Bluemoon Angling Thread

Had a day yesterday with a mate on an estate lake in the North East. We fished for the big tench using classic lift float method.

I had a 3lb chub but it was obvious after a few hours the tench weren't playing ball. So we baited up 4-5 swims for the carp after seeing a couple crash. Changed to simple carp tactics with boilie on the float and we went stalking. In the last swim of the day my mate hooked a 15lb common which took some stopping on the light gear with lilies and snags around but he managed it. A decent result overall.
 
Have been out a couple of times this week. Harelaw on Saturday which is a new fishery for me as it’s the other side of Glasgow. Very impressed with the place. Situated on moorland, around 100 acres with a couple of islands. Boats pristine and equipped with 70lb Electric engines launched from a sturdy pontoon. The place has its own cafe serving 3 meals a day. Seriously impressive compared to facilities that are typical in Scotland. The fishing? Unbelievable. Our 4 boats took 117 fish all released safely. Ours took 28 unfortunately I lost 13-17. They were the hardest fighting rainbow I have come across in years. Maybe one of the feeder streams has Irn Bru and Red Bull instead of water. Anyway, on the back of that I switched my National semi final from Lintrathen to Harelaw. :-).

Yesterday was out for a short session on Coldingham. The water clarity has returned to its normal pristine state and you can count pebbles on the bottom in 12 feet of water. Managed 10 with all but 3 taken on this seasons go to fly, a biscuit and sunburst FAB. Very like this,

1651842552916.jpeg

it’s quickly become my go to point fly this season as it’s taken 40 odd fish already.

Next week it’s Rutland and probably EyeBrook. Cant wait.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Have been out a couple of times this week. Harelaw on Saturday which is a new fishery for me as it’s the other side of Glasgow. Very impressed with the place. Situated on moorland, around 100 acres with a couple of islands. Boats pristine and equipped with 70lb Electric engines launched from a sturdy pontoon. The place has its own cafe serving 3 meals a day. Seriously impressive compared to facilities that are typical in Scotland. The fishing? Unbelievable. Our 4 boats took 117 fish all released safely. Ours took 28 unfortunately I lost 13-17. They were the hardest fighting rainbow I have come across in years. Maybe one of the feeder streams has Irn Bru and Red Bull instead of water. Anyway, on the back of that I switched my National semi final from Lintrathen to Harelaw. :-).

Yesterday was out for a short session on Coldingham. The water clarity has returned to its normal pristine state and you can count pebbles on the bottom in 12 feet of water. Managed 10 with all but 3 taken on this seasons go to fly, a biscuit and sunburst FAB. Very like this,

View attachment 42282

it’s quickly become my go to point fly this season as it’s taken 40 odd fish already.

Next week it’s Rutland and probably EyeBrook. Cant wait.
Click to expand...
You’re on fire.
 
idahoblues said:
Good pubs in Stamford
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There sure are. Always manage a session in Stamford when we are down. I think the Tobie Norris is my favourite. Spoilt for choice round Rutland. Based at Cottesmore this time so looking forward to sampling the three or four that are close. I’m hearing good things about the Plough.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
There sure are. Always manage a session in Stamford when we are down. I think the Tobie Norris is my favourite. Spoilt for choice round Rutland. Based at Cottesmore this time so looking forward to sampling the three or four that are close. I’m hearing good things about the Plough.
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Hope things are going well mate.

Shook up my fishing a bit yesterday, having been out (a lot) on my local fisheries just recently, with a visit to Lyn Clwedog for a spot of fly-fishing from a boat.

Day started with perfect conditions bright but fairly windy and, on second cast, I hooked a fish my mate estimated at between 5 and 6lbs but my inexperience with fly tackle, particularly the reel, was hopelessly exposed and it broke me.

Inevitably, conditions started to deteriorate, the sun retired behind the cliuds and the wind struck up making life very difficult. The net result was that I only managed one fish, of about a pound and a half, but it was my first ever on dry fly so there is that.

On another note, we saw two, possibly 3, Ospreys one pair of which are nesting there. A bit of a coincidence after last week's discussion on here when I said I'd never seen one.
 
Newman Noggs said:
Hope things are going well mate.

Shook up my fishing a bit yesterday, having been out (a lot) on my local fisheries just recently, with a visit to Lyn Clwedog for a spot of fly-fishing from a boat.

