Favourites

Date fished 14/12/2024

8am until 12pm

Favourites are difficult. Favourite child, football team or food. Rupe as a boy, Martha as a girl, Liverpool, curry, pizza, I mean burgers! See, its difficult. 

Fishing, well that must be the ultimate difficult favourite decision. I think the answer is "whatever the fishing I am doing at the time". 

The annual grayling fishing at Piercebridge trip was a solo affair today. I have to admit, it's usually one of my favourite trips.

I got my soup ready and set off just before 7am. Arriving as the sun rose, I took minimal gear down to the river. It looked in fair nick. Clear and actually lower than I thought. Perfect for the ladies. 

The rod was already set up, so within minutes I was wading in the shallows and trotting. Third trot down and I was in. Top left above. Four of the next five fish in about 40 minutes were approximately a pound. It was a great stamp of fish. 

Conditions seemed perfect so I fished on. Soon, I had caught eight grayling and two dickhead trout that splashed around like idiots! Barbless hooks meant everyone was released none the worse for wear and I lost a few fish also, which was fine. 

I heard someone behind me. A chap had come to investigate the island swim and had not seen me in it. He apologised, I said nonsense and offered him a trot. He just wanted to see it, as he had seen it on one of Ellis's ' very informative ' YouTube videos and it looked so good!! 

I didn't do the usual and move swims, which also acts as warming up the cold feet. Instead I trudged out the cold river, drank hot chicken soup and started writing the blog. Am actually sat on the bank typing this now. I can feel the soup warming my cold little toes. 

The downstream wind picked up and with the sun so low, the trotting was difficult and cold. Hat, gloves and snood were all applied, the dork hat in my bag just in case!

After a short session, I headed home happy, a successful day if only in a short burst. Off to put my dancing shoes on, strictly final tonight, don't think I am dancing in that! Cold toes to now twinkle toes!!

Just if you wanted to see,  the original fish pics that made the collage. 

Close to home

Date fished 1/12/2024

8am until 1:30pm

Man flu and Man City (visiting Anfield) today meant I was limited with my fishing options. I decided to stay close to home, closer than the lake at Ryton, I was going to fish the Tyne. 

I put some feelers out and was given a particular location, this worked well as given I walk along that river a lot, it was the swim I was going to fish anyway. I bought myself a day ticket from the council website, a random £10.19. I was going to target the chub so took meat, cheese paste and bread and the 7ft ledger rod. Scared I might need a minnow as the blank saver, I took the float rod, closed face and frozen maggots as back up. 

I left the house at 7.45am and walked the mile to the river. It was just getting light and looked so perfect when I arrived. So perfect in fact, that I didn't waste time to take a pic, but cast straight in. This was later and you can see it still looked lovely. 

First cast and nothing happened, I tried again. Second cast and the rod pulled round, I struck and played the fish. On the little rod, its sometimes difficult. I cursed this small rod as the fish got off. It's perfect in tight swims behind a bush, maybe not so on the wide river Tyne!

I cast again. Over the next hour I missed 7 bites. they ranged from savage pulls that I missed to smaller plucks that I hit and played the fish. None resulted in a capture. 

Frustrated, I changed the hook from a hair rigged cork ball to a plain hook. I moulded the cheese paste to the hook and cast it back into the zone. As sure as eggs are eggs, the rod pulled round and I was in. This time, I connected and played the rubber lips to the waiting net. Success!

2lb 11oz, so not massive but immaculate. My first ever Tyne fish, I was buzzing. I cast back in and waited, this is where the blog could end, but I will keep writing even if you don't keep reading. 

I trotted with maggots but the float remained above the water. I did move downstream to ledger in some likely looking spots behind bushes and the like, but nothing else happened. I had caught a Tyne chub, success!!, is that not enough!??!

Four legged and two legged visitors came down the steps to see what "fishing" was. They mostly left disappointed and bored without full tummies of my bait. A slice of pizza keeping me going just long enough till home time. 

I walked home happy with a stinky net, lets hope Liverpool will do the business later and make the net bulge!

Dork hat

Date fished 3/11/2024

8am until 12.30pm

You may remember, I asked the kids what they wanted to try and catch this year. Rupe said a pike and Martha said a chub, (she has since changed this to a river carp!!) . I wondered if I could sort both together? Well, I could try. 

Earlier in the week, I went to Tight Lines North East and bought some dead baits. It's been a while since I did this style of fishing. I remember why now.  It can be frustrating, but rewarding! 

We set off early with pain au chocolate, wrapped in tin foil. They were eaten well before we left Hexham. We had two rods, one for pike and one for chub. The usual tactics. 

Martha wore waders, but hadn't checked if they fitted. She had tried the boot on but not pulled up the legs. She waddled all the way to the river moaning! 

