The friends we fish with.

We all fish for different reasons, some for the relaxation it provides, others to get away from the wife and kinds, or a stressful job. To some it's a sport, other it's a solitary pursuit. But for whatever reason we chose to fish our trips are shared with bank-side friends.

Firstly I think of myself as a naturalist and fisherman. It's strange how some people see fishing as a cruel sport, and anglers as torturous.  Truth is most anglers love the fish they catch, and the environment around them. Anglers fight fearsly for clean rivers, the protection of birds, animals, and naturally the fish they catch.
Many people ask me if I put my catch back, really believing I kill fish. For the record, I've never purposely killed any coarse fish, and haven't taken any wild brown trout in over 30 years.

A few weeks ago while fishing on the Trent and flock of long-tail tits landed in a tree beside me. There must have been over a dozen, up that close you see all the amazing colours these little birds have. They are without doubt the most gregarious of the tits, as they seem always to be in flocks.

Long tail tits.

Crows always watch fisherman. They visit the swims each time the angler moves, just to see if he's left anything to eat. They have the keenest eye's of all birds, seeing even a part eaten apple core from a hundred yards away.

Magpies are said to be the fisher-mans friend. As well as a keen eye, these birds are mega inquisitive. Leave a silver disgorger on the bank and walk away, the birds are down on it in moments, just to see what it is.

I see kingfishers on almost every trip, funny as it's a bird many people have never seen, ever! So sad because this little bird is electric in every way, how it looks, flies and feeds. I'm one of those fortunate anglers having had a king-fisher land on his rod top, looking for a spot to fish from. A day like that is as good as any.

We should never forget our environment is shared with with others, we should enjoy there presence.

Old school fishing. Laying on.

Years ago, "Laying on' was a very popular way of fishing for many species. From bream, roach and carp in lakes to barbel, chub, and perch in canals and rivers. But what is 'laying-on' how does it work, and why has it fallen out of favour in recent years. In fact if you Google it, it does not appear but the 'lift method' does?

Laying-on is a wonderful technique when fishing slow to medium pace rivers. It's both a visual and subtle way of catching fish that can be shy biting. I like to use small shot as my bulk (number 4s are ideal) normally around 8" to 12" from the hook. Then depending on flow rate a float fished some two feet over depth. If the flow is modest a 6 no 4 stick float with a shoulder would be my choice for chub   and barbel.

It's both a visual and sensitive way of fishing for many shy biting fish. There is nothing like watching a float glide away, knowing some fish has fallen for your bait. I'd much prefer to watch a float than a rod top or quiver tip, I also think the resistance is less with a fine float.

But sometimes when the river is up and swollen you have to use a bigger float, something like an Avon, with a cork or balsa body allowing more shot. At a time like this finding a slack or crease away from the main flow can be better than the main flow, unless your after barbel. Then right under your own bank-side with a big bait like worm or meat can work. It's amazing how many big roach I've taken at times like this laying on in slack water. As long as it's not collecting rubbish it's fine.

When long trotting in summer for barbel there are times the swims dies, as if all the fish have moved off. But by pushing up the float and laying on with a still bait can work wonders. ( This was a great tip given to me by a friend called Steve. He catches a lot of big barbel like this, and I'm going to use it more when trotting slows down.)  I think it's just the fish are collected and not intercepting a moving bait anymore. In another hour with constant feeding it can all change again.

Typical selection of river floats.

It works for most river species. Big perch are suckers for a big worm fished under a float, as are huge roach. Years ago when I fished a small river in Leicestershire big roach would appear after a flood in many of the slacks. We would fish large porcupine quill floats with worm or maggots as the bait. Fish that would never get caught during normal conditions, would put in an appearance. Fish over 2 lb     being caught during high water.

If you've not tried laying on give it a try, you may be surprised. You won't get that crick in the neck from looking upwards at rod tips all the time!

Popping down the river.

I'm not really fishing at the moment. I expect most of you that fish will understand what I'm trying to say. I need to get my fishing head on, have a project, objective to get me motivated. I have so much gear too, sorting it out for various species can be a right pain in the ass. I'm trying to get my tackle down to a manageable level, so I can see everything at a glance.

I've sorted out some light small rods, and intend to visit my local river rolling meat for chub, barbel. I'll have some bread too, just in case. Mash a little bread, re bait a few swims and see who we go?

Monday. Mid December.

Still bloody cold, but the river had some colour on my arrival and I doubted the rolling meat method would work due to lack of clarity. However, I gave it a go for a few hours and ended up with a nice chub or two that put a bend in the little Nash Scope. I'm sure this meat rolling has a lot of mileage and if I can get away toward the end of the week, the river should be perfect. It's surprising how little weight I really needed, just a swan shot in most of the swims. This piece of the upper river is very engaging with bends and pool very few hundred yards. Today trotting with meat or bread would have been better maybe, it's all about matching methods to conditions. A float would have given me more option like laying on, and better bite indication. The rolling meat style would work with a fluorescent   line, and six foot of clear leader, allowing one to see the line more clearly, also the bites from shy fish.

6' Scope rolled meat.

I pack up well before dusk as it was getting cold at 3pm. It was home for a warm and welcome cuppa.

See you on the bank.

Looking forward.

