What are you doing ?

[rhornegold]

Now the close season on rivers is here what are you up to, for me it's all down to decorating and putting my house up for sale.
Do you think it's a good thing to have a bit of a break and recharge the batteries.
I will still have some trips out to a few local lakes and go to some of the Specimen group fish-in's.
It might be the type of fishing I do or my age, but June 16th is still a very special day for me.


Bob Hornegold

[CarponlineEditor]

Hiya,

June the 16th is pretty special to me too because my daughter was born on that date. She wasnt quite as big as a common i caught during the night though lol.

I find it a bit weird during what was the old close season as i can go fishing if i really want to but i do find it much easier to stop myself from going if something else comes up to do instead. I must just be weird lol

Andy

[fatboy]

Still think it is a pity that the close season is not applied as it used to be. Gives both flora and fauna a break and time to recover. I think it was mentioned in another thread that the 'mead is turning into a quagmire with all the rain etc. so, not that I am suggesting it, if it did close then nature could do its repair job. Always found the 16th to be absolutely fantastic, just like a kid before his birthday!! You get to the water, all the surrounding foliage has grown back etc. Things feel renewed.

Anyway, I waffle. I guess I will build up a couple of blanks that have been hanging around for ages and avoid the decorating as much as possible!!!

[John_H]

I could go all Bernard Venables and wax lyrical about the leaping fight of the rainbow and the dogged fight of our beloved native brown, 'cos it's TROUT TIME - at least for me - Tony Scorpio too I think.

I think it is a shame that folks are now rather less interested in different species having their own prime time, for me it's part of the fun and you always have something to look forward to. So I carry on as if the old close season was still in force ! June 16 onwards is certainly a magic time, thinking tench and carp - just as around now is for trout, and mid-October for trotting the chalk streams for grayling and anything else that comes along.

[clive]

Hi Bob, since the end of the close season (on enclosed waters) I've always popped out a few times for a session, but, as far as I'm concerned there's almost a natural break. With the end of March, most of April, usually being fairly unsettled weather wise and a lot of the fish still have their heads down I don't really bother. But once into the back end of May, the weather warming up, it can be a magic time... anyway I've already started decorating the bedroom... we'll have to start swapping DIY stories (yawn). lol. /images/forum/icons/crazy.gif

Clive

[scorpio]

Definately trout time John, are you going to Bewl reservoir on opening day? I may go during the week on one of my rest days when it's not so busy, early morning off the Dam and later on in the shallows...... The only coarse fishing I will probably do is at the Fish ins if I aint working.

Tony

[scorpio]

Ian,

Is there the space to get a back cast going with the fly rod at the blue pool? If so I am going to give that a crack. We are going to have 17 degrees plus by Friday and double figures from now on..... give it 3 weeks and they will be cruising :)

Tony

[Billyo]

Tony,

Plenty of space on both the Blue Pool and Match Lake... if your going, let me know and I'll pop along for a chat. I might even be fishing the other lake there, so let me know when your around this way mate.

Bill.

[Rivercarper]

Time to forget the boilies untill the rivers open up again when ever that may be and go bream fishing.It makes a nice change and is so unhurried compared to carp fishing.

[scorpio]

Will do Bill, it won't be for a few weeks, I will wait till the water temperatures are up. Good luck with the Carping mate.

Tony

[John_H]

Tony - I have already made a start this year for trout, at Langford in Wiltshire...best 5lb 8oz already !. As I live near Southampton my nearest big reservoirs are Farmoor 2, and Sutton Bingham near Yeovil. The latter's opening is delayed due to F'n'M but Farmoor is open but only for the boats, and I am going next Saturday, 7/4. I aim to try Bewl, but it's a bit of a hike from home there and back in one day.

[scorpio]

I used to fish Farmoor 2. Great in the warmer months using buzzers on the drop and also muddlers near dusk. I usually do well there.

Well congratulations on you 5lb odd fish John..... well done mate.

Tony

[rhornegold]

Tony,
Is it possible to fly fish with a bad back, and can it be done sitting down?

Bob Hornegold

[Rivercarper]

Blanking on Kingsmead 1 for the bream

[scorpio]

Hi Bob,

I can cast sitting down, crouching down as well. It is an art casting a fly, once you get the timing right it is an effortless process unless you are double hauling into the wind.

Even now I do get a few aches after an all day session but not in my back. I mainly suffer in my ribs strangely enough.

