Hungry like the horse

It was a funny old Christmas and New year, mainly because a tooth decided to give me a bit of grief and turned itself from an ache to an infection in to a fully blown abscess, great!!!

What with work and family commitments it was difficult to find the time to get out and drown a bait, even on the days that I had planned to, the weather was blowing a gale and hissing it down so I ditched the idea on two occasions and chose to stay at home in the warm and dry and annoy the Mrs, it did not help either that most of the rivers round my way were up to their throats with raging dirty water (even the canal was as bad) so I probably didn't miss out on too much?

Monday 7th January 2013

As planned, Carl (my eldest son) was at the roundabout for just after 7am, we threw his gear into the back of my truck and off we set for the thirty five minute or so journey to the stream/ditch. I was virginal to this small river and to be fair I didn't really know too much about it apart from it has a good head of small barbel/chub to around mid singles with the odd better fish a maybe.

After doing battle with the rush hour traffic we were soon pulling up at the top of the field on a main road with cars whizzing by at a rate that Lewis Hamilton would have been proud of!!

Quickly we unloaded and in his words "lob it over this fence boy", I obliged, looked at him and just giggled, after all I was in his hands as he had been here once before.

After a short walk down the headland dodging horse crap as we went we were soon standing on the edge of the stream observing. Surprisingly it was very low and gin clear, like tap water in fact. The day was cloudy and overcast so that was a plus point but with the clarity of the water it was clear to see where the fish weren't and that in turn narrowed down the swim choices to single figures spread across the two or so fields. After taking the advice of a work colleague to have a base camp  for the bulk of our tackle (thinking back now I think he stitched us up as he knew the score and knew what  the outcome would be) which in turn would then leave us to free roam up and down the stretch at ease.

We each sorted a rod, net and a mat out while a bait pouch finished the requirements for sneaking about. First plan of attack was to work the river to our left (downstream), the spare tackle was strategically placed in a nice tidy pile behind and up against a couple of small trees that were waters edge and off we trotted. Deeper holes or snags would offer us the best chance of a pull so that was what we went looking for. Meat was the starting bait, not big lumps but whittled down bits that would just cover a size 4 hook while a single SSG was pinched on to a tag of line that was secured to the mainline by a floatstop. Our first swims provided us with not a jot but the second produced a small chub of a couple of pound to Carl (or Doogle) as he is known in the trade, I had settled in a swim just around the bend from his position where the river swept from right to left with a bit of  depth and a bit more pace. I had just received a sharp jaggy bite when Doogle pitched up in my swim to see how I was getting on. There was enough room to my right so I suggested that he dropped his hookbait in for ten minutes under the trailing branches from a far bank tree. As we sat there having a smoke and a chinwag whilst perched on a comfortable log Carl received a bite just after lifting and lowering the bait, it was a scrapper alright and hung on for all it was worth but just as his fight was coming to an end the tip on my rod hooped over and soon we were both doing battle. A chevin of roughly three pounds was the culprit on mine but Doogles turned out to be a perfect and pristine little January barbel of about three and a half pounds. Both fish were left in the landing net just to our right rather than being returned straight away while we both had another lob just in case there were any others looking for a meaty breakfast!

After giving it probably another twenty minutes or so with no other pulls we made the decision to amble back to base for a brew and a sarnie but first we would take a couple of shots of Carl's little bar of immaculate gold.

What we experienced next can only be described as total carnage, as we neared our spare tackle we could see and sense that something wasn't quite right!

See, in this field were about twenty horses of all different shapes and sizes and the majority of them were now further down the field, but one (pic below)  looked like he was stood on guard not ten yards from our gear and it soon became apparent what had happened.

My small roving bag which is a fox 16ltr bucket bag was near empty and upside down in the margin of the river as was Carl's rucksack but his was a little further out, I had prepared us some beef (left over from my Sunday roast) and mustard rolls, well they were gone as were a complete packet of chocolate digestives, two packets of crisps and a couple of wispa bars, oh and not forgetting the two maggot feeders that were in the bag loose, they'd eaten the bloody lot!!