We started at the washing machine peg. I was hoping for a chub here but thought a pike may be on the cards too.  We lacked stealth, the kids creating the actual noise of a washing machine! 

It just turned into a place for selfies. We moved on upstream and found the perfect swim. We waited and only got snagged. I remembered the pit falls of pike fishing. 

You can see Rupes float, waiting for a bite

We moved on and found another perfect swim. No bushes, no cover. Just a slack on our bank in an otherwise expanse of flowing river. It was 10.40am, we cast in and gave ourselves until 11am. 

I had explained to Rupe about reeling in slowly when we are moving on as this can still produce a bite. At 11am he started to reel, the bait came inches to the bank and rose in the clear water. We both saw the pike follow and lunge at his bait. It grabbed it and he held on. He played it like a pro and we were soon netting (a bit downstream) his first pike. Very proud dad. At 8lb 7oz it was a great first fish. 

We moved on upstream and found a swim we thought was chubby, we could also sit here and eat our lunch, chubby too! 

The cheesepaste was cast in by the bush and we waited. I am not sure if it was Martha wiggling on the chair or a fish but the rod definitely did something. There was nothing on the end though and even the trick of giving it until 12.30 didnt work. We left happy and still wanting more, isn't that the best way!? 

The dork hat was a phrase coined by my dad and his mate Les on a fishing trip. I think Rupe wears it well!!

Untold story

Date fished 26/10/2024

7am until 4pm

As I prepared my kit, two blue bottles flew out of my seat box. I felt like a proud father opening the window so they could go forth and enjoy the Hexham air. After that, I got my kit together. The new quiver taking a back seat as I was only taking one rod! I was "promised" pb barbel by Ellis. As this was going to be a new river for me, any barbel or fish would be a pb from that, I wonder if that's what he meant?!

Edit. 

Ellis messaged me to say four rods could fit in the swim he wanted to fish. I grabbed another rod and the quiver was happy! 

Two hours drive and I was soon meeting Ellis, the location was the Ouse. I have never fished it before so was excited. We parked up in the dark and got the kit ready. Another car pulled in to the car park, this put Ellis into speedy mode and we were quickly walking past some cows to the river. 

The swim was perfect. Wide, sandy and the river looked great. 

It's difficult to say how good the swim was, but comfort, social and fishing wise it was spot on. We tackled up as the beautiful sunrise lit up the sky. At 7.49 we cast in the feeders and waited. Regular casting got some bait in the swim. Pellets, meat and dumbbell boilies the hair rigged baits. 

Again you will think this is cliche but this was one of my favourite blanks ever. We talked about so much. Men's health, life, fishing trips, other anglers and there were moments where I was laughing like a school boy! It was such a great day. 

The fish were secondary and on this occasion and stayed in their watery home. There will be times when fish dominate the session and we don't have much time to chat! 

For this reason this blog is special to me, so I am not going to share all the memories. The highlights though. 

Sausage sarnies by Carole

Condiments

Sausage puns

Cow's bodily functions

Bush casting 

Angling etiquette 

Clubs

Would you rather...

Oh, and you never told me that story Ellis!!! 

Quiver my timbers

I have always wanted a rod quiver. I have had multiple rod bags but none have hit the mark. Finally found one on ebay, used but good condition. A few clicks later and one very happy Adam. 

It has a 3 piece rod in bag, a 2 piece rod made up and my 7ft rod. Oh, and of course rod rest with camera mount, landing net handle and net too. 

See you on the bank soon. 

Two club chub

Date fished 12/10/2024

7.15am until 12.30pm

The BBC weather app was now behaving. It was not showing 16 thousand mile an hour winds, so with 0% chance of rain until 2pm, I headed south. The Swale at Morton my target. 

A few days ago, I started planning for this trip. With recent rain, the river would be up but fishable. The freezer was still full of breadcrumb so I decided to turn it into something more substantial! 

Cheesepaste made I was ready. I am a member of two clubs that have water at Morton. There may be others, but I am not sure. There would be no casting just to mid river for me. 😉

I arrived at the river and sat in the car with a cup of coffee and ate my second breakfast. All very civilised. The first swim to fish was a stones throw away, so I waited for the light to get that little bit brighter. 

The river looked spot on. High, maybe dropping but definitely good for a fish. I cast my ledgered cheesepaste into the slack and waited. 

This swim only produced a snag and a lost hooklink, so did the next swim. This was not going well. 

I walked on upstream. I got to a sign that declared the end of this clubs stretch. I am a member of the other club, so hopped over and continued on my way. I am no longer able to fish the opposite bank. The first club no longer have rights. I looked at past swims I had caught in. Particularly noting "9lb bay" where Davey had a 9lb pike from many years ago. It made me smile as I walked on past. 

