Dace chase

A misty sunrise greeted me as I made my way across the field at Barton, on the way to the weir peg where I felt I had unfinished business due to being kicked off last week for a Brummie match. Again I was fishing for Dace, not something I have done a lot of since I used to catch them twenty years ago from the fast flowing water of the river Ure. I had reasonable success with them in my youth, catching them to the pound mark so my hopes were high for a big one today. Eight or Nine ounces seemed an acceptable target from the Avon.
I had no problem finding the Dace, a massive shoal of them, and managed  to catch about 40/50, but they were all of virtually the same year group and weighed around an ounce apiece. I would have caught more but the Jack Pike kept picking off an easy meal. Five times they snatched my fish and bit through the 3lb mono every time. I did get one close to my bank but he disappeared as soon as he saw me.

Late in the day when I was running low on maggots I had my biggest Dace of the session, weighing a whole five ounces.

It bettered last weeks effort of four ounces but it will take me a long time to get a good 'un at this rate.
I also caught Gudgeon, Roach and Perch, one of which was the biggest fish of the day.

An enjoyable day angling.

Tiddler Bashing

Badsey Brook

Take 1:

My brother and I started out the day on the Avon at Barton. We had just nicely got settled in, started catching a few Dace and Perch when a couple of Brummies turned up. "Ow mate we got a mutch on ere tuday". Bugger! My fault, I should have checked the BAA website first but there has been so few matches on the stretch this year I did not bother. So we upped sticks and left. I gave them a parting shot about Barbel in keepnets on the way to the van. They assured me they weighed them in as and when they were caught, Bollox. 

Take 2:

My mate Cockney Steve has been going on about a Mr Crabtree-esque little waterway called Badsey brook, where he goes for livebait but has been catching some Dace that are too big to use so we headed there. At the moment the best swims are choked with weed but give it a frost and a decent run through of rain and I reckon we could be on a winner.

 I dropped some maggots in the best swim I could find and within seconds I struck into the closest I have ever come to a British record. I have never weighed a Gudgeon before but this one went on the scales as it was way bigger than any of it's predecessors. Three and a half Ounces!

My brother thought I was mad but never mind. I struggled after that but did manage a four once Dace, points on the board. 

Take 3:

After an hour or so of no action we decided to move to our third venue, Willow Farm and try to better our Silver Bream efforts. We caught them but small ones, along with Roach, F1s, Goldfish, Tench and Perch. Best of that lot was a Perch well over a pound but we decided not to put it through the photo trauma. 

Shark Trip

The weather forecast at the start of this week did not look promising. There were hurricanesque winds forecast for every single day along the Devon coast and I was sure that our shark trip would be called off. Friday, the day we were going was about the best but still too breezy for our skipper to risk taking us out. However as the week wore on the Friday forecast improved until it was obvious that it was going to be a break in the weather. My excitement kept building as I checked the forecast on an hourly basis.
In the end it was flat calm as we set off from Plymouth harbour on board Sea Angler2, just misty and drizzling, 'sticky rain' our skipper Malcolm calls it.
We got to the Mackerel fishing mark and for the first time in ages there were loads of them. Full strings all the time and it took no time at all for us to have plenty for bait and to make rubby-dubby.

A smelly mixture of mashed Mackerel, fish oil and bran, sharks love it!

 We then steamed out to the shark drift, 21 miles out to sea. It is fascinating how the skipper finds these places to fish because it all looks the same to me.
Dave and I drew straws for rods and thankfully only an hour in to the drift, mine was the first to take off. After about ten minutes I had the fish alongside but Malcolm let her run again because they are never beaten first time and if not played out they become a real handful on the boat. They are not a Great White but they have teeth to make a mess of human skin. I asked the skipper how many times he had heard 'we're gonna need a bigger boat' and he said 'every f'ing time'. I changed my mind about singing the theme tune. A couple of minutes later and we brought a 50lb Blue on to the boat.
She thrashed a bit but was good for the photo shoot.