My flask had been kicked about all over the field and I swear if they could have got the lid off they'd have drunk that as well, our chairs were five yards away from were we had left them but luckily for me they hadn't totalled my camera although they had a go as they hadn't quite worked out how to get the buckle undone! We did laugh, although now we were starving and boyo hadn't even thought to put any grub in at all so now were buggered. I wiped the mud from the flask and poured us a brew while we sat back and tried to work what the hell had just happened?

After our tea break and clear up we set off to the right of base camp but this time we took all tackle with us (I wonder why?). I swapped over to the maggot feeder and short hooklink approach as I felt my best chance would be to target the chub and if a barbel come along then that would be a bonus.

Whilst walking up the stretch to find some likely looking areas the picture above was hard to resist, with the winds and flooding that we had been experiencing over the past few weeks it seemed to have really taken its toll on this tree and with it came the bank plus the rivers edge.

I picked a swim that had some pacy water to my right as it swept round a small bend before flattening off in front of me and dropping off slowly under some trailing twigs that were hanging just of the waters surface. First flick out and soon the tip pulled round and a chublet was swung to hand. A few more silver fish were taken from this spot but nothing of any size not that it mattered but one thing that impressed me was the quality of the fish they were all immaculate, perfectly scaled and coloured as the roach below shows. 

Carl had stayed on the meat tactics but apart from a couple of jags nothing else materialised in to full on bites. The time was now 1.30pm and I was hank marvin so we decided to get back to the truck and head off down the road and visit the garage and sample some of its pre packed,curled up sarnies but also I purchased a new shiny packet of chocolate digestives just as a little treat of course.

We then spoilt ourselves with our purchases and made the decision to have a little go just up the road on a free section in the nearby village not far from where the source starts.

Again I chose the maggot approach as did Carl as we both felt the prospect of chub would be the better option due to the conditions. I'd like to tell you that we bagged up and it was non stop action but it wasn't, I had a couple of real good pull rounds that left me striking in to thin air and his nibs saved the blank afternoon by mugging a small chub of about a pound. Four o'clock came round so we decided enough was enough and it was time to beat the rush hour traffic and get home home for a nice evening meal that wouldn't be snatched from our grasps by a four legged thieving bloody horse!

Cheers son, it was a giggle but next time do some spare pack up as back up and leave your pets at home.

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

 

Here's wishing all family, friends and fellow fisher's a very happy and prosperous 2013.

May your dreams,wishes and fishes come true.

 

 

 

All the best

 

Derren

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Merry Christmas

With the mixed weather conditions our beloved country has been experiencing over the last couple of weeks not once have I managed to get out and angle. Being an all rounder that lobs his baits out for most species at some point as the season goes on, at present as I sit and tap my keyboard I have the urge to get out and go chubbing but my local Ouse and Ouzel are up to their gunnel's with copious amounts of flooding water so I'll just have to wait.
The Christmas period is now with us so a few days away from the shop might just give me the odd opportunity to get to the banks of a waterway somewhere and although my part of the country isn't experiencing the scenes that we are seeing on the news in the Southwest parts, sometimes you have to make the decision for the right reasons and stay safe, I'll just have to sit tight and see how the 'good old British weather' pans out!!
So can I just take this opportunity to say thanks to all that have clicked on to this blog and followed my findings for 2012 all be it not a brilliant season, I have still enjoyed my time on the bank chasing the many different species about while still learning as I go after thirty five years or so as an angler.

 

Added to the ever growing collection

A great anthology for all barbel fishers.

 

 

 

 

 

First released in 1987 

 

 

 

 

Published in 1962 for the price of five shilling. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To catch your Perch you must study him first. A bold and simple fish he seems and indeed is,but no fish is so simple as to give himself up. You must learn his nature,his way of life, if you are to catch him. 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventure indeed it is,because to the dazzled eyes of a beginer no other fish can have quite the same bewitchment.

 

A Birthday treat and a wet Wednesday

This past week saw me another year older and unbeknown to me the lovely Lady J had organised a nights hotel stay in Warwickshire with days out planned pottering about in nearby towns and villages.
Our digs were situated in the sleepy little village of Market Bosworth so after our arrival we headed half hour up the road to Burton on Trent(yes, near to water) and spent the rest of the day ambling the shops which included various little antique shops that were dotted about the town.

