Bluemoon Angling Thread

[Newman Noggs]

Not long back from the trip of a lifetime to Providence in the Seychelles about 100 miles off Madagascar. Lived on the boat pictured for a week. It really is the ends of the earth. Wouldn't do it again unless I was a multi-millionaire but the environment is breathtaking. The pictured fish is a bumphead parrot fish. So ugly I can identify with it, but to see it's turquoise tail breaking surface as it feeds is a sight to behold. Real Attenborough country

 

[idahoblues]

Got out for the first time this year, still poor access to the river and cold as hell due ton the wind. Didn’t catch a thing but did see a bald eagle take out a goldeneye duck.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Don't know about you, but I spend most of the winter thinking up new tactics for certain waters that will definitely, definitely catch those fish that managed to elude me the previous year. Then I do it and it never works

So it was this winter. Leamington Anglers have a water called Napton Reservoir and I fished it last year quite early and had 2 big tench. Trouble is, it's very weedy so it requires endless patience to keep casting and pulling the clingy silkweed off your feeder and hook. So, this year, I thought I'd go for it earlier, as soon as the sun got warm. I also thought I'd use two floating maggots on the hook so the bait would rest on the top of last year's dead silkweed. I also decided to depart from received wisdom and groundbait quite heavily with Robin Red groundbait of which I fired out 10 medium sized balls laced with dead maggots before setting up.

Long story short, 8 tench over 4lbs, biggest just under 6 and 3 perch over 2lbs 4 ozs with the biggest a personal best of 3lbs 1oz.

The perch are interesting. I've noticed before, on a different water, that Robin Red seems to attract big perch. Scope to experiment next autumn I think. Anyway, the year is underway, good luck to all.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Don't know about you, but I spend most of the winter thinking up new tactics for certain waters that will definitely, definitely catch those fish that managed to elude me the previous year. Then I do it and it never works

So it was this winter. Leamington Anglers have a water called Napton Reservoir and I fished it last year quite early and had 2 big tench. Trouble is, it's very weedy so it requires endless patience to keep casting and pulling the clingy silkweed off your feeder and hook. So, this year, I thought I'd go for it earlier, as soon as the sun got warm. I also thought I'd use two floating maggots on the hook so the bait would rest on the top of last year's dead silkweed. I also decided to depart from received wisdom and groundbait quite heavily with Robin Red groundbait of which I fired out 10 medium sized balls laced with dead maggots before setting up.

Long story short, 8 tench over 4lbs, biggest just under 6 and 3 perch over 2lbs 4 ozs with the biggest a personal best of 3lbs 1oz.

The perch are interesting. I've noticed before, on a different water, that Robin Red seems to attract big perch. Scope to experiment next autumn I think. Anyway, the year is underway, good luck to all.

View attachment 148800View attachment 148799

Beautiful fish mate. Well done.

 

[Maccblue]

Just got my PA membership through after being on the waiting list !!!
Was a member as a kid up until I was about when the kids appeared

Looking forward to initially a day exploring the waters around Cheshire and familiarising myself with a few old favourites and then deciding where to start !

 

[Newman Noggs]

Just got my PA membership through after being on the waiting list !!!
Was a member as a kid up until I was about when the kids appeared

Looking forward to initially a day exploring the waters around Cheshire and familiarising myself with a few old favourites and then deciding where to start !

Excellent. Let us know how you go on and I'll tell you if we do any good anywhere.

 

[Saddleworth2]

A week to go before the season opens. It will be the usual pipe the anglers to the loch, bacon butties at lunch and absolutely baltic.
Can't wait.
I have spent the winter tying flies in anticipation and giving my 20 odd lines some love. All of them stripped off the spools, cleaned, stretched and stored in open coils. That should have got rid of any memory from last season. A couple replaced as they were past it. Now they are all re-spooled, packed in my reel case and ready for action. Based on the forecast for next Saturday I'm likely to be using various intermediate lines.

A dozen club outings next season + a trip to Rutland in May and our annual match against Barclays Bank in October. Thank the lord for fishing.

 

[Newman Noggs]

A week to go before the season opens. It will be the usual pipe the anglers to the loch, bacon butties at lunch and absolutely baltic.
Can't wait.
I have spent the winter tying flies in anticipation and giving my 20 odd lines some love. All of them stripped off the spools, cleaned, stretched and stored in open coils. That should have got rid of any memory from last season. A couple replaced as they were past it. Now they are all re-spooled, packed in my reel case and ready for action. Based on the forecast for next Saturday I'm likely to be using various intermediate lines.

A dozen club outings next season + a trip to Rutland in May and our annual match against Barclays Bank in October. Thank the lord for fishing.

Amen brother ! Keep us updated.

 

[doots]

Just got my PA membership through after being on the waiting list !!!
Was a member as a kid up until I was about when the kids appeared

Looking forward to initially a day exploring the waters around Cheshire and familiarising myself with a few old favourites and then deciding where to start !

