Dress smart for a new PB

Date fished 01/08/18
16.00 to 20.00

As regular readers will know, I spend as much time on preparation as I do on my fishing, well almost! I always try to plan it first.

I was going to fish the Swale after work, so had everything ready the night before. As the alarm went off at 6am, I was up, loaded the car and was off to work. Lunch and dinner packed, flask for coffee, bottle for water, bait and even the rods this time. I was ready.

Arriving at 4pm, I thought I would quickly get changed before tackling up. Error! I had forgotten to pack my spare clothes, they were still on the back of the sofa at home!! Oh well, or words to that effect came out my mouth.
Am sure the fish would not mind, so I headed to the bank in smart shoes, smart trousers and a shirt!! The smartest Angler in town, will be the Julia Donaldson book title when she reads this!!

I was planning on ledgering pellets for chub and Barbel using stonez weight instead of a lead. I had been wanting to try them for sometime and today seemed perfect. I had a second rod, with just a hook on, I was planning on floating bread for chub. It's my favourite method and have never tried it on the river before.

I chucked in a few bits of bread, and sat behind the ledger rod. All was peaceful as the rain started, and then I heard it. An enormous slurp and splash as one of the bits of it bread disappeared. I put in a few more bits for confidence and brought in the ledger rod.

About 15 Mins later, the bread was being taken confidently. I hooked a similar size piece and cast it into the flow, it sailed down slowly and suddenly vanished, I struck. Thin air. I had missed it. I hoped this would not have spooked the fish.
As I tried again, the same vanishing act happened. This time as I struck, there was resistance and a chub was quickly landed. I let it rest and a quick weigh and pic titled this fish 4lb 4oz of perfect Swale chub.

I tried a few more pieces, but the fish had gone. I took my leave and crept down stream.
I put a few more pieces in and walked with them, slowly heading towards the sea, well eventually!

I came to a swim, I like for Barbel. So put the floating bread rod down and cast out the stonez, suddenly the splash of a fish taking my bread rang out.

The ledger was away in seconds and I concentrated on the bread. The take was close in, about 1 metre from the bank. I hooked some bread and placed it on the spot.
Immediately small fry attacked the bread, bringing it closer to the bank, it was now about 30cm from the bank, under my rod.
I saw all the fry scarper as a big pair of white lips approach the bread, then sink back away. This happened 4 more times, then suddenly the lips moved forward and the bread was gone!!
I struck, fish on I cried. Again a quick fight ensued close to the bank and the fish was in the net. I could tell this was a bigger fish. The scales settled on 5lb exactly!! A new pb and my first ever 5lb chub, I was over the moon.

A few quick pics and the fish swam away strongly. I did not want to keep the fish out too long, so I had some quick selfie pics, not all of them came out so well!

I tried to fish on, but the hype was clear to see, I was so happy I couldn't sit still.

I decided it was best to go for an evening stroll, after all I was dressed for it.
I walked along a section I had not seen in a long while, again it looked perfect. I was not greedy though, I saved this for another day. Thinking as I walked to the car, maybe I should wear a tie next time!!

Straight to the point with winning ways

Date fished 14/7/18 to 15/7/18

Like, share. Win.
It was that simple. I entered a competition on the book of faces to win a weekend glamping at Stonebridge fishing lakes. I had followed them for a while as I had seen Anglers Mail do a feature there and also seen some match results with plenty of cracking still water chub. I had kept it as a place to try if the river was unfishable.

The glamping was ace. A huge tent with double bed, sofa, chairs and bedside cabinets! A breakfast tent, with sofas, chairs, stove and indoor fire pit all adjoining a pristine ex fly fishing lake for an evening fishing.
A convenient shower block close by made for a less stinky camping experience. I guess that's why they call it glamping!!

Sat morning, 8.30am I arrived on the Coarse lake, a short walk from the tent and across the park.
Plenty of carp were showing, I was certain to catch one. Or so I thought.