It's too cold to go sitting on a river bank right now. The temperature is just above freezing, and the wind cuts like a cheese wire through your clothing. Thirty to forty years ago I'd have gone anyway despite the weather, and probably caught something. Fish still feed this weather but feeding times are to unpredictable for my liking.

I told him to come in hours ago!

So I'm sat at home watching season six of Game of Thrones, wrapped up all warm and snug. It's time to look at all the new fishing gear available on websites and eBay. I'm never surprised at the amount of new\used carp gear coming on eBay at this time of year. Too many have high expectations, buy all the gear, then realise it's not as easy as they make it look on Youtube.


Trapping, baiting up then putting a sophisticated rig in over it, is the way it's shown to be. Few new anglers learn any hunting skills. The human eye is replaced with heavy leads, and the latest bait. Stealth replaced with long sessions baiting programmes. It works sometimes, but it often doesn't, hence the short life of the modern carp angler. To learn about fishing you have to catch fish, so you can experiment. Catching nothing just damages your enthusiasm.

I really cannot not catch for long. A few sessions and then I have to go to an easy water.

Daiwa Spectron float rod 13/16' review.

Ive had this rod for a few months now, and my initial impression is very favourable. In fact I'd go as far to say it's an idea barbel float rod.

I brought this rod for a specific task. Allowing me to fish for big barbel on the river Trent with floats, either sticks, or wagglers. The rod is rated for lines 3lb to 8lb this seems spot on. I have been using 6lb main line ( Daiwa sensor ) the line breaks over 6lb around 8lb I'm told. The leader is a Power line rated for just 6lb. Connected with a small swivel I've found it always breaks at the power line knot, so I'm safe if a fish snags me.

So what's so good about this rod. Well first it screams quality, from the handle and reel seat, to the rings and extra section to make a longer rod. At 16' you would not know its 4 piece, the progressive power runs right through the blank into the blanks cork handle. I worried the first time I hooked a big barbel, but the rod simply controlled the fish and allowed me to manage a good double figure fish into the net.

It's a light rod, but not as light as another 4 piece 16' I own. But the blank quality is much higher on the Daiwa. Quality means better carbon/graphite stronger walls, hence the slight extra weight! But it's not over heavy when teamed with a four and half inch centrepin. It's a rod that promotes comments from other anglers, it's that or the pin that freaks them out?

Bargains can be found on EBay. I got this rod with 40% off. It was new, but had no rod bag, and was classed as a demo model. At £240 are they worth it, yes every penny, it's such a versatile rod. At 13' it's an ideal pellet waggler for for bigger venues for carp.  At full length it's the perfect barbel float rod. All in all a rod I'll keep for the long term as I know I couldn't buy better.

Weather change winter.

The wind today was the kind that could cut you in two. Despite not feeling too cold when I left from home today, at the waters edge I needed all my winter wear. After maybe two hours trotting without a touch I set up a ledger rod, weighted by plasticine around a float stop 24" from a large size 6 long shank hook. Still the wind persisted and finally, I called it a day.

A sudden cold snap with wind like this, puts most fish off feeding for a few days. If it stays cold by next week, the fish should be more acclimatised to it, and I'll have a decent chance. What we really need is rain and high pressure, lots of it too. Rain has been in short supply this year, the river is very low, and clear. Rain does a lot of good for the fisher at this time of year. Not only does it flush the rubbish like old leaves, bits of remaining weed and such away, but the river rises and long exposed dry banks containing worms and insects get washed into the flow for fish food.

I'm in my later years now and really feel the cold, so this winter I'll pick the days I think will offer the best chance of a fish or two. Also I prefer settled weather, and currently it's all over the place, with now two days being the same. I fancy a trip back to the little carp lake at Portland, just to see if the fish are active at all in the winter. I'm sure they will be as the place is so well stocked, but we will have to see?

Why trotting is so successful for barbel.

I took five barbel today, and a near 20lb pike, all on trotted maggots. Why does this method work so well so much of the time?

Let's take a look at today. The Trent is low and clear, with a good number of leaves coming down on the surface of the river. The season is five months old the fish have seen it all, they are becoming exceedingly difficult to catch in any numbers. Two guys packing up today had fished all day and left without a bite, they were fishing pellets in a feeder. It's this style of fishing that I see most on the Trent, what I call two rods in the air style. Fishing the centre channel with heavy lead feeders, or flat leads. Size ranges from 3oz to 5oz, they make a big splash when cast in.

I'm guessing this splash is like a dinner bell for all barbel near by, but it's also a caution bell. I don't think fish can reason but they can and do learn from experience. So that dinner bell tells them food is available, but that they should be cautious. The feeder or pva bag deposits a small amount of food in an area, but by the time the barbel overcome their caution, it's been eaten by the small fish or has drifted off in the flow. Because the average angler cannot replicate every cast into the exact area, over a day the food ends up all over the river. I'm convinced barbel do turn up, but find nothing to eat in most cases.

When trotting the feed still drifts off downstream, but because your constantly feeding every cast maggots, or hemp, when they do arrive they have something to eat, then it keeps on coming. When you catch a fish, you step up the feed, and a number of fish is possible. When you catch a fish on the feeder, it's several minutes before you cast again, and then it's just a mouthful again. Not enough to hold a shoal of fish. Your next cast could be several yards off to the right, left, too far or not far enough. Either way it's a one fish method at this time of year, in these conditions. Trotting allows you to bait very accurately, following it with the float, and your own hook-link. Food is always available and the fish don't have to search for it once they arrive.

