Highs and lows.

Thought I'd round up the week a bit. It's been one of mainly highs with a massive downer at the end. Fish wise I've caught a few and social media wise I've done pretty good. Going right back to last Sunday and the Epic pike take I actually had a few more fish that day which I didn't write about. I was chucking the 2 inch Kopyto shad around in the hope of perch and spotted some chub cruising the surface but every time I cast at them they ignored the shad. I kept picking up small perch but never found any bigger stripeys in the swim, may be they're not there? Casting around trying to find out where the fish were I got a whack and the rod bent double. I wasn't filming at the time but quickly switched on the camera to capture the majority of the battle and a decent low double pike. This time of year the pike are strong as hell and put in a fight and this fish gave me a good run for my money but with a steady approach I eventually got it in my undersized net. I'd only brought the perching net so the fish only just squeezed in. If you follow my Facebook or Youtube you might have seen this already but if not here's the fishy video below.

That was actually the first pike of the day with another four esox coming in total. One more to a kopyto and the others to free lined livebait as I wrote in the last entry. I did lose a couple of pike too which I didn't manage to set the hooks in to but that was to be expected on an ultra light rod. Back on the Kopytos I'd had a few more perch and spotted loads of bleak and small chub cruising the surface with those bigger chub evading me, at least two I'd guess with one a little bit bigger than the other. I'd kind of given up on them and was slow retrieving the shad, no jerks or pauses just a slow as possible motion. It was whacked again and all though at first I couldn't help think it was a pike it wasn't long before I realised I'd finally hooked a chub. Camera switched on quickly as again I wasn't even ready to film. It turned out to be a nice fish pushing 4lb but not quite there I guessed. I put it back and not long after swapped banks, crossing over at the lock gates. This gave me another angle to cast the lures and no sooner had I started my first slow retrieve it was smacked again. You'd think by now I'd have had the GoPro suckered to my forehead but no, silly arse had it in the bag so had to whip it out and catch the last bit of battle with what turned out to be the bigger of the two chub I'd seen and this chub went four and a half pounds, super fish. I reckon I'd just dropped on this spot at a perfect moment, fish of all sizes everywhere in a mass feeding frenzy. If only all fishing was that easy. The tiny Kopyto was simple tactic to use but it bagged up, wire trace and the lot. Just shows that pike, perch and chub don't care about a bit of wire. If you want to see the chub action watch the video below.

So midweek I had some spare time in the evening a couple of days. I could go back but fancied a change of scenery. Somewhere different that would throw up a new set of challenges for me. I do get bored easily and don't always go for the easy option. I arrived at the new canal to find it crystal clear. Not usually the best for lure fishing I find when you add the bright sunshine on top. It was nice to be out though after busy days art work and being alone with mile after mile of canal and not another person let alone angler in sight was great. I set off up canal with all the gear and no sooner had I gone 100m a massive cloud came over. A cold wind came in and the sky turned dark. A distant rumble of thunder had me on alert. When I looked around, the highest object around seemed to be me. I didn't fancy conducting electricity down my two rods so sharpishly headed back to the car. I chucked the gear in and sat watching as the rain lashed down and the storm gave me some fantastic viewing. I wish I'd have had time to set the GoPro up as I might have got some great footage, especially a couple of the strikes which went horizontally across the sky. Proper wow moments.

When the storm past, a good twenty five minutes later I was back out and back to where I'd left off before. Again I carted loads of gear which had be casting the rapala first then having a chuck with a heavy jerkbait before moving on. This was hard work, especially when the cold front moved off to be replaced with flat calm, blue skies and scorching hot sun. I was sweating buckets now and after a good haul and no fish I about turned and went back to the car. I was now heading for a massive blank and had to figure out how to save the day. Everything went back in the car all except a couple of items. Of course a rod, the ultra light set up was chosen and one lure. My trusty 7cm jointed Rapala shad rap. Rather than bright colour I'd chosen a more natural light blue and white version. I left the net, lure box and bag, scales and even the camera. The only other item were a pair of long nosed pliers in the back pocket and off I went.

I kept seeing fish, some nice perch were about but they were not interested. They were settled on the canal bed and even knocking them on the head wouldn't interest them. I think they had already had a feed and were just sat digesting their food. If I could find a jack though he might help me save a blank before I finally had a bit of interest but it was a half hearted take from a 1lb plus perch who wouldn't come back for another go. When it seemed like I was running out of time and water I spotted a movement. A single chub was cruising the surface coming towards me. I cast past it and brought the lure right across it's path and as soon as the chub saw my lure it darted straight for it. The blank was saved with a fish about 2lb. This was then followed up by a take in the deep channel in the middle of the canal with what turned out to be a super looking 2lb stripey. A great result in the end and I went home happy. Pictures taken on the iPhone.

Chub - Rapala Jointed shad rap

Perch - Rapala jointed shad rap

I was out again the next day but where to? Should I go to where I had so much success or back to the hard grind and crystal clear waters? I chose the hard grind, I guess I'm a sucker for punishment. I had a crack with the Rapala again but after an hour or more of no joy I decided it was time for a change. The tactic often worked but it wasn't really now so I went for the Kopyto, though a 2.5inch bright green effort. Often I was casting out and just bringing it in but then I would also mix it up with bottom bouncing and even really, really slow retrieve along the bottom. Trying to puff up a cloud of dust to interest something. By the time I was back at the car I'd probably fished a good 500m of bank in total for no reward, not even a pluck. Today I would blank for sure. Tail between my legs I was nearly at the car and was going to avoid the starting spot and just go home but I gave it one last go. Five perch in total with this the pick of the fish. Luck? Skill? I'd say just perseverance in the end.

Perch - Relax Kopyto

This week I had a few fantastic offers via other fishing related folk on the internet. One is a rather generous offer to fish with a total stranger, but no doubt fantastic bloke, some time in the future. One I won't say much more on just now, only that when it happens I'll gladly tell the story as it will be a fantastic experience. Another was interest in my Youtube video making and fishing skills combined. Another that when it comes off you'll be the first to know. Someone with awesome skills and that I can't wait to work alongside. Then finally late this week an offer of sponsorship for my Youtube videos. There's a new lure shop out there with the name of Lure Lounge and my videos will feature a little plug for his website. While very new, it only opened on Friday, there is already a good stock of lures. Some well known such as Savage Gear and some not so well known to us here in the UK but it seems the lures he is stocking are well known in places such as the US and Australia for starters. That is part of his plan, to bring in and supply not just the easy to get hold of lures but stuff we often struggle to find. So get yourself over to LureLounge.co.uk and have a browse. There's already a bit of variety and some interesting looking lures to try so next time you're needing a lure fix grab some gear from Lure Lounge.


Finally, after a great week of all things fishing for me I ended with a fishing free weekend. I was planning to get out with Woody somewhere, if only to catch a bit of sun. But right at the end of the week I was dealt a massive blow when my best mate suddenly fell ill. My best mate, like many of you lot too no doubt, was my dog Poppy. A real character and genuine, perfect, family loving dog. An absolute gem of a mate and one I am going to miss deeply. RIP Popples.

