Put another bait out for half an hour or so but didn't get any further interest, so worked my way back to the car dropping the baits into any likely looking spots. Unfortunately, I failed to trouble the scorer again. If I'd had the whole day to myself I probably would have upped sticks and headed somewhere else. However, come lunchtime I was back home and then reluctantly off to work.
Hello, my name is Ian Firkins and I am a very ordinary angler. If there was a school report for fishing, mine would read "tries hard, could do better"! See below my attempts to catch big fish (well, any fish!) of various species from the rivers Trent, Derwent, Dove and Soar.
22/12/2011 - River Soar
Put another bait out for half an hour or so but didn't get any further interest, so worked my way back to the car dropping the baits into any likely looking spots. Unfortunately, I failed to trouble the scorer again. If I'd had the whole day to myself I probably would have upped sticks and headed somewhere else. However, come lunchtime I was back home and then reluctantly off to work.
07/12/2011 - Bits and Bobs
After a quick leaf through it looks to be another well-produced book that's sure to become a classic reference like the first one (see http://theperchfishers.org.uk/). I remember getting my copy of the first Perchfishers book from the cheap bookshop on Ashby de la Zouch high street. They had quite a few copies at the time and I wish I'd bought them all given the price they go for now! Had a quick squint at the big perch list at the back of the new book and had a suprise - a 5lb 1oz perch from the River Soar caught in July this year! Must have missed that in the press, but certainly something to aim for!
25/11/2011 - River Soar
Had been keeping the float rod going all this time and had increased my species count to seven with some bleak and gudgeon when the float buried and I was connected to something considerably bigger. By the head banging I knew it was a decent perch. Got taken over the other side of the river and back and had a heart-stopping moment when it dived into some reeds, but it was soon safely in the net - a dark, strongly coloured fish of 2lb 2oz and easily my biggest perch on "conventional" tackle.
20/11/2011 - Trent and Mersey Canal
Had got one rod in and was tackling up the other when the buzzer sounded. That was quick!Turned out to be a small, but perfectly formed zander.
Was expecting a few runs after this, but didn't get any other indications until Tim arrived. He'd just dropped his gear next to me when one and then the other bobbin started doing a jerky little dance. Although neither developed into a full blown take, we joked that it must be the aura of his golden globes attracting the fish. Unfortunately this turned out to be bang on the money as my bobbins never moved again! Tim, on the other hand, did a canal predator treble starting with a pike of 11lb, followed by a nice perch of 2lb 6oz and finally a zed.
As an interesting footnote to these zander trips, Tim dug out a paper recently on a study of zander in the Oxford Canal, a graph from which is shown below.
Basically, in the zander populated section of canal, anything they can get in their mouths gets a right hammering and in some cases this can mean whole year (size) classes. Ultimately this will have a knock-on effect on the rest of the predator population, so it could be a case of making hay while the sun shines!
11/11/2011 - River Derwent
Did have some good news at the weekend. Tim reported that the zander on the canal were still feeding well, so hopefully it'll back to normal service and a few fish on the bank soon!
23/10/2011 - River Derwent
The strong, gusty (but warm) upstream wind played hell with the float rod, but luckily the bleak didn't seem to mind my rubbish presentation and I soon had a few in the bucket. Expecting things to be a bit slower, I forced myself to put the float rod away and set up two paternosters. Had two finnicky, dropped takes on each rod before I had my first proper take. Turned out to be a perch of 1lb 15oz, possibly a recapture as I've had three near this weight out of the same swim.
Went a bit quiet after this, so the next take came out of the blue and made me jump! Wound down to feel something solid on the end that took off at a rate of knots downstream. After a bit of tussle (during which I was praying for the other rod not to go off!), I had a long, lean pike of 11lb 8oz in the net.
21/10/2011 - Trent and Mersey Canal
Got the rods back out quickly hoping that was a sign that the zander were on the prowl, but it went quiet again. The only other action was a pike of about 6lb to Tim. He seems to be developing a relationship with this fish, recognisable by a distinctive sore on one flank, as he has managed to catch it now on three different trips from three different spots! At 8.30 pm, having had no further indications, we packed up and walked back to the car through the dog egg minefield. Unfortunately, a strange smell in the car and a quick check when I got home revealed that I hadn't emerge unscathed!
13/10/2011 - River Soar
09/10/2011 - North Devon
06/10/2011 - Trent and Mersey Canal
Hotspot?
Stripey - the deadbait is to the left
Getting bigger
04/10/2011 - River Soar
28/09/2011 - River Derwent
The next two casts went to the same spot and resulted in two more pike almost instantly - they must have been lining up! First one was again around 5lb, whilst the second was about 8lb and charged around all over the place, going around my front rod rest at one point. Had a bit of a lull after this and was on the phone to the wife about an hour later when the paternoster rod went off again. This was unmistakeably a perch. Got it in the landing net, saw it was a definite 2lber, but put a fresh bait straight out before I did anything else. Turned out to be one of my better decisions. Was just getting ready with the weigh sling when the micron signalled another take. Dropped the first perch back in the landing net, then landed an even bigger one next to it! Next few minutes were a bit of a blur, my tackle was in a right mess and I had two stonking perch in the net. Took a second to calm down and did the honours with the scales. First one went 2lb 13oz.
The next one was a lump and went 3lb 3oz - a new personal best.
22/09/2011 - Trent and Mersey Canal
Therefore met up with my mate Tim on a nice, tree-lined section of the Trent and Mersey Canal near Burton after work. Previous intelligence gathering had indicated that there were plenty of small zander averaging 3lb in the area, but with the chance of the odd bigger one. Soon had two small, hair-rigged deadbaits cast out into likely looking gaps in the far bank vegetation. Would have preferred a longer drop on my bobbins, but had to compromise and sink the rod tip to combat the amount of leaves and general rubbish floating down the canal. Tim had done his usual job of arriving completely unprepared, but was at least able to cobble together a float rig that he dropped in the bay opposite us.
