February 2014 Part 2

Finding somewhere to fish

I made my way over to the caravan park with the elusive monster perch. Once again I was there bright and early. "Have you finished that road yet?" I enquired hopefully. "No, they are still working on it." Came the reply. No bother, I'll head down to the river I thought and bought a pint of maggots from the park shop before heading off. When I got there it was as high as I have ever seen it and I knew instantly it was a no-go. Where to go now then? I know, a lake hidden behind a farm that has some monsters in that has been on my radar for some time. Ten minutes later I was driving through the farm gates. The owner came to greet me and he was a thoroughly nice chap. he informed me they weren't officially open yet but I was welcome to have a try. "I'm after a four pound perch.". "Oh yes, there's certainly some that size in there." the farmer replied.

I handed over my fiver and hurriedly drove around the cattle sheds to the lake side. With sunken trees all around it was difficult to know where to start. I decided to try and work my way around, flinging some soft rubber lures in while having a sleeper rod on the worm. Several spots and five hours later without a bite was enough punishment for me and I left bewildered and ever so slightly dejected. Blooming place......

A change of tack

With the caravan park and river still out of action I couldn't face another session at the mystery lake so I headed over to the coast. The venue? Chapel Boating lake. Now I'm pretty sure it doesn't contain any four pound Perch but I had been reliably informed it does hold some good fish and not just Perch so it seemed like a happy medium. I baulked slightly at the cost of the ticket (£9 for two rods), I guess it's the price you pay for fishing a lake that also contains big Carp. With the weather forecast not looking great I set up my brolly first and got comfy. I fished one rod on maggot and one on worm. It didn't take long for my bait to attract some interest.......

The fishing was slow and in the first couple of hours I had only a few small Roach to show for my efforts. Then the storm came. My word it was rough. Testament to my Korum brolly though, it held firm. As sods law dictates with the bad weather came an increase in action. I managed a nice Perch that spat a mouth full of maggots at me in the net and some bigger Roach, the best of which is here with the Perch....

The action then tailed off and I waited for the rain to subside before making my escape. On my way out I popped into the incredible on-site shop and bought a few bits and bobs. "You haven't had a full day have you, pop back anytime and have another go on us," said Steve. That was a really nice touch and very kind of him. Check out the tackle shop there sometime, it's as good as you'll find anywhere. Hopefully the following two pictures can convey how bad the weather was...

A week later I was back for my freebie. I just fished in the morning as I had some jobs to do at home and didn't want to take advantage of their hospitality. Unfortunately this time although the birds were bigger the fish were smaller........

Still a fine place though and the fish really were in great condition. It was also quite novel hearing the waves from the nearby North sea crashing on the beach when sat by the lake. I left the shop vowing to go back when it gets a little warmer in the hope of some more consistent sport.

I wasn't expecting that.....or that.....or that!

I looked at the clock on the dashboard of my car and had a double-check. It was just after seven am and already the sun was rising rapidly. The days are certainly getting longer I thought as I made my way to my favourite Chub river. A short journey later and I parked up expectantly. Taking advantage of the gap in atrocious weather I peered over the small field and was pleased to see it was at a reasonable level and a great colour. It was still very cold though and I wrapped up warm with some extra layers I always keep in the boot for such occasions. I set up my tip rods as normal with three swan links and baited up with some fresh Blue Stilton, moulding it around a size eight hook. Keen Chub anglers spend hours making special pastes and the like but I can't be bothered with all that nonsense. You know me, if there is a lazy way then that's the option I'll take. Plus I don't think it makes a blind bit of difference.

Settling in my first swim the high bank shielded me from the sun. Did I mention it was bloody freezing? Anyway after twenty or so minutes I moved downstream to another spot. Equally as shaded and no warmer I cast towards a tree, the branches of which were dragging in the flow. If there was going to be a Chub anywhere it would be here. There was......

As soon as I hooked it I knew it was a biggie. It held stubbornly in the flow as my rod absorbed its initial lunges. Five nerve racking minutes later I had it safely in the net. At 5lb 4oz it was a personal best and I was elated. I stopped for another half an hour before going back home to cook Mrs P a celebratory breakfast. 

At noon I woke up annoyed. I had fallen asleep and had wanted to be at the second river of the day by that time. I quickly said my goodbyes to Mrs P and headed off again. By one pm I was bankside in the peg that had given me those big hybrids in the past. Sure enough it didn't take long for my tips to start dancing and although the wind had picked up the bites were fairly obvious. As ever they fought like tigers and as ever a bit of gear was lost by casting straight into the bush on the far bank. I lost what felt like a good fish followed by another. Scratching my head I cast out again hoping the loses hadn't spooked the rest of the shoal. They hadn't and after an almighty battle I had a beast that weighed 4lb 9oz! Here are the pics....

As the afternoon drew to a close I was reluctant to leave the Hybrids but I was keen to hedge my bets and try a little further downstream for a Perch. The wind was really howling by now and it was super difficult to keep my worms in position. A few tell-tale shivers on my far bank rod gave the game away though and I struck into something that wasn't at all happy. As the fight developed a big, spiky dorsal fin broke the surface and my heart was in my mouth. Luckily it stayed on and at 3lb 12oz it was an equal PB. 100% a different fish to my previous one from there too....

Was it the best days fishing I've ever had? I certainly can't think of a better one fish-wise so I guess it was. I'm still on a high from it now, a week later.

A repeat?