Poppy

I think I've lost it

There are many obsessive and compulsive orders in fishing and most anglers have one or two and some have umpteen. Whether it be noting moon phases, temperatures and the rest or just simply hoarding thousands of lures with most never touching the water. I started this blog a couple of years ago to act as a kind of diary if only for myself but I feel it's grown a little from that initial idea. That diary thing is often something anglers do, make a note of as much information as possible in order too pinpoint good things in fishing so that you can replicate it and predict the good fishing. For me the diary was a way of keeping a tally of fish caught and the first year I put my results up for all to see.

The second year in fishing and blogging I decided to not post the stats as I felt I would always feel like I was trying to beat the previous year, and for me fishing isn't so much targets it's just catching fish, and mostly in the style I love most. Despite not publishing the stats, my obsession had me still keeping a running tally behind curtains and it even went a step further with me noting which lures caught most fish. If you're interested Squirrelly Burts caught most pike, Kopytos and rapala shad raps most perch, With the Burt I know that is because of two things, it's a great lure and I like to use it so two reasons why that lead the captures. For the perch, kopytos for jigging and getting to deep water and shad raps for trolling or coloured canals. Fish wise I did end up catching more pike than the first blogging year and perch wise I smashed it as I got in to light lure fishing more and more and the perch were no longer a bonus capture but a fish of target.

So this year do I keep a tally, try to beat my previous years achievements or what? We're in April and I have no idea the numbers of fish I have caught. I've not kept any record except a few photos or the bigger fish. I now go out and fish and have big trouble even remembering how many fish I had and a week later I have no idea what I had exactly. Have I finally shook the stato habit? I think I have you know.

The other day I went fishing, caught some perch and some chub. The only stats I can remember were the chub which I had to weigh as it was a lump and went five pounds, and that I had two chub in total also loosing another one off. Perch, well I had some. No lumps or I would have weighed them, though if this fellow below had stuck I would have been weighing it.

Enjoyment in fishing is the reason I go. I love being outside and the constant battle to try and tempt a fish with the reward of the capture what I like, but I can also take great joy out of missing a big fish as in the little video above. If I can pass on anything to anglers out there it's don't get caught up in big fish chasing, targets and silly competitions just go out and enjoy what you love.

Happy Wednesday.

I've never been one for.....ok I could just say I'm anti social now and get it over with.....I've never been one for new years celebrations apart from getting sozzled when I was about eighteen, I've grown up now  though. So while all the country were getting rat arsed, no idea why because today is just Wednesday after all, I was making plans on where to go at first light. Told you, I'm anti social. The plans consisted at looking at all the river levels and realising I would be wasting my time and that either a canal or still water would be best.

So off I went to the river. No I'm kidding I'm not that daft, the canals it was and upon arriving there at about 7am it was still pitch black. Half cloudy half clear skies there was a chance I'd be able to see soon if that cloud stayed away from the East. It didn't, so I ended up fishing in the pitch black. Couldn't see a thing, no idea if I was getting follows or if I was casting in the right spots. Not sure my plan making is that good some times. 

I'd decided against chasing pike and thought I'd just have an hour or two with the little lures. A couple of fish to start the year would be good and so the small lures gave me best chance of a fish, any fish. Still pitch black and twenty minutes in nothing, but then finally I had a couple of taps and then I was in. Two small perch in total darkness. First session of the year and I've not blanked.
 
After an hour on the bank the sun was struggling to make an impact on the sky but at last it was here and so I decided to go back to a few spots I'd blanked in the darkness. I picked up a couple more small perch, had a few knocks and all was well. I then had something take the lure which wasn't a small perch and I reckoned was a good perch, not a monster but may be one pushing two pound judging by the fight and the bend in the rod. Frustratingly it managed to wriggle free of the hook and I was left dodging my jig head coming flying back at my face.

One or two more fish and it went quiet so I began making the changes. I know the kopytos work but I also know that sometimes the perch switch off them and by changing you can get back on the action. I'd left the spinners and small cranks in my other box so was only left with more soft lures. I had a couple of 7cm soft 4plays but straight retrieve or jigged they didn't produce. A couple of other coloured shads were used added with a stop....wiggle...stop...wiggle retrieve picked up a perch but no more. I then went smaller and put on a small two white inch grub with a light jig head and first cast I let it sink about half way and then slowly started to bring it in when it got nailed. Again this was something bigger and I kept pressure on and brought it in close for the net. It zoomed up and past the net where I turned it one more time to realise what it was. Not a nice perch but a nice chub, not huge, possibly two pounds and a noggin or two may be.

Curly tail grub

Well that was a bonus fish I didn't expect here. I whipped out the white grub and did the same thing and again in no time it was whacked though this time I knew it to be a perch. The absolute crazy madness of the fight  compared to the chub told me this, not a bad one at about a pound or so maybe more. I thought I was in to something special now and without bothering to take a photo I flicked out the grub, and again, and again and again but nothing. Still I had to be happy, an hour and half in to the new year and I've had a few perch and a nice chub, excellent.

It was still early, still cold but the forecast late morning rains were still hopefully an hour or so off so after thrashing the area again with everything for no joy, off I went. I'd no idea where I was going, there were no features to target, no boats, locks, marinas or anything just wide open canal. In fact, come to think of it, where the hell was I going? This time of year finding the fish is the hard part, they often shoal up somewhere and if you're not there you catch nothing. The few features of this canal had produced some reward but the rest of the canal, the bit I was walking towards seemed like a cold, wind swept open water and it didn't look like any enjoyment would be found here.
 

Relax Kopyto

I'd walk a bit, fan cast a random area for no other reason than I wasn't going to catch if I didn't have the lure in the water. After fan casting I'd walk more and jig along the edge as I did so before stopping and fan casting again. Maybe doing the lottery would have better odds, but spurred on by a few fish and celebrating Wednesday in style I was happy enough to keep plugging away. Then out of the blue, tappy tap goes the rod and then as it bends I'm in to a small perch. Waheey, fish on! What a handsome little chappy too, in fact they're all like that, super fish these perch. Fan casting the same area it's tappy tap again and fish on. Tappy tap, fish on again. I've found some sport, it's keeping me smiling and keeping the cold out which is even better. Tappy tap, tappy tap. This goes on and on. Nothing big among them except the size of the shoal. For twenty yards, no matter which direction I cast it's tappy tap. When I've knocked up thirty fish for the day I'm over the moon. As forty comes and goes I'm chuffed to bits, this is better than laying in bed with a hang over. The half century is reached and I'm knocking up a cricket score. The sport slows a little but I'm still catching and as I near sixty I decide to declare at that. Out of curiosity I wander further along the canal, may be a hundred yards or more and not one fish. I get a text from the wife who by now has realised that I wasn't laid next to her and must be out fishing. I call her back, yes I've been caught, and ask her to put the kettle on, I'm on my way for a brew. As I walk past the bagging spot again I can't resist a cast and it's five more fish in five casts. The rain is now crashing down, the wind is picking up and I know when to call it a day. Happy Wednesday people!

Pike season is here. I know, how slow am I noticing?

