A Tale of Two Zander

 Back blogging now, you'll be fed up with the explosion of creativity very quickly.

There is undoubtedly an element of luck or chance in fishing, but some people are consistently more “lucky” than others. Which obviously tells you it’s not really luck. You make your own luck, good or bad.

I’ve spent a bit of time recently fishing the Grand Union Canal for zander and have had some pleasing results.

Firstly, thanks to Mark Bevan-Powell, local zander fisherman and all round good bloke who has helped in putting me on good areas. More than that, he took me fishing one day and passed on all manner of tips and hints. And to top it off, he hates Man Utd too.

Zander No 1

Anyway, I’d spent a couple of hours lure fishing, only had one small fish, no other takes and had reached the stage when I was going through the motions. Although I’d been put on the stretch, it’s about three miles between locks so didn’t know the exact swims or areas.

I spotted a dead roach floating mid stream. That’ll do. I cast over it with the lure several times and eventually fished it out, cut it in half, cobbled together a deadbait rig, cast it out and sat back and relaxed.

I didn’t relax for long because about two minutes later the float bobbed and slid away. I wound into the fish on the ridiculously light five gram lure rod, which folded over. A long flash of silver and I saw what looked like a decent pike, getting towards double figures. After keeping deep it came up and thrashed on the surface, not a pike, a zander and a good one too. “ Don’t come off. don’t come off ”. It didn’t and there it lay in the net. No scales but no less than 8lb I reckoned. Was I pleased ? Just a bit.

Now, you could say that was a lucky capture. I didn’t pick the swim, I cast out where I found the roach, pure chance. But, there was also a bit of opportunism at work, if I hadn’t bothered to hook the roach out and change methods I wouldn’t have caught it.

 

Zander No 2

I was fishing an area that looked good, but I’d not previously had any indication of fish present. I was speaking to Mick Newey, fellow blogger, who’d come to fish with his mate for the evening. Whilst we were speaking, the float gently bobbed and slowly moved off. I wound down and a small zander came to the net. Mick wandered off, I re cast to the same spot and within a few minutes I was in again. Another small one.

I again re cast to the same spot, but after twenty minutes or so it was time for a move, just sixty or seventy yards along the bank. I picked up the other rod and being a lazy git, didn’t bother to secure the hook in the rod ring, so the bait was swinging around, ready to tangle anything in it’s way, which it did….. the other rod, that was still out there fishing. Excellent.

The braid and hook had gone round the other line about a million times, an unholy mess. Braid does my head in sometimes. Well, quite often actually.

I stood there muttering and cursing, trying to untangle it all for three or four minutes when I felt a hard pull on the braid. I don’t believe it, a bloody take whilst I’m in a mess. There was no way I could strike or pull in to the fish until I’d sorted it out.

A minute later with it all resolved I wound into the fish and the rod hooped round in a satisfying curve. It felt like a decent one and it was, an ounce short of 7lb. Luckily the fish was not deep hooked, the circle hook nicely secured in the scissors. Again, well pleased.

So, luck ? Yes, if I hadn’t tangled the other rod due to my cretinous incompetence, I would have wound the rod in and moved swims and it’s highly likely I wouldn’t have caught that fish.

 

Serendipidy ( spellcheck please ) is the word to describe it I think. Whatever, you can’t beat a bit of good old fashioned “luck”.

The Same But Different

 I've fished the river for thirty years on and off. Mostly on. This year, having only re started in January, I'm restricted to one free stretch, as I'm not a member of any clubs.

As it happens, this stretch is not one I've fished much before. It's deepish and slow. Very slow if not static in the summer.

I never rated it much for chub, though I had a few out many years ago.

However, after catching that big one last trip, I decided to give it a proper go and it turned out to be decent fishing with good numbers of fish between two and three pounds. Not massive, but fun nevertheless.

Agreed, I look a gumby in that photo.

Chub are a fish that, if you get things right, you'll almost certainly catch them.

Don't scare them with your approach, put the bait in exactly the right spot, understand that your best chance is on the first cast and it's easy.

But as with many things it's not always easy to do the simple things right. Which is why I've ended up tangled in far bank trees, bumped fish off on the strike and missed too many bites.

But no matter, I've caught enough and am re learning how not to cock things up. It's bloody great fun.