How long did you have to wait for mate?

 

[Maccblue]

How long did you have to wait for mate?

Roughly three years

 

[doots]

Roughly three years

Cheers.

 

[Cheer Up Peter Reid]

Don't know about you, but I spend most of the winter thinking up new tactics for certain waters that will definitely, definitely catch those fish that managed to elude me the previous year. Then I do it and it never works

So it was this winter. Leamington Anglers have a water called Napton Reservoir and I fished it last year quite early and had 2 big tench. Trouble is, it's very weedy so it requires endless patience to keep casting and pulling the clingy silkweed off your feeder and hook. So, this year, I thought I'd go for it earlier, as soon as the sun got warm. I also thought I'd use two floating maggots on the hook so the bait would rest on the top of last year's dead silkweed. I also decided to depart from received wisdom and groundbait quite heavily with Robin Red groundbait of which I fired out 10 medium sized balls laced with dead maggots before setting up.

Long story short, 8 tench over 4lbs, biggest just under 6 and 3 perch over 2lbs 4 ozs with the biggest a personal best of 3lbs 1oz.

The perch are interesting. I've noticed before, on a different water, that Robin Red seems to attract big perch. Scope to experiment next autumn I think. Anyway, the year is underway, good luck to all.

View attachment 148800View attachment 148799

A mate told me not to bother with Napton, all 3's and 4's he said. Either he was telling pokies or they have been growing. Eight Tincas in early March, well done!

I had my first try of the year for them this morning on the float. There were a few showing early doors and a couple of missed bites but as soon as the sun hit the water it went dead.

 

[Newman Noggs]

A mate told me not to bother with Napton, all 3's and 4's he said. Either he was telling pokies or they have been growing. Eight Tincas in early March, well done!

I had my first try of the year for them this morning on the float. There were a few showing early doors and a couple of missed bites but as soon as the sun hit the water it went dead.

He's keeping it to himself mate. I don't think, for one minute, I had the best fish in there. Seems to me the fish in there tend to be on the large side. I had rudd to over 1lb last year. I understand that there are some big bream too but I haven't caught a single one. Again, I've heard there are roach over 2lbs but I've only had them up to three quarters of a pound. Were you on Napton this morning ?

 

[Cheer Up Peter Reid]

He's keeping it to himself mate. I don't think, for one minute, I had the best fish in there. Seems to me the fish in there tend to be on the large side. I had rudd to over 1lb last year. I understand that there are some big bream too but I haven't caught a single one. Again, I've heard there are roach over 2lbs but I've only had them up to three quarters of a pound. Were you on Napton this morning ?

Not on Napton this morning. I'm a bit down the M40 from there, but this morning I was over in Herts on one of the Verulam waters. I might have to look at the Leamington ticket again. I recall it being great value for the rivers alone.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Not on Napton this morning. I'm a bit down the M40 from there, but this morning I was over in Herts on one of the Verulam waters. I might have to look at the Leamington ticket again. I recall it being great value for the rivers alone.

Yeah, especially as I qualified for a "senior" card this year (eek). Like everywhere else, the river isn't what it used to be but there are still some very good fish in there too. Beautiful river as well.

 

[idahoblues]

Just went down to the river, had my nice little 4# fly rod all set up with a San Juan worm and a little zebra midge a foot or so below. First I forgot my waders then got the midge caught on an unseen hazard, broke the tip of the rod off 15 mins after I started. Time to go home and drink beer.

 

[idahoblues]

Still a nice little excursion,

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I’ve had quite a busy winter. All through the cold period I was blanking for the pike and I had an aborted grayling trip due to leaky waders. The. I caught a jack on a lure in a still water which started a run of pike: one from The Ure

Then I had 3 good ones in two trips to The Tees

I had a two day trip to The Severn, one pike session blank and two barbel sessions- blank. Got home last night and had half an hour in the local canal and managed this perch of 2lb 14oz

 

[Newman Noggs]

I’ve had quite a busy winter. All through the cold period I was blanking for the pike and I had an aborted grayling trip due to leaky waders. The. I caught a jack on a lure in a still water which started a run of pike: one from The UreView attachment 149244

Then I had 3 good ones in two trips to The Tees

I had a two day trip to The Severn, one pike session blank and two barbel sessions- blank. Got home last night and had half an hour in the local canal and managed this perch of 2lb 14ozView attachment 149246View attachment 149245

Glad the perch paid off your persistence! Not good news about your trip to the Severn though, I'm just at the Riverside Inn having breakfast about to start a 2-day session myself. I'll be fishing maggot though, I just don't have your patience.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Glad the perch paid off your persistence! Not good news about your trip to the Severn though, I'm just at the Riverside Inn having breakfast about to start a 2-day session myself. I'll be fishing maggot though, I just don't have your patience.

I was staying in Highley, in a cottage next to the Ship Inn. I did see an angler land a big barbel in front of the pub so they are having a feed. Just not in my swims.