Perch Needle in a Watery Haystack

Date fished 27/4/18 to 28/4/18

For Giles's Annual Birthday fishing trip, he invited me to Ullswater to fish for Perch with lures, light rods and a roving approach that would require cars. At 7 miles long, half a mile wide and up to 60m deep, Ullswater is one big haystack.

We met at Pooley Bridge at 10am after both dropping the kids off at school ( non eupho),  no such dawn raid on this incredible water. We parked up and started with small lures around the old pier structure. Trout all around us taking the emerging flies off the top. We both changed to spinners, casting right on surfacing Trout but they were all preoccupied with the flies and none wanted our lures.

We continued, wading out to where the ledge started, plunging from waiste deep to 20 or 30 feet plus. Switching back to paddle tails, I was first to have a follow. A Trout following right in to the clear shallows chasing my lure. A few casts later, I was in. The rod shaking as I did battle with a small but strong fish. We both hoped Perch. A Trout of about half a pound came in, darting around. Unhooking itself just as I bent down to pick it out the water.

We then walked to the new pier where Giles worked a drop shot rig in and around the structure, only to be interrupted by the steamer coming to collect passengers.

We then went back to the cars to try a different spot. Driving to Howtown, remembering to pause the Finygo App that was recording me. This time we arrived at a different pier, again working our lures around the clear water that suddenly turned dark as it dropped into deep water. Here we were happily fishing until once again the steamer arrived! It seems we were on the wrong timetable, maybe the Finygo App could include local ferry timetables in its database?!?!

Eventually we left to find a new spot, where the water and wind were warmer, because although the sun was shining, the air was bitter cold. We fished under the trees, again casting to surfacing fish. No Perch came to see us. We wondered if they were still in the deeper water, maintaining a constant temperature.

Birthday boy had to head back, but I fished on. I had booked a bunk in Helvellyn YHA so could benefit from evening and the following morning. I drove to the West Bank and fished as many of the parking areas as I could. There were plenty of Trout still surfacing but as the wind got colder, these soon stopped. It was time to pack up. No further fish were caught.

A bite to eat and a pint in the pub, followed by reading my magazines in the common room made for a nice evening.

Saturday was expecting to be cold and wet. I woke early, looked out the window, no rain but the wind was bitter. I checked out and made for the water. I saw two other anglers set off on a boat, I assumed to fish for the Perch. This gave me renewed hope, so I continued to thrash the water. Nothing, not a sniff.

It was too much, my tummy was rumbling, so I headed for Patterdale shop for a legendary Cumberland Bagette. There were no problems with the photography this week!

For the lure anglers that measure their catch not weigh, this bagette was 28cm!

I fished the day in reverse. Up the West side and finishing back at the Trout spot at Pooley Bridge. A different outcome and no additional Trout caught.

As I headed for home, I thought how hard such a big water was to fish. I like the view of my Finygo App showing my distance traveled, although mostly that was driving. As I stored my trip, I hope the info can help other anglers. It dawned on me that having "winning" methods on a particular water is always the place to start when trying to find your needle!

Fish Selfies

After the weekends success, I thought I would share a near failure and hopefully get some advice from people as to how I can improve.

Fishing alone has its disadvantages, namely assistance in landing fish and Photography! There has been a lot of chat on social media about taking pics and I will add my two pence!

Foremost is the fishes welfare. I have had a few pike that no one has seen but me because I felt they needed to go back straight away. Thats not for any suspicious reason, more just time unhooking or poor bank conditions. I caught a nice pike once in a swim that was so muddy, I could not stand for too long, let alone set up a great shot situation!

I have a mobile phone like everyone else, I brought a clip for it and have the screw for bank stick adaptor. I don't use the whistle app that people talk about, instead relying on the 10 seconds of time to get into position.

I also have bought a Samsung camera with a flip screen that is similar to the phone set up. The bank stick attachment fits the phone and camera and I also have a mini tripod that fits the camera. I feel I am equipped to take a good pic. But my success rate is not the best.

I am determined to practice on the field in a crouched position with the bank stick and bits and try and have the distance stored in my mind so I get a good pic. But until that time, I live on the edge of disaster...

On Saturday I used the camera on a bank stick. Set up while the fish was unhooked in the net. Set up above the mat, I was ready. Unfortunately it did not go well. 10 secs seemed a long time to hold the fish low but steady. It flapped towards my chest. So I put it back on the mat. No one told the camera to stop counting, but it made me smile, and I saw the funny side.

The second pic, which needed me to put the fish down and press the button again was no better. I think the fish wanted to wear my jumper, coming in for a cuddle and just being covered by my hands.

