Hardcore; )It's 3.50 a.m and I'm lying in bed listening to the fence rattling in the wind and the rain lashing on the window pane. And I planned a day gently trotting on the Dee (or was it the Severn, can't remember what I agreed with my mate) for dace, roach and chub. Why don't I ever check the weather forecast ? No wonder I never catch anything.
I'll let you know how it goes later.
Arrived at my mate's at 07.30 and we decided on the Severn (at Uffington for those in PAAS). On arrival weather was surprisingly decent, water level normal, dry but with an upstream gale. Nevertheless, decided to stick with plan A and trot using my centrepin. Two casts in, a typical Noggs moment, the nut that acts as drag control and holds the drum on popped off, bounced once and disappeared into the murky depths.
Re-tackled with a fixed-spool, not without some cursing, and trotted a stick float in about 6ft of water for around 2 hours without a bite by which time I needed to sit down.
Put up a feeder rod, maggot feeder, 3.5lbs hooklength and 16s hook with double maggot. After an hour had a small chub and an hour later hooked a bigger one which did what big chub do and got into the main current and hung there doggo. After a bit of persuasion, I got it to the surface where, imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a barbel which I landed after it had made a couple of half-hearted attempts to avoid the net. About 5.5lbs.
Got a perch about 6 ounces on worm and that was it. Fantastic weather considering and a wonderful day's fishing snatched in January.
P.s Just priced up a replacement centrepin £299
I can highly recommend the centrepin I use; The Okuma Sheffield. I think it's about £150 but a really nice piece of workmanship. You've done well to get a January barbel, especially with that light gear.
Thanks. I'm weighing up whether it's worth it because I only get the urge to trot every now and then. Went piking on the Mersey on Saturday and blanked. Only a short session although it was surprisingly warm by the time we arrived following a full English at a local hostelry. Would have been better to arrive at dawn but couldn't be arsed.
Where on the Mersey do you fish ?
Got to be honest: I don’t use the pin very often at all any more because it’s so fiddly and tangly. I don’t do a lot of trotting really: grayling in winter and the odd hour in the summer for chub. So I’ve gone back to the fixed spook for simplicity. Might actually have a go this weekend on the Dane.Thanks. I'm weighing up whether it's worth it because I only get the urge to trot every now and then. Went piking on the Mersey on Saturday and blanked. Only a short session although it was surprisingly warm by the time we arrived following a full English at a local hostelry. Would have been better to arrive at dawn but couldn't be arsed.
Fly tying in full swing. I have mates that can knock out a dozen flies in an hour and they are all identical. I get bored after tying three the same pattern so tend to mix my tying up, a few buzzers, then 3 lures and finally a couple of dries.
This morning I tied up 4 ‘Grunters’ a soft hackled dry fly that was doing well in competitions last year:
Hook : size 12 wide gape, black nickel,
Thread : dark brown or red
Butt : red holographic tinsel
Body : hare fur well mixed and then dubbed
Wing : 5 cdc feathers bunched
Hackle 1 : red game cock saddle
Hackle 2 : English partridge wound through hackle 1
To be honest as Yaya would say, there is little that’s brand new. I tend to tie variants on well known patterns. Just changing little things here and there.Do you ever make up your own pattern of fly ?
To be honest as Yaya would say, there is little that’s brand new. I tend to tie variants on well known patterns. Just changing little things here and there.
fly tying is almost as fun as fishing (almost). It’s also a hobby you can chuck serious cash at!Always thought it would be very satisfying to catch on a home-made fly.
When I was at school we had to take a science option so I took biology because, for the summer term it became a fly-fishing option where the Master, God bless him, taught us to tie flies. At the end of term he took us all to Tittesworth Reservoir where I characteristically blanked.
Half of my mates are annoying fishing guides, I just take theirsFly tyi
fly tying is almost as fun as fishing (almost). It’s also a hobby you can chuck serious cash at!
You are dead right though, there is great satisfaction at fooling a fish with your own confection. Some fantastic tutors out there if you fancy taking it up again. Davie Mcphail on YouTube is just phenomenal.
Nice one, free flies and free fishing?Half of my mates are annoying fishing guides, I just take theirs