Saturday 31 July 2010

Sat


Bacon tree




My apologies if this offends Mexicans, those of the Jewish faith, and Muslims, come to that, anybody but narrow minded Yorkshiremen and
STOP PRESS!!
The lying ex Trolly Dolly, with the rumoured name change(maybe it was a sex change and not other tendancies).
Is also easily offended, apparently.




Two Mexicans are stuck in the desert after crossing into the USA, wandering aimlessly and starving. They are about to just lie down and wait for death, when all of a sudden Luis says.........

"Hey Pepe, do you smell what I smell. Ees bacon, I theenk."
"Si, Luis, eet sure smells like bacon. "
With renewed hope they struggle up the next sand dune, & there, in the distance, is a tree loaded with bacon.
There's raw bacon, there's fried bacon, back bacon, double smoked bacon ... Every imaginable kind of cured pork.
"Pepe, Pepe, we ees saved. Ees a bacon tree."
"Luis, maybe ees a meerage? We ees in the desert don't forget."
"Pepe, since when deed you ever hear of a meerage that smell like bacon...ees no meerage, ees a bacon tree."
And with that, Luis staggers towards the tree. He gets to within 5 metres, Pepe crawling close behind, when suddenly a machine gun opens up, and Luis drops like a wet sock. Mortally wounded, he warns Pepe with his dying breath,

"Pepe... Go back man, you was right, ees not a bacon tree!"

"Luis, Luis mi amigo... What ees it? "

"Pepe.. Ees not a bacon tree.
Ees

Ees

Ees

Ees a ham bush....."








Meanwhile

Keep talking amongst yourselves lads, you're winning !




Friday 30 July 2010

Fishing

Report
Fished the River Swale at Topcliffe for the first time yesterday on a  Bradford City Angling stretch.
One or two anglers somewhere downstream on our bank, but the opposite bank(Leeds), was packed all the way along,there must have been 20 anglers!
I met with fellow BS member Bryce Henderson, and fished from about noon 'til 9pm.
Bryce had a splasher barbel within 5 minutes of me joining him, about 2lb.
I thought sounds like it may be a good day, it was not to be fishing wise!
I had a couple of chub knocks, other than that, not a thing.
Bryce tried a fast water swim and got himself a couple of chub, but other than that no further fish.
There was no sign of fish being caught on the Leeds side either.
Great company, lovely river, I shall visit again soon.


Prudes?

I've had two complaints about the jokes I put on here, funnily enough both from the same little clan of individuals. Like must attract like, I think, in fact I know!!!
I would feel sorry for them but hey ho, it takes all sorts.
I'm not changing for them, I will not be censored, although you would think they may have learnt that by now.
I thought Yorkshire men were straight talkers, it would seem they have something to learn from us Essex boys.
My guess is, the last one, poor easily lead Conrad, will be laughed at by the Google people!!!

Tuesday 27 July 2010

I'm back!

Just back
Another visit to my ol' mum!
This follows a 'phone call from her regarding her ailments!!
She's alright.

Reel deal

Great result on the eBay auction. Actions speak louder than words.


Blog Chat
My apologies to those who have no idea what I'm writing about, those who know or think they know WILL be reading this, so it's for them.

I see the few are still chattering amongst themselves, and some are only listening to part of the story, this is the half truths thing I mentioned.
The snidey sneeky rat is playing whilst the cat's away though, spreading his lying version.Rumour has it there's a name change involved, as well as other doubts about his leanings and integrity!!
The lies, sabotage, selected editing, and leaks carried out have been "overlooked"
The old trust thing comes in heavy, I'm afraid.
It's a sorry state of affairs when personal prejudices interfere with everybody else's enjoyment and friendships.



How about a laugh?

In a pub quiz the other day I lost by one point. The question was "where do women mostly have curly hair"? Apparently, it's Africa .



Charlie, a recently hired retiree, working  at B&Q, came in 5 to15 minutes late every morning, but he was among the best of B&Q older persons.
His boss called him into his office and said: Charlie, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, but you are late all the time.
Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it. Charlie replied.
Well good, you are a team player. I know you're retired from the Navy. What did they say when you came in late there?

They said Good morning, Admiral, can I get you a cup of Coffee, sir?



The other day I needed to go to and see the Doctor. Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my old Army fatigues and stuck a patch onto the front of my shirt that I had downloaded off the Internet.
When I went in, I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren't that sick after all. Cut at least 3 hours off my waiting time.

Here's the patch. Feel free to use it the next time you're in need of quicker emergency service.


It also works at DSS. It saved me 5 hours.
At the Laundry, three minutes after entering, I had my choice of any machine, most still running.

Don't try it at McDonald's though.....
The whole crew got up and left and l never got my order...

Saturday 24 July 2010

Getting back to the real world.

Not long to go

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
ViewItem&item=150468701152&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT



Our Domain

When I first started this Blog back in May, I told you about my garden, well last Friday the field got mowed. The cow parsley and nettles are now spread about the field, flat! So before long the smell of rotting vegetation will take over I'm sure. No sign yet of the barn owls, but I know the kestrel had six young.
A local farmer, just over the field puts up boxes for owls, kestrels,sparrow hawks and just about anything else that flies around here.
We spotted our first red kite in this area, over the field not too long ago, being mobbed by the local crows.
It's been a very bad year I think for young birds, only one or two survivors from broods in and around the garden.Well apart from the sparra's, they have done very well, a day doesn't seem to go by without another set of pleading youngsters loitering around our pond and feeders.
I was watching earlier a single robin fledgling being fed by it's red breasted parent, cracking little birds.
All our green finches have disappeared, I hope they are not all dead, but my suspicions are that they are. This disease they get from unclean feeders has taken it's toll again and they were doing so well.Bodies all around.
Veggies
I'm not impressed with the salad garden this year, far too dry I suppose. On the positive side our courgettes are becoming a problem to keep up with. Any good recipes out there????
I should  have a good supply of chilli peppers also.
Our fruit trees are not up to last years standard, especially the plum, maybe I'll get 4 or five, last year I couldn't get rid of them.
The pear has failed , but the apples are looking ok. The soft fruits..failed, well I got enough gooseberries, just about got the flavour!
Spud's are still looking good, although the container grown ones are in permanent need of water. I'll leave them in a bit longer as my diet forbids their consumption!
Itchy things
Not certain if you all suffer with bugs and flies this time of the year?
They are of the small beetle type, hoards of them,I daren't go out in the garden in my orange tee-shirt, thunder bugs we call them,I can't be bothered to identify them.
And those tiny flies that seem to get into every nook and cranny, even between the glass of picture frames. Still the hooligan  swifts, the house martin and swallows seem to be happy enough.
My head can't take much more scratching though! Even thinking about them now, is making me itch.

