Something Fishy about life

Most Species in a Day

2012-01-21T10:21:00.000Z

One of the things I like about angling, is the unknown. Whenever you set out for a days fishing, there is always an air of expectation, on some waters in particular you never know what you may catch if anything.

One such water at this time of year is a local commercial fishery to which my angling club provides free access. Situated in the heart of Dorset, Revels Fishery continues to develop and has just extended its main lake and added new stock for the season. It is a well laid out fishery with several different lakes to suit all styles of fishing but I have often found that in the winter it can be a difficult place to find the fish. Anyway yesterday I had a box of maggots in the bait fridge that were rapidly turning into casters(solid little pupae- the next stage is blue bottle flies!) so I had to use them and I went off to Revels. The wind was blowing hard from the north-east and it was threatening rain but I thought I would give it a go. When I got there I was the only angler on the whole complex so had a free choice of all the lakes. I set up on the east of the main lake farthest away from where the new section had been dug and put out a bottom bait to try and tempt a carp and then started fishing with a light float rod and waggler float to use up my maggots and casters. I soon caught a nice little skimmer bream and then started catching small perch. A few nice roach then appeared and then more perch.

I was also joined by the resident cat who kept me company for a couple of hours and then the anglers friend the robin gradually got closer until he was feeding from my maggot box.

Then a greedy little 1 lb mirror carp took my tiny hook and after a bit of a fight was landed. I had a spot of lunch and a coffee and decided to move further down the lake to get out of the wind a bit more. I put out another bottom bait this time with a bunch of maggots strait on the hook and carried on waggler fishing. I was soon catching more roach and perch then some nice gudgeon and a small chub. Suddenly the bottom bait rod reel started moving and I was into a nice common carp.

Once I had landed it I re-baited the hook with more maggots I recast to the same spot near an island and within minutes it was away again bring a pretty mirror carp to the bank. I carried on catching roach , gudgeon and perch on the waggler until my bait ran out and I packed up.

All in all I must have brought around 50 fish to the bank in 6 hours covering 7 different species, a great session on a cold and blustery January day. Oh, and it didn't rain!

Common Carp - Revels Jan 2012

January 2012 River Frome

2012-01-12T17:37:00.001Z

I only had a couple of hours spare this afternoon and I am not going to be able to fish for the next few days so I decided to risk the showers and head for the River Frome. On the way there the sky became very black and almost thundery, and I thought maybe I had made the wrong decision, but the rain steered away and I was soon set up with a little maggot feeder near Wool Bridge.

Wool Bridge - River Frome - Dorset

Within a few minutes of the first cast I had a small grayling on the bank. It was followed swiftly by another couple then it went quiet so I moved upstream right next to the bridge and cast to a likely area. I was rewarded with a nice take and a trout graced the net. Another grayling followed and I moved again. Overall I caught 6 grayling and 3 trout in an hour and a half and managed to dodge the rain. Nice one!

New Year New Lake

2012-01-10T14:09:00.000Z

I decided to take advantage of the mild and dry weather and do a mornings fishing. I intended to go to the river Frome near wool, but stopped off at the local Parkdean Holiday park to buy some maggots at the tackle shop. It turned out that although the holiday camp is closed at the moment their fishing lakes were open but with nobody there. As I had never fished these lakes I decided to forgo the river and take advantage of a quiet time on these usually busy lakes. I only had a float rod so targeted silver fish and caught some nice roach, skimmer bream and a small chub.

Nice Roach caught on double maggot

I actually hooked a decent mirror carp twice but the gear was too light as it was tight to some snags and it broke me off once and the second time I just got a scale which is how I knew it was a mirror! Nevertheless a good short session and very tranquil.

First fish of 2012

2012-01-07T08:56:00.000Z

2.5lb Common Carp - Jan 2012

A combination of the storms, post Christmas catch up and a bit of a cold meant that yesterday was the first time this year I was able to get a days fishing. After an abortive attempt on my first local lake which after arriving and unloading my kit I found the gates locked due to the only closed week of the year, I arrived at my second choice. The weather was very calm and the lake looked serene and it was relatively mild so I could even see signs of fish moving around. I put out a couple of carp rods to start and after a bit of trial and error with baits eventually found something that the local common carp seemed to like and the result was 4 nice little common carp in the net.

Heath Lake - Jan 2012

Two carp were caught on each rod which was particularly pleasing as one of the rods had a new reel on which I had for Christmas, and it is always nice to catch on new tackle for the first time. Another first was soon to follow when I switched to a tiny "pocket rocket" rod , another Christmas present. This is a miniature, yet fully functional rod and reel that folds down into a stubby pen. They claim that the record catch on this is a 14lb carp! Well I did catch two small skimmer bream on it, and it is a delight to use. I also hooked a carp! I would guess it was around 3lb and gave a good fight. I am pretty sure that I could have landed it on this little rod but for the fact that the carp got tangled in another line that I had out and the light line snapped off! I am certain that sometime in the future I will get the fight of my life on this magic little rod!

Calm before the Storm

2011-12-15T13:30:00.001Z

We are just getting over the first December storm and some quick repairs to the garden fences when they are forecasting another with possible snow added tonight! However this morning was calm an bright, at least for a couple of hours so I popped to the nearby lake to see if I could tempt a carp into feeding despite the recent cold rain. It was cold but very pretty on the lake. A couple of mallard ducks paddling around, a single cormorant chancing his luck for a roach or two in the reeds and a pretty little wren hopping around looking for an anglers treat.

Heath Lake Dorset - just before the downpour!

With just one rod out and a few small tempter pellets I had to cast out a couple of times to different areas to find the fish but within half an hour I was rewarded with a feisty little 2lb common carp.

The weather then changed and a torrential downpour arrived for about 20 minutes so happy with my December carp I decided to call it a day and returned home feeling I had cheated the weather and enjoyed the feel of a fish on the line.

December Sun

2011-12-09T12:50:00.001Z

After a great storm in the last 24hrs today dawned calm and clear so it was off to the River Frome.

Although the air temperature was cool at around 5 degrees C, the sun kept it very comfortable and when I arrived at my favourite stretch I was the only angler there. a local swan was making a great fuss washing and cleaning his feathers, I imagine glad of the warmth after yesterdays rain and wind. In the nearby wood a couple of pheasants were calling and a flight of young swans still in their grey plumage flew over. The river was flowing very well but not to coloured after the rain so everything looked perfect. I was only planning on spending a couple of hours so I began with trotting a float with dead maggot as bait. I bought a lovely centre-pin reel last year for just this purpose and so I was delighted when soon after starting I saw the float bob under and felt a great tug on the line. I thought I had caught a grayling at first but as it came nearer I realised it was a nice trout. He put up a good fight and gave a cheeky splash of his tail as I released him into the cold river.

Wool Trout

There were to be no more fish this morning but it didn't matter as it was glorious sat by the river in the sun on a clear December morn.

November Bounty

2011-11-20T08:27:00.001Z

A combination of weather, dentists and spending a couple of days inside a Chieftain Tank talking to over 200 school kids has meant that I have not had much time to fish lately. Oh getting to level 31 in MW3 may have taken a bit of time as well!

Some of the mixed bag

Anyway yesterday the sun promised to pop out for a while and with nothing in the diary I shot off to Kingcombe Lodge lake for a bit of mixed fishing. I had a ledger line out on the method and a waggler float fishing for silver fish to keep me amused. There was only one other person at the far end of the lake so as usual I had my choice of swims. I was soon catching some nice roach, though a couple showed signs of having had a narrow escape from a big perch with bite marks on their backs. Sure enough I began catching perch, mostly small ones but a couple of reasonable sized adults. Then the method line sprang to life with a nice little 3lb common carp, very bronze in colour. I continued catching well on the float and then another run on the method line produced a pretty mirror carp of around 4lb. Back to the float for more roach and perch and then a lazy pull on the method line saw a nice 4lb bream on the bank. I didn't even know that there were bream in this lake! The afternoon rounded off nicely with a 6lb common carp making it a nice mixed bag for the day and a good November bounty.

Opening day for the River Frome

2011-11-01T15:19:00.000Z

River Frome - Nr Wool, Dorset

Today 1st November is the day that the stretch of the River Frome near Wool Bridge, opens for coarse fishing for my club. This stretch is well known for its good population of Grayling a very pretty fish with an extraordinary rainbow sail-like fin on its back. Last year I was lucky enough to get a specimen grayling over 3lb at this location so I was keen to get back and try again.

As usual on the first day there were about a dozen other club members on the bank in various places and some were catching even as I arrived. I picked a spot upstream of the majority and before long had a very small but pretty grayling. After a while longer I got a larger one around 1lb in weight and then it went quiet for a couple of hours.

2.72lb Grayling - Best of the day

Eventually I decided to move even further upstream to a deep straight section that just looked right. I put out a maggot feeder with a single maggot on the hook and within a couple of minutes the tip swung around and I could feel that I was into a nice fish. Once I landed it I knew it was another good one and so I got another club member to photograph it and watch me weigh it in at 2.72lb.

It turned out to be the best of the day across all the members fishing!

October at Kingcombe

2011-10-20T16:14:00.003+01:00

The first frosts were around early this morning in some places though locally I think the lowest temperature was around 2 degrees Celsius.

However the sun was out for a while and there was little wind so i paid a short visit to our club lake at Higher Kingcombe.

This lake has a good head of carp, some nice roach and some perch. The lake is spring fed and quite clear and the carp are all a wonderful deep copper colour.

Today I decided to try for carp and was rewarded with to nice common carp. The first was around 8lb and the second about 6.5lb.

