Merry Christmas

As I am not a card sending I thought I would wish all of my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas and a "challenging" 2011.
May we all stay friends through the harsh times of rod wars, that are so close......
All the best to you all and your families over the festive period.
Andy

New rod gives a good account of itself!

After selling my old Diawa Tommy Pickering float on a well known site...I decided to treat myself to a new float rod. Looking at the reviews on line and speaking to a few anglers. I eventually settled on the new Preston Excel 13ft Float rod.

Once I had bought it I had to give it a go so I teamed it up with my faithful closed face reel and set up a Drennan Antenna Waggler which will enable me to both fish at the tip but also punch out if I need to, whilst not losing sensitivity. I bulked the shot at the connector and out just two dropper shot size 9 down the line, with the aim to present a single caster on a size 20, with a hooklink of 2lb.

I arrived at the Avon Hoe pools and got myself comfortable (broken foot) as the early morning sun steamed off the lake. Feeding sparingly bought some instant results with roach taking the caster straight away, fish up to 1lb were netted steadily for the first hour or so.... then the float dipped and then buried. On the strike I knew this was no roach...After a fight which lasted about 10 mins I netted a beautiful 16lb 4 oz mirror carp.
This proved that I have made a good choice in purchasing this rod, as the tip action dealt nicely with the roach and rudd, whilst he through action came into play when fighting the carp, proving its worth as it cushioned the hard running and prevented the 2lb link for breaking off.

I have been out again since and would really recommend this rod to anyone. Landing all types of fish in this session with two carp one of 12lb 7oz and the other of 14lb 8oz, 4 tench up to 6lb 2oz, 5 bream around 4 lb, a chub of 3lb 7oz and loads of silvers..... all on single caster or the bread punch, with a 2lb hooklink!

Tight Lines Andy

Little Zeds from the Cut

After having fished my local stretch of canal on a couple of occasions with no joy, I have at last bagged a few small Zander from the cut. Interestingly they are all very small in fact all under 2 pounds so I suspect that this stretch might well have been electro'd in the the past. Smallest being "hand-sized".

After missing lots of fish on a light float set up I have settled now on fishing a running link with very small bobbins and alarms. On the canal this allows for good bait placement with the tow going backwards and forwards constantly.

I have also netted some crayfish, ruffe and perch, which again interests me as all predatory species.

Bearded Barney Rubble from the Avon

After a midweek chat with Dan we decided to meet on the Avon for an early session on Sunday...if fact we over estimated the time of first light by about an hour.

We had a conversation whilst waiting for the sun to rise about the different approaches that we aimed to employ for the morning. I had decided to try a new rig that was focused around making a "barbel bomb" which included moulding a stiff halibut mix around my gripper lead with the long fluro hook link of around 3 ft included (much like a method feeder). I had also decided to change my hook bait to the Sonu baits ellipse shape pellets superglued together onto the hair. Another slight change that I made was to use a metre of lead core prior to the quick link swivel and bead which allow the lead to run but would not damage the line whilst also ensuring the line was nailed down to the river bed and perhaps assisting with any snags that I may encounter!

Dan was that excited about my chance that he sat with me for the first 10 minutes as he was anticipating some immediate action, but unfortunately this did not appear. So Dan set up 50m downstream to begin his barbel attack.

After about 25 mins though some action did arrive with my tip bending round and the baitrunner rolling off line. After a short fight it was clear to me that this was not my targeted quarry pulling my line, but a nice sized chub of around 4 1/2 lb.

Fin perfect chub.

During the fight I noticed that my drag system on my baitrunner was not working effectively, in fact not at all as the fish was unable to run after the baitrunner had engaged. So a quick change of reel bodies was required as I am sure if I had hit a barbel it would had caused an issue. It appears that there could have been some grit it the rear drag system as after a play it seemed to work fine , though I was unaware that the tension that the runner is set at effects the drag once engaged, something I will remember in future.

Anyway I digress! The bomb was cast back into my target zone and the trap was set once more...roughly 30 minutes past before all hell broke out on the tranquil banks of the Avon. Through the morning chorus of birds singing and the odd sound of a Buzzard came a shout of "I'm in!", as my tip slammed round to 90 degrees and line started to strip quickly of my reel. By the time I had engaged the drag the fish had made it deep into the roots on the far bank, just as Dan arrived from his 50 metre early morning sprint! Though I felt that my chance had gone, a bit of movement downstream and side strain released the fish for the snags and into a small area of open water, which is very rare on this stretch of river! Perhaps the addition of the lead core might have helped me? Keeping the pressure on the fish I could see that it was a barbel but was not convinced that it was my target fish of 10lb!