Oh well, enough for now, things to do tomorrow and the next few days, so my next entry and update will probably be mid-week.
Who knows what may happen in that time?
See you then maybe?


Carpe diem quam minime credula postero

Just for the minute!

A thought

Have you ever thought, if you challenge a wrong, it is then claimed, by those that shout loud that you are the villain of the peace ?

Or, how those same loud shouters put out half stories, or should I say half truths, which suddenly among their supporters, the gullible, and those with axes to grind, become folk law ?
Well, it's suddenly sunk in with me,and about time too some will say, there is no point in challenging the shouters, because they and their gang, are really the only ones listening, and maybe their wives!




........and that's when the fight started.

When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her some place expensive... so, I took her to a petrol station.



........and that's when the last fight started

Friday 23 July 2010

Oldies but goodies







.....and that's when the fight started

Ok only one left after this

After retiring, I went to the DSS office to apply for a pension.

The female clerk behind the counter asked for my driver's licence to verify my age.
I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home.
I told the clerk I would be back, but she said, 'Unbutton your shirt.'
So I opened my shirt revealing all.
She said, 'that silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me and processed my pension application.

When I got home, I told the wife about my experience .
She said,

'You should have dropped your pants, you might have got disability, too.'


...and that's when the fight started....


Young Blood!

Thursday 22 July 2010

Rising from the ashes

It's all about trust!
Watch this space



Steve Pope's Blog

Another Blog not to be missed and offering guiding services as well, is Steve Pope's.
Have a look. A genuine out and out barbel angler who takes his guiding seriously.
You WILL learn something from him!

http://www.stevepopebarbelfishing.co.uk/  





Playground bullies

When I was at school, as with most of you I'm sure, you came across the playground bully, the big kid with all the smaller boys standing in front of him goading the one kid all on his own.
Well I used to be the kid who stood up to the bully boy, it earned me a few bloody noses, because I wasn't that big myself.
But, the playground bully eventually stopped his bullying, because I was able to give as good as I got.
This internet lark is about the same, except it's the little blokes who sit behind screens , dishing out their bile now, perhaps they were the ones being bullied before?
Anyway, this little Yorkshire one, along with his bigger and fatter than him gang mates,have offered me violence, because I stood up for what I believe, and didn't want to be in his gang.
An olive branch wouldn't have helped I'm sure, perhaps I should carry a pitprop? 
Laugh?
You bet I did!!

..........and that's when the fight started

I got up early this morning, quietly dressed, made my flask, and slipped quietly out..

The wind was a howling 50 mph and it was tipping it down, so I turned on the radio, and heard it would would with us all day.
Back into the house, I quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed and cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, 'The weather out there is terrible.'
My loving wife of 10 years replied,

'Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?'


And that's when the fight started....





Wednesday 21 July 2010

Plug

Bob Roberts on-line

I don't think I've mentioned in my Blog that Bob Roberts has a very fine website and a very interesting Blog.
So Bob here's the plug, and I don't mind if people go off from here to your site, they'll come back if they find my stuff interesting I'm sure!Even if I have mentioned it already,so what?
http://www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk/





.....and that's when the fight started ( who cares what number )

A woman was standing looking in the bedroom mirror, totally naked.
She was not happy with what she saw and said to her husband,
'I feel horrible, I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.'
The husband replied,

'Your eyesight's damn near perfect.'

and that's when the fight started....

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Barbel & Curry

The barbel
A visit to the tidal Trent was on, I still wasn't certain of the tides but guestimated it would be around 10:30 am for high tide at the Sutton on Trent fishery.
That would give me about 6 hours as we had a curry lined up at 18:30. It would also be my first Trent trip after barbel this season.
As it happens when I arrived at about 10am,the tide was just on the way out so it stopped me hurling big balls of vitalin and pellet into the swim, it could have ended up at Gainsborough!!
So I decided on  a bag of Dynamite method mix along with a mixture of their hali pellets of all sizes blended in.
A 2oz open end feeder stuffed with the damped down mixture, and a couple of Teme Severn elips glued to a hair.
I also put out a sleeper rod with a quarter tin of bacon grill.
Both rods remained stationary, not even a chub snatch! Not strictly stationary of course, my feeder rod was regularly cast in to replenish the swim, and also to ring the changes on the hook bait.
We had decided to call it a day at 5pm so that I could pack up and make our way to Market Rasen for the curry.
I had packed up my sleeper rod, tidied everything up and heard the baitrunner zip out!!
Landed my first Trent barbel (at 5:05pm) of the season a sprightly 6lb fish, and packed up!! Caught on a pair of the elips.
I know it all seems a bit short, but I can tell you I was well chuffed, shame we didn't have a bit longer, but the deed had been done. I was more than happy.
Having not eaten since 8am the curry was well needed and the nearly 50 mile drive, in what was unusally light traffic, was short!!
The curry
We decided to miss the poppadoms and wade into a starter and a maincourse.
I had downed the first pint of Lal Toofan, before the starter arrived so lined up another
My starter 3 lamb "chops" with a bit of shredded rabbit food and a yogurty thing dressing was excellent,in fact finger licking good, I always gnaw  meat bones!!
Oh by the way, Pauline was with me all day.
My main course duly arrived, just as well too as the second pint was diminishing at an alarming speed and I had to drive the 8 miles home.
I had a lamb badami,with cashew nuts sprinkled over it, a cauliflower baji and a bindi baji. No rice.
I don't think I've told you yet have I?
Well I've been on a diet, 6 weeks of no rice, spuds, bread or pasta and it's knocked 7 kilo's off,mostly from my backside.The zip fly on my fishing trousers now stays put when the trousers are put under pressure.
I'm drinking loads of water something I have never liked doing. Well you know what fish do in it,don't you?
Still having the odd proper beer or two.
Anyway, this curry house is the best we've found since our move up 8 years ago, for freshly cooked, and great flavours, and not swimming in gee.
I wonder if our then favourite curry house Eatern Paradise in Wolverton is still there, and as good.
Tonights was no different, enjoyed very muchly, always down to the chef though..




.......and that's when the fight started (err.... ten?)


