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.