A few days after that amazing session I found myself back at the Chub river super early. Only one bite though and I missed it. Damn. It was bloody freezing again and I headed home deflated and cold. A couple of hours with Mrs P later and I was back, this time at another river after something special. Trouble was I wasn't exactly sure I was meant to be on this particular stretch despite assurances from a friend. My nerves weren't helped by a crop scarer nearly blasting me off my chair (probably further away than it sounded) and I gave up after about half an hour. Sorry I can't give you more details but I'll be back there soon and you'll be the first to know when I catch what I am after. 

Where to go now then? It had to be my favourite river. The Hybrid peg had given up a massive Rudd to my friend Ken a few weeks back and the river is so dynamic you never really know what is going to turn up. In the end I did have one Hybrid of 2lb 10oz but I was more than surprised to catch these....

The biggest two went 2lb 6oz each and although I was happy to catch them I really don't want anybody to think I'm fishing for the same fish all the time because I'm not. I'm not certain I've caught these particular ones before but I have to admit I could well have. It was a hundred or so yards from where I normally catch them so who knows? More interestingly as the light faded the river came alive and I started catching Roach. I kicked myself for not having any bread but it has sown a seed in my mind and despite the high proportion of hybrids I haven't given up on my dream of a genuine two pounder from there.

Tackle Talk

How are those 4010 GTM's you bought Phil? Brilliant. The drags are the highlight, silky smooth and predictable. One of the reels wobbles a bit on the retrieve but I like that. A bit of character is endearing. I've also happened to come across the predecessor- a 4000 Carbomatic. That one is on eBay though. If you do have any old reels get them on there. I have sold a couple recently and they make good money. Admittedly the fees are quite high but why have something lying around when you can turn it into cash to buy something you really want.

Talking of eBay I have bought a couple of old tackle catalogues and my word they have brought back some memories. These used to lie around a tackle shop I worked in while at University and it is great to have a couple of copies for old times sake. Only a couple of quid too...

 

 

Once again if you want to contact me feel free, it is always nice to hear from you-

 

Email-  the.power@tesco.net

 



Final Word

While on my travels I came across a scene that really made me stop and think. A chap was fishing near to me and someone had informed me he wasn't very well. As I passed we had a quick chat and although obviously very poorly he was in fine spirits. I made it to my chosen spot and looked across at him from time to time. Why isn't he abroad or doing something amazing I thought to myself. The thoughts kept milling about in the back of my mind until I sussed it. For most of us there is no happy retirement on a beach somewhere. Why? Because we'd rather be fishing. Even on a cold February day, in a gale. I think you call that a passion and those of us that have that passion should consider ourselves very fortunate.

Till next time.......

February 2014 Part 1

The Search Continues.....


After speaking to a few anglers in the know it seemed as though I was on the right track with my local drain in the search for a massive Perch. Better than that I was also in the right area last time. Rumour was it had done not one but two five pound Perch in the past.

On my next day off I was there at first light for a short morning session. I settled in a peg not far away from the one I fished on my previous visit. I rigged up my two trusty tip rods with three-swan links and size 12 wide gape specialist hooks. The session didn't get off to a great start when I sank into the mud and water up to my knee while putting my keepnet in. A wet foot on a cold February morning wasn't really what I needed and it would throb for the next couple of hours with that horrible biting cold ache that will be familiar to many of you. I'd timed my arrival just right though as it was just light enough to see my tips by the time I was ready to cast, which I did with great anticipation.

Just as before it didn't take long for something to show an interest in my worms and a flurry of frankly disappointingly small Perch came to hand. My spirits were slightly buoyed by the amount of activity in the water though. Some big fish were on the hunt, small fish scattering all over the drain betraying their location. A lure rod was quickly assembled and I had numerous casts at the unseen monsters all to no avail. The tips were suspiciously still too for a while. It soon became apparent that not only was the peg full of small Perch but also somewhat of a rarity- the Ruffe. Annoyingly even with my super sensitive tips they wouldn't give you a bite, just sit there with worm firmly in their mouths until I unknowingly wound them in. I had three of the little blighters in the end along with twenty odd Perch. They were even smaller than last time with nothing over a pound. One of the Ruffe with my one dry but still very muddy foot....

The Perch.....

So that is two visits, over sixty Perch and only one just over two pounds. This coupled with the horrible nature of the place (steep banks, muddy margins, busy road ten feet away etc) has made me reluctant to go back. Another factor is the amount of eastern European beer cans that litter the banks. You know me, I always play down the effects of Otters, Cormorants and the like and I'm sure only a tiny percentage of our foreign friends take fish for the table. The controlling club has put signs up everywhere too, in several languages so maybe it is just my mind trying to make excuses for my lack of skill. The only thing that is nagging at me to go back are those unseen Predators. Maybe, just maybe, some off them were Perch. 

Sidetracked.....

Remember those lakes on a caravan park I told you about last time? If you don't they produced a massive perch of 4lb 6oz in the not too distant past. After a magnificently dull first session there I decided to have another crack. On arrival I reported to reception and was happy to see a different man from the last time. I paid my £6 and also bought some maggots to feed. "Which one are you fishing?" enquired the chap. I told him and the reply wasn't great. "We're putting a new road in and you might not be able to get down there, have a word with the workmen," he added as I departed. Driving as close as I could I soon came across the workmen and did  indeed have a word with them. They were typically blunt and I resisted the urge to bury them under their own hard-core and returned to reception to get my money back. Off to the river it was.

