Norfolk Broads 11th - 14th August

[BoozleBear]

Going to stay in Norfolk with friends for a long weekend. We will be staying in a frineds dad's holiday home in Dilham.

 

We are lucky enough that where we are staying, at the end of the garden, is a bit of broad leading out into the rest. We have a dingy with outboard but will probably do a fair bit of fishing off the end of the garden, as the kids will be playing.

 

The location is on the below map. If you look at the tip of the arrow it is at the end of not the nearest road to the right (slightly NW) but the 2nd nearest. (The road with 2 pink dots at the end). That little V shape is at the end of the garden.

 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=63...ilham,+Norfolk+[Town]&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf

 

There are always lots of roach and perch there but I want bigger fish. It's good for a few pike in winter, but I have never tried for pike there in the summer.

 

Bream and (rumoured) carp have been spotted too, at good sizes.

 

What I want to know is, as fishing time is limited, what I should be going for and at what times of day. It gets a bit reedy so lures for the pike won't be ideal, having said that they do take the reeds up every now and then.

 

I basically want to fish with my son and not blank, but not bother with smaller species.

 

Any thoughts you lot?

 

Ta

 

Simon

[Newt]

Dingy will allow you to get beyond the reeds so you could cast lures to them. Might be an interesting change and should produce some fish.

[argyll]

Going to stay in Norfolk with friends for a long weekend. We will be staying in a frineds dad's holiday home in Dilham.

 

We are lucky enough that where we are staying, at the end of the garden, is a bit of broad leading out into the rest. We have a dingy with outboard but will probably do a fair bit of fishing off the end of the garden, as the kids will be playing.

 

The location is on the below map. If you look at the tip of the arrow it is at the end of not the nearest road to the right (slightly NW) but the 2nd nearest. (The road with 2 pink dots at the end). That little V shape is at the end of the garden.

 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=63...ilham,+Norfolk+[Town]&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf

 

There are always lots of roach and perch there but I want bigger fish. It's good for a few pike in winter, but I have never tried for pike there in the summer.

 

Bream and (rumoured) carp have been spotted too, at good sizes.

 

What I want to know is, as fishing time is limited, what I should be going for and at what times of day. It gets a bit reedy so lures for the pike won't be ideal, having said that they do take the reeds up every now and then.

 

I basically want to fish with my son and not blank, but not bother with smaller species.

 

Any thoughts you lot?

 

Ta

 

Simon

 

Casting to the edge of the reeds for pike is possibly the first and last thing that you do. Thats where they'll be holed up in the heat of the day and thats where they'll be sitting in wait for mrs roach to come wandering past at any time. You can catch in open water but it would have to be second choice for me

 

If the weather is a bit like it is now, I'd paddle the dinghy out onto the nearest river where there's some flow, a little more oxygen and lower water temperatures and fish close into the margins. Time of the day is anybody's guess. Broads on the Yare system always fish best for me at dusk and dawn. A certain southern broad for me has rarely fished well early and late. If you're pushed for fishing time then make an early start and see how it goes.

Edited July 12, 2006 by argyll

[BoozleBear]

Casting to the edge of the reeds for pike is possibly the first and last thing that you do. Thats where they'll be holed up in the heat of the day and thats where they'll be sitting in wait for mrs roach to come wandering past at any time. You can catch in open water but it would have to be second choice for me

 

If the weather is a bit like it is now, I'd paddle the dinghy out onto the nearest river where there's some flow, a little more oxygen and lower water temperatures and fish close into the margins. Time of the day is anybody's guess. Broads on the Yare system always fish best for me at dusk and dawn. A certain southern broad for me has rarely fished well early and late. If you're pushed for fishing time then make an early start and see how it goes.

 

Cool, thanks for that. A spot of lure fishing on the dinghy it is.

 

Any recommedations for what is best there. Spoons? Spinners? Surface Plugs? Shads? etc

[argyll]

Cool, thanks for that. A spot of lure fishing on the dinghy it is.

 

Any recommedations for what is best there. Spoons? Spinners? Surface Plugs? Shads? etc

 

I'm fond of slow sinking mag grubs, the eight inch ones with no extra weight. Not knowing the depth that you'll be fishing but guessing 4-6 feet in the edge, you could do worse with slow sinking softbaits or surface/sub surface cranks. Plumb the depth and use whatever it takes to find fish. Guessing max ten foot in the middle, so take 5 and 10 feet cranks and surface stuff and try them all. But don't leave home without the slow sinkers. Take a few simple spoons as a change bait. Fished all day out of Brundall last year with flashy lures and big softbaits for a complete blank and just before we upped anchor, I switched to a simple circle hook nickel spoon and hit a 19lb fish on the way back.

Edited July 12, 2006 by argyll

[Norfolkdan]

Pike I've caught from the broads have mainly been on spoons, and plenty of follows to surface lures in hot weather.

[BoozleBear]

Pike I've caught from the broads have mainly been on spoons, and plenty of follows to surface lures in hot weather.

 

Nice one. Would you agree Dan on concentrating on near the reeds?

 

I am lucky in that the dinghy has a very quiet battery opperated motor, which shouldn't disturb the fish.

 

Do you think though that I should cut the motor about 50 yards away from where I intend to fish and drift in? Not sure this is necessary as I have seen pike before just sat in the margins was we go past with motor on.

 

I thought spoons might be best as Pete Waller has often mentioned those as good for summer pike. Mr Waller, if you are out there I'd like your thoughts too.

 

How about popped up deads? I was simply thinking of putting one of those out on an alarm whilst spinning to double my options.

 

Cheers,

 

Simon

[Newt]

Alarms that will work from a boat are pretty hard to find since the boat moves around a bit even when firmly at anchor.

 

As to turning off the electric motor, I can't speak for Broads pike but we routinely use the motor to move along while casting for largemouth bass and they are fairly easy to spook. It does not seem to do any harm with them.

[Norfolkdan]

Nice one. Would you agree Dan on concentrating on near the reeds?

Yeah, reeds are a good bet, also moored boats and other obvious features.

[BoozleBear]

Yeah, reeds are a good bet, also moored boats and other obvious features.

 

Cool.

 

Newt - I meant for doing that when not on the boat. I agree an alarm on the boat would be ridiculous!