http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php Talk Angling UK is the fishing resource for anglers to chat and discuss anything from match fishing to carp angling online en Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:16:10 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/images/trigo/misc/rss.jpg http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=103 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:09:02 GMT Last night after work I decided to have an evening session on the upper river Lea after a couple of Barbel. After finding that my favourite Barbel swims were already occupied I went in search of another swim. I found a couple of promising ones but there were lots of Chub in these swims and I caught several from around 8oz up to around 1.7lb but it was Barbel that I was after and on this stretch of river the Barbel seem to stay away from the swims which hold Chub in quantity; so I went in search of a swim with features that attract the Barbel and had very few Chub in residence then I would have a better chance of a Barbel or two. After trying several swims I found the swim below: Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeSwim%20(600%20x%20450).jpg The swim that I decided to fish. (NB. The flow was from left to right.) The swim was at the tail end of a bed of streamer weed with a small eddie close to the bank, the flow increased where the bank narrowed slightly and there were several overhanging trees to the right. I lowered a bait slowly into the eddie by the near bank and within a minute had a nice Barbel of 5lb 6oz; not big as far as barbel go but still a nice size for this stretch of small river. The Barbel zoomed straight through the streamer weed upstream of me but at least I could bring it back down through the streamer weed to the landing net which would have been more difficult if the streamer weed had been below me. After a couple of heart stomping runs I was able to get its head above water and I knew it was in the net. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeBarbel1%20(600%20x%20450).jpg The First Barbel from this swim (5lb 6oz). Ten minutes later I caught a tiny Barbel of around 12oz so at least they are spawning in this river. Over the next couple of hours I lost two more Barbel; one when the barbless hook came free during play and another when the line parted after catching on some underwater snag amongst the streamer weed. Unfortunately this spooks every other Barbel in a swim of this size so it was just a case of rebaiting and waiting. It got dark at around 9:30 last night and as soon as the light faded I got another smaller Barbel (see below) which weighed 2b 10oz. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.manger/images/2008_0722%20Leasey%20Bridge/LeaseyBridgeBarbel2%20(600%20x%20450).jpg the last smaller Barbel (2lb 10oz) On the hook I was using double hair rigged Crab flavoured Sonubait Pellet ‘O’s coated with Dynamite Halibut Paste and for loose feed I used small soft Dynamite Halibut pellets. Line was 6lb and hook was a barbless size 10. I used a short ½oz link leger with a 6in hooklength. I love fishing these stream-like rivers especially when they are less than half hour from your home. It makes a pleasant change from the overstocked Carp puddles that we have to fish in a lot of our team matches plus it keeps you thinking about the lost art of watercraft. I keep meaning to go to one of our upper Great Ouse stretches above Bedford where the big Barbel are; but I think I will leave my Barbel campaign there till around September time. Meanwhile I have a couple of team matches to get won yet. BB. Last night after work I decided to have an evening session on the upper river Lea after a couple of Barbel.

After finding that my favourite Barbel swims were already occupied I went in search of another swim. I found a couple of promising ones but there were lots of Chub in these swims and I caught several from around 8oz up to around 1.7lb but it was Barbel that I was after and on this stretch of river the Barbel seem to stay away from the swims which hold Chub in quantity; so I went in search of a swim with features that attract the Barbel and had very few Chub in residence then I would have a better chance of a Barbel or two.
After trying several swims I found the swim below:

The swim that I decided to fish. (NB. The flow was from left to right.)

The swim was at the tail end of a bed of streamer weed with a small eddie close to the bank, the flow increased where the bank narrowed slightly and there were several overhanging trees to the right.

I lowered a bait slowly into the eddie by the near bank and within a minute had a nice Barbel of 5lb 6oz; not big as far as barbel go but still a nice size for this stretch of small river.
The Barbel zoomed straight through the streamer weed upstream of me but at least I could bring it back down through the streamer weed to the landing net which would have been more difficult if the streamer weed had been below me. After a couple of heart stomping runs I was able to get its head above water and I knew it was in the net.

The First Barbel from this swim (5lb 6oz).
Ten minutes later I caught a tiny Barbel of around 12oz so at least they are spawning in this river. Over the next couple of hours I lost two more Barbel; one when the barbless hook came free during play and another when the line parted after catching on some underwater snag amongst the streamer weed. Unfortunately this spooks every other Barbel in a swim of this size so it was just a case of rebaiting and waiting. It got dark at around 9:30 last night and as soon as the light faded I got another smaller Barbel (see below) which weighed 2b 10oz.

the last smaller Barbel (2lb 10oz)
On the hook I was using double hair rigged Crab flavoured Sonubait Pellet ‘O’s coated with Dynamite Halibut Paste and for loose feed I used small soft Dynamite Halibut pellets. Line was 6lb and hook was a barbless size 10. I used a short ½oz link leger with a 6in hooklength.

I love fishing these stream-like rivers especially when they are less than half hour from your home. It makes a pleasant change from the overstocked Carp puddles that we have to fish in a lot of our team matches plus it keeps you thinking about the lost art of watercraft. I keep meaning to go to one of our upper Great Ouse stretches above Bedford where the big Barbel are; but I think I will leave my Barbel campaign there till around September time.

Meanwhile I have a couple of team matches to get won yet.

BB. ]]> BoldBear http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=103 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=102 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:37:23 GMT Fishing can spoil you at times and here at Rockells farm in Essex is no exception. This place has only 2 matches a month and you need 400lb to frame! Pleasure sessions are just mad and there is not many people who dont end with less than 100lb. There was days when 100lb was target, but with so many commercials small stocked carp growing on 200lb or 300lb is there for the taking.

I was the 1st angler on the lake and had my choice of swims so decided on the end peg over the inlet stream. This peg has an unreachable bay with an overhanging tree at the front making it one of the fancied pegs on the lake.

There were fish showing all over the place so I was hopeful for a big weight. Putting in two big pots of riddled catmeat to get things going two meters to my right one meter from the bank as this was going to be my only line of attack. I fished with 18" of 10lb line (no float) direct to a size 12 hook in 3 feet of water.
My chosen hookbait was thumbnail pieces of flattened bread (to make it sink). Feeding a dozen expanders by hand every put in.

It must have been all of 30 seconds to get my 1st fish and a 1lb pasty was in the net. This was quickly followed by another slightly larger carp followed by another and another (you get the picture). The 1st hour saw me put 75lb in the net as I fed, dropped in bait, hooked fish fed whilst pulling carp to the left, netting fish and repeating over and over! The odd 3 and 4lb fish were making an appearance and bumped up the weight. I never use a keepnet here and cant be bothered to keep emptying it (such a chore!).

The next few hours were steady apart from two six pounders and the sun now on the swim and me reaching for the sun cream.
The fish were starting to fade so I opted to put another helping of catmeat in and and change to a small boilie hair rigged at the same depth. This produced better bites and now I didnt have to rebait after each fish or missed bites. Now things seemed to step up a bit with (if you can believe it) more fish going in the net.

My estimated weight on the clicker after 5 hours was 330lb. I was very happy with this but felt the lake had more to offer with the bigger carp. There are lots of double figure carp here at Rockells and I hadnt caught or hooked any! I now opted to put a mixture of groundbait, pellets and riddled catmeat on the bottom to try and persuade the bigger carp to make an appearance. But all this did was make the water black with fish making foulhooking a problem. The stamp of fish was getting bigger but sorting them out was impossible.

All the fish wanted was more and more and more feed. It seemed the more I put in the more fish turned up and overdoing it seemed impossible! Then I hooked one of the bigger fish which broke me. It was time to call it a day and what a day it had been. I finished with 437lb after 7 hours fishing averaging around 60lb of fish an hour. Lots of anglers around me caught plenty of fish that day with loads of spare pegs to be had.

