Sun 20th Nov temps are still mild, tried some deeper water at the end of North street, fished from 2ish to dusk, had a couple of nudges, thought they might materialize into bites but that was as exciting as it got. Martin Elliot was down and Lyn came round so best part of the day was chatting by the river, hope we get some rain soon!
Sat 19th Nov weather is still extremely mild for this time of year, river is very low. Thought I would try the bottom of the riffle see if the faster water held any fish, guess what? Another blank.
Thursday 17th Nov, feeling like death warmed up (man flu), but Adrian my friend was on his way down. Thought we would try a different approach, do a bit of trotting. Started at the top weir at Charford, again a very nice day, fished both weirs, then down to Hale, did not get a real bit until we were down by the riffle, ended up with 1 very nice grayling just under 2lb and a 3lb chub, Age blanked!
Sun 13th Nov sat in t-shirt on the bank in Nov, this is very strange. Back on the pellet, only down for a couple of hours. Tried a couple of swims with no look, hope it rains soon!
Sat 12th Nov very mild, water temp was good, tried down Woodgreen. River is getting low as the weed disappears. Anyway used maggots and hemp, had a couple of dace again but nothing else showed.
Sun 6th Nov, temp was down to 49.5, thought I would try maggots and hemp, even had the float out. Started with the feeder, 5 maggots on a size 14. Bites started straight away, maggots kept coming back busted, managed to hit the third bite in came a beautiful Dace, had another then the bites stopped. Lovely day although was a little bright, water temp came back up to 50 by dusk, back next week.
Sat 5th Nov, went down Woodgreen again, cloudy with a northerly wind that was quite brisk and a little on the chilly side. Water temp was 52 so I was a little confident. Used pellet with a feeder, but kept the feed down. Had 1 bite turned out to be a 7.06 barbel, beautiful fish, just got it in the net when one of the members was passing by, got a nice photo. No more bites stayed until dusk, and then went home.
Sunday 30th thought I would try the wood below Hale, again very mild, river was coming up slightly the rain finally making its way into the river, lots of weed coming down, a new member came along and we chatted for a while, couple of fish rolled in the swim, but could not tempt them, packed up just after dark without a bite, not even a chub, need a bit of a rethink!!! I might need to practice more!!
Saturday 29th Oct, breezy but mild again, decided to try North Street, bumped into Martin (gent who had the 15.09 not long ago) had a chat for an hour or so, started fishing around 4ish, thought there would be more water around after the rain but the river did have a little colour, anyway fished till dark but no fish.
Monday 23rd , checked the water temp after a frost on Thursday Fridays temp was 47f today its up to 52f, felt rather confident, went down Woodgreen nice mild day, but just a couple of knocks no real bites, pleasant day down by the river.
Sunday 16th Oct, clear skies over night mean a cool morning, but tempted to watch some of the rugby world cup means I don’t get down till after midday, put in the hemp (bit of a theme running here) its a lovely warm day, sunny with a few clouds down woodgreen again, another angler further up the bank, so I wonder up for a chat. Start to fish and the sky clouds over feeling a little more confident, couple of cormorants come close one off the river above me, I have great difficulty is saying anything nice about these nasty birds, but I am biased. Anyway time goes on and even though I hang on well into dusk, I pull another blank, I have a couple of days of next week but have to miss the weekend, hope to see you down there!
Saturday 15th Oct, managed to get down quite early for once, there had been a slight frost but I walked down to the river in bright sunshine. Put in the hemp, and decide to go for a little wonder, red admirals and damsel fly's are out and about, hornets and dragon fly's its really is a beautiful day. Well start fishing the hours pass and as the sun goes down the temp starts to drop and apart from a couple of knocks not a bite, even the chub don’t show, I decided to leave and go home for something to eat, back tomorrow.
Sunday 9th Oct, back again, around 1ish when I get to the car park, the walk to the bank was done in shirt sleeves, got a nice sweat on, no hemp today, but sitting there in the sun was almost sunbathing, tried three swims, nothing from two then 2 chub in the last 3.5 and a 4. I must admit I don’t weigh the chub, unless I am fishing specifically for them, and that will usually be when the temp drops and the barbel are not interested. Back next week!!
Saturday 8th Oct, fished down woodgreen, managed to get down mid afternoon quite breezy and overcast, put some hemp in and settled down. Weather was quite cool, westerly blowing not enough layers on. 1 chub around 5lbs, left a couple of hours after dark, still breezy but the moon was out casting a nice glow, pleasant walk back to the car.
Had Monday (2nd Oct) off decide to try my luck in the woods below Hale bridge, still very bright put plenty of hemp and some pellets, had 1 bite and caught a chub around 5.00lbs, decided to go back down woodgreen, there’s quite a breeze and it just might help the barbel feed. Down to woodgreen and in goes the hemp about 5 pints, two rods 1 in close and another to the gravel patch, about an hour later the tip goes round and after another really good fight I land a 7.15lb barbel, colour of these fish is fantastic (photos are all of the fish in the net but I will get the wife to put the on the gallery). Lin turns up around 6.30 and I have not had another touch, we chat for twenty minute and it comes over very cloudy and the breeze get stringer temp starts to fall, getting quite nippy. Lin says goodbye and as he is walking of rod goes round and I’m in, Lin is not far away so I give him a shout and he lands a 5.15, time for dinner. Have to go to work rest of week so won’t get back until next Saturday, tight lines. I must say I have had a really good week only regret is the 3 fish missed, but 7 caught, that’s a good result!