The fish have to work hard as the food items are very small hemp and maggots in my case. Imagine just one handful of hemp and maggot is possibly 100 individual food items to drift between all those rocks and crevices. Barbel are just like any other fish, and come preoccupied on such tiny items, so they search very diligently. I'll maybe present a bait many hundred times in a six hour day, giving any  barbel plenty of chances to eat it.

 If no bites are not  instantly fore-coming I'll change depth after maybe an hours trotting. Then I'll try holding back hard, or just inching the bait through very slowly. Recently most of the fish have come when just letting it go through at normal speed.

I've no idea in truth what will happen this winter, and if the method continues to catch me fish through the very cold weather. But I fancy when I start to reduce the feed as the weather turns, fish will still feed, maybe for just a few hours only. One friend tells me he catches barbel by just pushing up the float and laying on, still feeding continuously, but with much less amounts. I'm looking forward to giving it a try!

See you on the bank.

Don't forget your net.

 I love all wildlife even when the pack your boots asking for more!

 My once preferred way of fishing for barbel. But not anymore!

 Another very nice day trotting on the river Trent. (Despite having to go back home to fetch my landing net.) Two barbel one just under 10lb, the other around 8lb. Both fell to a speci waggler in a swim of 7' deep. Both incredible fun on the float rod and pin. Feeding hemp and maggots for the best part of 5 hours paid off. I'm sure a big bag of fish is on the cards if I can just get the right swim and conditions. We need some decent rain, as the river is still painfully clear.

 All fish regardless of size bring joy when trotting with a centrepin.

 See you on the bank.

Clear water.

Back on the river and another blank! I really thought I'd cracked it after my last trip, but despite the conditions being unchanged, the barbel didn't play. Like all my trips good or bad, I try to analysis what happened when I get home.

First the water seemed even clearer, one friend I know swears you simply need some colour in the river. I'm sure that's true in part. But as I mentioned before, I think these fish are more nomadic than we think, and there are few outstanding barbel swims on the whole beat. They seem to turn up in most swims that get well fished. Clearly when trotting your looking for certain types of swims, with good depth and flow close in. Then your trying to get the fish to come to you by baiting with a constant stream of food.

I few swims up from me a angler ledgering with two rods also blanked. I could hear the constant splash of the big leads hitting the water, then the buzzers being set. The more I think about this style of fishing ( in particular during such low clear conditions ) the more I think trotting offers the best choice, providing your on fish. And that's the key, finding fish, it's difficult on the Trent as you simply cannot see fish in this part of the river.

What Float Should I Use?

In the past all my trotting has been done on small rivers with Loafer style floats, or simple peacock wagglers. When you first fish the river Trent, it seems daunting. Parts are very deep and quick, others deep and slow, I've yet to find any shallow swims, they do exist, but not on the club waters I fish currently. The barbel seem to prefer fast water to hold and feed in, I'm told they don't lay in slacks or eddies unless the river is in full spate.

The Trent has been famously known in the past for it's stick float fishing, mainly for silver fish like roach, bream, and bleak. It's anglers being some of the best in the country. Wind is a big factor on the river, it's wide so the wind can howl across it at times. I've tried the stick, but it's much more difficult fishing it effectively than I thought. The waggler is much easier to use, and stays on track in an almost constant wind the Trent seems to suffer.

On floats I cannot recommend those sold by Dave Harrell. (www.daveharrellangling.com) not only is the choice outstanding, but all come with a paragraph on what their for, and how to fish them. You can find a lot of interesting clips on YouTube done by Dave, and it's clear as well as being an innovator in float design, he is also a very creditable angler.

Two of his floats that stand out for me are his Wire stem stick floats, and Speci wagglers. They cover 90% of my Trent fishing. I only have to add a selection of his large top shallow sticks, and I'll be 100% sorted.

Float design by Dave Harrell.

See you on the bank.

Success at last.

The difference between success and failure is such a thin line, in this case minutes.

I arrived at the fancied swim at 11.30am. With advice new in my mind from a discussion on the Barbel forum, I switched from a stick float to a Harrell speci waggler, and bait dropper-ed  six large droppers of hemp and maggots, along with a few pellet, and small pieces of luncheon meat. Maybe total two pints.

From mid-day to 3.30pm nothing, not even a small roach or perch and it was now raining. I was just moments from packing up in truth, I never use a brolly on the Trent as they are so difficult to set up. I took a tea from the flask, and decided on one last cast. In fifty years of fishing, the last cast has never brought me a fish, but today the float disappeared.

The big fish moved out into the middle of the river, where the current was at it's strongest. Then it simply hung their. The new rod performed wonderfully, and at no time did I feel outgunned, but I did take my time, I simply could not bully this fish it was so strong. After maybe five minutes a stunning, thick beautiful barbel was in my large oval net. 11.lb 7oz was followed up with a 8.lb+ fish, then I lost one that left a large scale on the 14s spade hook, maybe fouled hooked.

 My first long trotted Barbel from the River Trent.