8lb Kingcombe Common Carp

6.5lb Kingcombe Common Carp

Autumn is coming fast

2011-10-05T15:14:00.000+01:00

Every good thing has to end and the recent spell of exceptionally hot weather has been fantastic, but it seems it is now over. The temperature is sliding back to normal though still relatively mild and the skies are grey with the hint of moisture to come. Nevertheless I decided to take an opportunity for a few hours at one of my favourite club lakes called Sharnhill Upper. This small lake is stoked with lots of small carp, common, mirror and even some crucian. And there are just a few larger carp just in the doubles.

I have caught several of the larger ones in the past and so today i set up a light float rod to go after some of the smaller ones and put out a feeder on a baitrunner reel with a larger bait and hook to see if any of the bigger fish were hungry. It was a slow start with nothing much taking an interest for the first hour or so, though i could see signs of fish routing around. Eventually I started to get some of the nice little crucians and a few small common on the float, then the alarm sounded on the feeder and I had a slightly larger 2lb common. About an hour later the alarm sounded again and this time a chubby little 1lb mirror had tried to eat my 10mm halibut pellet topped with an artificial corn. Just after my lunch the alarm sounded again and initially I thought it was another greedy little one but as it got nearer it felt a bit better and started to put up a bit more fight. Soon I had one of the larger occupants of the lake, a nice 9lb common on the bank.

With the rain approaching I packed up satisfied and happy with a nice autumn session.

Indian Summer fishing

2011-09-30T10:35:00.003+01:00

The penultimate day of September and the temperatures set to go into the high 20's. I set off for some "indian summer" fishing at a small club lake in the heart of Dorset. I also wanted to use my new Shimano 4000 Baitrunner reel which my wife had given me for my birthday. I walked the lake on arrival ans spotted quite a few carp loitering near some lilly pads, so this was where I put a few pellets and made my first cast. I didn't have to wait long within 15 minutes the new reel was spinning and I had a nice 4lb common.

All the carp in this clear lake are very dark bronze and very pretty. The session continued apace with a total of 9 carp, a mix of common and mirrors giving a bag weight of around 45lb. The best was a fat, almost leather, with just a single line of scales on its spine to make it a mirror, which weighed in at just over 10lb. Throughout I had the lake to myself and what a way to end September!

10 lb Mirror Carp - Kingcombe Lodge Lake, Dorset

Return to Todber

2011-09-16T08:57:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was one of those beautiful 'Indian summer' days. I set off at 7.00am for the lakes at Todber manor in Somerset. When I arrived it was already warm and clear with a lovely light as the mist rose from the warm water. For the first time I chose to fish Big Hayes, the classic specimen lake. On arrival there were already 9 anglers set up most of whom had been there overnight. I spoke to a couple and found out that things had been quiet with hardly any bites overnight and no catches. Not the best of signs but with the weather warming maybe it was going to change.

Morning mist over Big Hayes

I set up in a swim opposite one of the islands on the western side of the lake. I hoped that the carp encouraged by the warmer weather might start to patrol the island and find a bait placed nearby.

I put out two rods one with a halibut pellet over a PVA bag of small betaine pellets and the other a Cell boilie over a PVA bag of crushed cell boilies.

I would not normally have used a halibut pellet but just after I arrived the swim two away caught a nice leather on a halibut pellet so I thought it worth a try.

After a couple of hours gently roasting in the September sun my left hand rod alarm gave a couple of tentative beeps then a few more as the line slowly went out. Not a strong take but a take, so I lifted into it and soon felt a reassuring solid pull on the line. About 10 minutes later I had a lovely fat common on my mat. It weighedin at 11.25lbs beating my last personal best by 1/4 lb!

11.25lb Common - Big Hayes lake, Todber Manor

There were to me no more bites that day but what a pleasure to be out by a tranquil lake on such a warm day in September!

September Carping

2011-09-06T09:50:00.001+01:00

A mild September morning and I had a few hours spare so took to my nearest lake and caught half a dozen small carp. A mix of mirror carp and common carp with the largest around 4 lbs but they fight like crazy and as you will see from the video put a good bend in the rod.

Return to Heath

2011-08-27T14:31:00.000+01:00

Been busy with other things since the lost rod incident, but at least that gave me time to order a replacement rod, albeit a cheaper version and a new reel.

This morning was quite warm and bright though a threat of showers but I decided it was time to break the curse and fish the place where I lost the rod!

So with new rod set up I set about fishing the same area and soon had a nice 5lb common on the line. It did fight hard though and at one stage had me snagged against something (not my lost rod) but she came clear and came to the net with little fuss once in open water.

The short 2 hour session produced another 5 common carp between 2 and 5 pounds and provided a nice test for the new rod which performed well.

Big fish - LOST Tackle!!

2011-08-06T18:10:00.000+01:00

Just went to my nearby lake for a couple of hours quick fishing. I only took one rod, a compact 10' feeder and soon had a few nice carp on the bank. After about an hour I had just recast and had put the rod back into its rest and was about to sit down when there was an almighty splash where I had cast and the rod lept out of the rests and sailed into the lake. I couldn't believe the speed of it and couldn't get to the rod in time to catch it. So it sank away into deep water!!!

I have been fishing this lake for 3 years and had many different takes but never like this one. I have trawled the area since and cannot find the rod and reel. I suspect it has sunk into the deep silt that is present in this area. The silt is about 2 feet deep and very soft. I am sure the fish shook the barbless hook almost immediately because I saw the swirl as it left, but one of my best rods is now laid to rest as a reminder of the BIG one that got away! :(

Father and Son

2011-08-01T17:12:00.000+01:00

For the first time I went fishing with my son. He bravely volunteered although he has never been fishing and so I promised him a catch at the local lake and off we went. It was overcast and a bit cooler than of late so I hoped the carp would feed and I could live up to my promise.

Using the ever faithful luncheon meat we soon had a bite and my son, Ben, quickly got to grips with baiting the hair and casting. The carp obliged and he was soon casting out and getting a bite within seconds and a few nice common carp up to about 5lb graced the net.

I also introduced him to fishing the whip and caught a few roach as the picture shows!!

After a couple of hours we had caught half a dozen carp and had some nice sport. A good father and son team effort!

Here is one that made a rapid exit back to the lake!!

Nice Silvers

2011-07-29T08:44:00.000+01:00

A short visit to Lyons Gate fishery in Dorset provided a good days sport catching rudd and roach on a waggler with sweetcorn bait. By the lunchtime the bag had over 50 nice little silvers.

Later a nice little 3lb common carp fell to a boilie in the margin just to end the day.

Great Day at Sharnhill

2011-07-08T09:01:00.000+01:00

Took a chance on the weather yesterday, with heavy showers forecast and the morning very grey, I left home anyway and headed to a lake called Sharnhill in mid Dorset. When I got there the sun was out but several black clouds threatened so it was up with the fishing brolly just in case and then I set up a feeder rod with a fat scopex and squid boilie for bait ans cast it right down the lake to a bay that I have seen some of the larger carp frequent in the past. I have caught a couple of nice carp, one a large common and one a large mirror out of this lake last year but they are usually few and far between whilst there are any number of baby carp around 1/2 lb to be had. So having put out the tempter for one of the big 'uns I set up a float rod to have some fun with the smaller ones. I was soon catching the little ones with a steady stream of common, mirror and crucian carp coming to the net. The just before lunch my feeder rod bent double and I grabbed it and new right away this was one of the bigger ones. It took quite a fight but I eventually landed a lovely common carp of 9.5lb weight!

I was very pleased as they are hard to find in this lake but after putting it back I wondered if there was any chance of getting the big mirror as well. My bait was still in good nick so I just recast to the same area and got back to my float fishing.

About 30 mins later I was amazed when the feeder bent double again and sure enough after a fight I landed a mirror of just over 7lb!

I couldn't believe I had caught them both. The boilie was still OK so I thought just cast it back again, although I was not sure there were any other big fish in the lake. Blow me down, another hit about 40mins later and another common carp of 8.8lb, brilliant.

I recast the feeder again to a bay a bit further down and believe it or not yet another common of 7.75lb fell for it! All in all a great day with lots of fun little fish and four good ones!

Bakers Dozen

2011-07-03T16:36:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was so nice and warm that it just had to be carp time on the local lake for a few hours.
Just did 3 hours in the morning and caught 13 carp in that time with the biggest around 6 lbs.

Great fun in the sun. Used my spy glasses to take some video and I have put together a short clip of some of the catches on my YouTube channel which you can see just click here.

Luck at Luckfield

2011-06-29T17:15:00.000+01:00

One of the lakes that my Angling club has fishing rights for is called Luckfield. It is only 4 miles from home but the last 1/2 mile is down a very rough track so I have not fished it much as I do not like taking our car down the track. Also despite its name this lake is notoriously hard to fish and I have never caught anything.

Today however I went to Luckfield with the 'Yellow Peril' and it coped with the track very well and its small size meant it was easy to park in the limited lane.

Once on the lake I decided to try for some of the smaller fish and the new car must have brought me luck because I was soon catching. I caught skimmer bream, several roach, a small tench (which have only been introduced into the lake in the last year), and I even caught a young moorhen that decided to grap my sweetcorn bait as it landed. I managed to reel in the screeching bird and remove the hook from its beak and it waddled off none the worse for its adventure!

It was nice to catch at last at this pretty lake.

The Fish Moblile or Yellow Peril!

2011-06-24T16:43:00.000+01:00

We have had one car for a couple of years now and got on fine, but increasingly I have been concerned about driving such a nice car down some pretty rough tracks to get to fishing lakes and rivers. Also we are often taking mucky stuff to and from the allotment and so when we saw this little gem we couldn't resist. I was gently browsing Gumtree online when this car popped up and it seemed just right and a good price. We went to see it yesterday and it was perfect. It is a Suzuki Alto ( no I had never heard of it either) but a bit of research confirmed that it met the requirements for a cheap to run second car. It is a 2004 reg with only 31300 miles on the clock. It does 50 mpg with a 1.1 litre petrol engine and its annual road tax is £35. The car was in Christchurch near Bournemouth airport so about 50 minutes drive away. Having bought it today I had a good chance to check everything out on the way back and it seems great. Fingers crossed that it proves as good as it seems. Can't wait to get some tackle in it and off to the bankside!

