ouchthathurt

My plans this year will revolve around a local canal, also I want to concentrate on bass fishing, nighting it is off the menu with a baby at home

I’ve been a victim of jealousy, it got so stupid, I stopped fishing there, moved on and got the same issues on the next lake! I did a winter on a local park lake that I know like the back of my hand - during one particular winter, I stayed on, putting the time in, blank after blank while everyone pulled off. Then I started stringing some captures together but kept it to myself - peg piracy was another issue, however one session, the bailiff was down while I had a take, he commented how this was the first fish out all winter, I then confessed to this being my 6th fish out! Word was out after that and other anglers started fishing again. I was still able to catch while others were blanking, the snide remarks started - then accusations I was using leadcore (which I wasn’t as it’s banned) I had spot checks on rigs - nothing untoward found - I then found anglers taking leadcore rigs to the bailiffs saying they had recovered from my swim! Bailiff took one look, said that they weren’t mine and put a stop to that nonsense, the green eyes still kept on it, I got a call from the club secretary saying I had been seen standing on an outflow pipe in the out of bounds area - I asked what day this was, turned out I was 150 miles away driving an ambulance car around central England! I had to show my time sheets and shift rota to the secretary to prove I was nowhere near the place in question at the time. I moved on to a small syndicate after that where I had a cracking start, landing the mythical big common at over 31lb, soon after that, one angler started casting over me, casting onto my baited areas while I was fishing them, even went to the lengths of pretending to be a bailiff and tried to quote fake rules (that I would be in contravention of) and then tried to chuck me off the lake! I had to call the real bailiff to come and sort it all out. I pulled off there in the end, it was getting far too busy, now I am looking for a new water, but having a newborn at home means that nighting it takes a back seat, I get my fix with a bit of piking in the winter and bass fishing in the spring/summer. Life is too short to get wrapped up in jealousy, I just fish for myself and move on if I find I no longer enjoy it. I’m currently wandering along a nice little canal that rumour has it is home to the odd carp, no one on it - sounds like heaven!

@marker many thanks mate, I’ll check them out and let my boy know 👍

Nothing big, but good sport then I noticed something slightly amiss with my car tyre… a 30min slightly worrying drive and £80 later I had a new replacement fitted. Bit of luck I noticed it, I drive to Belgium tomorrow!

This one struck a static spinner while I was setting up and wetting the braid, I hadn’t even got the unhooking mat out, that will teach me to get them all ready before placing a hook in the water!

Went pike fishing yesterday for a few hours, used two rods, one with a float fished mackerel tail, the other using lures. Had 7 in the end, one on bait the rest on lures trying to upload some pics, but it isn’t working!

I’ve just heard the news that Mr F has passed away, such sad news. Don’t know the details but RIP Paul “Mr F” Forward, proper legend

Welcome to the forum buddy, nice carp! Keep them coming

Welcome buddy

Few hours piking on the local canal. Had one jack on a perch patterned spinner and a pike on float fished mackerel tail

Hopefully when you get a hip replacement, you’ll be a new man mate, fingers crossed you get back to full fitness soon.

Hi Nick, not seen you posting for a while, you good?

Many thanks mate, he is desperate to find a water that will suit him, but I’m at a loss and Google isn’t throwing up much.

The weather was awful, we were both well wrapped up, but I was determined to get to that section of the canal! We still got pretty soaked though. He was pretty nervous, but I showed him the teeth and how to get a secure hold without risking the teeth! I also showed him the use of foreceps and side cutters, (although the hook came out in the net!) so long as he kept away from the head he was ok!

