Unlucky for some

Date fished 13/05/2022

1pm until 7pm

Friday the 13th we meet again. 

I once worked with a guy that always booked this day off. He figured it was safer being at home than risking the jinx. He did claim that he was on a step ladder with a chain saw on one particular Friday 13th and there was an "incident".

Prior to the session, I decided to float fish with pellets, so I needed to make some hook lengths with hair rigged bands. I also bought some sweetcorn as a healthy alternative. 

I  checked the weather and it stated "fresh breeze", just like Friday 13th August 2021 so I took the ledger rod too! (Spoiler, it never got used).

Flexi helped me finish early and I was at the lake by 1pm.  The lillies had started to grow back, the howling wind aside it looked good. On the drive over I had changed my mind about bait. It was going to be sweetcorn as the main bait and switch to pellets if not. (Spoiler, I never did change to pellets, the rig tying was not needed!!) 

Micro pellets as loose feed

My swim

The rod was set up already so I was fishing straight away. A few pellets hoping to get the fish going. In less than 10 minutes the float buried and the first fish was landed. I didn't expect a bream so soon! 

Approx 3lb

I fished on, which came with its dangers. One gust had me grabbing hold off my chair, I honestly thought I was going to be blown away. Fortunately the extra chips and beers over the years kept me grounded.

Regular feeding had the float dipping and sailing away often. Within a short time I had another bream and two roach on the tally.

I was soon joined by a committee member and having a good natter. Not paying attention again, I missed several bites/fish. I did comment how I would like a tench......

As ordered!! 

The corn was going down quickly, but I continued with the feeding. The fish kept coming, some ide and hybrids really packing a punch for their weight. Several times they shot off like rockets, and were really only hand sized! 

You will be pleased to know, I didn't take pics of every fish. Several silver's went back without a snap, bream number three was more of a film star! 

The waggler was fished about a rod length off a bush, I tried to feed tight but this was difficult with the wind. I probably fed a 10ft square, where a proper match angler would feed a 10cm square! 

The fish didn't mind though, bream number four arrived soon after.

Another bury of the float was met with a strike. The rod bent over and the fish swam off. I initially thought Carp, but it was not as strong as that. This fish took line and headed towards the lillies. I played it back towards me, it kept low and was pulling back. Eventually it came to the surface, a good bream (defo a pb). I got the net and started to bring it towards me, a quick flip and the hook hold came away. Gutted, I had lost a good one. Was this the Friday 13th jinx? 

Not to be to annoyed, I fished on. The float went again and this time the bream was netted. 

Five bream, one tench, two roach and five silvers landed, there was no jinx! (13 fish)

Blank holiday photographer

Date fished 01/05/2022

6.30 am until 12.30 pm

A few beers on Friday night with Tom, and we planned a morning trip to Tilcon. Early was the order of the day as our son's were away on scout camp so needed collecting in the afternoon. Armed with the usual hybrid feeders and pellets, bream (my) target. 

We decided on some swims close to the car, incase we needed to get the brollies out. Rain was originally forecast, but unlikely by the time we arrived.

The six hour session can be condensed into 52 minutes of highlights. Between 8am and 52 minutes past  Tom caught three bream. All around the 4lb mark and all on pellets. Two were from the distance rod, one close in. All were landed in his massive Carp net. All were photographed by today's resident photographer aka me. All were stunning fish and all were welcome! 

Third

Second

First

The parts that may of also made the highlights package: 

Whilst setting up, there was a worm wriggling across my platform, I saw this as a sign so put it on the hook. Caught me nowt.

We both had bites, constant line bites, so the fish were very much moving about. 

We met some other members and had some good chats about all things fishy. 

We both had takes that resulted in a loss of pellet but no capture. Still don't know how fish can do that, regardless of what Captain Bird's-eye says, they don't have fingers! 

The lake looked lovely, no wind and with several fish splashing about. 

On the way home, Tom seemed to want to chat about ugly cousins or non Carp captures, I think he had eaten one too many nuts! 

I must admit, I feel bad to mention others in my blog when they blank, for example This post, so I hope today's title is a fair critique of my own performance! 