As I went to put her over the side she bit through the rubby-dubby bag, and left it with a great big hole in it, a toothy reminder.
I then let Dave have use of all the rods and another hour later he landed his first ever Blue, slightly smaller at about 40lb. He then followed this up with a twenty pounder and I finished off with a 30. Four sharks on the boat was a good result and we went home happy, but still with an itch for a 'ton'!

Meaty Eel

I headed down to the Barton stretch of the Avon this morning for a short session chasing Barbel. Started rolling meat down the run and after a biteless couple of hours I changed tactics and ledgered in the fast flow. First cast I missed a bite and second chuck I had the three foot twitch and fish on, sadly it found one of the many snags and I lost it. It felt like a good fish.

The bites started to get twitchy and I suspected Chub but then a short while later I found out the culprits.

The hook was in the corner of it's mouth and so I managed to unhook, weigh and return without touching. At this point I should claim to be respecting them because of diminishing numbers, endangered species, minimal handling etc but I won't. I did not want to be covered in slime and then smelling it for the rest of the week. 

Bonus points for the challenge- 1lb 2oz. That was the only fish landed of the session so no blank and I went home contented.

Barbel, Warks Avon

A fairly uneventful session yesterday taking a Barbel first cast and a Chub about an hour later and nothing else happened. Managed to get soaked for the second time running.

She weighed 9lb 8oz and took rolled luncheon meat.

Bullocks to Zander

11 foot of carbon feeder rod is probably not the most obvious choice of weapon for fending off a herd of inquisitive Bullocks but Steve thought it was. It worked for a while anyway. 

The rain properly arrived this week and we had a difficult session on the Avon. The river was a few inches up and with that came a constant barrage of weed through the swim making delicate presentation an impossibility. We had decided to cover all the bases and I had a small Roach dead bait cast out for Zander on one rod, a lump of luncheon meat on another for Barbel and Steve also tried for the Zeds plus a maggot feeder for anything else that came along.

We arrived mid afternoon and it took quite a while for us to get the first fish, a Jack Pike of about 7lb to my Roach rod. Steve followed this up with a cracking Perch of about 12oz and then another a bit smaller. The heavens opened around 5pm and that seemed to slow the fishing down.  Just as it was getting dark Steve had a big Dace at least half a pound. 

It was my turn next and I landed a 4lb 6oz Zander which had ignored the deadbait, preferring the Luncheon meat instead, fishing is a funny old game!

As you can probably tell from my jacket that by this time we were soaked through. The thunder and lightning had started and we know bolts of electricity and lengths of carbon are not good bedfellows so it was time to call it a night.

The trek back to the van is across three fields, two of which now had skittish Bullocks in them due to the storm. The first field we gave our bovine friends a wide berth and they ignored us. The next field was darker and we did not see them until we were virtually upon them. This spooked them and they set off for a run. They ran across and behind us which was a tad scary with the lightning flashes to illuminate them. They then turned and followed us but thankfully slowly and at a distance. We reached the stile in record quick time, I leapt over it and just as Steve was about to follow a Deer jumped out of the trees and ran for it. He nearly died, one more shock would have finished him off. We then drove home in a spectacular storm, via the Oddfellows for a nerve calming ale of course.

Blanks, Struggles and Freebies

Avon sunset

All good things must come to an end and my recent run of success did just that. The last two weeks have been a real battle, firstly two blanks and then a couple of sessions with fish caught but not the species or the size that I wanted. Still if it was easy and we always got what we wanted we would not come back for more.

10.08.11

The first session was an evening Barbel foray and the successful tactic of rolling meat finally let me down, two bites, no hook ups therefore no fish.

14.08.11

The following weekend my brother and I headed for linear as confident as ever and we were sent away with our tails between our legs. A bite apiece, mine came off, my brother's hook link failed.

17.08.11

A short evening session chasing Zander. I avoided the blank by landing a pair of Jack Pike, both around the 5lb mark, one of them in the pitch black which is unusual and I was sure was a Zed til I shone the head torch on it. Better result but still not that satisfying.

18.08.11

Today I decided to go for the confidence building session we all need some time so the local commercial chasing Silver Bream was my plan. I still struggled for the first hour as I targeted the margins. Once I realised all the fish were in the middle of the pool I caught and fairly regularly. Despite the torrential down pours I enjoyed the session and ended with a very varied mixed bag.