On unloading my gear I was a little perturbed that one on my reclining knobs on my chair had disappeared. I blamed it on the ridiculously muddy drain and resigned myself to be without a back rest for the rest of the day. Anyway, back to the fishing, with all the rain the River was heavily coloured as it has been for most of the winter. It was pulling through well too. Too much for my favourite Perch peg so I settled in a spot running on to a bush which is usually well clear of the water. With the water level up the branches were in the water and had collected some debris forming a valuable bit of cover. A simple four swan link-leger and a fourteen hook with three maggots went.......straight into the bush. A new rig quickly tied and I was finally in position.

As a set about catapulting a few free offerings well upstream my tip started to do its merry dance. As I struck my rod took on a satisfying curve and I gingerly played in my prize. Prior to this visit I had done a bit off digging on t'internet about the river. It turned out the much maligned E.A had done some electro-fishing a few years back and turned up, among other things, some examples of Blicca bjoerkna, the Silver Bream. This made me wonder about all those fish I had caught before that I thought were hybrids. Back to the action and i netted a sizable silver fish and upon inspection I was sure I had a genuine Silver Bream and at 2lb 11oz it was only ounces short of the British record......

With that fish safely in the net I carried on fishing and it wasn't long before I had another fish. It fought a lot harder than the last and was slightly bigger at 2lbs 14oz. But what was it?.... 

That was the end of the action for the rest of the day. Too much debris was coming down and I had to recast every five minutes or so to clear my lines which became very tiresome.

Sadly after having both fish checked it is thought my Silver Bream, although very close to a genuine one is most likely to be a hybrid and also my second fish is thought to be a Roach/Bream hybrid. Bugger.

Elation followed by Disappointment.

With the river still out of sorts, the road at the lakes being constructed and still mad at the drain for consuming bits of my chair I needed a new venue. After some more searching online I hit the jackpot. A lake about an hour away had the following described about it- 'There are Perch here that could threaten the British record'. Two days later I was outside the lake in my car and ready to go. One problem though- a big sign on the gate saying 'No fishing- closed'. I called the number on the online fishing guide and a curt chap answered, 'Sorry, closed about a year ago and is now closed permenantly'. As he put the phone down I cursed profusely. The sight of  the reed-lined lake diminished in my mirrors as I drove away, its secrets to remain a frustrating mystery.

After another hour or so drive I ended up back at the river. I didn't stop long because it was still incredibly hard to fish, in addition to this a massive storm was due to hit around lunchtime. I did mange a couple of nice silvers again. I'll leave you to work out what they are, I've given up for the time being.........

A Change

With one free day left before another five-day stint at work and after the ridiculous amount of driving the day before I decided to stay close to home for my next session. A commercial complex about a mile away from my house was my chosen venue. The wind was a pain though, I couldn't really fish where I wanted to as I was keen to try the float for a change. I soon found a calm area though and set about cupping in some chopped worms and maggots to try and attract any resident perch. I wasn't going to fish the pole though and I set up my float rod. I don't really use my pole unless it's absolutely necessary. Somebody else was keen on it that morning though.....

To cut a long story short I didn't catch a single Perch all day. I did have about ten carp though including a nice but slightly deformed Crucian......

A couple of the Carp....

Tackle Talk

The tip rods I use are 10ft Shakespeare Mach 2's. Brilliant rods and the trip to the commercial confirmed just how nice they are. Playing small Carp is a great test of gear and they performed faultlessly. I think I paid £36 each for mine and you get four tips with them. The tips from the 9ft version also fit (I've just bought two just for some replacement tips) and I paid a barely believable £21 for these. The link is here......

http://www.sportsdirect.com/shakespeare-mach-2-xt-9ft-wand-fishing-rod-941250?colcode=94125003

After just encouraging you to buy something online I'd better sing the praises of my local tackle shops in the name of fair play. Tackle 4U in Skegness has most of what you need including something you can't put a price on- great advice. My tackle shop of the month though has to be Spilsby Angling Centre. They have an absolutely great stock including just recently Korum and Preston Innovations. They even have some fly fishing gear in stock. The bait is great and the service friendly. What more can you ask for?

Some welcome additions to my kit came from an unlikely source this month, a work colleague had been secretly harbouring these without my knowing for a while now.....

As soon as I found out I had to have them and a deal was struck. I fell out with Shimano for a while after a Stradic I owned didn't live up to my expectations but these 4010 Gtm's are the reel deal (excuse the pun). 'Made in Japan' models in my mind are far superior to the newer 'made in Malaysia' versions. Reel aficionados will remember Mitchell went much the same way when they stopped manufacturing in France. These views are, of course, just my opinion and not proven facts. 

I still haven't fixed my chair so if anyone can get me a tension knob for a Korum deluxe chair then please, let me know. Also if you want to get in touch, for any reason then feel free via my email:

the.power@tesco.net


Afterword

The AGM for Spilsby Angling Association has been and gone for another year. It was an interesting meeting although very poorly attended. Lots of things were discussed although one thing wasn't mentioned. That is the amount of work done be various members on Partney Pit over the last year. I take this opportunity now to thank everyone involved. It's a great club and at £20 a year, embarrassingly cheap. If you go back a few months this Diary will inform you of the best pegs, tactics etc. Tickets from the above tackle shops. Thanks for reading.

Till next time.................................

Fishing Diary 2014 January part 2

Searching for a monster

After my pair of three pound Perch I made a concerted effort to try and find a venue other than the river capable of producing a genuine four pounder, a real beast. It didn't take me long to find one fairly locally. A lake on caravan park had given up a massive Perch of 4lb 6oz a couple of years ago. The chap who caught it was fishing for Bream at the time and caught it on sweetcorn of all things.

