13/04/09
After a winter fishing my favourite place in the world, the enforced (but welcome) break had temporarily taken away my motivation for fishing. In a cool early spring the barren bank sides and crowded fisheries just aren't enough to tempt me out of a warm bed, into cold weather gear and onto the water. In years passed I would have immediately started lure fishing when the traditional season ended but my experience is that type of fishing is painfully slow at this time of year, either that or I'm crap at it. However after a month I'm going a bit stir crazy and with a bit of comfortable mild weather over the weekend I was tempted out. What's more, despite everything I said I was lure fishing for Pike!
Technically I suppose I was lure fishing. I mean I had a rod and tackle, I was casting a spinnerbait around. I even had a couple of jacks follow it in but my main motivation (honest) was to suss the pit out for future Tench/Bream fishing. I also had my two youngest children and my dad following me round and while the latter is no problem, the former were in a mischievous mood. This meant they were climbing trees, diving in sand piles and jumping off steep banks. Not really conducive to a stealthy fishing approach. Thankfully there were few other anglers about for them to disturb, those that were around were fishing for carp and wrapped up in their strange little world. There were also other kids about behaving far worse than mine.
The pit itself bore the scars of a busy bank holiday weekend with lots of litter including used bog roll and broken beer bottles. It's probably always there but covered when the bank side vegetation has grown a bit higher. Looking away from the banks the pit itself looked nice with the lilly pads visible in the clear water, uncurling and pushing towards the surface. Spring is definately well on the way now and I'm getting the urge to have a fish again. The question is, can I take my brains out and enjoy fishing a day ticket gravel pit for Tench, Bream and dare I say it Carp????
Talking of taking my brains out, I read an old copy of “Carp & Coarse” magazine today. There were some very interesting and informative articles in it but others that were utter crap. There were also a couple that were written by “anglers” that only speak 'carp'. One of whom claimed to have been “woken up” by a Bream that “must have been at least 14 pounds”. So he didn't weigh it? What a twat.... or a liar. The other also left me scratching my head. The angler in question was describing a weekends fishing and began by raving about a large pit he was intending to fish because he could 'find some space', yes I can relate to that. However when he arrived at this fantastic water he didn't fancy it, so went elsewhere. (????) At his second choice venue his approach was to paddle around in a boat looking for fish or likely spots. He would then drop his baited rigs and groundbait over the side of the boat before paddling back to the bank to “get his head down”. Is this fishing? What is wrong with actually casting? Maybe I'm old fashioned?
Tonight I needed inspiration so took Chris Turnull's excellent “A time for Tench” off the shelf and re-read a few pieces. This is a far superior read so suitably entertained, informed and inspired I think I will have a crack at the pit in the near future.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Two Bite Alarms - A Review
The “Boat-Biter” from Eddie Turner Specialist Pike Tackle (see link on the right hand side) is a good piece of kit at a very reasonable price. It is simplicity itself, attaching to the rod in front of the reel by an elastic loop that goes round the blank and hooks onto a lip. The line runs over a roller and when line is taken, the roller turns activating a blue LED and giving off a bleeping sound. They are best used in conjunction with a correctly set free-spool reel with a float rig or heavy running ledger.
I've used a pair of these since November and they've performed pretty well. They are reliable and loud enough to alert the angler when his back is turned in the close confines of a boat. However in my opinion they are not really suitable for someone who is fast asleep, in fact they should never be used as an excuse for an angler to 'switch off' and not be vigilant whilst fishing. They would also be useful for an angler travelling light and roving when bank fishing though I haven't used them in this situation myself.
Lets be honest, it's very difficult for an angler fishing multiple rods from a boat to be looking at all the floats all the time, so at £5 each and they are definitely worth buying.
Where the boat biter could be described as simple, cheap & cheerful, Billy's Back Biters made by Steve Bown (aka Billy Two fish) are at the other end of the scale. I've used a pair throughout the last season whilst fishing from the bank for night time Zander in the summer and Pike through the worst autumn and winter weather.
The BBB alarms are a high quality piece of kit operating on the tried and tested rear mounted drop off style in the tradition of the ET backbiter. There have been many examples of this type of bite indicator around over the years but what sets Steve's alarms apart is the quality and attention to detail. These are not mass produced in the far east, they are made with pride and care by a genuine angler who only sells what he is happy to use himself. What really impressed me was the smooth indication of 'drop back' takes. When the fish runs towards the bank, the arm registers immediately and smoothly.
Steve makes these alarms in a variety of styles, features and colours including a very fetching Ipswich Town blue. Check out his website (link on the right hand side) where there is loads of information and you'll be sure to find a model to suit. The standard model retails at £40 and to put it simply, it's the finest bite alarm of this type available. These are highly recommended!
I've used a pair of these since November and they've performed pretty well. They are reliable and loud enough to alert the angler when his back is turned in the close confines of a boat. However in my opinion they are not really suitable for someone who is fast asleep, in fact they should never be used as an excuse for an angler to 'switch off' and not be vigilant whilst fishing. They would also be useful for an angler travelling light and roving when bank fishing though I haven't used them in this situation myself.Lets be honest, it's very difficult for an angler fishing multiple rods from a boat to be looking at all the floats all the time, so at £5 each and they are definitely worth buying.
Where the boat biter could be described as simple, cheap & cheerful, Billy's Back Biters made by Steve Bown (aka Billy Two fish) are at the other end of the scale. I've used a pair throughout the last season whilst fishing from the bank for night time Zander in the summer and Pike through the worst autumn and winter weather.
