First day out for a spell

[Anderoo]

Similar story here Steve, I fished 8 swims for chub after dark for one little one (about 2lb). The river is still a bit too quick really but overall it looks in decent shape. It just always seems to be very hard once a serious flood has gone, I don't know why. I'll carry on with a few evenings this week but I'm not expecting much really.

[Tigger]

Managed to get out for the last couple of hours today and thought I was in for a decent little session but I was wrong....result....two freekin' trooot !

 

People with rods in the air seem to be catching plenty barbel but I wanted one on the float...ledgering is to easy, plus it's borin'.

[Tigger]

Out trotting again this avvey and the fish weren't exactly thick and fast. I walked over two miles of river, up and down steep bankings etc and dropping in numerous glides to send my float through 'em. All I managed was one chub and a salmon / sea trout. The salmoniod put up an amazing show and jumped several feet claer of the water time and time again....what a scrapper !
I know I could have been catching plenty barbel on the ledger gear but one on the float is worth 50 on the ledger, for me anyhow .

[Latimeria]

I'm already looking forwards to the tench on that reedy sandpit, give me a chance to decontaminate and reseal the waders. Be nice to have a sit down while fishing.

[Tigger]

I'm already looking forwards to the tench on that reedy sandpit, give me a chance to decontaminate and reseal the waders. Be nice to have a sit down while fishing.

 

 

Still two days left on the river yet

[Latimeria]

I know, but I'm driving myself daft trying to decide where to go. I'll be getting the fly rod out anyway, I'm don't know what I'm doing with one but that's never stopped me before.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Latimeria

[Tigger]

It was foggy round here today and bloody cold n'all...and that was in the afternoon ! I was pleased today as I wanted to finish the season off with a barbel on the float which in these temp's and round these parts isn't easy, well not for me at least. I don't think i'd have had a problem if i'd ledgered for one but I wanted one on the float. Anyhow, I managed one . I had nine chub also. All the fish and especially the barbel fought really hard....t'was great .

The barbel was over 4lb but looks about two in the pic !

Oh, a pike snatched me maggots as I wound back and I had it on for half a minuite until I actually saw it shaking it's head with it's mouth wide oped and the hook pulled out of the edge of it's lip.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Tigger

[lutra]

Nice one Ian and well done on the barbel.

 

Had a full day at it last Sunday trotting bread. Was a good day for chub with plenty and 2 or 3 around the 5lb mark, but busy at work this week so thats it for me on the river.

 

If the weather holds, next will most likely be a big wild still water, wagglers and hopefully some good roach with a bit of luck over the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

[Tigger]

Nice one Ian and well done on the barbel.

 

Had a full day at it last Sunday trotting bread. Was a good day for chub with plenty and 2 or 3 around the 5lb mark, but busy at work this week so thats it for me on the river.

 

If the weather holds, next will most likely be a big wild still water, wagglers and hopefully some good roach with a bit of luck over the next few weeks.

 

Thank's Brian .

 

Sounds like you had a good day out then... winding in those chub . Is the big lake local or up north ?

[Vagabond]

Have walked the Ashdown Forest most mornings this year, but have not been fishing until yesterday. The nice spring weather had got me thinking of roach, so the morning's walk took in Deerdrink pool - a small dam on one of the Medway headwaters, which has produced 3 lb perch, 4 lb chub and 1 lb roach for me in the past.

 

Here is my swim - the dam wall is heavily overgrown, and few fish it (I think "few" may mean just me !)

 

 

Loose feeding with maggots little and often (three maggots every ten minutes) and a single maggot on a #16, float fished a few feet out, just above the bottom in 7 feet of water. Sure enough the roach started coming - no pounders today, but plenty of fish of this stamp. A pleasant hour or so and a dozen fish.

 

 

Then something heavier, no, not a better roach, but a sullen pull, and the fish trying to get in the roots fringing the dam wall. Stopped it, and got it circling deep down. Some time before I could see it, so played it carefully in case it was a good chub. When I got a glimpse, even that hope was dashed, it was one of the "nuisance carp". As soon as I saw it was a carp I put pressure on, hoping to straighten out my hook, but it must have been from a stronger-than-usual batch of hooks, and I was obliged to play the fish out and net it. Far too much commotion in the swim for my liking.

 

However, might as well make the best of it, and it was quite well coloured, so I took this photo

 

 

Needless to say, it took ages to get the roach feeding again, and when I did, they were from a shoal of smaller fish,

 

C'est la vie !

 

A good morning though. Whilst fishing, I watched a pair of grey wagtails gathering nesting material, Norma reported a pair of mandarin ducks prospecting the feeder stream for a nesting site, squirrels everywhere, and leaf-buds swelling on the birch trees. End of coarse season, but time to start thinking about dusting off the fly gear again.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Vagabond