This weeks blog from Martin - Saturday Sunday 20th and 21st September I attended the Weston Park Countryside show as part of the Prince Albert Angling Society team, I’d organised a team of speakers for both days Alan Roe Wallis casting - Chris Lebbrandt Lure Fishing - Dilip and Karen Sarkar Pike and Zander - John Costello Barbel Fishing, I discussed Lone Angler Glugs, flavours and sprays also how to make cheese paste. I followed this up by discussing chub fishing and how important it is to keep things simple. Monday 22nd September I was on the River Ribble by 0800 hrs. with only a few days left of the trout fishing season which ends on the last day of September I wanted to get hooked up to a few trout, I was also surprised to see a few fishing rising to small Olives. I put together a 4 weight 9 foot rod matched with a floating line and 12 foot leader tapered down to a 3lb tippet. After a mug of tea I picked up my gear and walked across the riverside field to a row of large beech trees where I’d seen some fish rising. As I got within ten yards I spotted 2 cormorants circling overhead preparing to drop into a pool downstream, I fired two shot the predators disappeared. Putting the starting pistol into my pocket I continued my walk, arriving at the water’s edge I sat down then watched the water surface for about half an hour marking down where fish were picking off insects from the surface. I tied on an olive green bodied size 20 Klinkhammer then moved off downstream entering the water some 20 yards below the rising fish, I planned to move quietly upstream picking off rising fish as I did so. In a 3 hour session I hooked and landed 9 good trout losing just one through the hook pulling free, when I checked the hook point it was blunt. After lunch I moved to another stretch of river to try for a chub, sadly I made the mistake of only taking a loaf of sausage sizzle flavoured bread within seconds of casting out the minnows and small fry and stripped the hook bare, after about a dozen casts I gave up the attempt then went looking for some slugs my luck was out I didn’t find a single slug or worm. Tuesday 23rd September On the river today about 0900 hrs. after walking both beats I swept out the cabins and washed down the working surfaces then made a mug of tea, I picked up my 4 weight 9 foot fly rod with floating line and 12 foot leader with 3lb tippet , also a 6 weight outfit with floating line and 6lb tippet as I’d spotted a sea trout during my walkabout. Half an hour later I’m on the river bank watching the odd fish sipping down emerges that I couldn’t identify. First cast with an olive green bodied size 20 Klinkhammer similar to what I had used yesterday. Second cast I’m hooked up to the first fish of the day and soon a nice looking 15 inch brown trout was in the landing net. I then took another fish on the next cast which had been badly mauled by a cormorant the shock to its system must have slowed its feeding pattern as it was very thin, I used the priest on this fish then inspected its gut finding just a few tiny black buzzers. Thirty minutes later without seeing a single fish I moved downstream to the wooded section where on my first cast I hooked a powerful fish which gave a great display, finally netting a brown trout which taped out at 22 inches probably weighing 4lbs plus. I watched it swim off strongly then relived the fight for the next few minutes. Creeping quietly and slowly upstream using my binoculars to look in the water for the elusive sea trout half an hour later under the far bank trees I spotted 3 sea trout all estimated around the 4lbs mark. Slowly I made my way back to the bank trying not to make any ripples. Exchanging my 4 eight outfit for a 6 weight I attached a small snake fly a pattern that’s proved successful on many occasions. I then slowly made my way upstream until I was in position to make a cast across and downstream to drop the fly tight to the far bank in about three feet of water. Having made more than a dozen casts dropping each one a foot further downstream, I working the fly across some broken water close to where a tree had crashed into the river last winter when I got a savage. The water erupted as a fish shot skywards then crashed back before taking several yards off the reel as it moved downstream, at the same time I waded further out into the river to get better control over the fish that was determined to get back to the ocean. Ten minutes later I beached the fish estimated at 3lbs, taking out the barbless hook I pointed the slightly fish coloured upstream then watched it swim off strongly. I then went back looking for a feeding brown trout as the sea trout would have been well and truly spooked. I had three more brown trout around 15 inches then walked back to the cabin for a very late lunch. My mate Albert turned up so I helped him put some 6lb Gamma line on his fixed spool reel, we also sat and chatted for an hour or more about fishing the River Wye etc. while drinking mugs of tea. Wednesday 24th September this morning I got confirmation for two bookings on the