The BBB alarms are a high quality piece of kit operating on the tried and tested rear mounted drop off style in the tradition of the ET backbiter. There have been many examples of this type of bite indicator around over the years but what sets Steve's alarms apart is the quality and attention to detail. These are not mass produced in the far east, they are made with pride and care by a genuine angler who only sells what he is happy to use himself. What really impressed me was the smooth indication of 'drop back' takes. When the fish runs towards the bank, the arm registers immediately and smoothly.
Steve makes these alarms in a variety of styles, features and colours including a very fetching Ipswich Town blue. Check out his website (link on the right hand side) where there is loads of information and you'll be sure to find a model to suit. The standard model retails at £40 and to put it simply, it's the finest bite alarm of this type available. These are highly recommended!Sunday, 15 March 2009
Last Hurrah
13th & 14th March 2009
Where one door closes, another opens. The huge Norfolk Pike in Angling times means some parts of the area will get hammered, others will receive less pressure. Instead of chasing the monster Richard and I decided to keep doing what we enjoy most, fishing Eden.
The last two days of the season were upon us and there was only one place I wanted to spend them. I was to fish overnight once again, Giles joining me in the boat on day one, then Richard was to arrive in his own boat later on. Once again we were treated to a bright day with a breeze from the west. Following on from our last session we were full of confidence and we began the day close to where I caught the big fish last time, what we now call the 'stump' area of the basin. We stayed in this area for most of the morning, upping anchors every now & again but only making short moves upwind. We covered the water as best we could with deadbaits but didn't have so much as a take. Plan B in the afternoon was 'hit & run' style fishing zipping between areas. We fished each one for an hour or so but still failed to find any fish. Richard joined us in the afternoon but we struggled to come up with a plan for the night.
All too soon it was time to drop Giles off at the boatyard. We hadn't managed to boat a fish but as usual it had been a highly entertaining day in his inimitable company. Back on the Broad, Rich & I opted to tie up the boats at the top of 'the Channel'. Here we could pitch tents and fish from the bank, which is exactly what we did. Once again we enjoyed the magic of a night on the system. We thought we had a chance of a fish in this area but it was not to be. We did treat ourselves to another enormous, highly unhealthy fried meat feast, washed down with a couple of glasses of wine. The night was anything but quiet with the honking of wildfowl and the call of Tawny owls, not to mention our laughter. I laughed literally until my sides hurt. Good company, fantastic location, fascinating fishing and possibly big fish. What could be better?
Once again I wound the rods in at midnight, swallowed a large glass of wine then retired to the relevant comfort of a tent. I dozed the night away, never knowing if I was warm or cold, comfortable or not. We were both up early and raring to go for the second day. Breakfast was fried again while we tidied our camp and readied the boats. Richard decided to go off searching while I opted to stay on the same area I'd spent all the previous morning in, I just had 'that feeling', I was sure a fish or two would put in an appearance. I was right but it was only a fish of around five pounds on a bluey. We had planned to fish until midday before packing the boats onto the trailers and towing them home. As the time ticked down I really didn't want to leave the water, would I get one more chance this season? The answer was Yes! A float was zipping nicely from right to left but as I picked the rod up it stopped. I wound down but the bait had been dropped and I retrieved a tooth marked bluey. Typical, this place always leaves you wanting a little bit more!
In some ways I'm always glad when the closed season arrives, I need something that stops me listening to the mad demon in my head that drives me to almost obsession with fishing this wonderful system. For the next few months my fishing will be more varied, more child friendly and less hectic. Once the autumn comes around again I'll be ready for another crack at my favourite place.
Where one door closes, another opens. The huge Norfolk Pike in Angling times means some parts of the area will get hammered, others will receive less pressure. Instead of chasing the monster Richard and I decided to keep doing what we enjoy most, fishing Eden.
The last two days of the season were upon us and there was only one place I wanted to spend them. I was to fish overnight once again, Giles joining me in the boat on day one, then Richard was to arrive in his own boat later on. Once again we were treated to a bright day with a breeze from the west. Following on from our last session we were full of confidence and we began the day close to where I caught the big fish last time, what we now call the 'stump' area of the basin. We stayed in this area for most of the morning, upping anchors every now & again but only making short moves upwind. We covered the water as best we could with deadbaits but didn't have so much as a take. Plan B in the afternoon was 'hit & run' style fishing zipping between areas. We fished each one for an hour or so but still failed to find any fish. Richard joined us in the afternoon but we struggled to come up with a plan for the night.
All too soon it was time to drop Giles off at the boatyard. We hadn't managed to boat a fish but as usual it had been a highly entertaining day in his inimitable company. Back on the Broad, Rich & I opted to tie up the boats at the top of 'the Channel'. Here we could pitch tents and fish from the bank, which is exactly what we did. Once again we enjoyed the magic of a night on the system. We thought we had a chance of a fish in this area but it was not to be. We did treat ourselves to another enormous, highly unhealthy fried meat feast, washed down with a couple of glasses of wine. The night was anything but quiet with the honking of wildfowl and the call of Tawny owls, not to mention our laughter. I laughed literally until my sides hurt. Good company, fantastic location, fascinating fishing and possibly big fish. What could be better?
Once again I wound the rods in at midnight, swallowed a large glass of wine then retired to the relevant comfort of a tent. I dozed the night away, never knowing if I was warm or cold, comfortable or not. We were both up early and raring to go for the second day. Breakfast was fried again while we tidied our camp and readied the boats. Richard decided to go off searching while I opted to stay on the same area I'd spent all the previous morning in, I just had 'that feeling', I was sure a fish or two would put in an appearance. I was right but it was only a fish of around five pounds on a bluey. We had planned to fish until midday before packing the boats onto the trailers and towing them home. As the time ticked down I really didn't want to leave the water, would I get one more chance this season? The answer was Yes! A float was zipping nicely from right to left but as I picked the rod up it stopped. I wound down but the bait had been dropped and I retrieved a tooth marked bluey. Typical, this place always leaves you wanting a little bit more!