Dan kindly jumped down to the waters edge and the fish after a couple of minutes was safely in the net. As Dan past the net to me I changed my mind on the fishes weight, but how big was it? What a cracking looking fish! We made our way back to my swim and to the safety of the unhooking matt, Dan collected his sling and the scales which held my fate! I unhooked the fish and slipped her into the sling, hoisting the sling up Dan kept its weight a secret for a couple of seconds but I noticed his face changed as he focused on the needle. Inviting me round we could not believe that the fish registered 10lb on the dot! Though it was my first ever double figure barbel, there is no way it could have been any closer!
Happy bunney- 10lb on the nail!

You cna see she had some disticntive features have a piece of top ray missing on her tail, and also she had two black spots on the top of her head. Beauty!

Pictures were taken and the fish was walked further downstream into the shallows and given tine to recover, until she blew some oxygen through her gills, reliving her exhaustion and giving her the energy back to allow her to return home. At this time the adrenaline was slowing down and I managed to compose myself to shake Dans hand and giving a shout of satisfaction that my target had been reached (sorry to the local residents that my have been still sleeping), another boxed ticked in my angling adventures!

I settled myself back down I changed my link and put the bomb back out. A while past before my next bite with the tip firstly moving back with a drop back before bending round. It was evident almost immediately that this was again not a barbel with a small chub of around 2lb surfacing quickly from under the cover and gliding effortlessly across the current and into my landing net.

By 11 o'clock the sun had risen and was shining directly into the area that I had focused on so I decided enough was enough and packed away. Overall I well stoked with catching the barbel and has shown me again why some people focus all their efforts on the truly beautiful fish.

Thanks to Dan for his help.

Tight Lines

Andy

Trying for barbel on the Severn.....Hampton Loade

As barbel are a fish that has always alluded me I jumped at the chance when my mate asked my if I would like to join him on the River Severn at Hampton Loade. I have read articles about this stretch and seen Matt Hayes and Mick Brown fishing there I have never myself been there so it was all a new experience.


When we arrived no other cars were parked in the BAA car park which meant that we should have the pick of the pegs. As you can see from the pictures it is a great looking place to fish, in fact it felt like the type of place every one should fish to get the true feeling of what fishing is about. Not purely about the capture of fish but also the serenity of being in such beautiful surroundings relaxing.

Downstream

Upstream


My friend is in a lucky situation which enables him to get baits so we decided to take 6 pints of maggots, 4 pints of caster, 4 pints of hemp, a bag of 6mm hali pellets and some hali paste.....each!!! Would have cost a small fortune!

The tactics that we decided to settle on where to use large maggot feeders on both rods, and to alternated between using hemp with caster and maggot. With aim being to get the barbel feeding hard on small baits in the swim, hopefully dragging them from down stream.


I set up my two Shimano barbel rods with an small baitrunner 6000's filed with 10lb mainline and Drennan 2.5oz large feeders with a Korum quick change bead prior to a hook link of 8lb double strength mono, finished in a super specialist size 12 hook.




I cast my first rod 3/4 across and set it onto the rest as I was baiting my second rod the tip bounced back then hooped over..barbel????...no a 2lb 10oz chub on my first cast.

Not bad.
I recast both rod and watched as the tip constantly flicked and tapped by the minnows struggling to get 4 maggots on a size 12 in their mouths.

Next tap i hit and reeled in a fish which is a first for me...a small trout which was a truly beautiful little fish with its red spots and amazing other colours.

After about 15 mins my tip bent and I hit into another better fish...barbel.....no ! A chub of 3lb 3oz ! was I ever gonna catch one?

The next couple of hours went by , in which I failed to connect with any barbus barbus. But my mate did bank 2! (Git!) Though I did have a few small chub, dace and some specimen gonks!

After moving to the other side of where my friend was fishing I tried something new by casting upstream into deeper water and hoping that the weight would hold..which it did. With only an hour left on the clock before our planning finish time I was very anxious to score a barbel of this lovely river...

After about 10 minutes the BAA bailiff walked down the bank and asked for our day tickets which we gladly produced (though I always do have the correct licences there is still something slightly satisfying about having the correct paperwork when a bailiff asks...I always think they expect the worst?)

As I spoke to him about the tactics and swims that regulars adopt, my rod tip wrapped round and line started to spin of the baitrunner, I ran from only about 3 yards away hitting into the run, though I felt the fish it had hit a heavy weed bed by the time I had reached it. (Gutted). On retrieving my rig I was made aware of the true power of the barbel as it had straighten my super specialist hook.

I re-baited the rig and re-cast upstream into the deeper area that the last run had came.
Just 5 minutes later the tip dropped back and then hooped down, at last I had hit my first Severn barbel, though I did suspect it to be a chub!! In fact it was probably the smallest barbel in the river, weighing it at just 14oz! Much to my mates amusement as he questioned if it was a record breaking gudgeon!

