Perch, Willow Farm

This swim is the most 'Perchy' looking swim I know and despite fishing 10 hours(wife and kids still away!) the only one I nearly caught would have weighed about two ounces but the hook pulled. Chopped lobworms and red maggots were fed all day to attract the small Roach to the in turn attract the large Perch but it was not to be. The weather was bright and sunny which did not help and I did miss several bites on the lobworm hookbait but put these down to small fish playing with it.

However I did avoid the blank by catching a Roach, a Rudd and a brace of Carp. All obviously 'nuisance' fish but the biggest Carp weighed 13lb 2oz and was a real hit and hold effort on 4lb line so was very pleased to land it.

It decided to behave like a Grayling too.

Grayling, Teme

A couple of days spent chasing the Lady of the stream on the stunning river Teme. This fish filled river is almost as beautiful as the Wye and the over grown banks and steep slopes can be a real challenge but the results are almost guaranteed. The wife and kids were away for a week so full sessions were possible and I took advantage. 

Only one slight issue at this time of the year and that is Minnows, there are millions of them so peg choice is restricted to the faster water where they avoid. Trotting a loafer using light gear was an absolute joy and traveling light and peg hopping made it all the more pleasurable. I think I had somewhere between 30 and 40 Grayling to 1lb 2oz, three Dace and whenever I changed to worm the Trout came along to a pound.

Her ladyship put up commendable scraps both in the water and especially on the bank so I only took photos of the biggest and as you can see she led me a right song and dance. They never give up until they are back in the water and then they go all quiet and have to be nursed back to fitness. Typical women!

Hold still ya bugger!

Thats better.

Barbel, Wark Avon

Back down to Earth with a bump following the highs of last weeks Shark expedition. The Warks Avon was the venue for a Barbel foray but despite warm, dark and overcast conditions they just did not play ball. I looked at the weather and felt full of confidence but that drained in direct correlation to the fishless hours. I had bait dropped two very fishy looking areas with hemp and was fishing flavoured meat over the top. One area was the smooth water at the bottom of a run off the weir and the other a very likely looking gravel run downstream. Four long hours into my short Five hour session and not a sniff.

I decided to chuck it and chance it so instead of cubes of meat I ripped off chunks, put one on each rod and chucked them in the 'washing machines' under the weir sill. Within minutes I was in and what thought like a really good Chub popped it's slimy head above the surface, a big Eel!

I then amazed myself. I got the hook out with relative ease and weighed it at 2lb 1oz. Also I laid it on it's back and rubbed it's belly. It then was still long enough for me to take a self portrait. I normally don't get close to them, but I was on my own so had no choice. The Anguilla swam off strongly and I went home a happy angler.

Blue Shark, Plymouth

Plymouth is a favourite venue for our sea fishing club and I would like to say it is the fishing that makes it so but that is not always the case. Sea fishing is at best hit and miss. The Tope session earlier in the year had hurt and I was not looking forward to another attack on Sharks that would end in a blank. I need not have worried though as Malcolm Jones on Sea Angler 2 is a tried and trusted skipper and has never really let us down. He works hard to get results and that always helps.

Sea fishing rigs are amazing. I wish I had photographed this one as it is different to any other I have ever used. 50lb main line leads to a matchstick which holds the soft drink bottle float so that the bait is at the right depth, which leads to a wire trace leader and a circle hook that looks like it would never hook anything. But that lot works! 

Three anglers with three rods out led to five Sharks on the boat. When they run they are unmovable, just hang on and wait  for them to tire. This can be an arm aching 30 minutes. 

A super result, all taken on Mackerel flappers at about 20 metres depth. Simon took the biggest at 87lb but I was more than pleased with my 80lb contribution. The biggest fish I have ever caught and I celebrated it in the bars of Plymouth that night, and the next morning!