The third swim I tried I really like. I had my first ever touch ledger caught chub on curried meat. Its a swim I am fond of. I sat and watched the constant taps on my meat (I had switched baits), I think I knew what was happening. 

Ronnie or Reggie

I then walked to a big bend, I have fished here unsuccessfully in the past, why should today be any different? 

I cast in the ledger and nothing. I watched a small pike, about 25cm, come up to the surface, look around and then slowly drift down to the depths. ( If it had been 25 lb not cm, I would of called you Tom! )

It was 9.04. I decided to take off the weight and free line a big lump of cheesepaste. I would give it until 9.15 and then I said I would move on. I had left my coffee, lunch and third breakfast in the car. I had to drive to the next set of swims, so this was planned, not forgotten. 

The clock had not hit ten past when I watched the line tighten. I tightened up and was soon playing a small chub. I am being generous with myself if I say 2lb. Definitely the smallest I have had on ledger on this stretch, a sign for the future. A blank saver anyway!! 

The success made me make one more cast and add 20 mins to the timer. All this did was mean the rain started. 0% huh!?! It was quite heavy, I trudged through the rain back to the car. A sheep had its head stuck in a wire fence. Looking around for Little Bo Peep, she was nowhere to be seen. The sheep had dented the ground it had been there a while. I put my kit down and walked over to help. The thought of me helping was enough for the sheep to wiggle with increased vigor and was soon free. Glad I didn't need to manhandle it, not sure what I would of done, I walked on even wetter but a little bit smug. 

Back at the car for third breakfast and a cup of coffee and I watched the rain slowly stop. Enough time to briefly chat to two other anglers, who had pike success, and I was soon driving to the next spot. 

I parked again and got 'everything' this time to take with me. See, there was logic with eating stuff before. Less to carry! I also left my sunglasses and cap. I would not need them. I headed down the track to the river. 

I came to a swim I have another fondness of. I got snapped up by something in here years ago. Something big. I never saw it, but I always wonder. 30 minutes here today with just a few knocks, I wonder if they were fishy or with claws!?! I moved downstream. I played in a few swims, but I knew where I wanted to fish. 

The big bend! It's a washing machine of flow going both ways, around in circles and every which way but loose. I had been using weights and feeders in all swims since catching the free lined chub. Here, I took the weight off again, it's not needed in the washing machine.

I cast in and sat back. Within 10 minutes the line started to tighten and I was in again. The 7ft rod, I thought I was going to be casting close in behind bushes and in slacks, looking silly playing a fish in open water. It did the business though and it was soon in the net. At 4lb 10oz, a much better fish. 

The clock had not hit midday yet. I sat back and watched the water. The sun came out and I took off my big coat. Ironically the sunglasses and cap would of been good, but I settled for a sarnie! 

I had caught a chub from each of the clubs water I belong to here, so I figured that was enough. The pike anglers had walked past, so I went and told them the washing machine was free and they could jump in. 

A 20 minute walk uphill to the car and I was certainly warm when I popped the boot and loaded my kit in. A successful few hours spent reminiscing about swims and washing machines. Now back home to the reality! 

If I only fished to catch fish. I'd of given up ages ago....

Date fished 29/09/2024

7am until 3pm

A new river today. Jason invited me to fish the Wear at Durham. He has had some success, so decided to share it. Well, try! 

Lots of rain across the whole country this week, flooding down south but the North was relatively unaffected. The river was up but certainly fishable. It did have quite a bit of colour, which Jason seems to think may of been "the issue". 

However, meeting Jason in the car park, he greeted me with the colloquial "now then?" 

We walked to the river. 

Float rod, ledger rod with swim feeders. Maggots, worms, pellets, meat and cheesepaste. We had it all! 

The chocolate river looked good enough to drink. I started with the float in a swim I thought looked good. Jason went to investigate swims he had fished before, although he wondered if the conditions were right for them.

After a few casts, I was in. A small trout, there would be lots of these! 

Next a lovely grayling, there would be two of these. The first (biggest) jumped back in before a picture was taken. 

A chublet, there was one of these. 

A minnow, again, just one of these. 

Because I wanted to see the areas to fish, we left this swim and went for a walk. We fished lots of perfectly looking swims, although these didn't produce fish. Back to the original swim and more of the same! 

We ended up trying several swims over a few miles up and downstream. Apart from me seeing a huge salmon, we didn't get amongst the fish. Its such a good experience to fish a new river and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. 

I usually fish the same places in the same way, but days like this make me really happy. I feel I am a proper angler now, trying and working out swims, rivers and techniques across my fishing. 

In truth, I love my fishing! 

The title says it all.