First cast with a newly tied and never used before helicopter rig, and I sat ready. Suddenly the rod jumped towards the lake, I grabbed it and held on. After a few runs across the lake, I finally had the fish on my side of the lake! A tree to my right and this fish was straight into it. I managed to get some side on it, only to feel the dreaded ping!
The hook had come free, still not knowing if this was a carp or a big chub, I sat back. Examining the hook, I was surprised at how straight it was, nearly straightened completely!

After a change of hook, I carried on. But as it warmed up, the carp just swam under the surface, my rig on the bottom just tempting small roach, perch and the odd hybrid.

I alternated between feeder and float and thoroughly enjoyed "catching", it was a fish a chuck and they kept coming, even carp in perfect minature.

Eventually the float managed to tempt a proper carp again, I am saying "again", but deep down I wanted the first fish to be a 7lb chub!
The result was the same again though! The fish stripped line, did a figure of eight in the middle and ping! The hook came back, but fishless.

I beefed up the tackle, from the previous size 16 to a stronger sized kodex size 10. These hooks I won from writing a letter to "Improve your Coarse fishing" magazine!

As the afternoon wore on, more and more carp cruised on the top. Floating baits were not allowed, but I changed my rig to a hook and one small weight. Casting in front of cruising carp and watching them turn and head down for the maggots! It was a great way of fishing, stalking and trying to outwit nature.

I hooked a nice sized carp, again the hook came free. The line was not breaking, but I was just getting bullied by these powerful carp.

The time came to call it a day. Walking back to the gate, I saw a few more cruising carp. This time I was the victor, a perfectly formed carp finally on the bank.

The second day seemed hotter. I only managed two hours fishing, so decided just to stalk with maggots again.
Again I watched, casting to the cruisers. The bailiff had told me to not just cast gently, but slap the bait down in front. Telling me that this time of year the carp are super inquistive to suspected food so will investigate those noise falls on the water in search for food.

Eventually I had hooked a carp, easily the biggest one so far, I would predict it to be a double, unfortunately I will never know 'cos at the net the hook hold gave up.

I dont blame the ghilley, but she had one job! Lucy had done so well with my first ever river Barbel at Newark on the Trent. Seems she needs to come more often, or not at all!!

1 caught from the 4 hooked, I should be disappointed, but I am not. No line breakages, and all hooks were returned.  I arrived a winner, but left firm in the knowledge that fishing was the real winner!

When is a blank not a blank??

Date fished 4/7/2018


1700 till 2100




Big elbow was the platform, the location was the Tees. Ellis and I went for a short evening session for perch and pike.

The river looked very different from 2 days ago, flat calm and with little fish topping. It actually looked ideal for fishing, seems under the water something different was happening!



A quick motor to “Disco Corner” christened this by Ellis for its corner design and its locals that can be heard busting out tunes on their ghetto blasters quite often!




The pole was out, maggots were thrown in and the float was sat in the water. There the float remained, just sat, not moving, nothing.




More maggots were thrown in, and more and more. The bait fish we were trying to catch had gone. Eventually we started to get bites, and soon we had each got off the mark with a 4oz (being generous to Ellis) Roach each!



One was used for live baiting for pike, the other was maybe a bit small! Third cast and the roach flew further than the hooks. We were now without bait!

It was time for a move. We found likely looking bays along the river bank, over hanging trees and classic looking pike swims. We slowly drifted on the flat calm water, each taking a side of the boat to thrash the water with every lure in our armoury! Although it looked perfect in every way, no pike wanted to join us.



It was another example of a great evening fishing, perfect conditions for learning new things about the river, getting a better understanding of how it works and changes with the days. The excitement came when we were nearly torpedoed by a merry band of 4 rowers who were on a direct course to put a huge hole in the side of the boat!

Soon it was time to head home, we both commented on how it looked so perfect for pike tonight, but they were just not there. We left in the knowledge that catching bait fish albeit tenuous is enough to put a smile on our faces and avoid the blank!!

Tees, trees; Swale, Sticks; Boat, sucess!