So I thought it time to update and round off what should be the end to my summer fishing with the light gear and time for some serious pike fishing with some proper gear. Well I'm hardly the proper winter piker as I don't particularly target big winter pike. All year long I target fish on the lures, mostly it's pike but this year I managed to avoid my pike spots while the sun was shining as I felt it wasn't right for esox in favour of mostly perch. The cold seems to finally be here even if it's not frosty or snowy yet. However for the last month or so I've casually carried on with the light gear. The occasional large lure has been thrown but only the odd hour here or there. The weather has kind of held off a little and so I decided to stick it out with the light gear in the hope of more fun. However I've still resisted the urge to go to a few places where I know I have a chance of a big perch in favour of trying out somewhere new that I have no knowledge of and don't even know how big the perch go. The banker canal where I had my pb last year I know has been hit by a few lure anglers. With my ear to the ground and my beady eye on the forums plus a few chats with lads who I know there's been a good few lure chuckers chasing the big perch and I decided to keep clear.


I've been trying my best to find some river perch close to home, however the closest I've come a few times now is a big perch shaking the hooks. No record breakers but easily fish in the two and three pound bracket. A shame but at least now I know a few places where I stand a chance. Problem is the fish move as soon as a few have been caught so it's a waiting game. Maybe I should wait until about March time when they're fat as pigs? I've also had a few chucks at some canals that should throw up a fish or two and again I wasn't sure how big. I've managed a good few pound and pound and half fish with stacks of small perch to 10oz size and then finally I dropped on a good fish that went 2lb 12oz. I was happy with that one as it was a hard earned fish and also a good finish to my summer light lure fishing.

Well it hasn't really finished. I've enjoyed throwing small stuff about and haven't been in a rush to chase pike. I haven't even got sorted for winter where I was supposed to be getting a dead bait set up or two bought but instead I've spent money on other stuff, such as the gear from LureFactors to make my own soft lures. I've enjoyed the process and even though I know I'm not creating things on the level such as Matt Holmes does, it's still an extra pleasure to catch on something you've created yourself. For my latest lures I went and made a couple of half decent shad moulds so 2-5 inch lures are now a doddle to make. They're not as neat and perfect as the moulds you can buy but that doesn't bother me in the slightest. The fish don't check to see your craftsmanship and as was the case today, a lure I made last night was trashed in no time. I'll just have to melt that one down again to make a new one. Here's a selection of my last batch. All simple and no fancy stuff with the colourings yet (if ever) but they all work perfect. So there's another reason I haven't made the switch to serious pike fishing. Making lures and testing them out and then enjoying a fish or two on them has been a distraction from getting the large lumps of wood out. I've managed a few fish, pike, perch and a chub too.

So is it now time to make the switch to pike as the colder weather draws in? I'm not sure I will yet. I might just give this ultra light fishing a bit longer and see where it goes.

How it all started

My old man, a barbel and me aged four

Inspired by a thread on the LAS forum I went to my mums and dug out some old photos. There was all sorts to sift through but I knew there were at least a few that had me and a fish or two. When I was a kid I used to do a bit of all sorts and I wasn't just a lure man back then. My earliest memories are fishing with the nets for minnows on the river Ure and then making the step up to a granddad made stick with some mono tied straight to the end, a size twenty two hook and a maggot which would usually bag me a stack of fish before I had to change it to a fresh one. I can just about recall catching stuff on a proper rod when I was not much older than a nipper and though I can't recall my first "proper" fish I know it was probably one from trout, dace and chub from the river. I used to go all over with my dad and my granddad fishing, most of the time I would just be there to get out rather than be bored at home. It looks as though this is the oldest photo of me and fishing, and it's from about 1980/81 when I was around four years old. Again it's on the Ure and I'm with my old man for a nice barbel photo.Yes, I look stunning I know.

A nice brown trout, if you can make it out, and
my granddad in the background watching on.

I seem to remember most of my early fishing memories come from the Ure. My grandma and granddad had a caravan there an so we were up whenever we could. Back then plenty of what we caught went in the pot and that was another great part of fishing for me. Catching something that was big enough to eat for my tea when I got back to the caravan. When I was too big to fit in the red wellies I was fishing all by myself, either trotting some maggots under a stick float or on my little feeder rod waiting for the tip to whack round. We also spent a bit of time night fishing for eels, again they went in the pot. After scouring the local cricket fields late at night for lob worms, they were the best bait ever for catching big eels I recall. I can vaguely remember catching something like four three pound and three four pound eels in one session, not bad for a young lad.






 

me at about the age of eight with a nice eel

A nice brownie and me at about nine?

Grayling for tea, I'm probably about eleven in this photo

Stalking chub

When I got to around eleven I would spend my summer holidays at the caravan. I would spend the early morning out with the air rifle, often getting a rabbit for the dinner and a pocket full of potatoes from the farmers field to go with it. The daytime was chill out time which usually meant I went off on a little adventure on my own. Armed with a pocket knife I would just go off wherever I fancied. One particular day I was down at the river watching the wildlife, sat in full combat gear when I heard a bit of a commotion. On the opposite bank a troop of young squaddies were on some kind of exercise and were making camp at the river side. I sat watching them from afar, mostly blending in to my surroundings but eventually I was spotted by an SAS wannabe. This particular lad crawled across the shallow river, crashed through the bushes and the proceeded to take me prisoner. I had to explain to him I wasn't anything to do with his game of soldiers to which he then had to go back to his troop, pissed wet through and everyone laughing at him. Many of my adventures involved fish spotting and by now I'd got a taste for chub fishing, though I didn't eat them this time. I was always nicking the crust from the loaf, chunks of cheese from the fridge or collecting big black slugs. The last few hours of the evenings would see me stalking for chub with just a simple 5lb straight through, small  sliding chubber float and my bait. Often it was first chuck or nothing and so sneaking up to a likely looking bush or overhang without being spotted was the key. The thrill of the take and then a crazy battle had my nerves jangling and that was a thrill I enjoyed. I found loads of chub photos at my mums, but every one was a fish just laid on the bank with nothing to show it's size. Four pounders were a plenty, fives were a bit harder to find but if memory serves me well a five and a half pound chub was my biggest catch. It's a shame none had me on the photo too, I guess I hadn't mastered self takes on the old wind on camera. The chub photo below is one from the Swale on a session with my dad, though not stalking, it was a session on the feeder. I also seem to remember this session was a particularly long one which started very early and went on through the next night where I slept in a tree while the fishing was slow.

One of a few chub photos and me a young teen

If I wasn't at the caravan I had to find somewhere closer to home to fish. Often me and my dad would be off somewhere but if we didn't have plans it meant I was pike fishing on my own. Most of my lure fishing was shallow weedy ponds and often my only technique to avoid the weed was a surface popper which meant for great takes. Most pike were small, often three or four pounds though it wasn't size I was going for, it was the thrill of the take. Though It was this very same technique which back then caught me my still pb fish of 27lb which came up and took a small popper late one evening. Shame I've got no photo of this fish though. I do have one photo of a decent fish and that's a nice seventeen pounder I caught while out with my dad.

 

A seventeen pounder and a fourteen year old lad.

I think the way I like to fish now is fuelled by my obsession with pike lure fishing and chub stalking as a kid. Sitting around in one spot wasn't for me and that's why now I'm always on the move chucking lures. I've done a bit of this and a bit of that and sampled many fish, but out of it all I now only have the urge to go lure fishing.
 