In some ways I'm always glad when the closed season arrives, I need something that stops me listening to the mad demon in my head that drives me to almost obsession with fishing this wonderful system. For the next few months my fishing will be more varied, more child friendly and less hectic. Once the autumn comes around again I'll be ready for another crack at my favourite place.
Our turn
Late February 2009
For once I had a little extra time to spare so decided to make the most of it with a two day, overnight session and hopefully find some of the bigger fish that have avoided us. The venue would be Eden, where else?
After an unhurried journey and a careful boat loading I began the day fishing an area south of the basin that had produced a few fish for us this time last year. None of these fish had been particularly huge but it was a starting point. On the water I was greeted by a clear sunny sky and a fresh wind from the west. Two boats were at the slipway when I launched but one returned to the Staithe very quickly, I suspect it was just too small for two anglers to safely fish from in this wind. The other boat disappeared south and wasn't seen again all day. I began fishing around 0815 but just couldn't get properly anchored in the wind. After two attempts I was tempted to give up and head for calmer waters in 'The Bay'. However I thought I had a good chance of catching in this area so motored closer to the edge where I got a bit of shelter and banged the baits downwind.
I fished three deadbaits on the bottom while a fourth was drifted with the wind. After about half an hour my stubbornness was rewarded with a take on Mackerel, the culprit was a jack that shook free near the boat. I recast a fresh Mackerel downwind again and half an hour later this too was picked up, the float skidded across the surface and the boat-biter sang out.
For the first time this season I found myself attached to a proper Pike, the type of fish that make us get up in the morning, the type that make the effort worthwhile. However, for the next few minutes things didn't go exactly to plan. All was well to begin with, a nice heavy, plodding weight on the end of the line but when it neared the boat things started to go tits up. I had the net ready beside me but as I got the fish nearer I looked over to see the net had fallen in the water and it appeared to be sinking. I panicked and decided the only possible option was to use the butt of my rod to fish it out which meant putting the reel in free spool and letting the fish take line. After a bit of hopeless groping and poking I managed to get hold of the net and drag it to the boat. My haste to wind in the line caused my next problem as I managed to tangle it all around the bail arm leaving me unable to move the reel until I'd untangled it all with shaking hands several minutes later. I kept praying the fish would still be attached and despite my total ineptitude my luck held and she was in the net without any further embarrassment.
I'll get the hang of these 'self take' shots one day...
The double hooks came out easily, this was the first time I'd used the “sladle” and I was instantly impressed. She looked long enough to be a twenty and she was with eight ounces to spare, I was a very happy bunny!
I spent the rest of the morning in this area, enjoying the fact that I was the only boat in sight and I had a twenty under my belt! Around lunchtime, having had no more takes I decided to move into the quieter waters of 'The bay'. I tucked the boat into a sheltered reedy area and arranged the rods around the boat, glad to be out of the wind for a while. After half an hour a Mackerel fished at long range was picked up, the result was a small Pike but it got the ticker racing again. I fished the bay for a couple of uneventful hours then moved round to where I was due to rendezvous with Richard. The area looked good and having seen bait fish being caught here this time last year I gave it a go with maggots on a feeder rod without success. Rich had boated a couple of Pike here recently so I felt reasonably confident. This was justified with another take on mackerel from the channel but unfortunately it was dropped. We had agreed on an area that we both wanted to fish for the night and were pleased to get a call from another mate fishing nearby, we motored over to the area and had the honour of photographing a cracking twenty one pounder for him.
By 1730 we were anchored up side by side tucked into the reeds near to a small bay. During the hours of darkness I cut to two rods fishing a float ledgered bluey close to the reeds and ledgered a Mackerel in open water. Both rods were rigged up with ET boat-biter alarms with the line tight and reels in free spool. We enjoyed watching the sunset over the water whilst stuffing a fry up down our throats. The wind dropped and the sky darkened, the stars came out and later the reflection of the moon shimmered on the rippled waters. There's something magic about night fishing but something slightly mad about night fishing from a boat in March. We enjoyed an evening of banter, laughter and reminiscing, our meal washed down with a little wine. However the one thing lacking was fish. Around midnight I wound my rods in and after a last, very large glass of wine climbed into a sleeping bag and crashed out under a borrowed shelter.
A corner of paradise
We woke slowly in the morning but soon had fresh baits spread around the boats, we planned to fish the area while we cooked breakfast and tidied up slowly. The weather seemed a repeat of the first day, bright once again but today the wind was considerably stronger. The conversation was centered around where to move but was broke up in mid flow by the bait runner on one of my rods. I had a take on sardine fished close to the reeds and quickly wound into the fish. At first it felt small but by the time I had it by the boat it had grown to a double. In the net it was a good double but in the sladle it dawned on me that it was a bit bigger. A quick weighing revealed a weight of 18lbs 4ozs and a cracking fish! The photo's were taken and she was slipped back into the murky water.
I hadn't managed to lose the smile from my face when things got hectic in Richards boat. Two rods went off at once resulting in a massive tangle but two double figure Pike unhooked and quickly released. Three doubles in half an hour on the back of the fish I'd caught the day before, could it get any better? We decided to stick it out in the same area as action like this was rare and we were sure more fish would be in the area. It was a strange feeling to be fishing here and feeling confident! However time was running out for me as I had to leave in the early afternoon. Richard was able to stay another night but it didn't take that long before one of his baits was picked up again. He bent into another good fish which was quickly beside the boat and looking big. He slipped her in the net and then into the sladle to do the honours. Would she be another twenty? The answer was yes! A twenty each, (plus a third for our mate), fantastic!!