Ide be happy with one pb, but two!!!

Date fished 17/4/2022

12.30 pm until 18.00

Adam, chapter 4, verse 3. On the third day, he went to the lake again! 

With no other plans, I decided I would complete the hatrick and go back to the lake. An afternoon session this time, still targeting those slabs. Not the concrete ones like yesterday, the bream flavoured ones. 

Since my first trip to Tilcon when I used my pole, nearly every other trip I have used a feeder. Today I took the float rod and some wagglers, I was going to see if I could catch my first ever proper bream on the float, (of course the ledger rod came too). 

Picking a swim I had never fished before was ambitious, especially as I slipped on my way down to it and broke a step. One for me to repair next work party! 

I set up the ledger as a sleeper rod and concentrated on the float. Worm on the hook, I fed pellets about a rod length out against a bush. It was warm enough for shorts, but there was a steady breeze, creating a chop on the water. It was not blowing constantly and when it stopped, the lake was like glass. Quite a contrast.

That reminds me, I must buy milk...

After an hour of feeding and casting my first bite. A little Perch to deny the blank. 

As I fished on it was a Perch a chuck, all on worm. Some small, some bigger. About 25 in all and certainly kept me busy with a smile on my face on the float rod.

 

I kept up the feeding and was nearly out of worms. The float dipped and I struck, this time resistance and the fish pulled back. A good fight on the float rod and I had succeeded. A bream of between two to three pounds lay in the net! 

The wind picked up and with no worms left, I put the feeder against the bush and did some close in ledgering to see if any more bream were down there. There was, another fish similar to the first but this time falling to pellet.

I carried on feeding and the fish were definitely feeding as line bites gave them away. Another member was walking his dog and we had a chat. As we did, the rod started pulling and another bream was on. We saw it come to the top, it was bigger than the first two and I played it towards the bank. Like with everything when you are being watched, you just can't do it the same and the bream came off! 

"You can blame me for that" said the other angler and off he went. 

I cast straight back out and within minutes the rod went again. I was better now and a larger fish lay in the net. No blame there! 

This looked much bigger and deserved a number. 

My previous pb was 4lb 13oz. Gotta love these digital scales when your pb is going up an ounce at a time!! 

Sure of more fish, I fished on. The rod gave a huge tap and line started to come off the spool. Novices will think this is a big fish, but experience tells me, its usually a tiddler.

A small but perfectly formed ide and my first ever, so technically another pb!! 

I carried on a little while longer but I wanted to pop and see my friend Ronald. He is moving to Hexham soon, so will be great to catch up. I drove thru and had a celebratory burger and headed home. 

Having the lake to myself was great this afternoon and the pb's were amazing. I enjoy the  (social) club aspect too, so will be looking to sort out that step on my next work party. 

Maybe there should be a rule where a pb equals cakes!? Will have to see if that catches on, as I tuck into my (frog) chocolate. 

Golden frog made by my kids for Easter

Work party

16/4/2022

10.30 am until 12.30 pm

There was no alcohol, no sausages, no jumping naked out of cupboards, no snogging and no photocopying of genitals but this was indeed a "work party". 

I was at my first club work party and today we were doing work at Tilcon.  

Five of us (wishing we were fishing) spent a good two hours sorting and tidying the on site container. Useful to keep bits of wood, but when is too much? 

There was alot more than this! 

HMS Missy pie, a large boat, more afloat than some others in the news at the moment. 

A good sort out was needed so equipment would be ready for swim repairs, path completion and other jobs throughout the years.

At the end, the container was spick and span ready for the summer, apart from the odd smell of dust, Guinness and coffee! 

With a good job completed, some old wood burnt a few decided to fish. I headed home to cheer on the red men. 

Assault and battery

Date fished 15/4/2022

8.30 am until 2.30 pm

Or any days

Bank holidays = fishing days. Not always but this particular Easter, I was able to go fishing. Happy to keep both kidneys, I decided not to sell one for fuel and opted to fish local. I headed to Tilcon. 