As I mentioned, by now I wanted to return the fish so after one quick try again, I was too eager to get close to the camera. Successsfully removing most of my head.

Not a bad pic of the fish, but I deserve to be in the pic too!!

By now, I had decided to return the fish and it was in the net. A man suddenly appeared from around the lake and I asked him to take a pic. He agreed and in less than a few seconds I had my shot, but would I have been happy with the 3 above if he had not come by??

In truth, seeing the fish swim gracefully and strongly away in the clear water was enough to make me smile, and as for you lot!? Well, you will have to come fishing with me and we can share the picture duties!

Prawn to Checkmate

Date fished 14/04/2018

This is a different blog today, as this is a live blog. I am currently sat on the bank. I am at Lonsdale Park in Cumbria, a holiday park that allows day tickets at certain times of the year. As the title suggests, I am using prawns as bait. Is the first time I have tried using prawns, so in my own stubborn way, I am not giving up till it works. No fish yet, but they are crashing around and showing all

over, so I will get back to it...
Is ok though, I am not alone

Plenty of bait too!!

First fish 13Lb 12oz and a new Pb!! Pic and details to follow..

I continued with the prawns and swapped the other rod with meat, paste and bread. As the sun got stronger there was quite a few carp cruising the surface. My mate who told me about Lonsdale told me to take a loaf of bread to try for Floating but I only had a small roll with me.

 I tore a few pieces off and baited an area. It was slow but the fish came. I tried with some on the hook but nothing. An hour later I saw a carp about 10 ft from the bank, feeding on the surface. 

 I cast the bread and waited. Perfect cast. The larger piece was completely engulfed. I waited. The line started to tighten. Strike. I was indeed "in". Now the Carp turned into a train  the strength was clear. Slowly I started to win and when it surfaced I knew it was a good fish. As I got it to the net, I knew it was going to break my current 9lb odd Carp pb.
It weighed 13lb 12oz! New pb. I was so happy!!! After a few pics, back she went.

I fished on, stalking and changing baits but with no luck. You can see from my Finygo map recording, I covered the whole lake.

I will update the pics later but this is the best I have at the moment.

Today was all about trying a new bait and perseverance with it. However, it shows that in fishing you may have to go back to what you know and keep the perseverance for another day, Checkmate!

No fishing so let's play with the tackle

As I look at the weather outside and ponder that indoor fishing greenhouse and pond located at Cast North West , I wonder what I can do.
Of course my mind turns to my tackle. I have ordered a replacement net and whilst looking at other bits of tackle, it got me thinking about making tackle. I see lots of FB, youtube and the like posts about people making floats, rods, lures and weights. It means you can be enjoying your hobby whilst not actually doing your hobby. A bit like me sat indoors writing about fishing, and that makes me happy!!

I assume you just need the moulds and then you cast the soft plastic lures, or the craftmanship to cut and shape hard plastic? I have seen videos of people shaping and sanding wooden lures and drilling holes to put weights in plastic lures called Burts. Is that really all you need to Do?
Recently I was given some home made weights, they are superb, again I think you just need moulds, coatings and bits? Am not much of a diy guy.

But the satisfaction of catching a fish on something you made yourself, the actual tackle not just the rig, must be obvious to all.

I have visited the health food shop too, and bought "stuff" for making pastes, baits and boilies maybe for the warmer climate. Again, the satisfaction of catching on a homemade creation, albeit copied from a book or magazine is definitely appealing.

Rods seem a lot more in depth, I tried to look at how you do that but that definitely was over my head. So as I try and decide what I can make, I asked my fishing companions Dave and Ellis.
Ellis had already showed me a super rod holder cabinet that he made, a lot better at diy than I will ever be. Ellis then told me about some spool bands he makes, I was intrigued. They go on the spool to hold the line from spooling off and make taking line off easy. It actually worked. I slipped a few in my pocket and made off.

If you want to read more about these clever spool bands or buy some, I have added the link  Here

It seems I am not designed to make my own tackle, but I have certainly enjoyed watching others that do, maybe I am the marketing guy to their creative ability!?!

Clear water, clear loss

Date fished 24/2/18

With the river levels a lot lower than in recent weeks, when it came to deciding where I would fish if came down to a coin toss. Tails was river Tees obviously, and heads was the Swale. The coin tossed and heads it was, I was off to the Swale.

With the lost fish last time, I would go for Pike and Chub again. Deadbaits and meat or paste for chub, and I would try something else for them too.