Anne calls it the canary, but she likes it really.

Nice lake but no fish today

2011-06-22T10:01:00.000+01:00

There is a well known fishing lake just outside Weymouth called Wally's it has produced some good sized carp and it generally considered a good coarse fishing location.

I have been meaning to visit it for a good while and yesterday I got around to it. Conditions were not ideal it was colder than average and had been cold overnight with a very stiff wind blowing but I thought it was worth a look. First problem was finding it. I new vaguely where it was but that was all. In the end it was not too difficult but involved a long walk down a steepish hill from a farm yard/stables to the lake in the bottom of a valley. Wally's has been established for quite a while and so is nicely planted around with trees and shrubs, there is also a newer lake called Meadow just across another field. I first walked down to the lake without any tackle to check it out and found a couple of anglers already in situ. after a quick chat and a look around I returned to collect my kit and set up. I soon realised that most of the lake was very shallow, only a couple of feet and the early anglers had set up in what appeared to be the only deeper spots. I think this was to influence my results! I stayed for 4 hours and tried every technique but didn't even get a sign of a fish. I saw the anglers in the deeper corner catch a couple but that was all. I packed up my kit and moved to Meadow in the afternoon but still no sign of action.

So although the lakes looked promising, yesterday was not to be and I blanked, the first time in ages, but it just makes you want to go back and try again!

Back with a splash

2011-06-19T15:00:00.000+01:00

After about 10 days without fishing due to our holiday break I went back to my local lake today for a short session. I was the only one there and the weather was dry and warm with quite a bit of cloud, pretty ideal.

Armed with one chopped up tin of luncheon meat I set up a couple of rods and went for the carp.

I forgot to take my lunch so I only stayed for 4 hours and in that time I had 17 carp, the best was around 6lb and the total catch weight was around 48lb. They were all common carp except for one pretty little 1.5lb mirror carp.

A nice way to get back onto the bank, with a splash!

Bakers Dozen

2011-06-06T19:05:00.000+01:00

Well it started a bit overcast and damp this morning but by lunchtime it was warmer and drier though still dull, so perfect for fishing.

Off to the local carp lake with a chopped up tin of luncheon meat and a single rod for a few hours angling. There was one other angler on the lake which can accommodate 18 so not busy. I chose a swim next door to the other chap as after a chat I found it was his first time fishing a lake so it was nice to fish next to him and be on hand for help advice etc., if he needed it.

First cast and I was soon into my first common carp and over the next four hours I brought in 13 carp, 12 common carp and 1 nice mirror carp, the best two common were around 7lb a very respectable weight and amongst the largest for this lake. Finally the sun came out and the local heron started fishing as well but once my tin of meat was finished it was home and happy for some tea!

You never know

2011-05-21T16:38:00.004+01:00

The thing about fishing is that you never know how a session will turn out. I had high hopes for my last session at Todber and drew a blank! Today I decided at the last minute to visit my local lake and just took a tin of luncheon meat and a couple of rods. 10 Minutes cycling and I was setting up. Within minutes of casting I had the first in the net and so it went on. Several times I had a fish on both rods at the same time and managed to land them all!Overall I caught 36 carp and a couple of fat little skimmer bream. The carp ranged from just over 2lb to 7lb with a grand total weight of around 100lb of carp in 6 hours.

They were mostly common carp but a couple of nice mirror carp made an appearance as well which are fairly rare on this lake so all in all a great day on the bank.

GOT - cha!

2011-05-19T11:21:00.005+01:00

Well what a difference 48 hours makes. Tuesday I went up to a Somerset lake at Todber Manor for a days carp fishing. It was overcast with the odd patch od very light drizzle so should have been good conditions but it was not to be. I spent 7 hours on the lake and tried two different areas, all without a bite. In fact I didn't even see a sign of a fish throughout the day anywhere on the lake. The next lake up was just as quiet with three anglers fishing and I didn't see anyone get a bite all day either.

Still it was restful as the picture shows!

Anyway this morning I opened my email and there was a message from the Total Coarse Fishing magazine letting me know that I was one of the 20 winners in their May competition for a supply of GOT baits. Nearly £40 worth of these new baits which should keep me going for a good while and maybe even get some good fish!

Warm Afternoon's Sport

2011-05-14T13:46:00.002+01:00

A warm afternoon was too tempting not to fish, so a quick visit to my nearest lake for 3 hours in the sun. The recent overnight rain had done a lot of good to the water levels and I was soon catching carp.

I only fished for about 3 hours but in this time managed to bag 7 carp amounting to some 20lb in weight with the largest around 4.5 lb. I also caught a few fat little skimmer bream. A nice surprise was one carp in particular which was a pretty mirror carp. 95% of the carp in this particular lake are common carp and I have never caught one of the few mirrors before so this one was a very welcome 2.25lb fish.

Lyons Gate - Dorset

2011-05-10T17:06:00.005+01:00

I am lucky that the Angling society I belong to has a good number of still water and river places which I can fish for free. However I still like to visit some of the other commercial fisheries in my area where I can find different species. One of these lakes is at Lyons Gate in mid Dorset. This is a holiday park for static and touring caravans and has a number of nice lakes covering a wide range of species. I particularly like one of the smaller lakes which has a huge stock of roach and rudd, some chub, a few carp and even, so I am told some barbel.

So today I visited Lyons Gate and set up at my favourite little lake, the only one on that lake. I was soon catching plenty of rudd and roach on my float rod with centre pin reel, and I had a feeder out with a hard pellet hoping for a chub or barbel. I soon had a nice 2.25 lb chub and this was followed by another 2 in fairly quick order. I decided to stop the float fishing for a while once I had about 50 rudd and roach and put out another feeder. I was soon catching more chub on this.

Towards the end of the afternoon I left one feeder out and went back to the light float rod but with larger bits of bait to get down quickly through the masses of small rudd and roach and try to get some bigger ones. This was very successful and I was soon bringing in some larger rudd and roach. Then I had a hard take on the float and realised immediately this was no rudd or roach and found that I had a 2lb chub on the line. I managed to land it bringing my total of chub to 7 for the day. Then just as I was about to bring in the last rod, the tip went hard round and I had my first carp from this lake, only a small common but it gave a good fight.

I must get a barbel next time.

The Geese Are Back

2011-05-07T13:08:00.004+01:00

A new lake last year proved to be an excellent lake for bagging up on small but fiesty carp up to 1lb. There were also a couple of larger ones around the 8 to 10 lb mark which last year I was lucky enough to catch. One of these was a common and the other a nice mirror. Also last year this little lake became home to a couple of canada geese that successfully raised a brood of half a dozen goslings.

Yesterday I revisited this lake to find that the two canada geese were back and have 7 small goslings already. Whilst there, two other adult canada geese flew in, which I suspect were last years brood. The resident parents did not take kindly to this and there was a good old fight until the interlopers retreated to the far end of the lake.

Meanwhile I was catching well using a new 12 foot Maver Abyss float rod with my center pin reel. The whole set up very light to use and a delight with light tackle catching small mirror, common and crucian carp. I also put out feeder to see if one of the larger fish would take the bait and I was rewarded early on with a nice take and landed the larger common, now weighing 9.5lb. Having checked my photos I am sure that this is the same one I caught last year. I will have to hunt for the larger mirror carp now!

Carp Galore

2011-04-28T13:31:00.004+01:00

Although it was cold with a fresh wind, the morning was very sunny today so I decided to pay a quick visit to the nearby lake and try for some carp.

On arrival I picked a swim with the wind straight into my face so needed my jacket. There were a few spashes not far out so I quickly made up my first rod with a Scopex and Squid boilie and a PVA bag full of the same boilie crushed.

I then set up my second rod with a Halibut pellet and some crushed halbiut boilies in a pva mesh. I had not long settled the second rod when the first one bent round and I was into a strong fighting carp. As I was bringing it under control the second rod also bent round!

I manged to lift it with one hand and judged the fish to be a smaller one than the first so I had no option but to put the second rod back on its rest and continue to bring in the first. A very nice common was soon netted and I quickly bagged it in a large weigh sling and put it back in the lake tethered to one of my bank sticks whilst I lifted the second rod. The fish was still on so I soon had number two carp on the bank. The larger of the two weighed in at 7lb, I didn't weigh the second but I reckon about 4lb. Two nice fish and a good start to a three hour session that saw a total of 11 carp landed, though the first one remained the largest.

New Lake - New Personal Best

2011-04-21T16:45:00.004+01:00

My fishing club recently obtained two new lakes to fish. Located near Weymouth and with a bit of overland track to reach them, I have been waiting for a dry spell to visit. The last week and current warm weather seemed ideal so I went to investigate. Conditions on the track were perfect very dry and easily driveable with care. I reached the lakes and met the owner who was doing a morning check. He was able to give me some good guidance on the stocking of the lakes and soon I was fishing. I found that there were a lot of rudd and roach that were keen to take my maggots though none very big. I tried a few bits of sweetcorn and soon had a 2lb common carp giving a good fight.

Back to the maggots and silver fish when I suddenly saw the shape of a good sized Perch shoot out from his hide under the bank and chase a few roach.

I couldnt miss the opportunity so I put a big bunch on maggots on the hook and trailed it past the place where I guessed the perch had been hiding. At first there was nothing but then on the third pass the perch hit the line hard and I had him.

On the bank it wieghed just over 1.5lbs and was in perfect condition.

Later I moved to the other lake and using a maggot feeder managed to catch nearly a dozen good sized dace, much to the surprise of the lake owner who had not knowingly stocked any dace, but appearently other anglers had reported catching dace also, so I didn't dream them!