With time running out to catch "a real one" I sat watching the tip, hitting and missing lots of small taps orange end. In some ways I was a bit over anxious to catch the barbel. It was not until 10 mins before the end that the rod ripped round to a run that was a definite proper barbel. I was aware that these fish fight hard but it was not until hooking one first hand that I believed it, it felt like a mixture between a very angry tench that wants to get into weed at all costs and a male carp of about 8lbs with behavioural issues!

After running me up and across the river I landed a fish of only 4lbs 7oz but I think I can call it a "proper barbel" and have broken my virginity!

Safely returned home

I can understand how people get hooked on these beautiful fish and only fish for them as matter of course. In such nice surroundings fishing for a fish that fights like Tyson.

A great day out, would advise everyone to give it a go!

Tight lines

Andy

Lawford beach casting???

With a little bit of time on my hands I decided to take trip to my local stretch of the Avon which "locals" call the beach, due the amount of kids that paddle and play in the shallows and parents that sunbath....proper classy!

On arrival there were non of the above so I had my choice of where to fish. Tackle wise I had taken very little, my old trust Diawa Tommy Pickering Whisker Connoisseur 13ft float rod, centre pin, stick float, size 16 hook and a loaf of bread...oh and some shot!

I opted for wading down stream and long trotting the float straight down in front of me, whilst introducing some bread mash. It was my aim to connect with chub and hopefully roach.

I stuck this out for about and hour but though I could see fish topping down the run I failed to attach to any. Which to be honest was disappointing as the swim looked great and I felt like I was fish well, with nicely presented bread flake.

I moved around the corner to a high banked bend in the river in which I could see minnows and small dace darting around so thought there might be larger fish in the vicinity. Well first run through my float dipped and a small chub was landed...not bad but I hoped for more.

A chub of around 3 pounds swam bold as brass straight down the swim towards me but continued on up stream...never to be seen again!

Second run through dip and a dace was banked...perhaps in for a good ending to a poor morning?

I did though see some some perch chasing some minnows so decided to go on the hunt for some worms...mole hill bashing! I did find one so cut it into two pieces and flicked my rig into the water. Dip, dip, and away. It took about three seconds for the first perch to take the worm, but I drooped it after disgorging straight back into its home! Only half a worm left to see what else lived in the swim. Again dip, dip and away the second perch took the bait. A pristine little fella that looked great in the mid afternoon sun.

After the perch I did manage a few other small dace but nothing to bore you anymore with.

A very enjoyable afternoon spent sitting on the beach!

Muchas Tincas for a ton up totarlus!

After Speaking with Dan about his impressive catch of perch and tench last week we decided to meet and have a bash on Thursday afternoon. Whilst it was my aim to catch some tench, Dan was going for his perch point for his challenge.

On arrival there were a few anglers on the causeway that had not really caught any fish to speak of, apart from on lad who had bagged up on the tench on the peg before the bridge at about 10 metres on the pole with a banded 6mm Hali pellet. To assist this he was feed a kinder pot of pellet laced ground bait after every fish. He said he had about 100lb of fish.

I set up on a peg that had just been vacated by another angler, who was moaning about not catching anything!, next to the reed bed after the bridge.
I set up two pole rigs, one at 10 metres with a Garbalino Dc13 0.8 float with an olivette to sink my bait quickly, the other as a margin rig again with the same float pattern but this time at a weight of 0.4 with styl leads spaced in a shirt button style.
The other two set ups were a method feeder rod and a power waggler set at about 10 ft of if the pole struggled.

I started by cupping in 5 orange balls of laced ground bait with various tench goodies at 10 metres and 3 at about 4 meters just in front of the reed bed.

The first hour started very slowly with only a couple of missed bites registered on the long pole swim. Due to this I changes over to the method to see if the fish were feeding at a distance. The next hour saw me land 7 tench on this swim, all of which were of a good stamp.

By this time Dan and also Keith J had arrived and joined me on the causeway sargeant fishing with garden snakes and red Margret's!

As time went by I had noticed more fish topping on the pole line so decided to come in with triple red Margret set about 1" over depth. the results came immediately with the float dipping slowly then the elastic flying out, the tench had moved in onto my bait at last.

Though I did continue to take to odd fish with my secret sausage rig......which if I told you what it was I would have to hunt your pets down!, but my pole continued to catch at regular intervals.

With the odd perch mixed in I fished until my float was no longer visible.....


Hauling the net I was very pleased to count out 29 nice tench and also 3lb 5oz of perch, Dan was very pleased with this as he caught 30 last week!!!!
All in all a very enjoyable night in which I am sure a ton of tincas were netted.

Sorry no photos as the light was dropping and I did not want to stress the fish. Dan and Keith did take a couple which they might send me to include or perhaps include in their blogs.

Keith I owe you a beer and a pound for your largest perch capture.......I do not count the one that got away!

Tight Lines
Andy