Tinca, tailor, lumberjack, blank

10/5/25

10am until 12:20

My daughter and her friend needed a taxi to the metro centre, there was a work party (not like that) at Tilcon. I saw an opportunity. 

I dropped the girls and arrived at the lake just after 10am, the work was due to start at half past. When some other members arrived, we started to empty the container.  A near hit with a plank of wood and only my sun glasses got knocked off my head!!

Whilst some built shelves, me and Mark headed off to fell some trees and tidy up the back of some pegs to allow poles to be shipped back without the potential for damage. 

Mark was a pro with the chainsaw. Making light work of felling the dead tree. I was going to take a pic or video, but something made me stop!! 

Of course, we were allowed to, and responsible! 

Soon, it was time to pick the girls up. I left the party, agreeing to return for some Wednesday evening parties in due course. 

Date fished 11/5/2025

8.30am until 11.30am

I arranged to fish the local lake in Hexham, Wydon Water. I was hoping the tincas had woken from their winter slumbers.

Having older kids is great. I was able to leave them to go to choir, sort themselves out and I popped out for a few hours before it got too hot. 

The same tactics as Tilcon, I was hoping for a tench. A few knocks on the ledger but nothing materialised. Martha arrived and we sat together and chatted, mostly about the ducklings and if she could steal one!?! 

We moved to another swim and tried our luck. 

By 11.30 it was red hot, we decided to head home for chicken kiev wraps. Would of preferred duck pancakes, but all ducks were left on the lake! 

One eyed Willy

Date fished 5/5/25

10am until 3pm

No confusion on the date today with our American friends, the day equalled the month. All I knew was I didn't have to work, so after some childcare duties this morning, I headed to Tilcon. Determined (or just stubborn) to catch  on a bait, I have used once before but never caught on............

Armed with the float rod and the ledger, it was prawn on both! Loose feed for the float of breadcrumb, corn and prawns, the same mix in the feeder. 

I fished not my usual area today, I was hoping for a big perch and I think they live here...

The ledger was cast over by the trees, the float just beyond the bush to my right. Two biteless hours, but I was happy. Well, I hadn't got wet or frozen to death, I thought I might. It was actually a lovely morning. The lake was quiet, a few anglers down the other end. The wind was blowing into my corner though and soon it woke up. Fish topping like mad. Intrigued, I started chucking some bread on the surface and watched it get taken. But I was sticking to crustaceans! 

I soon got some bites on both methods, the prawn coming back shredded when I retrieved it. I decided to cast the ledger a bit further from the trees as lots of fish were showing here, this is not the view you then want to see on your reel...

I will put some more line on this next week

Settling into a feeding rhythm, it must have got the fish looking for food. I say looking, is that the action when you only have one eye? 

The float disappeared and I struck into Willy. A battered poor bream. A quick pic and he swam away strong, clearly two eyes are not always needed. 

No eye on this side, but healed over

As fish moved into the bay, I cast the ledger closer to the float and soon had an area I was able to concentrate on. A busy 20 mins of the ledger constantly rattling, unfortunately brought no more fish. Whilst touch ledgering though, I connected. A greedy ide taking a whole prawn! 

A few more hours of just watching the lake and I was relaxed and rested, I was so chilled a deer didn't even notice me as it noisly walked through the woods behind me, perfect.

I decided to head home. 

More of a entrance phrase than an exit one, and if you know, you know. So it's just left for me to say.....

Hey, You Guys!! 

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!!

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!! 

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.

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! 

Cba turns into pb

Date fished 14/3/2025

9.15am until 2pm

I had booked the last day of the river season off work and thought I would go fishing. The weather was looking ropey and it was to be a solo trip, maybe that is why I just could not be arsed! Unusual really as I love going fishing and usually the cba phrase is most used at work!! 

The night before, I had not sorted any kit or decided where to go. Even in the morning, I said to the kids I was not feeling it and cba.

Thermals on (top and long johns), I made breakfast and three packed lunches and eventually I was feeling in the mood. I set off and headed for the Swale at Morton, a club water.

I fished a swim where I had caught many chub, including my pb of 5lb 8oz on 29th October 2019. The sun was bright and I was annoyed I didn't pack properly, no sun glasses, no hat. I had the dork hat and a snood on as the wind was cold.

Annoyed, I left that swim after an hour. I headed upstream, the next peg I wanted to fish had a huge branch in it. Annoyed, I headed further upstream to an area I have probably only fished  less than a handful of times in my (maybe) 10 years of membership.

Second cast towards a raft by a fallen tree and I sat down to stew things over. The rod give a tap, then a wiggle. I picked it up. The drag spinning as the fish dived towards the raft, this was a battle. The flow was strong too but I finally got the fish towards me. I saw it in the clear water and it looked huge. I started to tremble. A few attempts and it was safely in the net. 

Of course you know the weight now, but I was hoping for a six, I was sure it would break my pb. At 6lb on the nose, I was buzzing!! 

The photos don't do it justice and I was begging for a dog walker to walk past to take a picture. No such luck, so it was self takes. What I may lack in photography, I make up in smiles!! 

I fished a little bit longer but as the rain fell, I was more than happy to pack up and head home. I was unlikely to top that! 

Four cars in the car park when I left, must be the last day of the season!! 

As I sit here, my son just text me to ask how my day went. 

I feel we both learnt a lesson here that you might not want to do something, but sometimes the benefits are sooooo worth it!! (I will remind him of this when it's GCSE revision Vs PS4).

6lb chub target - completed!! 🎯 

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.

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.