Not been out 29 -12-16

Well I havnt fished since the 28th October a week after the death of my mum.I fished the ribble 7 days after her death and managed 1 Barbel .I have just lost all enthusiasm at the moment .My mum meant the world to me and now I feel as though my world has come crashing down in front of me.I am hoping to get out again in 2017, but when who knows.So have a great what's left of 2016 and new PB,s in 2017.

Tight Lines Till the next time 

Running Late 15-10-16

An afternoon nap saw me late setting off for the river.A pit stop for diesel,a sandwich and Choclate saw me pushing it too arrive before dark.I had two stretches in mind,I chose Plan B.Upon arrival at the river I had 25 minutes to get my peg,set up and cast out.The river was still low and clear and I decided to fish pva bag ,instead of crashing a feeder out there.Both rods would be pellet/paste hook baits .One rod half way,the othe upstream.It was a mild evening,lots of cloud cover and a full moon.I got both rods out and poured a coffee.The rods had only been in 15 minutes before my left hand rod slammed over a nice chub graced my net.I recast and sat back and it was over again,this time the fish came off,it felt like a chub.My next bite was a big pull,fish on.First Barbel off the evening in the net,resting for a picture.

A Nice barbel................

As the moon settled down stream behind cloud cover ,my rod hooped over again for no 2 chub,similar size to the last,can't complain.It went quiet now for about 40 minutes,then my upstream rod was off and a good scrap and barbel no2 was in the net,it had a strange lump and tail damage from an otter.

A nice chunky fish,shame about the tail and Lump.The moon had moved now and was lighting the river up like a torch.Soon as the cloud covered the moon,rod ripped off and I lost a fish on my upstream rod.I decided as there was some sort off snag,I repositioned my upstream rod to the right off my left hand rod..There wasn't any wind at all,it was warm in fact and what a suprise for October .It wasn't long before my left hand rod was off again and another chub,No 3 a smaller one graced the net.Still getting plenty off knocks and twitches when the moon moved behind the clouds.My left hand rod was off again,a good scrap and more clutch action ,this was no chub as Barbel no 3 came over the net.

Another cracking Barbel................

It wasn't long after the barbel I was in again and no 4 chub,biggest off the night,Hit the net .

Lovely Chubbly.....................................

Not long after my right hand rod was of ,a small chub again.What a great nights fishing.I lost 2,Had 5 chub and 3 barbel.Hoping to get out again before the leaves fall .You can't grumble for weather like this for October.

Till the next time.Tight Lines .

Two Blogs In One

Sunday 2 October 2016

I headed up to the river to fish a different stretch.Upon arrival the level looked spot on as I headed towards my Peg.Plan off action was feeders and pellet hook baits.I got set up in clear blue skies with quite warm sunshine,I cast my first rod middle off the river and my other downstream of it,feeders packed with crushed pellet and hemp.From the off I was getting twitches and short pulls,probably chub but at least there was fish there.As darkness was nearing I decided to recast both rods,I re cast to the middle off the river with my right hand rod and when I went to reel my left hand rod in I was snagged,I walked up and down trying to free the feeder,I know had to pull for a break of which I don't like leaving end tackle ,but no choice.As hard as I tried to pull my clutch wouldn't tighten up,so I had to grab hold of the spool.After sitting down and trying to figure out what was up,I decide I had no choice but to retire the rod and fish on with one rod.I couldn't believe the temperature drop come 7-30 pm it must off been 7-8 degrees now,it was cold .At around 8 pm I had my first proper pull,fish on.

A nice barbel which believe it or not fell to a change off hook bait ( Boilie).As the evening wore on with out any more twitches or pulls I called it a day at 10pm.My feet were toasty in my new bogs,but layers wise I was cold.So I packed up and headed home.

Saturday 8 October 2016

So still having the barbel bug I headed up the motorway to a different stretch off river I've not fished for a while.Tonght would see completely different tactics.PVA Bags and pellets wrapped in paste would be 

My plan off attack.Arriving in my peg the river was low and clear,plenty of cloud cover and a lot milder than last week. My Left  hand rod was getting all the twitches and pulls early doors.I would have to wait just under an hour for my first bite,my right hand rod pulled,then pulled again,so I hit it.fish on.

A nice start,a tough scraping chub,on the pellet and paste.As the evening wore on it was very slow casting as little as possible,I changed to a dumbell on my left hand rod to see if a change of bait could provoke the barbel into feeding.It would be nearly an hour after the chub,same scenario again,two pulls on the rod tip,struck and fish on.felt chubby till I need my first barbel of the evening .

A small splasher,but it was a welcome bite.It was lovely say there,nice and mild a coffee cigarette or 3 and a Tunnocks played there part till my next bite came.My next bite wasn't a pull it was a full 3 foot twitch and after a good fight,I netted my Prize.

Very welcome it was too,I'd waited an hour for that one.As the evening wore on I decided I would fish another hour and if I wasn't getting any indications I would pack in at 11 Pm.As it neared 11 pm I finished my last coffee,and just took in the environment around me.I wrapped up just after 11pm and called it a night.A good result.All fish fell to pellet wrapped in paste,and I was really pleased my homemade paste worked.