On my next day off I headed to the park and timed my arrival just right as the park was just opening. The man in charge was a glum looking fellow, maybe he didn't see many anglers in the middle of January. I asked Mr Miserable which lake the big Perch came from and he kindly told me (there are six lakes on site). This narrowed down my search somewhat and he also claimed "there are a few threes in there too" rather unconvincingly. I'd already worked out he knew as much about fishing as I do about caravans. After paying for my ticket I rushed around to the lake in question and such was my enthusiasm I got my car stuck on the grass. Fifteen minutes of frantic tooing and froing later and I was back on the roadside.

A quick check on my phone and I found the same peg the Giant Perch had been caught from. "Easy then Phil, catch it first attempt did you?". No. Six frustrating hours in the rain soon brought me back to reality. I tried every trick in the book and all I had to show for my efforts were two micro-Perch and a small Bream. Not sure what else to say. I'd might go back but part of me thinks life may be too short for this specimen hunting lark.

A score to settle

Ken, he with the rucksack and carboot sale tackle put me to shame on our last trip so it was time to get even. I picked him up ridiculously early and we headed over to the river. We arrived so early I couldn't even see to set up. Luckily it gets light super quickly this time of year so I was soon in my favourite spot while Ken wandered about with his lures. He was first of the mark with a small Pike while I waited patiently behind my quivertips. I needn't have worried as I was soon playing a decent Perch. Then another. Both over two pounds they were great fish but nothing unusual for the River. Sounds like I'm being ungrateful but it's the truth.

Ken decided to have a go with some maggots after thrashing every peg to a foam with his lures. He pulled out an ancient looking tip rod. I say tip rod, it was just a very short rod with the end painted red. I lent him one of mine and reassured him that his would come in handy should we need to do any impromptu pole vaulting or cattle prodding. I even tied his rig for him, a simple water knot link leger. Ken wandered off downstream, heading for a spot I had told him about. I even told him where to cast. Ten minutes later he came running back with this, the biggest Rudd I have ever seen......

 

At 1lb 14oz he had beaten my personal best. Jammy git. As I placed it in my keepnet though one of my tips started to move. I struck into it and immediately a battle started. It was a powerful fish and if it was a Perch I was sure it was a good one. It was, and at 3lb 6oz it was a real specimen. "Holy cow, that's the biggest perch I have ever seen" exclaimed Ken, echoing my sentiments about his Rudd. It is the bottom fish in this picture....

One of the two pounders and the 3. 6.......

We persevered for another couple of hours with no luck. I moved downstream, again to no avail. Ken dropped into my Perch peg and snared a decent Pike that came off as he faffed around trying to land it. A short while later we both decided was time for a move, several as it turned out. We fished five or six drains on the way home. Ken had three more Pike while I added a couple and we also witnessed a fairly rare double rainbow along the way.......

Back on the trail

A week later and I was ready to get back out there. A friend had put me onto a Perch hotspot on a drain not to far away from my house. It was still dark when I arrived and to be honest I couldn't really tell where he had caught. Four drains all meet in a massive shallow, weed infested intersection. Totally baffled, I headed upstream to a spot I fancied having found it on google earth. By the time I got there it was raining quite heavily. This combined with ridiculously steep banks made fishing very uncomfortable. The drain was alive though. Fish moving everywhere. Small fish topping and scattering as they were chased by unseen predators. I stuck it out for half an hour catching a couple of tiny perch and a Bream on the tip. With the weather worsening I decided to head over to another spot I reckoned would have some decent Perch, more importantly it had flat banks so I could get my chair and brolly in.

A fruitless hour was spent here and I was on the move again. Yet another river and another blank hour. Heading home at lunchtime wasn't what I had planned. A quick bike ride with the dogs later and I was back out again with the cheese I showed you last month. If the Perch weren't playing ball surely the Chub would? I still had the rods set up and tried all my favourite spots. Nothing. The river was up and coloured but not enough to put the Chub off I kept saying to myself. Sure enough I did manage one of exactly four pounds out of sheer stubbornness to round off a rather miserable day.....

 Kicking myself

The next day I was browsing the Internet again for big Perch. A picture of a barely credible five pounder came up. I recognised the place. It was the drain with the steep side I had fished first-off the day before. My initial hunch was right. The following day I was back there fully prepared. As I pulled up in the car a Cormorant was in the swim but it soon flew off when I got out. Heading over to far bank it was reasonably flat although very muddy. I set up two tip rods, a float rod and a lure rod. I fished the tips mostly but needed to cover every eventuality.  "I suppose you caught that five pounder then did you Phil?". If only. I did catch a great deal of Perch though, thirty eight in total, biggest a creditable 2lb 1oz. Sorry about the rubbish photo but I was keen to get them back in the water......

Strange place though. If I cast to the far bank, I'd get a perch, the near bank, a Bream or Rudd (bearing in mind the drain is only probably twenty feet wide). On two separate occasions people pulled into the layby opposite and just stood staring straight at me. A seagull helped itself to a small fish now and then while a big Pike hunted on the far bank. This is all by a very busy road in the middle of a village. Not sure if I'm any more likely to catch a four pounder from here than my favourite river. It is certainly a lot less pleasant to spend a day at. In total I had twenty five pounds of Perch and silver fish, no wonder that Cormorant was there.

That wasn't the end of the day though. I stopped off at a couple of likely looking places on the way home. I added a few small perch but nothing of any note. Maybe I should have stayed where I was to see if the big girls would have turned up.

