All at sea

15/8/2023

09.45 until 10.45

We decided this year to not fish fresh water, opting for salt instead. Eventhough I brought a car full of  coarse fishing gear with us, we booked an hour Mackerel fishing with Lyme bay boat trips. 

The trip was scheduled a few days before but the weather scuppered those plans. The morning finally arrived and calm seas and blue skies greeted us. 

We walked along the cobb and climbed aboard, welcomed by all the crew!

Due to sea conditions the skipper informed us we would be going 1.5 miles off shore and drift over a wreck. That would give us the best chance of catching fish as the Mackerel were proving difficult. We drifted over the 70ft wreck which lay in 80ft of water. 

After getting snagged first cast, Martha and I soon got the hang of it and caught some 'poor cod' that's me not saying the cod were not rich or hard done by! The boys both caught too, Sam managing two at once! We ended with eight fish between the four of us and 17 across the whole boat of 10 anglers (5 rods). 

It was a great 20 minutes fishing and an enjoyable hour trip. 

As we headed back to the harbour that's usually where my fishing ends but today was different. It was a catch and cook kinda day....

One for Dad

Date fished 29/07/2023

6am until 1pm

Over two months has passed since I last fished. Davey's Pancreatic cancer diagnosis in December 2022 hit the whole family hard. We did what families do and supported each other. Taking pills, recording poos and talking about past fishing trips all being part of the daily routine. Sadly, Davey died peacefully at the end of June and I wanted to fish as he would, well not really... I don't sleep whilst I fish!

We always had fun on our fishing trips and I am sure some stories will come out over the years I fish with my own son. Too many fishing memories to begin to unbox, but the lasting one was a picture my sister and I had commissioned for fathers day 2023, captured Davey perfectly. 

I needed to get back on the bank and catch something. I could of taken maggots on the Tees and caught all day, but I decided to see if I could catch a chub on the Swale. For no other reason than it was on my mind. 

The usual alarm, drive and Ronald stop and I was at the river. It was warm, 16 degrees and quite cloudy. I had no rain coat so took the golf brolly from the car boot. I had a float rod, ledger rod and bread and meat for bait. 

The bread because I have watched alot of YouTube, where Avon angling catches alot of chub on float fished bread. This is an aim of mine. The meat because I had some leftover sausage meat from Christmas, so I decided to jazz it up!! 

I walked over the flood barrier and was expecting to see cows, what I did see had me thinking the cows would of been better!! 

No idea what this was, I found out after speaking to a dog walker that the field owner had a "bongo thing on". Am still non the wiser. I went to find a swim.

The banks were very overgrown and I could see the water had been really high recently. I fished in a swim I fancied but I couldn't cast. I couldn't sit properly,  I just didn't feel right. So I went for a walk. The second swim was better, I fed mashed bread and float fished flake for a solid hour. Nothing. I was getting annoyed and wanted today to be chilled, so I upped sticks and went for a third swim. I had my new waders in my bag so it was surprising that I walked in the river in the wellies I had on and got wet feet!! I changed to the waders and started playing properly! 

I pulled my act together and did what I knew best. I ledgered luncheon meat. Not my amazing chilli flavoured sausage, I had not had a touch on it so far. The upstream  wind was strong and warm, the rain annoying rather than getting me soaked. Soon the rod was pulling round to a bite. 

A nice 3lb ish chub breaking the blank.  I carried on fishing here but soon got scared. I watched a big pike swim between me and the bank. I was wading up to my waist and feared it might grab hold somewhere, so I scurried onto dry land. 

I had achieved what I wanted to do and it was still early. I decided to have a walk and see what was happening. The happy campers were now up and the field was busier than usual. I went and sat on the spot where Davey caught his first and only ever Chub (link above). 

I smiled as I ate my lunch, my rod not even in the water. Eventually I cast in and listened to the cricket. The rod hooped over and I played the culprit towards me. I was ready with the net and pulled the branch out the water!! It started as a fish, I felt it pulling back, seemed it transferred the hook on the way. 

I chuckled to myself and fished on. Soon kids were playing in the river opposite and lunch was being taken at the Oval. I decided that was my cue and I packed up. 

Mission accomplished! 