Till the next time Bloggers.

Photos

Just a few snaps from the canal walking and fishing the river in Normal mode and Black & White.

Last overnighter early in the year.

Hope you like the photos,See ya soon on the Bank .

Making My Barbel Paste

Add one egg to a bait tub and whisk.

Add a spoonful of Flavour to the egg.

My Favourite flavour monster crab.

Once mixed in with the egg .

Baitech Salmon Fry crumb .

Add a small amount to the egg.

Once mixed in you can see it's sloppy. Looking, needs to be like Putty.

A bit more added and mixed up.

Getting there now , just need to add more crumb , just a little .

It's ready now to get your hands in there and roll it up to work it altogether.

As you can see its been rolled up , now to keep working it .

The finished ball off paste, I leave it now for 20 minutes , then roll again .I bag it and pop it in the freezer. Take it out off freezer an hour before you go and it will be thawed when you get to the river.

Till I'm out next Bloggers Tight Lines .

Bogs Classic High Wellingtons Review

After buying my first pair of Bogs 4 years ago I was due a new pair. I bought mine in Michigan USA .So online to find a stockist in the uk that sell them and I settled on the Classic High style, these have a support arch, neoprene like my others and good to -40 degrees, now I have been in Canada and the states in sub zero temps of which these boots were probably aimed at, and the last 4 winters here they have kept  my feet warm and toasty . They are more of a winter boot but in the summer they are fine with the right socks.

On the left my new ones which I wore yesterday, and on the right my old ones.

Nice grip on my new ones .

My older ones didn't have the grip.Overall these are a great boot whether your Fishing or walking .Ive tried normal boots for fishing put prefer Wellington style boots.They are Fully Waterproof.

Tight Lines , Till the next Blog 

Lymn Dam 24-9-16

Well it's been on the cards for a while a trip to Lymn Dam with Eddie for a days fishing the feeder.

Sign at end of Dam wall , its £5 for a day ticket or in eddies case being an OAP £2-50.we had a walk down and after seeing fish topping we decided to fish with our backs to the church.Now we would be fishing two different methods,

Eddie would be fishing a method feeder and boilie hook baits and pellet , and me old school cage feeder, maggots, dead maggots, castors ,worm and corn would be my hook baits .

My selection for the day on the feeder.

My Groundbait mix .I decided to fish at about 45 yards out, putting 5 big feeders out .It was slow all morning with just one knock for me .

My view, the tree in the centre was my marker . Eddie hadn't had a touch and  it was looking like a Blank.

Eddies Peg, nice solid pegs to fish off.at 11 o clock and bite less , Eddie went  into Lymn to go and get us some meat and potato pies . While he was gone I decided to put another swim in at 20 yards, I put 5 feeders out , then the pies arrived .

Blooming gorgeous, I was starving , funny how my new swimn came to liife and I was into fish , I was getting plenty off action catching perch and roach.

Eddie was still blanking and I think he was phoning a friend for advice lol.By now I had caught 4 perch and 2 roach .

Eddie casting further out in search of a bite .we listened to Man Utd on the radio and decided at 3pm we would call it a day. I went back on my long line for 3 casts but no bream , so went back on the short line and was catching again and was into roach and Perch again.It proved to be a difficult day , Highlight were the Pies.Eddie using his modern baits failed and he blanked .I finished with 7 perch and 3 Roach .Not Prolific by any means .So the scores on the doors were Browny 10 Brocky 0.

View from the Dam wall, a big water and would go again, an enjoyable Day out.

Till the Next Time .

Bad Day On The Res

Yesterday I decided to visit Jumbles for a days fishing on the tip rod.I decided to fish a swim called the pylon peg ,we used to fish years ago for pike.I started off casting 10 feeders full of Groundbait , maggot , corn and pellet out to my spot.

My marker was the buoy you can see in the picture. It wasn't long before I was into fish, but then a problem, there seemed to be a ledge or drop off where either the fish came off or on two occasions Mrs Pike Took them .

Clear bright conditions were not an ideal fishing day for me.

Another factor for me Is the clear water I've never known it to fish well.Anyways I managed my first fish a skimmer .

I decided now after losing so many fish I would put another swimn in . Same distance , but aim at the pylon as my marker, I put five feeder fulls out and waited , and waited , not a knock .

Pylon on far bank, after an hour I switched back to my other spot. The only time the water saw a ripple was off the slight breeze during the day. I did manage another fish later but I decided enough was enough and packed up.

I had one bite earlier on that resulted me reeling in 30 yards of line and a free feeder .

I'd always wanted to try this area, if the conditions had been better I think the fishing might have.The other side fishes a lot better, and in hindsight should off gone there.Anyway till the next time, nice to fish for something different, a nice break away from the barbel, For Now.

Tight Lines , Till I'm out again.

Random River Pics Part 2

Just a few more shots I've took on my phone whilst waiting for a bite on the River.

Rods High.

Black & White shot

Essential barbel Biscuits

Recently changed my line to wychwood DPF Flurocarbon Line. it's a Flurocarbon  

 coated line , lower diameter than subline, still in 12lb.Colour doesn't put me off , let's see how it performs .

Till The Next Time .