2018

As I sort my kit for my first trip of 2019 at the weekend, I started to think how good 2018 was as a fishing year, but was it really?? It's hard to tell as memory is a funny thing.....

We started on 1/1/2018 and fished right up to 31/12/2018. According to my blogs, the start of the year was, well let's just say "tough"!
I fished 6 sessions across the Swale, Tees and Ribble and blanked on all 6!! Not to mention loosing my landing net and pole.

It was not till April that I caught my first 2018 fish, some may think that was a bad start to the year. I would agree but for my first fish being a 13lb carp and new PB that had stood for maybe 20 years, I was more than happy!

I then mixed fishing with travel, staying at Ullswater for a weekend to try on the lakes. A little trout being my reward on a huge water.
Once the river season started again, I was back on the Tees mostly. Spending a few trips on Big elbow with Dave and Ellis cruising about and fishing well. A Tees pike was my reward, something I had been trying for for a while, so again another success.

A glamping trip with Lucy followed, a lovely carp being caught after a long battle stalking the fish. It was nice to fish near to where we stayed, and I would be looking forward to more "fishing with accommodation" trips!

August saw me back on the Swale, suited and booted when I forgot to pack my change of clothes so had to fish in my work clothes. The fish did not seem to mind, and the evening ended with another PB. A 5lb chub being caught on floating bread.

Next I became provider, taking a friend from work fishing. I had taken Mark fishing before but we blanked, this time it was different. We both managed to catch fish and it was his first ever fish. He left talking about buying some tackle, so not only had I lead him to the water, it seems I made him drink it too!

Next was an easier encouragement, I joined my son up to a local club, and taking him for a few hours with maggots and his whip was ace as he managed 16 fish! He is definitely hooked for life now!

It was back on the Tees after for perch with JJ, who introduced us to spinners. Some e bay purchases later and Ellis and I have both caught nice perch and pike on our spinner friends.

My river Barbel count can still be done on a single hand, but I am getting there. My target this year was a Swale Barbel, and although I have not managed it, I have added another river Barbel. 2018 saw me catch one from the Wharfe, expertly guided by Aidan. I have now caught 3 Barbel in total from the Trent, Wye and Wharfe.

Evening trips go the Tees followed, lures were re-found, trees collapsed, it was all exciting.

It was then that Ellis and I mixed camping with fishing, me not bringing a sleeping bag and nearly freezing to death. Sure it was colder the next trip when we slept in our cars!! The fishing was coupled with bar b q food, beers and whiskey, obviously all washed down with plenty of laughs!!

Ellis and I visited new places on the Tees, finally going to sockburn for a nice nature trail, a walk made longer by the bailiff!

Our next trip was memorable, it was "the" Tees pike, a 5lb fish. Not massive, but my biggest Tees fish. It rounded off a crazy 30 mins of action in the evening that saw Ellis catch a cracking Perch, and me catch some micro pike too!

A final overnight trip to Cundall had me repeatedly explaining to Ellis the difference between a pike and a Barbel, but in the end I caught pike too and abandoned the Swale Barbel!

The annual Chumbley trip followed, Davey not falling over at all on this trip making for a quiet affair. Oh, I nearly forgot Davey did poach a cracking 10lb carp out my swim!!

The quest for catching something new, had me travelling again. After a trip with Ellis on the canal, I headed south. Visiting Anthony in Nuneaton to try for a Zander. I was not to be lucky, but Ant caught the predator grand slam, so at least I saw my first zander!

December sparks the Grayling sessions, and although we blanked the first time, we more than made up for it the second. Plenty of magnificent Grayling coming to our expertly trotted maggots.

Another first in December, a first on cheese paste. What was going to be a hard day, made a dramatic turn around when the 4lb chub snaffled my cheese paste.

Which brings me to my last trip. Buoyed up by the cheese success, I continued with it to try to tempt a Tees Chub, only to be thwarted by a Tees pike picking up my cheese paste!! Strange but true.