Afterword

The last few sessions have taken it out of me. I'm desperate to catch a four pounder but I may be trying too hard. It is all very well knowing where they reside but sussing out a venue can take both time and effort. I'm going to have a week off and just try and relax a bit.

In other news I got a phone call while on the drain. I was asked to fish for my local team in something called the Supercup. No idea what it is and I wasn't keen initially. I'm a specimen hunter now I thought until I gave myself a slap around the face. They have kindly asked me so I'll do it. Besides it's at a local lake where I've had some big perch. Only joking, I'll catch Carp. There are only Perch without brains.

Tackle

Every month I talk to you so I thought it might be nice for you to have a nosey in my tackle bag.

Top left- Tackle Bag is actually a Korum coolbag but is big enough for what I need.
Top Middle- In each end pocket are two reels. These are a Shimano Nasci 4000 for feeder/lure work and a Shimano Exage 1000 for float fishing.
Top Right- My workhorses- Shakespeare Mach 2 reels. One is brilliant, the other a temperamental sod. Three spools with each.

Middle Left- In the main compartment I can get four boxes in. This one is full of rubber lures.
Bottom left- Main lure box.
Bottom middle- Feeder/bits box
Bottom Right- Float box and one I use the most. Hooks/weights/plummets/disgorgers etc

Not pictured- Front pocket. Scales/forceps/gloves/torch/line/baitdropper etc

Please remember

I have to listen to other anglers whinging on constantly about Otters and Cormorants etc doing untold damage to our sacred hobby. The Chub river I fished was meant to have been decimated by Otters. I'll tell you what though, when I was there all sorts came floating by me. Polystyrene blocks, burger boxes, a football, a shoe and that was just the stuff that floated. Likewise on the Drains, the amount of crap on the banks is terrible and I'm afraid, unlike the Chub river, most of it is from anglers. Pike anglers in particular seem not to have any kind of system for storing empty packets and the like. Shame.

Thanks for reading and remember you can contact me anytime via e-mail

the.power@tesco.net

Till next time..............

Fishing Diary 2014 January Part 1

Introduction

I had a tortuous couple of weeks over Christmas where I was so busy at work and with family commitments I couldn't get out on to the banks. Mrs P made me laugh though as we turned in one night- "You know most people count sheep before they go to sleep, I reckon you count fish!" She stated sarcastically. "If that were true I would never get to sleep, I'd be too excited," I replied.

I fear I might be going slightly fishing mad.........

A day wandering about with purpose

I'd arranged a day with our old friend Ken. Mine and Kens' work patterns make trips difficult for most of the year but the lucky sod had a month off over the festive period. After some crackhead nicked his luxury sports moped I had to drive to Skegness to pick him up and he piled a small rucksack and a couple of rods into the boot before we headed towards our destination. 

We started off fishing a selection of small rivers that criss-cross each other a short distance from the coast. It was incredibly windy though and I thought it would tough going. I was fishing with a small rubber lure to target any resident Perch while Ken fished with some of the roughest looking tackle I have ever seen. His reel had about fifty yards of old line on and he was using a rod of dubious vintage and a impossible looking Pike plug. About fifteen minutes of casting and moving around I heard Ken whooping a short distance down on a small bridge pumping his fist in the air. I raced down to him as he played a not inconsiderable Pike. Now I often hear people say "I was pleased for him" and I am never quite sure if they are being genuine or not. To see a fish on such a horrible day though was brilliant and I couldn't stop smiling. Neither could Ken....

We stopped for a while longer before giving it best and moving on. A short drive later and we got to another river and a really promising looking stretch. Ken and I leapfrogged each other for about half a mile, covering as much water as possible. The wind was worsening though and Ken lost his favourite Plug on a snag so our spirits were dampened somewhat. With no follows or takes we decided to go upstream a which entailed another short car journey. This was my banker, A section where I have had some of my best catches. As we pulled bankside I was slightly disappointed to see a couple of Pike anglers in residence. Typically they were in the most sheltered spot so Ken and I hunkered down about a hundred yards upstream under my new brolly to shelter briefly from the wind. A brilliant Christmas present from Mrs P- a Korum fibreglass umbrella.

Ken poured a steaming hot cup of tea from his flask while I set up a couple of tip rods. I was going to try the worm for the Perch. "You know what would make my day now Phil, If I could Perch on the lure," Ken proclaimed. And sure enough the mad sod left the serenity of my shelter to fling a bit of rubber about in a gale force wind. I watched my tips intently. They were in good spots and I was sure a bite would soon be forthcoming. A short time later I heard a familiar shout. Peering from under my brolly there was Ken, rod bent and fist pumping again. Little sod had only gone and caught himself a Perch........

Another cup of tea in the warm later and he was off again. My tips were bouncing around all over the place but alas not from any bites but the wind. Half an hour passed and I began to wonder if Ken had been blown in. Just as I had that thought he appeared and he looked shaken. "It straightened my hook.......big Pike......I'm going back for it," he blustered. We sorted out some more substantial jig hooks and he took his lure wallet and disappeared again. Ten minutes later he was back with this beauty.....

"Have you ever not caught anything here?" Ken asked. "Oh yeah, loads of times," I replied. Ken was keen for me to get off the mark and I think he was quite surprised that I hadn't. Something wasn't right though and I sort of knew my efforts were going to go unrewarded. Only one thing for it and another move was arranged. Twenty minutes later we were a good distance upstream now. We parked up and began fishing all the likely looking spots. We must have walked a mile or so until we could go no further. While neither of us had any luck it did look great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The sun was going down and the whole valley was lit by the late afternoon sun. We could see all the landmarks we had been by earlier as we looked into the distance. The far-off village lights shimmered in the ever fading light while we had our last casts. I even forgot about the wind until we had to turn around and trudge back to the car.