New Centre Pin Reel

2011-04-19T14:19:00.005+01:00

Back from a great weekend with son and daughter-in-law in Ashby and the sun is shining in Dorset too. Whilst away a shiny new center pin reel was delivered so I had to try it out on the local lake.

The water was warming well and the carp were soon showing. So I put out a feeder rod and set up a light pole float on 4lb mainline on the centre pin. I was soon catching some nice 3lb - 4lb common carp on the feeder and plenty of roach and skimmer bream on the centre pin. I noticed a few carp coming in close to the margin on the right of my swim so I put a few pellets in and then put a soft pellet on the centre pin rig and dropped it in close. After a short pause the line flew out and the calm was broken by the great sound of the center pin ratchet letting out line. The fish was making straight for a tangle of branches in the margin,but I managed to put just enough pressure on to turn it, with the 4lb line singing. I had to play it carefully as the hooklink was only 2lb line and I wasn't sure how big the fish was. After a while it rolled a couple of times and I was able to net it.

On the bank it turned out to be a nice 3.5lb common and it was great fun to catch on the centre pin reel.

April Showers

2011-04-11T16:31:00.003+01:00

Today started warm and sunny though to be fair there were showers forecast. I set off to fish anyway. The lake was quiet but very weedy making it difficult to find an area where the fish could see the bait. I moved a couple of times to try and find a good spot and in the end decided the best bet was to use a pole to precisely put the bait into a hole in the weeds. I fished about 10 metres out using sweetcorn and also some scopex soft pellets on the hook and the same dropped in from a small pot on the end of the pole. I was soon attracting the odd medium sized roach then after about an hour there seemded to be much more movement and the float shot under with a healthy stretch to the No 6 elastic. I knew right away this was no roach as the fish dived down and headed for the weed beds. the pole proved strong enough and after a few minutes the elastic took its toll and a nice little copper coloured common carp rolled to the surface and slipped into my net.

The skies darkened and the dreaded Aptil showers started. I had already decided to pack up as I had forgotten to put in any lunch and was feeling peckish. So I quickly started to pack things away but as I lifted the pole to retrieve it the elastic popped out again and a nice fat roach came to my net to wish me goodbye.

Had to pack up a bit damp but the few fish I had made it worth the effort.

Easy afternoon in the Sun

2011-04-10T08:23:00.004+01:00

Friday afternoon I was suffering a bit from the end of a 3 day cold but the weather was wonderful and too good to miss, so I went with the minimum of gear (one rod and a whip) to my nearest lake and enjoyed the sun. There was one other angler there when I arrived and he had been there since the morning and caught a few carp and a nice perch. I set up a few swims away from him but within talking distance and set about trying to find some carp. After about half an hour the carp near the other angler seemed to wake up and he was soon reeling in fish after fish to a good size, mostly taking them off the top. I had decided to stay on the bottom as the water levels were very low and even in the centre of the lake it was only barely 2 feet deep as witnessed by the local heron that was easily wading around in front of me. After trying a few places where I had seen swirls I finally found the fish and started taking some nice carp up to about 8 lb. I also used the whip in the margins and took a few nice skimmer bream and a nice roach.

A nice way to shake off the remnants of a cold.

Bagging Up

2011-04-06T17:57:00.003+01:00

A fine day forecast so off to a small lake nearby which has a lot of carp under a pound in weight and a few larger ones. I took a bag of dead maggots and some luncheon meat and had the lake to myself. I put out some meat on a feeder rod just in case one of the bigger fish wanted to play, but concentrated on getting the smaller ones on the feed at first with a rod and float, then with my 5 metre whip. The smaller carp soon got into the mood and I caught steadily throughout the morning and afternoon with a total bag of just over 10lb in weight. Plenty of action and lots of fun in the sun.

Spring at last?

2011-03-25T17:13:00.005Z

What a difference a few weeks make. Only a month ago my nearest fishing lake was still recovering from the big freeze with the water temperature only just above freezing and no sign of fish movement anywhere.

Today was lovely and sunny and the air temperature reached 19 degrees in the sun. With little wind as well it was positively balmy so I spent a few hours at the nearby lake. This time the fish were definitely on the move. Lots of signs of carp feeding on the bottom and silver fish jumping. As the day went on several carp rolled on the surface and there was an air of spring proper.

I took just one feeder rod and a 5m whip. I caught 4 carp ranging from a small 2lb to a nice 6.8lb and using the whip in the margins I caught a good head of roach and skimmer bream.

A nice day and some nice fish.

Small but beautifully put together

2011-03-22T17:33:00.005Z

Nice day yesterday so off to Revels Fishery in Dorset for a spot of Silver fishing. Using a simple waggler float and a bunch of maggots got me a good number of Roach, Rudd and Skimmer Bream.

In fact I got a nice skimmer which was my personal best at 1.25lb. Not huge but my usual lake has only small skimmer so I was pleased.

I was also pleased when I caught the my smallest fish of the day, as it was a new species for me. It was a pretty little Gudgeon.

All in all a fun day with lots of fish and variety.

New Lake - New Personal Best

2011-03-16T08:52:00.006Z

With a mild day forecast I decided to venture on to a new lake the Little Hayes Specimen lake at Todber manor in Somerset. I arrived keen and early as the reception opened at 0800 and purchased my day ticket and a new larger landing mat, hopeful of a carp larger than my small mat would safely hold!

Little Hayes is a relatively new lake only created in 2008 and opened for fishing last year for the first time. Although there were several anglers set up on Big Hayes the older adjacent lake, I was the only one on Little Hayes. Did they know something I didn't?

Anyway it is a lovely lake with an excellent hardcore track around the edge and parking bays which let you drive right up to your swim to unload. Very convenient. As I said I had the pick of the swims and the reception had suggested I start in the middle so I did. I catapulted out some boilies to a couple of likely areas and then put out 2 rods, one on pop-ups and one on a straight boilie. The morning passed with no bites but it was very pleasant and my kelly kettle worked well giving me a couple of brews and a pop noodle for lunch. I decided to move to the downwind end of the lake in the hope that the fish might be gathering there. So after my lunch I shifted everything to the end swim and set up again. I baited up a likely area on the edge of an island where I hoped any fish coming down the lake would come around and put out my rods. Several hours passed and still nothing and no movement on the lake other than the swans doing formation landings and take-offs and random ducks and coots.

Then around the track came of all things an ice cream van complete with tinkling music. He stopped by me so I had to buy a choc ice! Still no fish when around 1600 one of the fishery guys stopped by on his quad bike to see how things were going. Blank I told him.

I decided to give it another hour when a group of swans paddled by very close one of my lines and sure enough triggered the alarm. I have caught a Canada Goose getting tangled in my line before and I didn't want to catch a swan so I waved frantically to get them away. They swam off but then the alarm sounded again this time a proper run. I lifted the rod and sure enough I was into a fish. It gave a good scrap but I had soon netted a fat little common carp of 7.75 lbs. A lovely fish in perfect condition and judging by its portly shape it will be a whopper in a few years.

Taking this as a good sign that the fish were starting to move and feed I recast to the same area and waited. About 15 minutes later the alarm sang again and sure enough I was into another. This one felt better and fought harder and eventually I had what is now my personal best a perfect 11 lb common carp nestled on my new landing mat!

The sun was setting and so I decided to quit whilst I was ahead and went home content, but I'll be back.

Sometimes I Just sits!

2011-03-08T08:45:00.003Z

Well the frosts and freezes seem to have reappeared with the onset of March. There have been a few pretty days but the cold has certainly slowed up the fishing in my local lakes.

Nevertheless it is still nice to get out on the bank and watch the wildlife and ponder.

So as the philosopher once said, "Sometimes I sits and thinks - Sometimes I just sits"

The Heath lake Heron. He wasn't catching either!

Heath Hybrid

2011-03-02T13:27:00.002Z

Spent a few hours at Heath yesterday to see if it had started fishing yet and as well as a pretty little common I caught this oddity. Others may have caught these before but I never have. It had the front of a skimmer bream and the tail of a carp. It was caught on a pineapple pop-up just of the bottom and seemed like a skimmer when being brought in with very little fight.

Its warming up

2011-03-02T13:06:00.007Z

Heath Lake, my closest fishing lake is finally showing signs of life after the big freeze. I visited it a week or so ago after it had just thawed but there was no sign of fish anywhere.

Yesterday I popped over just after lunch and despite an air temperature of around 5C the water had obviously warmed in the recent sun and there were odd signs of fish movement. I put out a small 10mm halibut boilie with a plastic pop-up corn on the end and within 15 minutes I had a slow take that turned out to be a pretty 3lb common carp. I think it was a bit surprised at being caught because it hardly fought at all until the last few feet when it finally realised hat was up and gave a few half hearted head-shakes. It was nice to get my first fish of the year from this lake.

Fisrt Carp of the year

2011-02-20T16:46:00.005Z

With the big freeze and then pretty wet windy and cold weather I have not had any success fishing for carp so far this year. Today Sunday, the weather was mild and and overcast with hardly any wind so it was too good an opportunity to miss and I went to a spring fed lake at Higher Kingcombe where I have been assured the water temperature stays pretty much the same all year. On arrival I was the only one there but before I had set up another angler arrived and we set up on opposite sides of the lake. I put out 2 carp rods, one with a small (10mm) halibut boilie topped off with half a pineapple pop-up the other with a small feeder cage with some meaty groundbait and a piece of luncheon meat on the hair, again topped off with a half a pineapple pop-up.

As usual at Kingcombe there was a generous amount of weed in many places but I put both baits in what looked like clearer areas. The water was quite clear. After about 20 minutes the rod with the halibut boilie shot off and I was into a nice fish that turned out to be a lovely dark bronze common of 7.25lb. A very nice fish for my first carp of the year.
After another 30 minutes the other rod went and a very chubby little mirror of 4.75lb came to the net.

The sun started to come out then around lunchtime and the fish seemed to loose interest in feeding so I had no more bites but it was a nice little session.

