Pixie hunting!!

When Keith suggested a road trip in search of pixies , I jumped at the chance. I have always enjoyed fishing for crucians and though I have caught many of them over the years, I have never really had a big one. With the overage size in the pools being high I knew I was in with a chance.Just a shame the weather did not know of our plans!!!!
 I had decided to take a couple of float rods and a 9ft bomb road to cover my options. The rods (one 13ft,one 15ft) were set up with pins loaded with 4 lb supplex, a maver indestructible .5g pencil pole float (I really rate these) , .5g olivette set 10 inches from a size 16 wide gape pellet hook, then a couple of 10 and 11 stot shots to present the bait on dead depth. This is a set up I have used for a few years now and have alot of confidence in when detecting small movements on the bait. I also like to use a bit of grease on the bristle to keep it  just above the surface. The bomb rod was set up with a simple small flat bed feeder on which I intended to fish 2mm micro and perhaps soft pellet on the hook

To kick off the swim I fed some 2mm feed pellets, chopped worm and also a few grains of green giant. I decided to start with a small section worm in order to get a feel for what was in the swim, as fish just adore the dendras! It was not long before I found out, whilst looking at my bait table I heard the ratchet on the pin scream as my line shot into the lilies. Unfortunately the fish got to far into the bed and I lost it. 1 bite;1 new rig not ideal!

After sorting a new rig I was back into the fed spot. Dib, dib and away..... tinca time! Throughout the session I found if I fed choppie the tincas moved in. Catching a pleasing 14 between 1lb and around 5lb throughout the session. Also bagging roach up to 14oz and a rare bream.

A sample tinca from the session

In between I did though manage two crucians, weighing 1lb 9oz and a new Pb weight of 2lb 10oz.
I will be back there I as am confident on a day with bettter conditions I can bag a 3lb'er or 4!!!!

Back to the pit with Bream in mind!!

With Friday being the start of my half term I had decided to get over to the pit early doors and fish for the Bream and tench. Arriving very early I spombed some participles onto a patch about 40 yards out, and quickly set up my rods both onto this area.

I was convinced that "the mistress" was going to give me a spanking this time, so sat back and prepared to take my beating!!!! This was until I saw a bream roll over the baited area, followed by a couple of beeps on my left rod....go on take it!!!! It did!. After a bit of rod dancing the fish was in the net, incidentally just as a pair of polish anglers arrived...after I told them last week that there was nothing in the lake I felt a bit embarrassed! On the scales she went 8lb 12oz.

First bream of the morning.

About 2o mins passed before the alarm screamed again, waking up all residents in the local area. This time the fish swan directly towards the bank, before fighting very hard in the marginal clear water. Slipping the net under another bream , which looked very similar to the last one....peas in a pod in fact, scaling 8lb 10oz!

Here very simliar sister!

A long quiet spell followed with only a couple a beeps indicating moving fish. I did have some issues with my right hand alarm, missing two bites due to the alarm not sounding but hearing the baitrunner which with bream was seemingly to late. This drove me crazy as when checked all appeared fine, perhaps they need a service back at Gardner!

After the long quiet spell came 5 mins off manic action, with firstly my left rod running, and landing a beautiful 9lb bream. Just 2oz of my PB weight!!!! Then whilst re baiting this rig the right hand rod ripped of with a slightly smaller on of 7lb 10oz.

Beautiful 9lb bream

Nearly two tone!

The shoal had definitely been over the baited area. Unfortunately as quickly as they came they disappeared, resulting in another slow spell. This was until once again my left rod howled out its shrilling scream. This bite was not a bream, but after a spirited fight a nice tench of 5lb 11oz was landed, quickly photographed and returned.

Nice belly

Things had definitely slowed down towards mid morning. Though I did managed to sneak two more tench the first being slightly larger at 6lb 0oz and the second coming as I was packing away my tackle to head back home. A smaller fish scaling 4lb 10oz

Pretty tinca

Last knockings!

I was very pleased with this session as in quite difficult conditions in a new peg I had managed to bank 7 fish again. Once again some other anglers did not far as well. I await my spanking!!!!

Quick couple of tench..

Had a chance to get out of work on time and get to Ryton by 4 o'clock on Wednesday where Danny was already fishing. I had my rods and bait ready from my weekends exploits so it did not take long to get in the water. Though there was some activity I would not really say that they were "getting on it".

I had put one rod to the front of the island and the other into a deep whole short of the island. Whilst on the phone to Dan I had my first run, which transpired in a small female tench that scaled 2lb 9oz. Not to sure but I think Mr Peck might recognise this little man, seems to have healed up quite well after his close call with a pike.

After about an hour it was clear that this was probably an odd fish in the swim on that they were not in great numbers in this area. So after a conflab we both moved to the back of the island on the front off the wind but in the only calm area on the lake. It did not take long before we had both landed a couple of fin perfect small tincas. Interestingly enough both of fish appeared not to have hook marks in their mouths so might be some of the new stock coming through. Though nice to see it was not really what we wanted...perhaps in 3 to 4 years time?