In the days after, mine and Kens' work mates took turns in giving me some stick about not catching anything and being beaten by a relative novice. Trust me when I say sometimes just being there is enough...............

Besides, I was pleased for him.

Dropshotting

Regulars may remember when I came back back from America with a box full of small lures. Pro Bass World really is an amazing place. I was there in 2004 as well and was mesmerised enough by the sheer variety of imitation fish and worms to bring some home then too. As with a lot of fishing gear though you can never have enough and I ordered fifty tiny Kopyto Shads from eBay. Twelve pounds delivered.......

Dropshotting is a really simple concept. Simply tie a hook about twelve or so inches away from a small weight. Hook the rubber shad, cast it it and retrieve it really slowly lifting the rod tip so the Shad flutters up and down. I needed a venue to try it though and plumped for my local Partney Pit. With very few Pike I wouldn't need a trace or so I thought. It doesn't hold many Perch either but I had caught them on jigs here before so I was reasonably confident. Guess what I hooked almost straight away? Of course I did.......

Luckily the line held and after returning the small Pike I searched the depths for another hour or so with no joy. It was pleasant winter afternoon though, not warm but very sunny. I took one of the Chaos Twins and she had a bonus when another angler left behind a big chunk of luncheon meat which she devoured in one bite. She had to work for it though as it was in a big marginal weedbed and she hates swimming. Watching her was certainly more entertaining than the fishing. Harriet....

Alone I can concentrate

With a bit of rain and another massive tide I was unsure what state the river would be in. Luckily the rivers and drains around here are heavily monitored and controlled by a series of pumping stations and sluice gates. As I pulled up the river was up but still way off the levels I have seen in previous winters. I settled in a spot sheltered from the wind which had come back with a vengeance. I set up a small clear waggler and began trotting down the peg with maggots. It didn't take long to get a bite and a precession of small roach came to hand. About an hour passed before I heard the clatter of the sluices as the tide retreated. The river started to flow rapidly and the fish became harder to come by. I had seen a few bigger fish top a bit further up and I was sure they were Perch. They often show themselves like this and they'll sometimes come clean out of the water.

With the river pulling hard and several dark shapes scattering the Roach all over the peg I decided to go and investigate a those mystery splashes further up. The wind here and the flow made the float impossible to fish and I set up my tip rods. Twenty minutes later I had two worms in position and I was ready to pounce on what would surely be one of the rivers magnificent Perch. Sure enough one tip started to rattle and I struck into something substantial. Whatever it was was putting up a real fight though and I was still sure it was a Perch and a big one at that. Then it surfaced. My initial thought was a a Roach but it couldn't be could it? Was this a fabled two pounder? A couple of minutes later and I was staring at a funny looking creature (it probably thought the same). It turned out to be a Roach/Bream Hybrid.

For the next couple of hours I had fish after fish. It was incredible. I had caught tiny hybrids before but these were a different class. They were interspersed with the odd true Roach, biggest 1lb 2oz. The biggest Hybrid went 2lb 6oz. I photographed the best ones........

Time was moving on and I had been on the river since daybreak. I sent a quick text off to Mrs P to check if she still loved me. The message came back that she did so I took that to mean- 'Stop till dark, I don't mind'. A dangerous supposition if ever there was one. I moved the car and put what I didn't need in the boot. My last peg was a short distance away and I was soon sat behind my two rods on my luxury chair. The wind and flow by now were vicious and I upped the weight needed to hold bottom and fished with a massive bow in my lines to combat the flow. The bites were difficult to make out but I managed to hit a couple of early takers, both decent Perch. I then had a more positive bite and became attached to quite a powerful fish. Could this be a four pounder I thought as it held in the flow mid-river. That moment when your line goes slack is one of the most frustrating times in fishing. It had shaken the hook.

On the next cast the tip whacked around again and I started playing a fish that felt equally as big as the last. I played it gingerly as it powered around as it pleased. It only took one glimpse to tell it wasn't a Perch. It was only another blooming Hybrid. At over three pounds it was a beast. With that out of the way I was back on the Perch. I had seven in total including three over two pounds and packed up, tired but ecstatic at such a wonderful day......

Afterword

I had pushed my luck. After an all-dayer with Ken and then one on my own a few days later the normally very accommodating Mrs P snapped and demanded not only some attention but some dreaded house DIY. Little did she or I realise though that I would make another appearance in the Angling Times with my 3 12 Perch......

I had emailed the details in but not heard anything back. I rather suspect my new friend Teresa Parr from the facebook Perch fishing group had something to do with it. Thanks Teresa.

Anyway surely I could go fishing now, It'd be like Bradley Wiggins not being allowed out on his bike? No such luck and I've been house and work bound for a week. It has given me time to do a bit of thinking though and I've made a new years resolution. I had it in mind to do a bit of livebaiting on my last trip but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I thought if I can't do that then I shouldn't use any fish based baits at all. So that is pellets, fishmeal groundbaits and even krill and prawns off the menu. It wont make a blind bit of difference to the stocks of any of them but it'll sure make me feel better. I can just see my match buddies rubbing their hands together now.

In other news I'm going fishing tomorrow. If it stops raining then I'll be using some of this down the river in the morning.......