I dont fish as much as I would like so coming here http://www.rockellsfarm.co.uk/home.html more than makes up for it. ]]> Neilio http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=102 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=101 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:05:21 GMT please ask my question and reply to me:cool: does the preston box x3 have draws? which is better: preston boxs x2 x3 ???????????????????????? please ask my question and reply to me:cool:

does the preston box x3 have draws?

which is better:
preston boxs
x2
x3
???????????????????????? ]]> lord carp http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=101 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=100 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:54:00 GMT I took a friends son fishing, not his first time but all his last outings have been fishless!
We went to Rookery waters in Pidley and decided on Jay lake as he was sure of fish.
I showed him how to set up a float rod, feeder and pole. How to plumb the depth and generally when to use each method.
This way of showing someone from scratch is not easy and it is helped by showing and explaining the do's and dont's. He watched as I explained groundbaiting, feeding and types of hookbaits.
As I caught from each method I would give him a go and would correct and encourage him as he learned.
Lots of carp, tench and roach were being netted and fish welfare was being brought into the lesson. After a couple of hours he was casting, feeding and even landing some scrappy carp on his own. We ended the afternoon and his face was a picture. He seemed to pick up the basics very well and is keen to fish again.
As I packed away the gear I made a very bad error ! I stood up and stepped to one side to show the lad where to stand so not to get in the way. When I stepped back the wind had blown my top 3 section on the floor, I didnt see it but certainly heard it crack as I stood on the bugger! It was now crushed and useless.
He was shocked and thought he was to blame, but I laughed it off and told him it was my fault.
To make less of it I said I had another section spare at home so not to worry (I dont really !!!)
Anyway lots of lessons today (even for me).
P.S. anyone selling a spare top 3 for a MAP concept match please PM me :) ]]> Neilio http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=100 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=99 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:54:47 GMT Been busy with work so time to catach upon some matches. Greeted with a warm sunny morning as I packed my tackle into the car and went to pick up Mike (canalking), banter on the way was the usual what methods and how will it fish. On arriving stopped off to by some of the fishery pellets and down the track to the car park. We had a walk around the lake as we waited for curtains to turn up and the lake was carrying some extra water with the owner putting extra pallets on some pegs to raise them out of the water on the early pegs. Once Curtains arrived, quick hand to help him peg out and back to make the draw, I had fancied the early pallet pegs but ended up opposite bank in the woods, can’t seem to draw for toffee at the moment. Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/Meadowlandswarren.jpg *My peg* Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/mypegmeadowlands.jpg *Sue on the 1st sunken pegs* Image: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/leigh.betteridge/Data/suemeadowlands.jpg After loading the shuttle up it was a nice push through the woods to the last peg on this bank. It put me out on a platform and with reeds to my right and a bush hanging out into the lake on my left (with plenty of line and pole floats in it) it didn’t look to bad (I should of realised what was in store:() Set up method feeder, pellet waggler and margin rigs for either side. I have been experimenting with the Sonubaits groundbait mixes this season so used this for the method with a Garbolino inline speed feeder. Set up a small Preston loaded pellet waggler with a hair rigged band and planned to use some of the fishery 6mm on the hook. Right margin I was going to target with paste 0.17 powerline straight through to 14 B911 with A Maver black Ice self cocking paste float. Left margin luncheon meat over hemp and pellets on 0.17 powerline to 0.17 hook length and 16 B911 and Mick Wilkinson power margin. On the all in I cupped in my margin lines, the 2 lads (Joe and Keith) on the point cast there feeders straight out which basically cut my feeder options back straight away, so clipped up short of there lines and sat waiting whilst firing pellets out onto my shallow line. Joe was soon into his 1st carp but not a twitch on mine or anyone’s along my bank. All the time feeding the 6mm pellets over my shallow line and feeding the margins. I did manage to snare a very small carp after 30+ minutes and decided to stick it out for at least the 1st hour as Joe was still getting a few on his feeder line but else where it all seemed very slow as the sun kept beating down so I kept pinging pellets out looking for signs. Had a small pull round and struck into a skimmer. It was now red hot and not a lot was being caught at all with quite a few still waiting for a bite. Tried the pellet waggler at regular intervals but they were just not having it, although I did keep the pellets going in regularly. Temptation was to much so time to try the margins, slipped out the paste and potted it in but no signs at all after 15 minutes so on with some meat and try the bush. After 5 minutes small dip and lifted into a lump which I was attached to briefly for a moment before it locked me solid in the bush. Ended up pulling for break and on with another hooklength, checked depth and out again. After 15 minutes same scenario brief extraction of my elastic before solid in bush again (was beginning to see why all the line on the bush). I had plumbed up a couple foot away from the bush as well finding the same depth at beginning so decided to try here to give me more of a chance of getting one out. Typically sat there with not a knock and you know you shouldn’t but next to the bush again. Result same as before couple of brief lunges as I try to pull it away from bush and then solid…….on with another hooklength, followed by losing another again. I was to say the least a wee bit frustrated by now so out with a 0.19 rig set it to same depth but straight through and tightened the elastic up, me thinks the next one is coming out. After sitting for 10 minutes float dips I strike into another and pull pole round trying to force it away from the bush, seems to be on for a longer than before then…………BANG sounds like a shotgun but its not its my new top 8 :eek: typically the fish is still on as I grab at the elastic and try and handline it but nope the bush and fish win again locking me solid. Have to pull for a break and think more peed off that I lost me MW float than me top 2 :mad:. Plenty of choice comments aimed in my direction by fellow club members make you feel better as well :rolleyes: Enough’s enough remains thrown up the bank and feeder is out as I sit peed off. Did have another skimmer before the all out but was relieved this one was over. Packed up still muttering to myself as I think everyone on the lake heard the bang and were so sympathetic (not) Have not got the full results but it did not fish anywhere near its potential and was glad to see the back of this one. Fair play to Mike on this one he targeted the skimmers from the off and it nearly paid off for him fishing pellet over micros 1st Joe Elton - 20lb 4oz method and punched meat 2nd Mike roberts (canalking) 20lb 3rd Aubrey Marsden 15lb - 12oz 4th Mark Elton (sumo) 15lb - 5oz 5th Lance Glover (curtains) 14lb - 4oz Leigh Betteridge (leigh66) 3lb + one broken top 2 Been busy with work so time to catach upon some matches.

Greeted with a warm sunny morning as I packed my tackle into the car and went to pick up Mike (canalking), banter on the way was the usual what methods and how will it fish. On arriving stopped off to by some of the fishery pellets and down the track to the car park.

We had a walk around the lake as we waited for curtains to turn up and the lake was carrying some extra water with the owner putting extra pallets on some pegs to raise them out of the water on the early pegs.

Once Curtains arrived, quick hand to help him peg out and back to make the draw, I had fancied the early pallet pegs but ended up opposite bank in the woods, can’t seem to draw for toffee at the moment.


My peg

Sue on the 1st sunken pegs

After loading the shuttle up it was a nice push through the woods to the last peg on this bank. It put me out on a platform and with reeds to my right and a bush hanging out into the lake on my left (with plenty of line and pole floats in it) it didn’t look to bad (I should of realised what was in store:()

Set up method feeder, pellet waggler and margin rigs for either side. I have been experimenting with the Sonubaits groundbait mixes this season so used this for the method with a Garbolino inline speed feeder.

Set up a small Preston loaded pellet waggler with a hair rigged band and planned to use some of the fishery 6mm on the hook.

Right margin I was going to target with paste 0.17 powerline straight through to 14 B911 with A Maver black Ice self cocking paste float.

Left margin luncheon meat over hemp and pellets on 0.17 powerline to 0.17 hook length and 16 B911 and Mick Wilkinson power margin.

On the all in I cupped in my margin lines, the 2 lads (Joe and Keith) on the point cast there feeders straight out which basically cut my feeder options back straight away, so clipped up short of there lines and sat waiting whilst firing pellets out onto my shallow line. Joe was soon into his 1st carp but not a twitch on mine or anyone’s along my bank. All the time feeding the 6mm pellets over my shallow line and feeding the margins. I did manage to snare a very small carp after 30+ minutes and decided to stick it out for at least the 1st hour as Joe was still getting a few on his feeder line but else where it all seemed very slow as the sun kept beating down so I kept pinging pellets out looking for signs. Had a small pull round and struck into a skimmer. It was now red hot and not a lot was being caught at all with quite a few still waiting for a bite. Tried the pellet waggler at regular intervals but they were just not having it, although I did keep the pellets going in regularly.

