On me bike.

[Ken L]

Decided to take myself fishing today, which meant five miles each way on my pushbike - which is pretty much my limit.

I arrived at the venue (Wilden Pool near Stourport), with two travel rods, a seat, and some basic gear, at about 11am, and found the place packed, with a match in progress. I set up a match rod and a 7' spinning rod.  The match rod got a waggler, and the spinning rod was basically set up for freelining, but with a little float that slides onto the line from a wire to act as an indicator. Noth had barbless hooks to soft and fine braided hooklinks.

The chap next to me was fishing hard against the island with standard carp gear and had already had a couple when I arrived.

I put the spinning rod out, about 40cm off a clump of reeds, and fished the waggler at about 5m, in a little over 2m of water. Both baited with meat

I then sat in the cold for two hours without a bite! Feeling pretty miserable, I had the rice and curry from my food flask, took a swig of water, and zipped up my coat to keep warm. Finally, the inside rod marker slid away and I struck into nothing. Ten minutes later, the waggler slipped under, and I struck and was immediately smashed up.

I knew the line was new, so there must have been a fault, but I set back up and ten minutes latter, the float slid away, resulting in a common of about 6 lb, that put up an amazing scrap. Not so amazing was that I needed forceps to remove the hook - I'd accidentally put a barbed hook on after getting smashed.

Part way through tying a new barbless hook, the indicator on the freelined bait slid away, and I landed a low double.

The chap next to me packed up at 4:30, with a total of 8 fish. I fished on until six, and ended up with ten fish, including two that were either very high doubles or low twenties (one a fin and mouth perfect common that gave a lift bite) and a mid double that I hooked in the base of the anal fin, and which took me all over the pool.

I packed up because it started raining more heavily than forecast and I got soaked coming home.

The return trip was a bit grim, because my knees were giving me grief and the tackle bag was cutting off the blood to my arms, but all told, it was a fun day.

Weird that it was all carp though, the place is stuffed with bream and they love the small chunks of meat that I had on the waggler.

 

 

Edited April 2 by Ken L

[Martin56]

Well done Ken, great to see someone is getting out & keeping the site, trundling along !! 

[*Ant*]

Nice one Ken, and a nice little write up. 

I keep thinking it's about time I headed back out with my rods. Just seems like there's not enough hours in the day these days, there's always something I've got to do, somewhere I've got to be or someone needs my time. 

It would be nice if it actually stopped raining for a few days too!!!

[chesters1]

When i go (and its damn rare nowadays) its just one rod and a landing net and tackle divided into my coat and a small shoulder bag .

Its very satisfying and it completes a circle as thats how it all started and over the years got complicated with 4 complete seat boxes now up in the loft along with a bivvy and one of those beach shelters and all the gubbins that go with it .

The foolishness of youth has almost gone none of these 50-100 mile train trips in all weathers or walking 10 miles to fish empty pools and then the inevitable cleaning and then school or work the next day .

I can look from the garden to see the weather i dont mind the cold but over 20c the inclination lessens the river is shallow and fast and the bank side weeds high and the ticks sit waiting .

Glad to see your out Ken now Tigger rarely posts few are and second hand fishing rare on here to substitute for the old days when it took 95% of my thoughts ,my favourite ponds are far away a few no longer exist but the memories abound .

Just reminded me of going fishing on the coast on a whim on the honda 90 ,the fricking brand new rod holdal refused to hang vertically and insisted on sitting horizontally which ofcourse became a bloody sail and not only slowed me down by at least 10 miles an hour it nearly sawed through my throat .I got to half way adjustted the holdal and seatbox for the 30th time then gave in and came home .Back in the 70`s i had a scooter and side car me and my mate chucked everything in the side car after getting home from the pub then buggered off to the coast and fished as dawn broke (the damn whim and pub bit usually meant we got there at low tide) but 5 gallons of bullmers traditional filled the gaps along with the lack of fish .sometimes simple is better but so is youth! at 70 theres more planning to find excuses to sit in your garden drinking and remembering instead of actually going .my son is far away ,my mates mostly dead ,metal detecting is a lone hobby but having a laugh catching tiddlers best with company .

 

Edited April 3 by chesters1

[Ken L]

I've had a slight improvement with my back recently, but my knee is still wrecked, and my walking ability is a few tens of meters on a good day, so about the only exercise I can manage is cycling. I honestly thought it was three miles to the pool, but in actually, it was almost five, so I was ruined when I got home. It was however nice to get out and catch a few fish.

The skateboard backpack that I ordered from China worked great for the chair, the landing net and the rods, but the bag with the reels, kit and bait was a pain.

Hopefully, I've solved that by ordering a chest bag, and I'll put together some very limited kit to keep the weight down.

If I can get some exercise, get out of the house and catch a few fish this year, I'll be a happy boy.

[Blackbird]

Honda 90? Fond memories of that little bike, what a cracking little machine? Got me to and from work in Southampton until some thieving so and so must have lifted it up into a van, not much more value than the tankful of petrol I just put in, but now quite sought after.

I 'elevated' to a MZ 250 the oddest bike I ever owned...ugly as sin with drainpipe looking exhaust but did the job....and then a Kawasaki Z400 which accompanied me on a few fishing trips...sadly not been on a bike for years, but still hanker about doing so and then the Mrs reminds me of my age.