I tried to talk my wife into buying a case of IPA for £14.95.
Instead, she bought a jar of cold cream for £7.95.
I told her the beer would make her look far better at night than the cold cream.


and that's when the fight started....

Monday 19 July 2010

Well maybe tomorrow.

Fishing
I was going to make a trip down to the tidal Trent, but I missed the tide when somebody else cropped up and had to be dealt with.
So tomorrow will be my appointment with the stretch.

Auction on

For the collectors among my viewers, look out for a special edition reel .

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150468701152&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT





.......and then the fight started(nine)

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed..
But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the car, making beer.. Always something more important to me.
Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.
When I arrived home today, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors.
I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house.. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush.
I said, 'When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway.'


...........and that's when the fight started.

Saturday 17 July 2010

Just for the fans

I've been a bit busy on fishy things so, for those that follow, here's one to keep you happy!



.......and that's when the fight started (eight)

I rear-ended a car this morning.. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car.
You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny?
Yeah, well I couldn't believe it... he was a DWARF!!! (named Tony, I think ?)
He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted,
'I AM NOT HAPPY!'
So, I looked down at him and said, 'Well, then which one are you?'

..........and then the fight started…


They don't like it up'em

A certain Mr Burr (a real sour puss) doesn't like it even when a joke post is added, although he allows personal abuse. So I'm banned!

Thursday 15 July 2010

Just wondering

Happy birthday :
Brother Ted 59 today


Living the life of Riley in Exmouth Western Australia.










.......and that's when the fight started (seven)


My wife and I were sitting at a table at her school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.
I asked her, 'Do you know him?'
'Yes,' she sighed, 'He's my old boyfriend .... I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since.'
'My God!' I said, 'Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?'

.......and then the fight started...


Trolley Dolly

 I wonder if I can claim copyright ?

It's being used in all the right places!












Doubting Thomas

I was just wondering to myself what makes people so insecure that, despite evidence, they always need to doubt others.
Answers would be welcome, because for the life of me, I can't see what satisfaction it gives the poor sad individuals.








Still wondering

Do all short blokes often have an altitude problem, or is it only short arsed Yorkies who wear hats to look taller ?

Wednesday 14 July 2010

This ain't just a fishing Blog

My mum.
My old mum is 87, mind as sharp as a pin. She's had 5 kids, two new hips, has arthritis in her hands,diabetes and recently had breast cancer diagnosed (treatable with drugs).
As the nurse said to me after the cancer diagnoses, she'll die of something, but it won't be cancer.
She recently had 3 stones removed from her gall bladder and said afterwards, I'm fed up with hospitals, I don't want to be messed around any more.
She doesn't leave the house, and won't move from her 3 bed 2 storey semi, to a one bedroom place.
Anyway she called the doctor out and got herself admitted to hospital on Monday!
She's had the trots for 3days and usually suffers the opposite.
She thinks from her last visit for the stones, they've left something behind............
I've said to her, I don't know how many times, stop eating white sliced bread, meat pies and sausages, get some fresh veg inside you.
It appears she followed my advice!!
Anyway she's back home today,after 2 nights of checks.Nothing out of the ordinary to be found. She doesn't believe them!!
Just found why she had herself admitted though. She didn't want my brother( 10 years younger than me and still her little boy), finding her dead and covered in  shite, when he turned up for his regular visit today.

Guess what she's had for tea tonight..... saveloy and chips, from the chippy.

I'm speechless, still she enjoys what she eats...... for a while anyway.

Mum's who'd 'av 'em?????



..........and that's when the fight started(six)


My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.
She said, 'I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 200 in about 3 seconds.'
I bought her a set of bathroom scales.


...........and then the fight started...

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Wot, no guide?



Mainoaks Farm Holiday Cottages. HR9 6JN. (No "guide" needed here)


The Boss and I make a habit of mid week breaks in self catering accommodation. The ability not to be fixed to timetable for bed and breakfast accommodation is what we prefer.
We usually have breakfast and eat out at a pub or good restaurant later.
If I can get away with it, and fishing is attached to the accommodation, we eat earlier in the afternoon after a trip out seeing the sights, so that I can get fishing in the early evening for a few hours into darkness.
So having searched Google for self catering cottages I spotted http://www.mainoaks.co.uk/
Set on the River Wye, close to Yat Rock.
Knowing that the river is one of the main barbel rivers to fish at present, I thought we should give them a go as I haven‘t been down for a year or so..
So we booked 4 nights Monday to Friday for early July in Coppett, a sleep two cottage, out of the six cottages available.
The cottages, which are down a long farm drive, are very close to the bridge that crosses the Wye on the way into Symonds Yat east.
On arrival, we were offered a choice of another cottage also available on the day, so we also had a look around Biblins which sleeps up to four.
We chose to stay with our original choice.
Both cottages appeared to have been newly refurbished, and had all the mod-cons you could possibly want for a short or long stay, including a dishwasher!
We chose Coppett because its layout suited us, the downstairs was a good size open plan kitchen diner alongside a living area with a two seater settee and a single armchair. TV is Freeview.
There is a wood burner for those colder nights, but centrally heated anyway.
The upstairs has a double bedroom which looks into a well planned roomy bathroom with one of those deep baths set in the middle of the area.
You can see far more detail of all the cottages on the website.
All in all, a very comfortable cottage.
No need by the way, to take with you tea coffee, salt and pepper or washing up materials they are all there.
There was a very good introduction guide in the cottage, a complimentary bottle of wine, a box of choccies and a bunch of flowers.

The cottages also have free fishing offered with them, however the fishing rights on the river bank which runs a short distance on foot across the field at the front of the cottages is only fishable by Prince Albert Angling Society members.
It is strictly enforced by their bailiffs.

The cottages are therefore ideal for PAAS members.

The fishing that goes with the cottages, as is identified on the website, is known as the Tunnel Beat, it’s about a mile and half of single bank fishing through Forestry Commission land via a locked gate. It is upstream of Yat Rock which overlooks the fishery.
You get the key with the cottage key, and the combination number for the second gate padlock, where the fishery opens up, after a run through a wooded track, into cattle grazing pastures.

As can be expected on the Wye, the banks are on the whole, steep sided, apart from a cattle drink area which has easier access.
You will need a dog spike, and rope to assist you in and out of the swims, if fishing there in wet, or after flood conditions.
At the time of our visit, swims are accessible where previous anglers have made their own “steps” down.
I understand that this is to be rectified.