After our nights stay at Bosworth Hall a forty minute drive was then made to the delightful Warwick Castle with a dungeon visit included in the package. What a place, I was finding it hard to put into perspective how things really were back then in the day.The only complaint I could make would be  the amount of steps and spirals the place had, we must have done somewhere in the region of a thousand of the bloody things and boy did our legs know it, Jackie's probably more so than mine as hers are shorter but we were both aching by the time we got back home later that evening.
 It was pleasing to see just how well the gaff had been kept restored for us to see to this day, the dungeons were an experience to say the least with certain things that had us leaping from our skins on more than one occasion although Jackie would not admit to be even slightly scared I knew she was. A trip to the Mill house was also made and once again I could not resist a quick peek at the river Avon as it rushed by the Castle grounds and was looking lovely.

Thanks for a good couple of days Lady J. I loved it.

                                    
Back on the angling front and my Wednesday trip once again saw me head back off to the grand union canal, conditions had been very similar to my previous trip with heavy rain being interrupted by a night of hard frost two days leading up to my Wednesday excursion and on my arrival to the waters edge I did not know what I would find? As I left from home it was tipping it down and the wind was blowing better than a hooker that's on red bull!! I was in two minds whether to go or not but I did.

A thick chocolate soup was running hard from left to right with rafts of debris speeding past at a good running pace! From the off I knew that the pin and float wouldn't be coming out of the bag due to the conditions so the roach would just have to wait a while before they could meet me.
Prawns and lobworms would have to be the order of the day and perch would be my target species once again.
The stretch was busy on the barge front, not moving I hasten to add but parked up for best part of the section and it was between two that I decided on parking me bum. Two rods were grabbed from the quiver, one was to be the perch bobber that would be fished laying on close by to the nose of the boat to my right and the other was my usual tip rod,link ledger and big hook approach with big fat lobworms as the offering.

After two hours or so still no bites were had and then all of a sudden the float down the inside edge disappeared and I was soon unhooking a Barry bream of three pound or so and returning him to his watery home. Just after plopping him back to the water and on sitting back down and the tip rod took on a sharp jaggy bite and I was soon sliding the net under fish number two, a chunky perch of 1lb 14oz "that'll do" I muttered to myself in my sodden state.

I angled on for another couple of hours and managed two more bream , one on each rod, two bites were missed and my brolly got turned inside out but by half two I was back home and soaking in the bath after calling it quits.

This is angling

Now this is angling and what it should be about.

Brian (my dad), Jason (son) and Louis Lee on a recent trip to a local lake fishing for anything.

All day long was spent catching small roach and perch on mixed methods while being harassed by Mr pike!! Eventually late on in the day they nailed him and the picture below says it all.

These smiles are ANGLING.

 

 

Stripes

Since my last postings I have visited the river a couple of times more, only to find it very different on both occasions. On the first it was a raging torrent with all kinds of debris and flotsam coming through and although I did manage a few small perch to around the half pound mark and a couple of chub of roughly two pounds or so, it was difficult angling and only slacks could be fished semi comfortably.

My next two trips coincided with the school holidays so a couple of days early in the week were booked off and I then planned for myself and Jason to have one day on the river and the other on the Grand Union. The river was totally different to the previous week as it was low and clear and it was bloody cold!!! We kept on the move and did manage to stumble upon a few small stripeys and again a small chub that all fell for a couple of juicy lobworms.

1lb 12oz for young Bob Nudd

On the cut the following day the fishing was a tad calmer and more of a relaxed affair but Jay was taking it very seriously. He was on the float fished maggot and after anything that would take his grubby offerings, I on the other hand refused to even touch a wriggler let alone impale one and used the pin,berry and pole float approach. Now, he was whipping probably ten fish out to my one but as I kept telling him "I'm after quality young un" . Small perch, roach and gudgeon were falling to his method and he was happy and content thank god as there's nothing worse than a impatient 13 year old!!

I was bringing the odd roach to hand with an average size of about 6oz I guess but in all honesty it was a slow job. The ribbing then got worse from my left as the 'young un' netted two perch of 1lb 4oz and 1lb 12oz. "keep up dad and get on the maggot old man". I laughed and let him have his moment then I swiped him round the back of the ear!

                                                                

Bang on 2lb

In my quiver was my specie tip rod that had been used the day before for the chub on the river, I had a plan!