Till next time................

Fishing Diary December 2013 Xmas Special

Introduction

Wow, what a month. I sent the Angling Times details of my last Perch catch and they only went and published it.....

I was made up and to catch something of national significance is a real honour and also a reward for all my endeavours. I'd like to dedicate it to all of you. It's often just the thought of my fishing diary that gets me out into the cold in the hope that somebody, somewhere will be interested. Now running at over five thousand hits it shows you clearly are and I thank you. I also won a mug in a Perch of the month competition on the Internet. You can't have that though, it's mine.

Back to reality

I spent the next few days in a bit of a daydream. "What you thinking about," Mrs P asked as I looked vacantly at the TV one night. "Perch," I replied. She gave me one of those 'I'm going to book you into a secure unit' looks and sighed.

I really couldn't wait to get back to the river and on my next day off I was back there at first light. To my surprise there were two other anglers there. I paid little attention to them and made my way to my chosen spot. The river was still low and coloured but I was supremely confident. Two hours then passed without a bite on either rod. Just as I was losing all hope I had a tentative bite which resulted in this beauty of 2lb 13oz.....

That's it I thought, they have arrived and I'm in for another bumper catch. Sadly it didn't pan out and another couple of biteless hours passed before I decided to call it a day. On my way back to the car though I got chatting to the two other guys fishing. They were from Manchester way and I suddenly clicked that these two guys had been on the stretch at the last day of the season earlier in the year. To cut a long story short one of them has family connections down this way and they came along to the river one day to see if it was any good for piking. Quite by chance they saw a pole angler catch a Roach and persuaded the captor to weigh it on their scales. It went 1lb 15oz. Ever since that day they have been coming over four or five times a year and very nice chaps they are too. No doubt our paths will cross again soon.

In the week that followed I still had Perch on the brain and after another good stint at work I returned, again making it too the river at first light. A real difference from last year when I'd roll up at lunchtime. With extensive reed cutting upstream it paid to get there early though before all the debris started floating down. I'd got 1/2 kilo of worms from Neil at the Skegness tackle shop and some maggots in the hope of sparking the Perch into life with some heavy feeding. I was sure this would work and as usual when I have a bright idea I ended up nearly blanking. This suicidal Roach saved the day........



As you can see it was a bit battered but it was perfectly healthy. With so many predators on the river a lot of the silver fish have battle scars on them. Cormorants, Pike, Perch and maybe the occasional Otter all reside on or in the river. This is surely one reason why the fish grow so big with the predators thinning out stocks giving the remaining fish more to eat. Anyway I moved two or three times and only added a small Dace to the days tally and left frustrated.

A few months ago I put my email address on here. I didn't check them as often as I should because someone had got in touch and had to wait weeks for me to reply. It was great to hear from someone though and he inspired me to go down to a different river and try for some Roach. As it happened I didn't catch anything special but I had a very pleasant afternoon wandering around and casting lumps of breadflake in likely looking spots. I had bites in most pegs but the stamp was quite small. The next picture may give away where I was and may end up costing me. I fully intended to buy a ticket but couldn't for the life of me find the tackle shop in the village. I fished it anyway with my twenty pound note at the ready for the bailiff. He never came. Some would call this poaching, I prefer 'try before you buy'. Nice stretch though, maybe next year I'll find somewhere that sells a ticket and have a more serious go.......

With my trips to the rivers the Partney Pike had been put on the back-burner. Word came to though that it had been caught and alarm bells sounded in my head. Some people have form in hanging onto other people's coat-tails so to speak. While I can't be sure the captor is deliberately gleaning info from my diaries I have taken certain precautions such as not naming some of my visited venues, especially the Perch river. I have even gone back and removed the river name from previous dairies which is annoying but it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us. While I will tell you more or less anything the consequences of me slaving away at work for five days straight dreaming of big Perch and then arriving super early, bleary eyed and ever so slightly bad tempered to find somebody in my favourite peg don't really bear thinking about.

Talking of Perch I went down to my favourite river again on my next trip. I'd fattened up some worms nicely in my worm box in the garden. Bananas, wet newspaper and some crushed egg shells seemed to be to their liking. Again I rose early much to Mrs P's annoyance. After loading up the car I headed out into the gloom. The thick fog made for slow progress and it was almost light by the time I had nestled down into my favourite spot. Again it took ages to get a bite and a disappointing Perch of around 4 ounces came to hand. The next cast I had a really tentative bite again and struck speculatively. This was met by some resistance and a fat two-pounder thrashed around under the rod tip while I slipped the net under it. Quickly popping it in the keepnet I repositioned my worm in the same spot only for another 4 ounce fish to take the worm.

On the next cast I tightened up to the swan shot and the tip curved around ever so slightly as usual. I bent down to pick up my water and noticed the tip was straight and the line was slack. Again I struck half expecting nothing when the rod hooped over into a satisfying curve. It felt big and I saw it fairly early on into the fight. I wished I hadn't as it was clearly a beast and I spent the next couple of minutes crossing everything I could for it not to fall off. It didn't........

Weight? 3lb 12oz and another new personal best. Pleased doesn't really cover it. Although I stopped for another couple of hours no more fish were forthcoming and I left for home in a kind of uplifting daze. It was turning out to be a fantastic month. Could it possibly get any better?