The fishing is typical Wye, plenty of barbel, they were shoaled up off the faster water, on our visit, as the river levels were very low. Multiple catches of barbel up to around 9 lb were reported by guests staying in the cottages at the time of our visit.
Chub are also plentiful.

So, we very much enjoyed our stay; fishing was good considering the river conditions and we whole heartedly recommend the cottages for a very comfortable stay.
We would certainly go again, very well situated for the sites and towns with the A40 close by.

Our 4 night stay cost us £294. Rates are variable throughout the season.

The cottages are no longer available 01/01/2013

..and that's when the fight started (five)
My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping the channels. 
She asked, 'What's on TV?' 

I said, 'Dust' 


....and then the fight started.

1999 advert, just doing what they said!


Monday 12 July 2010

Nearly there.....

Bedlam

8 am, the double glazers have arrived, and it's raining!!



...........and that's when the fight started (Four)

I took my wife to a restaurant.
The waiter, for some reason, took my order first.
'I'll have the rump steak, medium rare, please.'
He said, 'Aren't you worried about the mad cow?'
'Nah, she can order for herself.'

and that's when the fight started.....


Job done

4 hours later job completed.
So far so good, all looks to be  a good job clean and tidy,all working.

Sunday 11 July 2010

Sunday job!

Sutton on Trent

Spent all day talking to guests and fellow members at BS fishery Sutton on Trent(tidal)open day, bank walking the mile & a half stretch.

Plenty of good fish including a barbel of 10lb 4ozs, and also br**m up and around the 8lb mark common.
Primed me to fish there, next time I'll take my kit.
£40 a year, no nutters with 24 packs of lager, no keepnets, no floaters, and park in your swim!


and that's when the fight started... (three)

My wife and I are watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed.

I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have Sex?'
'No,' she answered.
 I then said,  'Is that your final answer?'
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying ...'Yes..'
So I said, 'Then I'd like to phone a friend.'

And that's when the fight started...

Saturday 10 July 2010

Some of this and.............

.....and that's when the fight started (two)

I asked my wife, 'where do you want to go for our anniversary?'
It warmed my heart to see her face melt in sweet appreciation.
'Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!' she said.
So I suggested, 'how about the kitchen?'

and that's when the fight started...

Greenfinches
 
I've started to find dead greenfinches around the garden.
We're scrupulous with our cleaning of the feeders because we are aware of a disease they are prone too, which is apparently caused by a parasite from unclean feeders etc.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/sickbirds/greenfinches.aspx
I'm pretty certain it's not our feeders because we have a large colony of house sparrows and they seem to be thriving, judging by the way they get through our seeds, and the holes they make in my vegi patch for a dry bath.
I'm not going to feed now,there are plenty of seed heads in the field next door.
 
Crab
 
We picked up a big crab in Nottingham Victoria market yesterday afternoon on the way home. It'll be taken apart later and washed down with a bottle of Chablis. Bloody marvelous ain't it? 12 miles from Grimsby and I have to order crab in advance, in Nottingaham he had a good supply on the counter!
If anybody likes fish, we had lunch in the Loch Fine restaurant,if they are all of the same standard, highly recommended.
 
Day out
 
Off down to Sutton on Trent tomorrow for an open day for non BS members, and non fishery permit holders.
I won't go equipped to fish, I'll just wander the banks chatting to the guests and the regulars .
This part of the tidal Trent is about a mile and a half of bank, totally unaffected by crowds and the lager swillers.

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Holiday

Day 1


All I am going to divulge at the moment,is that I'm on the banks of a Prince Albert water, but I can't fish it!
Our temporary abode is in a group of farm cottages in a valley,we are both tucking into a complimentry bottle of red and looking over the river.
I'm not fishing tonight,but I have been introduced to the stretch of river,where access through Forestry Commission land, brings you to a wooded steepish bank which after a few hundred yards levels out. It apparently has not been fished for some years.
Tomorrow afternoon will be my bank side walk swim hunt, being on a short break with The (non fishing)Boss means a bit of compromise is needed.
Meanwhile tonight on with the wine and a bit of bank walking of the PAAS stretch, and bird watching.


Day 2

Fished from 4pm 'til 8pm a few chub rattles,but no sign of barbel.Lost all my worms yesterday in the heat despite moving them into a barn when we arrived.
Met a BS member from Devon, apparently the mile and a half stretch is a £500 a year syndicate stretch, he is part of it. Most of the stretch is high banked and swim access is difficult,there are no swims cut, access is easiest at a cattle drink.
We setup in the cattle drink,after 3 hours the cattle came down. Cows, calves and a bull!
He gave us a fright!
After he drank he wandered up to us, about ten feet away he started kicking earth back, snorting and showering us with sand. He was a big bugger.
Six feet away from The Boss, still giving the earth the occasional back kick, now he was digging deep.
We both remained still and quiet,apart from my taking a heavy bank stick from my quiver, my thought was, any closer and you'll get a nose tap mate!
I don't know why but he stopped,probably no reaction was good,he was so close though.
Pauline amazed me she didn't blink,but she said she didn't look him at all. "Well maybe a quick peek out of the corner of my eye".She said she thought he would get bored and go.
We left earlier than I wanted to, well he may have come back for more!
Back tomorrow,I spotted a nice gravel run to have a go at,the only problem is, it's off a cattle drink!!
  
Day 3

Fished from 5.30 to 10pm.New swim, access would be difficult in the wet, dog spikes and rope needed for most of this fishery.
Following catch reports from fellow guests,I switched tactics and went for small bait and a light feeder approach.
Result 13 barbel between 2 and 6lb, chub of all sizes up to 3lb.
My cane rod is still a virgin, I fished it on the inside line, with big meat. A couple of tugs and one big pull resulting in a few scales, line bite !
All in all I'm very happy, but I knew all along there were loads of barbel in this river,all you need to do is find them.
Last day tomorrow.


Day 4
The first thing I did yesterday was to bait under the rod tip with 4 or 5 pints of hemp and small pieces of spam. I kept coming back to it, but no fish had moved in.
Back today, somebody in the swim, and he's hauling on double pellet underneath the rod tip!!
So, I find myself another swim, a precarious one access wise,but comfortable.
Fished until 9pm when it started to rain,feeling that the slope down to the swim would be even more difficult under damp conditions, I decided to get up to the top .
No barbel today but I was kept busy with the chub again up to 3lb all on elips.

So, I've had 3 days of fishing the River Wye in the shadow of Yat Rock on the Tunnel Beat, staying at Mainoaks Farm Holiday Cottages.Listening to the peregrines and ravens up on the rock.
As I'm trying to tie up some advertising for Barbel Fisher while I'm here, a review of the cottages will be forthcoming.What I will say is, the cottages are first class.