The only fish I weighed was the biggest Silver Bream which was a new personal best at 10oz! 

One bit of good fortune was the new Land Rover arrived last weekend with a pretty awesome number plate absolutely free. The chap selling it is an angler but did not twig that to the right person it would be worth good money and he just left it on!

 It is pretty unmissable so say hello if you see it on the bank somewhere.

Feeling Blue in Plymouth

The first of two shark trips I have booked in this year. I hope the second one is more productive than this one. Not one single beast landed, not even a dropped run either. We drifted the exact same area as our skipper did Thursday and that day the lads landed 10! I still thoroughly enjoyed it though.

This time I had decided to bring my travel spinning rod along and play around with other species whilst waiting for the shark action. I did not expect any success with it but it had to be worth a try. Just after lunch I tied on a sidewinder and chucked it out as far as I could behind the boat, into the rubby dubby slick. Within a couple of turns it got nailed, I could not believe my luck.A cracking fight ensued on the light gear and I landed a 4lb 12oz Bass. 

My first ever Bass so a new personal best and another species crossed off the bucket list. 

I carried on playing with the lure rod but no more Bass were forthcoming. Mid afternoon I changed to a spinner and a garfish followed it in. They get attracted by the slick. On the skipper's advice a freelined strip of Mackerel on a size 6 hook was chucked out. Within minutes I had one of these fascinating little creatures on board. 

First time I have ever caught one so another pb but I did not bother weighing it. I fished on and caught a couple more of about the same size before we headed back to shore. 

All in all a disappointing day in terms of sharks but I was well pleased with what I did manage.

More summer Barbelling, Warks Avon.

My last Freshwater session for a couple of weeks (shark trip) and no surprise, I went Barbelling. Similar result as last week I had eight Barbel to 8lb 11oz. All on rolled meat.

And three Chub to a very pleasing 4lb 14oz

My wife and kids popped along for a few minutes and I tried as hard as I could to show them a fish but they did not play ball as I hoped, Sod's law.

Roll me a fat one

Another summers day spent chasing Barbel on the Warwickshire Avon. Today was a real red letter day as I landed eight Barbel and a solitary Chub. The first two fish were around the 5/6lb mark and were not put through the weighing and photo rigmarole. Next one along weighed 8lb 6oz.

The rolling meat was doing the trick again but it had to be in exactly the right spot each time to get a bite, a foot away from the shade of the willow and it was left untouched. Four more fish followed including a couple of 'sevens' and then I hooked something that snagged me up before I could get a grip on it. I released the line to see if it would swim out. It didn't. I could still feel it wagging so tried putting some steady pressure on it, suddenly I felt it kick and we were back in. I could see the fish battling in the shallow crystal clear water quite a distance away and she looked decent which did nothing for my heart rate. It seemed to take forever to get the fish into the net but it was probably only a few minutes and I knew that I had nailed my biggest of the season so far. I let her have a rest in the net while I had a breather myself and then did the weigh in and photos. 

10lb 14oz of pristine Avon Barbel. A super way to round off my best ever Barbel session-so far!

Still Rolling, Rolling, Rolling.

It may be making my blog posts monotonous but I don't care, I am completely addicted to rolling meat down fast swims for Barbel. It is a devastating tactic and it amuses me to see loads of other anglers sat behind lifeless stationary ledger rods. I popped down to the river tonight for a couple of hours literally and came away with two Chub and two Barbel. The biggest fish was nailed on the first cast of the session and weighed 9lb 2oz.

Must get some sleep now because I am getting up early tomorrow for another fix. Hopelessly addicted!

Barbel and Otters

No need to panic, this photo was not taken on the Warwickshire Avon or anywhere else local for that matter. It was taken in Buckfastleigh, Devon at a Butterfly and Otter sanctuary(strange combination!). I have just returned from a long weekend with the family in Torquay and the rods did not go with me. I could not manage a whole weekend without wetting a line though (much to my wife's disgust!) so I sneaked a short Saturday morning session in before we went. 