Eventful adventure but the target fish escaped us

Yesterday I went out with Woody to a new river, to me at leastanyway. He phoned me mid week to ask if I fancied an adventure. Silly question as I love going new places. He then dropped it to me where it was, and mentioned the zed word, Zander. I don't know what I was more excited about, the brand new river or the chance of a zed. I was a bit giddy for the rest of the week.

I arrived at Woodys house at around 5:20am. It's the first time I'd been to his house and I managed to find it on the second pass, his house is tucked in a little cul-de-sac off the main road. I pulled in to find the road was tiny so I had to spin the car around, half in someone's drive. At least at that time no one would see me. I then struggled to park as the small road was full of cars, plus Woodys car and boat but I found a space next to a fence. his house lights were on and then Woody popped his head out of the front door. He invited me in, we had a quick brew and he also plonked in front of me his iPad and a video of Matt Hayes from Youtube. A great video and it got the juices flowing for certain. We chucked my gear in his car and then I moved mine around to another spot where Woody said it would be better and then we were off. A good couple of hour drive was in front of us, which I don't mind though the only problem with this is it's fishing time wasted. We'd just have to work harder to make the most of our time when we got there. We'd only been on the road an hour when Woody got a call from his missus Becky to tell him that I'd been slagged off on Facebook for parking on a private drive, that I was this far from getting a ticket from the local self proclaimed wannabe traffic warden. Ha ha, some people are sad. They need to get fishing in their lives and chill the feck out! A bit of drama to start with but the day was going to have more events than a few saddos on Facebook. Straight on to drama number two. We were plodding along the motorway when out of the corner of my eye I see a low flying Wood pigeon. They are often a bit slack as it is but this one had decided to low fly across the motorway. At the last second it swerved to miss the car on our outside in the middle lane. It missed the drivers window by a fraction, up and over that car, but the wind and slipstream caused of that just car sucked it back down the other side and then straight in to the drivers window of our car. Of course Woody hadn't seen it and it had him shitting his pants, to my amusement of course. His window was also open about three inches, how funny would it have been if that thing had flown straight in? Me and Woody frantically doing our best to stop Tike from running around the car trying to catch a pigeon, ha ha!

Pulling up to the boat launch we were now excited. But our first thoughts after checking out what the river looked like were that the ramp was a little steep and the funny angle meant there wasn't much room for mistake as if we got it wrong the trailer would run off the edge of a tight angled, steep short ramp. First attempt saw us slightly wrong and so we had to get the car up the ramp again. The wheels span and it didn't look good, arse cheeks squeezed firmly and it was back for another run up. This time we got it right and I shoved the boat off. All aboard and we were all set for our little adventure though we both knew that getting out might be a little tricky especially if we get some rain later in the day.

We had a little troll of the light lures a few hundred meters down to the bottom of this stretch of river. There was a weir and also some lock gates which we wanted to have a jig around and that's where we were heading. I wasn't targeting a zander, the new river was enough excitement for me but I would love to catch one. Woody had zeds on the brain and wanted to get us both in on the fish, obviously any zed for me was a pb and that was his target. We pulled up at a fishy looking spot and got on with tying up the boat. Woody dropped down a kopyto and started to make it dance. There was a knock and his rod tip was bent and he was in to a fish. Is it a zander? We couldn't help but think that way as it's all we'd talked about. I grabbed the net and watched as the fish kept yanking away and putting a bend in the rod. We were in a small area and there wasn't much room so often the fish was under the boat, even the rod was bent under the boat sometimes so we never saw the fish which just added to the excitement. Eventually up it popped,  a small jack. Grrr! We both knew that there was far more chance of us catching our usual prey of pike and perch but you can't help getting excited at the thought of something different. Jigging this spot we picked up a few perch also before moving off thirty yard or so to jig another bit. Again more perch until we moved the next thirty yard where the fish finder showed a mass of black, a ball of fish? This ball seemed to move around so we knew something was here. The something turned in to more perch, they were everywhere. Small ones, half decent ones right up to around ten ounce or so. There must surely be a bigger perch or two here but after half an hour or so it went quiet and we'd not found them.

The plan now was for a steady troll up river to see what was ahead of us. We knew it was a half decent stretch but that we would cover it easily in the time we had so we wanted to get up it, see what fish we could pick up and then target the weir at the other end. There was a very strong flow to the river and this meant it was a bit of a struggle for the boat going up stream. A bit of wind had picked up which added to this but we didn't mind too much as we've fished in worse and caught. It was a little slow but we did keep picking up the odd perch and then every now and again a small pike. We expected to see more anglers on the bank but there was only a handful up to now. They can be a hazard to us trolling as often they are tucked in to some bushes out of sight. We come past trolling out our long lines, they have a couple of rods out and long lines out and then we all end up in a pickle if the lines cross. As we passed one angler, we were sure we were far enough away for this not to happen. But I had a knock which turned out to be nothing other than something on my line that wasn't a fish. As I started to bring my lure in I saw fishing line. I looked across to the bank angler and he wasn't grabbing for his rods at least. I ended up pulling in about sixty yards of strong line with a feeder on the end but no hook link. How the hell this had happened I don't know. The rig looked new and also like it had been done by someone who knew what he was doing. I tied up all the line into a ball and chucked it in my bag to get rid of later.

With the weir in sight, we'd not fared too well and thought we should have had more fish but didn't know why we hadn't. Anyway now we had the lock gates and the weir to have a go at. There were a couple of anglers around which meant we couldn't fish all of the weir but the lock was fair game and this is where we went first. I moored us up and we got to fishing a fast bit of water around the gates, with a couple of slack spots off it including a good slack right at the gates though we weren't quite on that bit yet. Woody was in to a perch in no time which was a bit better than what we'd been having though of nothing of notable size. I too got in to the perch and again a half decent one at that. I got Woody to take a photo since by now I was thinking we were having a slow day and I needed something for the blog at least.

Having given this bit of water some stick we decided to give the gates some hammer but this meant getting up close with the boat and holding in the slack water. Sat afloat just before the lock gates we both looked up and the gates were huge. We passed comment on how we needed to stay sharp and get out of there if we thought there was to be a boat coming our way as we wouldn't want to be there when the gates opened. Jigging around we picked up more perch including a few half decent fish, similar sized as before. There was then a strange noise. I can't actually remember what I heard, a squeal, an alarm, someone banging drums. I can just remember me and Woody looking at each other. I think we both thought, what the fuck? We both also then thought, there's a boat in that lock. I presume most people know why and how a lock gate works but just to highlight on the important bit. We were below the lock gates. If those gates were closed and full of water a boat from upstream can enter, then be lowered and come out our side on the downstream section. However the gates don't just open as that would be thousands of gallons of water being thrown out and a boat riding a massive wave. Instead the water comes out below and lowers the craft gently. Problem being, we were right where the water came out. All of a sudden the water below us started to bubble and boil. We were already getting our rods in at the point we heard the alarm but we were too slow. The boat started to move around and as Woody tried to put the power on and get us out it had little affect. We were riding a massive boil of water, it was churning up at an immense rate and we were in the shit. Apart from panic there wasn't much I could do except panic though I was also watching the back end of the boat to keep an eye out for bubbling water coming up and over the lowest point of the boat. Woody could only panic as he tried to get some control of the boat and some control over himself as he panicked. We finally were out of it after a combination of the boat taking us out and the water forcing us out, though we both know that it was way more the part of the water. You can laugh after an event like that but at the time it was very much arse clenching time. Make note if you are a boat fisherman for future reference.

