Autumn/Winter Fishing

From now, right through to Spring, can offer some of the best chance to pick up specimen sized chub, perch, roach and pike. The fishing can be uncomfortable to say the least, but with the right kit you can keep warm and dry. Lots of layers is the answer, with a waterproof breathable outer layer, Drennan make some lovely salopettes and matching jacket. Numb toes and fingers are without doubt the most problematic thing for any fisherman. Gloves tend to snag hooks, even when there was, what seemed, no contact with the hook point... Gloves are hook magnets. Impractical when it comes to mixing groundbaits, tying rigs, hooking bait and unhooking fish. But whilst sitting there on the bank, awaiting the tip of your rod to pull round or your float to slip away, or on the walk across the fields, they are an absolute saviour! For my hands and feet, I wear Sealskinz.... Worry not, there are no clubs involved, these items are made of merino wool, with a waterproof neoprene outer. Warm, toasty, waterproof hands and feet, can it get any better? If you are lure fishing you can keep the gloves on, save the painful hands and fingers, along with the numb fingertips... Why do we do it? It's because we can't stop! As I write this piece, with my bare, painful, chilblained toes, I think about the next time I will be out chasing perch and chub in the icy conditions, tomorrow if I get my way!
Don't be a fair weather fisherman, get out there and keep fishing! The calls of redwings, fieldfares and long tailed tits will be your company, along with jackfrost, hiding in the early morning and late evening hours, waiting to tickle your fingers and toes!
But you won't complain not once you've encountered a 3lb perch or 5lb chub, you may even thank him.

Stuart's Day on the Wye....

Stuart was yet to catch a barbel, so I suggested we hit the beautiful Wye Valley for a full days guided fishing. What a day he had, with 4 lovely barbel, the heaviest going just short of 8lb.

Hope you enjoyed it, and look forward to taking you out again.

Carping at it's wettest!

On a day where the rain started at 1pm, and as I write the report of Charlie's latest lesson it still rains.... heavily.

Charlie's committment to angling is infectious, wanting to proceed with his lesson with ill regard for the British weather. Rain or shine he wants to be on the bank!

After learning some very sodden knot tying, and how to set up a cage feeder rig and method feeder rig, it was time to get the line wet... well wetter than it already was in the teaming rain.

Charlie managed to grab his quiver tip rod in the nick of time, as a hefty carp decided it was time for corn! After a swift battle I slipped the net under Charlie's heaviest carp to date, a lovely 9lb common carp. Shortly after, another tremendously savage take, tearing line from Charlie's reel, only for the hooklink to give a few seconds later; a nick in the line, or a sharp object below... we will never know. The weather was grim, and the fishing was uncomfortable, but Charlie's eagerness was rewarded with a personal best common carp, and a beautiful fish at that!

Well done Charlie.

Charlie & Bertie Go Carping....

Well done to Charlie & Bertie who both managed to capture a couple of lovely carp each.
They stalked them, tempting them off the top with chunks of white bread & mixers, in the warm sunshine. They also caught roach, bream & gudgeon on red maggots.

Charlie's first 'Fish-on...' lesson.

Well done Charlie, in awful weather conditions, you managed a handful of perch, a beautiful ornamental rudd and a lovely bream to finish off the session. Hope you have dried off!Having mastered casting with a float set up, and learning how to find the depth using your anchor shot, you will be ready to try something different during our next class...... and catch something bigger too!!!

Fish-on......

Welcome to Charlie Bryant, who tomorrow, weather permitting, I will accompany to one of Oxfordshires beautiful coarse fisheries, where I will teach him techniques which will allow him to catch different species of fish using different baits. His first lesson will feature the all important basics of coarse fishing, and depending on how he goes, a few more advance tips.
Good luck Charlie!