That is a smile, honest!
All too soon it was time for me to lift the weights and head back to the base. I enjoyed the journey down the dyke with the Harriers close overhead but I wasn't too keen on turning into the open waters and battling against some serious waves bearing down on me. I was even less pleased with the muppets in a fast boat tearing up and down making the wake even higher. I made it back to the slipway in one piece and as I did so heard the phone ring. It was Richard, he'd just boated a twenty one pounder, magic! We had both struggled to find big fish in any numbers since the turn of the year but for once we'd had a bit of luck!
For once I had a little extra time to spare so decided to make the most of it with a two day, overnight session and hopefully find some of the bigger fish that have avoided us. The venue would be Eden, where else?
After an unhurried journey and a careful boat loading I began the day fishing an area south of the basin that had produced a few fish for us this time last year. None of these fish had been particularly huge but it was a starting point. On the water I was greeted by a clear sunny sky and a fresh wind from the west. Two boats were at the slipway when I launched but one returned to the Staithe very quickly, I suspect it was just too small for two anglers to safely fish from in this wind. The other boat disappeared south and wasn't seen again all day. I began fishing around 0815 but just couldn't get properly anchored in the wind. After two attempts I was tempted to give up and head for calmer waters in 'The Bay'. However I thought I had a good chance of catching in this area so motored closer to the edge where I got a bit of shelter and banged the baits downwind.
I fished three deadbaits on the bottom while a fourth was drifted with the wind. After about half an hour my stubbornness was rewarded with a take on Mackerel, the culprit was a jack that shook free near the boat. I recast a fresh Mackerel downwind again and half an hour later this too was picked up, the float skidded across the surface and the boat-biter sang out.
For the first time this season I found myself attached to a proper Pike, the type of fish that make us get up in the morning, the type that make the effort worthwhile. However, for the next few minutes things didn't go exactly to plan. All was well to begin with, a nice heavy, plodding weight on the end of the line but when it neared the boat things started to go tits up. I had the net ready beside me but as I got the fish nearer I looked over to see the net had fallen in the water and it appeared to be sinking. I panicked and decided the only possible option was to use the butt of my rod to fish it out which meant putting the reel in free spool and letting the fish take line. After a bit of hopeless groping and poking I managed to get hold of the net and drag it to the boat. My haste to wind in the line caused my next problem as I managed to tangle it all around the bail arm leaving me unable to move the reel until I'd untangled it all with shaking hands several minutes later. I kept praying the fish would still be attached and despite my total ineptitude my luck held and she was in the net without any further embarrassment.
I'll get the hang of these 'self take' shots one day...The double hooks came out easily, this was the first time I'd used the “sladle” and I was instantly impressed. She looked long enough to be a twenty and she was with eight ounces to spare, I was a very happy bunny!
I spent the rest of the morning in this area, enjoying the fact that I was the only boat in sight and I had a twenty under my belt! Around lunchtime, having had no more takes I decided to move into the quieter waters of 'The bay'. I tucked the boat into a sheltered reedy area and arranged the rods around the boat, glad to be out of the wind for a while. After half an hour a Mackerel fished at long range was picked up, the result was a small Pike but it got the ticker racing again. I fished the bay for a couple of uneventful hours then moved round to where I was due to rendezvous with Richard. The area looked good and having seen bait fish being caught here this time last year I gave it a go with maggots on a feeder rod without success. Rich had boated a couple of Pike here recently so I felt reasonably confident. This was justified with another take on mackerel from the channel but unfortunately it was dropped. We had agreed on an area that we both wanted to fish for the night and were pleased to get a call from another mate fishing nearby, we motored over to the area and had the honour of photographing a cracking twenty one pounder for him.
By 1730 we were anchored up side by side tucked into the reeds near to a small bay. During the hours of darkness I cut to two rods fishing a float ledgered bluey close to the reeds and ledgered a Mackerel in open water. Both rods were rigged up with ET boat-biter alarms with the line tight and reels in free spool. We enjoyed watching the sunset over the water whilst stuffing a fry up down our throats. The wind dropped and the sky darkened, the stars came out and later the reflection of the moon shimmered on the rippled waters. There's something magic about night fishing but something slightly mad about night fishing from a boat in March. We enjoyed an evening of banter, laughter and reminiscing, our meal washed down with a little wine. However the one thing lacking was fish. Around midnight I wound my rods in and after a last, very large glass of wine climbed into a sleeping bag and crashed out under a borrowed shelter.
A corner of paradise We woke slowly in the morning but soon had fresh baits spread around the boats, we planned to fish the area while we cooked breakfast and tidied up slowly. The weather seemed a repeat of the first day, bright once again but today the wind was considerably stronger. The conversation was centered around where to move but was broke up in mid flow by the bait runner on one of my rods. I had a take on sardine fished close to the reeds and quickly wound into the fish. At first it felt small but by the time I had it by the boat it had grown to a double. In the net it was a good double but in the sladle it dawned on me that it was a bit bigger. A quick weighing revealed a weight of 18lbs 4ozs and a cracking fish! The photo's were taken and she was slipped back into the murky water.
I hadn't managed to lose the smile from my face when things got hectic in Richards boat. Two rods went off at once resulting in a massive tangle but two double figure Pike unhooked and quickly released. Three doubles in half an hour on the back of the fish I'd caught the day before, could it get any better? We decided to stick it out in the same area as action like this was rare and we were sure more fish would be in the area. It was a strange feeling to be fishing here and feeling confident! However time was running out for me as I had to leave in the early afternoon. Richard was able to stay another night but it didn't take that long before one of his baits was picked up again. He bent into another good fish which was quickly beside the boat and looking big. He slipped her in the net and then into the sladle to do the honours. Would she be another twenty? The answer was yes! A twenty each, (plus a third for our mate), fantastic!!