It was already set up with a light link ledger complete with a size 10 hook so all I had to do was load it with two of the biggest lobworms I could find in the pot before flicking it out to the far bank in likely looking spot which turned out to be a small bay between some rushes and a trailing tree branch.

I then reluctantly pinched a couple of pouch fulls of 'his nibs' maggots before spraying them above the hook bait. After a good half hour or so I was sitting there snatching the odd roach when from the corner of my eye I just managed to see the thin white tip pull round in a savage manner that could only spell perch.  It soon become apparent that this was not a tiny fish with eyes bigger than its belly either and as I played it to the net I could clearly see that it was worth having. I kept my mouth shut for a change as I knew that it looked slightly better than the two that young Bob Nudd had landed to my left. 



Sure enough when put on the scales the digitals read exactly 2lb, I was happy not just by the fact that I'd had one but more by the fact that I might not have bothered to try. It was more of a chance and try than a do nothing job and it had payed off all be it a little lucky. Now a 2lb perch is nothing to shout about in this day an age but I'm sure the potential for a three or maybe even a four is there, only time will tell. We angled on, Jason kept catching on the maggots and nearly landed a pike that had snaffled a small perch when winding in but on the third attempt of netting it decided to let go! I managed to land a couple of snotty bream around the three and a half pound mark and also a few more silvers on the berries. All in all we had an enjoyable couple of days and it was a pleasure to see the smile on  my lads face when every fish came to hand.


This weeks Wednesday trip turned out to be totally different to the previous, we'd encountered heavy rain down here in Bedfordshire from Friday through to Sunday and then come Monday morning we were woken to the sight of a heavy frost so by the time Wednesday came round I was a little unsure as what to angle for?
Steve, one of my angling buddy's was joining me and after a brief telephone conversation earlier in the week and the talk of the perch potential it was decided that we should head back to the canal as he hadn't fished the cut for a long time or the stretch that runs through my home town.
We crossed the bridge to be greeted by smoke rising from the waters surface, it looked good but at the same time looked cold!
I told him a little about the section and how I had grown up on and that it was the first stretch of water that I ever cast a line upon. As it was his first time there I decided to dump his fat arse into the peg that I had tempted old stripey from the previous week while I dropped in just down to his right. We had both chosen to fish one tip rod and one bobber, worms and prawns were the baits of the day complimented with red maggots and a few castors just to spray.
Surprisingly, after three hours or so of trying we were still fish less and had both only received the odd nibble between us. We battled on and chatted constantly while wetting our lips and emptying our flasks of tea, telling story's and planning possible trips to possible places. Just as we were half way through a tale Steve's tip rod pulled round and he was soon bringing a worthy perch to the folds of his net. A curiosity weigh was made and at 1lb 12oz old fat arse was happy and smiling, we left her in the net for time being rather than returning and risking spooking anything else that might be in the vicinity. Forty minutes or so passed and I was still on a total of zilch when once again Steve's rod sprung into action, this time a fish of 2lb 3oz had taken a liking for his worm hookbait. A quick couple of shots were taken and once again the fish was left to chill in the net.
Bugger lugs had to be away by 1ish so whilst I was still on a big fat blank I took the opportunity to move some fifty yards or so up the bank as I had planned to fish until 2.30 or so before heading off to see my grandson for his second birthday. Anyway, I tried and tried but all I could muster for my efforts were two small stripes of about half a pound or so! One thing I noticed was just how cold the fish felt compared to the week before, drastic changes in the weather had slowed the fishing that's for sure.
Never mind, there's always next week and the unknown is quite exciting.

 

 

2lb 3oz

Perchubing

Since returning from the gorgeous surroundings of the River Severn and its barbel, the last few weeks have seen me roaching on the cut and perchubing on the Great Ouse.
Although no monsters have crossed my palm, enjoyment was still had, a welcoming amount of pristine silvers were caught from the canal and once again were all taken on the pin/pole float and elderberry approach to an average size of roughly six ounces or so with the odd ten/twelve ounce fish a bonus beauty. Personally I think there is an unknown potential lurking somewhere within our canal systems and it might be there on your doorstep just waiting to be caught. Get out there and try your local, you never know!