At last the sun!

2011-02-09T09:50:00.003Z

Well it was still cold but at last there was some nice sun. I know the fishing is better when it is overcast and damp with low pressure, but there is still something relaxing about fishing in the sun!

"The feeling of catching a fish, or just going fishing, remains childishly intense" this is a quote form one of angling's greats, Chris Yates. He has a knack of summing up simply and effectively what fishing is all about and why we fish. Catching is always great but being by a calm lake on a clear crisp February day with only the birds to keep you company is relaxing and refreshing in a way that only anglers understand.

So yesterday was such a day. I had five hours on the bank of a lovely little local lake, I had the place to myself throughout and although the carp were still asleep from the cold, it didn't matter, I came back relaxed and refreshed. What else would you want from a hobby?

Nice Grayling

2011-02-02T15:00:00.006Z

The weather got a bit milder though overcast and damp, but anything without ice must be good so I ventured to the bank of the River Frome in Dorset near Wool to have another go at catching Grayling. Since my last visit I have purchased a centre-pin reel and I was keen to try it out trotting a float down the river. I can see why traditional centre-pins are popular for this type of fishing as I certainly found it easier to control the float in the current and there is something nice about such a simply reel.

Although it was enjoyable I did not have any luck this time with the trotting so I tried a small feeder with some liquidized bread and a couple of bits of sweetcorn. Still nothing so I moved up river to a large bend with a nice water crease in the middle. I tried the feeder again with a bit of corn on the hook and was quickly rewarded with a very gentle take. After a very short fight I had a lovely 2lb 12oz grayling on the bank.

Grayling seem to tire very quickly and take a good while to recover. I had to hold this one in the flow facing upstream for several minutes before it was happy to swim by itself. Even then it happily stayed in the shallows getting its strength back for a minute or so before flashing off into the deep. I managed to get a short bit of video of it in the shallows using the movie mode on my little Canon Powershot. The quality is not brilliant but you can see this rare view of the lovely fish well enough.

Some fish on the bank

2011-01-21T12:05:00.003Z

Yesterday was sunny and clear and despite a sub zero start looked promising. I decided to pay a visit to one of the local commercials, Lyons Gate Fishery. Buried in the heart of Dorset it has a touring caravan site and is very popular in the summer. Yesterday though I was the only soul around when I set up at around 10.00 am. I chose one of the smaller lakes that I know has a good head of silvers, not to mention chub and the odd barbel (though I have never seen one yet).The owner when taking my bankside fee informed me that the lake had not been fished for about 7 weeks so the fish should be hungry.

Well this proved to be the case because at the first throw of a handful of maggots the water was boiling with small roach. I first set out a feeder with some hair-rigged sweetcorn and some groundbait and corn in a small feeder, then started to set up a waggler. Before I could get the waggler in the water I had a strong take on the feeder and was into a nice 2lb chub. I rebaited and recast then set about the waggler. The waggler produced a roach a chuck and I soon had a thriving shoal in my keep net. This action was interupted by another strong pull on the feeder and a second chub at around 3lb.

The silver action continued until later in the afternoon when I moved swim to another lake to get out of the shade as the cold began to bite. Overall I had taken 2 nice chub and about 40 roach. A good day out.

Winter Sun

2011-01-16T12:15:00.005Z

It was grey gloomy and damp but quite mild compared with the recent 'arctic' blasts, so I ventured to a stretch of the Frome river near Wool in Dorset for a spot of fishing. I have caught Dace and Grayling and the odd trout here in the past but this afternoon with the river in full flood conditions were difficult and no fish graced the bank.

However it was a pleasant few hours topped off as the sky cleared just before sunset and gave these lovely views of the ancient bridge at Wool.

Still Frozen

2011-01-02T14:57:00.002Z

Its a new year and today 2nd January 2011 I thought it would be nice to shake off the Christmas pud and visit my local lake. All the snow and ice has gone from the roads and fields around me and the air temperature has been well above zero for several days so I was expecting to find the lake returning to normal. It was not to be however. Over 90% of the lake was still very frozen, a good indication of the severity of the recent clod spell. There was liquid water around the margins in s strip about 2 feet wide but the rest of the ice was very thick. I threw a decent sized rock high into the air to land about 30 feet out and it just bounced and skidded over what was obviously very thick ice.

It looks like I will have to wait a little longer to fish this one again.

First the Freeze then the Snow

2010-11-27T13:09:00.003Z

Yesterday I found my local lake frozen making 'Eskimo Fishing' necessary. Today we woke up to snow! I do not remember snow in November in this part of the country and it served to reinforce the arctic nature of the fishing lake. The resident robin looked very at home.

Looks pretty at least!

Winter cometh!

2010-11-26T17:22:00.006Z

The sun was shining and yes it was cold and snow is forecast even in the south, but I couldn't resist a quick trip to my local lake for a spot of silver fishing.

The only problem was that when I got there the lake was completely frozen over! I did crack a small hole and made like an Eskimo for half an hour but decided that maybe it was just silly and left it for another day!

The Lady of the Stream

2010-11-03T11:46:00.003Z

The 1st of November saw a local stretch of the River Frome in Dorset open for course fishing for my club. It is prized for its stock of Grayling a lovely looking fish with a colourful sail-like dorsal fin. Known as the "Lady of the Stream" It is fish I really wanted to catch and so I headed on the 1st to the river. Seventeen other members of my club had the same idea and the bank was busy to say the least. Although I caught some nice Dace and lots of minnows, I could not tempt a Grayling and whilst I was there I only saw one Grayling caught, when I helped a fellow angler by using my landing net to bring his nice Grayling to the bank.

I was determined to try again, and this morning I set off to the river with a maggot feeder set up. First cast I was into some small dace and then the inevitable minnows. I was convinced the Grayling were there but the dace and minnows seemed to get the maggots of the hook so quickly so I decided to use a small rubber artificial maggot which, I guessed would be too tough for the smaller fist to pull off the hook.

My plan worked! I soon got a really nice pull over on the tip of my feeder rod and was into a grayling. after only a short fight it was in the net and in my hands. A lovely fish close to 2lbs and my first!

Nice Common Carp

2010-10-14T15:19:00.003+01:00

Just back from a few hours this morning on my local lake. It was a bit cool first thing but the carp started to move mid morning and I enticed a couple of common onto my hook.

This was the best at 4.79lb and in perfect condition.

October Carp

2010-10-12T16:56:00.005+01:00

It may be coming up to the middle of October but it is unseasonally warm in Dorset today at one of my club lakes I sweltered in lovely sunshine and because of the location hardly any wind. I have been having a bit of a problem with tennis elbow on my right arm so I decided to have a session of pole fishing to avoid the casting action which seems to aggravate the tendons. I used my 9m pole and lightest elastic as I knew that the lake in question has lots of small carp. Feeding chilli hemp some groundbait and a few bits of sweetcorn and corn on the hook I had a great session taking 36 carp, a mix of common and mirror.

Waggler fishing in October

2010-10-10T15:35:00.004+01:00

With the exceptional warm weather we have been having in the south for the last few days I have had a couple of nice sessions on my local lake. Yesterday I thought I would give the carp a rest and take my float rod to the lake for a Saturday mornings fishing for the roach and skimmer bream that are in the lake. I popped into the local tackle shop for a pint of maggots and off on my bike I went. I was soon settled in and starting catching the usual small roach and the odd little skimmer. After a while they started getting a bit bigger and some nice skimmer with a darker than usual colouring around the fins kept me busy. Then towards lunchtime I couldn't help notice a few carp mooching around the margin right next to my feet. Too tempting to leave even though I only had 2 lb hook link and a small size 18 hook, so I scattered a few bits of sweetcorn around them and left them for a few minutes to get confident scoffing them. Then I shortened my float depth to just 18 inches and plopped a corn on the hook right amongst the still feeding carp. Within a minute the float slipped under and I gently lifted the line as the fish sailed off. I had to let the friction off to avoid snapping the line. All was well after about 10 minutes when I got the net under a carp of nearly 4 lb, my first on such light gear and a nice end to the session.

Memories of Summer

2010-10-03T10:06:00.001+01:00

Today is a real late Autumn storm, high winds, lashing rain and lots of falling leaves. So being a pleasure angler rather than a hardcore carper or matchman, I am staying home and I found this little video on my phone that I had taken in early summer. The water was warm and late afternoon a shoal of carp all around 3 - 5 lbs suddenly invaded the margins at my feet, there must have been a dozen or more and I took this on my phone before dropping a bit of dog biscuit on the end of a whip into the water and taking 2 or three before they spooked.

New Rods

2010-10-02T18:02:00.005+01:00

Just got back from a fantastic holiday in Norway and even better it was my birthday and waiting for me were a pair of TF Gear Lite Speed carp rods, a gift from my two sons!!

So today the first day that wasn't pouring with rain I was off to a local club lake to try them out. Guess what they were fantastic. I caught two mirror carp and 3 commons the best was just over 5 lb and the total weight was 19.5 lb. The rods felt really good light to handle yet full of power to easily tame the carp. Can't wait to feel them bend with something bigger in the future. Thanks boys!!

I caught on both rods and here are the first fish on each....

First Tench

2010-09-03T10:44:00.004+01:00

The rivers and lakes I normally fish in Dorset have no tench so until now I had not caught this species. Recently whilst staying in Leicestershire, I was walking along the Ashby Canal when I met a couple of anglers fishing and they were catching small tench. I couldn't miss this opportunity so the next day I took a rod and some bread punch to the same canal and sure enough I was soon into my very first tinca. Only a very small one but fin perfect very satisfying. This picture is the very first one. I went on over the next hour and a half to catch another dozen tench gradually getting bigger but nothing over 1lb and one very nice rudd! Not only my first tench but also my first catch on a canal!

