A morning fishing the stick float an caster on the river

Decided to fish with stick float and caster (two pints of them) this morning. Got to a stretch at 5am to find the gate closed (how dare they!) so a quick think and decided on a different part.

Set up was quite simple, stick float, 4.4lb drennan float fish (as some snags were there) straight through to a size 18 spade end. The swim was only 3 feet or so and steady so a small stick did the trick. 13 ft float rod and closed face reel finished it off

After trickling in caster whilst setting up, first cast and I was into a heavy lump on single caster. I proceeded to get me snagged up, twice, but each time patience and pressure got it out. Finally landed, a great start with a chub of 4lb on the dot.

After this, there was a bite a chuck from dace. Good fun all the same, and it didn't matter how much I stepped up the feeding, the bites from dace kept coming. I then struck into something solid which went upstream with purpose, before the hook sprung out. my heart tells me it was a barbel :(

Two chublets to 8oz followed, then I lost another big chub in some snags. 

 

Overall, a great morning. Two pints of casters didn't even scratch the surface either.

First bass session of the year on the brilliant yorkshire coast

Well I decided on a dawn raid on our brilliant yorkshire coastline for a change today, as the rivers are a struggle at present.

I was up by 3am to fish the ebbing tide from high. Got to the coast which involved a rope descent, and started fishing with shallow diving plugs. 

Bearing in mind if I get a couple of bass in a whole summer it's standard, imagine my surprise when this bass hit my lure 3rd cast, this being my first session of the summer...

This one was about a pound and a half.

I kept plugging away with the successful lure and a short while later a bigger fish hit my lure. By the way, a bass hitting your lure is one of the best experiences in angling in my opinion, absolutely brilliant and a good fight. This one took a bit longer to get in, and I was happy with this one of 2lb 5oz.

And that was it, the tide went too far out for this part, and we went home, up the rope!!

Going for a nap now...

Nice chub and perch from a new stretch of the river

I tried a new stretch today, that involved a good 45 minute walk from the nearest parking spot.

I started on the float, flicking maggots and caster in whilst I was setting up. Within 30 seconds one of the fish I was feeding got chomped by a big pike (noted for another session ;) ) and then, shortly after, a mother and baby deer crossed the river downstream of me. Interesting. Start!

The first few chucks down I had a few hand sized dace, and then it slowed down a bit. I rested the swim whilst topping up the feed,. The 5 minute break did it some good, as I struck into something lumpy an solid. Brilliant fight on the stick float and 2lb line, but the soft cushioning action of the rod let me feel in complete control still. Eventually this chub of 4lb 1oz came into the net.

Not bad for a single maggot on a size 20!

 

The float action slowed right down, so I got the feeder rod out with lobworm. This was cast I the far bank and within minutes a nice perch was landed...

As the sun rose, the swim went quiet and I moved on. 

I was trying various different swims with lobworm on the long trek back to the car, and eventually landed this nice perch of about a pound. 

And that was that. Battling through nettles, hogweed and himalayan balsa over a few mile walk was exhausting, but well worth it.

A big lady from the river

Well that was a great morning.

I got to the river for 4.30am, the idea being that I would struggle once the sun got up properly. In my first swim, I set up a quiver rod but it was soon clear after getting constant knocks and skinned maggots that this wasn't the tactic for the day. Up went the drennan floatmaster with a big stick, and after feeding for half an hour, I started trotting maggots. 

I was in immediately with a lovely wild brownie, then not much else.

A move slightly downstream and I was in straight away again, this one feeling a bit heavier, as it turned out to be..

This was quickly followed by a nice dace of 6 oz or so..

So far so good I thought, and was really enjoying just trotting the float down. However, no more bites came so I upped and moved once more.

 

Patient feeding in my new swim allowed them to get in the mood, and on the first trot down, another brownie came to the net, beautiful fish they are

On the next trot down, the float slid under and I struck into something solid. It felt big, I couldn't budge it (I was only using 2lb line) at first, but eventually it started moving. Thoughts of a nice chub  came to mind, but I was even more pleased when I realised a big grayling hit the surface. I carefully played it, fortunately the soft rod cushioned every movement, and after a good 5 minutes I finally netted her, and what a fish she was!  It weighed 2lb 4oz, and long term achievement succeeded, and beating my old pb by nearly a pound.

I didn't get anything else as the sun rose higher, and called it a day at 10am. 

 

Plenty of these being taken by trout in case anyone is interested....

Happy days!!

 

Return of Anguilla?

Had half an hour on the river rolling meat today on my way home from work (sort of ;) ).

River was low and clear so I found a really deep pool and just let the meat bounce about. Only take was from this, put a nice bend in my drennan big feeder rod. At 1lb 12oz, it's only a pup but this is the first I've ever had from the river. I know of another caught this season as well. Yes, they can be annoying, but they are an interesting creature and interesting to see if they will make a return from the recent decimation in stocks !