Contemplation

 Date fished 24/05/2023

12.50 until 16.35

The lighter evenings are perfect for a few after work hours. Driving to Tilcon takes 11 minutes from the office, so it makes sense to combine the two. "If I have to go in the office, I will fish" - something like that. I pity the person that line manages me!! 

I am off to Dorset with the kids for half term, so thought I would get an extra trip in, I am also thinking of going early (5am) on Saturday too, we will see and I will let you know! Is kinda hard to say no when the weather is playing ball. 

I was preparing before the trip and I noted this is my 274th blog entry, maybe I should of kept that for the 300th, but I looked now. Maybe I will remember for the 300th too, do something special!?

Just the float rod this time, with stronger line. As much as I am not after the carp, I dont like them always smashing me up, lets get one on the bank!

Lots of bites but no fish hooked. Was nice to sit and contemplate stuff on the bank for a few hours. 

Workin' 9 to 5

Date fished 20/05/2023

Fished 5am until 10am and work party until 2pm

A 4am alarm woke me up, it must be nearly summer time! I tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen.

Getting in the car, it said 4 degrees, maybe not quite summer. The mist rose off the lake as I parked up. I wanted to fish a particular swim and at 5am with two cars in the car park, I felt lucky. Of course the two anglers were in that swim, I settled for my second choice. 

As usual bream were the target. It never goes to plan and the first bite was a lovely tench. Still not even 6am. I had the float rod with sweetcorn on the hook and also the feeder rod with pellets or corn, depending. I fished with both rods at first, but the constant knocks and bites meant I could only concentrate on one. I opted to float fish. 

Watching the float as the mist rose was awesome.  It was a bit chilly but the flask of coffee soon warmed me up. I wanted a good picture of the lake but I didn't have my filmographer with me and thought my phone would not do it justice. I fished on and soon it was a bite a chuck. 

Fishing the float is such a nice way to catch, nice and calm. The float buried and the rod was pulled around. The drag spun as the fish was now heading towards Newcastle City centre! My tackle was not suited to carp, so as predicted, it "smashed me up!" Proper style, nothing came back. It is a hard balance using beefy tackle to bully the carp away from the weedy areas, but when you are catching small silvers "most" of the time, I don't need the sea rod and rope style line just yet! 

It's enough to drive you crazy, if you let it! 

I now just had the feeder rod, so carried on fishing with that. The sun was coming through now and I took the wellies off to warm up my feet. This distraction didn't worry the fish and several more tench on the feeder graced my mat. 

Still wanting to float fish, I tackled that back up and cast in. The float was away again, another train heading to the far side of the lake. I played this carp a little longer but again its strength and ability to get to the weeds proving too strong for my 3lb hook link. You think you will land them, they let you dream, just watch 'em shatter!

I was surprised to hook carp because as far I could see and hear, they were busy in the reeds "getting it on." A heron watching over them, surely they are too big for its lunch?! Although I did see the heron at 5am having a large silver fish for breakfast, I thought they targeted smaller fish!? Says the zoologist!? 

The carp left me alone and I enjoyed some fish in the float. 

It was soon 10am, work party time. I swapped the rods for a spade and set about relocating some Iris to the silt trap area. The rest of the crew were in the same boat with a lot of your friends, waitin' for the day you ship'll come in and repaired some swim platforms on both sides of the lake. 

These photos make it look easy, but these civil service hands are not used to manual work. Three hours of digging and about 15 plants moved, including the big one that required wheels!

Am home now, jump in the shower, and the blood starts pumpin'.

It was a great morning, fishing and some manual labour. Unlike Dolly though, I don't agree that .....

"For service and devotion, you would think that I would deserve a fat promotion!"

(Did you spot the other lyrics?) 

A perfect blank

Date fished 1st May 

7.30am until 1.15pm

I have been to Dorset alot this year as Davey was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in mid December. We have rallied together and done our best, chemo number six tomorrow Dad. See you soon x 

I sent Tom ahead to Tilcon to bait up for bream. He has been catching a good few recently, me not so much. I arrived 30 mins after Tom, there was a good few anglers on the lake but I spotted him straight away. He picked a perfect swim, made more perfect when he scooted over a metre and I joined him in his! It was like sharing a sleeping bag!! 