I headed back to the same swim as last week and rolled meat was again the method of attack. Between showers I took three Chub and four Barbel, the biggest weighing 8lb 7oz. 

I also pulled out of a couple of fish too, all before 9am. This style of fishing is getting addictive and I feel certain that it is only a matter of time before I nail a double this way.

Joe 1 Steve -3, Warks Avon

We popped down to the Avon last night for a short session. I had the intention of catching a Zander and Cockney Steve fancied a Barbel. The river is still low and clear so I opted for a slightly deeper section with plenty of tree cover. I was using small Roach deadbaits ledgering one under the far Willow and the other on the nearside drop off. 

The first disaster of Steve's evening was when he realised he had left his pellets at home so he also set up for a predator.

The second disaster was the BAA bailiff coming along to check tickets and he had left his at home. He was politely asked to refrain from fishing. 

These things always come in threes and his hat-trick was knocking his nearly full can of beer all over his chair. He then came and watched me fish for a while. Just as the light was fading I had a bite from the far willow and after a cracking battle through the weed landed this lovely Pike. They fight really well in the summer and I was careful to make sure she was all right and fully recovered.

She swam off strongly and soon after we retired to the ale house. 

Rolling Back the Years. Barbel and Chub, Warks Avon

Last week's Barbel has started an addiction to the species again and this week I arrived on the Avon at dawn as the sun started to beam through the trees. I decided to begin in the same swim that I landed the double last week. Typical fishing, it did not go to plan. If it did every week it would quickly become monotonous and boring. 

The swim had obviously taken a hammering through the week and was full of litter. Three empty luncheon meat tins plus lager and sweet wrappers. Some people are just plain idiots.

I had taken pellets with me this week to try and I thought my boilies from last week were still in the bag but they weren't. I then remembered that Wifey had asked me to glue one of the kids toys back together and the superglue was back in the house so I would have to drill the pellets. This did not work and I kept reeling in an empty hook. The attention from the minnows and the weed was making me lose the bait stop and therefore the bait also. All was not going to plan, not even close. I had imagined a couple of doubles in the net by now. By ten o'clock I was fed up and staring down the barrel of a blank. 

The sun had risen to full height and peering through the clear water the swim looked lifeless so I decided to up sticks and move on. I wandered down stream looking for fish and spotted just a solitary Barbel which flew off when it saw me. 

About an hour later I shook my last throw of the dice. The fish must be somewhere and the fast water below the weir looked likely. I was not confident but I thought nothing ventured nothing gained. I had one tin of meat in the bag and I have never tried rolling it down a swim before so I gave it a go. 

The swim in question is fast and shallow and the main flow runs under some willow trees. Looks very fishy and gives good cover in the midday sunshine. I rolled up my trousers and waded out to the biggest rock in the photo above. With all the weight off the line I ripped a lump of meat off the block and chucked it into the flow. Bang, unbelievably a Chub took it first cast and it put up a great battle in the strong current. Probably weighed closed to 4lb. I let her recover and she swam off strongly.

A short period of inactivity was the followed by another Chub and then a 4lb Barbel.

 I was beginning to suss out the swim and the fish seemed to be mostly under the third Willow from the right in the picture below. Due to the flow I had to cast into the gap between the willows and let the bait trundle down below the trees hoping that it would not get snagged. If I got it right I caught, if not I lost the bait and occasionally the hook too.

I landed another Chub and two more Barbel before I ran out of bait. I was really pleased to have turned the session around and although there was no real biggies it was great fun and the fights were excellent. It must be twenty odd years since I caught fish freelining!

I have read about Barbel clamping down with their pectorals but never seen it happening. I helped this 6lb fish to recover and then it swam into the rapid shallows and held on with it's fins. I watched it for about five minutes to make sure it was ok and it swam off eventually, splashing me in the process.

Holding station but barely moving!

River Tench Best, Warks Avon

Most of my fishing this year has been for Tench, chasing an elusive double. It was becoming slightly monotonous.  In the last couple of weeks I have enjoyed the fresh challenge of running water and fishing for Barbel and Chub. It has made a pleasant change. However I still cannot escape from the Tench. I caught them while after Silver Bream and tonight on the Avon I landed another. 