Day started with perfect conditions bright but fairly windy and, on second cast, I hooked a fish my mate estimated at between 5 and 6lbs but my inexperience with fly tackle, particularly the reel, was hopelessly exposed and it broke me.

Inevitably, conditions started to deteriorate, the sun retired behind the cliuds and the wind struck up making life very difficult. The net result was that I only managed one fish, of about a pound and a half, but it was my first ever on dry fly so there is that.

On another note, we saw two, possibly 3, Ospreys one pair of which are nesting there. A bit of a coincidence after last week's discussion on here when I said I'd never seen one.
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Top man. I always say a fish on a dry fly is worth 3 on any other method so well done. Bad luck on losing that fish. One of the most difficult things to learn when you first start up is how to control a fish when it runs. There are two schools of thought. 1) Get it as fast as possible onto the reel and let the reel (set at the right tension) take the strain and 2) play the fish using the line, that is retrieve line when you can but let the fish run when it wants by allowing the line to run through your fingers under some pressure. Both have their advantages and drawbacks. The first you have to wind unused line onto the reel manically as all the while you seek to keep the line tight between you and the fish. The second requires you to have an element of feel and touch to know how much pressure to put on the fish. All the while with either method keeping the rod at the correct angle (I have seen lots of beginners just about point the rod at the fish with obvious consequences. No wonder its probably the last thing that you get really comfortable with. And thats not to mention the little tricks that Trout like to play on you when hooked:
Jumping
Running very fast directly at you (thats always v tricky)
trying to wind you round the anchor rope/drogue/engine
being contrary annoying scaly little bastards

I have to say I have always preferred the second method although things still go wrong (a lot).

Anyway. Good luck next time you hook a big beast.

Lyn Clwedog is getting a great reputation how did your boat partner do? Did you enjoy it?

Great seeing an Osprey live. For a close up, have a look at Maya on the Rutland Osprey channel. Her first egg hatched today. Two more to go. We will see her live on Thursday morning! I have a boat booked for Saturday and the forecast is just right :-)
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Top man. I always say a fish on a dry fly is worth 3 on any other method so well done. Bad luck on losing that fish. One of the most difficult things to learn when you first start up is how to control a fish when it runs. There are two schools of thought. 1) Get it as fast as possible onto the reel and let the reel (set at the right tension) take the strain and 2) play the fish using the line, that is retrieve line when you can but let the fish run when it wants by allowing the line to run through your fingers under some pressure. Both have their advantages and drawbacks. The first you have to wind unused line onto the reel manically as all the while you seek to keep the line tight between you and the fish. The second requires you to have an element of feel and touch to know how much pressure to put on the fish. All the while with either method keeping the rod at the correct angle (I have seen lots of beginners just about point the rod at the fish with obvious consequences. No wonder its probably the last thing that you get really comfortable with. And thats not to mention the little tricks that Trout like to play on you when hooked:
Jumping
Running very fast directly at you (thats always v tricky)
trying to wind you round the anchor rope/drogue/engine
being contrary annoying scaly little bastards

I have to say I have always preferred the second method although things still go wrong (a lot).

Anyway. Good luck next time you hook a big beast.

Lyn Clwedog is getting a great reputation how did your boat partner do? Did you enjoy it?

Great seeing an Osprey live. For a close up, have a look at Maya on the Rutland Osprey channel. Her first egg hatched today. Two more to go. We will see her live on Thursday morning! I have a boat booked for Saturday and the forecast is just right :-)
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Thanks, I opted for a hybrid of the former and the latter method otherwise known as abject panic, but never to the point of pointing the rod at the fish ! My mate only caught 2, (he had 10 the week before) but he was this fly, that fly, up and down, in and out, this line, that line, this rod, that rod all day but just couldn't find the fish. Nevertheless, a fantastic day.

Hope Lady Luck smiles on you later in the week.
 
Little update. Had a short session or two for the perch with nothing.

On Monday night I took out my Ukrainian lad again as he's been begging me to catch a "big predator". This is his second trip. I gave him my best pike spinning rod with 50lb braid to ensure that we could retrieve his tackle and I took him to a local rez where there are often pike. As a last minute thing I threw my ultralight rod in the car too.

As we walked around the rez with him smashing the lure all over the place and getting tangles etc, and me as his gilly, I finally got a chance to use a small jig off a sheer wall dam. I immediately hooked a perch of about 8-10oz and as it splashed about waiting for the net, I nearly messed my trousers. An enormous tank of a perch emerged from the depths and grabbed it. Now I don't want to say how big this thing was but it was the biggest I've ever seen in a water that nobody really fishes and I've never beaten the pound mark. It dropped off straight away as I pulled into it and I never saw it again but it's been haunting my dreams.

