River Soar 23-01-2014

Another go at Pike fishing was todays plans , this would the second session this season but the first of 2014. With the rivers still being very high and no transport to get to a still water I fished the only place I could think would hold some fish. This is where the river forks off. I chose I lovely looking peg which was just at the fork point allowing me to fish a rod in the side in slack water and one just on the edge of the flow. Both rods would be fished on the bottom with dead baits. My dead baits are just Roach and Rudd from Soar Tackle. I was not planning on being out for long I started at about 11 in the morning and would be fishing till about 3. I chopped a few deads up and feed them in to the swim to get a load of scent in the water. This worked well as ten minutes after doing this the first rod was twitching, after a few seconds I struck into the first Pike of the day only a small one be a good start.

Things did go a little dead for a while after this one I would of moved swims usually but I decided to feed some more chopped fish and see what happens. It didnt take long again till I was in again this time with a better fish. I had a good wrestle on the bank with this one until it was finally under control and I could take a few snaps. The top jaw was a lot shorter then the bottom and I mean a lot shorter you could see the inside of its mouth even when it was shut. Another lovely Pike from the Soar.

 
After returning this one I moved down the bank twenty yards and repeated the process and again it worked well but I hooked the same fish I just put back ten minutes ago. I know it was the same fish with the jaw and the shape of the fish, I quickly unhooked her and slipped her back in. Well that was it for today a well enjoyed session, till next time.......

Spinney Pool 04-01-2014

2014 is here and its time to get on the bank and catch some fish. On arriving at the lake I was happy to find it empty, I had a couple of walks round the lake but no real signs of anything so I decided to set up on the back of the wind and fish to the other side this is where I thought the fish would be holding up. I got the gear on the barrow and walked round to the low bank. I posited myself in the middle of the bank allowing me to spread the rods if I needed to. The main bait for this session was to be Soar Tackles Nut Mix.

 
I had around five kilo with me this might sound a lot of this time of year but I will only be putting out half the mix to start with and topping it up if I feel the need. The spot I will be fishing is between two pegs on the opposite bank, the depth here is around eight to ten feet. Instead of putting the bait in one area I spread it in a line for twenty yards and around five yards wide this would allow me to fish on the mix and both sides of it and a good chance of a double pick up. Also if anything did come in for a feed I would have a better chance of getting a bite. Hook baits would start different and if one produced all would change to that one. The first rod was fished with Marukyu Credence Corn on a short Fluorocarbon rig the second rod was fished with a special Pop-up on a stiff-hinged rig, the final rod was fished with a Credence Krill Feast in 14mm topped with a single piece of corn. The weather was looking best for a bite the following morning so I made sure everything was right for this moment. The night passed with no action but like I say the morning is bite time as the pressure is suddenly dropping then rising again early afternoon. The first take came just after a late breakfast at about ten. I only got a couple of bleeps and line tightened so I lent in to the first fish of 2014. After a short battle in freezing cold water she was safely in the net and I was buzzing. In the net sat a lovely bar of gold common only a small one but who cares when there stunning after all that’s why I go fishing.

After a few snaps she was back to fight another day. This fish took the Credence Corn rod but I had no chance to change any of the other rods over as the right rod ripped off they where definitely on the bait. This time it was the Pop-up rod off and again another slow short battle with another common around the same size.

Well what to do now I put the pop-up and corn back out and thought about changing the other over but left things as they are for the rest of the session which was nearly over now, I thought I might just get another before I left but it didnt happen. The Nut Mix once again working well on here, I was happy with how the first session of 2014 went till the next time...........

Pike fishing the River Soar

Its time for some pike fishing, the first session of the year. I went with a friend of mine Colin for a walk along the River Soar. It was not long until the rods were out in some likely places but nothing was happening. I said to Colin come on lets get up stream to the weir and have a go. We made the ten minute walk to the weir island where we both settled in the same peg. I was fishing a dead Roach on the bottom using a light running rig set up, Colin was using a pike float letting the bait drift around in the strong current. It didnt take long for the first taker, my rod tip started to twitch before line was being stripped off the reel.

The runner was set very slack so what ever picked the bait could run with without feeling the resistance. It was a great little battle in the strong current, it was only a small but welcome as first fish. Things died in this spot after this take so we both moved down stream to one of the other hot pegs. This turned out to be a right hot peg that day no more then 6 takes between us in a couple of hours.

 I managed one more and lost two while Colin banked two and lost one. It was a great day out on the bank with some fish caught and great laugh had with good company, Till next time......