River Wye, I also got a call from the surgery to see the practise manager about my diabetes checks and flue jabs. It was 1000 hrs. when I arrived on the river to find about 2 inches of extra water from the rain last evening which was most welcome, my friend David had been on the river for a few hours last night in search of sea trout after hearing about my success during the day. We both targeted the trout with no success, I only spotted one fish which completely ignored everything I cast to it, David meanwhile went well off downstream with no success, even the weir pool didn’t produce. Back at the cabin we had some lunch before David went off home while I visited the bottom beat to put some sausage sizzle squabs into a couple of spots in the hope of getting the chub confident in taking the bait. I was back home for 1600 hrs. Thursday 25th September was a grey and overcast with heavy drizzle on and off all day, what I call a ‘Roach Fishers Day’ in the 1950’s and 60’s me and my friends who were photographers would take a light meter reading if we got a reading of F8 at 125 then we reckon it was good for roach, another idea we got from Richard Walker. I had two fly fishers seeking salmon on the river today and despite the low water condition’s I put them in a pool where I thought they would have a chance of a fish, within an hour they had their first salmon. Half an hour later Richard had a second salmon about 10lbs, I had planned to fish for chub today but spotted a well know poacher sitting by the weir pool so got myself hidden away so I could watch this person and shoot some good surveillance pictures of him, one false move on his part the police would be called out and I would have the photographs for evidence. 2 hours later he moved off, but no doubt he will be back when I got back home the photographs were circulated to my bailiff team. I then went off to put a few sausage sizzle squabs in a few swims to keep the chub interested, after checking my mink and grey squirrel traps no mink but 1 grey pest. I was back home at 1500hrs Friday 26th September I was surprised to find the sky overcast with light rain which was most welcome, I was on the river at 0900 hrs., I’d decided to fish for the chub I spotted at the tail of a weir pool, I’d recently got myself some multi-grub paste and squabs. Within minutes of putting in a dozen squabs the chub were mopping them up, I was surprised how quickly the fish reacted to the new bait. Back in the cabin I put together my Lone Angler chub rod matched with a centre pin reel and 4lb bs line to which I attached a size 10 Pallatrax barbless hook. Bait would be a banded squab shown to me by my friend Geoff Maynard the weight a single LG shot stopped 18 inches from the hook. Back in the weir pool I added another handful of Multi-grub squabs with some marble size pieces of Multi-grub paste. The chub were still willing to take the free offering my problem would be how the fish would react when one of their number was hooked, would they flee downstream only time would tell. An hour later I made my first cast a minute later I had a chub about 3lb the bait being taken on the drop, thankfully the other fish didn’t flee downstream. In the next two hours I caught 7 chub all around the 3lb mark, as the sky cleared with bright sunshine the fish moved into deeper water of the pool. I fished on for about an hour without a single chub but I did catch 5 good brown trout which I don’t enjoy catching on bait fishing methods so packed up and returned home where I spent a couple of hours sorting out my pond. Saturday 27th September it was around 1100hrs when I arrived on the river, a few anglers were trying for the trout, one member was putting together a salmon fly outfit having seen the recent salmon catch in the book. I had a long chat with Robert suggesting some pools to try. Back home I had some lunch then spent some time in sorting out some tackle for chub fishing, I then made up some cheese paste which was put in the freezer. I then emptied put three pots of sausage sizzle in the food mixer with some glug and a table spoonful of cooking oil before whisking the lot around to get it into soft smooth paste which was put back into the pots ready for my next trip after barbel, I am not a fan of hair rigs finding it hard and fiddly with my arthritic hands, also should a chub be interested I have far more chance of hooking the fish. Many of my friends say I’m too fussy with my baits and tackle set up, they reckon I spend far too much time walking the banks and not fishing. Two or three hours on reconnaissance and observation pays dividends, providing the water temperature isn’t below 42 degrees F putting a few bait samples in three or four swims over three or four hours before fishing will often pay off. I then sat down to a mug of tea. I’m sure you will all join me in wishing Tony Miles a quick and good recovery from his recent heart attack. Have a good weeks fishing.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 10:30:01 +0000
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