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A weekends fishing on the River Meuse for me and the better half.
Had a carp earlier today and a decent sized Barbel (target species).
Beautiful little town (Fumay) but literally everything shuts at 9pm. Came out for a few beers earlier with plan to have a D4 at home with some wine and a pizza but there's bugger-all open. Bread and cheese it is then.
I fished the same swim as last time (where I caught 13lb'er) & used the same method feeder, with 8mm pellets. Only had to wait half an hour for the first fish, an 11lb'er.
Couple more followed until I got too hot & moved swims, to a shaded one.
Enjoyed a JLPatricia 2002, with a Waitrose 1% cider.
After lunch I noted an orange looking carpet cruise by. A lucky cast & I managed to get between trees on the opposite island.
An hr later & take. Managed to haul it away from the snags easy enough, but then it seemed to wake up & fought well, it's large tail slapping the line & surface.
It weighed 17lb 02, no one I have spoken too has caught 18 or above for several yrs. Historically, there were a couple of 20lb'ers & even 8lb Tench, sadly, also long gone.
Got home & felt a celebration was required, one of my few remaining LCG No3 was duly sacrificed, allow with a fine Negroni.
Went for a Lure session & managed a couple of jacks on an Atom spoon. A gifted lure, which has caught my benefactor Salmon & Sea Trout. One lives in hope!
I don't do much carp fishing but popped down to a local lake this evening armed with some dog biscuits.
Had a good wander around with the polarised glasses on until I could spot some fish cruising around.
Saw a couple and got them feeding on the floating dog biscuits pretty quickly.
I let them build their confidence up for 90-minutes (perfect time for a cold can and a Robusto) and finally dropped my float in.
Hooked x7 fish but lost a couple as we using small hooks to balance the bait.
Great fun on light tackle and proof you don't need to spend £££'s on the latest and greatest bait.
Great fun, I only really enjoy surface feeding for Carp & dog biscuits work as well as any bait. Trouble with the water above (my last entry) was too many wild fowl to risk it. Glad you had a good session, 7 takes is pretty good session IMHO.
Five months since I caught anything worth reporting here. Ended last season with just 2dbles & 8 Pike.
Was going to wait to start my new season on 1st Nay but a mate wanted to go today & he goes Offshore next week.
A new water for us, it's near Lymington. 9acres, just Carp & Tench. Looked good when I walked around last week.
Last minute, my mate bailed but having got a 'leave pass' I went anyway. Showers to start but cleared up by 09:00. I fished the Merhod, for the first time & used my new Barbel rod. Worked well, I had my first Carp in 25yrs, smoked a Hemmingway Story Story, to be fair my best N.C. of late. An N.C. version of the Divinos.
Then had my first Tench in 30yrs! A fee more Carp & after Luncheon, PLPC.
Just after 16:00, had a real runner take an 8mm pellet & took some patience to get it.in the net -13lb 14oz
Well chuffed. No doubt I'll be back!
Time for a quick update.
31/10/24 Out fishing on the Hampshire Avon, trying to catch my first Pike of the season. Many twenties have come out of here since ht e1st Oct opening, unfortunately I was in Belgium, then & later Offshore so well behind the curve. Had a blank or two but finally a fish in the net. A wee Jack took my Smelt, on a sidestream.,
Celebrated by smoking a special 1996 Party Short from Tippex's collection. As a post breakfast smoke, It certainly didn't disappoint & although such a grand wee smoke could have been accompanied with a wee tot, I made do with a coffee. Best Short I can recall.
Later after lunch, I lit up a 2013 RA Netherlands ER, another lovely smoke. Always reliable ER's. Washed down with a John Smiths & a pretty good autumn day. Good to be out on the riverbank, as Mole would say.
05/11/24 Guy Fawkes & fireworks in the evening, can't say there were any on the river today but I did catch a new species & therefore, after many years, has a new PB.
My Driller friend, Big Steve & I, took out the punt on the Avon for the day. It's attached by chains to either bank & one has to haul on the chain to cut across the current & tie off when happy with the lie.