I think the only way of seeing if you could manage it is for to sort maybe a days fly casting with me somewhere, then you will know if it would affect your back without having to buy the tackle. Let me know what you think. Maybe when the specimen hunters group gets established we could have maybe a day flyfishing or flycasting somewhere.

ATB

Tony

[clive]

Me too, love to have a go, Tony

Clive

[rhornegold]

Tony,
I would very much appreicate the chance to have a go at fly fishing and it looks like I'm not the only one.
Thanks


Bob Hornegold

[John_H]

Thanks. I have fished Farmoor since the first year it opened (1978 !!) and when it's good it's very good. I like fishing there in midsummer, if it's a nice fishing day with mixed sun and cloud and a south west wind it's great to drift the boat right across the lake. You can catch either on dries, or lures just subsurface if the fish are on daphnia. Lovely conditioned fish, too.

[Swan_Vesta]

Tony/ Ian

Would love to go.

Just bought my fly fishing gear and had a few lessons.

I hope they won't think i'm a bait marker with my red hat sitting in the middle of the lake. /images/forum/icons/smile.gif

Swan Vesta

[scorpio]

if u wear the hat the trout will jump out the lake with fright mate /images/forum/icons/laugh.gif it would be a pleasure to help anyone who is interested in the game side of angling.

Tony

[Swan_Vesta]

Brilliant

Why don't we arrange it as a fish-inn.

I will even bring my portable trout smoker.

I can feel my taste buds tingling already. Smoked trout washed down with vintage lager. Reminds me of my Canada days. /images/forum/icons/smile.gif

Swan Vesta

[John_H]

I was just wondering how you'd measure a good days' trout fishing, Tony.

I know there's a lot more to it than just numbers, but it is a starting point and a few fish in the bag certainly helps put a smile on the face. I've kept a log of what, when and where since the mid 1980s (sad, eh ?) and since then, having been trout fishing on 5 reservoirs and 7 medium size/small fisheries, I've averaged about 3.3 trout a day.

What it boils down to is that if I come home with 4 fish in the bag, including either a rainbow of above average size for the lake or a brown or tiger trout of almost any size, I am well pleased.

[scorpio]

John,
I regard a good day trout fishing if I catch my limit, I normally do. I don't like the limit fisheries much these days as sometimes I have caught my fish by 10am and can't afford another ticket so what I do these days is fish the reservoirs from the bank, or fish a water that is catch & release after your limit. I had 28 trout in one afternoon last year. The owner asked me to move out the swim as the regulars were getting peeved. I moved and carried on catching... that's where the entomology comes in handy /images/forum/icons/wink.gif

I had a cracking brownie out of Bewl last year, 5lb and it was an over wintered one... absolute bute it was... that was the best of last season although I had about 8 doubles (rainbows).

I am looking forward to hitting the blue pool for the carp when the water has warmed up... I will probably do a day in the week.

Tony

[scorpio]

Swanny,

I shall be at the specimen hunters meeting on Saturday, if you like we can have a chat if you can make it down there, I cant fish the social as I am on an early shift .... sigh

Tony

[John_H]

I think the best thing I have ever done in respect of trout fishing is to buy a season ticket. I have a 50 fish limit and 12 months to catch it in, rather than a 4 or 5 fish limit and 12 hours ! That takes the pressure off, you fish in a more relaxed way and probably do it better. You feel more confident to try new methods rather than thinking "one more for the limit..." or whatever. And that carries on when you go to fish other waters.

[drizz666]

ian
when are we going to see you actually fishing a venue,i see you about now and then but i've never seen you fishing and was wondering when we get a lesson from the boss

[andyd]

I'm getting married in early June, so wont be fishing until around the 18th when I'm back from honeymoon (other than a 2 day session at 3 lakes).

[rhornegold]

andyd,
Sounds ok to me, start off as you mean to go on.
Best of luck
Bob

[starman]

well Bob i have been back now for a couple off weeks, to much work for me but i have had a cat out of the pool 29lb 8oz but to spain we had 50 cats a total of 3164 lb 9 over the 100lb mark . as soon as i get a bit of time i will put it on the net with all the info on the Bavarian Guiding Service load of photo's ' see you down the pool

Cheer's
Starman

[rhornegold]

starman,
Well done mate, which bait did you have the cat on from the Pool?
What was the the biggest fish on your trip and who caught it.
Bob