I used a simple waggler set up with a small bit of bread punch on a size 16 hook fished about 12" off the bottom. There was quite a lot of weed around and I shotted the float well down so if the bait landed on weed I could tell as the float sat much higher, I simply re-cast or wound in a bit until the float settled with the bait between the weed and usually got a bite within a minute.

Thanks to my wife for the photo!

Success at new lake

2010-08-26T09:57:00.003+01:00

I managed to get a days fishing at the new lake and despite a freezing gale it was a successful day with some good sport and a new species to add, crucian carp.

My total catch was :

3 Crucians , best 1.2lb
5 common carp , best 3.5lb
1 mirror carp 2.5lb

New Lake?

2010-08-23T16:05:00.003+01:00

Busy looking after Ben's dog so plenty of walking but not much fishing. However found a new lake and might give if a go tomorrow if the weather is not too bad. The lake has its own restaurant attached and apparently they will take bankside orders for coffee and bacon butties so sounds like the ideal fishing location for a day out!!!

First Visit to Todber Manor

2010-08-06T09:41:00.007+01:00

Situated in North Dorset Todber Manor Fisheries often features in the angling press with some impressive catches on its specimen lakes. Yesterday I finally decided to drive up and try out one of their other popular lakes, Wadmill lake. This lake has a wide fish types and I was interested to try and catch something different, and if a personal best carp came along, well OK! It is about an hours drive from home so I set off early and arrived as it opened at 8.00am. When I got to the lake there were only a few hardy "bivie boys" and so I had plenty of choice of swims. Having walked all around I settled on a swim between some high reeds where I has seen fish fizzing.

I put out a carp rod on an alarm with a boilie over some pellets and fired out more boilies over the area. Then I set up my other rod with a method feeder. I put out the feeder only about 15 feet from the bank close to some reeds that I had seen moving (not just with the strong wind). After a couple of casts topping up the feed I started getting a few knocks and then a sluggish but definite pull and drop back. I struck and something heavy bent the line. There were a few tugs but very little fight compared with my usual prey of carp and skimmer, so I was amazed when a slab bream appeared on the surface and was soon in the net. It was just over 6lbs in weight and had been attacked by a pike I think as it had a few scars and a nasty chunk out of its tail. It was however my first proper bream so I got the lad in the next swim to take this photo.

Once back in the water I cast again with the method feeder to the same spot with the same hookbait of a 10mm halibut pellet with a plastic floating corn. This system worked well as another six bream came out of the swim as follows:

1st 6lb, 2nd 7.5lb, 3rd 5.7lb, 4th 5.1lb, 5th 6.7lb, 6th 5.2lb, 7th 5.1lb
a total of 41.3 lbs of bream in about an hour.

After this it went a bit quiet so i switch to a float rod and waggler and had a bit of fun catching some small roach and skimmer bream until time to go home. All in all a good day with a nice introduction to Todber Manor and a new species personal best of 7.5lb slab bream.

Ribbit Ribbit

2010-08-04T11:01:00.004+01:00

We have always had plenty of frogs around our house thanks to a very natural pond in the front garden. Since making a more ornamental pond for koi in the back garden we have seen a pretty constant stream of frogs visiting each day. This one posed for the 'classic' shot of frog on a lily pad.

The Method Works

2010-07-31T10:01:00.003+01:00

I nearly didn't go fishing yesterday as I was busy doing bits and pieces at home in the morning and by the time I thought about going it was already 1.15pm. Luckily I decided to go for a few hours and duly went. It was muggy and overcast so ideal conditions. I got to the lake and found two other anglers set up and another couple arriving just behind me. I was on my bike and trailer so easily reached the lake before the two others arriving and my favourite swim was available. I was set up ready to fish by about 2.15pm and decided to try the "method" which for those non-anglers is a technique using a small weighted frame on the line that has some bait pressed into it and the hook bait is pressed into the top. The idea is the weight causes the frame to land bait-up on the bottom presenting an irresistible little pile of food with your hook bait right in the centre. I have tried the technique before with little success, but this time I had the perfect mix of little food pellets and some fishy paste which I placed on the method feeder and used a halibut pellet as the hook bait. I could see plenty of swirls about 20 feet out so started casting there. Within minutes I have my first carp of about 3 lbs. This was rapidly followed by a succession of 3 - 4 lb common carp and a small mirror. Then the larger fish started to take an interest and a nice couple of 5 -6 lb common graced the net, in all I had 21 carp in a couple of hours fishing and the best was a nice 7lb common shown here.

Lily the Pink

2010-07-29T14:14:00.004+01:00

I created a new ornamental pond earlier this year and stocked it with 6 shubunkins and 3 small Koi. The koi are growing at an amazing rate and will soon overtake the shubunkins. It was clear soon after I introduced the fish that they needed some shade in the front section of the pond which is very open to the sun at this time of year. I duly purchased a water lily and planted it in a basket at the required depth. It immediately seemed at home and sprouted a number of leaves rapidly. A few weeks ago we noticed the first flower bud stretching its way towards the surface. Yesterday it opened for the first time and revealed its glory. The fish seem to like it as well!

Lucky Luckfield

2010-07-28T17:52:00.002+01:00

Recently I had a disaster and my old faithful mountain bike, which I had cycled from land's End to John o' Groats on died on me. I had been using it to tow my trailer full of fishing gear down some pretty rough roads and it had done several thousand miles and was nearly ten years old so I can't complain. However this meant that I could not easily visit a couple of the local lakes. One in particular is 4 and a half miles away and the last mile is a pretty rough track so I was thrilled when my wife said she would buy me a new bike for my birthday and I could have it now (birthday not until Sept!). I have used it several times on my nearest local lake, about 3 miles return trip. But today I used it on the farther local lake called Luckfield. This is a return trip of about 8.5 miles and a few stee bits but the new bike went well and must have brought some luck. I have fished Luckfield about 4 times before and always blanked with no fish caught whatsoever. This time first cast I had a big hit and something large started taking line, unfortunately as so as I lifted the rod the line snapped and it was gone. Nevertheless it was an encouraging sign! I didn't catch again on he rod but I took my pole and fishing at about 7 meters I caught a number of nice little roach, a few skimmer bream and a lovely little rudd. So at least I have broken my duck at Luckfield.

The more I practice the luckier I get

2010-07-27T17:37:00.003+01:00

Just popped over to my local lake for a couple of hours and caught 6 carp between 2 and 4 lbs. Then on a 5 meter whip with a bit of luncheon meat as bait I caught a nice Skimmer Bream, which at 1 lb 1 oz was a new personal best as my previous best skimmer was only 14 ozs.

July Afternoon

2010-07-22T19:15:00.005+01:00

Despite the forecast of showers I decided to go to my local lake for a few hours this afternoon. In fact there were no showers and I even got a bit sunburned!. Also I caught 11 carp with the 2 largest at 4.5lb. Not enormous weight but enormous FUN! I caught the two largest one off the surface using a floating dog biscuit and the other in the margin, only about 1 foot out using a piece of sweetcorn on my little elasticated whip which I bought for £12 at Trago Mills, great fun with a fighting carp on the end of it!

As it was my local lake and only a couple of miles from home I cycled there on my new mountain bike towing my trailer of gear. So exercise and fishing, what could be better?

Oh if you are wondering why I look so serious in the photos, it is because I am using a timer with the camera held on a tree by a gorilla pod and I am concentrating on looking for the little red light to see when it has taken the picture!!

Snake Lake

2010-07-21T07:35:00.004+01:00

Yesterday I spent the day at one of my favourite lakes which is full of small carp, and one or two large ones. I didn't find any of the large ones this time though I had plenty of sport on the waggler and pole fishing with the smaller common and mirror carp that abound there.

Then mid afternoon I spotted a 'V' ripple coming straight across the lake from the far bank towards my position. At first I though it might be the fin of a carp near the surface but it looked too direct to be a wandering carp and as it got closer I could see a little dark head. I thought it might be a water vole but then closer still I could see the winding movements of the tail, it was a snake. It came straight to my feet then turned on the bank and slithered off into the reeds. It was a beautiful grass snake with a very bright yellow collar. Although I know that grass snakes are often called water snakes due to their love of swimming and hunting in the water, this is the first time I have seen one so clearly. Later I was treated to a fantastic aerial display by a flock of swifts swooping down and picking insects off the lake surface. A nice day by the water!

Go Fishing Show 2010

2010-07-19T13:45:00.007+01:00

Just got back from a great weekend in the Midlands. On Saturday visited the Go Fishing Show at Cudmore Fishery. The weather was cool and windy with one vicious shower but we saw lots of fishing celebs and got some great tips and inevitably bought some more tackle! The presentation by Martin Bowler about the behind the scenes of his current CH4 TV series, "Fishing the Impossible" was excellent as was the later presentation by the great John Wilson MBE, I was also lucky enough to meet and chat with John earlier in the day, a really nice guy. We also watched a couple of enjoyable fishing demos by world champ Bob Nudd and Matt Hayes and Mick Brown being very patient with hundreds of autograph hunters, whilst trying to demonstrate fly fishing! Watched some of the Fish'O Mania final and then after the show we stayed with our son who lives an hour away in Ashby so all in all a very special weekend. Must get some time on the bank this week!

Carp off the top

2010-07-14T18:36:00.003+01:00

Well its the middle of July and the weather for once has been pretty good up until now. The water at my local lake is very warm. In the margins it feels like a warm bath. This has brought the carp to the top looking for food. Last year was my first fishing year and I really didn't have much success fishing for carp off the top. Partly due to not knowing quite when to do it and partly having problems presenting the bait on the surface correctly. So this year I was ready with the latest type of controller float and some long hooklinks made up with size 12 hooks superglued to dog biscuits.