Do not misunderstand me though, catching the red teddy bear eyed fish is always an enjoyable experience especially when they put up a tremendous battle like this one did. The whole intention was to land Barbel but I suppose Caster and Hemp could lure any species though.

Believe it or not this fish was a looker. The flash on the photo has managed to blanch out the stunning red belly that this fish had. I should not complain, it was a new pb of sorts (rosettes for everything) but I hope the next few battles are with the target species.

Barbel Double, Warks Avon

Family commitments are restricting my time on the bank at the moment but with the river so low and clear it would be pointless fishing all day anyway. Same scenario as last week then, a morning only session but a 4am start gives me enough angling time to satisfy the itch. 

There were two swims that I wanted to fish and in my experience they require two different approaches. One is an extremely popular swim and the fish that reside there are used to man made baits like pellet and boilies. The other is barely fished and I tend to attack it with particles and feeder. I ended up in the former mainly due to the walk being only half a mile and not the full mile. It was early and I had not had a lot of kip!

I fished boily with stringers and my usual approach is to cast as little as possible in the shallow fast water. It took about half an hour before the rod did a two foot twitch and after an excellent battle through the weeds I had my first Barbel of the season safely in the net. I was happy with that but even more pleased that the scales went just past the double mark by six ounces.

No wonder the fight was good with the paddles she had!

That wasn't quite the end of the whiskers action as I also landed another of about 5lb. As the light started to increase and the sun came out the Barbel sulked off and I added six Chub to 4lb 9oz. 

A cracking mornings fishing and I was back home by 11am for a sausage and bacon brunch.

Mornings Only

I managed to fit two morning sessions in this weekend as the title suggests, and they were very contrasting. On Saturday I went down the Avon looking for Barbel and on Sunday I visited the Lenches fishery with a fly rod to catch the resident Trout.
Saturday 25th June
The alarm woke me up at 3.30am and a quick cuppa later and I was in the van and down to the river at first light. Normally I am first on to the river but this year I have noticed an alarming number of bivvies and this was no exception. Two bivvies already in place in the swim I wanted meant I had to take my second choice. I wasn't 100% confident of catching old whiskers and it proved to be the case. No Barbel took my boilie but I did catch a decent Chub to avoid the blank. I haven't double checked but I don't think I have blanked yet this year which is really pleasing but there have been a few similar sessions where I have come close.

A quick self take with too much fingers not enough fish and I was back home for a 9.00am breakfast.

Sunday 26th June
My fly fishing buddie Uncle Ken was down at ours for the weekend so that could not pass by without some fluff chucking. We headed off early morning to the Lenches. There were three other anglers already fishing on the top lake and Uncle Ken joined them. I headed down to the bottom lake so I was alone and no one would notice my amateurish attempts. I prefer the bottom lake because it is shallower and easier to see the fish. This helps me learn which fly does what in the water and also the fishes reactions to each. Most of the time they ignore the fly completely, odd occasions they come for a look and turn away. I kept changing flies all morning but to be honest it was probably my casting that kept them away.
After an hour or so I put on a fly that my daughter Maisie would have chosen first. It was barbie pink and large and fluffy and I thought the fish may attack it in the bright sunshine. Apparently it is called a pink Cactus fly. I cast somehow into the middle of a few and they all seemed to rush at the fly as soon as I started to retrieve it. A 2lb 6oz fish won the race but lost the ensuing battle with me. Result.  Half an hour later and I had one of his mates too, 2lb 2oz.

If you look closely you can see the fly just above the rod handle. The Trout looked shocked to have fallen for such a thing. I was only on a two fish ticket and had reached my limit before the 'experts' which shows that it is better to be a lucky angler than a good angler!
I extended my limit and within no time had anglers fishing either side of me and one opposite! That did not bother me as I knew my casting would soon scare them off! A couple more fish came out but not to my rod and we were home for 1pm.
Two pleasant fishing sessions and still lots of time to play with the kids, it cannot get better than that.