A view to Yat Rock


I had my first close view ever of a Little Owl on leaving the cottage, it came out of an old barn and may well be nesting in there judging by the detritus on the stone floor.

Note: I also have pictures of a rather furtive fellow, on the opposite bank of the PAAS stretch, who was spinning until he spotted us, and then started adding boulders to an in stream feature,which I am sure has a name, in salmon angling river management, but alludes me at the moment! He was joined by another, who's greeting was,"Oy what do you think you're doing" before "fishing" with him!


One for every Blog entry, maybe you've seen them already:

...and that's how the fight started

One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift...
The next year, I didn't buy her a gift.
When she asked me why, I replied, "Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!"

And that's how the fight started.....

Sunday 4 July 2010

Fishing

May get time to report tomorrow evening on my latest trip out.
I shall be out fishing over the next 4 days.

Other than that, the winds blowing, it's sticky, and two of my three water butts are empty!.

Friday 2 July 2010

Into the Valley

Pioneering? 

This is a series of articles I wrote for Fishing Magic back from  May 2006

Part 1

Set deep in a valley of the Lincolnshire Wolds, the Estate, which arable farmer and my new found friend George acquired some three years ago, are two spring fed trout lakes, a fattening (stew) pond, another lake and a small pond, both also spring fed.
As you do, I met George in the local, following one of our pub fishing club meetings.
He was running the trout lakes on a £17 a session ticket and was thinking, now he had settled in a bit, that the time had come to take a look at spreading his interests into coarse fishing.
So, he asked my advice, having been pointed in my direction by the landlord.
I was quick to advise, that being no expert, his best bet, if he was thinking of going professional, was to speak to the Environment Agency.
I told him of our club's experience, on our short lived lease, of another farm lake where the EA, free of charge, gave us a report and advice on that lake's contents and potential.
He felt at this time (because he didn't want too many people aware of his plans) that the fewer who knew, the better (taxman and cash in the back pocket came to my mind). Much to my delight, he asked me to fish the lake and the pond, primarily, to comment on the population.
Both the lake and the small pond, to his knowledge, certainly hadn't been fished for a number of years and he wasn't aware what fish existed within.

I arrived at the water at 5am, the light was just beginning to show on this early May morning and the dawn chorus of Canada geese and pheasant was all around. A Barn Owl was quartering the perimeter of the first trout lake, on what is the start of my adventure onto 'unfished' waters.
It became obvious to me immediately that the lake was teeming with small rudd and at least one carp of some proportion, it greeted me with an almighty crash, half way down the lake, as I settled in my chosen swim at the far end.
This lake is, I suppose, 100metres long by 30 wide. It has an island of about 5 metres round and 20 metres from the first bank. Obviously man made and perhaps 20/25 years old. Two of the banks are fishable, the first bank (south) across the width and, the nearside bank (west) by the grass roadway. The island is about 5 metres from the nearside bank.
There are old fishing stages in place, on three banks. The far bank (east) is tree lined, which with some work could be made accessible. The end bank (north), across its whole width, is a complete bed of reed, at present still brown but stretching from the bank, about three metres into the lake.
There are signs of a lily patch, just beginning to emerge to the front. A quick run around with my plummet showed an almost uniform depth of about 1.5m, no obvious shelf around the perimeter; well, at least the fishable perimeter.
I picked the swim at the far end, adjacent to the reed bed as my starting point. As I only had three hours available to me, I decided to sit it out in the one spot for the period.
My tackle is a Shimano Hyperloop 420 FA rod and, to match, a Super Aero 1000GT, loaded with 2.5lb Maxima straight through to a size 14 Drennan Super Specialist eyed hook.
I've chosen, because of a brisk northerly blowing across the front of me, to use a Pete Warren Middy alloy stick, carrying four no.4 dotted down with a No6 tell tale shot.
My bait, for today's short session was maggots and casters fished on the bottom, with hempseed for additional loose feed. Fished about two rod lengths out, close to the reeds.
It becomes very obvious to me from the off, that the tiny rudd were going to cause me trouble with casters and maggots, so it doesn't take me long to get out the Enterprise Tackle plastic casters.
I was soon into a better class of fish. An unmarked rudd of about 8oz, followed very closely by a few more of the same stamp and one roach, of equal size. I then started to get the finicky bites that I've learned to associate with crucian carp. Before long and following a few missed bites, a crucian of around the pound mark is in the net.
Again, a beautiful, unmarked fish that gave me quite a tussle and was followed in quick succession by four of its brothers, all fin perfect. So, the first hour done and things have gone quiet. I carried on feeding with my mixture of baits, the water continuing to foam with the tiny rudd and some bigger specimens.
On another day and in a different location I may have had a dabble with the rudd but I was determined to continue with testing the water.
So I waited patiently and before too long the float disappeared and I was into something somewhat larger that ran me straight towards the reed bed. My line and the fish parted company before it reached them.
I found, to my disgust, my line had busted at a shot. That will teach me not to bite my shots on the line. Yes I still do it, absent minded, me?
Quickly tackling up again, this time pinching my shot on the line, I cast to the same location, sat back and waited.
There are 30 Canada geese around this lake; yes I had time to count them. Their continuous squabbles, and mock fights, along with the monotonous drone of a diesel engine pump that supplies spring water from a stream to the stew pond and the sudden squawk of the cock pheasants around me all disturb the tranquillity that should surround this place.
Anyway, again I'm into a bigger fish and this time the hook pulls after a short tussle. The plastic casters were obviously acceptable to the inhabitants, except, that is, the tiny rudd that fiddle for a while then abandon them.
So, what am I hitting; carp, tench? I was soon to find out.
Whatever it was, it was giving me a fair run-around with my reel tension giving it line, so I tightened right up, I didn't want it to go into the reed bed.
It was a carp, a beautiful common of just under 10lb; it certainly put the rod to the test!
Ten to eight, one more cast and another lovely conditioned common carp, about 6lb.
Time for breakfast, must phone 'the Boss', to get the Crastor kipper from Waitrose in the grill. No signal, what more could I ask for?
Down in the valley all is quiet. Well, almost.
So, visit number one was over. A longer stint next time, maybe an evening session?

