El Pez Vela, Mexico

Booking anything on the internet is risky but booking a fishing trip over five thousand miles away and paying $800 is a massive blind leap of faith, mixed metaphors I know. However a family holiday to Mexico was a fishing opportunity not to be missed. So with a large slice of intrepidation I clicked the mouse and entered my bank details.

On the day of the trip I made my way to reception for a 5.50am meet with no idea if anyone would show. I twice checked the date and time on my emailed receipt and grabbed a coffee from the bar. Mexicans only have two types of coffee, strong or really strong but boy does it shake off jet lag! Right on time a minibus pulled up driven by a diminutive 'gringo' who introduced himself and asked if I was Yosef, close enough! Stage one complete.

As we drove through a rough looking area I quizzed him about what it was like. "I would be ok sir" he replied "but it not for you sir, not safe". I changed the subject to football, an easy common denominator. 

We arrived at the marina and I was ushered into a small office full of more dodgy looking gringos, I signed some forms in Spanish with no idea what was written on it and waited. Activity bustled on around me with ice, fishing line, food and beer going forwards and backwards. Lunch was thrust into my hand and I was ushered outside to the coffee pot. I helped myself, needless to say it was strong.

Finally I was introduced to my skipper, Pepe an American looking Mexican who spoke very little English. Thankfully his first mate Juan spoke excellent English inquiring about my previous boat fishing experience and once satisfied that I knew a bit we sped off out of the bay deep into the Gulf of Mexico. Our destination was a deep channel home to a multitude of baitfish which attract the ultimate predators, Blue and White Marlin and the stunning Sailfish. 

Five rods are deployed when trolling, teasers and muppets attached and a garfish-like bait is tied on with wire sewed through its eyeball, thankfully it is already dead! Two rods on down riggers, two on outriggers and one off the top deck.

We had only trolled the baits for about twenty minutes when we got the first hook up, I jumped in the chair and found myself attached to a powerful fish. The unseen adversary twisted and turned, made powerful runs but slowly and surely I kept pumping the rod and gaining the line back. We got a brief glimpse of a huge sail but the fish saw the boat and made one last dash for freedom. Thankfully the hook held firm, I ignored the pain from my aching muscles and brought the fish back up from the deep blue depths and Juan grabbed the stunning beast and hauled it on board. 

For the small price of $1400 the local taxidermists will stuff and mount the fish and ship it anywhere in the world and whilst I thought it would make a great centre piece for our kitchen wall I am not sure the wife would agree! Besides there is no way I could be responsible for killing such a stunning creature. 

The rods were quickly redeployed but I was in no hurry for further action and thankfully the next bite was not too quick in coming along. I was also grateful that when it did come it was a small bluefin tuna of about five pounds, unhooked and chucked in the box to be used later as bait.

By now my limbs had recovered and I was ready for more action. A screaming run followed but this fish did not stay attached for long, the frayed hook link indicated that the escapee was a wahoo. Its razor sharp teeth had made light work of the 80lb line. Wire trace is not used when billfishing the theory being that the fish feel the steel and let go whereas mono is less perceptible.

 More tuna followed all about the same size plus a bonus bonito of over ten pounds, more bait for later I was told. Couldn't wait to see how those were going to be deployed!

Two species ticked off the bucket list and I felt confident that more would follow but the next few hours were very quiet. We trolled and trolled further out towards the Atlantic but nothing happened. "The fish are sleeping" Juan informed me. By now it was 34 degrees so I joined the skipper on the top deck where it was a bit more comfortable in the breeze. A chilled beer or three helped too.

There was to be one more final flurry of activity though. The skipper cut the engine on an obviously known hotspot and three slices of Tuna were despatched to the ocean floor.Within minutes I had a clonking bite and thoroughly enjoyed a stand up battle with a large Grouper.

 Another species ticked off the list and a proper bonus that I did not expect. Several Red Snapper followed to put the finishing touches on a cracking day. 

What did we do before the Internet?!

Fish-Filled Fun but Frustrating.

