Well fed

Date fished 20/4/2024

8am until 1pm 

Frosts during the week and lows of minus one. Perfect for some spring tench! 😂

The weather is usually the limiting factor in my fishing. Too hot, drought, too wet, flooded just some of the experiences these last few years. I try not to grumble though, no bugger would listen (or sympathise!)

Tom and I decided to head to Tilcon. We had been messaging about halibut pellets over the last few weeks. Me teasing him, as he loves them, that he was making them for dinner! He assured me it was actually corned beef hash, it looked good, my invite must have been in the post?!

Arriving at the lake, it was similar to the last outing here. I had the float rod and the ledger gear ( not sure why I use rod and gear that way?! but always do)

Walking around the flooded path, I found a couple of fishable swims next to eachother. I plonked my gear into one and started feeding. myself, not the fish! Or so Tom thinks. 

I ate two roast beef rolls, a kit kat, a little orange and drank my flask of coffee. Not too much! 

We then fed the fish. Corn, pellets and groundbait. No bites but plenty of fish topping and a huge ripple right next to my float. My exclamation only met with Tom's laughter as he declared "that was my pellet I chucked at your float!" 

Blanker! (Not a typo) 

Hypnotic

Date fished 6/4/2024

7am until 12pm

A date with Kathleen later today didn't sound fun, so I headed out early. The rivers being closed to coarse fishing had me going to my usual April to June ish haunt of Tilcon. It's great to have a club close by, just to cater for my closed season fix. In truth, I probably fish Tilcon from April to October, but mostly evenings when the river season is back open from mid June. 

Today, the lake was full. Very full. The wooden platform I usually sit on was a good few feet underwater, and by a few I may mean five! Am sure someone will tell me. I plumbed and was fishing fairly deep on the bottom and was probably just about fishing where the normal edge of the lake would be. 

Nornally, I would walk from the end of the wooden channel to the platform by that bush. That's how much water was in. But it looked perfect for a fish. Kathleen had brought some unusually warm weather and when the drizzle stopped, it was ideal weather. 

Float fished sweetcorn about 10 steps from my parked car was the approach, with a little bit of bread crumb and micro pellets as loose feed. It took about an hour and the float disappeared. A nice, hand sized ide to open my account. 

Another angler came just as I was releasing the ide, we had a little chat and he set off to the other side of the lake. 

Unfortunately no more fish for me, but I had a good time. Whilst slowly being hypnotised by the float, I watched Magpies taking housing materials to their chosen spot, a deer eating it's breakfast and a large fish porpoising over floating sweetcorn skins. 

I thought it was a large bream, it didn't slurp them down like a carp. Instead, going back and forth over one skin. It took two or three attempts to eat it. Of course, I changed tactics and soon two skins attached to my hook sat on the surface. The fish took my offering three times, but sadly no hook ups! 

I enjoyed my day at Tilcon. I sat and realised, it was the last place I had fished with Davey. I am not a believer when people say it's not called "catching" but "fishing", so not catching is ok.

However, I was more than happy to sit and be hypnotised by nature this morning. Am off now to hook up with Kathleen and make her dry my washing! 

Setting the Tone

Date fished 14/3/2024

8am until 2pm

A week in Dorset to visit my mum followed by a weekend in London meant I was 'free' for the last day of the river season. I had planned to fish down here last year, but never managed it. I acquired a day ticket from Taunton Angling Association and decided on a section of the river Tone. 

I drove 45 mins to the spot and parked in the cinema car park, no signs so I assumed gratis. The rain had been with me on most of the journey but it was starting to ease. I tackled up (the correct rod) in the first likely swim and cast my cheesepaste in at 8am. At 8.09 my rod shuddered and hooped around, it's been so long since I caught anything. I missed it. I cast back in and waited. 

The culprit did not return. 

Never having fished this river or stretch before, I toyed with walking it all first or fishing as I went. Of course, I ended up fishing it as I walked. Every swim looked too good to ignore. 

Constant taps in the next swim, but nothing materialised. Eventually I was at the downstream limit. A likely looking overhanging tree formed a perfect chubby raft. I dropped the bait in and sat back. Seconds passed and the rod hooped over. My first River Tone fish in the net. It had been a while, so I weighed it. 2lb 8oz. I was a happy South West Angler from the North East!!