I've had two or three fish out every evening, just fishing around dusk, the golden hour to be sure. Especially in the clear conditions that prevail at the moment. Lots of people blanking in the middle of day re enforces that belief.

I've also had some more pike out on this stretch, so things are going well at the moment.

It turns out that stories that the river was finished, due to otters, cormorants and nasty foreigners are not true. 

It has changed of course. Next to no carp, the already tiny numbers of (introduced) barbel now practically zero, but roach, dace, perch and chub numbers seem to be on the up. 

So, it's as it was, in that there's good fishing available if you make the effort, but possibly with different species. 

Nothing stays the same forever.

 

 

The Hunger

 

The hunger ? Yes, that fire in your belly, bordering on obsession when you've got to fish whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Until I mentioned the words "species hunt" to Cocksy in January I didn't really have much enthusiasm for freshwater fishing, the salt water stuff had taken over almost entirely.

I'd almost forgotten what it was like trotting a float down a winter river or watching an orange pike float bob before slipping away or seeing a chub pull the quiver round as dusk settles on the river.

Almost forgotten, but not quite and now I've got that huge hunger back for it. Well, for everything really. The fact it's spring helps too.

I wandered along a beautiful little stream running through a wood the other day, dead quiet apart from birdsong.

It's full of wild brown trout in stunning condition, with a few dace, roach and chub thrown in too. Oh and loads of minnows.

I was actually after gudgeon and ruffe for the species hunt, but they have so far remained elusive. I'll just have to have another go, eh ?

Little nine foot rod and a bobber float with maggots or worms trotted down the stream resulted in trout, roach, minnows and little chub, lovely bit of fishing.

I've had a couple pike sessions with The Mighty Turdster on the river too and had fish on the last three occasions. Only short sessions but good sport with fish 5-10lb. 

Whist piking, I've seen several big swirls near the snags which I didn't think were pike, so one evening went back with the quiver rod to see if I could catch the culprit.

Well, I was actually hoping for a ruffe ( yes, again ), so fished quite light with a cage feeder and 16 hook to 2lb line. Worm and maggots were tried with only a few small roach the result and surprising at dusk it went totally dead.

I thought I'd have one cast with a big bit of bread to see if there was a chub about. Thankfully I changed to heavier gear and half a minute later I was into a much bigger fish which turned out to be a real brute of a chub.

Well chuffed with that.

I'm going back for a proper session this evening.

Hungry bastard.

Love it.

 

Rumours of my demise.....

 

After years in the blog wilderness The Loafer returns with stories and photos a plenty.

Where to begin ? Feck knows, so I'll start with today.

After months of the rivers being in permanent flood, they're now spot on. Even for pike.

I found a spot that I've never fished before but looked like a dead cert. Loads of cover, deep 'oles out of the flow, a shallow feeder dyke, perfect.

River fining down, temperatures rising I couldn't fail could I ? Well, no actually I couldn't.

A couple of nice fish on a "deadroachanoster" on a quick morning session, I was more than happy.

A couple of days later I took The Mighty Turdster to "the spot" as he'd only ever caught one pike before.

Similar conditions, a good chat whilst watching the wildfowl and a kingfisher working the river and three pike in the bag before it was time for breakfast. Wunderbar.

I'm Still Here

Just.

Great Bentley half marathon. So very cold, windy, grim and I struggled a bit. Came in at 1.46 something, not disastrous but not what I wanted.

Beers and a good meal down the pub afterwards and it didn't seem so bad.

Toodle pip.

That Time of Year

The bonfire, bright against the grey
Our custom in those old Decembers
Standing in encroaching darkness
Gazing into orange embers

From the cuttings, canes and deadwood
Apple, rose and artichoke
Came the wraiths of vanquished summer
Snaking out of sparks and smoke

From "The Winter Bonfire" byMartin Newell

Late November, getting darker and darker, light starts to fade around half three, not long to the winter solstice. Then the fightback begins.

Had some cracking bright, sunny days recently though. Been out running and biking, making the most of it. No fishing for three weeks though, can't get excited catching whiting and undersized codling or anything freshwater at the moment.

Had some interesting fishing this year though. Some of the highlights....

Catching at thirty something pound tope off the beach in the middle of a beautiful warm, sunny June day with a good mate. Thanks Bob.