After six blanks doing almost the same thing, a subtle change of float brought success. I'm pleased I have stick-ability in my character. I'm not a great thinker even though I do experiment, but sometimes you need a little help and advice? Thanks guy's.

See you on the bank.

Float fishing for barbel.

I'm still at it, fishing the Trent for barbel, the fish are proving elusive however! I've had several trips armed with 4 pints of maggots, and pints of hemp each time, but apart from some nice roach and perch, the barbel have beaten me. I'm convinced it only matter of time, as the 'two rod in the air' boys are struggling too.

The fish in this part of the river are very mobile, and can turn up any place. Many more experienced trotting anglers tell me it's just a matter of time, and I'm doing the right thing. Feed on a regular basis making the barbel have it. Feed plenty, 6 pints of maggots and hemp, it's expensive fishing several times a week. There is an alternative I think and it's this..

One chap told me he feeds hemp, but instead of maggots he uses tiny pieces of luncheon meat, and the odd pellet. It has to be worth a try, as I only want one bite to get me going. Sweetcorn could be another cheaper alternative? I'm told the key is consistency of feeding something every cast, even if it's only 10 pieces of hemp, and 3 tiny cubes of meat. Next trip out I'm giving this a try, what can I lose?

The water is still amazingly clear still, and to date early October, we have had no appreciable amount of rain. The water is well fished, the barbel well feed, many of today's baits stay in tact for days so the barbel can feed anytime on day old baits. I'm guessing these wise fish know your about, no matter how quite you are.

I've found another nice long trotting video you may like, enjoy.

Sticking with it.

I'm simply loving fishing with a floats again, it's how it all began for most of us. I'm sure EBay would sell less nearly new fishing tackle if more anglers returned to their roots. Baiting and waiting (trapping) is a form of fishing I've done many times over the years, but mostly I've been a stalking hunter. Roving on a river with just a fly rod after wild trout, or with a light Avon rod after chub, roach, and barbel.
I'm guessing many new folk coming to our sport now start as trappers. Laying out a table and waiting for fish to feed, for me this style has too many downsides. One is the amount of gear you normally take with you, some now take up to five rods, three to fish with, one to bait with, and one to take the contours. That requires the same amount of reels, and accessories! No wonder you need a barrow to move it all on.
This fishing style is the style most people also fall away from quickly because it requires little skill, compared to being a hunter, and in many ways, deters you from learning. If the fish are not there, or you've picked the wrong area, your stuffed. If this happens often enough, you become very despondent, and end up selling all the gear you've accumulated for a fraction on the price you paid for it. It's gear you really believed you needed to catch fish at the time. It's very sad because had you had the right advice or experience when you first started, the financial loss would not have occurred. I've had some amazing bargains on EBay, but always feel sad when I see whole sets of gear being sold. It seems the carp scene suffers the most from this.

The best advice anyone can give a potential fisherman is to start float fishing, both on stillwater and rivers. Ŵhen float fishing you learn so much about the water. As time goes by, learn some hunting skills, in other words finding your quarry. All you need to start hunting is a simple match rod, maybe a slightly stepped up one. A reel, some floats, weights, net and a decent seat, be it a box type or one with a back on if your my age. This set up will allow you to fish various places learning watercraft, watercraft is the skill that keeps you from selling your gear, and buying a set of golf clubs.

Over time you should find a style of fishing that suits you, it could be the competitive style of match fishing, or tying to single out bigger fish of various species, once called specimen hunting. Time will be a big factor in what ever style you choose. If you specialise in carp fishing, bare in mind it can be very time consuming. If your new to it, you could find that even with all the best gear, and bait, it's just not worth the return, hence EBay sales mentioned above.

Fishing the stick gloat is new to me. I've done simple trotting, but not with ultra fine tackle, and stick floats. Fortunately, it looks like I've found one that can give me the help I need. I'll feedback how we get on, warts, and all.

See you in the bank.

Attacking the Trent with pellets.

I'm trying a method used successfully by Dave Harrell in the Wye, trotting with pellets. I've failed spectacularly, landing only a handful of small roach, when big chub and barbel were what I wanted.

It's a much simpler method than hemp, and caster, requires less preparation, and is much cleaner in  handling. Possibly the Trent is just to clear at present, and it's why I struggled. Or maybe I have to concede the fish are not interested, I'm not that good at it. I doubt the latter as I did catch roach?

Speaking to other anglers however, I'm not alone at the moment in finding fish hard to come by on the river.  The standard two rod in the air guys are not catching much, and I'm guessing the heavy gear in such clear water stands out. But few change anything even when not catching. One angler I spoke to having 13 blanks in a row, fishing the same tactic every time. It's not his fault entirely as some success, with one method can result in that method being used as your mainstay.

This style, two rod set up, pva bag and pellets does catch fish. And these guys feel no need to change anything. So it becomes a 'self for-filling prophecy', and they don't experiment. Not all, but most fish this style as they feel it offers the best option. A match angler, fishing the same swim would try different things, as I'm doing at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I come from the two rod pointed skywards school, and I've taken many good barbel doing it. But when I had the 'Road to Damascus' moment it all changed.

I simply want to go fishing, and catch a few, thirteen blanks would do my head in, as they say now days. I'm still wanting to target those better fish, but not at any price. Hence why yesterday I found myself with a kilo or two of pellets trotting with both waggler, and stick float. Dave used a big waggler and had complete control of his presentation, I felt a little out of my comfort zone, but felt I could master it with practice.

