Size 12 double stoats tail mate.
Not uncommon to pick up a few chub while salmon fishing. I think its the movement more than the pattern. They give up the ghost a lot quicker than a salmon on a double hander :)
Bluemoon Angling Thread
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Size 12 double stoats tail mate.
Not uncommon to pick up a few chub while salmon fishing. I think its the movement more than the pattern. They give up the ghost a lot quicker than a salmon on a double hander :)
Saddleworth2
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I’ll bet the poor sod didn’t know what had hit it! Did it slalom across the surface on the way in? I have a mate that lands trout like that - gets their head out of the water early doors and skims them across the top. They are in the net and back in the water before you can say confused trout.
Ha. Yes mate, the stuffing is knocked out of them pretty quickly on a #10/11 rod and 15 lb line!
I bring them to hand to release. A grilse will skim the same if you drop and angle the rod when they are played, although I do use a net for them!
Cheer Up Peter Reid
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I am sure most anglers will agree it's not just about catching fish, it's also about getting closer to nature. I have observed many amazing sights over the years and this morning was no exception. I watched a group of Swifts displaying some amazing aerobatics swooping and skimming the water catching insects. I kept hearing a strange rustling noise close by to my side, eventually I spotted a little ridge of fresh soil that was heading my direction. It came to a tree route and tried a couple of changes in direction before finally a little pink nose and feet popped out. Unfortunately Mr Mole turned and scarpered back up his tunnel as soon as I reached for my camera. The only thing that disturbed the peace was constantly hearing a police siren although strangely it seemed to be stationary. After mentioning it to someone else I learned that there is a Blackbird at the lake that is a very good mimic.
Newman Noggs
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Was it a mole or a vole ? Many years ago I had a very similar experience. I was sitting there fishing and minding my own business when I became aware that my foot was involuntarily tapping and on closer inspection something was doing exactly what you described but trying to surface right under my foot. I didn't see what it was but it didn't seem as big as a mole so I assumed it was a vole. Do they even burrow underground ?
On the subject of moles, on another occasion I was minding my own business (a hobby of mine) looking out of my lounge window when I spotted a mole running along the rectangular path surrounding the patch of lawn. It appeared to be unable to find it's way out over the slightly raised sides. Intrigued, I popped out for a close look and couldn't believe how clean and velvety its fur was. How the fuck can it burrow underground but still have pristine fur ? Anyway, I thought I'd stroke it and the fucker bit me so I left it to it.
Newman Noggs
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Back to fishing and yesterday it was back to the Staffs-Worcester canal where I've had a fairly torrid time lately. Red-hot weather and unable to start until 9 a.m. did not augur well
Inexplicably it was one of those days where, either you do everything right or, more likely, the fish are just there but I caught good quality roach, rudd, perch and skimmers all day without a break. I also had 3 bream over 2.5lbs. Essentially the best day I've ever had on a canal in some of the supposed worst conditions. Meanwhile my mate and my brother struggled.
As I say, inexplicable, but I guess that's why we keep coming back for more.
Inexplicably it was one of those days where, either you do everything right or, more likely, the fish are just there but I caught good quality roach, rudd, perch and skimmers all day without a break. I also had 3 bream over 2.5lbs. Essentially the best day I've ever had on a canal in some of the supposed worst conditions. Meanwhile my mate and my brother struggled.
As I say, inexplicable, but I guess that's why we keep coming back for more.
blue moony
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Fished my trout syndicate On Wednesday 6am to 8am , trout smashing flies everywhere , hooked 5 landed 3 all on dry flies , was a
Huge brown that is just way way way to clever !
Beautiful morning , off again tomorrow early
Cheer Up Peter Reid
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Fairly sure it was a Mole going by the pink nose and feet. I'll be sure not to attempt to stroke it next time. Something just occurred to me, I was fishing chopped worm at the time, perhaps it was homing in on the smell.
blue moony
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Had the best morning on the fly this morning ,
took 2 on the dry and 5 on the wet , lost 6 and one was a beast , just snapped me up !
lakes was beautiful at 6am before people turned up , this lake fishes it’s nuts off 6-8 on the morning rise , yet no bigger can get out of bed ! Perfect for me
took 2 on the dry and 5 on the wet , lost 6 and one was a beast , just snapped me up !
lakes was beautiful at 6am before people turned up , this lake fishes it’s nuts off 6-8 on the morning rise , yet no bigger can get out of bed ! Perfect for me
Saddleworth2
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So, lock down relaxed in Scotland to allow us to fish our local waters (5 miles from home), I drove to my local fishery which is just 40 miles further than that. Weather: cloudless skies, bright sunlight and a stiffening breeze, the very worst for fly fishing. The loch looked stunning, it was down a few inches on its usual level but the water was crystal clear, you could count pebbles on the loch bed in 14 foot of water.
