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Bewl went pretty well on Saturday, after a slow start and weather that was some what unsure on itself all went ok in the end. The wind throughout the day certainly couldn’t make its mind up with what way to blow which made for a new approach on drift fishing.

Once we managed to find the fish the action begun. I ended up with 5 and my boat partner 8. Happy days! Hopefully i’ll be back in a few weeks as i still have to break my record of 6. If we’d found them earlier this visit i’d have been on for my first full bag.

Boobies were my saviour although i took one late on to the buzzer on the dropper. Also lost two fish to the dropper. Grrr!

At last back out again tomorrow for what seems the first time in ages. I’m heading off to Bewl to try and catch a few more trout. The weather looks spot on so hopefully some fish will come my way!

I’ll update tomorrow to let you know how i get on.

Good luck to all that are out this weekend! And thank god only 6 days until the river opens its doors again.

Wehey!!!!

A quick update to say went off to fish Bewl the first two days of the season and gees my right side aches! Was absolutely chomping at the bit to get out on Bewl for the first few days from the bank and what gorgeous weather! Perfect for a few days fishing…! Ok not overly great conditions for the fishing to be honest but still a great way to spend a few days.

Fishing wasn’t the easiest as on arrival the place was heaving with around 100+ people with the same idea as me. Doh! But still the hunt was on, not so much for the fish but more so fishable bank… you may think with over 12 miles of bank thats easy, give it a go you’ll soon be knackered and wondering where to try next. Half mile walk one way or the other… decisions decisions!

Still it paid off i managed 3 fish both days and had plenty of other takes and 4 lost. I was more than happy. I’m still a beginner but was more than chuffed when all fish were on my own little creation – wink wink! Happy days!

Fingers crossed and i’ll be back out there soon!

Tight lines to all!

ps. damn those blue trout fight flipping hard!!!!

Well after not getting out on the lake or rivers for 8 weeks i was chomping at the bit to get out for the last day. A new dog has been taking up all my time of late but i have reserved the last day for an outing on the River Mole.

The rain the night before helped put a little colour in the water and conditions looked perfect for a few fish on arrival. Unfortunately it was a very hard day, fishing was hard going apart from continuous takes from ravenous minnows nicking the maggots. Various techniques had been tried and by 11am things were going very slowly. Apart from the minnows i’d lost a fish that took a lob fished to the far bank… a nice whang on the quiver tip and a short fight and he had escaped. Still an hour later the tip showed some movement again, a few taps and then all went quiet. Then wham the fish had decided he wanted my bait… this time half a lob to a size 12 super specimen. Initially i’d thought it was a chub due to the speed it moved up stream. Then it rolled and i thought hello red fins, stripes – happy days! A few moments later a nice 2lb 14oz Perch graced my net. My biggest of the season, and what a way to end!

Unfortunately that was the only action of the day. With all the minnows present we were sure they’d be more perch and chub around but we threw everything at em and no more action was to be had. Every likely looking spot was cast too, every bait we had was tried. Oh well, 3 months and it will be worth another try thats for sure.

Until then its a tad more luring the lakes and the fly rod is out on Monday for the first day of the season! Can’t flippin wait!

Tight lines to all.

Firstly a Happy New Year to all, i hope it brings some monsters to your net!

Secondly what is up with this weather… gees its depressing – first snow, then freezing temps for what seemed like ages and now its chucking it down every other day! Resulting in the river being so high and coloured its hardly worth fishing. Damn i’m moaning but its doing my head in! I just want to get out there chuck some lures and do what i love doing the most. If i can’t, well i’m just not happy!

Apologies rant over…!

On to my challenge for 2011. To catch a Pike and a Perch on a fly. I don’t know what it is but i really want to catch a stripy and hook into an angry pike on a fly rod. There is just something about the method that intrigues me. I’m becoming obsessed, i’m constantly scouring the web looking at flies that i think could be the answer. Hopefully i’ll be able to go after them when this weather gets a little better. And whatever happens succeed or fail i’ll post updates to let you know how i’m getting on. Until then i’ll keep reading and spending my wages on materials and lures to help me on my mission.