Well done Ken for keeping it simple, way to go, I always take a minimum of gear, much more fun.

[Ken L]

2 hours ago, Blackbird said:

Honda 90? Fond memories of that little bike, what a cracking little machine? Got me to and from work in Southampton until some thieving so and so must have lifted it up into a van, not much more value than the tankful of petrol I just put in, but now quite sought after.

I 'elevated' to a MZ 250 the oddest bike I ever owned...ugly as sin with drainpipe looking exhaust but did the job....and then a Kawasaki Z400 which accompanied me on a few fishing trips...sadly not been on a bike for years, but still hanker about doing so and then the Mrs reminds me of my age.

Well done Ken for keeping it simple, way to go, I always take a minimum of gear, much more fun.

I'm seriously thinking about an e-bike, to make the trips a bit easier. But if I do, it'll be a bit more powerful than is strictly legal.

Hey, if it's good enough for the ginger fisherman...

[chesters1]

4 hours ago, Blackbird said:

Honda 90? Fond memories of that little bike, what a cracking little machine? Got me to and from work in Southampton until some thieving so and so must have lifted it up into a van, not much more value than the tankful of petrol I just put in, but now quite sought after.

I 'elevated' to a MZ 250 the oddest bike I ever owned...ugly as sin with drainpipe looking exhaust but did the job....and then a Kawasaki Z400 which accompanied me on a few fishing trips...sadly not been on a bike for years, but still hanker about doing so and then the Mrs reminds me of my age.

Well done Ken for keeping it simple, way to go, I always take a minimum of gear, much more fun.

My job was only 10 miles away and the Hogs Back usually gridlocked so instead of sitting wasting fuel in my landy i nipped up the middle on the Honda .Bit nippy in winter infact i was the only vehicle on it one morning after freezing rain .It amuses me these huge bikes with panniers and fuel tanks 3 feet wide unable to follow me ,whats the point of a bike if you sit behind a car as if you were a car .Yes on the days traffic moved they had the advantage but 75% of the time i sailed past as they sat still

My favourite was a zundapp scooter and side car ,i took it to the wooden bridge pub (a scooter haunt) and they were gob smacked it had everything lambrettas and vespas didnt and with the baffles out noisier than their puny megaphone exhausts aswell lol

Unfortunately i had to get the piston ring slots enlarged to fit modern rings and after about 500 miles a hole blew in it ,no www then just a phone book and trader magazines and i couldnt dsource a new one so it was sold for its plates and it was replaced by a reliant regal ,now theres a ride ¡¡¡

Edited April 4 by chesters1

[Blackbird1]

49 minutes ago, chesters1 said:

My job was only 10 miles away and the Hogs Back usually gridlocked so instead of sitting wasting fuel in my landy i nipped up the middle on the Honda .Bit nippy in winter infact i was the only vehicle on it one morning after freezing rain .It amuses me these huge bikes with panniers and fuel tanks 3 feet wide unable to follow me ,whats the point of a bike if you sit behind a car as if you were a car .Yes on the days traffic moved they had the advantage but 75% of the time i sailed past as they sat still

My favourite was a zundapp scooter and side car ,i took it to the wooden bridge pub (a scooter haunt) and they were gob smacked it had everything lambrettas and vespas didnt and with the baffles out noisier than their puny megaphone exhausts aswell lol

Unfortunately i had to get the piston ring slots enlarged to fit modern rings and after about 500 miles a hole blew in it ,no www then just a phone book and trader magazines and i couldnt dsource a new one so it was sold for its plates and it was replaced by a reliant regal ,now theres a ride ¡¡¡

You reminded me I had a Robin Reliant yellow thing the Yellow Peril..Dad thought it wad a good idea save getting wet on the 10 mile commute to work, even gave a lift to a neighbour at the bus stop..next day he politely refused, cant blame him. After a fishing session on the Bris Avon I was clipped by a woman speeding in her BMW the whole front end crumpled and drove home with it in the boot, looked like a weak version of Mad Max.

When I was 16 I was a Telegram Boy in Bristol...Christ I"m old...the bike was as you know was a Bantam, and you were nothing if you couldn't  put up a shower of sparks from the leg guards leaning into a bend.

Got my car licence after  3rd sprog arrived otherwise would be either dead or just an old rocker...

Nowadays kids get into a car at 16 is it? Without the skill set and knowledge of road conditions, and many end up killed or injured sadly, a push bike and motorcycle is a great learning curve.

 

 

[chesters1]

One of the few advantages of fully computerised cars would be they would know whos in it and say do you realy want to back up onto that rock or just refuse to go fast if the driver pushes his foot to the floor and if he breaks the law it would deliver him to a cop .

Everyone should start their driving life starting with bicycles then mopeds and upwards anyone breaking the law would have to drive a 3 wheeler for 6 months as punishment .

Talking of reliants our original ones gel coat had started to crack ,we were spotted at the local shops by an old chap who said he was moving and he had a regal in his garage we could have for £50 .we didnt have that times were hard but suggested i take all his crap to the dump in exchange .A days work and several trailers later (yes they can pull them) i picked it up .Gearbox was dodgy but body was great .Half an half later body was swopped and old one burned in back garden ,3 minutes all that was left was fiberglass and 2 six inch bits of tube that supported the windscreen pillers.

Edited April 4 by chesters1