When I look back, the numbers are not huge but there are some Pb's and firsts amongst them. There has been plenty of laughs, good chatter and memories made. When I look at the pics, there are smiles. It's been a great fishing year, am looking forward to 2019.

Say Cheese, Mr Pike

Date fished 31/12/2018
4 rods in by 8.40 fished till 15.30

Ellis and I decided to head back to the Tees in some swims we saw last trip. We were hoping for chub and pike and not to end the year in the same way as we started - we both blanked on 1st January 2018!

A short walk, which would have been shorter had I not offered up a "short cut" to our chosen swim, and we were soon fishing. I had a new batch of cheese paste with bread crumb in the feeder for chub and sardine for pike. Ellis had mackerel for pike and steak for the chub, if nothing else we were teaching the fish all about fine dining!

The conditions were different to the previous trip, and apart from the bitter cold wind, we could not put our finger on what was different. As you know, I use the Finygo app for all my trips, and I will be checking the air pressure, wind speed, direction, temperature and river levels on both these trips to start to get more of an understanding as to what conditions were different. This will help us in future trips, well that's the plan!

As we waited in the cold wind, pies and Christmas chocolates were eaten to keep warm. First blood coming to the steak as three loud bleeps sounded on the alarm. The bite didn't materialise and we stayed on the blank.

A large fished swirled by my pike float, so I sat poised, but again no bite came. This has happened alot, we are not sure if it's fish attracted to the bait just checking it out, or actually fish attracted to the float!!

We waited, suddenly a large fish, suspected to be a Pike as Ellis saw its tail swoosh over, splashed 5ft in front of us. Ellis moved his pike rod so quickly in the spot, I thought he was gonna get whiplash!! Unfortunately nothing took the elasticated on mackerel and we remained on the blank.

By now, I had nearly drunk all my coffee and my choice of gilet over big coat was proving to be a bad decision. The wind was chilling me to the bone. It called for sandwiches!
As soon as I took a mouthful of sandwich my cheese paste rod twitched and hooped over. I grabbed it, and with a sandwich hanging out my mouth I struck into the fish. Fish on! Playing the fish, obviously a chub, I quickly stuffed the sandwich in,  the chub also doing the same with its cheese sandwich!
Bringing it to the surface, Ellis was waiting with the net. The water boiled and a long fish took another lunge downwards. I realised this long chub, was going to be a good fish, maybe a Tees pb. I brought it up again, and we soon saw the fish. A lovely long looking Pike!!
A huge eruption of laughter followed, as Ellis exclaimed "a pike on cheese paste!? I have seen it all now!"

Ellis slipped the net under Mr pike, and the release in tension meant the hook popped out in the net. I was lucky, but it was hooked squarely in the mouth!

Chuckles continued for the pics, and a 4lb pike was saying cheese for the camera, literally!!

Soon we were both sat behind our rods, again braving the cold. It all got too much for Ellis and his body deciding the best way was to hibernate! A "quiet" hour followed as he snored away! Keeping us safe, I watched a Hunter on the far bank in full camo, with rifle silencer and tripod, I assume he thought the noise was a bear, but it was just Ellis!

As I greeted Ellis with a morning for the second time of the day, he laughed at the hour he had dozed for. Realising he needed to catch up, he pulled out the big guns and decided to wobble deadbaits. A quick rig change and he was ready, first cast hitting a snag and losing all his tackle! Second cast doing the same, he really was mastering this wobbled dead bait method!! We laughed together and remarked on its effectiveness, if for nothing else but loosing tackle!

It was soon time for a change, walking back to the car, we noticed some likely looking spots.

Deadbaits were cast in and we waited. Ellis was hatching a plan, to avoid the blank, surely a tackle change to maggot would catch him a Grayling. Adapting his pike rod, to the well known rig of 15lb line to 2lb bottom, with a feeder and hook, he was ready!
Holding his rod, he immediately felt fish. Reeling in to re load his feeder, I noticed he was off the blank. A minnow hanging on for dear life! Again laughter followed and we were happy.