I landed another perch and a jack pike but I'll be back very soon indeed.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
Little update. Had a short session or two for the perch with nothing.

On Monday night I took out my Ukrainian lad again as he's been begging me to catch a "big predator". This is his second trip. I gave him my best pike spinning rod with 50lb braid to ensure that we could retrieve his tackle and I took him to a local rez where there are often pike. As a last minute thing I threw my ultralight rod in the car too.

As we walked around the rez with him smashing the lure all over the place and getting tangles etc, and me as his gilly, I finally got a chance to use a small jig off a sheer wall dam. I immediately hooked a perch of about 8-10oz and as it splashed about waiting for the net, I nearly messed my trousers. An enormous tank of a perch emerged from the depths and grabbed it. Now I don't want to say how big this thing was but it was the biggest I've ever seen in a water that nobody really fishes and I've never beaten the pound mark. It dropped off straight away as I pulled into it and I never saw it again but it's been haunting my dreams.

I landed another perch and a jack pike but I'll be back very soon indeed.
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Jesus, what size perch would take a half-pounder ? I e pect you to illustrate in due course
 
Newman Noggs said:
Jesus, what size perch would take a half-pounder ? I e pect you to illustrate in due course
Click to expand...
I daren't say and it was impossible to see apart from the fact that it was massive. Has to have been in the 3.5-4lb bracket, easily. I am already planning my strategy because a big perch like that is a clever perch.

I also caught a crayfish trap full of live crayfish, strangely enough.
 
I went back twice this weekend for the monster perch that I've seen. Saturday I slept in and got there in blazing sunshine. Caught some little livebaits and then fished them roaming on a single hook. One bite resulted in a jack pike of about 3lb. Yesterday was windy and overcast - perfect - so I grabbed a few evening hours. Irritatingly I kept catching good size perch and skimmers on the livebait rod. Eventually bagging some tiddlers I paternostered them this time in 13 feet of water, moving around the dam wall every half hour. Had two bites in the same spot in two casts, almost certainly the same fish. Again it was a small pike.
 
So I was out on magnificent Rutland on Saturday. Conditions were not perfect as it was wall to wall sun and very little breeze. I had been given prior info that it had been fishing quite tough but that there were three or four spots where there was a good concentration of fish. So I headed to the nearest and to my surprise, it was free of boat traffic. So I anchored up in Yellowstone bay which was tree lined and very calm. I was immediately encouraged by fish moving on the surface. The water was unbelievably clear. I plumbed the depth and it was just over 12 feet deep. To give you an idea of the clarity this is an image of my anchor rope

1652691934292.jpeg


You can clearly see the anchor on the bottom in over 12 feet of water. This clarity was all over the reservoir and I have never seen it quite as good as this.

I was set up on 4 straight line buzzers and second cast in I hooked a fish on the second buzzer down which must have been about 2 feet deep. Although I subsequently lost the fish, I concluded the fish must be relatively high in the water so changed from straightlining to a washing line set up. That was done simply by replacing my point buzzer with my favourite FAB which would keep the three buzzers behind it in the top 4 feet.

This proved to be a good ploy and over the course of the morning I picked up fish regularly including three Brownies. Some on the Fab and others on the buzzers. The water was so clear it was like fishing in an aquarium - you could clearly see pods of fish moving past the boat. I had decided the afternoon would be for moving about and trying to find one of the big resident fish (Rainbows and Browns up to 8lb are not uncommon) So up to the top of the South Arm where my target was to fish a little spot called Hideaway Bay. Unfortunately there were 4 or 5 boats already operating in there so i did a slow drift for 45 minutes across the top of the south arm pulling a single humungus on a Di5 sweep line trying to get a big brownie to chase. Nothing doing unfortunately but I did get to see one boat playing a fish for at least 20 minutes. Turned out to be a big pike.

Back down the water (it takes 30 minutes to get from the top of the South Arm back down to the main basin and another 30 minutes from there to the top of the North arm such is the size of the place). I stopped in another three or four places but there was nothing like the concentration of fish I had had at Yellowstone. Despite that picked up a couple and retired on a dozen fish in all.