 

 

Pictured above is a section of the Great Ouse that is only a short 25 minute drive from my home but until recently I had never cast  bait at it. I suppose Its known more for doing big chub than anything else, occasionally it throws up the odd barbel from a very,very small shoal. The perch potential is a little unknown to me but I can see no reason why a big three or maybe a scraper four shouldn't be there for the taking. So with perch and chub set firmly in my mind and the nicety/excitement of fishing a new stretch, my last two midweek sessions have seen me exploring a new challenge at least for the time being.

 

 

 My chosen tactics consisted of a tipped specialist feeder rod and my trusty cardinal reel. Two swan shots pinched to a short section of line before being pulled through a couple of float stops and onto the 6lb mainline and completed with a size 8 hook and two/three big fat juicy lobworms as the hookbait. A move was made every half hour or so unless bites were forthcoming or if I had one of those angler feelings that I might!

 

 

 

I had just moved into swim number two but immediately made a mistake!

Fifteen yards to my right on the opposite bank was a large overhanging tree, it looked sexy and worth a cast but after fifteen minutes or so only a small tap on the tip had registered even after a couple of lift and lowers of the lobs. Five yards out to my left and right were some pipe reeds which created a nice slack beneath my feet, it was in this slack that I noticed small fry leaping and dimpling the surface as I sat there with a cup of tea and a cigarette. I thought to myself that I'd give it another fifteen minutes in the swim before strolling on but decided to move the bait into the slack water.

On positioning the bait and placing it on the rest a small pinch of red maggots was deposited every couple of minutes, shortly after I was soon landing a nice stripe around the half pound mark.

The next half hour that followed saw me catch a dozen perch to just under the two pound mark with a couple of fish also bumped off before the bites dried up and forced me to move on.

Conditions were bright and sunny and the wind was quite strong, far from ideal but enjoying it I was and the fish I had managed so far had in my eyes made the day worth while.

Swim three and the last of the session produced four more perch to roughly 12oz or so before I headed back to the truck and called it a day. In hindsight I think that if I'd have taken the float rod then a few more fish would have fallen but at least now as long as conditions are on my side then I know my tactics for next week.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Down Shropshire way

It was Saturday 8th of September, myself and Lady J were heading up the M40 to destination River Severn for a weeks chill out. My Brother and his partner(Mel) were in tow and we were on course to meet up with my parents for a full English at 9am at a cafe in Bewdley. After all arriving safely we were soon tucking in and filling our stomachs to brimming point before heading off to grab some supplies (food etc) and then it was off to the pub up the road for a quick pint before heading to our bank side lodge that was to be our home for the week.

The lodge is in the most beautiful of settings, fifteen yards from the front door to the rivers bank down a private single track lane surrounded by tall trees leading to open fields with an abundance of wildlife complete with as much peace and quiet you could ever wish for (including hit and miss phone reception) lovely jubbly. Fifty or so yards behind us sits the historic Severn valley Railway that chugs and smokes its way for 16 miles between  Bridgnorth and Kidderminster following the course of the Severn as it goes.

Daytime's were to be spent out and about with the good lady and plans had been made as to where we fancied visiting during our stay. The evenings were to be my main fishing hours although a couple of early morning sessions were also snatched while leaving little Miss sleepy head all tucked up.  

Bridgnorth,Kidderminster,Shrewsbury and Worcester were all on the hit list as was the West Midlands Safari Park and any other little stops that we fancied along the way.

Bridgnorth cliff railway

Just briefly while on the subject of the safari park, to the amusement of Ma and Pa who were situated in the rear of the truck ( Dad wouldn't take his hairdressers car in case it got licked to death) certain obvious areas we were allowed to have the car windows open and others ie... the lions and tigers etc.. we were not! As I pulled up to a free roaming giraffe I casually put the window down to look up at my new found friend only for the wind to gust and blow my cap clean off my barnet, leaving the car was a little intimidating to say the least but fear not I did survive.

This fella was after one of my rhubarb and custard boiled sweets!!

Simples.

Back to the fishing side of things and as I said earlier, most evenings after filling my belly I could be found situated in one of the many beautiful swims that stretch through the nearby fields and each time I ventured out I would at least try to fish a different peg unless I felt otherwise or had one of them hunches us anglers get. Lady J joined me on most evenings and by the end of the week she could still be found out there well in to darkness and intensely watching the rod top and even admitted that she was enjoying it and could see why us men have ten last casts!