Second cast and Ellis was on 2. Third cast, 3. This was a gudgeon, Ellis saying " he had not caught one since he was 10, and maybe his first on the Tees" this really was turning into a great trip.

Another move and he was in again, a new species for me, as I had never seen a bullhead before.

It was soon time to pack up and trudge back to the car. It really was a funny trip, plenty of laughs, snores and fish (eventually) what more could we ask for to end our fishing year??

Ellis's perfect session

Date fished 27/12/2018
8am (or when Ellis was ready) till 4pm

Arsenal did it, Liverpool might do it this season, but today Ellis did it. The perfect session, a fish caught in every swim tried. It definitely happened 'cos minnows count, Ellis confirmed my minnow did, which took me off the blank. I needed it. But by the end if the day it was not needed, even ending on a trout. So what happened between them? Grayling, lots of (12) Grayling!!

Ellis and I headed for the Tees at Broken scar. I had never fished this free stretch before, but Ellis had and he was keen to show me it's potential. I am so glad that he did.

Arriving before light careful not to flash the lights in the car park we put on our waders and got to grips with our tackle. We were not dogging, we were stick float fishing!!

I started to tie on a size 18 to 1.7lb bottom, but then snapped it as I am used to 15lb line and trebles! I opted for an 20 to 2.5lb instead. A 4bb stick float was set and off we went. We started in  a swim that Ellis fished recently. The plan was alternate trots and fish until we were ready to move on. Ellis let me go first. Nothing. So I let him go in the swim. Nothing. I moved a bit further down, Ellis caught the first fish. I came back, nothing.
Ellis moved to the swim I just left, second fish, third, fourth etc. He was soon emptying the river. Suddenly my float buried and the first fish was hooked, played but lost, then a second. This really was not going well. That's when it happened, the minnow. It was hooked and landed. I quickly asked Ellis if it counted and he said yes, I was off the mark. No more for me, whilst Ellis caught about a million, so we moved on.

The next spot looked like Crabtree set it up. Perfect swims, mist rising off the water, it was looking great. First trot down the float buried, I was soon into my first Grayling. All was well in the world.

A few more smaller Grayling followed and we were both soon into the rhythm of feeding, trotting and catching fish. We were both stood in the water and feeding steadily, Ellis from his apron and me not quite so elegant as I left my bait apron in the car. For my next trick, it was not needed however. I was required with the net. Ellis had hooked into his usual out of season trout, and as before, this one was over 2lb!! It put up a great fight in the strong flow, but was soon ready for the net.

As we walked on, there were more swims to try.  Ellis alternating between Grayling and trout. It was about now, I mentioned that Ellis was on track for the perfect session, not wanting to jinx it, we moved on.

As we walked further, the river changed from shallow faster water to slower deeper areas. We were looking for other swims, as always we were planning the next session. We walked the whole beat, then turned around to fish it back to the start. Finding a little spot, Ellis had a cast. He of course had to catch here..... and by sure he did, the mighty minnow!!!

Further impressed with the swims we passed by, we were soon back at the second spot. Again we got into the rhythm and again the fish came. Me on the Grayling, Ellis catching Grayling and Tout.

As the floats became harder to see, it was back to the first swim to finish off.  Soon we were both catching again, at one point both at the same time. A double hook up! But then I lost my fish, letting the side down!
A few mins later we were at it again, this time a better outcome, happy was an understatement!

As we fished on, I reverted back to the 18 and 1.7lb hook link, just to prove that I could. My reward was the little trout, I already told you about.

As we packed up it was starting to get dark. Thinking of what sessions lay ahead, we were soon planning the next one. Of course this perfect session had nothing to do with the fish, we were out and fishing. That's what made it perfect! The fish were just a bonus.