That is a smile, honest!All too soon it was time for me to lift the weights and head back to the base. I enjoyed the journey down the dyke with the Harriers close overhead but I wasn't too keen on turning into the open waters and battling against some serious waves bearing down on me. I was even less pleased with the muppets in a fast boat tearing up and down making the wake even higher. I made it back to the slipway in one piece and as I did so heard the phone ring. It was Richard, he'd just boated a twenty one pounder, magic! We had both struggled to find big fish in any numbers since the turn of the year but for once we'd had a bit of luck!
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Mixed feelings about a monster
It started with a few texts, rumours of a huge Pike; “what have you heard?, What do you know?” I didn't believe it at first but by last Wednesday I'd seen a photo and there was no doubt. The weight was amazing, 45 1/2 lbs and it looked every ounce. Then this week it was splashed all over the 'Angling Times', a forty five pounder from the Norfolk broads. The biggest 'wild' Pike from a natural water ever to be caught in England. It is official and the whole world knows about it. My first thoughts when I heard the captor was going public were, “That's the end of the broads then...”
I'm pleased that this huge fish has been caught and fair play to the captor. The weight is incredible, a forty pounder would not have surprised regular anglers but this one is five pounds heavier! Its a fish that should not exist in this day & age, like discovering a dinosaur! The most fantastic thing to happen in Pike fishing for years.
Then there's the downside. The area, already a fragile system, will come under increased angling pressure both from good Pike anglers and those not so good... The last thing in the world any Pike fishery needs is increased angling pressure. Enough said.
What would I have done? publish or not? I don't think I would have published but told people I trust along with a couple of anglings historians. In time the story would have leaked out anyway. Fish like this do need recording for angling history though. Who knows?
Congratulations to John Goble, that is one hell of a Pike!!!
I'm pleased that this huge fish has been caught and fair play to the captor. The weight is incredible, a forty pounder would not have surprised regular anglers but this one is five pounds heavier! Its a fish that should not exist in this day & age, like discovering a dinosaur! The most fantastic thing to happen in Pike fishing for years.
Then there's the downside. The area, already a fragile system, will come under increased angling pressure both from good Pike anglers and those not so good... The last thing in the world any Pike fishery needs is increased angling pressure. Enough said.
What would I have done? publish or not? I don't think I would have published but told people I trust along with a couple of anglings historians. In time the story would have leaked out anyway. Fish like this do need recording for angling history though. Who knows?
Congratulations to John Goble, that is one hell of a Pike!!!
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Half term week
16/02/09
The first day of the school half term holiday sees me at home looking after the kids while their mum works. At last the cold weather has gone and it’s mild outside with a nice breeze from the west. These are good conditions for gravel pit Pike so can I convince Madison and Isaac they would have fun beside the water? The answer is yes and a little after midday I have two deadbaits soaking beside an island while the kids run around and played in the mud and puddles. If their mum could see them she would do her nut but I tell myself that the fresh air is doing them good, a little bit of mud never hurt anyone and it beats the hell out of TV or computer games! While the kids played imaginary games amongst the mud, I tuned the radio into TMS and thoroughly enjoyed listening to England battering the West Indies at cricket. I tried to imagine being in Antigua where the weather is somewhat different to here! Once again choice of swim was dictated by the kids so I settled down on the east bank again and I was pleased to see that the pit was much cleaner and litter free than the last time I’d fished here. This swim ticked all the boxes safety wise, there was a nice wide open space for the kids to play in. I’d be able to keep my eye on them and there were no other anglers for them to disturb.
Don't those BBBB alarms look smart?
Highlight of the day for us was the fry up, which in truth was the biggest incentive for the kids. For them, a nice big Pike just doesn’t have the appeal of a lovely hot sausage sandwich and they’ve cottoned on to the fact that fried food always tastes better when you’re fishing. We had a good feed but unfortunately the Pike didn’t, when we packed up in the late afternoon my deadbaits had remained untouched. Madison was coated in mud from the waste down and if the puddles appeared a little shallower than when we arrived it was because a large amount of water had found itself inside Isaac’s boots. Still a good time was had by all and I love the fact that my kids like being in the countryside, long may it continue.
20/02/09
At last the thermometer had climbed enough to give me a bit of confidence for a trip to Eden. However, Richard had fished the day before and really struggled, in fact my grapevine was reporting that the whole system was fishing poorly, despite the rising temperature. Throughout most of the season we have managed to keep track of the fish most of the time but in the last couple of weeks we seem to have lost them. I was undeterred and set out on the long drive anyway, everything went without a hitch for a change and I launched a little before 7am. The day was dawning but the sun was mostly obscured by thin, high cloud and a northerly breeze rippled the water.
Just after 7:15 I was moored up in the Basin area with four deadbaits scattered around the boat. An interesting chat with Giles last time out had given me food for thought so I carefully positioned the baits around the boat in order to maximise any scent trail that would leak out. I stayed in this first spot for two hours which was probably an hour too long. It was a thoroughly pleasant morning, sitting in the boat, catching the occasional glimpse of the sun and watching the ever present Harriers. But with no Pike showing it was time to move on. I upped anchors and headed off for a long motor down to the far side of the system.
Never fished this one before!