On Monday conditions were just right, warm and muggy, overcast in the morning and then patches of sun around early afternoon. I soon saw the first signs of carp patrolling the surface about 20 yds out from my position. I catapulted a few dog biscuits onto them and left them for a while to start to find and feed on them. After a few more biscuits and with signs of about a dozen carp competing for them I cast my rig about 15 feet past them and slowly brought it back into the feeding area. I was quickly rewarded with a good take and after quite a nice fight landed a 5lb common. Repeating the procedure brought another half dozen 3 - 4lb in over about an hour and a half. Great fun and another new technique working for me.

Sorry about the serious glare in the photo I was concentrating on the camera which I had set up on a 30 second delay and I was struggling to see the little red light in the sun!!

Sunny June

2010-06-26T08:59:00.004+01:00

Just a few hours fishing yesterday afternoon in the warm June sun and a personal best roach of 1.5 lb. Not a record breaker by any means but a personal best is a personal best and certainly one of the nicest roach I have seen in the lake at heath lake. Mind you the chap next to me did catch a 2lb roach a few minutes earlier!

I also caught several nice carp, all in all a very pleasant way to pass the afternoon.

The longest day

2010-06-21T18:50:00.004+01:00

Today is the longest day of the year and in Dorset it was beautiful, warm dry and sunny. I set off to one of my favourite locations, a club lake at Kingcombe. The roach seemed to like my "Ringer Pellets" and I had great fun with a waggler float taking over 30 nice roach. There are a number of nice carp in this lake as well so I put out a piece of luncheon meat with a small yellow pop-up in the margin. I was rewarded with a lovely mirror carp almost golden orange and nearly fully scaled.

A great way to spend the longest day.

16th June 2010

2010-06-16T14:58:00.004+01:00

It was a wonderful sunrise and it was 16th June, the day close to anglers hearts when the river season opens. As a relatively new angler I have not had much experience or luck on rivers. But with such a nice day forecast I decided to make the traditional "1st day of the season" pilgrimage to the river bank. I chose a section of the River Stour in Dorset near the village of Marnhull which my fishing club has rights to and set off early. Well not quite dawn but I was on the river bank by 0645. Apart from a brisk wind it was a lovely morning and I started off fishing a maggot feeder just under a road bridge. I was soon getting lots of small bites but nothing to strike at. Eventually I got a little tug and pulled out a very small chublet around 4 inches long but very pretty and very welcome. I then got a few fat little minnows so decided to change tactic and set up a waggler with the hook about 18 inches deep as the water was only about 2 feet deep and there was a lot of weed on the bottom. After a couple of goes "trotting" the float down under the bridge, I got a nice take and was into a nice little chub. It gave a good fight for its size but was soon on the bank. After a few more nuisance minnows I moved upstream to what looked like an old mill pond and plumbed it to find it was about 8 feet deep! I set the hook to about 6 feet and tried the waggler again with a couple of maggots.Almost immediately I got some tentative bites and after a couple more casts I was into another chub of around 1lb. Things then went quiet and after another spot of minnow catching I packed up and returned home for lunch. A nice start to the river season in a tranquil spot.

Sun and Carp

2010-06-05T08:31:00.005+01:00

After a bit of a break visiting family, the sun is finally out and the water is warming so it must be time to look for some carp!
A couple of days ago saw me sat in the sun at this idyllic little carp lake. I had the lake to myself all day and as you can see had a good bag of carp albeit nothing over a 1.5lb.

I used a 11m pole for most of the time but did catch on a carp rod with halibut pellets on a ledger and also one common on a method feeder.

A lovely day and some pretty little carp.

Back Fishing

2010-05-08T11:00:00.002+01:00

I have been away and since returning I have been struck down by some nasty bug. Anyway yesterday I went back to the bank for the first time in a couple of weeks and also took my new seat box and accessories to try the with my 11m pole. Still getting used to the pole but it is definitely easier to handle with the seat box and associated pole rests. Caught a couple of nice little carp, one mirror and one common on the pole and had it was good to be out and about again.

Carp in Paris

2010-05-03T09:53:00.004+01:00

Just back from a trip to Paris to see family. No fishing as such but saw some really great (20lbs+) common and mirror carp in the lake in Parc Montsouris. Unfortunately there is no fishing allowed in this lake other than the resident heron. Still it was nice to see them and as the water was quite clear it was interesting to see how the larger carp patrolled the margins but strangely seemed to avoid swimming directly under overhanging trees. Perhaps they were simply staying in the warmer water.

The Nano Cube Aquarium

2010-04-14T16:15:00.005+01:00

Whilst checking out filters and pumps for a garden pond I saw this neat little micro aquarium. It comes complete with LED floodlight, plants, substrate, filter and pump. I have always liked tropical fish and had a couple of tanks in the past, but simply ran out of room. This is only 6 x 6 inches square and 9 inches deep so fits easily just about anywhere. As it has only been set up a few days we have just introduced 3 small neon tetras to start with. It should take 6 eventually with a couple of small shrimps for interest as well.

Nice day - no fishing

2010-04-12T08:07:00.002+01:00

Sunday was a nice day with light winds and warm and dry, but I did not go fishing. Why? Because for a little relaxation I went for a cycle ride, one of my other favourite pastimes. In fact it was quite a ride as I cycled the Dorset Coastlet a cycle route across the coast of Dorset organised by AUDAX UK an organisation that runs a number of long distance cycle rides throughout UK. This one was 100km or 66miles up and down some of the most spectacular hills on the Dorset coast, visiting Lulworth Cove, Weymouth, Abbotsbury, Dorchester and Wareham. The weather was perfect for riding and about 300 riders turned up. It is not a race but a "Randonneur" which basically beens a cycle ramble. The point is to do the distance and enjoy the ride. Nevertheless with the near perfect weather I completed the ride in my best time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

More fishing soon!

Great Common Carp

2010-04-10T08:50:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was warm and sunny, can you believe it? So off I went to the new club lake for a relaxing day. I was joined during the morning by a couple of other club members and between us we were catching a good number of small (under a pound common and mirror carp on waggler and myself on pole. I also had a ledger rig out with a scopex and squid boilie and a small PVA bag of goodies attached. This rod had been out about 2 hours when the alarm sounded and I struck into a strong bite. As the lake is quite small and there was only about 20yds of line out it did not take long to get the fish under the tip though it took line several times and fought well for 15 minutes before succumbing to my net. I was delighted to get a really nice common, I did not have anything to weigh it with but comparing it to the 9lb mirror that I caught last week I would estimate this one to be the same or slightly heavier. Certainly the biggest common I have caught and luckily one of the other anglers kindly took this photo for me!

Cor luv a Duck!

2010-04-10T08:40:00.002+01:00

Mid-week I decided to try my luck at a local club lake which reports suggested has been producing some nice carp. It is a lake that I have only fished twice because of its difficult location and so far had not caught a thing. Anyway I set up and was fishing by about 10.00 am. Unfortunately I didn't get a bite all day until late in the afternoon I noticed a large shape on the surface about 100yds away it was a big old carp nosing around with its fin breaking the surface regularly. I thought it was worth a try so I quickly rigged a surface float with a cut down pop-up on the hooklink and cast out to the fish. The bait landed perfectly just past its location and the gentle flow of the breeze slowly wafted the pop up towards the carp. I saw the fish move towards it but at the last moment it spooked and moved away! Then out of the blue, literally, 4 ducks landed and one made a bee-line straight for my bait. Before I could do anything one of the ducks had grabbed the bait and was off! Once the duck felt the tension of the line it decided to fly and with much splashing got airborne. My reel was spinning now as the clutch let line out and I was playing the duck like a kite! I thought do I cut the line or try to reel it in? Luckily before I did anything the duck dropped the bait and the hook must have been clear as the whole rig fell away and was recovered intact! So once again at this venue, no fish but at least i got a bite!

Its getting warmer!

2010-03-29T18:08:00.005+01:00

Well yes it is getting a bit warmer though as always the water temperature is slower to increase than the air. Nevertheless the signs are better. Our daffodils are out at last and I even went out without a neck warmer today!!

Just remember those lazy days by the lake in the late spring and summer are just around the corner.

Carp and Roach

2010-03-27T15:12:00.000Z

Just spent the morning at my nearest lake called Heath. The lake is used as an overflow lake for the adjacent gravel quarrying and the water level varies depending upon the amount of water the quarry pumps out. At the moment the level is very low and so it is possible to see several features that are normally underwater and places where the carp gather in the summer. As it is now warming up considerably I put out a line for some carp and whilst waiting i used a small 5 metre whip to pick off some roach and skimmers from the margins. After 30 minutes or so my feeder rod bent over and I was into a hard fighting little 2 lb common carp. He gave a good account of himself and provided some good sport. A while later I was in again this time a 4lb common that really didn't want to see the back of my net, but he did eventually. altogether a nice few hours of morning fishing.

New lake - personal best

2010-03-24T15:51:00.004Z

It was damp and spitting with rain but as the rest of the week looks to be even worse I thought I would try out one of the new lakes my club has obtained. I had heard that there were some nice carp so off I went this morning.

On arrival I was the only one there so took my pick of the the spots and choose near the middle of the bank opposite a small island. I tried feeder tactics with a small pellet feeder and maggot and then luncheon meat on the hook placed next to the island.
No joy I put another rod out in the middle where I thought there might be deeper water. I had a maggot feeder on and maggot hook bait. I got plenty of line bites and then a very small (1lb) carp with a bit of its tail missing came into my net. Despite many more line bites I couldn't get another fish so Changed tactics and cast to the far bank beyond the island with a scopex and squid 15mm boilie and No 6 hook. After about ten mins the alarm started to twitter a bit then a good solid take and I lifted the rod into it to feel the heaviest pull I have ever felt. The line locked then shot across the lake from the far bank to the nearside allowing me to get some line and keep the fish away from an overhanging tree. I could feel that it was a good fish so several more minutes of panic ensued as I gradually brought it to my net. Finally on the bank it weighed in at just over 9lb and looked like a perfect mirror carp and my personal best. I only had my camera phone so here is the best picture of it.