Back again on Sunday afternoon still very bright so decided to stay into the dark for a couple of hours, baited with hemp again and set the rods all I need to do now is be patient, not long to wait and off the feeder rod goes, I’m in and strong powerful run, rods over I’m forced to give line, feeling rather smug and the hook pulls, damn!!!! (wasn’t exactly what I said but apparently I’m not allowed to swear on the blog). Drank a coffee and tried again, starting to get dark now, I keep getting knocks on the tip, but its line bites more than real tugs, I decide to change bait and try again, recast and 5 minutes later the tips round and I’m in again, this time it sticks and I manage to land a beautiful 7.00lb barbel. Feeling a lot better now, fish goes back and I recast, feels more like fun now. Twenty minutes later and the tips slams round this is more like it, fish feels like a good one, stays deep strong runs, then disaster and its gone more blue air!! I decide its time to go home.
Hi I thought might struggle for things to write, fished the Friday (29th) very hot very bright river is very clear, went down early hoping to get a bite before the sun got up, but no luck, did a lot of walking saw some fine fish, lots of chub, couple of barbel not huge, down by the salmon hut. Even had to go for a paddle to cool down, is this really the end of Sept.
There are a lot of Swans on the water they are clearing a lot of the weed. Tried to fish later in the afternoon with not much luck, sun starts to set, even now as it cools its blinding me, reflecting of the water no matter where I try and look. Just as the sun has nearly disappeared the rod moves, at last a bite, these fish fight so well, after a great fight I land a 6.12lb Barbel
Thought it might be nice to share some of my time on the river, let you know how it’s going down on the bank, not always this good, but might as well start on a high note. I probably won’t have so much to write
Fished Sunday (25th Sept) down Woodgreen, managed a bite that I missed made a right mess of it. Baited a couple of swims up knowing I had Monday to fish and the forecast was mild.
Monday, arrived a little late, daughter talked me in to dropping her into college at Totton.
Put quite three pints of hemp in with a dropper, then sat down with a coffee baited the rod and waited for a while to let the swim settle. I had two rods this time one for close in and the other to try a little further out. Put a 2 oz weight on to plumb around found a nice stretch of gravel 2 to 3 rod lengths out, figured that would be a good place to try.
Had the close in rod a with centre pin and simple link ledger 6lb line with a 4" hook link, the other rod was feeder and fixed spool.
Anyway couple of hours watching the Swans and swearing at a couple of cormorants that flew over and the pin takes off, the rods is bent over in its rest and the speed of the spinning reel almost dazzles, I reacted very slowly amazed at the action happening just in front of me, picked up the rod, feel a fish pull and then everything goes slack. I was absolutely gutted, the knot on the swivel had parted, its bad enough losing a fish but when it's your fault, well as you can understand I was quite upset!!
Anyway settled down with a coffee trying to calm the old nerves, took a while, started to think my luck was out, but after a couple of hours I get a knock on the feeder rod, just moved forward in the chair concentrating on the tip, when the tip jumps round and the rod almost leaps of the rod rest, I get the rod up and I’m in, slow fish stays low in the water, fish runs upstream tries to bury itself in some ribbon weed, then come out like a rocket and heads upstream again. Few minutes later I start to get the fish moving up in the water, long powerful runs but I’m gaining line, then the tail comes out of the water and slaps the water, what a tail!! It takes more time as the fish runs away, I’ve got the net ready but I just cant get the fish close, water is clear and every time I get it close it see's me and is off deep powerful runs, and of course seeing how big this thing is I’m nervous, what if the hook hold slips?? After some time I get the fish close in but even now it wont give in, finally I manage to get the head up and the nets waiting, I know this is a big fish but not sure how big. I get the scales ready, the fish looks big in the weigh sling, scales have already been zeroed, on she goes in and 14.07 a new personal best. Feel a bit better now, on the phone to Lin he's 10 minutes away so I put the fish in the net and wait, need a photo!!
Lin takes the photo and is off for his tea, I get the rod ready and recast, don’t know if there is anymore out there but it’s a very good day!!
A couple of hours pass and the tip on the feeder rod swings round and I’m in again, and it’s another good fish, great fight and after what seems like ages I land a 10.12, what a day!
I photo the fish in the net and put her back.
Dusk is fast approaching, it’s a lovely evening mild so I decide to fish on for an hour or so.
Getting dark now and the bats are out, I keep getting pulls on the rod not sure if its bats, just goes round then stops and comes back, I can see the bats but still not certain, anyway getting dark stars are out its a beautiful evening, I’m starting to get a bit hungry so I pack up everything leaving the feeder rod till last, as I come to pack away the rod it goes over again this time it stays over I lift the rod and I'm in. At first I don’t think the fish knows its hooked, it runs upstream then bury's itself in some weed out in the middle, the fish will not move, I get well below the fish keeping pressure on all the time, it seems like an age, I can feel the fish shake its head occasionally, but it wont budge, so I just keep pressure and hope, eventually it takes off and I hanging on taking line giving line, another big tail slaps the water, it runs I gain line again, its head comes up and I have the net ready, head comes over the rim, the fish swings its tail and its in the net. What a beaut! I get the scales out, zero and get the sling over the fish, on she goes 15.00. Two P.B's in one day can it get any better???
Bob
