Another 24 hours

This weekend I joined my mates at Crabmill flash. They had already spent 24 hours at the water and I was re enforcements for another 24. Their first night had been very quiet with no action for either of them, but a chap fishing a bit farther down had caught a 55lb Catfish. I started the day session fishing two rods one had a couple of big pellets on, the other my little quiver tip with a maggot feeder and lob worm. Unfortunately I didn't get a touch on either and it was turning into another rather elaborate picnic cum camping trip. As the day wore on I added another rod to the mix. This time trying a boom rig about 3ft off the bottom, with a big bunch of worms I was hoping to attract a cruising Wells.
 I then had to nip home as I had forgotten my sleeping bag, which on a night fishing trip should be seen as an essential really. I trudged back more than a little annoyed with myself just as camp chef Liam was serving our evening meal, which cheered me up.

So with better spirits and a full belly I changed my set up ready for the night session. Sticking with the boom worm rig for the Catfish and changing the pellet rig for a dead bait rig to double my chances. The small rod fishing the feeder was changed to a running lead with a big lob worm to target the Eels, and to be honest it was this rod I was most confident in catching on.

As darkness fell Toby and I were kept entertain by liam and his irrational fear of rodents. A water Vole was paroling along the bank side hoping to find a tasty morsel and if it could have heard Liam im sure it would have been very offended at being called  " A Massive Rat! "
We were having a good old laugh and Toby was just a about to turn in for the night when there was a single beep from my bite alarm, this soon snapped our attention as it had been a very rare sound all day for us all. Another single beep soon followed I excitedly got myself poised ready over the rod we had all expected would be the one with the most chance of any action, then my alarm screamed as line was streaming off the reel and I finally had a fish on.

My reward was an Eel of a couple of pounds which for the first time ever I had even managed to lip hook. Please with myself I reset my rods and turned in for the night with the faint hope that I would be awoken by one of the other rods and a huge catfish. However at 4am it was the smaller rod which had another great run and I was woken up by another eel this time much smaller more of a "bootlace".

All in all this time out it was a much better session for me at Crabmill where last time I had blanked this time I pulled out two Eels, I know that for some people that could be considered worse. Now a days the Eel is becoming increasingly rare and as such should be cherished and seen as a specimen species as far as I am concerned.

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

  On The Bank Technical specs

 

 

 

  

Final Pike sessesion of the season

This weekend saw us head back to Longbarn in Warrington, for what was to be our final session after Pike. We intend to give the Pike a rest now until October and target fish more comfortable in the warmer months.
We arrived at the pool at about 7 o'clock and were fishing by half past, using the same set up that has been so successful for us. A simple float ledger rig with a fresh Smelt on the bottom is irresistible to the Longbarn jack Pike

I had to wait quite a while for my first fish, it came with the excitement I always get as my pencil float cocked itself and started off on a run, only to be stopped by me setting the hooks.
It felt like a good fish as it tugged back, and took a while to get to the surface, but alas it was just another really hard fighting Jack of around 4lb, that made another break for freedom, as I had him at the inside about to grab the little fellow. Successfully landed and a quick picture taken the fish was returned none the worst for wear.
There was another long interval before the next bit of action, as Toby was enjoying his lunch he noticed a small float appear, on the far side of channel between two islands. I had a good luck at it with my binoculars and saw that it was a massive waggler, which we presumed was a lone float wandering on the wind, until Toby watched it shoot under only to reappear a bit closer to us. Now convinced there was a fish attached, Toby attempted to cast his line over the float to snag it, which he very skilfully did on the second try, and connected to what was now most definitely a fish!
Putting up a good struggle we thought it was a good sized carp at first, due to the over sized waggler it was underneath, but as Toby continued to play the fish when it got closer we saw that it was a Pike. Now our thinking was, somebody had been using regular waggler tactics and a Pike had hit a fish they were bringing in, which could well have snapped them off. When the fish was finally landed after a very careful fight, all became clear as we tried to unhook the fish from a two treble hook rig, which had been attached to perfectly shotted 4AA waggler, on about an 8lb main line. Toby worked magic with the forceps, while I held the fish, she went back into the water in a big specimen net for a while to recover before we grabbed a quick pic and returned the Pike to the water, now able to feed and without a float and about 3ft of line attached to live a healthy and happy life.