Temptation was to much so time to try the margins, slipped out the paste and potted it in but no signs at all after 15 minutes so on with some meat and try the bush. After 5 minutes small dip and lifted into a lump which I was attached to briefly for a moment before it locked me solid in the bush. Ended up pulling for break and on with another hooklength, checked depth and out again. After 15 minutes same scenario brief extraction of my elastic before solid in bush again (was beginning to see why all the line on the bush). I had plumbed up a couple foot away from the bush as well finding the same depth at beginning so decided to try here to give me more of a chance of getting one out. Typically sat there with not a knock and you know you shouldn’t but next to the bush again. Result same as before couple of brief lunges as I try to pull it away from bush and then solid…….on with another hooklength, followed by losing another again.

I was to say the least a wee bit frustrated by now so out with a 0.19 rig set it to same depth but straight through and tightened the elastic up, me thinks the next one is coming out. After sitting for 10 minutes float dips I strike into another and pull pole round trying to force it away from the bush, seems to be on for a longer than before then…………BANG sounds like a shotgun but its not its my new top 8 :eek: typically the fish is still on as I grab at the elastic and try and handline it but nope the bush and fish win again locking me solid. Have to pull for a break and think more peed off that I lost me MW float than me top 2 :mad:. Plenty of choice comments aimed in my direction by fellow club members make you feel better as well :rolleyes:

Enough’s enough remains thrown up the bank and feeder is out as I sit peed off. Did have another skimmer before the all out but was relieved this one was over.

Packed up still muttering to myself as I think everyone on the lake heard the bang and were so sympathetic (not) Have not got the full results but it did not fish anywhere near its potential and was glad to see the back of this one. Fair play to Mike on this one he targeted the skimmers from the off and it nearly paid off for him fishing pellet over micros

1st Joe Elton - 20lb 4oz method and punched meat
2nd Mike roberts (canalking) 20lb
3rd Aubrey Marsden 15lb - 12oz
4th Mark Elton (sumo) 15lb - 5oz
5th Lance Glover (curtains) 14lb - 4oz

Leigh Betteridge (leigh66) 3lb + one broken top 2 ]]> Leigh66 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=99 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=98 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:28:51 GMT This is my first Blogg so I thought that I would start off with a short oppertunistic trip I had last season on the upper reaches of the rver Lea; so that I can get used to using the Bloggs.

The weather had been stable for a few days and the sun was shining, my mate had rung me earlier to say that he was going for a days relaxing fishing on the upper river Lea after the hectic team match the previous weekend.

I had to work but I thought that I might snatch a couple of hours in the evening.

I arrived at around 5:45pm and went searching for a likely swim. there were Chub in most swims however the better known Barbel swims were all taken. I love finding underwater features especially when they are away from the well known swims, and I found a swim that was ignored by the other anglers as it looked like it was featureless (see fig.1)

but how wrong they were, the swim was at the head of a long sweeping bend which had undercuts that had been cleaned out or created earier in the season, the bottom had a pronunce depth change (scoured out by the floods), and best of all the bend downstream was protected by thick bushes and trees so the fish would feel secure. although it doesn't look like it in the picture there was a meduim to moderate flow.

Fig.1 Chosen Swim

In the next 2¾ Hours I had the following fish from the swim. Plus I lost two other Barbel when the hook pulled free.

The Barbel were not big by any stretch of the imagination but where the average size for this small stream.
The guys in the so-called hotspots (including my mate) had quite a few nice Chub but only two Barbel between them. so it definately pays to look for hidden features.
Bait was Nice n Spicey Luncheon Meat and feed was small soft Halibut Pellets. ]]> BoldBear http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=98 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=97 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:02:49 GMT Friday after work was a wash out, apart from finding a nice little location to fish for free about 5 minutes cycle from Millbeck there is a pond which is 'free' to fish.

The ony problem I see is that it is over run with kids and there is so much litter and remnants of camps that sooner or later who ever owns the pond will fence it off.

Saturday the old man cried off at the last minute, 'I don't fancy it' ..........

Oh well all this bait and ground bait ready mixed, just add pond water, I had better use it up, so I head off and go down Millbeck and I fish the same peg as the week before, using same tatics, waggler fishing with a size 12 hook and and a bundle of white maggots on the end, I bait the area up then make up my rod, chuck in more groundbait and a ton of maggots, get the landing net and unhookng mat already, nice and wet with plenty of pond water.

The wind is blowing a gale into my face. The waves lapping up onto the end of my peg. I put my line in the water 5 minutes later the waggler is slowly movingf away. First chuck and I am in. I land a nice 3lb common.

I lose a few and carry on catching, I catch 10 in total but the 3lb is the biggest I land, I am sure I had a bigger one get a way tho, I lost 4 fish, but I netted 10 and my reckoning was about 20lb in total. the smallest was a good pound and like I said above the biggest was only 3lb.

I was a little dissappointed but I still caught a good number of fish and each of them fought like little Trojans.

I did lose a couple to a similar tatic, they were straight out in front and they kept changing their direction so I got mixed up on which side strain to put on the line, and in this confusing 10 or 20 seconds the fish worked itself of the hook. If anyone has any good tips to help prevent this from happening please add a commnet.

So after 7 hrs of a gale blowing in my face from around 8 am i packed up and went for a bit of fun on the fun pond, where I caught a couple of common, 1 lb being the biggest.

So not a bad saturday, the old man says to me 'lets pop down here on sunday'

I groan....... on the big lake, he goes 'No' I give in and say ok, I was tired.

Sunday morng get up get the gear ready and we get to Millbeck for around 8.30. It takes two attempets to get him rigged up and he it is just after 9 when he puts his line in the water. I am just about to put my float on my line when i hear the sound of 'Bugger!!!!'

The old man has struck that hard he lands in a tree bhind him and then yanks it out of the tree and is totally stuffed up, I have to cut him down and rig back up.

I gat my line wet at 9.45, over an hour after we have arrived, there is a guy with his son and I put on some bright red luncheon meat on my hook dropped it in threw in 2 or 3 peices and waited, this is first chuck and my float sinks and I strike firm and hard. the rod is bent double and i reel in the slack and play the fish for a good 10 minutes, it must have been around the pond about 8 times beofre it finally gave up, head out the water, spitting water I am on knees I lean right out and she is in the net.

I pull it to the side of the pond and leave it for a minute, I wet the mat and my sling and grab the landing net and rod to lower it gently on to the mat.

hook in bottom lip, size 12, it has come out itn the net i lift the common up and move thje net and lside him into the sling.

I quickly weigh him and it is 3.25 lb, thought it was bigger tho. The picture never came out tho but I didnt hang around and slowly lowered him back and he swam off after a minute.

The old man was 'what bait is that' so I gave him some, and he was happy, he caught loads as he was fishing where I was looking after all the kids, everytime they tangled they came to me, I helped them out with settng there floats and shot, they seemed to have a load of pre weighted ones where they were using a rubber that was useless.

It was good helping the kids, one lad esp was really upset he hadnt caught, I sorted his gear out and his first chuck, using my maggots too, he caught a nice rudd, I said thats 50 quid you owe me, poor lad thought I meant it lol. I said 'told you, you would catch one'

But what got me mad was my old man, lifting carp straight out of the water, I did once but i thought it was a tiny I had on as it was a baby carp under 2 oz, but the old man has a landing net but never used it.

It really made me angry, and I told him not to be lazy, get of your backside and land the bigger fish properly, a coupel of gorgeous rudd, size of your hand dangling in the air.

It made me mad, I kept tellng him to use the net thats why it is there.

Any ideas on hwo to deal with this please add a comment

Oh well, roll on next weekend. hopefully I wil be fishing the FFA ponds this weekend, away from the old man.