So with Christmas over, the boy and I carried on our quest on Wednesday for his first pike, heading to my local ressie that does a few, the weather was absolutely awful, high winds, pouring with rain, nice and mild though, a day of static deadbaiting and wobbling didn’t produce a single twitch for either of us, cold and fishless, we headed home. So that was it. Or was it?? I woke up this morning with “that” feeling, the one you get when you just need to be in a spot with a rod in the water, so I dragged the boy out of his warm bed, wrapped ourselves up with waterproofs and headed out into the driving rain and high winds again. This time, we just took one rod each and a selection of plugs, spinners and shads and headed down to a tiny canal that I’ve never fished, let alone seen anyone else fishing. We headed off into the rain to find the canal very high and coloured, not best lure fishing conditions, but rumour has it, that this tiny canal holds pike, I reckoned that they would only be jacks, but my son only needs one bite to catch his first pike, so it was worth a go! We walked for miles, flicking little lures into the water, having real issues with the weed and debris washing downstream, it seemed hopeless. I told the boy we were going on a hike and walked about a mile and a half to a wier that was catching all the debris, the water from here looked more inviting, wider, slower and deeper. But flicking lures about still didn’t produce, my boy picked out a tiny perch spinner and stuck it on, thinking a perch or a jack would have a go to save his blank, off he wandered, casting as he went, with me having to clamber through bushes and trees to unsnag him every 3rd cast as a gust of wind snatched his spinner mid cast and threw it up the bank! I stopped to talk to an old boy who was telling me that we were flogging a dead horse as the water was like hot chocolate, I had to agree that it was looking dire, i began to doubt there was anything in here, with that I started walking up to where my boy had got to, when I saw him lift his rod sharply and it took on a lovely bend, “snagged again” I muttered as I headed towards him, with that, his rod slammed down and his reel screamed… he was in! Now despite his best efforts, this fish wouldn’t come off the bottom, it just went on unstoppable runs up and down the canal, I started to think, this is no jack! After 10mins, it finally broke surface, blooming hell its a crocodile! My bottle proper went then, as did the boys! He was literally shaking with excitement as I managed to get a net under it. At 18lb, it was one hell of a first pike! From a tiny canal that I’ve walked hundreds of times without a thought of casting a bait in there! Why I suddenly woke this morning with the overwhelming urge to go try it, lord knows, but I’m glad we did! I blanked, but do I care? Like hell I do! Plus, I know they are in there now, so I’ll definitely be heading there when the kids are back at school!

Evening all, so my boy got a set of carp rods and reels (Leeda rogue 9ft 2.75lb rods and shimano 6000 baitrunners) plus a set of fox mini microns, landing net, line, terminal tackle, candy nut crunch readymades etc etc from wifey and I as he is obsessed with carp fishing but can only go when he’s with me in Sussex, so I got him the above gear so he can get carping with kit that he can stash in the boot of a car. What I’m trying to find is a venue for him in the Prestatyn/Rhyl-Chester/Ellesmere Port area that will allow a 14yr old to fish without silly rules (several waters I’ve found in the area are size 12/10 hooks max, no boilies, no under 14yrs etc - he’s 13, going on 14 in March) that he can go catch a few on a day ticket. I looked at Brickfields pond in Rhyl, but they are prebooked tickets only. Anyone have any ideas? many thanks

Many thanks mate, they became a bit of an obsession! Now pike have taken over 🙄

I’ve just got some stocking fillers for the boy, got a kg of candy nut crunch readymades for a fiver, a pair of fox mini microns for £30 with batteries, half a dozen ESP ready tied hair rigs - mates rates, half a dozen leads, a spool of esp line that should get him going.

I only live a 5min drive from the coast, I’ve got a great bass beach 10mins away, a harbour, shingle beaches, a pier, lots of options. I’m extremely fortunate in that respect. the bass I’ve taken so far

Not a Christmas list for me, but my boy wants a carp set up he can use back home, as he can only carp fish while he’s with me. He has to travel by bus/walking etc, so I just got him a pair of Leeda rouge 9ft 2.75 tc carp rods and a pair of 6000 shimano baitrunners 2nd hand for £40, they are immaculate and I’m secretly thinking of keeping them for myself!

I’m hoping to get out tomorrow for a few hours piking, so long as this mild spell helps and the lake isn’t frozen!

I’ve only got a few hours Sunday to get the rods out, so I’m going to target pike. Hopefully my venues don’t have a lid on them!