What a beautiful place this is. Stunning. On Thursday we went down to the Lyndon reserve to spend a couple of hours with the ospreys and their three day old chicks. That was good enough but I was lucky enough to see my first Hobby (a small raptor that favours swallows, sand martins and dragon flies as its main prey). A walk from Barnsdale to Whitwell amongst the woods and bluebells followed. Difficult to believe all this just 40 minutes from Leicester.

1652693638303.jpeg
Please note the City trim on my fishing jacket (courtesy Halkon Hunt).
 
Saddleworth2 said:
So I was out on magnificent Rutland on Saturday. Conditions were not perfect as it was wall to wall sun and very little breeze. I had been given prior info that it had been fishing quite tough but that there were three or four spots where there was a good concentration of fish. So I headed to the nearest and to my surprise, it was free of boat traffic. So I anchored up in Yellowstone bay which was tree lined and very calm. I was immediately encouraged by fish moving on the surface. The water was unbelievably clear. I plumbed the depth and it was just over 12 feet deep. To give you an idea of the clarity this is an image of my anchor rope

View attachment 43378


You can clearly see the anchor on the bottom in over 12 feet of water. This clarity was all over the reservoir and I have never seen it quite as good as this.

I was set up on 4 straight line buzzers and second cast in I hooked a fish on the second buzzer down which must have been about 2 feet deep. Although I subsequently lost the fish, I concluded the fish must be relatively high in the water so changed from straightlining to a washing line set up. That was done simply by replacing my point buzzer with my favourite FAB which would keep the three buzzers behind it in the top 4 feet.

This proved to be a good ploy and over the course of the morning I picked up fish regularly including three Brownies. Some on the Fab and others on the buzzers. The water was so clear it was like fishing in an aquarium - you could clearly see pods of fish moving past the boat. I had decided the afternoon would be for moving about and trying to find one of the big resident fish (Rainbows and Browns up to 8lb are not uncommon) So up to the top of the South Arm where my target was to fish a little spot called Hideaway Bay. Unfortunately there were 4 or 5 boats already operating in there so i did a slow drift for 45 minutes across the top of the south arm pulling a single humungus on a Di5 sweep line trying to get a big brownie to chase. Nothing doing unfortunately but I did get to see one boat playing a fish for at least 20 minutes. Turned out to be a big pike.

Back down the water (it takes 30 minutes to get from the top of the South Arm back down to the main basin and another 30 minutes from there to the top of the North arm such is the size of the place). I stopped in another three or four places but there was nothing like the concentration of fish I had had at Yellowstone. Despite that picked up a couple and retired on a dozen fish in all.

What a beautiful place this is. Stunning. On Thursday we went down to the Lyndon reserve to spend a couple of hours with the ospreys and their three day old chicks. That was good enough but I was lucky enough to see my first Hobby (a small raptor that favours swallows, sand martins and dragon flies as its main prey). A walk from Barnsdale to Whitwell amongst the woods and bluebells followed. Difficult to believe all this just 40 minutes from Leicester.

View attachment 43382
Please note the City trim on my fishing jacket (courtesy Halkon Hunt).
Click to expand...

Great report thanks. I had my second blank on the trot on rock-hard Shropshire waters. Only thing of note was the first cuckoo I've heard this year.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
So I was out on magnificent Rutland on Saturday. Conditions were not perfect as it was wall to wall sun and very little breeze. I had been given prior info that it had been fishing quite tough but that there were three or four spots where there was a good concentration of fish. So I headed to the nearest and to my surprise, it was free of boat traffic. So I anchored up in Yellowstone bay which was tree lined and very calm. I was immediately encouraged by fish moving on the surface. The water was unbelievably clear. I plumbed the depth and it was just over 12 feet deep. To give you an idea of the clarity this is an image of my anchor rope

View attachment 43378


You can clearly see the anchor on the bottom in over 12 feet of water. This clarity was all over the reservoir and I have never seen it quite as good as this.

I was set up on 4 straight line buzzers and second cast in I hooked a fish on the second buzzer down which must have been about 2 feet deep. Although I subsequently lost the fish, I concluded the fish must be relatively high in the water so changed from straightlining to a washing line set up. That was done simply by replacing my point buzzer with my favourite FAB which would keep the three buzzers behind it in the top 4 feet.

