Fishin' Impossible
My blog about all my fishing thrills and spills.
Sunday, 11 May 2025
Tinca, tailor, lumberjack, blank
Monday, 5 May 2025
One eyed Willy
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I will put some more line on this next week |
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No eye on this side, but healed over |
Friday, 18 April 2025
Fishy Friday
Good Friday
11am until 1.30pm
I usually fish over the holidays. A fun night in Newcastle yesterday playing pool, shuffleboard and with a good few beers meant I was up for just sitting. A short session on Tilcon with the float rod and corn was perfect.
The lake was fairly busy with other anglers. Pole fishing seemed to be working and they were catching a good few fish. It makes me want to get my pole out, maybe one day soon.
One hand sized ide that slipped back in before I could snap its picture my only reward. It was nice to sit, eat my lunch and get some fresh air. The rain was a little annoying but refreshing also.
More bites this time, the fish were more awake than last week. I saw a fellow angler catch a nice bream, on pellet I think. It won't be long until its shorts weather and hopefully I can get a 5lb bream!!
Saturday, 12 April 2025
Lets do science
Hypothesis
The fish will eat any food I give them.
Method
I fished from 7am until 12pm on Saturday 12th April at Tilcon. It was 1 degrees when I arrived and approaching 20 degrees when I left. I had a float rod and a feeder rod. I was only going to use bread flake or sweetcorn on the hook. I had breadcrumb in the feeder and for loose feed.
Results
No fish landed, maybe a few taps and dips of the float.
Rod rests don't need to be complicated bits of kit.
Discussion
I could of got maggots and probably caught loads. The lake is fishing well given the variable temperatures at the moment. However, soon the fish will be going mad for bread and/or corn, pellets too. I wanted to know when this could be. A cormorant was on the lake when I arrived, it flew off quickly. Plenty of fish were topping but given the chilly conditions, I saw no cruising fish. I would think their metabolism is still slow and digesting a sweetcorn sandwich is not preferred over wiggling grubs of differing colours.
Conclusion
The fish did not want my bread or corn today!!
Saturday, 5 April 2025
Slop (slip, slap)
Date fished 5/4/2025
9.30am until 1pm
Given the lovely weather we are currently experiencing, Rupe and decided to head to Tilcon for the morning. Not quite slopping on the sun cream, slapping on a hat and slipping into a shirt, it was actually beanies, snoods and coats weather!!
The wind was cold and the clouds tried to stop the sun, but when it came out it was lovely. We even had lunch sat in the car, that was toastie (warm not a toasted sandwich!).
The first spring session is always tough, Tilcon is not a commercial, but a wild lake. The fish are there and feeding but they are also just 'waking up' from a cold Northern winter. We hoped to get them going with what we called slop. Dead maggots, casters, breadcrumb and some corn, in a very wet mix.
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There was more than this, this was post our lunch |
A float rod and a feeder rod between us, we opted for a swim together. For 90 minutes nothing happened on either rod. Then I got caught on a snag and snapped the hooklink. A change of that and some dead maggots on the hook did the trick. An ide each on the float in about 90 seconds and we were all smiles.
I had one more, I had to beat the boy at something.
Great to be out with Rupe, seems the other child is too lazy!
Friday, 14 March 2025
Cba turns into pb
Saturday, 15 February 2025
Game changer
Date fished 15/02/2025
7.15am until 1.15pm
Very cold conditions as I prepared for todays trip. Hill snow, rain and freezing fog. Two tears in a bucket...... (If you know the ending, well done) I was committed, so off I went.
Leaving early, I parked up at 7.15am and was cast in a few minutes later. Choosing a swim right by the bridge, I have caught in here before. It looked different today. I assume the landowner has removed the tree, doing some bank works, it was very different, but the water looked good.
One rod, hand warmers, waterproof trousers being the game changer today!
I got my steps in today and walked a fair bit, trying 15/20 mins in every likely looking swim. The chub were not playing ball, or maybe they were. I had no interest on the cheesepaste.
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The bridge swim |
Finally changing to maggot feeder, it was constant knocks. The first fish was a grayling, the second an out of season Trout, no pics. I value my life.
I made the effective decision to deliver at pace and collaborating with myself headed upstream. My usual banker, that had not served me or Rupe well in recent visits. I sat on the cold wet ground and watched the rod tip.
I need not bothered, it went no where. The last swim of the day is an old favourite. My mate Giles had a good pike from here many years ago, I was not allowed to say where. So here it is.
I thought about this as I sat in the swim. I wish I brought the pike rods. Constant taps on the maggot feeder but nothing materialised into a proper bite!
Heading back to the car, I met Ellis and Carole, they were out on a shopping trip. It was nice to catch up and admire their clean wellies. We must do a parmo soon!
Heading home I was glad I went out, but now I have had a few beers and some hot food. I am even more glad that I came home!! That's a game changer.