Very windy day on the river

Next we had a go at the weir. We tried to get as close as was safe, especially with thoughts of our last episode very fresh in our heads. We tried in vain to get in and fish some of the faster water and any slacks but the force was too much and after a while we gave up. We fished plenty of the area with little success to be honest and eventually made our way back downstream, trolling as we went along. We actually started to pick up a few fish and downstream we seemed to be getting more fish than we did coming upstream. We also noted it was far easier to get the lures down than before and that the boat was hardly having to do anything, on minimum revs and we were fishing much better like this. The only thing against us now was the wind from before was now much much worse. In fact we might have been better with a sail than a motor. I took some photos to try and show how bad it actually was but even this picture doesn't look as rough. At least us going with it all instead of against it all was a little easier. We kept on trolling the light lures and as we passed a tree Woody was doing something, I can't quite remember what, maybe getting a sausage roll. He had his rod wedged in his legs to free up his hands. I just managed to look up at the right point as his rod was smacked by something and arched right over. Woody frantically grabbed the rod and it was fish on. Immediately he knew something was different and I wound in my lure and grabbed the net. As the fish came close we both spotted a huge chub. We knew we had a chance of one here and finally we had it. The fish wasn't finished and it wasn't quite ready for the net. I mentioned the current on this river was strong earlier but didn't really say how strong. I also mentioned the wind by now was strong and again hadn't really emphasised the point. We were steadily speedily drifting and as the chub came close it made one last dash, right under the boat and right under the propeller. Woody cut the engine but was fractionally too late and the fish was off and not only that his line was caught in the prop. I dropped anchor so that we could safely sort out the mess but the anchor did little except slow us down, it wouldn't bed in to anything because presumably the river bed was just soft. At one point it held up and we were actually ok but then next time I looked we were off again. We were pushed downstream at an alarming rate, easily a couple hundred meters but at least we weren't right in the middle and there was no other boat traffic about. We got sorted about a hundred metres up from a couple of bank anglers. There wouldn't have been much we could do as we drifted past, trolling the anchor and pulling in their rods!

Getting back to fishing we decided to give a bit of a stretch some stick with a new tactic. By now, even with the strong current and winds Woody had seemingly mastered it to a degree at least. We had some sense of control as we drifted down and our new tactic was to drift and throw jerk baits in all the likely looking weedy spots, under over hangs, slack spots anywhere and everywhere. However this turned out to be pretty fruitless with just one jack to the boat. So back to trolling again we picked up the odd fish and before long we were nearly back at the bottom of the stretch. We'd been back up certain stretches along the way so it wasn't just a straight return trip and so now it was late afternoon. It was time to hit the lock gates we'd had a bit of fun with the perch this morning in the hope something decent might be there.

Mooring up it was to be the same tactics, simply jigging our kopytos. I cast out and slowly started to twitch it back. Typically in perch fashion I felt a nip, then another and then Bang! "I'm in mate" I said and then in no time it turned to "it's a decent perch I reckon." Woody was sorting the net just in case while I had a bit of a battle with something on the other end of the line. As it got close it then went mental and my rod was bent double. Still confident it was a perch by the fight I was now thinking BIG perch. It then came up and gave us a flash of spikes and stripes and we knew it was good. You can now add the usual knee trembling moments you get when you see a big perch on the end of your line. The next time it came up it was in the net, result! Another brute of a perch to the boat after last week when Woody grabbed one just short of three. I didn't think it was quite three but it was a long fish and Woody sorted the scales out while I unhooked and then left it in the net to get some oxygen. It went 2lb 12oz and I was chuffed with that.


After some trophy shots I thought I'd put the fish back in the net to make sure it was fine. As I turned a voice from a moored up canal boat asked "what fish was that?". A lady and he man were sat having a cup of tea on their moored up canal boat and I'd not even noticed them before. With my attention distracted I lost co-ordination somehow and as I went to put the fish in the net I slipped and nearly went in head first. The fish went in the net and I clung to the side of the boat with just half my arm getting wet. Jeez, can we have any more dramas? We told the lady it was a perch and she chuckled at me nearly falling in and then watched on as we put the fish back and then proceeded to catch more perch though none anywhere near as big. Moving on and mooring up in another bit we pretty much chilled out for a bit. We were in a sun trap, out of the raging wind and current and it was actually quit nice now, though just in this corner. We weren't particularly catching much but it was good to just relax a little. I was casting around the kopyto, often you'll bump the bottom and you have to work out if it was the bottom, weed, or a fish. As my kopyto came to the surface it was missing a tail. I must have had a nip from something so I put on a new lure and cast out in hope of a fish. As I did so spotted Tike take a snap at the lure as it swung past his nose. Having watched him do this through the day I was now wondering if it was a fish that had bit my lure in half or the crazy dog. When I asked him him declined to comment. Hmm?

Back to trolling we gave the lower stretch a bit of stick and got a few more fish out. Woody hooked in to something half decent, especially on the light gear which after a good scrap turned out to be a pike of seven or eight pound which was a good way to finish the day. By now the wind was mental and any up stream travel was a little rough and wet. As he turned to make a last attempt for home came the final drama of the day. Woody's cap went flying off as the wind took a hold and before we knew it was drifting off yards away. Coming up behind us was a large canal boat which was actually tramming quite fast and heading for the hat. Woody span the boat and cranked the motor to full speed. I jumped and grabbed the net and we sped off to intercept the hat before the canal boat sent it to the depths. I had to treat this netting job as a 4lb perch or an any sized zander, there had to be no mistake and I had just one shot at it. Get in, as we sped past I scooped it up and Woodys Rapala Cap was saved. We now just had the tricky task of getting the boat back up the ramp. We decided to empty everything out of the boat and leave it to one side to save on weight. Second attempt and we were lined up nicely and we winched on the boat. As Woody let off the clutch, the wheels span briefly but we were off and up. I reckon it was mainly down to me though since I also put my shoulder in to it giving the car a helpful nudge. As most of you will have seen I'm naturally a big lad and it's my natural strength that played the big part. The car was loaded up and we were on our way, with Woodys Cap clamped firmly in the boat's fish finder clamp flapping away to dry off in the breeze as we went. We talked about our day, the positives and the negatives and the lack of zander action which was a pity. We weren't too disappointed but it was a shame as I've never even seen one up close. We might have to do some more homework and go off in search of them again in the near future.

2lb 12oz perch

Not just the fishing that's dried up

Before the week started I was ready for a bit of fishing. Working the afternoon shift meant I'd get plenty of time in before work. Monday came and I found myself sat watching daytime TV to pass the time. Why the hell wasn't I fishing?This happened on Tuesday, Wednesday and so on.

