A morning chub fishing on the river

I had a great morning on monday, not because of amount of fish caught, but just walking lightly over a completely new stretch to me and investigating some new areas. 

Tactics were dead simple, 6lb line straight through (maxima), size 10 super specialist hook, drennan medium feeder and a series 7 reel. Using a sliding rig with one or two swan shot, and a bunch of worms. I was spending about 10 mins in each likely looking peg and moving on; I probably could have baited one swim and had a fair few fish but I wanted to cover 2 miles of water just to see it. 

 

In one swim, I'd been flicking out worm sections  for a short while and on my second cast, after flicking out towards a tree, this chub took the bait on the drop and surprised me! It came in at 4lb 4oz, but was skinny. Certainly got a lot of winter potential

It was hard going, especially when I inadvertently walked into a private wooded area. I wasn't too concerned until I heard a load of hounds coming near, was well relieved when I got over the barbed wire fence!! Went a different way home after that (ie, I went the proper way round!).

Some great looking swims, I'll be trying it a fair bit.

 

A pb perch from a small overgrown river

Well that was good fun. I decided to try a 'small overgrown river', where I'd heard of one or two surprises in the shape of perch. my brother had had them to 1lb 7oz recently. Myself and my brother decided to do things the proper way, and his makeshift minnow catcher soon had us plenty of baits.

Tactics involved an 11ft 10" drennan drx river feeder, 6.9lb series 7 line straight through to a size 12 hook, where the live minnow was lip hooked ad kept in place with a single red maggot. After each catching a few small perch to 8oz, we were confident the minnows were working. The bro stayed in a nice deep section, whereas I decided to rove about (I'm not the most patient person!). First cast near a tree and the rod flew straight round. After the usual dogged perch fight, I was very happy to catch a pb perch at 1lb 13oz.

It's amazing what these small river throw up. I went home a happy man. Next target must surely be a 2lber? I reckon this one will make 2 well into autumn. 

A review of the new Drennan Acolyte Ultra

I didn't need a new rod. But when I picked up the new drennan acolyte ultra 13ft it was one of those moments; like when Harry potter picks up a wand for the first time.

At 4.75oz, and as wide as your little finger I was impressed. It felt very tippy, crisp, and fast actioned. When couple with a compact float reel, it balanced perfectly, raising the tip slightly above the horizontal - feeling almost like an extension of my arm, I knew I could hold it all day no problem.

So I had to buy it!

I had intended to give it it's first outing on the river tees, using a stick float for the shoals of dace and roach. And yet, somehow en route, I inadvertently took the wrong exit and ended up on the river swale. Oh well, I thought, lets see how much backbone this rod does have. 

Tactics involved a drennan big stick (4 1/2 bb) to a size 18 drennan super spade, with drennan 3.2lb float fish as the mainline straight through to the hook. Caster was the bait of choice, two pints of it for a mornings session. 

Constant feeding whilst setting up meant that the first trot through ended in a bite, the culprit an 8oz rod, and I was impressed by the ease of which the rod dealt with it.

Next cast I struck into a solid lump. I always find that if you are patient, you can retrieve very big fish on light gear, they don't always know they are hooked. This one though had other ideas, and I had to put a serious curve in the acolyte. And it proved to me that it has plenty of backbone in reserve! Eventually landed, the rest of the morning was bliss as I lande three more 4lb plus chub as well as some smaller specimens an a grayling.

To conclude: What an awesome rod