I had another couple of fish (as you can see below) before the day was out, one to a lamprey section injected with a bit of salmon oil, and the bigger of the three, a good 5lb falling to the old faithful Smelt. It was quite a long fish and when I first saw it in the water I thought maybe it could have been close to the double figure fish I have so longed to catch from this water, but no it was a long lean and quite mean jack of nearly 6lb.
Never the less it was a good fish, and a great way to end our first season of pike fishing, which only started in December, Since then I have landed 11 Pike including a good double of 12lb, they may all have been from what are fairly easy waters, but I now have some great experience and knowledge in catching and handling these fantastic creatures, which come this winter I will be putting to good use in attempting to catch a specimen from a river and having a go with some lures and spinners.
 But for now we turn our attention to Tench and Carp, and some sitting behind the buzzers waiting for a monster 

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs

 

 

 

Swamp things 2

We went back to Longbarn in Warrington this weekend, for a final Piking session of the season, and to try and break Toby's duck with Longbarn Pike, having lost a couple and missed as many last week.
The weather forecast was pretty good and it was a nice bright morning, a pleasure to be on the bank.
Toby only had to wait about ten minuets after his first cast, for his pencil float to stand to attention and start of on a wander, after a very short battle Toby had his fish. A nicely marked 2.5lb Longbarn Jack Pike.

I had my first pike not long after, using what seems a favourite of the hungry Longbarn Jack, Smelt float fished hard on the bottom. Giving a good fight, I wondered if this was one of the big old girls that must live there, but it was just a tough Jack of nearly 5lb, that gave me the run around.
 
As I said it was a lovely morning, and there was a few dog walkers doing the morning rounds, some of which would stop and chat to us, as they walked past. A familiar face had stopped, and Toby was telling the chap about the fish in the pool, and as if on cue, my float righted itself and started to wobble around. As I played the fish I was trying to put a name to face I was sure I recognised, Toby chinned  my pike which we guessed was around the 4lb mark. Our onlooker admired the fish and then they both went on their way (although in different directions). We took a quick picture of the Pike, we didn't however get a picture with, who we eventually recalled was the character Ashley Peacock from Coronation St

After that bit of excitement, it was lunch time. And in typical fashion Toby had just poured himself a cup of soup, when his float cocked itself and tanked off towards an island in the middle. Toby soon landed his second fish of the day a Jack of around 3lb. The good weather didn't last too long, the heavens opened and we had to quickly grab our umbrellas, to avoid getting drenched, with the rain came a bit of a thunder storm, and I was glad to be in my insulating wellies.
The passing storm, however brief seamed to have a massively detrimental effect on our afternoons fishing. Despite moving round and changing baits, we just couldn't pick up another bite, on what is a fantastically productive venue for Jack Pike.

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs

Crocs from the swamp

We travelled up to Warrington to fish for Pike this weekend, at a venue called Longbarn pool or "the brick pits" as it is know locally. It is a small water set between a housing estate and a main road, at only 4ft at its deepest with lots of islands, over hanging trees and reed beds, it has some great features to fish to.

Starting off with float ledgered dead baits, I cast to little island just to my left in about 2ft of water and wasn't long before my float started to twitch and then rip off towards some reeds, and I was connected to small be lively jack, who gave a really good account of himself, tail walking and pulling off line before eventually coming to the net, my first Longbarn Pike just a shade under 4lb.

My next run came around lunch time and was a bigger Pike of around 4.5lb, Toby however was not doing so well, a couple of good runs but still no Esox on the bank. Just before I caught my second Toby had one on only to lose him at the net. We also met fellow BMAC member Michael who had a good day, banking three pike the biggest of which was somewhere between  6-7lb.
I had another couple of nice Jacks to 3.5lb and three or four good runs , but the Pike evaded my old mate Toby all day, despite loads of runs he just couldn't get one on the bank, fish crashing in the reeds all over, cruelly mocking him. That place its absolutely crawling with jack Pike, seven fish banked over three rods in day is great pike fishing, and we will definitely be back so that Toby can catch the big old girl that must rule the swamp.

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs

New PB Perch

This weekends plan of action was to finally get up to Lymm Dam to fish for Pike, last time we tried to fish Lymm it had a lid on it. 
A much milder week hear in the North West meant that everywhere was now fish-able again and there was a match on The Bay Cliff side of the Dam, so Toby and I fished the church side. The Bream in Lymm Dam are said to run to double figures so with that in mind we had a rod each set up for bin lids and another with float ledgered dead baits.
Using a large maggot feeder I tried to build up a nice carpet of the grubs for the bream to come and munch on, while working round with the float rig for the pike trying to find some features to fish to.

 Then the heavens opened and we were battered by torrential rain for what seamed like forever. I had to fight with my brolly continually, as it turned inside out with every gust of wind, when I did manage to keep it upright the rain still soaked the left hand side of my so called waterproofs!
In the mean time Toby who was much drier in his bivvy was becoming increasing agitated by the lack of any form of bite or indication on either rod, I too had not had so much as a knock. But that was really the last of my worries I was soaked and pretty fed up.
I made a quick phone call to our friend Liam who was fishing with his son at Border to find out how the weather was closer to home, the weather was ok and so was the fishing, he was bagging up on Roach and Rudd and Michael had lost a good Carp.
Without further ado we packed up and headed to join the fun on Robbie's pool, I had my first Roach in just under an hour after packing up at Lymm.