Arriving at the river at 7am conditions looked good. The river had dropped a lot and I settled into a swim for Pike. As the sun got up, it was apparent I did not need beanie and gloves, it was more a cap and glasses day! As it got lighter I realised just how clear the water was. If I had tossed the coin into the river I would have been able to see the side in 6ft of water and maybe the date on the coin!!! It was gin clear with added finings for clarity! (Google it)

It was going to be tough.
After nothing on the Pike rod, I tackled up for chub. Having caught Chub whilst on deadbaits, I cut some Lamprey into chunks and used a meat spike to present it under likely looking trees and rafts. The majority of time it had to be right under or I could see the bait.

I wondered where on days like this the fish would be. Where they would shelter from predators. I have seen the water this clear in summer, lower too and always seen fish swimming about. Today I saw nothing, the river cupboard was bare.

After walking the stretch and counting stones on the bottom, I thought I was better off having an early bath and giving up. After packing up and driving off, I heard a clumping noise. Thinking it was the frozen puddles, I stopped looked in the mirror and seeing nothing, drove off.

As I was unpacking the car and seeing no net in the boot, I realised I had left the net propped against the car as I drove off. Completely oblivious as it's a piece of kit I have not been using since 2018 started!!
Annoyed at myself for the loss, I got settled down to watch the Rugby, do some on line retail therapy and generally curse some more, (the rugby score and out of stock net)

Who needs to be old to be grumpy? I am doing just fine!?

It certainly beat a day not fishing........just.

Quest continues

Date fished 18/02/2018

Dave and I hit the Tees to see if we could tempt a Pike. The river had been unfishable for a while with heavy rain, cold weather, flooding and a lot of sediment. Today looked better. It was a day of walking and casting. Dave using his large lures on heavy tackle, me with deadbaits and small soft plastics on a light rod for a change.

We started off at a new area for me, in a classic looking pike swim. As the fog cleared, the river looked perfect. The peacefulness only interruted by the splash of the large burts or other type of lure Dave flung on his 80lb braid.

As I watched my float, I saw a large head break the surface right next to it, it's snake like neck and body coming completely out the water as a Cormorant looked as surprised to see us as we were to see it!! It must have been after my bait, but the float did not move, so assume it did not get it. Assuming the Cormorant must also be here where bait fish are, we fished on.  We continued in a few more swims, only seeing a Heron. Again assuming this to be a good area for bait fish and therefore Pike, we fished on.

A quick change of location saw us walking a good few miles. We spotted so many good swims for both Pike and Chub.

So it just leaves me to tell you how we got on, as is normally the case when I have something to show, this is best done in picture format, so I will leave you with this...

Blanks continue

Date fished 10/2/18

Today I was back on the Swale, this time at Morton. I was fishing both the Stockton water and the Northallerton sections. My intended target was chub and pike.

The weather was described as blustery with sleet! But it was a day I could go fishing, so fishing I was going!!

I  had dead baits,  cheese paste and curried meat. All taken out the freezer just before I was leaving, put in my well used cool bag, into the boot and off. However, today was different. My bait did not defrost all day, that's how cold it was... frozen meat all day, non eupho!

It was cold when I arrived, just before 8am. Firstly I was going to target pike. I had lamprey as bait. It is my go to choice as pike bait. Has also caught me some big chub on the Swale and Tees.

The float looked perfect in the slack water, waiting. I tackled up the other rod, ledgering with a meat spike (bait anchor). Hopefully my cheese paste would stay on this. As my first attempt, it's not quite right, last time out it was not staying on the hook properly and was crumbly instead of a paste.

The float laying flat, suddenly tilted up, then sailed away. I struck instantly, connecting with the fish, I saw it in the water, it looked bronze and did a complete 360 and the line went slack. It looked like a chub, I  put the bait straight back there. Nothing. I inspected the bait and there were small tooth marks across the middle of the bait. It must have been a pike, just grabbed the bait and was not hooked. I have seen the white underside as bronze before, I put it down to the water colour making the white look bronze because of the sediment in the water. I wonder how often we mis-identify? Only   knowing once it's safely in the net.

It was good to be having bites, but in this cold, I needed to be catching too.

I fished on, but with no more interest, I went downstream to try a swim I have caught from before. No pike here, just a huge mud slide which had defrosted by now making it not only treacherous but fun!! No pike though.
I fished on my way back to the car, opting for chub on meat and cheese. The cheese stayed on better, but think that was because it never really thawed.

As the wind picked up, I decided to call it a day. Another blank, well a half blank, a bla.

I will be out again next weekend, to hopefully break this barren 2018 start, conditions are tough but I see some fish being caught. Please leave me a comment about when and what was your last fish caught of 2018, if nothing else it will keep me from going mad with the picture close ups!!