In her greens.

Over the years usually one calamity will happen and this year was to be no different!

The time was roughly 9ish and all was quiet apart from the owls occasionally hooting, myself, Paul and Dad were all spread out with about twenty yards each between us, the two girls were out there with us also.

All of a sudden Dad let out a cry and was laying on the floor but because we couldn't see we could not get the full effect of what had just happened. It turns out that Dad stood up and stepped up a ledge to take a pee but in doing so his foot slipped into a crack in the ground and he fell over on to his back, to make matters worse he'd got the little fella in his hand and was mid flow, so all we heard was "oh no I've just pissed all over myself "!! Laugh? we nearly pissed ourselves.

All three of us caught on most evenings, sometimes one,two if not three or so barbel with the odd chub thrown in too even Jackie got in on the act and wound a splasher of about three and a half pound or so in on the last evening when four fish came to my net in a couple of hours angling

It was refreshing to see fish of this size.

All in all we had a great week that as always is over too quick, between the three of us we managed thirty or so barbel and half a dozen chub, Dad knocked out the best fish at 9lb 12oz followed up by Paul with one bang on 9lb. My best of the week just scraped over the 8lb mark, not massive but still made me smile and gave me the buzz that the bite always does.

Talking of making me smile, Thursday evening while sitting out under the stars watching the isotope on a clear night while sharing a coffee poured from the flask with Lady J,(ain't I romantic) I said those four little words "will you marry me" and thankfully she obliged with a "yes" .

My best of the week.

All in all the week was very enjoyable, with gorgeous surroundings and great company.

And the little lady did say "yes"



Respect your elders

 The barbel gear has been packed and readied for my trip to the River Severn this Saturday coming, it is a yearly affair with the family that that lasts the week and coincides not only with my daddy's birthday but also my parents wedding anniversary. Days out in oldy worldy towns,walks, pub grub complete with a few beers and hopefully a few barbel to look forward to so I'll keep you posted on that one.

My latest efforts have been just a couple of short trips back to the Grand Union canal in pursuit of its unknown roach potential, just how big could the silvers be in this dirty old strip of water?

As mentioned in a couple of earlier posts, I have had the odd dabble with punched bread but this time out I had decided to take out a gift that was given to me a couple of weeks ago in the shop by a customer.

"These are what you want for roach boy" as he placed a dusty old jam jar on my counter. "35 year old they are" I looked at him a little bewildered and proceeded to try and take the lid off! "elderberries" he said " give them a go and if you want anymore I have five more jars at the ready" .

Sunday and Monday past I decided to take my berries along with a jar of hemp just as feed to two different sections of the canal and had very promising results. Sunday was a family affair with Lady J and two of my boys complete with a picnic to the park in Berkhamstead which just happens to have canal on one of its banks so it'd of been rude not to throw a couple of rods in the truck, one for the boys to share and drown a few maggots and one for me to give the berries their first outing.

The boys sat there thrashing the water to a foam and pulling gudgeon and perch out on the maggot probably six fish to my one but as I kept telling them "its quality and not quantity lads, tortoise and hare, tortoise and hare". Pictured above seemed to be the average size of silver that was crossing my palm so I was more than happy with that.

Monday morning I headed to a section that is just a long jump from home, again just armed with hemp and berries and nothing else so I wasn't tempted to stray from the plan. The peg that I chose to park my bum consisted of quite deep water due to a run off sluice that was situated behind me so the water in front of me was roughly 4/5 feet deep. The sun was just breaking through and the cut was very still so after plumbing up and flicking a couple of small pinches of hemp out I carefully chose a berry for the hook.

It was probably twenty minutes or so before the pole float bobbed under and the first roach of the day came to the net. I was now content and over the next few hours a steady flow of roach were caught and were of a good average size of six to eight ounces or so, two fish stood out though, one fish of 15 ounces and an absolute mint conditioned 1lb 8oz corker that  had me not only smiling from ear to ear but also gave me faith in my new found bait that will now be in my roaching armoury as another alternative. Please excuse another picture laid on the grass as due to me travelling light I have not been taking the camera and just using the phone for my shots, still it saves my ugly mug ruining the trophy shots eh? 



1lb8oz Berry good