An hour and a bit of fantastic lure fishing in Ireland, catching good sized coalfish in eighty foot of water in a five or six knot tide on light spinning gear, with The Mighty Turdster. Great fun.

The Poach Pit provided some great fishing for beautiful uncaught ghostie / metallic carp. Me and Lord Pualus of Clacton had so many good evenings there. The savagery of the fight was incredible. We'll have some more of that next year. Hopefully.

 Had some good sessions in Dorset in da camper,  on the black bream, wrasse, smoothies, makkie and gars with Conc, in glorious T shirt weather in October.

Also, a good day in early spring catching plaice in Brighton, again with The Concmeister.

Taking Mason fishing a few weeks ago, in beautiful warm weather and catching loads of rays with Norfolk Bob and Conc. Mason having his first ray on a light bass rod and struggling to get it in.

The best fishing of the year for me, without any doubt, was catching ( mostly not catching ) mullet on the fly in the local estuary. That was so, so good. And not something I thought I'd ever do.
The stray sea trout just about topped it off. I want more.

Other highlights....

Clive's cooking in a little place in Andalucia, enjoyed with Mr and Mrs Turdster. Still the best I've ever had. The man's a genius. And he hates "foodies".
Dorset and North Norfolk in da camper. Magical places.
Another few days in Brighton to see ex Fall troop, Brix and The Extricated. Good food, a few drinks and a great gig.
Barbel fishing in the Ardennes in 30 deg C with The Turdster.
An absolutely fantastic James gig at Newmarket in August with Goozgog. Great night, top chuuuuunes.
Got a few qualifications throughout the year, which pleased me as an oldie.
Doing the "Paras 10" in May and finishing within the Paras qualifying time, leaving hairy arsed, twenty something squaddies in my wake. Yes, it really happened. I fookin' loved it.

Loads of other stuff, too
 much to mention. Few crap things that we won't mention.

Music. This year I've been mostly listening to.....

James. So many top tunes and the new stuff is really good. Not "OK", really good.
Everything Everything. Not my usual stuff but very unusual, original stuff.
Sleaford Mods. You will love or hate them.
"Crop Dust" by The Fall. A re discovered gem. Other old Fall,stuff too.
Interpol. Got a charity shop album for 50p and then bought their other CDs. Great stuff. How did I overlook them first time round ?
The Pop Group - Citizen Zombie. Post punk groove funk. Yeah baby.

Books.

Fragile Lives by Stephen Westerby. Heart surgeon. Gripping. What a life. What a man.

TV

The Vietnam War - A ten part documentary on BBC4 ( I think ). Superb, some stunning footage. Same old story about those not learning from history being doomed to repeat it.

That's it for now. Toodle pip.

Golden Autumn Days

" A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth "

Charles Darwin

Norfolk Bob, me and Conc

Been out a couple of times this week, both times fishing in the afternoon sun in a T shirt. Loads of fish about, rays in the daytime and hoards of whiting at night. Great times to be out and about.

Bob doing what he does best

Yesterday Norfolk Bob, Conc, me and Mason went to the roooooker beach . Nobody else about, a nice, very gentle offshore wind and blazing sunshine. Lovely.

By the time me and Mason turned up Bob and Conc had been fishing for three hours and had already had four each. A good start, that early in the tide.

Tea on, jaffa cakes out and a chat in the sun before getting on with catching the fish. Bob carried on catching, while me and Conc's rods remained motionless. After an hour Mason's rod sprang back as a skate moved downtide. The rod hooped over and he needed all of his four stone to pump it in. His first sea fish, a nice roker just short of 6lb. He was well chuffed.  That got the ball rolling and it was steady bites until the top of the tide.

Well done Mason

 The wind, which was light anyway, dropped away until it was flat calm. It was absolutely beautiful, the fish continued to feed and we were treated to a fantastic sunset.

Double shot

By this time Mason was getting hungry, so I said "last cast". As I was packing some of the gear away one of the rods pulled round and a decent roker thumped in the tide. It was half way in when Mason shouted that the other rod was pulling round. I told him to keep an eye on it but no sooner had I said that than it was off the rest and heading seaward. He grabbed it just in time, good lad.

The last fish was the biggest of the day at 8.5lb, a nice way to finish off a really enjoyable afternoon.

Shining times indeed.