The next time out I rather greedily had a four-pounder in my sights. I knew just the place and it was back down to the river for a serious try for one. I got there super early again and tried a spot I have seen big Perch in before. It was a fair old struggle to get down to the river though as I negotiated a series of obstacles. I finally got into position and started to set up. It gets light remarkably quickly this time of year and the bright conditions sapped my confidence a little and resulted in me moving about a bit for the first couple of hours. I even got into the car to try another potential hotspot on another river to no avail. In desperation I even had a cast around some likely looking spots with some lures but still no joy.

At around 10 o'clock I had finally settled into a peg I hadn't really caught anything from before. I cast a fair old distance downstream with a worm while I set about baiting my other rod. To my surprise though, I had a vicious bite on the first one. Although only around eight ounces it was my target species- a Perch. This did my confidence no end of good and I eagerly cast out again. Sure enough I had another bite straight away. It felt a little bigger too until it got close to me and it suddenly gained some serious power. Looking down into the margins the remnants of a large swirl were evident and it seemed whatever I had been bringing in was taken by a predator. It didn't hang on long though and shortly after it let go I netted a rather startled skimmer Bream of around twelve ounces. Weird thing was it had not a single mark or puncture wound on it, not even a dislodged scale.

After a few more Skimmers and odd Roach I decided to abandon the Perch quest for a while and have proper go for the silver fish. I hurriedly set up a float rod with a small, clear 2AA waggler and a fourteen hook. Two maggots went on and I started to feed and fish the far bank. I say far bank but typically disorganised me hadn't checked my reel line for some time and apart from not having a clue what strength it was it also had a knot in it that curtailed a few casts well short of the far bank. It didn't seem to matter though as the next three or four hours were a blur of stunning fish after fish. Roach to a pound, the odd Perch and Dace and best of all some highly unseasonal Rudd including an absolute beauty of 1lb 11oz. It really was quite incredible. Now I'm no slouch in matches and my best weight for three hours this year was 34lb (in an artificially stocked lake). It was the best weight of the series and, as you know I was really on form this summer. I weighed my catch on the river (tiny and totally wild) and far from being 'on it' I was pretty untidy and casual. I had 35lb in the net and I hadn't even really tried. This says far more about the quality of the venue than my ability. I was stunned.

The catch....

The Perch.......

The bigger Roach....

And finally.........the Rudd.........

I only stopped fishing so I could move to another Perch spot for when the daylight started to fade. The bites were still coming thick and fast when I stopped. There must have been thousands of fish in those few yards of river. A quick drive in the car saw me unloading my tip rods for the last hour in a tried and tested Perch spot. The wind was really howling by now though and I had to lay my rods on the bank behind some reeds to stop them from moving about. My first bite didn't take long although I missed it. The tail of the worm had been bitten off and I began to have my doubts. Sure enough after another missed bite I finally connected.........with a Rudd.

Despite the lack of specimen Perch it truly was one of the best sessions I had ever had. It also highlights why I will never make a dedicated specimen hunter, I always get distracted and if there are fish in front of me I have to have a go for them. Incidentally I have replaced the line on my float reel with some free 4lb stuff on the front of the angling times. Might be rubbish but it doesn't matter as I wont remember what it is or where it came from in a few weeks. 

Before I sign off and it being Christmas and all I have a few extras for you this month.

Some top tips

Have you ever heard people say 'I had to go down to a size 20 to get a bite'. I hear it all the time from my match buddies. Even Ivan marks used to fish with tiny hooks in the belief it would get him more bites. Well I've done well this year and I've never gone below a fourteen. It is all down to what you think and confidence. Using a fourteen with two maggots on a clear river in December for Roach? You bet.

I have a super posh mountain bike. It is perfect for my off road trips with the dogs. No doubt I could career down a mountain on it quite safely. Despite this it would get roundly bested on the road by a thirty year old racing bike from a car boot sale. My point? Keep your bloody fancy pole in the holdall on the river. The amount of times I see people pole fishing in quite the most inappropriate spots infuriates me.

Some years ago I broke my pride and joy- a original Drennan Waggler rod. I was keen to replace it and even had a chance meeting with the Preston Rep in the tackle shop and he showed me a few new models. He handed me a two hundred pound float rod and began to talk about all its features. "Feels a bit heavy," I said. "That's because it hasn't got a reel on it to balance it out," he snapped as if was an idiot. It was rubbish. I continued searching for a replacement and came across a heartfelt advert on eBay. "For sale due to bereavement, bought new just before my late husband fell ill so hardly used and I'd like it to go to a good home". Melted by the sentiment I won the auction and it came to me a week later. It cost me thirty quid and is THE best float rod I have ever used. If you ever see one buy it (13ft Shakespeare Odessa Gold Match).

If you have some new gear bought for you at Christmas and you get a nice day you should try Woodlands in Spilsby. Hawthorne Lake will see you get plenty of bites even on the coldest day. The pegs near the bottom of the Lake are deeper and fish well in the winter. The owner, Eric is ever helpful and a smashing chap. Just as good is Toad hall at Candlesby. Superb fishery this and the pegs in the in the section nearest the car park are the deeper ones and reliable for some great mixed catches. Once again it has a fine owner in Vance and he'll put you right on anything from fishing to politics.

Afterword

As some of you know I have another blog and I wrote a piece with another angler (Rob Thompson) for it. The story is how I started fishing and about our fishing mentor. If the TV or family is getting too much over Xmas then be my guest ....................

http://daisydo100.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/the-waggler/

Any advice, a chat or just to say hello you can contact me anytime via my email-

the.power@tesco.net

Last of all thanks so much for all your support and interest, I really am flattered and here's to a fantastic Xmas and New Year. Cheers

Till next time........................