as I set up in the boat, I could see trout moving all round me so despite the sun they were close to the surface. Floating line on, 24 foot leader, washing line method with a booby on the point, a FAB on the top dropper and a couple of buzzers in between. In essence, the FAB and Booby both have foam to keep them high in the water which ensures the buzzers fish where you want them to, about 18 inches under the surface to mimic the hatching natural.
anyhow, first cast out, straighten the leader and dead slow figure of eight retrieve. 10 seconds later a pluck followed by the line drawing away. Lift rod and first fish of the day is on.
so in the weeks of lockdown, these trout had naturalised, fed well and grown. Their tails had repaired completely from the rearing ponds, Fins were razor sharp and unblemished. As a result they fought very very strongly. Many took line from me, got round the back of the boat, disappeared into weed and even after many minutes playing them they had strength left for a final few tricks. I have line burn on my hand this morning where line was ripped through fingers at speed.
the morning was spectacular fishing and when things started to slow down fishing the washing line, I noticed a boat drifting (rather than at anchor) and picking up fish all the way down the loch. The angler was using short casts, leaving the flies on the water for 10 seconds and then recasting. That is the traditional way to fish dry flies which stay on the surface rather than under it. Mind made up, switched to a shorter leader to give me more accuracy, two droppers, a bibio (which mimics a hawthorn fly) and a cdc olive. Anchor up and off I went.
there is nothing in angling that can beat dry fly fishing, drifting gently pushed by the wind, short casts fanned in front of you, eyes on the tiny dots that are your flies maybe as close as 8 yards from the boat and then, relaxed as hell up comes a nose and the bibio is engulfed. Not too quick or the fly is snatched out of the trout# mouth, wait a second and then lift the rod. Trout flies out of the water In an attempt to throw the fly. Just magical.
So the afternoon was spent drifting with dries. Things started slowing down about three and by then it was really scorchio and I was getting a bit overheated so decided to call it a day. More than 20 trout caught averaging about 2 1/2 lb, the biggest knocking 4lb. One killed for the smoker, the rest safely returned.
Brilliant days fishing and lockdown makes you appreciate everything just that bit more. The moorhen in the reeds, the housemartins skimming the loch taking midges, the smells, the sounds....just wonderful.
as I set up in the boat, I could see trout moving all round me so despite the sun they were close to the surface. Floating line on, 24 foot leader, washing line method with a booby on the point, a FAB on the top dropper and a couple of buzzers in between. In essence, the FAB and Booby both have foam to keep them high in the water which ensures the buzzers fish where you want them to, about 18 inches under the surface to mimic the hatching natural.
anyhow, first cast out, straighten the leader and dead slow figure of eight retrieve. 10 seconds later a pluck followed by the line drawing away. Lift rod and first fish of the day is on.
so in the weeks of lockdown, these trout had naturalised, fed well and grown. Their tails had repaired completely from the rearing ponds, Fins were razor sharp and unblemished. As a result they fought very very strongly. Many took line from me, got round the back of the boat, disappeared into weed and even after many minutes playing them they had strength left for a final few tricks. I have line burn on my hand this morning where line was ripped through fingers at speed.
the morning was spectacular fishing and when things started to slow down fishing the washing line, I noticed a boat drifting (rather than at anchor) and picking up fish all the way down the loch. The angler was using short casts, leaving the flies on the water for 10 seconds and then recasting. That is the traditional way to fish dry flies which stay on the surface rather than under it. Mind made up, switched to a shorter leader to give me more accuracy, two droppers, a bibio (which mimics a hawthorn fly) and a cdc olive. Anchor up and off I went.
there is nothing in angling that can beat dry fly fishing, drifting gently pushed by the wind, short casts fanned in front of you, eyes on the tiny dots that are your flies maybe as close as 8 yards from the boat and then, relaxed as hell up comes a nose and the bibio is engulfed. Not too quick or the fly is snatched out of the trout# mouth, wait a second and then lift the rod. Trout flies out of the water In an attempt to throw the fly. Just magical.
So the afternoon was spent drifting with dries. Things started slowing down about three and by then it was really scorchio and I was getting a bit overheated so decided to call it a day. More than 20 trout caught averaging about 2 1/2 lb, the biggest knocking 4lb. One killed for the smoker, the rest safely returned.
Brilliant days fishing and lockdown makes you appreciate everything just that bit more. The moorhen in the reeds, the housemartins skimming the loch taking midges, the smells, the sounds....just wonderful.