21/09/2011 - River Soar
Headed up to the weirpool at the top of the section to start with. River was slightly up following the recent rain and had a bit of a peaty stain to it, but clarity was good. Second cast down the side of the pilings I had a positive thump as I dinked the lure off the bottom, resulting in a jack of about 6lb.
16/09/2011 - River Derwent
09/09/2011 - River Derwent
Tackled up the rods, put everything to hand on the bank and took up position in the water. Second trot down with the float rod I had a bleak. This went straight on the perch paternoster, which was cast down the side to my right. I didn't even have time to put another maggot on the hook before the perch rod started bouncing in the rests. Looked up to see a commotion on the surface as something hit the bait. Wound into what I thought was a small pike at first, but soon had my first Derwent perch of the season in the net. Was a very hollow fish of 1lb 14oz that should easily go over 2lb in better condition.
Skinny
First 2lber of the season
Had another run soon afterwards, but the fish dropped the bait. Hopefully a small one! With about half an hour of light left I wound in the float and concentrated on the perch rod. Had one last take before it got dark. Unfortunately it was a jack of about 8lb, which gave me a good scrap on the light gear. Took that as an opportune moment to pack up. Not a bad start and definitely good to be back!
17/07/2011 - River Trent
Fished on with renewed enthusiasm, but the weed situation didn't improve and we packed up about 10.30 pm. Taking everything into account, it was a miracle that one fish decided to pick up a bait. Stuart's going to be buying my Euromillions ticket for me this week!
River Soar - 13/07/2011
I therefore set off to Kegworth with one thing in mind, only to find that somebody else'd had the same idea! Luckily they were just about packing up, so I was able to drop in the swim and was fishing by 8 pm. Dropped the first rod down the side, but then went to re-position it to find that it was snagged. A bit of pressure and the snag moved and the end of what looked like a wooden fence post appeared above the water. Unfortunately, at this point there was a loud "crack" and the rod snapped cleanly just above the first ring on the top section. "Oh dear", I said. I glumly postioned my other rod and sat down to await proceedings.
Lee, the bailiff, turned up and wasn't really suprised that I'd sussed out "the" swim. He was confident I was going to catch and hung on as long as he could just in case. He'd actually been gone about half an hour when the rod top finally banged over and I was into a scrap with a fish that just dogged around under my feet. It looked like a double in the net, but I had to settle for 9lb 12oz on the scales. Not that I was complaining about my first River Soar barbel!
Bits and Bobs - 12/07/2011
River Soar - 06/07/2011
Third short evening session after my first River Soar barbel. Nobody on the section, so fished downstream of the weir again. Came this time armed with boilies to try and avoid the chub and bream. Worked in one respect, but not the other. Had one rod out in the flow and the other down the side under a tree. It was this one that shot off first. Picked up the rod to feel the fish briefly before it all went slack. Wound in to find that the boilie had flipped over the top of the hook on the cast. Oh, for the want of a small piece of silicon tubing! Wound in the other rod and re-tied the rigs before sending the baits out again. Was still getting chubby rattles, but was confident that the little beggars at least couldn't pull the boilie off. However, had to wait until it was almost dark for the next "proper" bite, this time a stuttering take that meant one thing.....bream. Had another one on the same rod before it went too dark to see (I had forgotten my torch!). At least they're getting bigger.
Farm Pond - 01/07/2011
I had intended to fish myself, but it didn't really pan out that way as fishing with an excitable 11 year old is a bit of a full on experience! Apart from me having to continuously re-bait, spray maggots, untangle knots and retrieve hooks from bankside vegetation, he had a bite a cast. Mini perch followed mini perch, with the occasional mini rudd thrown in for variety. It was mid-afternoon before the float buried and he found himself attached to something more substantial, a nice little common carp.
Two more followed before we had to pack up. A good day for the lad, but don't know where those "millions" of tench got to!
River Soar - 28/06/2011
Baits were out by 7.15 pm and the rod tips were soon rattling to the tune of Mr Chublet. The bailiff, Lee, turned up and as we were chatting the left rod started nodding. Sitting higher up the bank he saw the fish first and was able to give me the good news that it was a bream! Had a couple of chublets fairly quickly after that, one of which was good enough to throw up a load of crushed halibut pellets all over my leg. Another bream just as it was getting dark didn't shake the confidence, so when the left hand rod pulled over again I was sure it was going to be a barbel. Unfortunately not! Biggest snotty of the night instead, about 6lb.
Bits and bobs - 23/06/2011
Shiney
RRP for the 9' version is £110, but Mark at Alderney Angling (http://www.alderneyangling.com/) sorted me out one for £97.98 including VAT and postage, which was a still couple of quid less than the cheapest one I could find on the UK mainland. Can't wait for August now!
River Soar - 22/06/2011
Nice
As the river was quite clear and shallow I opted to fish straight leads and catapult pellets over the top, rather than to repeatedly cast with a feeder or PVA bags. Baits had only been out a couple of minutes before I started getting wound up by the chub rattling on the rod tops. Had been tempted into striking into thin air a couple of times before I decided to change the rigs around slightly. Changed to a semi-fixed lead by pushing the swivel over a Korda tail rubber and wrapped the hair around the hook a couple of times, so that the pellets were hard up against the bend. Seemed to do the trick as the next few bites were converted into fish. First up was a bream of about 5 lb. Not what I was expecting in the fast water.
Next up was one of the greedy little chublets that had probably been responsible for those earlier "doinks" on the rod tips.