Date fished 27/6/18, 16.00 to 21.00, Tees (bank)
Date fished 30/6/18, 0455 to 1030, Swale
Date fished 1/7/18, 0900 to 1900, Tees (boat)

What a busy few days I have had!? It's been great to do a lot of varied fishing, both alone and with great friends.

It started on the Tees, another after work session to target perch and pike on lures. Would the pike be as frustrating as the night Dave and I threw the kitchen sink at them?? I started with surface lures just to have a look. I got a follow from a large perch that just didn't have the confidence or maybe the mouth to grab my toad as it tried to nibble it. I alternated between small and larger lures for perch and pike respectively, silly really when I have caught nice pike on very small lures!! But the thought of big lures for big fish rings true in all our lure chucking heads!!


A move up stream brought another follow from a good sized perch, its dorsal up as it chased my lure and then it happened.
A loud crack, from about 20 metres away, near a swim I had just left. A tree had split in half and I watched as it fell with a mighty splash into the river.  I have been wary of creaking trees during windy weather in the winter, but never during glorious sunshine.

I continued fishing, avoiding trees and fish. But eventually caught a small perch like last week's. It was a nice evening to be sat on the bank and watch the world go by.

The pike evaded me though, and I left for home still wondering " if and when" my Tees Pike will come.



The weekend approached and I was going fishing again.  In this hot weather, I decided to go early, like early early, alarm set for 3am!! I was going to practice with the stick float, hoping that using maggots I may get a mixed bag with a bonus chub.

My bag was not mixed, it was small and contained 8 minnows!! I did see the chub, in shallow, warm water, just sat. They looked like they were as unimpressed with the hot weather as I was starting to be. I felt I had mastered the Stick float though, being able to cast it in the same spot, trot it along the edge of the bushes and continually feed maggots in the spot too. Next time I will invite the Chub!

It was good to walk the river again though. With very little water in, I was able to look at likely areas to fish come winter.

Sunday Social was back after a closed season of going solo and fly fishing. Ellis has been on the Wear for Trout, Sea Trout and Salmon and Dave has been fly fishing on the Tees. We boarded “Big Elbow”, Ellis’s boat at the Tees barrage and headed off in pursuit of Pike. It was another hot day, very bright and the water was clear. Our excuses were already being developed as Ellis piloted us to superb Pike looking country.

Lures were thrown, dropped (drop shotting) flung and trolled, but still the Pike stay hidden. We ended up in a reed lined corner and got the pole out so we could:

1. All avoid the blank
2. Catch some live bait

With a few silvers in the bucket and smiles on all our faces, we headed further along the river. The pole was a magic 20 mins of fun, and Ellis had commented that he could stay there all day, I really had to agree with him. Watching a float constantly bobbing and catching little silvers with the occasional Perch as they move in to have a look is proper fishing and I love it!!


Alas we had to move on. We had “seen” activity that looked like pike, and with the boat we were able to position ourselves within casting distance. Eventually we came to an area that was perfect, and as the boat steadily drifted in the wind, we all attacked the water from our respective positions on the boat. My live bait being given extra movement from the very slow drift of the boat obviously worked. My float bobbed and in Jaws’s fin like action but in reverse, it sailed away and under.

“Fish on” was the excited cry from both Dave and Ellis, even whilst they fished they were trying to pop my Tees Pike cherry!

A firm strike, was enough and I slayed the beast, well definitely more beauty.  It maybe was slightly bigger than some of Dave’s Burts but it was a pike, and a very welcome Pike! I was happy, not only to finally catch a Tees Pike, but to do it with my mates on a day that was so much fun.

We fished on as it got hotter, finding areas where the trees nearly covered the whole stretch, overlapping at the top from each side of the bank – none of them broke and fell in this time fortunately!!

Ellis continued with drop shotting and caught over a dozen Perch, Dave and I persisted for the Pike but no more were caught.

The boat was great for getting into “those” swims. Those ones you see from a bank, but could never cast too. We saw Chub hiding amongst tree routes, plenty of smaller silvers and even scared a pike that was just drifting in the shallows as we approached. It fleeing with a loud splash that nearly made Dave fill his pants!