Laters

Pete ]]> sunburntarms http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=97 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=96 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:22:42 GMT Having come down with a chest infection earlier in the week I was not intending to fish this match, but woud still be there to run it, with one or two changes to the TA team all done and pretty well certain of a full squad, Silverfish who was going to travel with me was loaned out to Maggot Drowners safe in the knowledge that if needed I could be a late replacement, Up at around 5-30am to see that it looked to be a dry start even if a little breezy, a last check to see that I had all my paperwork safely in one place whislt doing a brew, one for me and one for the wife who it appears has the same bug as me, did she expect me to stop at home to look after her, not much chance of that she said, she knows the fishing would come first. Into the garage bait in the carryall and time to load the motor, which would be pretty full with three of us travelling Danny ( silverfish ) was first pick up and by the time we had got his gear in it was evident tha it was a good job I had removed a couple of seats, round to Bonehillstars Grandads where he was ready and with his gear packed in the back it was impossible to see out the rear window, thank goodness for wing mirrors. A steady drive down the A45 towards and beyond Coventry saw us pull into the fishery entrance in plenty of time for breakfast, a quick look around the cafe saw that Ta had a few early risers in the shape of Sumo, Curtains and Drayman all tucking in to the breaky, a quick hello to the members of the other teams that were there and a chat with the fishery owners, it was time for my breakfast. Breakfast finished a quick chat with the other captains and time for the draw, with only Angling Forums looking to be one short it looked like it was going to be a full house and if needed I would fill in for AF, whilst Toft Lakes is a pretty young venue it was certain that the winner would come from somewhere off the island pegs but team fishing is always somewhat different when you are looking to get good points, despite being told there were 58 pegs on the lake when there were only 25 saw me having a mad dash to qucklkly adjust a few pegs luckily no one had reached their pegs so no real harm was done, and following a full circuit of the lakes just to check that everyone was ok, time to fill in the weighsheets and a cuppa, when the call was made by Pete P that he was one short and duly I was in for Angling Forums I had just about got the sheets done and started to unload my gear when it was time for the all in. Having left my troley at home to save a bit of space a couple of trips were needed to transport it to peg 36 on the far bank open water, to find I was between Badpegpicker ( maggot Drowners ) and our own big carp specalist Cutains, the second trip round with my gear identified that Sumo Bonehillstar had already caught and ith Curtains playing a smallfeeder caught carp it looked like we might be in for a half decent day. As my suddenly new team captain had not let me into team tactics, despite the many hours he and his team had spent practising and the fact that I was well behind the rest of the field my attack was going to be pellet at 6 metre, which was fed with a couple of small hand fulls of 4 mm feed pellet no time for precise potting as i was playing catch up and an inside line for later but with not much margin growth that probably would not perform, a few rigs were soon out the box and top kits laid out in the roost the first one was fitted with a MW .6gr diamond a quick plumb up and a 4 mill expander was impaled in the B911 18 hook which should be ample for the stockies that were anticipated, The tow on the lake was pretty fierce considering that the wind was no that bad and but at least to start I could search the water, Curtains to my right was now into his second small fish but was complaining of bumping a few on the feeder, when my float dissapearsand a small stockie is soon pulling a bit of 6/8 hollow elastic out, well thats one team point secured as dry nets get nothing, perhaps I should pack in and make sure that Curtains who was in my setion be safe for at least 2 points, no really as the Intersite for me is about the banter and meeting up with friends old and new. A run of a few bites saw me looking to take a lead over Curtains and maybe my co helper in orgainising the match Carpcruncher from Total Fishing, suddenly bites were still there but many were missed, and those that were hit had to be left to really develop, a quick look on the big maggot produced a slightly better fish but was hooked in the rear and then nothing, maybe they had backed of the feed bout neither further out or closer to brought any result, time for more feed, this had the desired effect and a short run of fish with the odd better sample was in the net, before the bites once again became unhitable, and a good hour went by without a fish, with a last ditch attemt to induce a few more bites four good hand fulls of feeder pellet were put in which resulted the smallest fish of the day finding its way to the net, and with the need to get back to the motor for the scales and weigh sheets I quickly broke down my only rig and packed away, just as the heavens opened not for the first time but with a bit more vengence this time. Back at the car help to weigh in was soon offered by Missabite ( Maggot Drowners ) and Poolfodder ( Steve May TF ) and gratefully accepted, given the quality of fishing it seemed that the anticipated 60 to 70lb winning weight was not going to be reached and indeed double figures and above were a decent weight, but with no drynets recorded everyone scored a point or two, the full results are as follows. Peg-- Angler ---- Site ---- Weight----Points 19--- Spongebob - TA-----15-12-8-----4 20--- Bob Palmer---AF-----0-13-0------1 21--- BME---------MD-----7-12-0------3 22--- Blunty-------TF----- 4-14-0------2 23--- Siver fish----TA----- 6-8-0-------1 24--- Ray Gregory- AF----- 11-6-8----- 4 25--- Dave B------ MD----- 8-11-0-----2 26--- Yazman----- TF------10-2-0---- 3 27--- Harry911---- TA------2-13-0-----1 28--- Richie Lewis--AF----- 13-14-8----3 29--- Jake1969---- MD----- 15-13-8----4 30--- Crusty------ TF----- 10-0-0-----2 31--- Badboybagger TA----- 2-10-0---- 1 32--- Vince Atkinson AF-----31-4-0-----4 33--- Drynet--------MD----- 8-0-0-----3 34--- Carpcruncher- TF------ 5-9-0-----1 35--- Curtains------ TA------ 7-11-0----3 36--- Brian G------- AF------ 6-10-0 --- 2 37--- Badpegpicker- MD------ 2-2-8-----1 38--- Shallowman-- TF------10-13-0--- 4 39--- Sumo---------TA-------8-13-0----1 40--- Maurice Williams AF-----11-0-8----2 41--- Missabite------MD------29-10-0-- 3 42--- D. Webb-------TF------45-4-0----4 43--- Bonehillstar----TA-------3-15-0---1 44--- Kev Fowell-----AF-------7-13-8---3 45--- Simple Simon---MD-------7-0-8--- 2 46--- Knappers------ TF-------13-0-0---4 47----Drayman------ TA-------19-9-0---4 48--- Martyn Paynter-AF-------10-8-8---1 51--- Sprucey------- MD-------11-4-8---2 52--- Hillbilly-------- TF------- 15-2-0---3 53--- Polekiller------- TA-------33-0-0---4 54--- Cutnut Pete P-- AF-------12-13-0--2 55--- Silverfish-------MD--------4-14-8--1 56--- Mark Williams---TF-------- 18-0-0--3 57--- Mark777------- TA------- 4-13-8--2 58--- Dave Smart---- AF------- 4-12-0--1 1---- Clive-----------MD-------- 8-2-0---3 2---- Steve May-----TA---------25-0-0--4 Team Result 1st Total Fishing 31 points 2nd Maggot Drowners 24 points 3rd Angling Forums 23 points 4th Talk Angling 22 points To be continued Having come down with a chest infection earlier in the week I was not intending to fish this match, but woud still be there to run it, with one or two changes to the TA team all done and pretty well certain of a full squad, Silverfish who was going to travel with me was loaned out to Maggot Drowners safe in the knowledge that if needed I could be a late replacement, Up at around 5-30am to see that it looked to be a dry start even if a little breezy, a last check to see that I had all my paperwork safely in one place whislt doing a brew, one for me and one for the wife who it appears has the same bug as me, did she expect me to stop at home to look after her, not much chance of that she said, she knows the fishing would come first.
Into the garage bait in the carryall and time to load the motor, which would be pretty full with three of us travelling Danny ( silverfish ) was first pick up and by the time we had got his gear in it was evident tha it was a good job I had removed a couple of seats, round to Bonehillstars Grandads where he was ready and with his gear packed in the back it was impossible to see out the rear window, thank goodness for wing mirrors. A steady drive down the A45 towards and beyond Coventry saw us pull into the fishery entrance in plenty of time for breakfast, a quick look around the cafe saw that Ta had a few early risers in the shape of Sumo, Curtains and Drayman all tucking in to the breaky, a quick hello to the members of the other teams that were there and a chat with the fishery owners, it was time for my breakfast.
Breakfast finished a quick chat with the other captains and time for the draw, with only Angling Forums looking to be one short it looked like it was going to be a full house and if needed I would fill in for AF, whilst Toft Lakes is a pretty young venue it was certain that the winner would come from somewhere off the island pegs but team fishing is always somewhat different when you are looking to get good points, despite being told there were 58 pegs on the lake when there were only 25 saw me having a mad dash to qucklkly adjust a few pegs luckily no one had reached their pegs so no real harm was done, and following a full circuit of the lakes just to check that everyone was ok, time to fill in the weighsheets and a cuppa, when the call was made by Pete P that he was one short and duly I was in for Angling Forums I had just about got the sheets done and started to unload my gear when it was time for the all in. Having left my troley at home to save a bit of space a couple of trips were needed to transport it to peg 36 on the far bank open water, to find I was between Badpegpicker ( maggot Drowners ) and our own big carp specalist Cutains, the second trip round with my gear identified that Sumo Bonehillstar had already caught and ith Curtains playing a smallfeeder caught carp it looked like we might be in for a half decent day.
As my suddenly new team captain had not let me into team tactics, despite the many hours he and his team had spent practising and the fact that I was well behind the rest of the field my attack was going to be pellet at 6 metre, which was fed with a couple of small hand fulls of 4 mm feed pellet no time for precise potting as i was playing catch up and an inside line for later but with not much margin growth that probably would not perform, a few rigs were soon out the box and top kits laid out in the roost the first one was fitted with a MW .6gr diamond a quick plumb up and a 4 mill expander was impaled in the B911 18 hook which should be ample for the stockies that were anticipated,
The tow on the lake was pretty fierce considering that the wind was no that bad and but at least to start I could search the water, Curtains to my right was now into his second small fish but was complaining of bumping a few on the feeder, when my float dissapearsand a small stockie is soon pulling a bit of 6/8 hollow elastic out, well thats one team point secured as dry nets get nothing, perhaps I should pack in and make sure that Curtains who was in my setion be safe for at least 2 points, no really as the Intersite for me is about the banter and meeting up with friends old and new. A run of a few bites saw me looking to take a lead over Curtains and maybe my co helper in orgainising the match Carpcruncher from Total Fishing, suddenly bites were still there but many were missed, and those that were hit had to be left to really develop, a quick look on the big maggot produced a slightly better fish but was hooked in the rear and then nothing, maybe they had backed of the feed bout neither further out or closer to brought any result, time for more feed, this had the desired effect and a short run of fish with the odd better sample was in the net, before the bites once again became unhitable, and a good hour went by without a fish, with a last ditch attemt to induce a few more bites four good hand fulls of feeder pellet were put in which resulted the smallest fish of the day finding its way to the net, and with the need to get back to the motor for the scales and weigh sheets I quickly broke down my only rig and packed away, just as the heavens opened not for the first time but with a bit more vengence this time.
Back at the car help to weigh in was soon offered by Missabite ( Maggot Drowners ) and Poolfodder ( Steve May TF ) and gratefully accepted, given the quality of fishing it seemed that the anticipated 60 to 70lb winning weight was not going to be reached and indeed double figures and above were a decent weight, but with no drynets recorded everyone scored a point or two, the full results are as follows.