But will it work on the Trent? Well we will see!

Excellent tippet, at a fraction of the price.

I thought I'd pass on a nice little recommendation for leader and tippet material. Nylon for fly fishing is simply extravagant due to being grossly over-priced. For a long time coarse anglers, and some fly fisherman have used plain nylon co-polymer in the high tech (pr-stretched) form. Drennan double strength was the first of this kind of nylon I believe. Giving thinner diameter with decent line strength.

I've used Preston Innovation Reflo power line for almost a decade and also Stroft gym co-polymer. Both excellent, and well priced compared to fly fishing line. With both you get 100 meters rather than 30 or 50 with fly tippet. However I'm always looking and prepared to try new stuff if I think it works, or is better.

So I stumbled upon a new line (to me) Shakespeare Mach XT a pr-stretched co-polymer at an amazing price, for such a high quality line. It's very thin, supple and most important very strong. It's clear too, not white like some 'clear lines' are advertised at. No this is proper clear, and supple. It's not say to kink, and made in Japan. www.Shakespeare-fishing.co.UK The price is just £3.99 for 100 meters. The line reminds me of Frogs a Hair tippet you can buy at £4.99 for 30 meters. That's £15 for the same amount of line with the same specs?

When trotting for chub and barbel on the Trent, I use .22 as main line, and .16 as hook link. That equates to 9.5 lb and 7 lb. amazing.

For fly fishing the .16 and below have huge potential for tippet. If you tie your own leaders, well the options are endless, and cheap. Give it a go.

See you on the bank.

Ice cold in Lincolnshire.

How many of you will know the film 'Ice cold in Alex' starring John Mills, will depend on your age I guess?  It's about a army crew in the second world war working a Red Cross truck across a desert, hiding from the Germans, while having one spy, in their group. Anyway right at the end of the movie they walk in a bar and each have a cold beer, you can almost taste it, the acting is so good.

The other day I had a desire to walk and fish on my local river. Not on the trout beats but further down where chub, roach and bream are most likely to be caught. I fished light and did a lot of walking, but really didn't realise just how hot it was. I was wearing waders just to give me better access, but could easy have waded wet, the water was that warm.

After a few hours the heat got to me, and I started feeling odd, I knew it was dehydration, and made it back to the car just in time. My long sleeve cotton shirt I wear for sun protection was so wet, I could wring it out. My trousers, pants and socks were just the same. I drank two liters of water right away, and once home another two, by then I was feeling better. But it made me think just how as you get older you have to take better care of yourself. So to all my fellow bloggers, take care and take plenty of liquid with you.

The actual fishing was a bit of a damp squid, with recent rain was bringing down weed and crap. I did manage one chub about 3 lb on rolled meat (left over from the Trent trip) I did find a few barbel too, a fish that was much more common ten years ago on this little river, but it seems a few are just hanging on in the lower beats as well as in the town beat.

Out again on the Trent next week, meeting up with another fellow blogger and friend.

Rolling meat on rivers.

One of the daytime TV channels throws up Angling old programs from time, to time. Last week it was Dean Macey fishing with Ray Wilton on the Avon, rolling meat for Barbel.

It really appealed to me coming from fly fishing where upstream nymph fishing is practiced on my local rivers. Clearly there are differences, but also many similarities. Like casting upstream and feeling the weighted nymph (replace with weighted hook and meat) bounce along the bottom, until you hook up.

Amazing video, full of fun, and information. Really like these two lads style. Quality video too.

So in the week I got the fly tying gear out and tied a few long shank size 6s hooks, with various amounts of lead wire I felt should, cover a few running water situations. I took them along with some Spam to the Trent to experiment.
I said earlier this method really appeals, because I can roam with just one rod, rather than sit in one swim with two rods faced skyward waiting for the fish to cooperate?

Rod choice had me thinking. I could use my normal barbel rods, the Daiwa infinities, but fancied something with a softer tip, to watch the taps, and knocks better. The Drennan Specialist feeder with the 4 oz carbon top looked ideal. Rated up to 8lb line was maybe light, but I did not have to cast any weight, and thought I could still use 10lb line right through.

On the river the rod proved perfect, even though I only caught a few modest chub. If in flood, or heavy winter water, it my be different, I'll have to see!

I found the best way, was also the simplest. Cast upstream, but not too far out, maybe 3 meters from the bank, no GROUND-BAIT. Allow the meat to come past you, then release line, and bump it downstream. Due to the lack of flow in many swims, this only worked 50% of the time. A cast further out in those swims did not give the proper presentation, as the meat swung around into the slack water in an arc. Had I wanted to be less mobile, then I could have sat 10 minutes and maybe a fish would have found the bait. Or I could have baited a few swims before fishing, something a may try some time I'm feeling a touch lazy.

 Above one of the best Trent chub taken in recent years 8lb+. The mighty river itself.

The Trent is currently low and really needs a good flush through, but I doubt it will get one until winter proper. Low water and excessive hot weather in the 30s plus have put the barbel off feeding since the season start. Lots of anglers and people on forums have all concluded the same, things are really difficult, and few fish being caught. Anglers are still fishing and pilling in bait, so maybe the fish are feeding at the coolest time of day, very early morning, I'm just guessing, it's all we can do!