Part 2

I am not really a fair-weather fisherman, but a pet hate of mine is setting up whilst it's peeing down. So, my next visit to the valley was three weeks later, which turned out to be a dry sunny day, sat in the middle of our much reported drought!
Roll on the warm, dry days of summer.
So, so far, we've had rudd and roach to 8ozs, crucian carp to about a pound and common carp to about 10lb.
Arriving at the lake at 4pm and there is a substantial change all-round. The brown stems of the reeds are now bright green and spreading, the lily patch is somewhat larger, the goose population has expanded, with yellow tinted goslings all around and, the Canada's have been joined by eight Greylag geese.
I decided to tackle up in exactly the same way as my first visit and to fish the same method. Although I was concerned that if I got amongst the carp I could be outgunned on 2.5lb Maxima.
This time also, I didn't take along maggots or caster, just hemp seed and some BFW 3mm Elips pellets, left over from last seasons barbel fishing. I didn't feel feeding the hoards of rudd with maggots and casters served a great deal of purpose!
So, four hours of jiggling and adjusting, and wishing I'd bought with me some alternative baits (after all, with all this rain, the worms wouldn't have required a great deal of digging, would they?) not a bite, plenty of nibbles from the pesky rudd, but no decent bites.
Just after 8 o'clock I got my first bite, but guess what, it snapped me at the split shot after a short tussle.
Shortly after, having tackled up again, a lovely pale olive male tench of around 2lb succumbed to my plastic grub. My first of the year, and a tench from 'my' lake, great! In fact, as far as I can recall, my first since moving up to Lincolnshire in January 2003.
I am a big fan of tench and have not fished for them since moving away from the Milton Keynes AA waters and my PB of 6lb 13ozs. I live in hope, that some monsters lie within this lake, but who knows?
My next cast brings an instant take on the drop. I hit into something really powerful that I just cannot stop ……. It's gone, along with my float.
Make your mind up time Fred!
They've obviously come on the feed; do I continue with my lightweight approach and find myself outgunned or, do I switch tackle, at the risk of putting off everything but the carp? Assuming of course that is what has snapped me on my two visits.
Decision made, I have probably ninety minutes of good light left, so what do I have to lose? I decided to step up my gear, for I assumed that the fish may not have seen tackle for at least three years.
Out of my Double T sling, I pull my Midi Carp Reach Waggler rod, a prize from the match fishing related angling magazine, probably three years old now and rarely used. This rod has the ability, with the aid of a dolly section, to be used at 15, 17 or, 20 feet. I choose 15 feet, because from experience I know that at a longer length it becomes difficult to use my landing net. On top of that, I'm only fishing about 20ft out.
My reel is another Shimano, the Super Aero 4000R, freshly loaded this morning, with 4lb Maxima, just in case.
Suitably re tackled, I start again, but it's gone dead on me. The nagging doubts start to mount, but the signs of bottom feeding fish start again, so I wait, encouraged by the signals.
As I wait the diesel pump, for the trout fattening pool, fires into action, disturbing the tranquillity. Apart that is, from the robins, chaffinches and blackbirds singing their goodnight chorus. The things you have to put up with for the joy of fishing; it's tough. They're back, another straight under bite, a tough tussle and soon in the net, 6lbish of fin perfect common. These fish do give me a great fight for my money and, they certainly know where the reed bed is.
At 10 o'clock I can just about see my float and after six hours fishing it's enough for me. Slightly disappointed I pack up and wend my way home, dodging the dozy pheasants and the even dafter hare that runs along in front of me along the farm track.
As I sit at my keyboard writing this, I wonder if I'm going about this the right way, for a 'pioneer'.
I longed to catch a crucian again, just to see if they are true crucians, and to get some  opinions. My photographs taken at the first session downloaded from the camera OK, but I lost them when the system seized on me, having automatically deleted the pictures.
So, has toughening up my tackle thrown away my ability to catch the more wary species?
One thing for certain, I think I am more comfortable fishing from first light, rather than last light, so my next visit will certainly be at the crack of sparra's fart.

Part 3

It's 3:45am and I'm awoken by the Song Thrush serenade. He sits on my fence next to the bedroom window every morning, and starts up his now boring, dawn chorus.
So, I decide to get up and visit my lake for another four hour session. Yesterday was 23 degrees C, so summer's here and the rudd in my pond started spawning. I'll go and take advantage of them in the valley whilst they are busy on other things.
The dawn is very misty. Up here, they call it sea threat or, fret, or whatever. It got progressively thicker, as I drove down into the valley. I've decided to continue in what I consider to be the most fishy location, adjacent to the reed bed and lily patch. I'm fishing by 4:30am.
The rudd on the lake are not spawning, but I notice hoards of tiny fish in the margins, so something obviously has!
I'll step back a bit here. When I sorted my tackle out, after my last write up, I gave all the line a good going over, I wasn't happy with the breakages and thought that I may have an old brittle batch. Well, I don't know how long it has been in my tackle drawer!
It appeared OK, so thinking about the stepping up of tackle I had to do to allow for the carp, I decided to fish with a hook length of MAP Fluorotex 0.17mm. I also took out a box of Dynamite Swim Stim 6mm soft hook pellets.
Anyway, back to the fishing. I continue to use the plastic maggots and loose feed with hempseed, dead maggots, casters and the last of my BFW pellets.
On my first two visits to the water there had been quite a chop on, but this time the water surface is flat. I decide to use a straight 4 x No. 4 waggler and to lay on with an SSG shot about three inches from the hook.
One of the benefits of fishing this calm surface is that I was able to see fish bottom feeding, with groups of 5 or 6 small bubbles rising and groups of pin head size, almost fizzes and, occasionally, eruptions, as a fish ploughed it's way through the bottom.
My first fish is a 5lb 2ozs common, landed with no problem, within the first 15 minutes.
Then the nagging doubts started again as my hook length snapped, and then again above the float; an unstoppable fish that ploughed straight through the reed bed. There are obviously some big carp in the lake, as I've managed to handle fish to just under 10lb on the same gear.
As usual on my trips down I've gone with the bare necessities of tackle, in this case, the Midi rod and the 4000R. Do I move up to 7lb line or stick it out with 4lb? Decision made, straight through with 4lb, same method.
Start again, in the meantime, the fizzing is quite active around my loose feed, "maybe tench" I think to myself. Time to switch bait, and give the Swim Stim a try.
I brought these with me after reading a Jeff Woodhouse review of them, and decided to try them again. I wasn't happy using them, they didn't inspire any confidence in me that the bait was still actually on the hook after falling through the multitude of rudd.
Having reaffixed an SSG to the line I was fairly confident that with an underarm cast the pellet would reach the bottom safely two-rod lengths out. It did and I was very soon into a crucian, winkling out seven of the beauties in quick succession, all around the 1lb mark.
I was tested yet again with another bigger fish. Fortunately it swam in the opposite direction to the reeds, so, I was willing to give it a little more line. This common gave me a great tussle and, to my surprise, only weighed in at 8lb 12ozs!
All went quiet for a while; I think the last maniac carp had killed the swim off.
So, I waited, and listened to another Song Thrush, singing that same old tune, or had my thrush followed me, just to wind me up?
Nah.
The perpetual drone of the diesel pump continues with its freshening up of the trout fattening pond but the geese have gone very quiet. They are not on the lake but probably in the fields with their young.
I'm in again, into a crucian that is, and another four follow before I decide to call it a day.
Monthly meeting of the pub club tonight. I haven't seen George around since the last meeting. Perhaps, he'll be in tonight and I can buy him a pint and give him my initial report.
In the meantime I'll gather my thoughts for the next trip. I know there are a good head of fish so a change of approach is needed.
I think I may well step up the gear to find out what those unstoppable fish are and, perhaps, as Gary Knowles suggested to me at the Barbel Society Conference, to have a go for eels in case there are some in residence.
I'll be back!