Commercial Fisheries, I am not their biggest fan, too sterile and manufactured for my liking but they can be a bit of fun as a change of scenery. My intention was to target the big Roach that grow to over two pounds in the immaculately presented Lemington Lakes Abbey pool. The attack was two pronged, a delicate float fished about a rod length out feeding chopped worm and caster with a small section of worm as bait and a 'sleeper' rod again with chopped worm in a swimfeeder cast along the margins.
First two fish landed were both Roach and I thought I'd cracked it but then came a problem, stunted Perch, bloody hundreds of them. I couldn't keep the baits in the water long enough to catch anything else. Time for a rethink. The feeder was chucked out towards the deeper water and I stopped feeding worm to the float and changed the hook bait to caster. It seemed to work.
I still caught the occasional Perch but the average size increased and also everything else had a chance to snaffle the baits.
Every time the float went under or the alarms beeped I hoped for a big Roach. I have never experienced so much disappointment in one single day as I landed loads of Carp to 10lb 9oz......

Roach to a respectable 1lb 3oz but no biggie........

Bream to 4lb 8oz and a 1lb 9oz hybrid.....

Perch to 15oz and Rudd to 12 ounces.

A fish filled fun but frustrating day.

What a Difference a Week Makes...

Fishing can be the cruelest of mistresses sometimes!
Following last weeks hugely successful Tench session I headed back to Linear this time with Martin in tow. Excitement was high with the prospect of a few big Tench pulling our strings and armed with worms we felt that we could not fail, but fail we did.
The conditions seemed perfect, Tench rolled in the swim most of the morning but the alarms stayed silent, deafeningly silent. We worked hard baiting up at regular intervals, tactics that have worked dozens of times for me in the past but the fish just hadn't read the script.
We were sent home with our tails firmly between our legs and my personal quest for a double figure Tench continues.....

The Little Tincas (and Big Ones!)

Three weeks ago I prematurely started my Tench campaign but that session ended with a big fat blank, the fish just hadn't switched on at all due to the cold water temperature. That previous session was preceded by a week of glorious sunshine but large gravel pits take more than just a few nice days to warm up such is their expanse and depth.
This week we have endured a kind of cold snap and I must admit I did think twice about going 'Tenching' but in the end I am extremely glad I took the chance. The Northeasterly gale was bitter for most of the day and necessitated three jumpers but when I put my hands in the water it actually warmed them up. Amazing the difference between the two worlds above and below the surface.
Linear fisheries is busy at the worst of times so with a bank holiday weekend approaching I knew I would have to get there early to secure a decent area. Having pulled up in the car park just after opening time I took a little meander to see what was available. A Carp angler was stood in the second swim, bucket in hand(they use these to save a swim, a tactic I abhor!) Never mind he was a friendly chap and when I told him I had come for the Tench he informed that two had rolled in a matter of minutes in that very swim.
"Are you gonna fish this spot then?" I tentatively enquired.
"No, I think I will keep looking further around".
Told you he was friendly. It is no exaggeration when I say I ran to the car and grabbed my tackle quicker than ever before.
The rods were already set up from the last session so within minutes I was fishing. My tactics for Tench are always the same, feeder fishing with regular casting dictated by the clock.
To begin with I recast every twenty minutes aiming at the same certain trees each time on the far horizon. This slows down to every thirty minutes after a while until the Tench arrive scenting a meal to their liking.
It is hard work but the rewards can be a lot of fun.
The buzzers gave the odd beep indicating line bites or finicky takes until finally at about 11.15am I hooked my first Tench. The fight was scrappy making me think it was a male. With the fish still about twenty yards out the other indicator burst into life. At first I thought I had crossed lines but the buzzer just kept going and going, double hook-up!
It is really off putting playing one fish know another is flying across the lake with no-one to stop its progress. I eventually bundled the male in the net, guessed it to weigh about six pounds and leapt across to the still beeping other rod. Amazingly the fish was still on, not snagged but it had swam somewhere beyond the horizon. The fight was much more laborious, obviously a female that had used most of its energy getting as far away from me as it could. I managed to net her alongside the other one and she completely dwarfed her male counterpart. I knew straight away it was a big fish.