I had a day on the local river yesterday, trying the rolling meat again. But recent rain had brought a lot of weed and debris down, making it almost impossible. I did manged one three pound chub, and got soaked to the skin with sweat, bank walking looking for fish. It will be much easier in the winter, the river will be clean, and the fish more obliging, I hope.

The River Trent.

My first trip to the river coincided with rain, and plenty of it. To be honest we need rain, it's been a very dry summer. The river was low, as I dropped into a nice piece of slack water I feel should hold some good chub. It runs for about 150 meters on a gradual bend, in high water it's full of fish I'd imagine, but today it was just little perch that pounced on my worms every cast. I really hate umbrellas as can never set them up in a way they keep me dry, but allow free movement to fish. Today the brolly remained at home, so the new two piece Daiwa suit was donned, and I remained dry. But everything else got drenched.

 The Trent is a big river, and needs care and attention.

I discover the newly made cheese paste was too soft, flying off the hook each cast. Once home I'll have to thicken it up with some liquidized bread, that should do the trick. Cheese paste is something that appeals to big roach, as well as chub. In fact my first 'Two' came on paste one night in the early 70s when I fished the little river Eye in Leicestershire. The bridge swim was known to throw up the odd two pound fish when the river was in flood, so I was not surprised with the 2lb 8oz fish I weighed that dark December night. In those days before digital pictures, you had to deal with a flash, and pray the shot would come out, it did thankfully.

 Over 4lb the current UK roach record. Caught in Northern Ireland.

That fish turned me into a Roach fanatic, moving  me to Norfolk in a time big roach were common on the Wensum. One night on the upper river at Bintree I took two big fish 2lb 15oz and 2lb 12oz along with a 2lb 6oz fish and a 2lb 2oz. That season and for several after, bags of such fish were not uncommon. Now I think your more likely to catch such fish from Norfolk still-waters, than its once famous roach river. Being noted now for its barbel, and chub the Wensum is private in many places I told and access more difficult than it once was!

As the day came to a close I headed for home, for dinner and a hot drink. I thought at the time it may pay to pack the umbrella and flask for coming trips?

See you on the bank.

Enough of a good thing?

Its been a glorious few weeks fishing the commercial carp circuit, but how many easy carp do you want to catch? I'm sated and have had enough of this type of fishing. Carp to over 19lb with back up fish of 18lb common, 18lb mirror, 16lb and a dozen other doubles have been an enjoyable summer break. But now I fancy another kind of challenge, a big mid-summer tench, and an Autumn big chub.

Best of the bunch 19lb mirror 2016 Hallcroft..

The water in question for the tench is a very difficult one, noted for its big carp most of the better tench are caught by the carp guys, 9lb in spawn being the best I've heard of. But they are thin on the ground, so your more likely to catch a rouge carp than a big tench. Also the tench weights are down on June as they have obviously all spawned. On the plus side the lake is near home, very quite and scenic.

At this time of year, a little and often baiting approach is what I'll go for and see how it goes, fishing for just one bite at a time. If I'm lucky enough to catch a tench on each trip, I'll feel very satisfied. So from now on until it get cold, that's what I'll be doing.

 I'm several trips into the tench fishing, and nothing. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew. The margins are very clear, and mostly deep, and apart from spawning time, I'm yet to see a big fish in the margins. Maybe they are about very early morning, but with a night fishing ban, and me not so good at getting up before 7am, I'm missing them perhaps? I guess as the weather turns colder, I may see some up close, but it also means times running out to.

My local river Trent is producing some very nice chub thank you. It seems 6lb fish are fairly common, and sevens are a possibility for those setting out their stalls for them. Most are being caught on very heavy gear designed to land double figure barbel, so I'm wondering what a very scaled down approach would produce. So if the tench don't provide sport, I'll be fishing the Trent with chub in mind. Lighter quiver rods, six pound line, bread, worms, maggots and 10mm boilies. I've not had a six for many years, in fact the last one was on a mayfly fly-fishing. That would be a great start!

See you on the bank.

Success snatched from failure.

Little to say about my last trip to Hallcroft. I failed to get to grip with the second biggest lake, apart from my biggest fish of the season, a creditable 18lb mirror.

Everything I tried just didn't work well, even though I lost two other decent fish during a long frustrating day. A match forced me onto the smaller lake and I think that put some doubt in my mind sadly.

 16lb mirror from Hallcroft 2016.

 2lb goldfish.

Back on Portland again, and a real bumper day on the method feeder. Casting to the main island I took over 40 fish in just 4 hours. Nothing big, maybe 6lb being the biggest. Well over a 100lb in weight, my biggest haul of carp ever. Only holiday trips to Ireland in my early years surpassed such an amazing day. I did wonder about the fish size, and how the bigger fish don't seem to come out on this method. Maybe I'll have to try for the better fish with a single bait approach maybe?

I was lucky to see the potential of this lake on this last trip. The weather got onto the 30s and the whole carp population of the lake seemed to be on the surface. It was an amazing sight, hundreds of fish, some, many doubles. More than I suspected, or imagined.

See you on the bank.

Carp in shallow water.

 Fishing to a margin on the island I took over 40 fish in 4 hours.