As I neared my destination, two large, strange awkward looking birds flapped gracelessly overhead, the Cranes putting in another welcome appearance. There were a couple of other boats in the area but the swim I fancied was clear. This was a spot that had been very kind to me in the past. I decided to fish here and tuck myself behind shelter, out of the wind, spread the deadbaits out and have a fry up! Ninety minutes later, after the other boats had departed I moved into another area, one I’d always fancied but had never actually fished before. An hour later I was at a loss so clipped on a lure – a Salmo Skinner, more in hope than expectation. After a couple of minutes the line suddenly slackened…A take! and for a split second before the line tightened again my mind asked the question…how big??? The answer was…not very! A jack Pike but a very welcome one! I continued for a while but despite feeling confident I didn’t tempt any more fish.
They do take lures!
By 1500 I was back on home ground fishing the far south western side of the basin , approaching the entrance to a bay. An hour in this spot proved fruitless as did another hour on the edge of another bay. By five o’clock the wind had died away and the water was flat calm. I had a moment of inspiration and decided to float troll two deadbaits on the oars. All was quiet and I could hear the tapping of a woodpecker, along with the squawk of a Pheasant from the woods to my right. As the sky darkened, away to my left I could hear the calling of tawny owls. It was a beautiful evening; all that was missing was a Pike or two! In the end I trolled all the way back to the slipway but nothing troubled my deadbaits.
A highly enjoyable day but at the end of it I’m still none the wiser as to the location of the Pike. Are they nearing the spawning grounds or are they lying dormant in the usual areas? My hunch is the former but time will tell.
22/02/09
I had another free day to spend in paradise but what do I do with it? After a couple of lengthy phone conversations with Richard and based on the results of our recent sessions I came up with a plan. I decided to assume the Pike were getting into spawning mode, stick to areas close to the yard and search out likely looking spawning sites. I had planned to begin fishing an area close to the yard, but another boat was launching behind me, I didn’t want to be disturbed straight away so opted to fish elsewhere. Conditions were good, mild and cloudy with a fresh wind from the west; would the Pike be playing ball? By 0700 I was anchored up in the entrance to a bay in a swim that had produced for me in the past. Two rods were cast into open water while the other two were positioned near to the reeds, one of which beside a gap which led into a small shallow bay.
For the rest of the day I aimed to fish hit and run style, spending a maximum of just over an hour in each swim and if nothing happened, move on to another. I only had to wait for half that time before the ET boat-biter bleeped into life signalling the Lamprey cast to the gap had been picked up. Every take at Eden is a heart stopping moment but for some reason I wasn’t surprised when the culprit turned out to be a jack. It was clean and in good nick unfortunately not showing any signs of unwelcome attention from big females. Still it was a start and maybe there’d be more?
I like these one handed out of the murky shallows photos!
The short answer was no, after giving it another hour a move was in order. I fully intended to drop into a spot I liked the look of, close to reeds but with a dramatic depth change. I’d never fished this spot before and what’s more I’d never seen anyone else fish it either. As I lifted the mudweights a small boat that had two anglers in it and looked dangerously over loaded appeared and stopped exactly where I wanted to fish, what are the odds on that? After cruising round in circles and running out of petrol I decided to drop into a nice reedy bay, another spot that looked like a possible spawning site. Once again I covered both the reeds and the open water and I felt strangely confident. This area is always a good place to view the Harriers at relatively close range if nothing else. I've been trying to get a good photo of a Harrier for weeks but they seem to know when I have the camera ready and keep their distance. The minute it's packed away they fly literally overhead!
That's a Harrier - honest!
After an hour nothing had happened so I was contemplating a move when I was startled by the wonderful sound of a whizzing bait-runner! A Mackerel cast into open water was on the move! I wound down and on contact the rod stayed bent…for a second or two before it slowly straightened and tell tale head shakes were transmitted down the line. I soon had the fish beside the boat and it was slightly larger than the first and had a large, well healed scar – maybe a male? I stayed put for another half an hour, the only mildly interesting thing was a pair of swans shagging beside the boat which was odd considering how much water they had to choose from, perhaps they like an audience? I then moved to another likely looking spot in the north western side of the bay but an hour here went unrewarded. By now the wind had swung to a north westerly and was strengthening but it was still mild and cloudy, good conditions! I wondered whether this would cause the Pike to be active in the open water areas that had produced in the past? There was only one way to find out.
Around midday I dropped into the basin, on the western side. I spent an hour here then moved across to the other side of this area in the teeth of the wind. The boat was being rocked about a bit but nothing too bad, certainly not enough to prevent the fry up! I felt really confident in this area, I was sure it was going to happen…but it didn’t. A pair of Cranes flew over and circled, then circled again…and again, like some kind of ariel dance, a mid air mating ritual perhaps? Ninety minutes later I reverted to plan A and went searching likely looking spawning sites again. I spent an hour close to where I had intended to begin the day. Once again the area looked good, I felt confident but the Pike didn’t show. A Bittern flew soundlessly by as did a Sparrowhawk a short while later but still no Pike. By four o clock I was knackered so decided to get off the water early for a change and begin the drive home in daylight.
On the way home, whilst trying to dodge the Sunday drivers I realised I was still none the wiser as to what those bloody Pike are doing. That now made fish to the boat on four consecutive trips which I’d gladly settle for anytime on this system. However the big girls are still avoiding me and time is running out.