Part 4


I suppose those of you still following this experience of mine think, "He's gone quiet; is he into some massive fish and not telling us, so that we can't send the scouts out?"
Well, no.
I've been down 3 or 4 times since the last update but, when it comes to discovering what lies beneath the surface, I'm still not quite certain.
I've tried stepping up my gear and used my 1.75 Barbel rod and hit into an immovable object - well it moved at first, stopped and I couldn't budge it, resulting in a hook pull! So I stepped up to my 2.75 rod and, no surprises, I was back to catching the normal stamp of fish.
So, to reiterate, this, so far, is what I've discovered in my lake:
Rudd, thousands of them, none so far above 8ozs.
Roach, not so many, up to 8ozs.
Crucian carp, plenty all around the pound mark, no more, no less!
Common/mirror carp, 8ozs to my best so far 10lb 14ozs.
One tench!
I am pretty certain there are, or is, a predator of some kind, although a legered sprat for eel went ignored for six hours. It marauds through the surface scattering the rudd in all directions, maybe a rogue trout from the ponds. No sign of perch.
During my other free time I've been down to the middle and tidal Trent, hunting out the barbel and chub. I've caught a few of each, but what is noticeable is that they all need a good feed. My most recent capture was a chub at 4lb 10ozs, it was longer and deeper than my PB of 6lb 12ozs but was very empty.
Roll on winter.
My latest visit to my lake yesterday (8th August), came about as a last minute thought. I'd been in the garden all day pottering backwards and forwards. So, at 6 o'clock, after asking the bosses permission I was off .
I packed up everything I thought I would need, and headed for the lake. On arrival, when I opening the hatchback I noticed that in my rush to get out (before the boss had time to answer) I'd left my bag of kit on the garage floor. So, I had my seat, landing net, rod, pellets and nothing else. No choice then, back home I had to go.
I sneaked in and out without being spotted, and was back at the lake in 15 minutes.
Whilst I had been planning my getaway, I had decided to float fish. So my kit was the Hyperloop 420FA, the SuperAero 4000 loaded with 8lb Suffix and a hook length of 4lb 1oz Fluorotec. Once again, because of the surface ripple and wind, I decided to use a wire stemmed stick float and finished it off with a size 12 Drennan Super Specialist.
My hook bait was to be the Enterprise plastic caster and maggot. There is no real way to get through the rudd with natural baits.
Loose feed was 3mm BFW pellets - the hemp seed was still frozen!
This feed certainly attracts the crucians and the commons, and I was soon into the usual size of fish, my first being a stunning fin perfect common of 9lb 4ozs.
I'll digress here for a moment, I've seen on this water, for the first time anywhere in my fishing life, on a few occasions, commons tail walking, if that's the right expression. Just rising out of the water with only their tail below, and moving along for some time. Too quick for my digital camera though; amazing power.
Anyway, back to the fishing, no break-offs this time, and my best common from the lake is fin perfect and weighing 10lb 14ozs, along with two at around 9lb which could have been twins. Also, a dozen or so crucian carp.
The dominant species is, apart from the rudd, common carp, I am certain there are bigger fish, but I'm not too interested in them at the moment.
I know there are more tench than the one I have caught; I've seen them porpoise. Perhaps they are being bullied by the carp?
No doubt a different ground bait is required before it's too late in the season. So, I'm going to think about this and try for them specifically on my next trip down.
I am also going to have a go for eels again, as soon as I can get a decent stock of lob worms.
Perhaps I should say that I haven't yet reported to George, the owner, in fact I've not seen him in the pub or by the Trout lakes, too busy with the harvest probably.
Oh yes, and the geese have reappeared out of the fields, they've had a great year by the looks of it, many, many youngsters and therefore more shit to slip on!