Single Maggot under a waggle was doing the damage and we  had a merry hour or so finally catching fish again after such slack couple of weeks.
We had the Canal style water behind us, and a move again would mean we could spend the last hour with the wind off our backs comfortably under our umbrellas and have an impromptu little match.
All armed with a waggler and maggots we more or less took it in turns catching nice little silvers with Toby gaining the edge with his swim hold the slightly bigger fish, as Toby and Liam continued to chalk up fish after fish, I couldn't get a bite again.

Liam had decided to call it a day and was walking past me as my float suddenly disappeared again, asking was it a good fish? I replied I thinks its a bit bigger than my 2lb nylon hook-link. From the dogged fight I wondered weather it was maybe a Barbel or Chub as it tried to get into the inside margin, but once it got near to the surface, I could see those red stripes that are unmistakable.
Once landed and quickly weighed I could sit back well and truly chuffed with a new personal best Perch of 2.6lb

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs

Braving the Elements

Sunday was maybe not the best day to set off on another one of our fishing adventures, before first light the weather can be a little misleading, what seamed to be quite a calm and mild morning, turned into a really cold and blustery day. Before setting off down the M6 to Cudmore, we loaded up with the tackle and I grabbed a small beach style sun and wind shelter, to maybe complement my umbrella and to keep the tackle dry in case of a down pour.

Grim was not the word it was a tremendous struggle just to set up. I lost another umbrella spike to the wind as my brolly was turned inside out. The small wind shelter proved to be a great addition to my kit after loading it with all our tackle, I could just about stop it from taking to the sky!
So the fishing wasn't the most comfortable session we have ever had, but despite the bad conditions we still managed to get of few Pike on the bank.




This week our friend Liam came along to bag himself his first pike of the season, and Cudmore's predator lake Tara did not take long to oblige. A ledgered dead bait grabbed Liam a 5lb 14 jack by around 8:30 and it wasn't long after that my float buried and I landed a really lively 3lb Pike.

 After catching a great 12lber for my first Pike I was a little disappointed at the size of my fish and confident of another I didn't take a picture, just slipped him quickly back with the instructions to go and find his mum for me.
Toby fancied his chances of catching a cheeky winter Carp and they run to a good size in Tara. Armed with a new rig to try out, it only took a a couple of casts with a few stringers of loose feed to tempt a beautiful 7lb mirror. Chuffed with his catch Toby got back to the more standard winter quarry and lumped out a float fished Herring.

A little salmon oil must have worked its wonders as Toby's float started to disappear, on what was a really choppy day watching for bites on the float was pretty hard work, but there was no mistaking that this was a fish as the float dipped under again and Toby hit into a lovely 5lb Pike. We managed to bank another small jack before the day was out. All in all a good day 4 pike banked and a cheeky winter carp.

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs

My first pike

Not a bad first!

After a frustrating visit on New years day Toby and i returned to Cudmore fisheries predator lake Tara.
We both started out on float rigged dead bait (Lamprey section/half Herring) and after a quiet couple of hours we started to get pickups only to be disappointed on the strike, as we are both fairly new to Pike fishing neither of us knew exactly when to strike?

After speaking to the current Catfish record holder on the avoca lake, he suggested we should try a live bait (which his other half kindly supplied). I kid you not 2 Min's after Toby's first cast with a small but feisty Perch, the big bodied float on his line started going walkabouts, the float dipped a couple of times, and Toby grabbed the rod and tried to set the hook. Gutted, no fish, no rig either but a nice clean cut on the line told us a Pike had got a large mouth full of mainline as well as the perch!

We each had a couple more takes as the afternoon wore on, but I decided to change to a really simple Catfish rig of slightly popped up worm on a straight running ledger.
I cast to an over hanging tree to my right, from which Toby had promised me all day would produce a fish.
Oh boy he wasn't wrong, my alarm give a couple of beeps then screamed off. As I struck to set the hook all i could think was please for god's sake don't do what you did last week, when after a cracking take, I hit into the biggest fish I have ever felt, only to be snapped off immediately. This time everything was right and I started to play the biggest fish I have ever had on my line. The fight was brief but exciting and after a couple of frantic minutes Toby netted my first ever pike. The large single hook loaded with worms had lodged beautifully in the scissors of the fish, so after quickly being unhooked and weighed the 12lb esox was safely returned no worse for wear.

Thats her at the top and im the one beaming ear to ear!