The first day of the school half term holiday sees me at home looking after the kids while their mum works. At last the cold weather has gone and it’s mild outside with a nice breeze from the west. These are good conditions for gravel pit Pike so can I convince Madison and Isaac they would have fun beside the water? The answer is yes and a little after midday I have two deadbaits soaking beside an island while the kids run around and played in the mud and puddles. If their mum could see them she would do her nut but I tell myself that the fresh air is doing them good, a little bit of mud never hurt anyone and it beats the hell out of TV or computer games! While the kids played imaginary games amongst the mud, I tuned the radio into TMS and thoroughly enjoyed listening to England battering the West Indies at cricket. I tried to imagine being in Antigua where the weather is somewhat different to here! Once again choice of swim was dictated by the kids so I settled down on the east bank again and I was pleased to see that the pit was much cleaner and litter free than the last time I’d fished here. This swim ticked all the boxes safety wise, there was a nice wide open space for the kids to play in. I’d be able to keep my eye on them and there were no other anglers for them to disturb.
Don't those BBBB alarms look smart?Highlight of the day for us was the fry up, which in truth was the biggest incentive for the kids. For them, a nice big Pike just doesn’t have the appeal of a lovely hot sausage sandwich and they’ve cottoned on to the fact that fried food always tastes better when you’re fishing. We had a good feed but unfortunately the Pike didn’t, when we packed up in the late afternoon my deadbaits had remained untouched. Madison was coated in mud from the waste down and if the puddles appeared a little shallower than when we arrived it was because a large amount of water had found itself inside Isaac’s boots. Still a good time was had by all and I love the fact that my kids like being in the countryside, long may it continue.
20/02/09
At last the thermometer had climbed enough to give me a bit of confidence for a trip to Eden. However, Richard had fished the day before and really struggled, in fact my grapevine was reporting that the whole system was fishing poorly, despite the rising temperature. Throughout most of the season we have managed to keep track of the fish most of the time but in the last couple of weeks we seem to have lost them. I was undeterred and set out on the long drive anyway, everything went without a hitch for a change and I launched a little before 7am. The day was dawning but the sun was mostly obscured by thin, high cloud and a northerly breeze rippled the water.
Just after 7:15 I was moored up in the Basin area with four deadbaits scattered around the boat. An interesting chat with Giles last time out had given me food for thought so I carefully positioned the baits around the boat in order to maximise any scent trail that would leak out. I stayed in this first spot for two hours which was probably an hour too long. It was a thoroughly pleasant morning, sitting in the boat, catching the occasional glimpse of the sun and watching the ever present Harriers. But with no Pike showing it was time to move on. I upped anchors and headed off for a long motor down to the far side of the system.
Never fished this one before!As I neared my destination, two large, strange awkward looking birds flapped gracelessly overhead, the Cranes putting in another welcome appearance. There were a couple of other boats in the area but the swim I fancied was clear. This was a spot that had been very kind to me in the past. I decided to fish here and tuck myself behind shelter, out of the wind, spread the deadbaits out and have a fry up! Ninety minutes later, after the other boats had departed I moved into another area, one I’d always fancied but had never actually fished before. An hour later I was at a loss so clipped on a lure – a Salmo Skinner, more in hope than expectation. After a couple of minutes the line suddenly slackened…A take! and for a split second before the line tightened again my mind asked the question…how big??? The answer was…not very! A jack Pike but a very welcome one! I continued for a while but despite feeling confident I didn’t tempt any more fish.
They do take lures!By 1500 I was back on home ground fishing the far south western side of the basin , approaching the entrance to a bay. An hour in this spot proved fruitless as did another hour on the edge of another bay. By five o’clock the wind had died away and the water was flat calm. I had a moment of inspiration and decided to float troll two deadbaits on the oars. All was quiet and I could hear the tapping of a woodpecker, along with the squawk of a Pheasant from the woods to my right. As the sky darkened, away to my left I could hear the calling of tawny owls. It was a beautiful evening; all that was missing was a Pike or two! In the end I trolled all the way back to the slipway but nothing troubled my deadbaits.
A highly enjoyable day but at the end of it I’m still none the wiser as to the location of the Pike. Are they nearing the spawning grounds or are they lying dormant in the usual areas? My hunch is the former but time will tell.
22/02/09
I had another free day to spend in paradise but what do I do with it? After a couple of lengthy phone conversations with Richard and based on the results of our recent sessions I came up with a plan. I decided to assume the Pike were getting into spawning mode, stick to areas close to the yard and search out likely looking spawning sites. I had planned to begin fishing an area close to the yard, but another boat was launching behind me, I didn’t want to be disturbed straight away so opted to fish elsewhere. Conditions were good, mild and cloudy with a fresh wind from the west; would the Pike be playing ball? By 0700 I was anchored up in the entrance to a bay in a swim that had produced for me in the past. Two rods were cast into open water while the other two were positioned near to the reeds, one of which beside a gap which led into a small shallow bay.
For the rest of the day I aimed to fish hit and run style, spending a maximum of just over an hour in each swim and if nothing happened, move on to another. I only had to wait for half that time before the ET boat-biter bleeped into life signalling the Lamprey cast to the gap had been picked up. Every take at Eden is a heart stopping moment but for some reason I wasn’t surprised when the culprit turned out to be a jack. It was clean and in good nick unfortunately not showing any signs of unwelcome attention from big females. Still it was a start and maybe there’d be more?
I like these one handed out of the murky shallows photos!The short answer was no, after giving it another hour a move was in order. I fully intended to drop into a spot I liked the look of, close to reeds but with a dramatic depth change. I’d never fished this spot before and what’s more I’d never seen anyone else fish it either. As I lifted the mudweights a small boat that had two anglers in it and looked dangerously over loaded appeared and stopped exactly where I wanted to fish, what are the odds on that? After cruising round in circles and running out of petrol I decided to drop into a nice reedy bay, another spot that looked like a possible spawning site. Once again I covered both the reeds and the open water and I felt strangely confident. This area is always a good place to view the Harriers at relatively close range if nothing else. I've been trying to get a good photo of a Harrier for weeks but they seem to know when I have the camera ready and keep their distance. The minute it's packed away they fly literally overhead!
