Could not Help Myself

It was a nice day on Sunday, even though
it was the last day before I had to return to
work the river was on my mind.
I could not help myself, I had to try to get
out for a hour or two, time was ticking by
and by the time I was at the river only a
couple of hours of good lite was left.
Last time out the water had a little colour
and was carrying a few inch, this time low
clear water met me.

I made my way to the waters edge and
started too feed, my maggots were few, most
had turned to casters, but after last time from
the start I put a few pellets of different sizes into
the swim. I did not want to rush onto the pellet
knowing it would pick the better fish out.
So I set the rod up and went straight through
onto my main line, a four No 4 float and a 22's
Fox carp hook the shots were styll the small
hook is ideal for maggots and caster and one other
advantage with the strength of line I was using the
hook gives before the line!! the styll shots also
help in snaggy water, if a fish hits a snag the styll
will slide without damaging the line, any nick on
pre stretched mono reduces the strength and you
often get smashed.
I started on caster, a few Dace and pesky
Minnows and one hand sized Barbel followed
I kept the pellets going in and after hour or so
changed onto the Pellet.
Expecting bigger fish i put a size 16's Fox carp hook
on and one of the larger pellets. After building the
swim up I was hoping the fish would have settled
and I may take a few.
First put in and first fish a Chub a good 4lb.
A great start I fed again and no sooner had
the float settled than "BANG!" I was in again this
one was a good fish it surged away under the willows
but with the rod tip under the water out it came I
was thinking Barbel but a great Chub hit the surface.
It was worth the scales and they went round well over
the 5lb mark. The Dane always had a good head of
Chub but pre pellet days a 4lb fish was a good one
these are now common but a 5lb fish is still good.
My pictures don't do the fish credit(still not got a tripod)
but the fish kept coming every cast the float slid away
in what was a great few hours.
I had no big Barbel but even these 1lb fish put up
a good scrap on a float rod.
Another fish followed not quite as big but spot on
the fishing was magic.
Another babel not quite the normal size but getting
bigger my only problem the fading lite. Two problems
seeing both the float and my way back through the
jungle!
Lat cast I thought and for once it worked. The rod
arched into what was the best fish I could feel it going
into the roots and the line hitting things, I buried the
tip of the rod low into the river, I could not see the line
or the fish night was falling quick. This was surely a
Barbel it surged away again breaking water midstream
but this was its last lunge for the bushes and the fish was
mine........." Chub" now I may of lost the ability too see
but this fish went over 6lb on the scales it was very long
and in fantastic condition it was as long as the fish I caught
on the Ribble a few weeks back but not as deep or broad
(god knows how much that weighed) It was a shame that
both fish went without a decent photo, if only someone
had been with me.


I think this tactic may get some good fish over
the next few months . I plan too show Phil next
time out if I can get him away from the "Ladys"
Grayling that is by the way I know Mike and
Pete would have a great time with this kind
of fishing and I plan too show them.

Early Bird

It had been on my mind too visit the River Dane. My
last visit with Phil was a very damp squib, the river
carrying too much water and colour for a stick float
angler.
I arrived and was met by almost perfect conditions,
the river was at a good level and still had a little colour
in it. The morning was turning out quite nice "all I need
now is a few fish."
This small river can change, so even though disappointed
it was of no surprise too find one of my favourite higher
water swims with a newly fallen tree lay bang in the
middle of it. The swims very good in winter so I hope a
good flush will move it before the cold weather arrives.
"Not to worry many places on here to try" My mind
had been on taking a fish from a fast water swim and
even when the waters up you can normally squeeze
a Grayling or two out today was only a few inch above
normal summer level so no problem.
Phil will know this swim. I can almost tell what fish I'm
going to get just looking at the water and feeling with
my feet what the river beds like on the Dane, this little
river as taught me so much over the last 30 years or so .