Peg-- Angler ---- Site ---- Weight----Points
19--- Spongebob - TA-----15-12-8-----4
20--- Bob Palmer---AF-----0-13-0------1
21--- BME---------MD-----7-12-0------3
22--- Blunty-------TF----- 4-14-0------2
23--- Siver fish----TA----- 6-8-0-------1
24--- Ray Gregory- AF----- 11-6-8----- 4
25--- Dave B------ MD----- 8-11-0-----2
26--- Yazman----- TF------10-2-0---- 3
27--- Harry911---- TA------2-13-0-----1
28--- Richie Lewis--AF----- 13-14-8----3
29--- Jake1969---- MD----- 15-13-8----4
30--- Crusty------ TF----- 10-0-0-----2
31--- Badboybagger TA----- 2-10-0---- 1
32--- Vince Atkinson AF-----31-4-0-----4
33--- Drynet--------MD----- 8-0-0-----3
34--- Carpcruncher- TF------ 5-9-0-----1
35--- Curtains------ TA------ 7-11-0----3
36--- Brian G------- AF------ 6-10-0 --- 2
37--- Badpegpicker- MD------ 2-2-8-----1
38--- Shallowman-- TF------10-13-0--- 4
39--- Sumo---------TA-------8-13-0----1
40--- Maurice Williams AF-----11-0-8----2
41--- Missabite------MD------29-10-0-- 3
42--- D. Webb-------TF------45-4-0----4
43--- Bonehillstar----TA-------3-15-0---1
44--- Kev Fowell-----AF-------7-13-8---3
45--- Simple Simon---MD-------7-0-8--- 2
46--- Knappers------ TF-------13-0-0---4
47----Drayman------ TA-------19-9-0---4
48--- Martyn Paynter-AF-------10-8-8---1
51--- Sprucey------- MD-------11-4-8---2
52--- Hillbilly-------- TF------- 15-2-0---3
53--- Polekiller------- TA-------33-0-0---4
54--- Cutnut Pete P-- AF-------12-13-0--2
55--- Silverfish-------MD--------4-14-8--1
56--- Mark Williams---TF-------- 18-0-0--3
57--- Mark777------- TA------- 4-13-8--2
58--- Dave Smart---- AF------- 4-12-0--1
1---- Clive-----------MD-------- 8-2-0---3
2---- Steve May-----TA---------25-0-0--4


Team Result

1st Total Fishing 31 points
2nd Maggot Drowners 24 points
3rd Angling Forums 23 points
4th Talk Angling 22 points


To be continued ]]> Brian G http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=96 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=95 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:57:44 GMT I get to Millbeck for 7.45, been thinking of the ‘one’ all night, dreaming of it, been awake since 5.30 and have the bike all packed up and my rug sack all sorted too, I go to the paper shop, get some snacks, I have had sausage and toast for breakfast and coffee, just waiting for a good time to set off. I set off early and take my time, it is a down hill bike ride on the whole also and only 5 minutes if I were to hammer it. The fishery doesn’t open till 8 am on a Saturday but I sneak in at 7.45, by the time John turns up at 8.15 I am in the water (hee hee hee) I fish the small pond again using bread on the top, get a couple of tiddlers (commons under a pound) and a few Rudd but the ducks make my life hell and I look for a sheltered peg. I go to the big pond, peg No.2. I have the wind in my face, I got nice margins, I decide against setting up my feeder rod, it is raining and I couldn’t be bothered getting it out and fiddling with the tackle to set it up. I chuck a few maggots just off the margin, my peg is set back in between reed banks, there is a plank to sit on and as I cast out I set it so I can balance my rod front the end of the platform and the plank. I am making up my bit of ground bait, I had just poured my pond water into the mixer with the bait and I look out to my float, which isn’t there. Yep that’s right, I slowly pull up on my rod and I can see the line disappearing to my right and the fish then suddenly feels my resistance and all hell lets loose. Now I was thinking Bream and Rudd when I moved ponds and this did not feel like a Bream. It veered to the left and headed out towards the middle of the pond, for a good ten meters, my clutch whining away as I lessen the load on it. I manage to turn it and it heads back in, more towards my left this time it is steaming in towards the left reed bank so I wind in tighten the clutch and stop it just before it reaches a big flash of creamy white and huge splash, a mirror I think it was, as it set of towards the right and thrashing around it freed itself from my hook. My heart was racing, adrenalin flowing, what an amazing buzz, even tho I lost it. I wound in threw in some maggots, finished the ground bait and chucked in a couple of lumps some more maggots and then bunged in my 6 or 7 maggots on my size 12. I waited with baited breadth, was that carp a one off, my float starts to sink and I wait it goes and I pull up, a Rudd, lol, next an eel, then after about 30 minutes after my first take, I get a smooth moving float to my right slowly sinking as it moves, I pull as it disappears and bang, my arm feels like it is being pulled out of my socket, I get two hands on and flick the bail arm over and out goes the line, 5, 10, 15 seconds it speeds off into the deep of the pond, I lessen the drag right off and flick the bail arm back on, the carp is still on. It takes a could minute to bring it back in, it zig zag across the pond in front of me, until it is what I feel 8 – 10 metres out, the float appears and the fish is about 5 metres out swimming left then I turn it and it swims back, I keep the pressure on and turn the fish slowly moving him nearer to me, I drop onto my knees, and push my landing out under the water his head appears and slides into my net without much fuss, man I was feeling dizzy, head spinning, the lad who was fishing over the other side came over and had a look, we weighed it and it was 5 ¾ lb’s fin and scale perfect common . The biggest fish I have ever caught. I was over the moon, it was unexpected, I mean you have to have buzzers and method feeders and hair rigs and halibut boilees etc. to fish for carp, don’t you? I mean wagglers a size 12 and 6 or 7 white maggots wont catch you carp. It is just so uncouth, so un refined. Anyhow I carried on, I not only got my PB fish the common I went on to catch a 4lb Mirror, another PB. I weighed a couple more fish and they were a 2.5 and 4 lb common which were probably the best of the rest. All together I caught dozen carp and I wouldn’t be surprised if I had kept them all it would have been around the 30lb mark. I lost a few too, one which could have been bigger, also I thought I had played this fish correctly, it was head up on its side. Bringing it in to the net it saw it thought ‘Don’t fancy that’ and bang off it went, leaving me in despair on my knees that 15 minutes hard work was gone and my float and dangling in the air. That was definitely the highlight of the weekend, the low point 6 hrs in the rain on High Pond ad catching 2 tiny Perch and a skimmer Bream on Sunday. So plans are a foot, the old bloke didn’t have a good day fishing by all accounts, so this sat I will take him down to Millbeck, but no small pond. He can have the peg that I was on and I will have the next one a long and we should be able to catch a good amount of fish. Oh well…….. roll on next weekend. Pete I get to Millbeck for 7.45, been thinking of the ‘one’ all night, dreaming of it, been awake since 5.30 and have the bike all packed up and my rug sack all sorted too, I go to the paper shop, get some snacks, I have had sausage and toast for breakfast and coffee, just waiting for a good time to set off. I set off early and take my time, it is a down hill bike ride on the whole also and only 5 minutes if I were to hammer it. The fishery doesn’t open till 8 am on a Saturday but I sneak in at 7.45, by the time John turns up at 8.15 I am in the water (hee hee hee) I fish the small pond again using bread on the top, get a couple of tiddlers (commons under a pound) and a few Rudd but the ducks make my life hell and I look for a sheltered peg.