Part 5

It's Friday August 18th , the start of the Fishing Magic Species Race, and what better place to get me up and running, than by my lake in the valley.
We've decided to have skate and chips for dinner, so after discussing what we had planned for the rest of the day, a decision is made for an early dinner at 3o'clock, which as usual in our house, I will be cooking.
This would give me the opportunity to get to the lake at about 4 o'clock, and fish through until about 9pm. All through the day, on and off, very welcome rain had been falling. It was the good soaking type of rain which gave the garden a welcomed drenching. So part of our plan for the day, which involved the garden, was put on hold.
Anyway dinner time came and went, and in came the big clouds and the blackness descended. We had an almighty storm, which put paid to any idea I may have had, of going out at 4 o'clock. I wasn't going to be waving 14 feet of carbon fibre about in these conditions
At 5 o'clock I decided that it looked safe enough to go out and wave my wand around, so off I went. The lake was looking as serene as it always does, and now the sun was well and truly out, making it quite a warm, early evening.
Once again I had decided to float fish, but this time, with my Enterprise plastics as back up, I decided to try out Dynamite's Swimstim soft pellets. I also decided on a different swim, where the lake narrows at about halfway along it's length, near the island, and where a small lily patch lay, but with no reeds.
There was something about this swim that reminded me of somewhere else in my past, where I had many a good tenching session. So I was keyed up for this. A couple of hands full of BFW 3mm pellets were strategically placed and after a few attempts at hooking the soft pellets, I got the idea how it was done. This didn't give me a great deal of confidence though, as I suspected for a while, that they would not stay on the hook, especially as the rudd population would have other ideas too.
On my first cast I landed a rudd, maybe about an ounce and one point for my Species Race tally. Just in case this was my only rudd, the appropriate photograph was taken, and the fish then returned to the lake.
I quickly talked myself into moving my shot down the line to get the bait down quicker, which worked well. Believe it or not I landed a tench of 3lb. Two casts, and already two points! My firm belief that there was more than one tench in the lake was also justified.
By now the swim was fizzing. These pellets of BFW's certainly seem to be an attraction. I next landed a 12oz roach, my biggest so far from the lake and was very soon into a snotty, of no more than half a pound. 4 points. Then came the carp, a small common of about 2lb. Following this was a smashing Linear/Mirror of 6lb.
5 or 6 points? Same fish? Common carp? No doubt I would be put right at the final tally.
All went quiet for a while, after the truly mad tussle with the linear, but soon, after another good handful of the feeder pellets, the fizzing restarted. This time it was the tench that were in charge, and in very short time I had landed a further 7 of the beauties, ranging in size from a 1 pounder, up to the biggest at 4lb 15ozs. I wasn't going to call it 5lb, as it was one of those that hovered between on the scales.
As you can imagine I was well chuffed! The prospects for even better fish kept me plodding on.
Now comes the gripe. These so called soft shot from Dinsmore, well they're not. After struggling to get them on the line, without biting them shut, I was constantly having to replace them after each decent fish. And eventually this told, as my Fluorotec hook length parted through the constant wear and tear of shifting and putting on new shot. There must be a better way?! Bring back lead shot I say!
Anyway, a new hook length and on my way again. By this time darkness was setting in, and with 5 or 6 points in the bag, I was looking for the crucian to make a show, which of course they did. Two on the trot, one of 14ozs, the other a pound. This then followed by a few more of those slimy things, bream I think they're commonly called!
I wasn't putting up with them and besides, it was getting difficult to see the float, so it was off home for me.
Being well and truly pleased with my evening session, a celebration drink was called for, and as expected, a bottle of red was ready and waiting.
Ah, this is the life!
Roll on the next visit to my lake in the valley.

Part 6

What a grey miserable day it's turned out to be, sitting on the bank with a sprightly east/south easterly, whipping up the surface. Autumn is here and this is probably my last trip down, certainly as a pioneer, as the pub club has joined me.
Well, I've met up with George, at long last. As an arable farmer, it would appear to been a good late summer for him this year. No complaints thou, but it has been very busy. The weather's been good up here on the Wolds too.
I gave him my views on the lake and the fish contents, as I've found them, and he's off to think about it.
In the meantime I've asked him to allow the pub club to have a 'match', so as to see how the fishery reacts to numbers. Probably unfair I suppose, as we are now into autumn and perhaps not the best time for a real test.
He agrees, so we line it up for Sunday 15th October fishing 9am until 4pm. George says he'll try and get down for the weigh in.
My advice to him is that he should sell season tickets for the water, say £50 a year to people recommended by friends, that is initially our club, and friends of our club members. This would enable him to see how he likes the idea of people arriving at the lake at all times of day or night, or alternatively, only allowing dawn 'til dusk fishing, as with the trout lakes.
The water would effectively become self-policing, with only known fisherman in attendance. As for the stock, I feel that, although there are too many rudd and carp in the lake we should let it stay as it is for a year, and then get a consensus view from the members fishing.
As I mentioned in my earlier pieces, there are two trout lakes. George appears to be unhappy with these as they are fished on trust. That is anglers leave their day ticket money in the fisherman's hut and restricting themselves to two fish. He has become somewhat mistrusting, you can guess why, and just can't afford the time to police the lakes.
They could well be available for future expansion of the coarse fishing if he decides to expand into a full-blown fishery business.
We shall see.
Anyway back to the match! 8am Sunday morning, as usual only 9 of the 25 members show up!
 I identify the swims we should fish, and the draw takes place. I've given nobody clues on how to fish, save as to tell them of the rudd population, the size of the carp and generally, what else to expect.
By the way I didn't draw my swims. I've also insisted, expecting many good sized fish to be caught, that any fish appearing to be in the region of 3lb, should not be keep netted. With the benefit of hindsight this could have been a bad decision, as we don't obviously have a nets man, but the only coached match fisherman amongst the members, has the scales and weigh sling!
During the match our nets man has the call eight times, the first within 15 minutes. That was from old Doug, he's the old boy, who along with his elder brother Bob, turn up to every match rain or shine and sit there all day catching, or sometimes not, each with a ledger rod out with a worm or a chunk of cheddar!
Doug by the way, is in for the biggest fish trophy this season, and holds the all time club record for a mole! Caught when a cast of his, ended up on a far bank and his worm attracted the poor creature!
First decent fish to Doug, a common of 5lb 10ozs, as it turned out, his only fish.
To cut a long story short, the rudd had obviously lost interest in feeding, on what was a bit of an on/off day.
The 9 of us weighed in a total of only 76lb3ozs, the nets man winning with a total of 13lb 10ozs, despite his eight trips up and down the bank.
The biggest fish a 7lb 10ozs common carp, Bob's only fish. Two very nice tench at 4lb each, and a surprise chub that looked all of 2lb, but weighed in at 3lb2ozs. No crucians caught.
George did turn up for the weigh in, and was pleasantly surprised with the standard of the fish caught. As a country boy, he knew what the species were too.
I may well go down again this year, as I still have the small pond to test out. I will let you know if I do.
As well as that, I suppose I should also let you know how George wants to treat his fishery.
As far as the club goes, they want to go again. The variety of fish caught and the quality was commented upon, as the main reason.

'We don't want to just catch carp'

Thursday 1 July 2010

I'm back!

Been away

Back from Romford, no fishing to report,but we'll see what's elsewhere!



' LESS' in the 21st Century 

Our communication - Wireless
Our phones - Cordless
Our cooking - Fireless
Our food - Fatless
Our Sweets - Sugarless
Our labour - Effortless
Our relations - Fruitless
Our attitude - Careless
Our feelings - Heartless
Our politics - Shameless
Our education - Worthless
Our Mistakes - Countless
Our arguments - Baseless
Our youth - Jobless
Our Ladies - Topless
Our Boss - Brainless
Our Jobs - Thankless
Our Needs - Endless
Our situation - Hopeless
Our Salaries - Less and less