Return to Kingcombe

2010-03-23T09:24:00.005Z

Sunday was dry and mild at least so I took the chance to return to the lake at Kingcombe that we had removed all the weed from. My reasoning was that after all the disturbance and a couple of days to settle, maybe some fish would be looking for a bite to eat!

On arrival I saw a couple of lazy carp cruising mid water so set up with a feeder out with a pineapple crunch flavoured pop-up. I also set up a carp rod with a red scopex boile. I had a few line bites but nothing else. For a change I packed away the carp rod and set up a waggler with some of my home reared worms. After a few casts I got a nice little perch, this was quickly followed by two or three others and then by my personal best a perch of just over 1 lb. Not big I know but the best I have had.

Then almost next cast I got my personal best roach of again just over 1 lb. I say roach but I am never quite sure, I think it my have been a roach rudd hybrid because it showed elements of both. Whatever I don't really care it was a lovely fish and fun to catch and release.

Sometimes fishing is hard work!

2010-03-18T17:30:00.003Z

Its good for the soul but not necessarily the back! Removing weed from a local fishing lake where the club I belong to has fishing rights. A number of members, myself included turned out on a grey but mild day to help the contractor remove a massive amount of weed from a lake. The contractors used a long double sided sawblade that was towed down the lake to cut the weed then a large net was towed behind to collect the cuttings and bring them to the edge.

This is where we volunteers came in armed with pitch forks to lift out the weed and pile it high! The first ton or so was fun! Well to be honest it was all fun but progressively more tiring as the day went on. Still we left the lake in great condition and I am looking forward to fishing it soon. As a bonus we harvested a number of signal crayfish which a couple of us took home for a nice starter!

Boring - What?!

2010-03-11T08:18:00.004Z

Some people think fishing is boring despite the fact that Robson Green's "Extreme Fishing" on channel 5 gets some of the highest viewer numbers of any programme. I think that BBC must be jealous of this highly successful programme and have come up with their own take on a celebrity "with nature" unfortunately they don't seem to have grasped the essential idea about a TV programme - it needs interest. I mean LAMBING LIVE! An hour of prime time TV every night of the week to watch lambs being born, once is vaguely interesting for about 10 minutes perhaps but 5 hours over a week. They tell you to count sheep to get to sleep and the BBC are probably planning to re-run the series in the night for insomniacs!

I hear that the BBC are contemplating a series for gardeners called "Lawn growing live" that should be good!

Great Winter fishing

2010-03-10T08:31:00.004Z

Yesterday was cold but dry so I decided to try out a new fishing venue, Lyons Gate Fishing lakes in Dorset. I had heard that the fishing was good and that access was easy. Both of which was true. Lyons gate is a small caravan park set in a sheltered valley in mid Dorset about 10 mile north of the county town of Dorchester. There are 4 fishing lakes and some nice woodland walks laid out. I chose one of the smaller fishing lakes as I suspected they would have warmed up more quickly than the larger one, though one of the smaller lakes was 50% covered with thin ice still!

Almost as soon as I arrived I saw shoals of what looked like roach circling in the clear water, but I the sign next to lake said there were various carp and other fish so I set up a feeder with a helicopter rig and a 10mm pineapple pop up and a PVA bag of micro carp pellets and cast out to an area in the middle. I then set up my waggler rod and plumbed around and baited up with some sweetcorn which I had laced with scopex. First cast and I had a nice 6oz roach and then every cast they kept coming. I think after the recent deep cold these roach, and some rudd, were starving because I couldn't stop catching. After about an hour with 50 or so medium to small roach and rudd I set some extra shot on the line close to the hook to take it down faster past the smaller specimens and sure enough I started getting some very nice roach to 1lb.

With no action on the feeder and after a word with the owner who popped by to collect the day ticket fee of £5 I reset the feeder with a small open ended feeder packed with bread crumb and chopped worm and baited up with some punched bread and an artificial pop up sweetcorn. I cast to an area the owner had recommended and was rewarded within minutes with a nice take. It didn't feel too big but was very lively and I was surprised and delighted when a 4-6oz goldfish landed on the bank!

Very pretty and bright orange in the morning sun. I recast with the same rig to the same spot and after a short while got another solid pull which came to my net as a nice 2lb chub! The first chub I have caught so I was delighted.

After a spot of lunch it was back to the waggler and plenty more roach and rudd, I even got a nice roach of 1.5lb on the feeder as well.

I must have caught over 100 nice silver fish throughout the day and my first goldfish and chub. Great stuff!

How to fish and get good exercise

2010-03-05T08:30:00.004Z

Yesterday I found the perfect way to combine moderate exercise with tranquil fishing. How, well there is this nice lake about 3.75 miles from my home but it is down a horrible pot-holed track. Yesterday for the first time I went there by bike with all my fishing gear in a trailer. It was a bit like cycling up a steep hill all the way there and back but that was the exercise bit! Once there all was tranquil and though I blanked, I had a good time and got a good workout getting there and back.

Odd Fact

2010-03-05T08:28:00.002Z

Did you know that if you catch a sturgeon (some chance) then you have to give it to the Queen!

To buy or not to buy?

2010-02-28T15:15:00.004Z

The thing about fishing I have found is that there is always some other piece of tackle that you simply NEED! No matter what you have already got, there is that perfect new pole, great new rod, excellent reel etc.

The problem as I see it is that as you get more experienced at the art of angling you develop a wider interest in the sport and so want to try new techniques and tactics, which of course will mean more kit!

Now to make the need even worse my favorite tackle supplier is offering 6 months interest free, buy now pay later deals. It is too good to miss, isn't it?

Well I have a couple of days to decide if I don't want to miss the deal....

Angling jargon can be weird!

2010-02-25T08:51:00.003Z

All hobbies, pastimes, sports and occupations tend to develop their own jargon usually to make discussing the subject between fellow enthusiasts quicker easier and clearer. To a newcomer or outsider such jargon can often be confusing and sometimes just plain weird and funny.

OK we all accept anglers talk about their tackle, but what about trotting their wagglers or using a stiffy rig and fishing with a bomb. Luckily I have found some excellent magazines and also internet resources that have allowed me to decipher such phrases with some relief! I still get caught out sometimes but I am beginning to know my pinkies from my squats!

Did you Know?

2010-02-25T08:20:00.006Z

Angling, or hunting for fish is probably as old as man himself, but did you know that there is evidence of fish being farmed for food in Asia as far back as 400BC. One of the oldest species farmed is the CARP. From the first wild carp there have been produced a number of variants which are now found in lakes and rivers throughout Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.

As a beginner last year I was lucky to join a local club that has an excellent lake full of carp within a couple of miles of my home. So even with my inexperience I have already had some great sport catching common and mirror carp. My personal best is only just under 5 lb for a nice mirror.

I hope to do a lot better this year when the water starts to warm, though I suspect it may be a long time before I get near some of the 30 - 40 lb monsters that I see in the angling press!

Quite interesting

2010-02-23T09:13:00.001Z

Did you know that the grayling has the largest dorsal fin, in relation to the size of the fish itself, of all fish in UK!

It is also know sometimes as the 'Lady of the Stream'.

I don't like winter

2010-02-22T10:42:00.000Z

Its cold, its damp, its windy and its winter. Well in UK at least. I freely admit that I get grumpy in winter, I am certain that in a past life I lived in a tropical climate and hopefully will again in the next life. Don't get me wrong Spring in UK is probably the best anywhere in the world; and I have been to quite a lot of the world. Summers are less predictable and Autumn is often lovely but winters are just dismal. This year has been exceptionally cold, and breaking ice to fish just doesn't seem right, though I know some keen anglers have, and with great success.

Its just not for me. Nevertheless I have been out 'on the bank' a few times; the last about 3 days ago to a local lake and tried my hand with a new venture for me a 5m fishing pole or whip. For those that don't know its basically a long carbon fibre telescopic pole that extends to 5m with a bit of line and a float on the end attached by some strongish elastic. You simply but some bait on the hook and dangle the line in the water. In many ways this is back to the basics. As with all things the professionals do this very technically and you can pay several thousands of pounds for some poles up to 16m long!! Needless to say my little pole was much less, £12.50 to be exact. Despite the price it worked well and in difficult conditions with cold, cloudy water I caught a dozen small skimmer bream like this.

They all looked duly surprised at being temporarily introduced to the wider world but I am glad to report that they swam off none the worse for their adventure and some with a nice worm as a treat.

Just sitting

2010-02-22T09:53:00.001Z

Sometimes I sits and thinks..... sometimes I just sits.

Fishing Calculator

2010-02-22T09:39:00.001Z

If you are new to fishing or just want a bit of help from time to time from experts about where to fish what bait to use and how to go about it then you might want to look at this little Fishing Calculator I have produced in an Excel Spreadsheet. It uses the advice provided in the excellent Angling Times but brings it altogether in a quick and simple to use tool. You will need to download the small file to your computer and then open it in Microsoft Excel. The calculator is for Coarse Fishing and you can simply choose your target Species from a drop down list, the Water Temperature range, and the season, all from drop down lists (no typing) and you will be presented with the advice on Best Bait, Best Tactic, and Best Location on Still waters and Rivers.

It may not guarantee that you catch but it might just help!

Download here

Why fishing?

2010-02-22T09:18:00.001Z

In the words of Izaak Walton a celebrated 18th century English angler, angling (or fishing as it is more commonly called) is "The Contemplative Man's Recreation"

Although like most boys I dabbled with a bit of fishing as a lad I only took up fishing properly in the last year or so. I like the outdoors, I like nature and I like tranquil places and suddenly I found that fishing provides an excellent excuse to experience all these things on a regular basis and have a bit of fun, trying to catch fish a the same time!

So I thought I would create this blog to provide my musings on the recreation of fishing and life in general.