I go to the big pond, peg No.2. I have the wind in my face, I got nice margins, I decide against setting up my feeder rod, it is raining and I couldn’t be bothered getting it out and fiddling with the tackle to set it up. I chuck a few maggots just off the margin, my peg is set back in between reed banks, there is a plank to sit on and as I cast out I set it so I can balance my rod front the end of the platform and the plank. I am making up my bit of ground bait, I had just poured my pond water into the mixer with the bait and I look out to my float, which isn’t there. Yep that’s right, I slowly pull up on my rod and I can see the line disappearing to my right and the fish then suddenly feels my resistance and all hell lets loose. Now I was thinking Bream and Rudd when I moved ponds and this did not feel like a Bream. It veered to the left and headed out towards the middle of the pond, for a good ten meters, my clutch whining away as I lessen the load on it. I manage to turn it and it heads back in, more towards my left this time it is steaming in towards the left reed bank so I wind in tighten the clutch and stop it just before it reaches a big flash of creamy white and huge splash, a mirror I think it was, as it set of towards the right and thrashing around it freed itself from my hook.

My heart was racing, adrenalin flowing, what an amazing buzz, even tho I lost it. I wound in threw in some maggots, finished the ground bait and chucked in a couple of lumps some more maggots and then bunged in my 6 or 7 maggots on my size 12.

I waited with baited breadth, was that carp a one off, my float starts to sink and I wait it goes and I pull up, a Rudd, lol, next an eel, then after about 30 minutes after my first take, I get a smooth moving float to my right slowly sinking as it moves, I pull as it disappears and bang, my arm feels like it is being pulled out of my socket, I get two hands on and flick the bail arm over and out goes the line, 5, 10, 15 seconds it speeds off into the deep of the pond, I lessen the drag right off and flick the bail arm back on, the carp is still on. It takes a could minute to bring it back in, it zig zag across the pond in front of me, until it is what I feel 8 – 10 metres out, the float appears and the fish is about 5 metres out swimming left then I turn it and it swims back, I keep the pressure on and turn the fish slowly moving him nearer to me, I drop onto my knees, and push my landing out under the water his head appears and slides into my net without much fuss, man I was feeling dizzy, head spinning, the lad who was fishing over the other side came over and had a look, we weighed it and it was 5 ¾ lb’s fin and scale perfect common . The biggest fish I have ever caught. I was over the moon, it was unexpected, I mean you have to have buzzers and method feeders and hair rigs and halibut boilees etc. to fish for carp, don’t you?

I mean wagglers a size 12 and 6 or 7 white maggots wont catch you carp. It is just so uncouth, so un refined. Anyhow I carried on, I not only got my PB fish the common I went on to catch a 4lb Mirror, another PB. I weighed a couple more fish and they were a 2.5 and 4 lb common which were probably the best of the rest. All together I caught dozen carp and I wouldn’t be surprised if I had kept them all it would have been around the 30lb mark. I lost a few too, one which could have been bigger, also I thought I had played this fish correctly, it was head up on its side. Bringing it in to the net it saw it thought ‘Don’t fancy that’ and bang off it went, leaving me in despair on my knees that 15 minutes hard work was gone and my float and dangling in the air.

That was definitely the highlight of the weekend, the low point 6 hrs in the rain on High Pond ad catching 2 tiny Perch and a skimmer Bream on Sunday.

So plans are a foot, the old bloke didn’t have a good day fishing by all accounts, so this sat I will take him down to Millbeck, but no small pond. He can have the peg that I was on and I will have the next one a long and we should be able to catch a good amount of fish.

Oh well…….. roll on next weekend.

Pete ]]> sunburntarms http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=95 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=94 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:52:18 GMT I didn’t post about last weekend, sat the 28th of June. I did fish, and it was generally ok, until a couple of lads decided to mess around and they fell onto my landing net snapping the pole and doing something so that the net was jammed on. Most likely cross threading it somewhere inside. The following Monday I fished with my old man and after a promising start, till the old man turned up then I went quiet couldn’t catch a thing, he kept (three times) fishing over my line and tangling us up, so I spent more time sorting this out than fishing. Oh well you win some and you lose some. The old fella was away this weekend, I got him a load of stuff sorted, ground bait, weights floats shot hooks on line already; he can tie those. Got his rod and his reel ready all he had to do was pack the stuff up and go on Wednesday. He can fish this pond in chesterfield that hasn’t been fished for over 3 yrs (apparently). So I am getting my gear sorted for Fri. and the weekend, looking thro my tackle and I notice a reel is missing my reel with my 10 lb main line, where is it, I get the umbrella out and look for its pole, that has disappeared too. I phone and dad says that he is going to use my reel, ‘it is mine after all’ but I remember he said ‘you can have this reel’ and that’s why I spent 5 quid on some line and filled it up. So my feeder fishing is out of the question this weekend, I still have the Shakespeare reel I got with the ‘rod and reel’ combo I bought on Monday along with the landing net. This rod is a 13 foot, meant to be a spinning rod but was told it is very good to be used with floats and has a screw in tip for a swing or a quiver tip; I bought a quiver tip on Fri. So I sort my stuff out, and on Fri. after work I get my usual 2 pints of maggots for weekend fishing. I head off down Millbeck, I go on the small pond and fish for about 5 hours, it is stress free, just got some maggots, bread and sweet corn, pulling out Rudd after Rudd, and a couple of small commons no bigger than half a pound. The sweet corn was not pulling in the carp as I expected as I had the pond to myself. Mike the owner was chatting to me and said ‘watch this’ he got a round of my bread and started to feed the carp on the top, I have seen this on TV, but never sat no more that 3 foot way on the side of a pond and watching these mouths come up and take the bread. Mike showed me, you but all the shot on the float and has about 18 inches of line to the hook. I have not had so much fun ever fishing. Watching the fish take the bait and then waiting for the float to move was mind blowing, I caught a good 1.5 pounder and one just under a pound and I must have caught a dozen Rudd of differing sizes too. Catching Rudd of the top with bread made me laugh every time. So last chuck on Friday, about 7.10 pm and I was thinking of getting home, hot shower and meal were calling but it had been a great way of unwinding after a week of work. There I was, lying flat on the pond side head poking out form the reeds, keeping an eye on the bread and I see a mouth raise up and take one, and again, another, only mine and one other piece left, this cavernous mouth appears from the deep and takes my bread. My eyes laser in on my float and it moves away (from the bridge) slowly sinking. The float disappears, I count one two and pull, yes I feel it as rod bends over the line is as taught, The fish darts away and I feel it shake…………….’Ping’ the float and comes flying up from the depths, yes I did swear, I couldn’t believe it I pulled in the float and the hook had come off, man….. I mean I had landed a couple of tiddlers and Rudd with that hook; it was on for a couple of seconds. I use barbless hooks and I have been told that it will work itself out and the carp will be fine. Oh well I packed up, it was 7.15, thinking of what could have been, the ‘one that got away’ It was a size 14 hook for the record. I go and see Mike we have a laugh and I say see you tomorrow, nice and early. I didn’t post about last weekend, sat the 28th of June. I did fish, and it was generally ok, until a couple of lads decided to mess around and they fell onto my landing net snapping the pole and doing something so that the net was jammed on. Most likely cross threading it somewhere inside.