That's a Harrier - honest!After an hour nothing had happened so I was contemplating a move when I was startled by the wonderful sound of a whizzing bait-runner! A Mackerel cast into open water was on the move! I wound down and on contact the rod stayed bent…for a second or two before it slowly straightened and tell tale head shakes were transmitted down the line. I soon had the fish beside the boat and it was slightly larger than the first and had a large, well healed scar – maybe a male? I stayed put for another half an hour, the only mildly interesting thing was a pair of swans shagging beside the boat which was odd considering how much water they had to choose from, perhaps they like an audience? I then moved to another likely looking spot in the north western side of the bay but an hour here went unrewarded. By now the wind had swung to a north westerly and was strengthening but it was still mild and cloudy, good conditions! I wondered whether this would cause the Pike to be active in the open water areas that had produced in the past? There was only one way to find out.
Around midday I dropped into the basin, on the western side. I spent an hour here then moved across to the other side of this area in the teeth of the wind. The boat was being rocked about a bit but nothing too bad, certainly not enough to prevent the fry up! I felt really confident in this area, I was sure it was going to happen…but it didn’t. A pair of Cranes flew over and circled, then circled again…and again, like some kind of ariel dance, a mid air mating ritual perhaps? Ninety minutes later I reverted to plan A and went searching likely looking spawning sites again. I spent an hour close to where I had intended to begin the day. Once again the area looked good, I felt confident but the Pike didn’t show. A Bittern flew soundlessly by as did a Sparrowhawk a short while later but still no Pike. By four o clock I was knackered so decided to get off the water early for a change and begin the drive home in daylight.
On the way home, whilst trying to dodge the Sunday drivers I realised I was still none the wiser as to what those bloody Pike are doing. That now made fish to the boat on four consecutive trips which I’d gladly settle for anytime on this system. However the big girls are still avoiding me and time is running out.
Monday, 9 February 2009
A brief thaw...
Cold, cold, cold! When will we get some mild weather? On Friday night it was 50/50 if I’d make it fishing this Sunday, by midday Saturday it was 60/40. I hadn’t visited Eden for three weeks and hadn’t been fishing at all for a fortnight, stuff the weather I had to get out there! Giles was up for the trip too and as we made the journey north we discussed the prospects. The weather was cold but not as severe as it has been recently, we figured that after a couple of weeks of frosts the Pike should be used to the temperature and if we could find some, we could catch them. The journey seemed to take forever, we did pull over at a garage so Giles could buy food and I could get rid of some but soon we were pulling up at the yard and getting the boat ready.
When fishing Eden my usual starting point is somewhere near to where I last caught. This time it was on the south western side of the basin but it was a few weeks since my last visit and I wondered if the trail had gone cold. After 90 minutes that’s how it seemed, we scattered a variety of deadbaits around the boat but nothing picked up the scent. The day turned out to be not as bad as we feared weather wise. It was mostly bright but with some cloudy spells and a nice wind from the west rippling the water. The temperature was never what you could call mild but at least it wasn’t as cold as it had been of late.
For the next part of the day I had a plan and I had no problem convincing Giles to give it a go. Our plan was to use a method that had been very productive on other waters but one we hadn’t yet used here, for a variety of reasons. Come to mention it, I haven’t seen anyone else use it here either. Here and now is not the place to go into any detail on the method itself but today it worked. Just a small Pike to my rod but in poor conditions, with odds against us I considered this a result. I am sure this little Pike will be the first of many.
By early after noon we were back fishing the bay, way up in the north western corner, a spot I’d not fished before. It may well be productive but it wasn’t today. For our last move we were back in the basin, with the deadbaits spread around not far from our starting point. We spent the last part of the day here, in the same way we had spent most of it; chatting, laughing, putting the world to rights and theorising about the fishing. The sun began to dip and the temperature began to plummet. We could have stayed on into darkness but for once neither of us fancied it, so it was back to the yard. Time is running out on the 2008/09 season, another five months and the rivers will close. Will a BIG Pike cross our paths before then?
When fishing Eden my usual starting point is somewhere near to where I last caught. This time it was on the south western side of the basin but it was a few weeks since my last visit and I wondered if the trail had gone cold. After 90 minutes that’s how it seemed, we scattered a variety of deadbaits around the boat but nothing picked up the scent. The day turned out to be not as bad as we feared weather wise. It was mostly bright but with some cloudy spells and a nice wind from the west rippling the water. The temperature was never what you could call mild but at least it wasn’t as cold as it had been of late.
For the next part of the day I had a plan and I had no problem convincing Giles to give it a go. Our plan was to use a method that had been very productive on other waters but one we hadn’t yet used here, for a variety of reasons. Come to mention it, I haven’t seen anyone else use it here either. Here and now is not the place to go into any detail on the method itself but today it worked. Just a small Pike to my rod but in poor conditions, with odds against us I considered this a result. I am sure this little Pike will be the first of many.
By early after noon we were back fishing the bay, way up in the north western corner, a spot I’d not fished before. It may well be productive but it wasn’t today. For our last move we were back in the basin, with the deadbaits spread around not far from our starting point. We spent the last part of the day here, in the same way we had spent most of it; chatting, laughing, putting the world to rights and theorising about the fishing. The sun began to dip and the temperature began to plummet. We could have stayed on into darkness but for once neither of us fancied it, so it was back to the yard. Time is running out on the 2008/09 season, another five months and the rivers will close. Will a BIG Pike cross our paths before then?
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