Wingham Catch Reports and Thanks 2014

[Vagabond]

I started my role in the Fish-in early (Friday) and finished early (today) as we have things to do tomorrow.

Whilst I was there the fish-catching emphasis was on perch and eels, with only the odd tench or two being reported. Most people had perch or eels or both. I had my share – less than my share of perch (half a dozen or so, and not much more than half a pound tops) but more than my share of eels (seven, of which five were a couple of pounds apiece, and t’other two not much shy of that weight).

 

Some of the perch I had Friday evening, the others this morning. All the eels came from between 11pm Friday night and 2.15 am Saturday morning. At 2.15am the gibbous moon rose above the trees to my south and floodlit my swim, killing all fish activity stone dead. In fact my next bite was 26 hours later, at first light this (Sunday) morning. Theories on this phenomenon welcome. It may be that eels, in common with bream and Budgie, dislike bright moonlight. Or it might just be that there were seven eels in my swim to start with, and each one, after being caught and released, decided the best place in the lake to be was anywhere except in Vagabond’s swim.

 

Whatever, I spent Saturday daylight hours biteless (tried maggots and lobs in every corner of the swim).

 

Last night I decided that seven eels were enough eels for the time being, and chose to use sweetcorn in the hope of the tench feeding.

 

Saturday night was biteless also !

 

This morning, at first light I switched back to lobs, and immediately got some perch – whilst the mist was still coming off the water too - usually rising mist is the kiss of death. (See photo) So a fairly average catch for me. I hope for the sake of those still fishing when we left, that the tench would come on feed in earnest tonight and tomorrow..

 

But the ambiance.......... what an ambiance ! The wildlife for a start. Pipistrelle bats at dusk, and a MUCH bigger bat – probably Daubenton’s Bat, but I am no expert. A shrew crept along the bank, intent on getting into my maggot box. Saw him off – glad he was only finger-joint size, as they must rank as amongst the most pugnacious of creatures. Nightingales – Norma heard them, but alas they are now beyond my hearing range. What I COULD hear was the wail of the banshee...............What ?

 

A sort of hoarse bubbling scream – must be bloodcurdling for the superstitious. It has sent many a timorous soul diving under the bedclothes. What is it ? It is the cry of the barn owl (aka known as the screech owl) which I heard several times during the night. Norma, patrolling the water meadows at dusk, encountered a pair only a few feet away.

 

During the day the first hobby I have seen this year wheeled over the lake, The barley straw islands attracted Common Terns, Common Sandpipers (I prefer the old country name of Summer Snipe) and coots and mallards galore, a wren scolded close enough for me to hear, as did Cetti’s warblers, a cuckoo flew over, as did a Yaffle (Green Woodpecker) A non-stop show for the naturalist, backed on Saturday by non-stop damsel-fly hatch. And a touch of the bizarre – a pair of ring-necked parakeets were nesting somewhere in the trees behind my swim.

 

All this and fishing too. We cannot thank Steve, Peggy and the bailiffs enough for making this experience available to AN contributors.
Others will no doubt express thanks better than me, but mine is no less heartfelt. THANKS, Steve and crew.

 

 

Pictures Wingham perch

 

Wingham eel

 

View from my swim at sunset

 

 

View from my swim at first light

Edited May 18, 2014 by Vagabond

[Steve Walker]

Dales, did you ensure that any grannies lurking therein were expelled by force of spodding, as is convention?

Edited May 18, 2014 by Steve Walker

[Dales]

Dales, did you ensure that any grannies lurking therein were expelled by force of spodding, as is convention?

Absolutely and if they had any be Jesus in them it's well and truly gone.

 

Plus as a bonus there is a new feature in the swim at 20 yards. I call it maggoty particle hump.

[Rusty]

How are the trees doing in "Newt and Jan's" swim?

[Ken L]

Well at least Vagabond has explained the name of the woodpecker in Bagpuss.

[Steve Burke]

Just got back from Wingham and I'm shattered. I'll therefore post the returns I know about tomorrow morning. The hot sunny weather has made it very difficult but there have been a few good fish caught.

[Steve Walker]

Three eels so far this morning on lobs, not a touch on the two rods fishing fake maggots.

[Steve Burke]

How are the trees doing in "Newt and Jan's" swim?

They're doing fine, Chris. The poplar is behind Newt and Jan's; the chestnut is behind Quicksand Bay where Jan caught her first pike.

[Dave H]

Was anyone on left fair tree steve?

I would like to know if there was any success in there

[Steve Burke]

For the 3rd year running we've been hit by the weather, this time with heat and bright sunshine, and little wind and so almost no ripple. The Saturday started flat calm, and warm and oppressive with high humidity, resulting in low cloud until the sun broke though. However a sea breeze from the E eventually set up mid afternoon. On Sunday it was warm and sunny throughout. The nights were surprisingly chilly though, with a bright moon after midnight. The water temperature a few inches under the surface at 3pm on Saturday was 18.2C (63.8F). The barometer is high but falling with showers forecast late Monday.

These were the catches up to yesterday lunchtime, apologies if I've missed any. I've counted only those fish caught after 7am on Saturday when guests could get to the water and not members who started earlier.

Dave Johnson (Backstage) - tench of 8-0 and 7-14

Maddog (Back Bay Corner) - perch of 3-0 (also a 3-05 pb perch and a 3-02 in the afternoon). All caught about 3 feet from the bank!

Vagabond (Left Grassy Bank) - several perch

Tinca tinca (Tim's Point) - 1-0 tench

Steve Walker (Top Bay Entrance)- 1 eel of about 1 1/2lb

TJ Groombridge (Head Bailiff Terry's son) (Eggbox) - perch of 1-00

KAYC (Meatballs)- perch of 2-04, 2-00, 2-00, 2-00 and 0-08, plus an eel c1 1/2lbs

Anthony78 (2nd Platform) - 8-14 tench, plus perch of 2-06 and 1-00

Cliff63 (Y Swim)- 5-08 tench

Mat Hillman Brambles) - 4lb pike and a 1lb eel

John Caddick (Quicksand Bay on the Carp Lake)- mirror carp of 36lbs and 20lbs plus a common of 15lbs. All on zigs 18ins deep.

Dales (Skeltons on the Carp Lake) - 10-02 pike

Was anyone on left fair tree steve?
I would like to know if there was any success in there

No one pegged there, Dave.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Steve Burke