I turned around and headed back upstream. I found a swim I didn't try the first time. It was a tight squeeze, but some quality casting and I was fishing. Again it took seconds for the chub to be on the bait. I missed four bites, until I eventually connected. Another spirited, Somerset chub. 2lb 9oz. 

The next swim had two very strange things happen. Firstly, as I entered it, I saw something that I thought I saw earlier. I was looking into this swim from about 20 metres away and I thought I saw a terrapin/ tortoise. I realised it was just an odd shaped leaf. Or was it? 

Shy for the pic, but was walking about quite happily.

I kept an eye on it whilst fishing, as they are faster than a hare, so I didn't want it sneaking up on me. My rod didn't move the whole time. As I started to wind in, there was resistance. A fish was on, but had not given any indication. Last time this happened on the Swale it was a pike. I assumed it ate the cheese paste and just sat there. 

I was wondering what it was, as I got it to the bank it was another chub. However, I was now faffing with the net and chub. Something had to give, and the chub wiggled free of the barbless hook. 

I was soon back at the first swim. I tried again and missed two bites. The second was because I did the usual trick of counting down from ten to determine when I would re cast. But this time, on one the rod hooped over. I was so surprised, I missed the bite! 

I kept trying but the rain started again. I didn't want to be soaking wet as I have to pack all the gear and head to London tomorrow morning. Two, Tone Twos and a terrapin/tortoise was enough for me! 

They come in threes

Date fished  9/3/2024

7am until 1pm

A final Tees flourish before another closed season. I do quite "like" the closed season. Time for nature to recover, replenish and rewild. I definitely think it should be regional though. Even on our little island there is substantial regional variation, so the closed should reflect that. 

Anyway, Ellis and I fished a club stretch for the final time this river season, actually I have only fished three times with Ellis since June 2023! 

Not showing the blank label

I met Ellis and we unloaded the cars. Ellis suddenly looked pale, he had forgotten something. Fortunately he found the lost item and we carried on. Nothing major, just his reels!! Not sure how he would of fished with none. 

We walked to the river, I got my ledger rod out of the bag. Suddenly I looked pale, I had forgotten something. Nothing major, just the ledger rod. I had brought a 13 ft waggler rod and ledger gear!! Not perturbed, I tackled up anyway and cast in. 

We are great at this fishing malarkey!!

No fish here, but a big fish jumped mid river, it was enough to give us five more minutes. When that was over we headed upstream. 

The John Wilson ledger rod was first to get action. As we chatted, literally mid sentence, Ellis's rod hooped over. He played the cheesepaste munching culprit to the net. A lovely chub. Not Ellis, the fish, Ellis is a slim! 

We decided to put a number on it, I guessed 3lb 2oz. It went 3lb 4oz. 

We fished on but with no more luck, we moved on. The cold wind was now joined with freezing rain, not enough to stop us. Gloves now on, we carried on. 

We found another swim.  I was downstream when Ellis caught his chub, so I went upstream this time. A few knocks on the John Wilson ledger rod. Ellis waited patiently and it happened. His rod hooped over and he was in again. This time I guessed 3lb 9oz and it was 3lb 7oz. Two cracking chub.

Ellis wanted his hatrick, so again we gave it a few more minutes, but nothing came back. Well, not to my cheesepaste. Ellis had a few more knocks. We put our location to "what three words", only the 256m accuracy though, brilliant!?!

A windy swim followed with no interest. One last swim, more out of comfort than anything else. We could sit next to eachother and have a natter. I wasn't feeling chubby, again I mean the fish not Ellis!! So, we packed up and headed home. 

My dad would always say bad luck or the like came in threes. We nearly had no reel for Ellis, I had the wrong rod. So had we had avoided the third curse? As we said our goodbyes, Ellis walked to his car door.

"Are you not taking your chair Ellis?" I asked, as I saw it still leaning against his wheel arch. 

2-1 to you Ellis!! 

Jack.......

Date fished 24/02/2024

8am until 12.30pm

A short session with Tom on the Tees started with Jack Frost. It meant Tom was late picking me up. Well, that was the excuse. Car loaded, we headed south. No cars parked in the lane was surprising, but not to dwell on this. A brisk walk downhill and we were at Tom's favourite swim. It is a great swim on the Association water. As we are both Jack of all trades, there were choices in the tackle brought. Tom was after pike, me the chubbys.