Good luck to all, i hope your 2011 is a good one!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a great christmas and a happy new year!

Hoping that everyone catches some monsters in 2011!!!!

Check this out, a whole new take on how to fish for pike during winter!

I managed another 2 double figure pike on a half day outing this Saturday, and boy they went like stink!  They are certainly fighting hard at the moment, love it!

And I don’t know what it is at the moment but i only seem to be able to catch on Sprats.  What is that all about?  I even put a sprat and a smelt around 3 metres from each other for a couple of hours.  3 bites to the sprat, zero to the smelt.  How weird and yep positions did get switched just incase!  I always used to have more faith in the good ole smelt being taken but now i’ve totally swung my opinion.  This isn’t a one off either… the week before on the river exactly the same!  Still i’ll always take the smelts and other baits with me as i’m sure the next outing will be different… or will it?  Have they got a particular liking to sprats or are the taking the bait as it is somewhat smaller than others…?  Certainly gets you thinking about what you are doing and why it is working…!

I’ve also switched to single hook rigs for my last 3 outings, and only lost one.  Although i think that was solely because i struck way too quickly in the excitement of seeing my float go under – admittedly that was after three hours of motionless floats.  Still i am seriously impressed at the hook ups!  I’ve had 6 fish on them now and 5 of them doubles.  All fish were hooked perfectly in the scissors and unhooked without the need for forceps.  Not bad hey!  The same again will be used this weekend and i’m sure the results will be the same.  Makes you think doesn’t it… and a damn site easier to make, unhook, and the traces seem to last longer as well. 

Perch on lures was again the aim for saturday’s fishing trip!  I visited a local pit that looks stunning at this time of year, and thankfully i was just in time before Sunday and Monday’s downpours.  I tried my favourite productive areas but unfortunately hadn’t seen much to give me any confidence so started to have a move from swim to swim.   I only had 2 hours before having to drive to London and I was simply after a quick fix.  After an hour i was beginning to doubt myself a little, should i have gone to where i had good success last weekend.

I had gone through various lures, Rapala jointed shad raps, shallow shad raps, deeper divers, kopyto shads and even the faithful Salmo Hornet that has been so succesfull of late.  Unfortunately nothing had shown a liking to anything i’d chucked in.  I’d seen quite a few pike striking in to the local roach population, they were really going for it and hitting into them roughly every 15 minutes before the sun awoke fully from behind the trees. 

Still working the bank i decided to change lures again.  On went the Salmo Butcher in the Perch colourings.  Tap tap on the first retrieve… hmm maybe we’re on to something here!  Straight back out it went and after a few cranks of the reel bang, a fish had come along that really wanted my lure.  At last I was in and the notorious head shaking thudding sensation was on the end of my line, at last a Perch wanted to play!  Weighing in at 1lb 10oz it was no monster but was a cracking looking little chap, they really do show there best colours this time of year and with glowing red fins it was a cracker.   Unfortunately that was the only bite and unfortunately i had to leave shortly after.  The good that has come of this is that so far i’ve not had a perch out of this lake under a pound, ok they are not there in great numbers but the sizes have been promising.  If all goes well i’ll be back down there again this Sunday morning to see if anymore want to play! 

Please let the remainder of the week at work go quickly!  Good luck to all on your predator adventures!

Just a quick post to give my praise to the Salmo Hornet!

I set out this morning for a spot of lure fishing to see if i could bag myself some Perch, for the first out i hadn’t had a single knock and was wondering what i was doing wrong.  Anyhow a switch from soft plastics to an ultralight crankbait seemed to be the right choice.  On went the Salmo Hornet in the Perch pattern and first cast i had 2 perch follow the lure back to my feet.

Within the next two hours this little fella had bagged 12 perch, a chub and a feisty little jack!  What can i say, i great lure and one i will always have in my box.  Guess whats going on first next outing?