I decided to fish in my old favourite swim, and not the new favourite swim. Confused? Well, I fished in the lake, let's leave it like that. I had two rods, worm on one and pellet on the other. They were both set up last night, so I was fishing in minutes. Traps set, it was a lovely morning, mild and with no wind. I wished I brought the float rod!!

It was not long until the worm rod got some attention. By attention I mean GBH, ABH and any other H's you can think of. Short, sharp pulls on the tip as the worm was getting its face smashed in. I knew the likely culprits and soon I had one on the bank.

Our old friend, Mr Perch. You will remember, a Perch was my first ever fish? Anyway, today they were starving. They attacked the worm constantly, so I decided to up sticks and fish in a new area for me. The Carp were crashing around by the rushes and I wondered if a tench may be close by. I crept into position and decided not to fish tight against the snags, but the opposite way but under all the scum and surface film being blown that way. There would definitely be fish here. 

First cast in and I spooked a fish dozing just under the surface. I sat back and waited. Sure enough the rod started to get attention, it would appear someone's eyes were bigger than their belly!! 

About half a dozen Perch in as many casts and I chuckled to myself. I was hoping a bigger one was also sat down there....

No such luck, they were all the same size. Although the way the rod was being tugged implied they had been eating at least 3 shredded wheat each! 

I decided to move again, in the hope of catching something different. 20 minutes in a sheltered spot and the aggression of the little Perch had disappeared. If I believed in meditation or such things I may of started humming. It was so peaceful. 

The clouds came over and I no longer needed my sunglasses. When I put them away, I just carried on with the rest of my kit. Without realising I was back at the car and ready to go. A short, sharp worm bashing session came to a close. I have a party tomorrow so it's early bath time.....

4lb average

Date fished 3/4/2022

9.30am until 3pm

Assume you all have windows, eyes and a memory?! So, I wont need to tell you that the weather has gone from 20 degrees to snow the next day! What this must do to wildlife and fish... at least we can simply ( if we can afford it) flick the switch and turn the heating back on. The fish must be freezing mid spawn!

Anyway, it was my birthday end of March, so I treated myself to some new gear. I bought a stack of new swim feeders, Korum supa lite rod saver and a bait pouch - seems the heating will have to be turned off until 2023!  

Small grippa feeders, just 15 and 20g, ideal for small amounts of bread crumb when targeting chub on the rivers.

A nice bit of kit, I bought the two rod version, should be great for roving the rivers or an evening session on the lake.

I had planned to fish with Tom at Tilcon. The pike season finished on 31st March, so there was no need for Tom to be over at Stargate (blanking) anymore! 

We decided to fish a bit later than normal to allow for some warmth. I set off and headed down the a69, soon realising I had left the worms in the fridge, so back I went! Eventually we met at the car park and had a good look at the lake. Armed with pellets and worms, the bream were the target.

We both had two rods in the water in next to no time and were soon sat back, coats off, enjoying the sun. We chatted as the rods lay still, but regular casting had us thinking the fish would be on the feed. We commented on what the average weight of bream is in the lake, we agreed on 4lb. We wanted to see what the largest is and if the lake is netted, we may get a chance. Would be good to know what our quarry is, although the surprise is nice too. 

There were nearly 10 anglers on the lake today, was nice to see. As usual when I fish with Tom, he gets the fish!! True to form, and skill, his rod was away. A quick scoop and a 4lb 1oz bream lay in the net. 

Pellet the bait of choice

We fished on as the sun moved around behind us. The wind was cold but its battle was lost against the sun and we remained warm. When the sun went behind the trees, the wind got its revenge and within minutes, it felt like winter. Loads of knocks on my worm rod enough to keep me warm (ish).

At 1.30pm Tom decided it was time to pack up so he left, I thought I would fish on a short while. I was watching the constant taps on the worm, in truth my worm was being hammered! Then the pellet rod was away, a quick battle, it actually pulled back! And a spirited bream lay in the net. 3lb 15oz

Anticipation.....

Seems I needn't of gone back for the worms!

I fished on until 3pm. The wind was now very much in control and with no more bites and clouds gathering it was soon time for home.

Now, I did do A level maths but I don't thinks it's needed to confirm the average of today's efforts!!