Pike elation tinged with some sadness..

Roving trip to Somerset Frome strictly fluff chuckers only this time with Red and I targeting initially the Chub and then the Pike. The Chub elusive as I tested some bread, maggot and traditional flies in the clear water. Not as easy as a dry fly session in the summer when the naturals are providing some encouragement. I felt a tub of liquidised bread would have gone well with my foam flies but it is not really cricket and I might just as well have moulded a piece of cheesy dough to the hook. Anyway no success in the absence of some nice smelly bait prompted a quick change to the predatory gear and a trace. As we explored the Frome we came across a dying fish pretty lifeless on one of the shallow runs. On closer inspection it was a Barbel of about 4lb pretty much intact save a number of puncture marks around the head and eyes. Such a shame the first Barbel in my hand on the Frome a dead or dying one. I held it in the flow to try and get some life into its limp body but to no avail. I concluded it had only recently been the target of bird attack - Heron, Goosander or Cormorant. 

A bit later on another large fish lay in a shallow run this time without a head, it was a small Pike. The culprit here was either another Pike or mammal (Otter or Mink). Back to the fishing and it was proving hard despite the river looking in good form with great clarity to work the fly. My first bit of action came as a good 1.5lb+ Perch chased the lure in to the bank. It stopped, I imparted two quick jerks, it swallowed the lure completely, I struck hit resistance but the hook pulled. A lesson learnt  - if you hit a snag and pull the hook free check the bend. I had been fishing with a hook had that had opened and it cost me a good fish. Incidentally this Perch was in exactly the same pool as a fine Perch I had netted back in the summer. My last stop saw a change in fly to a 8cm Brown and White Bass fly from eBay. I worked it down the edge of some sunken willows and suddenly struck resistance. A slow dogged fight saw a nice Pike in the net with a heavy stomach, probably my biggest so far on the fly at just under double figures I would estimate.

Bristol Frome stick float roving...

Quick stick float session on Bristol Frome with some maggots and bread resulted in numerous out of season wild Brownies, a nice Dace and some Minnows. The river with a tinge of colour and the air temp just above freezing. Red maggot seemed to do trick. Best of the day was a clonking Brownie that would have made my fly fishing season. Quick photo then returned for me to catch on fly in the Spring. Over 18 inches in length, a glorious wild fish with a predatory jaw stacked with sharp teeth.

Dabbling with fishing the Bristol Channel at Littleton-on-Severn

James and I have embarked on some shore sea fishing on the Bristol Channel just 20 minutes away. Something I have always wanted to try but I have previously avoided as a dark art. The thought of lots of new rigs and tackle to understand, the challenge of getting fresh bait and the timing of visits to make the most of the tide has to be honest put me off. However a bit of research and minor investment in some entry level kit has opened the door. The guys in Veals of Bristol were of great help.

We have now conducted 4 trips and I am glad to say none have resulted in a blank. Our visits back in October were relatively balmy days at Littleton-on-Severn (Whale Wharf to be exact). Ideal tides seem to be between 11.5m and 13.5m arriving to fish 2hrs before and leaving 2 hrs post high. It is silt with very few snags the only issue is traversing the salt marsh mud below a metre high grass verge to get distance on the cast. First visits saw mixed results of a schoolie Bass on float fished ragworm that was intended for the Mullet in the small wharf, some tiny Whiting on flapper rigs baited with ragworm and a nice Conger of about 5lb on squid.

 

As the Winter has moved on we have caught a number of Codling most returnable but the odd one large enough to take home for tea which has been great. The bigger fish seem to fall to the bigger baits and generally taken the defrosted squid. Smaller fish are constantly tapping on the ragworm but are unable to shift the 5oz leads. The larger Cod and Conger produced slack line bites indicated by the rod straightening on the rest.  

Still new to this discipline it is nice to build knowledge and understanding. Points of note have been: that casting distance has not really had a significant influence over success; carp rods have landed the biggest Cod and the Conger however clearly they do constrain casting distance with large leads; sea reels are required to ensure rapid retrieve to avoid snagging; its best to leave small taps as the fish will either hook themselves or move on; gripper leads are a must to combat the tide; and finally a good strong rod tripod is an excellent investment. Both James and I are looking forward to more sessions and fishing through the seasons on the Bristol Channel.