At this time of year, the carp are mostly found in shallow water during the day on commercials. By shallow I mean 18" to 3' deep. Find this depth and your sure to find carp feeding. A great way to catch them is with a method or pellet feeder. Casting into open water works nowhere as well as up against an island, or far bank where the depth is just right normally.

Today at Hallcroft I misguidedly fished water too deep, about 5'. It was a great margin swim with plenty of features, but just too deep. I did catch, but as my old school teacher said of me "could have done better ". One fish was a stunning mirror of 16lb, second biggest from the venue this year. I had just 6 fish for a days fishing, working hard switching methods several times during the day.   Constantly trying to feed the fish into the swim, but being too deep I could not watch the carps behavior as I like to do on my trips. If you can observe fish they will normally tell you what to do.

 Margin float-fishing took this 18lb mirror carp.

When I arrived lots of fish were on the surface milling around. So my first thought was to keep them up with pellets fired out every 30 seconds or so. I tried the pellet waggler for over an hour to no avail,  the fish were just not interested in eating in the open deeper water. I expect this food is eaten by smaller fish, or by the carp later in the day probably after dark. Anyway a nice steady day, and a cracking mirror to boot.

See you on the bank.

Just having fun travailing.

 This summer has seen a dramatic change in my fishing from fly-casting, to simple coarse fishing. To be honest, to date I'm not missing it at all. I'm travailing around finding lakes and catching loads for big fish. See below.

16lb 13lb 11lb 9lb 8lb.

 I've found another set of lakes just up the A1, about 45 minutes from home. Hallcroft Fisheries is to date the best I've found. Most commercial carp lakes are very small, too small to be a challenge at times. Hallcroft is different, a large complex of several lakes, big enough to get away from it all. It's a caravan park too, but they don't detract from the place as you can find swims away from I all. It's also full of hard fighting carp.

As you would expect with bigger lakes, the carp are larger too. Up to and over 20lb I'm told. I've had two good trips so far, and have taken some nice doubles to 16lb. The lakes are very coloured, but the fish can clearly be seen in the margins tails wagging like happy dogs. I've done as well with a float in the margins as with a feeder out in the lake.

Tucked up in a corner. maybe not the best place to start, but I'm still getting grips with it?

First trip to this complex I picked a corner swim with the wind blowing strongly into it. I've learned over the years, that fish don't always push right into the corners, but stay out from the edge as the underwater tow, pushes food items back into the lake. I set up with a pellet feeder ( on the now well broken in ) Daiwa Tournament feeder rod, 8lb main line, with a 9lb hook link of 12''. Within an hour fish were milling around and I'd taken two, but I felt it should have been going better. I decided when I started this style of fishing I'd try to be busy all the time I'm fishing, just like a match angler would be. It's easy to settle in the chair, and wait for bites. But I've found that's not the way on these busy waters. If you not getting bites your not doing it right.

I switched to bomb and pellet, but the fish still did not respond, so I baited the margins on the far side. (In the picture above) I found during the day time you had to fish very tight up to structure, so I clipped up to get it right each cast. I was rewarded with a days catch of 13 fish two were doubles. These fish are a much bigger stamp that my local Portland lakes, with most fish over 6lb.

The next trip I stayed on the big lake again, just loving the space it was giving me. I go fishing for peace and solitude, even though I'm not anti-social to any degree. I set up halfway along the bank that splits the lake in two. Bomb and pellet was the order of the day, and I really fancied it when a nice 8lb mirror fell to a 8mm pellet within an hour. But then it all went quite for two hours. Again the margins did it for me and saved the day. With a succession of big fish falling to a mixture of baits all fished on a tiny pole float inches from the bank. Four doubles with a best of 16lb. The Daiwa team pellet waggler rod at 11' is an ideal tool for this kind of float fishing with 6lb line right through. It's really forgiving and I'm sure will land much bigger fish, given the chance? Guru hooks in 14s and 12s for the margin work, and 18s for open water. No fish have been lost due to hooks pulling out, but I have lost fish due to operator error,  I cannot really blame the fish can I?

See you on the bank.

One in a million.

This season I saw a fish (carp) that was truly huge. I've seen big fish in and out of the water, but this fish was something else. It reminded me of comments made in the books of  Chris Yates, and Rod Hutchinson during the golden days of  Redmire Pool when like me they both witnessed something exceptional.

 Current UK carp record. A well know fish called 'Two Tone'.

The water in question is known for big carp, but they are not often seen, or caught. It was spawning time when I saw this fish among several others over a few days. The fish cruised through the water about 6' down, I was elevated and looking down. The experience genuinely unsettled me, for several days and reasons. It's one thing people telling you about big fish in your local lake, it's another thing seeing one! I've taken fish to 29lb from this water, and have seen several fish over 30lb. Best I've been told of is over 40lb.

The fish in question was massive, I'll be guessing, but I have seen on the bank, boat, pike to 40lb, Tope to 60lb, trout over 20lb, and some massive sea fish like cod and pollack. 50lb it could not have been any smaller, if someone caught it and told me it was 60lb, I'd not disbelieve them.

It brings me round to catching something of such a size. Not just all the tackle required, but how you deal with such a fish once it's on the bank. What if your on your own, do you call a friend? Most carp guys carry all the camera gear, but what if your just fishing for tench, or bream. Ok you would be lucky to land it, but boy what a fright it would give you, what if you have no camera? Would it forever spoil you for other carp?