This proved to be a good ploy and over the course of the morning I picked up fish regularly including three Brownies. Some on the Fab and others on the buzzers. The water was so clear it was like fishing in an aquarium - you could clearly see pods of fish moving past the boat. I had decided the afternoon would be for moving about and trying to find one of the big resident fish (Rainbows and Browns up to 8lb are not uncommon) So up to the top of the South Arm where my target was to fish a little spot called Hideaway Bay. Unfortunately there were 4 or 5 boats already operating in there so i did a slow drift for 45 minutes across the top of the south arm pulling a single humungus on a Di5 sweep line trying to get a big brownie to chase. Nothing doing unfortunately but I did get to see one boat playing a fish for at least 20 minutes. Turned out to be a big pike.

Back down the water (it takes 30 minutes to get from the top of the South Arm back down to the main basin and another 30 minutes from there to the top of the North arm such is the size of the place). I stopped in another three or four places but there was nothing like the concentration of fish I had had at Yellowstone. Despite that picked up a couple and retired on a dozen fish in all.

What a beautiful place this is. Stunning. On Thursday we went down to the Lyndon reserve to spend a couple of hours with the ospreys and their three day old chicks. That was good enough but I was lucky enough to see my first Hobby (a small raptor that favours swallows, sand martins and dragon flies as its main prey). A walk from Barnsdale to Whitwell amongst the woods and bluebells followed. Difficult to believe all this just 40 minutes from Leicester.

View attachment 43382
Please note the City trim on my fishing jacket (courtesy Halkon Hunt).
Click to expand...
Great report and pictures, and a super day's fishing.

Don't you just love clear water, despite it's difficulty to catch in?
 
Saddleworth2 said:
So I was out on magnificent Rutland on Saturday. Conditions were not perfect as it was wall to wall sun and very little breeze. I had been given prior info that it had been fishing quite tough but that there were three or four spots where there was a good concentration of fish. So I headed to the nearest and to my surprise, it was free of boat traffic. So I anchored up in Yellowstone bay which was tree lined and very calm. I was immediately encouraged by fish moving on the surface. The water was unbelievably clear. I plumbed the depth and it was just over 12 feet deep. To give you an idea of the clarity this is an image of my anchor rope

View attachment 43378


You can clearly see the anchor on the bottom in over 12 feet of water. This clarity was all over the reservoir and I have never seen it quite as good as this.

I was set up on 4 straight line buzzers and second cast in I hooked a fish on the second buzzer down which must have been about 2 feet deep. Although I subsequently lost the fish, I concluded the fish must be relatively high in the water so changed from straightlining to a washing line set up. That was done simply by replacing my point buzzer with my favourite FAB which would keep the three buzzers behind it in the top 4 feet.

This proved to be a good ploy and over the course of the morning I picked up fish regularly including three Brownies. Some on the Fab and others on the buzzers. The water was so clear it was like fishing in an aquarium - you could clearly see pods of fish moving past the boat. I had decided the afternoon would be for moving about and trying to find one of the big resident fish (Rainbows and Browns up to 8lb are not uncommon) So up to the top of the South Arm where my target was to fish a little spot called Hideaway Bay. Unfortunately there were 4 or 5 boats already operating in there so i did a slow drift for 45 minutes across the top of the south arm pulling a single humungus on a Di5 sweep line trying to get a big brownie to chase. Nothing doing unfortunately but I did get to see one boat playing a fish for at least 20 minutes. Turned out to be a big pike.

Back down the water (it takes 30 minutes to get from the top of the South Arm back down to the main basin and another 30 minutes from there to the top of the North arm such is the size of the place). I stopped in another three or four places but there was nothing like the concentration of fish I had had at Yellowstone. Despite that picked up a couple and retired on a dozen fish in all.

What a beautiful place this is. Stunning. On Thursday we went down to the Lyndon reserve to spend a couple of hours with the ospreys and their three day old chicks. That was good enough but I was lucky enough to see my first Hobby (a small raptor that favours swallows, sand martins and dragon flies as its main prey). A walk from Barnsdale to Whitwell amongst the woods and bluebells followed. Difficult to believe all this just 40 minutes from Leicester.

View attachment 43382
Please note the City trim on my fishing jacket (courtesy Halkon Hunt).
Click to expand...
I love clear water like that, I remember when we were kids & went on holiday to scotland, I think it was Pitlochry & dad showed us how to look into water I know it sounds daft but to properly look into water & see whats going on below the surface takes practice (a good pair of polarised sunglasses helps as well).
Thanks for the photos & post, I really must get out fishing more often :-)
 
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