I was hoping to catch one of the near record Dace know to be in the area or a Sea Trout, which I'd not caught before. Firstly I was ahead in the minnow stakes & lit up a 1990 R&J Panatela, with my morning coffee.
Steve picked up a Chub & then I had a small Dace. Later my first Salmon. There is a syndicate on this water £2K p.a. & limited number of rods & very few Salmon caught this season (
Celebrated with a 2002 JL Patricia & another coffee. I did bring a beer but having had to haul ashore for a toilet break (too public for the usual use of a bailer), I didn't want to have to go in twice.
By the end I had a couple of decent Dace & more Salmon, infact finished 5 Par!
The Pike season on the Hant's Avon started 1st Oct. Unfortunately I was in Belgium, visiting wife's family.
Normally 1 or 2 20lb'ers might be caught & a handful of dbles. This year broke all recent records, x6 20lb'ers! One lucky chap getting a 26lb08, 20lb 08. 19, 18, 17 & a couple of low dbles & decent Chub.
Call the 26, a 22 & the rest of his catch is basically what I have caught of the last 3 seasons!
Obviously, word got out & crowds descended, place h as been hammered. I went today, just hoping to catch something & get something on my scoreboard.
Two brothers decided to go against etiquette & one went to hold the swim I usually fish, whilst the other waited inline for a ticket. This is really annoying as I was there 45mins early to ensure I was 1st online & I would get my fav swim, which is a real hike downstream. The tacker dealer shouldn't be issuing tickets if the angler isn't standing in front of him. This has never happened before but a mater warned me it had been happening this week.
Anyway, I parked by a bridge & fished at it's base. I used a DB rod & a lure rod. Nothing to lures, had a small rake on DB but never developed.
Good news, it was a gorgeous morning. It was great to be on the riverbank again, with the knowledge that there's a 20lb'er for every 1/4mile & my Cigar was perfect.
I’ve joined the dark side and been roped into a private carp syndicate.
With the exception of Thailand I’ve never done any carp fishing so all a learning curve, although it’s basically Barbel fishing on steroids.
I’ve struggled on the rivers this season as the weather hasn’t been kind to anyone. It’s either been no water or extreme flooding, plus the rivers I fish you have to be off at dusk so after-work fishing October ~ March is off the cards until the clocks change.
Positive with this syndicate is it’s a 10-minute drive from the house, there are only x4 pegs (1-acre lake), 9-members and you can overnight fish there. It’s stocked with x45 carp all around the 20lb mark but I’m hoping they put some tench in.
Out on the river this morning, still in flood. With the high tide, I was standing in knee high water -on the bank!
Cast out an 8oz roach DB, to the edge of the large bay, where I hoped there'd be a few sheltering from the fearce current.
Whilst preparing to send out my second bait, the first had my Delkems screaming away. I let it run a little but it was heading around the corner, so wound down & struck into a big fish, certainly felt like 15lb+. Unfortunately it came adrift.
An hour later same bait away again, slower this time, waited a little longer but didn't connect. Big baits might mean Big fish but I really don't like waiting too long.
Had a luncheon appt but returned after, hoping to get another run at dusk, with smaller baits. Turns out I didn't have to wait. My 1st bait in (cast to a different area, nearby), was away after just 5mins.
This time, it nosed straight into all the weeds, dead rushes & debris in front of me. Was really tricky to get its head up & slide the net underneath.
Went 16lb 06 & 90cms. My 1st decent fish from this side of the river. Cast out again & at 17:30 - sunset, the 2nd rod gave a very positive run & when I struck I thought I had another dble figure Pike. Turned out, after a very spirited fight, to be a 5lb Bass, 2.5miles upstream!
A grand day indeed, think I'll crack a box of Cohiba's to celebrate.
Went fishing to the local pit on Wed Dead baiting, gave up after 5hrs of the wind & rain in my face, no rins.
Today went back with lures today & managed 3, inc 2 on a giant yellow rat!
Surely deserves a decent smoke tomorrow.
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