Interesting things ?

I always enjoy the fishing but sitting in the countryside always has its pleasures . The last few days on the club lake have been great with Greater Spotted Woodpeckers , Green Woodpeckers and Buzzards all around the place.
I love the outside world and watching wildlife . I also enjoy a bit of foraging for wild food in the appropriate season . What could be better free food and its strange but most of the recipes have alcohol at their centre ? Or end in jam !

Anyway while sitting and fishing I happened to look at the plants around me . The one that took my eye was this one .

 

 

Bit of a non entity isn't it ?

Absolutely NOT ! This is the most deadly plant around : Hemlock Water Dropwort . It has bulbous pale swollen roots which if eaten will kill you . The foliage is not good either ! So if you fancy some foraging : DONT EAT THIS ! I don't think there is much that you will want to forage that looks like this.

 

 



 

Rod ,Pole or Perch ?

Well this pole fishing is really addictive ! More success with the chopped worms has resulted in some interesting fishing . Plus some interlopers which took a shine to the worms and really pulled the elastic ! Next thing is a cupping kit , you can never have too much tackle !

Perch

Well the rivers are still no where to be seen , the fields are covered in them !
So what to do for that fishing fix ?
Well the new club has a lake which is reputed to hold a few stripies . So out with the pole and chopped worms and red maggots resulted in the following ......

All three over 2lbs the best 2lbs 8oz.Interestingly they all came from a shallow swim next to some old lilies , and the perch would only bite when the clouds cover was full . Bright conditions resulted in bream and roach .
This pole fishing is great !

Here's to 2013 .......

Well its always the same ... work gets in the way of fishing ! 2013 was a bit of a wash out ( no pun intended ) regarding fishing but it did have its highlights , my first Blue Shark being one of them !
The season started on the local rivers and despite not catching a Barbel the Chub were obliging . ( What a turn round the rivers were very low in June a below  , now they are unfishable )

The next event was September when an invite from Jeff to join him on a Blue Shark trip to Falmouth was too good an offer to turn down !
The rubby dubby production was a messy process ! But it worked really well ....14 sharks to the boat over three days plus a few  that got away . Best to Jeff at an estimated 100lb plus. We had great weather as well , plus some great views of Dolphins, Sunfish and Minke Whales .

Next stop ...Pike.
Jeff had joined a new club which gave access to some new stretches of non tidal river , so I joined up as well . First trip out ...

23lb 6oz on a scabby old mackerel from last year !
I then managed a few trips on the tidal stretch for a few fish to 16lbs .

 

Then it rained !

The Season is Dead , long live the season 3#

14th March 2013

What a difference a day makes !Yesterdays success had boosted my confidence , so it was back to the river for another go , with Jeff and Dave for an end of season get together and the chance of a fish or two , maybe ....
I got there at the crack of dawn and was soon attached to an 8lb fish which i think I have caught before ( and so has Jeff ) as it has a distnictive yellow mark on its side.
I was then joined by Dave and a little later by Jeff , and by the 14lb 8 oz fish pictured above.
The day then went to Dave who proceeded to catch another three fish to 11lbs.
Jeff managed a tiny jack at the last knockings too.
Roll on the 16th !

The Season is dead, long live the season 2#

Wednesday 13th March 2013

Well i might have been mad going fishing on monday , but even i realised that tuesday was a non starter with about 4 inches of snow and people trapped in their cars overnight. I spent the day looking at fishing books and dvd's, and planning which clubs to join next year.

So what would wednesday bring weather wise. Well still cold but getting warmer, and the wind moving away from the east.

The day started well with a fish taking my deadbait and unfortunately dropping off . So I decided to move to an area where Jeff had previously had some luck .

On the subject of luck , well mine was about to go into overdrive !

 

She weighed 27lbs 4oz, and is my best Pike. Fantastic !

I celebrated with a pint of Harveys or two !

The Season is dead , long live the Season ! 1#

I always try and take a few days off at the end of the season . It has become a bit of a tradition , but the weather can always be a deciding factor . Well , what would this year bring ....

Monday 11th March 2013
 "When the wind is in the east , the fish bite least "
The weather forecast app on my phone warned of snow showers and a temperature of 0 but feeling like -7 in the strong east wind . I think it was spot on ! Crikey it was cold !
I remembered to bring storm poles with me and  without them the biting east wind would have wrecked the brolly.
Jeff joined me , and we sheltered in the lee of the brollies eating sausage rolls and drinking tea . The fishing was as you would expect a non event .