Human dipsticks (TB9)

Date fished 14/8/26

7am until 2.30pm

The sun didn't dissappear behind the moon for very long this week and nor did thoughts about my Tees barbel quest. Nine attempts so far, although was it really one today? 

Ellis and I hit the Tees in the usual spot. Throughout the warm weather the level here remains constant due to the weir and I did read a reservoir upstream, not sure. Anyway, it was coolest and quiet at the start. It wasn't till later that people chucked rocks into our swim over our heads or people tested the depth with their dogs or themselves mere metres from us. 

Two 'fat' dace on pellet for me. Not really much fun on the big rod. 

Ellis doing much better when he realised the barbel rod was definitely the sleeper rod and lots more fun could be had on a lighter ledger with dead maggots or worms! 

Several gonks, two perch and some fat dace of his own making his tally 16 fish. I even got the clicker out (minnows included not as a half!? ).

A trio of kingfisher whizzing down the river just missing out on the best part of the session. That goes to me saying "there are loads of fry here,  that drop off into deep dark water must surely hold a big perch" 

Followed by Ellis dropping a worm in said deep dark hole and catching two perch instantly. 

"Perch by design!" He coined.

A great day as always, not even marred by dipsticks! 

Lost pb

Date fished 8/8/2026

11.30am until 2.30pm

I am too annoyed to:

Tell you about the new 11ft Map Generation Pro float rod I bought and wanted to try out today.

Tell you how I float fished sweetcorn under a pellet waggler, probably not correctly but it was Davey's float and I wanted to use it.

Mention that  a carp grabbed my single corn on a size 14 and sped across the lake, under an island and I lost the hook and the float. All the weights were still on the line. Odd.

Show you the seven small roach that did christen the rod.

I will tell you what annoyed me though.

My float dipped, I struck and it stayed low. Pulling back. Carp, I thought. Then it popped to the surface like a bream. It didn't know it was hooked. It had stripes though and red fins. A massive perch had fancied my corn. It was hooked square in the lip. 

I played it carefully as now it realised and dived under the weeds. The new rod did well, lunges and runs absorbed. I got the net ready and started to bring the two together. I wondered what it would weigh!?

Disaster, the hook hold gave way. No line break, no rubbish knot. A good old fashioned hook pull. I was gutted, I actually swore. 

As my daughter has just pointed out, how did I know it was a pb? I have seen many big perch and this was well over two, if not three pounds. 

It was a bream sized perch.

Actually annoyed typing. Bye. 😃 

Am not after carp

Date fished 2/8/2026

6.30am until 10am 

The best decisions are made at silly o'clock. 4.48am and I decided I would go fishing. 

Float rod, sweetcorn, Tilcon.

In truth, I was after carp. Well, crucian carp. I have wanted to catch one for ages as I have never caught one. 

I set up in a swim I have never fished before. I fed some bait and cast out the float. It wasn't long and it sailed away. Striking into what I thought would be an ide. It was not. It headed for the far bank! A proper carp had picked up my single grain of corn on a size 18 and was heading out of Gateshead. I played it around in the open water, fortunately I was not fishing close up to the bushes and soon it was in the net.

7lb 1oz

More feed and it was a bite a chuck. Have caught many bream from the lake but not many smaller, skimmer sized bream. 

Mostly roach followed and a few ide and tench. Playing one fish, I saw a flash of gold. Was this it? 

My first ever crucian. I was buzzing.

I stopped the clicker on 24 as my wrist was sore and I needed to rest. I am sure I would of caught a good few more fish, but sometimes you have to settle with what you have! 

A perfect morning. 

Tees Barbel (8)

Date fished 25/07/2026

6:45am until 2:45pm

persistence

/pəˈsɪst(ə)n(t)s/

Persistence is the quality of continuing to do something even when it is hard, and it means keeping going, lasting a long time, or saving computer data.

Not sure about the "saving computer data" stuff, but I am certainly saving a few blogs! 

I arrived and walked to the area I wanted to fish. There was another angler in a nearby peg so I asked him if it was OK if I fished upstream of him. He said yes, so I started. 

Link ledger meat for an hour produced nothing. Not wanting to roll meat out of my swim and disrupt the other angler, I moved off down stream. 

I played around in a few new areas, not really settling and only got snagged lots and got a wet foot! I had the waders but was carrying them by now. 

A warm wind soon turned into dark skies and water started falling, I think its called rain. Its been a while!

Still feeling discombobulated   I went back to where I started. The angler was just leaving and he offered me the swim. I said thanks and we chatted as he packed up. 

Not wanting to wade anymore  I decided to sit on the bank and ledger paste wrapped pellet in the flow on the far side. It's where the barbel live!!

I ended with six of these, I think dace.

The second one was big and I would of weighed it had it not jumped off my hand when I unhooked it. They would be amazing to catch on the float trotting, but on the barbel rod they were just reeled in. 

I was glad of the blank savers and the kindness of the other angler. I enjoyed my day, but the quest goes on!! 

Clickbait

Date fished 22/07/2026

13.30 until 16.30

Flexi in the bank, I decided to take some and go to the bank. 

I drove to Tilcon as it's less than 10 mins from the office. Quickly chatted to another member, then set up the feeder and cast in, soft robin red hooker on the hair. Fourth cast and the tip spun around. An ide.

Plenty of taps and knocks, but I was getting bored of the feeder. I switched to float fishing sweetcorn and feeding my corn and hemp mix.

It worked and was a wonder bait. For the next two hours it was great fishing. The lake really is fishing well at the moment. 

I caught at least 15 ide, maybe 20. I wish I had my clicker as I lost count. A tench, a bream and several good roach.

A double figure mirror carp with a distinctive scale pattern swam right in front of me. I hoped he didn't show an interest in my sweetcorn. 

I was fishing fairly close in, one rod, sweetcorn. It could not be simpler. It really was a great few hours. 

Eventually the promise of fish and chips for tea was too much and I headed home. 

Always time for one more ide though.

I really was glad my bait mixture worked, but I was annoyed I forgot my clicker. 

A picture paints a thousand words (2)

Date fished 19/07/2026

7am until 10am

Hot weather, no school and a son that has joined the workforce. All great reasons to spend a few hours together at the lake. 

 

well, something like that. 

We drove up to the lake, armed not only with tackle but more importantly homemade sausage and cheese muffins and pain au chocolates (not home made.)

Tackle

Two float rods, 1 ledger rod. Sweetcorn, hemp, Robin reds and breadcrumb. Hot juice, choco breaks and munchy bars.

Sometimes words just don't do it justice. I will leave you to write your own. 

Dad 4 tench

Martha 1 rudd

Rupe 2 tench, 1 roach, 1 rudd

My first tench aka Gary