The river looked perfect, the guage at Broken scar said 97cm and dropping slowly. I was fishing after a few minutes, whilst Tom readied himself. 

Jack the lad, Jack and Jill in the background 

The river lay in front of me, so not quite sure why Tom was 10 yards behind me. It's no longer panto season. 

A feeder filled with bread crumb and cheesepaste moulded around a cork ball and I was set. Casting in the slack, I was sure a chub might want breakfast. 

The sun soon came out and it was a lovely morning. We chatted about everything and soon was discussing breeding, fish not us! A Jack pike being 10lb or less,  Sexual dimorphisim in fish and something different in humans!! I won't bore you with that. 

I cast to the edge of the faster flow, mid river. A bite on the cheesepaste kept me interested, popping up like a Jack in the box. Tom tried the whole area, and stealing my chair and superior rod rest soon found a deep hole where a pioe was sure to be laying up. 

We fished on, the only action was a large fish surfacing mid river. I only just glimpsed it, I think it was a Trout taking something off the surface. 

It was soon time to pack up, trebles of course removed from deadbaits going back in the freezer. Not sure what the deadbait was, but it wasn't Jack Spratt. 

A slow walk uphill followed by a perfectly packed car. A trip to the tackle shop on the way back to renew our club memberships.

Unfortunately the final Jack was our catches. Jack sh&t! 

Gone in 60 minutes

Date fished 10/02/2024

8am until 9am

Flooding, family and friends have been the reasons no fishing for a while. A uni mate came up for the weekend, days out with the kids and more water/snow/ice than the country knows what to do with.  

The weather was mild but after a week of rain, the rivers were high. As the Derwent is tidal, I wondered if it would be fishable. I set off for an early start. The river was similar in height and speed (flow) to last time I fished it. The big difference was the colour. It was gin clear last time and tea coloured today! 

I trotted the float and fed quite heavy. Thinking the more maggots, the more chance of the fish seeing them. 

I kept to one line near my bank and going towards a bush. 

One hour later, no bites, cold feet but I left happy! Weird, I must be some sort of fishing geek. 

NE16

Date fished 14/1/2024

8.30am until 11.30am

Ryton and District Angling Club has recently acquired a short section of the river Derwent at Blaydon. I still have not fished the Tyne, that flows through the town I live in, so I couldn't ignore this chance to fish closer to home. 

I was hoping for a Derwent grayling.

A leisurely cup of tea and homemade flat sausage muffin and I was soon on the road. A short 25 mins and I was there.  

I faffed around at the entrance, then I noticed someone in the distance in waders. I drove over and it was another club member, Philip. I knew he had fished here before, so it was perfect timing to be shown the ropes. He showed me the way to the river and it looked spot on.

Philip headed off upstream and I fished the first spot. It was fairly shallow, clear with a good pace. Perfect trotting water. I waded and started to fish. No bites, but I was sure this was the spot, maybe later. 

I headed upstream and met Phillip. We leap frogged likely looking swims, plus ones we could get to without slipping over. I think we managed one slip each. It was actually easier to walk in the water from swim to swim, but with potential for deep holes, the bank was the safer bet. 

Eventually the float disappeared and my first Derwent fish found the net. 

A good sized grayling. I fished on, and made it to the top limit. This was a bit of a recce and fish session, so was important to see it all. It's only a short stretch but looks great. I fished back down to the spot I first fished and finally, after feeding heavy got a bite. More a fingerling than a grayling, but it was perfect in miniature and most welcome. 

Phillip had fished hard and was unlucky not to have had any bites. He decided to watch me for a bit before heading home. He enquired if I was off to see Ronald on my way home?!,  My reputation must preceed me!! 

We both saw my float disappear in a spot with both thought was very fishy! This fight was not a grayling, unless it was a whopper! 

The flow was strong and the culprit knew just what to do. Another out of season Trout, but at about a pound and a half, a good fish. 

It sulked in the edge, before swimming back towards the fishy area, I will be racing Phillip to that swim next time!! 

A productive three hours fishing, with only three bites but all resulting in fish. I can see the potential of this stretch and will be back to NE16 very soon!!