With them both on the mat the hooks were removed and because of her size she saved her boyfriend from having a weigh-in. The friendly Carp angler had now rejoined me in the swim and seemed a bit jealous when the needle pulled down to 9lb 5oz. Not only had I (sort of) nabbed his swim but I then cajoled him into taking the photos. I owe him a pint or two whoever he is!

A rare opportunity for a 15lb brace shot but they were too slippery for me to do it properly.
What followed next was a mad hour when I couldn't keep all the rods in the water at the same time.
Next up was a big 8lb 10oz Male....

Closely followed by a 'seven'....

Then an 8lb 8oz female...

and a 7lb 6oz.

It was almost a relief when a period of inactivity followed. I still worked hard keeping the feed going in just in case I could entice one or two more fish to the bank, I am glad I did. A screaming run followed by a decent battle saw me land the biggest fish of the day all 9lb 7oz of stunning female Tench. In a few weeks this fish will fulfil my holy grail, weighing well into double figures. I have now caught thirty Tench over nine pounds without a single double! Surely it is just a matter of time(or timing).

There was still time for two more smaller males and I left at 3.30pm satisfied with a great days fishing. Nine Tench for over 70lb and as a bonus it was free because the bailiff never came to see me. Doesn't get much better than that!

Plenty of time left to walk the dog!

Oh No! What have I Done?!

No proper plans were made this week, I had a nice lie-in and when I did eventually surface my eldest daughter Maisie decided that she would join me. We headed off into the Cotswolds to a different pool that I know from previous visits holds good quality Rudd and Roach and initially that was what we set our stall out for. Chopped worm deposited in the swim and a sensitive float deployed. 

Photo taken by Maisie!(8)

The sun burnt off the rest of the cloud and made for a pleasant end of morning. Whilst I had been baiting with worm I had also chucked some dog biscuits by the trees to see if the Carp were in the mood and in no time they were slurping away merrily on the freebies. We rigged up a floater rig and within minutes Maisie was playing her first proper Carp. Her enthusiasm had been waning due to the lack of action on the worm but was instantly reignited and with a bit of coaching from her Dad she landed a lean hard fighting Common. 

9lb 7oz

It lost a scale while in the net which she stuck in her lunch box to take home and show Mum. She wouldn't hold the fish herself as it was a bit lively on the bank but she did a sterling job on the other side of the camera, a natural methinks!

More dog biscuits were chucked out, another bite quickly followed and a slightly smaller Common was expertly brought to the net. With the clutch set properly and the anti-reverse on she can play these fish without any issues.

8lb 5oz

When she hooked a third fish I left her to it to take some action shots. 

This one was the smallest of the day and well behaved so she posed for a photo (after a bit of cajoling!).

5lb

Time was marching on now but we still had time for one more. It didn't take long and it was the first fish to take line from the reel. It fought hard but even a tired Maisie was up to the task and a few minutes later we slipped the net under a stunning Mirror. It's beauty was not lost on my girl but I would not let her take home one of it's 'apple-slice' scales as she requested. 

14lb 2oz

She did the honours with the camera and we both went home happy with our days work. Chatting on the way I asked her if she had enjoyed herself to which she replied "can we go Carp fishing every week Dad?"

What have I done?!!

A Chip off the Old Block?

I hate this in between phase we seem to be in. When the sun shines it feels like Spring but when the wind blows it still feels 'Winterish'. The over night temperatures are low and the water temperature is still bloody cold. It has really hit my motivation (until Tench time) and with a 'not bothered what we catch' attitude I took my eldest Maisie to the closest commercial fishery and let her have a play. Sometimes it is great to go fishing with no pressure knowing we would definitely catch something and we weren't bothered what it was.

So with a few hours to spare and some worms left over from the previous Tench trip we headed down to Manor Farm and float fished our way through a Sunday lunchtime. Maisie fished the only rod, set up by Dad but every bite and subsequent fish was hers. I think she enjoyed it. I kept asking her if she wanted to go home but each time her response was in the negative and she ended the day with a reasonable bag of Silver Bream and Roach.