I still think a big carp is 10lb, I mean you have to use a decent net, mat, and tackle to successfully land a fish of that size. In the hand it feels big, it is big.  I come from that era when a 20lb fish got into the Angling papers, complete with a wide grin from its capturer, don't carp anglers ever smile these days, is it really that serious? One commercial lakes owner told me he thought his fish were getting too big for the match anglers, consequently the fish were suffering for it. He suggested 3 to 5lb being the optimum size. But back to this big fish.

 Amazing world record fish, over 100lb.

I know a handful of anglers fishing the lake with the sole intention of catching that giant carp, I wish them all the luck. I'd dearly love to be there when it was caught, just to say I'd seen it. That fish would be over 50 years old, maybe older than its captor. It would have been caught maybe a dozen  times during its long life, survived flood, drought, frozen water, and more. I know it will be treated with great reverence, and so it should.

See you on the bank.

Getting hot after a slow start.

 Another day when a big fish cam my way. I'm always lucky when it rains.

 I had another great days fishing at my local ponds last week. At least a dozen maybe fifteen carp between 4 and 9lb. That's a decent bag of fish. The close in tactic ( I spoke about in my last post) worked and I took fish from so close in the margins, I could have touched them at times. I used a tiny pole float with just a single number one shot 18'' from the hook. The fish cautiously cruising in and out the margins taking small pellets including mine, making the tiny float drift away into the depths.
But I caught just as many fish on the method feeder, and feel I'm getting to grips with the technique, that's very new to me. Small adjustments each time out are helping put more fish on the bank, it's such fun to watch the rod tip pull round as I fish realizes it's hooked and heads for the hills.

The wind was cool enough for a sweater, but I'm still convinced sitting into the wind in summer is the best place to be. I could have found a more sheltered spot, but preferred the windward end.

These little lakes are wonderful places for wildlife. Two Little Terns have taken residence on one of the islands,  as well as a pair of Oyster Catchers, their call a constant reminder we're only 50 miles from the coast. Nature finds a place. Clearly the birds feel safe from predators, with humans being safe. The constant rain means the Oyster Catchers have plenty of worms to eat. I can watch them drilling their long red bills into the soft soil and eating well. I'm sure they have young the amount of time they spend digging.

 A bird I see on all my fishing trips. The brightly billed Oyster Catcher.

The Tern's on the other hand have commandeered the tops of the aerators, It's were here the complex owner circulates water in each pond according to it's needs. When it's hot there used for oxygen circulation, in winter to prevent ice form forming. They stand maybe 4' above the water, but the little birds seem to love this standing view. Terns can be really aggressive little blighters when they have young. When I lived on the Norfolk, Suffolk borders they would attack you as you walked the beach if and when the had young. They build a nest (if you can call it that) on the ground in with the stones and are difficult to see, you could stand on them unwittingly.

Little tern in full cry. Above a typical aerator designed to provide circulated oxygen for fish.

Add together a myriad of ducks and geese and you have a wildlife wonderland. In the past I've been critical of these heavy stocked carp lakes. I'm eating my words, and enjoying my time fishing. This week I'm traveling further a-field again, as well as a trip to my local lakes.

See you on the bank.

Finding better fish on popular venues!

After another trip to my home water in the pouring rain, I discovered a little secret I'll share. It cannot really be a secret if everyone knows about it, but many may not, so!

At each lake I've fished around 4pm carp move into the margins, and are very active. Fish especially long lived fish like carp, have an excellent internal clock. I could give you dozen of examples, but you'll have to take my word for it. It's based on light, and temperature rather than minutes and hours, but at times it can be rather spooky how close to a given time they can be. Imagine if you will they live in a place they know really well, they know where the sun sets and falls. In summer they move into shallow water to feed at last light, emerging in the morning to deeper water once the sun is high.
In winter if you find a bank that catches the early morning sun, the carp will be present. They will have a favorite place to rest, feed, and hide. What I'm saying is carp get use to things happening around them, and adapt their lives around it, particularly when it's to their advantage.

Matches are run on all the lakes I fish, mostly from 10am to finish 5 hours later around 3pm. What do most anglers do with the little bait they have left, they drop it in the margins rather than take it home. Carp know this and once it goes quite and the bank-side disturbance ends, they move into the margins to feed. At both the venues I've fished recently, I could have touched the fish with my bare hand, so close did they come. The are also less fearful, why I don't know but they are. On my last two visits I put this knowledge to good effect buy putting bait at my feet with purpose.
I could watch the fish feeding, coming and going, not getting heads down, but grazing in water that showed all the backs. At the local lake these fish are between 4lb and 16lb at the other lake all over 10lb. I simply kept tiny amounts of bait going in, then places a baited hook in the center of it, when a better fish appeared. This way I could pull the bait away from a small fish, and wait for something better. Crouched behind a small clump of rushes I remained fascinated just watching carp feed. It's really something to behold after sitting behind rods and buzzers watching you quarry at close quavers.

You don't have to cast far!

Both fish I took were doubles, but I missed a much better fish or possibly 16/18lb. But guess what, it and I will be back.

See you on the bank.