I fished corn under the float, Tom had method feeders with pellets. I think they might of been "marine halibut", I might need to double check. 

We chatted about schools, rugby, our kids, holidays, fishing, cancer, social media, politics, hooking ducks (non eupho) and alot of other nonsense. 

The fishing was secondary today, we chat in pubs over a beer but the chat on the bank is much more relaxing, well to me it is. 

The sun came out and some clothes came off. Both of us Southern softies had thermals of some description on under our layers! It was also a woolly hat for me and I needed to borrow Tom's sunglasses just to keep watch of my float. 

We were soon interrupted by the softest of low volume bite alarms as Tom's right hand rod went about three times. "That's a fish" I hinted as Tom did the business. 

We chatted some more and I had a bite. The hook came back minus the corn, so am counting that as a bite!! 

Tom soon left as we had put the world to rights. I ate my lunch and squinted in the sun. The black clouds came over and I no longer regretted not having my sun glasses. A few spots of rain, then a few more. Within two minutes it was torrential and I laughed at the "fair weather anglers" comment I had made earlier! 

I packed up, drenched to the bone and headed to the car. 

Spot the difference

Date fished 7/4/2023

7.30 am until 2pm

More of the same at Tilcon today. Looking at the match results from Sunday, 19lb won it. Been a while since I caught more than 19lb in a session. 

I have been thinking of bringing the kitchen scales so I can weigh some of the smaller fish for some time, but always forgotten. I don't know how much they weigh, the fish not the scales!! Today was the day I found out....

I had dead maggots, worms and sweetcorn along with the float rod. I caught on all three, but the better stamp (accurate, because I know) came to sweetcorn. 

Not wanting my blogs to be the same, I wont give a blow by blow account of todays trip, I will just highlight the differences, and provide you with some (small) weights!

3.7 oz

4.3 oz

5.0 oz

7.5 oz

4.6 oz

3.6 oz

So, what did I learn? 

Pretty much that my general estimates are "accurate", but as with bigger fish its quite hard to be spot on. 

I would like to do this again and catch some of the micro perch, as I am sure they weigh next to nothing! 

Secondly, I learnt that I won't be entering any matches soon! I watched a host of much better than I (match) anglers today fishing the pole. They smashed it, really good fishing. But I enjoyed myself, and incidentally there were no differences worth highlighting! 

Fool

Date fished 1/4/2023

8.15 until 14.45

A day after my birthday and I decided to brave the rain. Fuelled by child made Choc mint cream cake for breakfast, I was up early and ready to hit the bank. I wanted to float fish, there will be plenty of ledgering time on this lake soon, so I thought I would start with float watching. 

Arriving at the lake, I went and chatted with the angler already fishing. He was actually just leaving, having just popped down for a short session before work. That's the way, I thought! 

We had a good chat. Introductions were short as Phillip said " I know who you are!" 

Fortunately this was followed by "I read all your blogs!" 

Phew! I thought, my reputation preceeds me, but only with McDonald's eating apparently! 

I jumped in the vacant swim, already pre baited and set up. 

The drizzle was annoying. That fine stuff, that looks OK but gets you absolutely drenched. Anyway, under the brolly I was mostly dry, so I fished on. It wasn't long before bites came. A few small perch and some very welcome gudgeon. 

The wind was calm and the lake was like glass. 

There is something about watching the float, and soon I was happy. Thoughts were gone and I was hypnotised by the orange blob. 

A change from dead maggot to sweetcorn brought an immediate bite. This was a different culprit. Am gonna say Ide. But if I am wrong, that's OK. 

The carp were crashing around in the reeds  opposite, they will soon be thinking about spawning. The bites kept coming and sweetcorn brought a better stamp of fish. 

Four good fish soon followed and I was probably on double figures. It didn't matter, no one was counting. 

Not sure if I have fished on April fools day before. I don't claim to be a fool or a prankster. But my experience of April fools day is as follows: 

For years my sister got me with the same prank. She would tell me there was a parcel for me. Having had a birthday the day before, this was quite likely. So, off I would go to see my parcel, only to be greeted with sweet fanny Adams! 

It's because of this, I didn't try to claim I caught this mud pig....