The following Monday I fished with my old man and after a promising start, till the old man turned up then I went quiet couldn’t catch a thing, he kept (three times) fishing over my line and tangling us up, so I spent more time sorting this out than fishing. Oh well you win some and you lose some.

The old fella was away this weekend, I got him a load of stuff sorted, ground bait, weights floats shot hooks on line already; he can tie those. Got his rod and his reel ready all he had to do was pack the stuff up and go on Wednesday. He can fish this pond in chesterfield that hasn’t been fished for over 3 yrs (apparently).

So I am getting my gear sorted for Fri. and the weekend, looking thro my tackle and I notice a reel is missing my reel with my 10 lb main line, where is it, I get the umbrella out and look for its pole, that has disappeared too. I phone and dad says that he is going to use my reel, ‘it is mine after all’ but I remember he said ‘you can have this reel’ and that’s why I spent 5 quid on some line and filled it up. So my feeder fishing is out of the question this weekend, I still have the Shakespeare reel I got with the ‘rod and reel’ combo I bought on Monday along with the landing net. This rod is a 13 foot, meant to be a spinning rod but was told it is very good to be used with floats and has a screw in tip for a swing or a quiver tip; I bought a quiver tip on Fri.

So I sort my stuff out, and on Fri. after work I get my usual 2 pints of maggots for weekend fishing. I head off down Millbeck, I go on the small pond and fish for about 5 hours, it is stress free, just got some maggots, bread and sweet corn, pulling out Rudd after Rudd, and a couple of small commons no bigger than half a pound. The sweet corn was not pulling in the carp as I expected as I had the pond to myself. Mike the owner was chatting to me and said ‘watch this’ he got a round of my bread and started to feed the carp on the top, I have seen this on TV, but never sat no more that 3 foot way on the side of a pond and watching these mouths come up and take the bread. Mike showed me, you but all the shot on the float and has about 18 inches of line to the hook. I have not had so much fun ever fishing. Watching the fish take the bait and then waiting for the float to move was mind blowing, I caught a good 1.5 pounder and one just under a pound and I must have caught a dozen Rudd of differing sizes too. Catching Rudd of the top with bread made me laugh every time. So last chuck on Friday, about 7.10 pm and I was thinking of getting home, hot shower and meal were calling but it had been a great way of unwinding after a week of work.

There I was, lying flat on the pond side head poking out form the reeds, keeping an eye on the bread and I see a mouth raise up and take one, and again, another, only mine and one other piece left, this cavernous mouth appears from the deep and takes my bread. My eyes laser in on my float and it moves away (from the bridge) slowly sinking. The float disappears, I count one two and pull, yes I feel it as rod bends over the line is as taught, The fish darts away and I feel it shake…………….’Ping’ the float and comes flying up from the depths, yes I did swear, I couldn’t believe it I pulled in the float and the hook had come off, man….. I mean I had landed a couple of tiddlers and Rudd with that hook; it was on for a couple of seconds. I use barbless hooks and I have been told that it will work itself out and the carp will be fine.

Oh well I packed up, it was 7.15, thinking of what could have been, the ‘one that got away’ It was a size 14 hook for the record. I go and see Mike we have a laugh and I say see you tomorrow, nice and early. ]]> sunburntarms http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=94 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=93 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:05:00 GMT I joined Talk Angling about a month prior to getting back into the UK Match scene, I needed to find out what had changed after such a long break from the sport and I needed to be sure I wanted to go through all the trials and tribulations again.

I was listening to Talk Sport the day Wendy (Barbelqueen) was on there and up pops Lee Woodhouse talking to Keith about his charity auctions, I had a look through the forum and came across this auction Little did I know I was really bidding for a day out with the Midlands finest a day on the bank with two guys that could quite easily fit into the cast of One flew over the Cukoo's nest, anyway I put in a cheeky bid in the rest is history, and of course I now have to get back into it for real there is no more putting it off.

The day we choose is July 4th The Venue Barston Lakes, http://www.barstonlakes.co.uk/

I set off from Essex around 8.15 am with roughly a 2 hour drive, I should get there in time for 10.30, Now I have never met Lee before and only seen cartoon pics of Tony once again this is going to be a laugh finding two strangers especially as the memory I still have embedded in my mind is Lee looking like Beyonce and after that having his head shaved,

I arrive bang on 10.30 after getting lost in the country lanes, My sat nav sent me down a lane that was a dead end but one good thing came of it I now know Solihol quite well.

As I get out of the van I see two guys walking towards me I look at the older guy and his long flowing white locks and its definately Tony, a quick introduction and into the clubhouse to find Nigel and grab a coffee.

For those that have never visited the fishery its a beautiful place the kind of place you would associate with a stately home, very nice indeed, why on earth Nigel wants scruffy smelly anglers here amazes me.

Apparently we were supposed to meet at 9 am going on the description of Tony's A to Z he probably still uses a sun Dial for a clock and 9am was never going to happen :).

We chat with Nigel for a while and he suggests we fish around pegs 113 to 117 so we drive to our pegs, priority treatment too, he gets the barrier lifted as they were re tarmaccing the car park especially for our visit, :) what a nice guy.

We argue about pegs like all good anglers do and finally drop in a swim, Basically me and Lee stitched up Tony and dropped him in the middle.

Lee was off and catching before I even got a rig on I eventually got my act together plumbed up and set off, its quite a shallow area around 4ft withg no no shelves, we had a nice ripple so it was pick a line and go for it
I put 3 balls in at 13 metres at 2 oclock and some chop and caster at 10 oclock, it took me quite a while to get anything other than perch but gradually the skimmers moved in, and they seem to come faster and faster with a good helping of pellets blasted around the float, the chop line was just a perch a chuck.

By this time Lee was bagging big time and I think Tony may even had chucked the feeder out, he decided to fish the feeder as it was easier to take pics it saved constant shipping down.

I was getting 12oz to a pound skimmers every chuck untill I caught a tree I managed to get this large branch to 6 metres before it done my hook length, after this disaster it took me ages to get the fish back and I felt even at the end they never really settled again.

I ended up with quite a nice weight for the 4 hours we fished and Lee had a very good bag , Tony managed to nick a few nice skimmers bordering on bream and had an excellent fight with a carp, he cast his feeder out and a carp took it before he could get his rod on the rest, sadly the hook length was no more, I wont go into the weights as Tony will no doubt cover that in the article.

We weighed in took a few pics and went back to the club house, Nigel met us back there and layed on a well needed beer and a lovely meal, we chatted for a while and Nigel had to go, well he said he had to go but only 30 seconds after he left I heard someone belting out staying alive the old BeeGee's number in the function room next door, Maybe Nigel has other passions apart from fishing :) as it seemed to much of a coincedence.

Sadly we had to go our seperate ways, its a long drive back, I had my gear to sort for the morning and it was looking like a 10pm return if the traffic was good.

I would just like to say thanks to Lee for Organising this day, Tony for just being Tony what a great guy, and Nigel our host and a very good one at that, it was a super day and worth every penny.