Best fish of the day was an 11oz Roach which she refused to hold as it kept 'flipping'.

I enjoyed Maisie catching fish as much as if I had caught them myself and the fact that she didn't want to go home and would rather have stayed and caught more made my day! A chip off the old block?- I hope so!

Too Early for Tench?

The recent spell of warm weather turned my thoughts to Tench, my favourite species to target in the Spring. I think I was a bit premature though. It takes a long time for a huge deep body of water like Hardwick gravel pit to rise in temperature and awaken from its Winter slumber and the crystal clear water was still very cold to the touch.

I worked hard all day but could not manage to generate a bite, the alarms staying silent apart from one line bite mid-afternoon. Give it a couple of weeks and those big Tench will be on the munch, filling up as much as they can before spawning time.
The wildlife was interesting though, I love watching funny looking tufties....

the Red-Crested Pochard

Lemington Lakes- Big Roach

The A44 was closed for roadworks so I found myself on a misty Cotswold country lane trying to find an alternative route to Lemington lakes. Thankfully my sense of direction did not let me down and I turned into the fishery only ten minutes late. Martin was busy chatting up the dragon lady owner so I got my ticket as quickly as I could and dragged him down to the lake. Target today was Roach, big Roach, hopefully two pounders plus, the ones this fishery is known for.
The only other time I have fished here it was absolutely freezing. The elevated position means that when there is a gentle breeze it feels like a gale and when there is a gale well, you lose your hat and anything else that is not tied down. Today however was a complete contrast, the sun eventually burnt off the mist and there was barely a ripple on the water. Perfect conditions for the angler if not for angling.
Martins approach was to pole fish worm whilst feeding chopped worm and have a 'sleeper' rod set up with a maggot feeder and a helicopter rig. Problem was it didn't 'sleep' for long as a succession of pasty Carp ran away with the maggots. After the umpteenth Carp messed him about he put it bed and just fished the pole. It was working a treat anyhow as he landed Bream to 4lb 6oz...

and Roach to 1lb 6oz, the biggest of the day....

not quite the size we were after but a nice fish all the same. Considering we were at a commercial fishery they were all in immaculate condition, a testament to the strict rules they impose. Not a mangled mouth, split fin or missing scale in sight.
The rest of his maggots were fed to the friendliest Chaffinch we have ever seen, coming right up to us to scrounge its dinner.

My tactics differed slightly to the big man in that I set up a pair of feeder rods, fishing chopped worm helicopter style. My thinking was that I wasn't fishing for lots of bites but bigger fish. I caught plenty including Perch, Rudd, Bream and Carp but not a single Roach until the very last minute when I finally landed one of about a pound.

To be honest I think I got it wrong on the day. There were plenty of missed bites which I am sure were from Roach and would have connected if I refine the approach with smaller hooks and bait, thinner line and a shorter hooklink. Next time I will certainly give that a try and see how it goes.

Another Red Kite spotted, they are definitely spreading further North.

Always Have Some Floaters

My intention was to fish for Perch but when I saw a whole load of Carp milling about the surface layers I couldn't resist a bit of floater fishing. I always keep a bucketful of flavoured dog mixers permanently in the back of the van for such occasions. Catching Carp off the top is high on the list of my favourite ways of fishing. It is visually thrilling seeing the fish slurp the hook bait, the split second delay before striking and then all hell breaking loose. There isn't much more exciting than that.

It didn't take long for a few of the Carp to notice the free food on offer and I kept a steady flow going in to build up their confidence while playing with the camera. A rogue garden pond pet even got in on the action but its eyesight wasn't too good, it amusingly balanced a biscuit on its nose better than my dog can!

There are no monsters in this pond but that isn't the point. I had a couple of hours spare and fancied a bit of fun and thankfully the fish were obliging. I like to keep my floater fishing simple, no glue or bands, either an imitation fly or a whittled down pop-up does the trick every time, size twelve hook, rig complete.

A brace of Carp were landed, biggest was probably a scraper double that gave me a proper battle on the light tackle I was using.