As the evening came, it was time to head back. Three redder guys returned, all with smiles and all already talking about the next trip. The fishing was great, but the social was what made the day…. Cheers Chaps, Parmo’s on me next time!

Perfect Perch aplenty, but the Pike were taking the Pish

Date fished 21/6/18 Time fished 16:00 to 22:00




The significance of the time fished is that this is the latest I have fished on a club river stretch. I normally opt for a dawn raid and then am home before the night time equivalent. This time was different, I had worked till 3pm, jumped in the car and hot footed it down to the Tees. Arriving in an hour, there was still a good chunk of the longest day of the year left for me to wet a line. I had decided to target Perch on small soft plastic lures and then Chub on hard crankbaits and/or ledgered bait into dark if I could brave it!

At the last minute Dave decided to join me, brining only a few large lures to see if he could tempt any of the resident Pike. Settling into a few swims was hard work, the bankside vegetation was akin to the jungles of Borneo! with many places not accessible. I managed to get into a nice open swim with some tree features on the far bank.


The river was a little low, quite clear and full of weed, this was constantly coming down the river and collecting on my ledger line, causing Dave to keep telling me I had a bite. Most of the time, I believed him, struck and ended up just dragging in a small island of weed!


We continued up river, creating swims where we could and having a few casts. We ended up in separate swims. It was not long before I heard the splashing's of a hooked fish. A quick call to Dave to find him, as I could not see any parting of the vegetation, told me he had a nice Jack Pike in the net. At about 3lb and in addition to a few he had already caught since June16th, it was another perfectly formed predator to kick start Dave's season.

As we continued upstream, we watched the patches of weed hoping to see fish dart between them, always looking, seeing shapes that had to be fish, or glints of light moving. It was lovely being on the river at this time of day.


We returned downstream, coming back to my first swim, where I cast to the trees with pellets on the hook. The weed continued to come down and I was constantly having to remove it, this was not as welcome as the picturesque scenes previously described!


Walking back to a clearing, I decided the ledger tactics were probably not right today and I would start to mark my account with Perch. Small lures were dispatched to likely looking areas and some little perch were my reward. 3 in total, all greedy and all welcome!

What happened next can only be described as Pike pandemonium. We sat and watched as Pike repeatedly chased, crashed and corralled fish on the far bank. Splashing in the water as tiny fish jumped out and tried to flee. We witnessed many attempts from maybe many Pike and it got us excited. We tried everything with lures to tempt these Pike, to no avail. I swear at one point Dave actually cast the kitchen sink at those toothy critters!


All our attempts were met with big pockets of weed and 2 fishy finned salutes. In the end we had to admit defeat and sat in awe as the Pike continued their onslaught of the bait fish.


As the mist started to drift off the bank and over the water, it was time to go home after what was a long day. Now, fully in amazement of the evenings entertainment that the river put on for us, we vowed to come back and see if we could witness this again. Next time we hope for a different predatory ending though.

Blogging, back to basics

I have not been fishing in a while, but that does not stop the little grey cells thinking about all things fishing.

I was thinking about how I used to record my trips. Long before this blog, as a child I was never very organised, and no mobiles so it was old school cameras if any.
Needless to say, I do not have many photos of times at Greenfields, Boulters lock or the Upper Benyons!

When I moved North, started a family and had a camera in my pocket 24 hours a day, things changed. My son was always keen to "know how I got on" after a trip, so I started to keep pics of the scenery or fish caught on my phone for him.

After many pairs of socks and smellies given at birthdays and the like, soon I was un wrapping a photo album given from both my kids.

I was hooked! I would take pics, get them printed at Tesco and stick them in with comments that would make me smile as I wrote them. The kids were then able to look through it later and we had a record. I was as happy writing my "blog" as catching the fish, especially as back then I did not record the blanks!!

Now they are 8 and 6, so although they are happy to still know what daddy is up to, they are more likely to be logged on to my Ipad and reading this...... now get to bed you two, it's past your bed time!!!