My first runs through brought me a few Dace
which I was glad too see, the rivers had plenty
of these years back but they are on the decline
to get a few small fish was good. After playing
around with the depth and shots, I got the
presentation just right for holding back, the
result a couple of nice Grayling.
Time for a move. This part of the river is under fished
and it took me some time hacking through the jungle
like bank side undergrowth. The spot was my Dads old
Barbel swim and with that in mind I mixed some pellets
with my bait. This is mainly too avoid the Minnows
which can be a pest in any slower water. I started with
maggot and was soon into a few Chub a couple just over
a pound the biggest towards 4lb
The smaller fish is a good sign, all the fish in
very good condition.
I lost a good fish in a snag, so stepped up the line fishing
straight through on my main line. Next cast and another
good fish ploughed downstream, it put the rod and line
too the test but the stepped up tackle soon had a Barbel
in hand . The next one showed me no mercy and broke the
hook!! may be a fault but the first time it's happened.
With a few Barbel around I swapped to a banded pellet
on the hook, my plan too stick the rod tip into the snags
and hold the float back. Almost like stret pegging . As
you can see below the water is snaggy and the fish are
tucked in tight. I could see the shapes drifting over
the sandy bed of the river and after a short wait the
float drifted away, my strike was met by the solid thud
of a good fish. I learned some years ago that the best
way too play a fish in these swims is too pin the rod
tip low into the water keeping your line on
the bottom under the snags instead of high which
seems to almost pull the fish into trouble, the
next steps easy"hold on."
My time was running out I had promised Melanie
I would be home for 10.30 it was now 11.30 so one
last cast in another Grayling swim was all I could
afford too risk.
A swift response and another Grayling ended a
good morning.

Back Blogin

Im back ................ a mixture over the last few weeks
brought my blogin too a minimum .
The laptop broke and was away being fixed,
the day I got it back was also the day before
the family Holidays.
So a bit of belated updates of my angling over the last month.

Again if possible my time is around running water the rains have
both helped and stopped my fishing on occasions. A good night on
the Ribble brought me a mixed bag two good trout in very fast
water was very rewarding.
The Barbel have been a little patchy just the odd fish the one
below around 8lb the best. Mikes son is a dab hand with the
camera and took some good shots he's not shy on the one liners
either and I spent most of the night laughing at his jibes at me and
his dad.
I spent a very warm day with Pete in fact it was so hot
we came home early!!!
One decent Chub was all I could manage along with a few Dace.
Spent a few hours with Logan at Petes local pond
the little un got well into it at the end much too my
delight.
Rob invited me too the Hodder , we arrived too see the river in
a most perfect level and colour, It almost screamed that a few
SeaTrout may be around and so it turned out as within the first
hour we had landed three and lost a couple.
We also had some nice Browns in what was the best evening on the
Hodder for a few years.
Rob hit into a heavy fish it's dull fight made Rob think
it was foul hooked I waded out to net it and for a second in
the dark thought the large silver flank was of a good Sea Trout
alas it was a Sea Chub.
My attempts at a Bass on Holiday.... conditions
against me wild in the morning too say the least.
Last evening I got another few hours with Rob and the river looked
good again . The fishing was very hard just Three Browns.

So my Laptops back , a good break and a few fish,
Mikes been away too and Petes not been too well
I hope too get out on the Dane with Phil, our last
attempt was met with a river of "MUD" .

I end all this on a very sad note the day of my return
was met by the news of my Uncle John passing away.
I will always remember the days we spent fishing
both when I was a kid and later, the day we found
one of my favourite swims on the Ribble the look he gave
me as we both knew it must be stuffed with fish .
What more can you say a good man who will be missed
but remembered only with happiness.
"God Bless"

Chubtastic with Worzel

It's been nearly impossible over the last week to blog
the computer is playing up.
Anyway enough of the moaning, last night was good so
I spent most of the morning with my tech head on alas
to no avail. Logans little net book to the rescue and even
though I thought it would be a long process it's been
quite easy.
We fished some old water that I have fished a lot in the
past, it looks OK another foot of water would be needed
ideally, I managed a nice Trout though before we moved
on too faster glides.
Mike was in first a good Chub just short of 4lb,
I took four fish in quick fashion from a glide I
have wrote about before. Back then it was a
''white water Chub swim'' now even though very
fast it was a lot easier.
A bit of a difficult wade took me too some short narrow
glides, small they may have been but the fishing was great.
I landed a small Chub ''well 3lb'' before a nice Barbel and
a great Chub only problem I was in fast water and Mike was
on the other side of the river result no scales and not the best
photo's, The Chub ran close to 6lb I would say.