It's been scorchio out there this week and that hasn't really put me in the mood for fishing. Every person I've met has said to me "lovely weather for fishing" and I suppose it is if you're sat on a comfy chair behind a rod. But when your trudging along riverbanks and constantly casting it's a bit too much of a work out. I love fishing but I'm not stupid (in my opinion, others may disagree). Another reason I didn't get out was simply because of fish welfare. I tend to mainly fish for pike and they don't do too well in the hot weather and low oxygen levels that it brings. I had other options but opted for lazing around watching documentaries about sharks, volcanoes and all the fishing programs I had recorded.

I did manage a couple of short visits though. You lot know that I couldn't go a full week without throwing a lure at a toothy water wolf. I waited for my shift to end and then I had a few cheeky chucks. It was late by now and not far off dark so I didn't have long but I managed a few pike. Most were around the five pound mark with one exception and that was a fish of about eleven pounds. It got me my fix and helped me through a crap week at work.

Saturday came and it was much cooler. A bit of cloud cover rather than clear blue skies and it made me think again about getting out to fish. However the missus had other plans and I found myself wandering around clothes shop after clothes shop. It was crap, none of them had clothes for fishing just stuff you'd expect to find teeny bopper wannabes wearing. I need a new fishing T-shirt too, so someone missed out on a sale there. I finally got home and spent an hour chilling in the garden playing fetch with my dog and as the clock approached 5pm I had formulated a plan. I needed to go fishing.

I managed to keep all thoughts of chasing aggressive pike at bay and convinced myself a steady ultra light session together with a venture along a new stretch was what I wanted to do. I'd fished a new weir pool earlier in the year and today I was going to hit it again and see what else was lurking. I also wanted to go up river from the weir and fish some overhanging willows hoping I could find a chub or two. So armed with one box of lures I was off. The weir pool has a couple of pegs so I was going to fish those then move off to see what the rest of the river had in store. Upon arriving at the weir pool I was met with something I wasn't expecting. Something that would make me change my plans all together.


The weir had dried up. There was no water racing over the top. The whole weir was bone dry and all the rocks below it were exposed. I could walk all the way across the river except for one ten foot wide gully where the water was racing through. I could now fish places you wouldn't normally be able to fish, I had the whole weir pool to target and it looked too good an opportunity to miss.

Where is the water?

I covered loads of water using all sorts of small lure. Kopytos, spinners, little cranks and glide baits and I didn't get so much as a knock. I was gobsmacked. I expected a perch at least but there was potential for pike, chub and even trout here. There was the odd fish surfacing but that was it apart from loads of fry hiding in an among the rocks. Actually I did get a few follows from fish. The fry kept following in the lures even though the lure was about five times the size of the fry. Anyway, I hadn't come here for pike but it was time to put a pike lure on and at least try and get something. A small jack would be very welcome right now.

Even though I have my light outfit I can still chuck a 13cm savage gear lip lure and since I know this lure catches pike I always have one with me so if I'm out and I see a pike follow a small lure or I see one chasing fish I can have a crack at it. Third cast and a few cranks and I'm in. Smart move old lad, you've just saved a blank and got yourself a little jack. The fish thrashed on the surface a while and ripped a bit of line off as the clutch was set light. It then charged towards me and gave me a bit of a run around before eventually I got a glimpse.

Shit, it's a frigging chub get the net! I clambered across rocks to where I'd left it, making sure not to fall in. I was glad the rocks were bone dry as if they're slightly damp I wouldn't have been anywhere near here as it would be too slippery. I pulled the chub into a bit of slack water between some rocks and slid the net under. What a result, it looked a beauty of a chub, and on a big lure too. I couldn't believe I'd covered all that water with the smaller lures and nothing and then as soon as I stick on a big lure I'm in. The phone rang and so I left the chub to sulk in the net while I took the call. It was Woody phoning to fill me in on his day out on the boat. It was another half decent, but steady day on the boat but he and Graham had bagged over forty fish between them, a good day is that. I told him I had a chub of about three and half pounds waiting in the net so he left me to sort it out.

I clambered back on to the weir sill and got a few photos before putting the chub back in the net and in to a shallow rock pool for it to recover. It was ready in no time and didn't need any nursing like a pike would have done after that battle. I remembered I'm usually crap at guessing the weight and it was a chunky, wide fish so I got the scales out and was chuffed when it went just over four pound. I'm happy with that. A gorgeous, healthy chub.

I gave the area some more stick but got nothing so moved off the weir sill and the rocks and moved downstream to fish the back end of the pool. Again, it was tough and I managed naff all. It was now knocking on a bit and my original plan was to go upstream of the weir and check out the over hanging willow trees. However I decided to ditch that idea and go back on to the rocks at the weir, there had to be more fish there.


I started with my small lures again hoping for some perch and eventually I was rewarded when I started to get some fun. I took small perch on a few different lures, kopytos, spinners and one of Mark Houghtons little "chunky minnows" and it made for a good bit of fun. Finally a few fish from a spot I expected to catch. A little later the surface came alive with fish taking flies off the top. Most probably I guessed small chub but every now and again something larger would take something, though I couldn't make out what they were. Needless to say I tried every lure in the box to try and tempt them but couldn't get anything of size to take. I then managed to get in on the small chub, again on a few lures which was good. I decided to call it a day and head back to the car as I had a bit of a trek ahead of me. It was a good few hours out on the river, all by myself except for the wildlife, brilliant!

Aha, some perch at last!

I received my package in the post a couple of days ago. A long awaited delivery of my new reel, a Shimano Aernos 2500, to pair up with my Greys G lite rod. I’ve been using my lads Okuma reel for ages and been meaning to get around to sorting myself out. First impressions are it looks spot on for what I wanted. It’s a nice size, a pretty small reel and it looks the part too. A quick play with it in the house and it felt excellent. The reel came with a spare spool which is what I wanted and it also came with a free spool of shimano 8lb line. I’d already bought some 20lb Power pro super 8 braid so the spare mono would come in handy for even lighter lure fishing, in places where a bit of stealth was needed and also no chance of pike. I loaded up both spools and was ready but heavy rain on Wednesday had me sat twiddling my thumbs all day.

Today I had to nip to the tackle shop, having realised I was short of a few bits and bobs for trace making and so came away with those, plus more lures! Aargh, us lureaholics can’t help ourselves. Time was ticking on and I wanted to try my new reel out so headed for a canal. I could probably get to fish for about an hour and half or so, which is way better than not at all. Arriving at the scene I didn’t even bother getting my fishing clobber on. I stuck with the jeans and pumps, there was no time to be wasting. The canal looked slightly murky around the lock gates and a barge in the distance heading my way meant this swim would be even more murky in the next 20 minutes. I made a quick call and jumped back in the car and headed further along the canal, figuring I could have slightly more time to fish before this barge got here.

At the new spot I worked my way along the canal. I’d gone for the heavier spooled up option of braid since I know there are pike about, I know there can be snags and it gives me more chance of getting a snagged lure back. The pike and perch aren’t put off by a bit of braid, even in pretty clear water. I was enjoying the new reel and it felt a nice match for the rod so I was pleased with that. Just a fish now needed to christen it. I never like to go too long without a fish on new gear as you then start to blame the kit, so a fish now would be just the ticket.

