowledge no Cyprinidae though (I could be wrong).

 

Phone

[Tigger]

Tigger,

 

Thanks for taking the time for a pic. Another beauty

 

It's NOT an old wives tale. Schreckstoff is a long-standing biological mystery but confirmed over and over. To the best of my knowledge no Cyprinidae though (I could be wrong).

 

Phone

 

 

Thank's Phone, the barbel are very nice looking fish .

As I said I can't see how the belief that releasing fish back into the swim kills the fishing as i've found it doesn't at all. I always release them straight back (unless taking a pic) and i've not noticed by doing so that it's slowed the fishing down any. Infact i've often re-caught fish that i've released not to long after. I honestly think it's just an excuse to use a keepnet.

[Phone]

Tigger,

 

Ohh lordy! - no keepnets pleeezzee. I too have recaught carp - in fact once it was back to back within about 5 minutes. I have no idea if there are any fishes in the UK that respond to schreckstoff. "Schreckstoff’ is an alarm pheromone usually produced in the epidermis. Between my last post and now I took a look - the only Cyprinidae I saw mentioned is the "common shiner" (a US bait fish) and the only fish I know you have with schreckstoff is the European Minnow.

 

Frankly, like you I don't let it interfer with my confidence - just put them (any fish) back quickly. But just thought you would like to know - it DOES exist. In the US White Bass fishermen always C&R by returning them to the water on the other side of the boat (a bass boat is about 4ft wide) like they can't swim 4 ft.

 

Maybe Newt has some examples.

 

Phone