I cant wait to see the pics

And I will add some to this in the week

JC ]]> justin case http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=93 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=92 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:18:19 GMT for sale BRAND NEW ASI SEAT BOX open to offers for sale BRAND NEW ASI SEAT BOX

open to offers ]]> pool1 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=92 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=91 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:26:46 GMT Sunday is here again It seems to come around quicker and quicker Today Im off to one of my regulars High Flier and hopefully a bag up session. We always stop off at the little chef for this one in Ely, its a tad expensive biut close to the venue so all is good. On arrival we are greated by the same old faces and all the London cracks come out Im sure they love us really after all we have been providing some of the winnings for the last few months, *_The draw_* I always try to get in early I beleive you have more chance of a good peg like that, sadly thats not the case peg 18 right down the wrong end of the lake, I drop off Colin peg 30 again which just happens to be the good end of the lake and drive around to my peg, The good thing about high Flier is you park behind your peg, this is nice and I hace often set the roller up on the roof rack of my van for some of the awkward pegs. My peg doesnt look too bad I have a little inside cover im at the narrow end of the lake and the wind is blowing a hooligan its right in my face and slightly left to right 6metre today will be hard work anything more isnt happening. Looking across the lake the high bank is offering some protection and they have reasonably calm water out to 6metres but the wind is still causing havok I set up 3 rigs a 4x12 carpa 3 .21 to .19 powerlione with red hydro this is for the animals that swim amongst the reeds 1 set up a 4 x 20 carpa 3 and a 6 x 20 carpa 3 the first with an olivette the second the larger float with a strung bulk im going to need the shot on the line to play around with to hold still both rigs get back shotted and both have a minimum of two and a half foot of line to the float I need this to allow for the large gusts, its not ideal as I will miss lots of bites but have no choice. *_The Off_* 3 big cups of hemp at 6 metres followed by half a cup of corn, and 1 hemp 1 corn down the inside go out and I put on a 10mm piece of punched meat. within a few minutes im into my first fish a small common around 2lb I plug away at this for an hour or so nicking the odd fish and putting a cup of hemp and corn in for each fish The wind is a real pain I was told the gusts were running at 60mph at times and presenting your bait was very difficult, the odd whip would rip the pole out of your hands float as well, I get the impression if I could just get the bait still I would carry on catching, I had a quick look around and no one around me is doing anything, I have seen the landing nets going out on the other bank at the far end of the lake, I have a little look down the margin run through the baits and other than a few liners no signs, I put on a prawn, carp love prawns its an unusual bait but I have bagged over the years on this bait, within a few seconds I have hooked an animal I have around 30ft of red hydro out and im at full reach I cant get any sections on due to the angle it looks so much like Im going to break the pole then everything comes flying back, its broke my 0.19 hooklength more to the point its ripped the internal sleeve of the carpa 3 clean out and rendered the rig useless. Fortunately I have most of my rigs in triplicate so I put on another adjust the depth and go in with another prawn, I get an instant response and land a fish of around 12lb, yeah I checked for my hooklength :) I spend most opf the match flicking between 6metrers and the margin and catch steady compared to those around me but not brillaint. I had a good spell of 1 to 2 pound fish in the last hour that bumps me up a bit. *_The Weigh In_* Im think I have around 80 LB and double anyone around me lots of people had gone home some without a fish, the scales arrive and my 10 in the big fish net weight 52 pound and the small fish net give me a total of 89 lb from the start of my bank to me there is only one in front of me sadly this didnt last as the opposite bank far end have all caught there were 2 weights over 160 lb a 150 lb then a 104lb I was 5th yet again with 89lb The frustration is running high with this place if there wasnt a gale force wind I would have caught on meat shallow on the long pole conditions didnt allow that, and given the circumstances I dont think I could have got in the money, I need to get up the other end of the lake. Colin weighed in 44 lb right end of the lake, wrong bank you needed to be on the other bank with the wind over your shoulder Roll on next Sunday JC Sunday is here again It seems to come around quicker and quicker Today Im off to one of my regulars High Flier and hopefully a bag up session.

We always stop off at the little chef for this one in Ely, its a tad expensive biut close to the venue so all is good.

On arrival we are greated by the same old faces and all the London cracks come out Im sure they love us really after all we have been providing some of the winnings for the last few months,

The draw

I always try to get in early I beleive you have more chance of a good peg like that, sadly thats not the case peg 18 right down the wrong end of the lake, I drop off Colin peg 30 again which just happens to be the good end of the lake and drive around to my peg,

The good thing about high Flier is you park behind your peg, this is nice and I hace often set the roller up on the roof rack of my van for some of the awkward pegs.

My peg doesnt look too bad I have a little inside cover im at the narrow end of the lake and the wind is blowing a hooligan its right in my face and slightly left to right 6metre today will be hard work anything more isnt happening.

Looking across the lake the high bank is offering some protection and they have reasonably calm water out to 6metres but the wind is still causing havok

I set up 3 rigs a 4x12 carpa 3 .21 to .19 powerlione with red hydro this is for the animals that swim amongst the reeds

1 set up a 4 x 20 carpa 3 and a 6 x 20 carpa 3 the first with an olivette the second the larger float with a strung bulk im going to need the shot on the line to play around with to hold still

both rigs get back shotted and both have a minimum of two and a half foot of line to the float I need this to allow for the large gusts, its not ideal as I will miss lots of bites but have no choice.

The Off

3 big cups of hemp at 6 metres followed by half a cup of corn, and 1 hemp 1 corn down the inside go out and I put on a 10mm piece of punched meat.

within a few minutes im into my first fish a small common around 2lb I plug away at this for an hour or so nicking the odd fish and putting a cup of hemp and corn in for each fish

The wind is a real pain I was told the gusts were running at 60mph at times and presenting your bait was very difficult, the odd whip would rip the pole out of your hands float as well, I get the impression if I could just get the bait still I would carry on catching, I had a quick look around and no one around me is doing anything, I have seen the landing nets going out on the other bank at the far end of the lake, I have a little look down the margin run through the baits and other than a few liners no signs, I put on a prawn, carp love prawns its an unusual bait but I have bagged over the years on this bait, within a few seconds I have hooked an animal I have around 30ft of red hydro out and im at full reach I cant get any sections on due to the angle it looks so much like Im going to break the pole then everything comes flying back, its broke my 0.19 hooklength more to the point its ripped the internal sleeve of the carpa 3 clean out and rendered the rig useless.

Fortunately I have most of my rigs in triplicate so I put on another adjust the depth and go in with another prawn, I get an instant response and land a fish of around 12lb, yeah I checked for my hooklength :) I spend most opf the match flicking between 6metrers and the margin and catch steady compared to those around me but not brillaint.

I had a good spell of 1 to 2 pound fish in the last hour that bumps me up a bit.

The Weigh In

Im think I have around 80 LB and double anyone around me lots of people had gone home some without a fish, the scales arrive and my 10 in the big fish net weight 52 pound and the small fish net give me a total of 89 lb
from the start of my bank to me there is only one in front of me sadly this didnt last as the opposite bank far end have all caught

there were 2 weights over 160 lb a 150 lb then a 104lb I was 5th yet again with 89lb

The frustration is running high with this place if there wasnt a gale force wind I would have caught on meat shallow on the long pole conditions didnt allow that, and given the circumstances I dont think I could have got in the money, I need to get up the other end of the lake.
Colin weighed in 44 lb right end of the lake, wrong bank you needed to be on the other bank with the wind over your shoulder

Roll on next Sunday

JC ]]> justin case http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=91 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=90 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:34:40 GMT In my near 60 years on this planet, of which I spent nearly twenty in marketing some well known brands, I have come to the conclusion that anglers are one of the most gullible sectors of consumers! The "Biggest Whopper" I refer to is "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR". An expression you will see accompanying reviews and ads in the angling press. I'm sorry but you don't - "get what you paid for". There is absolutely no justification for the price differentials you find in some items of tackle - poles in particular. We are being conned! ]]> Blondie http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=90 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=89 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:46:46 GMT hi this is my first blog, just wondering has anyone come across a site called "fat dan fishing.com"check this site out this bloke is very funny aswell as giving out some good advice. ]]> Rich67 http://www.talkangling.co.uk/upload/blog.php?b=89