The line went heavy, and then what felt at first like my lure had hit a lump of weed turned in to slow head shakes. I think this is a perch! It’s definitely a fish and as it comes close I see the stripes I’ve been hoping for. I could hardly make out the lure, the perch had virtually engulfed it all and the 7cm firetiger jointed Rapala shad rap had claimed another nice perch. A quick photo and weigh and it’s a spawned out two pounder. I’m well happy with that. A clonking perch, new reel christened and I haven’t even got my pumps dirty yet. Just watch out for the dog shit though, that could prove a spoiler if I’m not careful.

I cast around the area but move on after no more fish though I don’t get too far at all before another perch hits the lure. This time it was all up close and I saw the perch charge out from the murky depths, dorsal spines stood proud and stripes standing out bold in the clearer shallows. I struck but the hooks didn’t set. I think if anything I was too busy watching on in amazement at the perch. *insert “feeling gutted” emoticon here *. Nah stuff that. Yeah missing a big perch should be gutting but I’m happy seeing a perch up close hit my lure like that. They’re a handsome fish I tell ya! A  few more casts but I can’t get it to hit again so I move off once more.

Along my travels I spot a couple of carp. Miss the photo opportunity with one but manage to get a few photos of an easy twenty pounder cruising along just under the surface. Upon inspection there's none that have come out blog worthy which is a shame. I couldn’t tempt it either with the Rapala. It was worth a shot though. I’m now seeing rudd, small bream and spook a decent perch out of the edge before in the distance I see some shadows on the surface. As I move closer I can make them out now. A bunch of thirty or more chub, cruising along just under the surface looking for easy pickings. It’s hard to tell sizes but I know there’s some pushing three pound and one which must be a four. I look through my armoury of lures to see what I could try. First few chucks of the spinner ten feet or more away from the main bunch to see how they react to the splashes. They’re not spooked but they also don’t home in on the lures. I get braver and cast closer and then I get some attention. A couple of chub follow the spinner but then tail off the chase after following for five or six feet. Same again next cast but then after that each cast is met with the chub being a little spooked and moving off. I try a few small lures and again the chub seem a little spooked. I guess this is where I leave them to it?

In my bag I have the spare spool loaded up with mono. I make the call to ditch the braid and wire trace and get the lighter set up sorted. Tying on just a clip I’m feeling my chances of a fish have just doubled, though I know I must not use a lure which will sink into the depths where the pike might be hiding. I clip on a kopyto lure with a 3g jig head and cast out. Rod held high I can see my lure. Again I’m testing the water with casts away from the main bunch. The chub seem ok so I try a little closer. I spot a small group of three chub, one is easily a three pounder I’d guess. As the lure comes past I see the chub turn and chase. One of them hits the lure, I strike and feel the fish but then it all goes free. On inspection I find that the chub has made off with the tail of my kopyto and since I was travelling light I didn’t have any spares left. So what else is there? I spot a 7.5cm Savage gear soft 4 play and stick it on. I know this one doesn’t sink very fast as it is a pre rigged version with little weight to it.

Again I cast to the side of the bunch to see how they react. The lure is swimming along just under the surface and It sticks out a mile, but the chub, six feet or so away do not react. Time to cast nearer. I spot two decent chub together and cast over their heads, bringing the lure nicely between them. They both see it, turn and make chase. Jeez my heart is racing big time here, this is awesome fun. One of these two are gunna nail this, wait, what?! A much smaller chub smashes up out of no where and takes the lure, but at least I’m in. The clutch screams as the chub rips line off. I’d eased off a little when I made the switch to lighter line, and now as the fish is under control I apply a bit more drag, then scoop up the fish in the net when the fish is over. Wahey, success! A nice chub of about a pound and a half. Pity it wasn’t one of the bigger fish but I’m just happy my quick switch paid off. Those chub were spooked by my wire trace, but without it they were happy to take the lure. Lesson learnt for next time at least. The unhook is a bit tricky. The small chub has swallowed the lure and the treble is right down the throat. Aah damn it, treble hooks with barbs on. With a bit of faffing, in the end I get them out, though that is another lesson learnt. Using the pliers I press down the barbs, the next chub won’t be such a faff. I look up to see where the chub are but instead I’m met with the sight of that barge I moved from earlier. It’s moved my chub off and I need to get back to my car soon as it’s nearly time to get to work.

I figure I can get some more casts in on the way back if I’m quick about it. So no time to change back to braid, though I know I do need a wire trace, so I simply clip the eye of the swivel from the trace on to the clip I’d tied to the mono. Jobs a good un and I’m quickly back fishing for perch with that shad rap wiggling away. Wholly smokes I can feel a hit and some head shakes and I grin as I start to play another fish. This is a perch I know and I reckon it’s another decent one.  By golly it went two and a half pounds. What a christening this little session has turned out to be. Even better, my target of perch was actually achieved instead of pike and my tactical switch of venues and then set up both paid off. I hop skip and jump back to the car and dig out my sarnie box, then wolf down my food as I drive to work. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. These afternoons shifts aren’t so bad.

Big lips

I'm exploring a few random places lately. Many places I've never fished before or places I've been to once and blanked. I'm armed with just my ultra light set up, a few plugs, rubber lures and some spinners. There's a good selection and I'm in with a chance of all sorts. I'm just enjoying a bit of chucking and what ever pops up is most welcome. I wouldn't say I'm targeting anything in particular. I'm not going to places where pike frequent, but picking them up along the way too along with hopefully a few other species. I don't think the perch have quite switched on in a few of the places I've visited but expect they shouldn't be far off. In the mean time, you never know quite what you might catch sometimes.

The wind was a bit crazy and it doesn't help you when you're on the light gear. Bows in your line when casting hinder the aim and then when the lure hits the water, the line catching in the breeze can bring the lure back up to the surface, away from your target spot or also make the lure work incorrectly. Add to that also, if you're not in contact with your lure you might miss a bite. So it was a bit frustrating, but since I was out I may as well persevere.

It was a bit slow and the typical banker swim of the lock gates hadn't produced. There were some small silvers taking stuff off the top in between all the junk that had gathered but apart from that nothing. I set off along the tow path looking for somewhere else the fish might be. In a canal they can be anywhere. Apart from bridges, canal narrowing and a few laid up boats there's often not much by way of a feature to target. There's usually little in the way of trees hanging over the water thanks to British Waterways and their chainsaws, but I eventually managed to find a bit of cover where something might be lurking.

I had to be weary of the wind, and so cast from low to my side at pace, trying to keep my lure under the few branches and the line out of the wind. Perfect cast. My little copper spinner hit the water right under the branch and right at the canal bank edge. I let it sink, I'd guess about four feet, and then started the retrieve. In no time the lure got smashed and my little Greys rod was bent double as I struck in to the fish. There was a mass of head shakes. Initially I was thinking BIG PERCH, but then that thought change to "what the hell?" when it set off like a rocket a good twenty yards. It then headed for the near bank, trying to get in under the vegetation. I managed to turn it and then guided it towards me, when I finally saw what it was as those big lips came in to view.

I had a carrier bag so popped the chub in and weighed it. At 5lb, this was a cracking fish on the lure and my pb lure caught chub to date. I've got plans to target the chub on the river this year and so hopefully a few more to go with this one.

Catch up blog - Slow two weeks ends in nice mid double.

