What did you catch then ?

I have just returned from a session after Tench. I blanked . Despite the early start and the correct baits and methods I couldnt even get a bite .

So when the inevitable question comes , I am fully truthful ....I didnt catch a fish .

But , I sat in the countryside and watched a group of Swifts catching insects over the water . Their screeches echoing around as they delighted in their prowess on the wing .

I watched a Grebe in full breeding colours catching fish .

I fed maggots to a female Blackbird , who seemed to communicate the free food on offer to her mate , and soon they were both cramming the grubs into their mouths ready to feed the brood.

So did I catch anything ? No . But did I see anything ? Yes . Did i catch anything ? Yes some memories .

est piscandi ad capiendos pisces , quam ( There is more to fishing than catching fish ) 

Away with the Kelly Kettle and in with the Jet Boil !

Well in the recent tackle sale the old KK went out the door !

Shame but the KK was too big to take out on most of my trips and the fact that it didnt get used much if at all was a good enough reason to get it out the door . I will miss it !

However I had always looked with envious eyes on the " jetBoil" . Packs away small yet boils really quickly . So I invested in one . Oh the joy of tea by the river bank or lakeside in  double quick time !

I cannot recommend it enough ! Try to get the one without a self ignition , less to go wrong .

Tinca Time

The change in the " Traditional " fishing season has opened up some fantastic fishing opportunities , especially for early season Tench . The size of the Tench reported over the last few years has been mind blowing . A fish of 3 lbs was a " good fish " when I was a teenager . In fact my biggest tench remained a solid 31/2 Lbs for some 15 years until a 6lb 12oz specimen eclipsed my Tench fishing world . But that fish is small in comparison to those reported now . In fact a 6lb Tench is the norm on many waters these days . You have to get to double figures to get a rating . Shame I say ! A Tench of 5lbs is in my view a real specimen on my local waters and I for one would be happy catching a few of those !

One complex of gravel pits that we fish is famous for its tench . Last year Jeff and I failed to land one . How would this year go ?

The weather in early May has been ideal . Warm and overcast . A day off work had to be booked to capitilise on the conditions . So it came to pass that Jeff and I would pit our wits against the early season Tench .

The best method is without doubt a semi fixed feeder with maggots as bait and feed . The feeder on an in line set up with a short hooklength . The hook adorned with maggots ( red) and an artificial one to slightly pop it up . So what did I do ? Fish a float of course ! With a centerpin for good measure !

 The weather forecast was spot on .Warm.  With overcast conditions and rain . My perfect Tench weather !

 Pleasing in appearance but even more pleasing in disappearance !

 5 lbs of green glistening gorgeousness !

 " look at his little red eye peter ! "

Jeff fished the feeder and caught 6 lovely Tench to 6lbs . I had three on the float. Superb !

Getting Riggy with it !

I have joined a Carp Syndicate on a local lake . The lake is lovely and its denizens are some sizeable Carp plus some enormous Eels which I will be targetting too !

The lake maintains a closed season but fishing commences on the 1st May . So I took a trip along to see how I could get on . It looks " carpy " !

 My approach was to floatfish prawns close in and feed pellets . Then to also fish a boily with a PVA bag a little further out . I started early and the fish were moving about and swirling in the shallow water I was fishing . So I dropped in some floaters . But they didnt like them !

With the fish still moving about I lost a small Carp on the prawns . But how to catch the others ?

What about a Zig ?

Pretty soon a small bit of yellow foam was fishing sub surface . Then off it went ! The Seldex singing a lovely tune to its departure !

13lbs of Common Carp and rather angry at that !

Carping On !

One of my club lakes has a lovely stock of Common Carp , and they are very partial to a few grains of the JJG ( Jolly Green Giant ) .

So armed with the yellow peril I ventured forth ....

 A lovely day ! X marks the spot !

They like the yellow stuff ! I fished with a Pole float and one small shot just off the rod top .

 In fact when I say off the rod to what I actualllly meant was a foot from the bank ! I stalked two and watched them take the JJG at my feet .

 One or two came on the more conventional boily approach .

I finished with a total of 11 . The grains worked well !

Some in , some out !

 I decided that my tackle collection had out grown the shed ! So it was off to the Romsey Tackle Fair to try and sell a few bits ! Well...I did sell some things but I had to buy these beauties ! A pair of Big Pikers ! Ready to be combined with the Dennis Pyes

Not everything got sold so the next step is E Bay !

What a lovely Gift

Melanie has been working on a " project " . I was told not to look in certain places round the house and to not open the computer and look at photos . What was she making ?

Well all was revealed !

Wow !

 All of my favourite things ( apart from Melanie of course but she made it ! ) in one place .

 The rod is made from Chapmans Cane sourced from the factory in Ware . Plus the colours of whippings are as per my new refurbished Dennis Pye rod which was completed by Steve Boncey .

Bacon rolls Tea  and bakewells ...she knows me too well !

The Diorama is all to scale and to give you an idea the rod is 12 inches long .

A Sharpe Test

I recently acquired a lovely Sharpes fly rod . I dont know why I bought it , but it looked lovely and sure enough when it arrived it is a thing of beauty . Its impregnated blank a lovely shade and the feel of the rod in the hand is superb . So now to get out and chuck some " fluff" !

My fly fishing days ended a while ago , and my stuff was soon excavated from the shed . A quick check revealed a new line was required for the rod and this led to a whole string of essential items being purchased !

So now where to go ? The rod looked ideal for a spot of river dry fly fishing so I began to scan my local waters for an opportunity .
Then it happened !

We were booked for a few days away in Hampshire . At Leckford . On the Test ! Could I get to fish the hallowed waters ? Some chance ! But ...

A few enquiries revealed that my host could get me a day on the Leckford estate . I was to fish the hallowed waters ! Still my beating heart !

Well the day dawned and I was off like a long dog down to the river for my 0930 start ! Office hours fishing I could get used to this !
What a place . Now I know why people pay the prices they do to fish it !



My beat ( I had the place to myself ) was a carrier stream and a section of the main river . I walked the beat ( I am used to that ! ) and checked out the watery inhabitants . Grayling , Pike , some huge Trout and Eels soon materialised . I watched and watched . I walked and watched . I had made a pact with myself that I would not cast unless I saw a fish rise . ( I did have a practise to make sure this upstream dry fly fishing lark was as difficult as everyone says ....and it is a real drag ! I mean the flow gets in the way ! )

By the time I had walked about 5 miles ( really ! ) the first fish began to show about lunch time .

My banker fly as sold to me by one of the local dealers did not get a second look form the Trout . My second choice was a hawthorn fly as the blighters were everywhere on the bankside vegetation . Again no interest from the Trout . So what to do ? Well my last trip to a river with a dry fly set up years ago resulted in a load of Trout to a Grey Wulf . No Mayflies today but a big fly might get some interest .

First cast and the Trout I was after came up and looked at the fly then turned away . I am on it ! I then fluffed the cast and scared the Trout away .
However I soon found another and first cast up he came and engulfed my fly . Game on !



A lovely Brownie .

If only I can get back ! Still dreams can come true !