As we had observed alot of feeding and rolling fish in the early pegs we decided to move again going on the adage that an hour in the right swim is better that 5 in the wrong one. Though we both had tench Jacuzzis between us I only manged a drop run, very difficult to understand how we were not getting constant bites...perhaps double caster may have been more effective?

A nice short session back on the mistress, hopefully the extractions on friday will not stop me getting out at some point over the weekend, got to make the most of the tench window prior to the weed getting up. Tight Lines

Strange session on the river and pools

Today I had decided to focus my efforts on the river avon, in an very close to some pools that I fish. I had a fair amount of liquidised bread that i had left over from an earlier river season at Lucys Mill, so not to waste it I opted of a simple running cage feeder and bread flake.

After about 30 mins I had a good tap on the tip then my rod slammed round and I was in to a chub that went berserk trying to and succeeding in running me into the reed bed that was on the near side bank. From the picture that I have included you can see how tight and weedy the small swim is.

As a result I had to let the line go very slack and hope for the very best....which was the fish swimming into mid river all of its own accord! result...

After a short battle a pristine chub was banked. At 3lb 9oz it improved my percentage by a couple of ounces...

After this I knew that the swim would take a while to settle so I decided to go up to the pools and try my luck. After changing the hooklink to a light 3lb bottom and a size 18 I was getting regular bangs on the tip, which evidently where small skimmer bream, of which I netted 5 in a short period of time. As quickly as they came they went...odd I thought, until the tip slammed round and I was into either a carp or tench. Unfortunately I gave this fish to much respect with the light link and it managed to find a snag only metres from my feet...bugger! The fish was lost...c'est la vie!

At this stage it started to rain and the wind got up right into my face..not very pleasant and comfortable, so I moved up onto the middle of the three pools. I set up a float rod to aim for some silvers, which immediately started to show with regular bites from roach and rudd of around 6 - 8 oz. This was until I hit into something that did not want to come in...the culprit was a male tench of 3lb 7oz ... Shortly followed by a fish that could have been his twin brother!

Peas in a pod!

Whilst fishing for the silvers and tench I had thrown some bread in on my left hand side...which was being sucked up at regular intervals by feeding carp....interesting for March! I could not sit and watch this without having a bash. So I changed my feeder rig to a size 8 straight through free line style. It did not take long before I watched a dorsal find breakthrough the surface seconds before my line went tight and I was in to a carp.

5lb 3oz off the top in March !

Though I do hope I catch a larger one for the challenge. It made my day include the following ...chub, perch, roach, rudd, bream, tench and carp. Nice for my last session before the end of the season on the river and the pools.....Unless I can get there for a couple of hours tomorrow, but she might kill me!!

Last Chance Saloon!

On Sunday morning I wanted to put the previous days nightmare behind me, so I decided to go to Ryton for a morning session to see if I could continue on from Friday with some tench.

The lake was empty at around 7.30 which really surprised me, so I walked around and set up on Morris' again. As Friday i baited a spot to my left on a clear patch and one in front of me at about 40 yards. But this time I replaced the cage feeder with a method feeder instead and used a much coarser ground bait mix with sardines for added fish.

Immediately I was getting line bites and small pick up but nothing really wanted to pick it up and run with it...very frustrating. This resulted in three small runs but no fish in the first 30 mins which is unusual for Ryton as usually it takes a while for the fish to move onto your baited area.

Dan arrived at about 8 and I waved and shouted over that had been alot of fish moving in and around Morris' and the log swim,even though the wind was blowing towards the island. Dan then came over and set up on the log swim fishing a method out in front of him,

Whilst we were talking a nice carp decided to jump and tail walk asking Dan to catch it!!! Not to look a gift horse in the mouth he put his rig on the spot and without 15mins had a nice common carp on the bank. We were convinced it was the same fish that jumped earlier.

It was a very quite couple of hours with fish moving but not really feeding hard, as the sun rose higher and the time ticked by I did think that it was going to be to blanks in to days! Nightmare!

Whilst talking to Dan in the vacant swim between us a very nice ghost carp of a estimated mid teens jumped at about 50 yards in front of me. I immediately reeled in and prepared my method to target this fish as I have not seen this fish on any other blogs previously, it was a cracker! Dan commented that I was spot on with my cast and the trap was set. It only took a matter of minutes before the alarm screamed and I was into the carp, as fast as it ran it was off! Gutted! We spoke about the fact that we thought that it was the fish that had just jumped, ironic that both Dan and my carp had jumped prior to taking our baits...I will be back ghosty!


I had decided the next casts were my last and re baited the methods back on to their spots and started to pack up (in a right strop!). As soon as I had put my landing net away my right hand alarm let out a series off bleeps and I was into a fish...but not a carp.


It is becoming increasing difficult to land fish through the growing weed at the moment and this was evident as a tench surfaced with a side salad attached to it! Dan came over and netted the fish for me which to my relief broke my blank!




We estimated the fish to be about 4lb 8oz or slightly heavier. Cheers for doing the honours Dan

Very grateful for that tench on my last cast.