We had around a dozen good Chub between us very nice.

Mike with a good fish he had one at 5lb later.
Mike found a nice hat he looked like a cross between
Worzel Gummidge and Chris Yates (famed river angler)
I decided to nick a name from both and as you can see
Worzel the fisherman was not most impressed.
''Quality

And So It Starts

It does not seem that long since the coarse season
started last year, Phil, Mike and I had booked the day
off . This year we all had busy days ahead so I hoped for
a few hours late on.
Mike had the same idea and we made our way and planned
too fish until dark. The 16th of June is a special day in the
calender for me a return with the float rod on the rivers is
something I relish.
The river was quite low and my thoughts as we made our
way was of how to fish the conditions. I love the center pin
but I thought of fishing a little lighter on the closed face.
It worked pretty well first cast and run through brought
a solid thump on the float, I lifted into a very good fish,
now I wished I had heavy gear on, not that I was fishing
very light ''7lb hook length'' but this was a big fish and it was
boss. Five minutes later and making no head way the fish
found a ledge and pinged the line. Thinking this may be
a sign of things too come I put 10lb line straight through.
I had a few good Dace before the Eel above. We had four between us.
Mike had the first fish (landed) a nice little Brownie.
The action was a bit hit n miss but a nice Sea Trout was very welcome well
above a pound.
I did finally land a Barbel around 6lb. The river seemed in good
nick just needs a little water which after the rain today may well
be sorted .
So first day a dozen Dace, Sea trout, Chub, Barbel and two Eel's . I think
after reading reports that the heavy storm the night before
put a bit of a quick cold water on which had left the river with
a tinge of colour I don't think it was too bad.
Mike almost had the same only having a Brown instead of a
Sea trout.
Now how can I create some time to get back.

Local Stream

Had a few hours to kill Sunday the question
was how and which way and place?
A quick call to Mike ,Phil and Pete left me quandary
we all seemed like a few hours was likely I had a little
longer but could not decide.
As always a bit of running water always seems to win
and so me and Phil decided to give a local stream a go.

I like to fish the dry but the way to fish this stream
and get the best results is a little wet fly fished upstream,
the most important thing is weight of fly and length of
leader, get this right and the results are great.
A little silver headed fly seems to be just the job
a short cast and your eyes glued on the leader is
all that's needed. I will try the NZ style sometime
as I'm sure this could be just as deadly.
A few fish topped as we arrived so Phil had a go
while I turned a few rocks. I was pleasantly
surprised to find all the life of a very clean
river.
Phil moved up stream and took a nice fish .
Phil on the right in the photo above blends in
which on a small stream helps, slow movement
and not much wading can be the difference between
a fish and a dry net.
The fish came swift and fast from a few inches
to a monster for this river of a foot!

All the signs are of a very healthy little stream
all kinds of birds common on our rivers and a
a good amount of insect life abounded.
After twenty or so fish I took a couple on the dry
''well it would be rude not too'' and then finished
with another on the wet as the light faded.
As always I did hit one very good fish and lost it
just to bring me back and keep me keen for next time.

Ribble nearly Ribble

This report is a little late, it's around two
weeks since I made my way to the Upper
Ribble . It was a great day if anything
a little hot, I made my way to an area
Known for its beauty so even if the fishing
was hard the scenery would be good.
Unfortunately I arrived at a most delightful
spot to find everyone else had had the same
idea, not fishermen by the way but people
just enjoying the river swimming etc.
I made my way to the lower river and even though the
going was tuff managed to eek a few fish out.
Two good Browns on the dry and a pleasantly
surprising brace of Dace.
Not so bad I guess.