I've not been out a great deal this last few weeks. The river has been up, down, up down (repeat to fade). I really wanted to have a good bash on the river before the colder, slower months came in but the rain made my peg a right old mess. I really should have just gone somewhere else, there's plenty of water for me to try but I didn't have the enthusiasm for it and instead opted to try my luck for ten minutes here, twenty minutes there, on the river no matter what condition it was like. Mostly it's been full of rubbish, murky brown and a waste of space but me being me I still had a go because you never know.

A few weeks ago I took Neil with me to my peg in the hope of a bit of action but not a great deal happened. Neil had one fish hit and then shake the lure before he could get a grip of what it was. I then had a follow before finally hooking a fish. I guestimated 6-7lb at the time but as Neil says it was probably a little bigger.Good bit of fun but a pity we didn't get a bit more action. Gorgeous pike though!

I then had my little spell of bad river conditions and little to no fishing and what bit I did I wasn't even hopeful of anything. Still, just to prove theories wrong, on the odd occasion I did get a hit or two from pike so they were still about and hitting lures in the wrong text book conditions. One of the days I was in Morrissons and ended up buying some sprats and a few mackerel. The next morning I had an hour before work with them tied to something called a float, which moves about and goes under if a pike gets a hold of the bait. What a strange way to fish this is? Not a great deal happened but I did manage a small jack of about 3 or 4lb so it was a bit of a success. I might try it again one day who knows. However I need something to do while I'm stood at the side of the river watching my float. I ended up taking photos of random things to amuse myself and pass the time. I managed a Facebook style photo. All that was missing was me pouting my lips and giving it the big V and I'd have been a right cool dude, or just looked even more of a twat like everyone else who does that over and over on Facebook (repeat to fade again).

Winter hat is out

One of the local noddies?

With this weekend approaching I was keen to get out and do a bit of serious fishing. I then got a message from Matt asking if I wanted to get out for a session and so we opted for Sunday, but wrote off the rivers since we didn't want to have those plans ruined by more rain. Instead we decided to make use of the free time to go exploring a little. We'd got some water we wanted to check out, some canals, drains and rivers and so we met up bright and early (poor choice of words) at half past five. It was absolutely pitch black and there was a nice fog rolling around. Navigating the small roads at this time with thick fog made for fun in itself. A couple of times I drove right past the turn off and had to go back to find it. We also managed to find a small bridge that was our only crossing for miles blocked off as men were working on it (Sunday morning at half five?) We eventually made it to our start point and it was still dark, but within five minutes or so we could see the light was winning that battle over dark and fog and we could see enough to fish so off we went.

We were fishing the ultra lite set ups and Matt stuck on a kopyto lure while I opted for a small SG lip lure thinking we'd have a good chance of finding out what was in the water. Within minutes Matt had a take on the drop which caught him by surprise and he missed it but next cast or so he was in and it was putting up a good fight. But what was it, small pike or another decent perch? I pushed out the net ready for what ever it was and as it came to the surface we were surprised but very happy with the catch. It was a chub of about 3lb and a great start. Not too long after and Matt had another fish take the kopyto and would you believe it, another decent chub probably a little smaller but still pushing 3lb. I'll save the trophy shots for Matt on his blog write up but I took this photo of him releasing one of the chub and like it so I'm showing it off.

I quickly switched to the kopytos and then as I walked up to the next peg I scared a small jack out of the shallows, then first cast had another small jack hit my lure and shake itself free before finally I managed to hook in to one and land it. A small fish but at least it was me off the mark. I also then had a tiny pike hit the lure right in the edge but it flicked itself free. We thought we were in for a bumper day but it went quiet then and we didn't get much more. We continued to go exploring and finding out what was further along, trying a few casts when we felt we might pick up a fish. It was tough going but it was still early so plenty of time to drop on a fish or two. The fog still hadn't subsided and we could only see a hundred metres or so in front. We knew eventually we needed to be on the opposite bank but had no idea where we might be able to cross and with our view distance cut short we just had to put our heads down and get on with it until we dropped on a bridge. We finally made the cross over and then worked our way towards the next lock where we were sure there would be some perch action and we were right. No big stripeys but we had some fun catching a few small perch with the odd larger one of half a pound to three quarters mixed in. Matt had been suffering a little with hot then cold spells and was obviously starting off with something that'll have him cuddling under a blanket and having the missus take care of him for the next week. We decided we'd covered lots of ground and so made the call to go back to where we'd started, to have another bash and then get in the car and head back home. We passed a small cafe and I suggested Matt get a warm drink inside him but he told me he was ok as he had a flask in his bag. Back at our starting peg Matt then got out his flask for a warm up drink, but dropped the flask shattering the glass inside. It hadn't even lasted 24 hours with him as he'd only bought it the day before!


Back at our start off peg it was much more quiet than before but Matt managed to pull out a small pike which took his species tally for the day to three on the lures. We set off home but still had one last bash at a canal lock we passed on the way though yet again nothing showed. I dropped Matt off sometime after late lunch time where he probably fell in to the house and then fell fast asleep, with probably not much sympathy from the missus either. It was a good session and we learnt plenty. I'm sure we'll target those chub again and the water we covered should do better for the perch at least when it's a little warmer, we'll be back.

I headed home, but on the way couldn't get the thought of trying my luck at my local river out of my head and the car seemed to go there in auto pilot. I decided to take both light and heavy set ups and started off with the kopytos to see what was about. I soon hooked a small jack of about four pound which put up a great scrap before finally shaking free just short of the net. Not quite a notch on the bed post but a good bit of fun anyway. I flicked through a few lures before finally getting the heavy lures out. I tried the real eel first and had one take. I saw the pike grab the lure but my hooks didn't stick in to anything. I tried a few more casts and then put on a lip lure in blue/silver. I then had a pike follow three times and hit the lure three times and I managed to miss it each time. I've no idea why, just guess that lady luck wasn't on my side then. I kept at it covering the water over and over even though I felt I'd missed my chances. Finally I had a take and this time it stuck, and not only did it stick but it took about twenty yards of line with it. Jet powered pike on board, hold tight! It then made a sharp turn and then launched itself well clear of the water and I could see I had on a good fish. It crashed back in to the water and then went in to a death role, wrapping itself up in braid and then unfortunately the fight was over. I didn't lose the fish, it just couldn't do anything by now as there was so much line around it. I then had to pull it in backwards but luckily not too far as I could reach out with my telescopic net. The hooks came out easily but the line was a right old mess so I just cut it off. I wasn't faffing about risking harm to me or the fish.

Well worth my time calling in on my way home, you never know what's in store on this patch. Had lady luck shone on me one more time I could well have had another good double because ten minutes later I had another take, felt the tug and saw the fish but the hooks pulled. Shame because that was another good fish and who knows what it might have weighed. Can't grumble though and I'm happy with the day and the finish to it.

Fifteen pounds bonus fish

EDIT- i've just realised this fish is a repeat capture. I caught it three weeks ago in the same spot and it's put on half a pound. It fought like a demon back then and I named it The Brute, and today it put up a massive scrap again until it got tangled in line. What a fish, what a fish!

The Brute goes back to fight another day.

2012 pike tally

Doubles 32

Total 206

Largest 22.5lb
Twenties - 2
Bonus Perch 54
Largest 3lb 12oz
Bonus chub - 1