Salad, with your tench?
Myself and Dan walked back towards the car park and had to stop at the disabled peg....only to see about 50 carp upto around 10lbs basking in the sun!!! Doe! That might be a reason for the lak of action other things on their minds?

When people say there is not many small carp in this pool it is simply not true!

Hopefully get back out later this week to have another crack before the weed takes to much of a strangely hold on the lake.


I did walk the pool on Tuesday evening and the overflow corner with the brushes was simply alive with spawning carp including two very bright koi! (golden ticket fish for a special prize I think)

Tight lines.

Tinca Time!!!

I decided to target the tench in Ryton instead of catching them whilst primarily targeting the carp on Friday evening.

On arrival I was very surprised to see only Colin fishing in the log pegs, such a nice evening and an empty fishery...

After walking around the lake I decided to set up on Morris', as it appeared that there were fish moving in the shallows. I had already set up two Avon rod with a helicopter style rig with a cage feeder, six inches of rig tube, swivel beads, braid beads and a short link that would house a cut pop up as bait. Prior to casting out my baited rig I decided to get some bait down with the aim being to set a sound bed of bait from the tincas t move onto for the evening.

My ground bait mix was quite basic with red crumb, sweetcorn, source pellets, pinkies and chopped worm. This I thought would do the trick for a few tench...

I baited two areas one to my left which looked like a clear space in the weed (which is getting very dense now) and a channel straight out in front of me at about 40 yards. On these areas i put 8 feeder fulls. I then introduced my baited rig.

After about 30 minutes I got my first run which screamed off very quickly, on hitting the fish I knew it was a carp by the way it continued to run to the right, to my disappointed it broke the hook link (8lb) after about 30 seconds. It seems when I aim for the carp with heavier tackle I catch tench and when I lighten my approach the carp move in!!! Never win!


It was not long until my alarm sounded on my left hand rod, after a short fight a tench of 4lb 2oz was safely netted, a round little lady who had not yet spawned.


It took 4 more casts with each rod, laying a bit more bait onto the two areas, and about an hour before my next run which again came from my left hand rod. This bite was very small as my bobbin kept on moving up and down about a inch so I decided to wind down and hit it to see. To my surprise a tench of 5lb 3oz was my reward, things looked like they were picking up on the baited area to my left as murky patches were appearing at regular intervals......





But, my next run came from my right hand rod only 10 mins later, this fish felt alot different....perhaps a carp...no not running hard enough....what about one of the big bream that occasionally show.....it definitely was not a fight that I was used to??


As the fish came closer I could see that it was a good size tench but why was the fight so strange? I had caught it by its caudal fin! I quickly removed the hook and let the fish rest in the net whilst I sorted the sling and scales. I was very happy to watch the scales register 7lb 10oz which minus the sling weighs in at 6lb 10oz my largest tench this season from Ryton this far.



I did tell Colin it was 7lb 10oz but then realised that I forgot about the sling....sorry Colin I was quite happy but not that large!


After getting pestered by the swans and signets I decided to pack up at about 9.00.


Three tench and a good run off a carp...quite happy

Swan Lake

After a heavy Saturday night at my rugby club end of season awards evening my head to longer to clear than I had anticipated.
I arrived at the pool at about 4pm to find it very busy with people on Morris', the log, in the woods , on the point and in the sandbanks! So this left me "one" choice! I put my left hand rod into the middle of the lake with a zig set up and my right hand rod aimed towards the right hand feature.
After about an hour nothing had shown an interest in either rod so my approach changed. I decided to put bottom baits out straight an sit it out for a while.
After a short while, whilst chatting with Thad, my left had rod roared away into open water. At this point I thought I have hooked into a carp but the rod tip banged numerous times to give me the tell tail tinca signs, a fish of about 4lbs was landed shortly afterwards and returned quickly to the pool.
It was now time to put a bait into my favourite area in an evening session with a change of bait and an accurate cast my traps were set in anticipation.
Barry (the poacher) who had fished the bottom bay for the session stopped in for a chin wag and a chat about fishing some of the other Leamington waters etc, when my right hand rod let out a howl with both myself and Barry commenting that this was something big.....I ran to the rod which was screaming and hit the run!..........It was something big in fact I think the biggest thing that lives at the pool.....the cob swan!
With both myself and Barry wondering how it how picked up my bait and indeed how I was going to deal with it!,the swan shook his head violently and to my great relief spat my hook within seconds of picking it up....was I glad that we fish barbless!
I retrieved my rig complete and intact!
This I feel was lucky situation for the swan as Barry had rolled up his sleeves ready for a full on fight!....I was more concerned about how to pull in a swan from 100 metres in the air!
Very pleased to say that no damage to any party concerned happened.
After Barry had stopped laughing at me and cracking "Swan lake and Swan song" jokes I re-rigged and hoped for more luck.
I had one more run at about 8.45 but lost the fish on the strike .
Once more Ryton wins.......

Will hopefully get out sometime later this week for another evening session...might try the method as it seems to be taking some fish at the moment.

Andy