Crazy Perch fest on the Mepps

Yet another red letter day for Perch on Somerset Frome. Absolute stunning Perch on large Salmon Mepps gracing the net. Later in the year this fish would be going well over 3lb. Lots of other smaller Perch, Pike and Chub making a cracking day on the river.

 

Something different getting to grips with the Mepps

Well whilst enjoying the trout fly fishing I was really looking to to tap into some coarse fishing now the season had opened if not on fly then lure fishing. I wanted to catch primarily Chub but both Perch and Pike would not disappoint me. My favourite spot on Somerset Frome was the location and met up with Red who I had also sounded out for a change to the usual fly gear. Within a couple of casts with the Mepps XD I’d had a knock but lost the Perch close to the net. After moving upstream I found a hollow around a submerged tree and dropped the spinner in after a powerful riffle. As I retrieved from the willow branches a large fished launched at the lure and gave one hell of scrap. In the net it was a lovely Chub getting on for 4lbs.

Red had caught a number of smaller Chub in a small fast run. As we worked upstream next fish was a fine Perch netted by Red followed by another by me, both fish nearing if not 2lb. The action was non stop with both Perch and Chub taking the Mepps with abandonment.

We then drove a mile or so downstream to try another section of the Somerset Frome where we knew both Chub and Perch were abundant. After a couple of nice 1/2 lb Perch I hooked an absolute monster that took me all over the pool I was fishing. In the net I could see it was over 3lb easily my PB. As I stared in awe at the fish it buried itself in the net and found a hole in the seam I was just not aware of so no photo unfortunately but I have the memory! As the day wore on my final fish was a nice jack Pike in a shallow run. Epic days lure fishing, the Mepps is king!

It’s been a while - high rivers, loss of mojo but finally back on the Pike

I’ve finally got back in the fishing habit. As the first glimpse of spring is shedding light on the Snowdrops and the water is falling I have found my way back to the river. The Pike have been clinging the bottom so deep sinking lines have been required. A couple of nice fish have been in the net both taking a weighted fly. It’s nice to be back!

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.

Somerset Levels Piking

Blustery day on the levels with heavy showers and the odd sunny interval. The drains thankfully staying within their banks but only just. Trio today of  Red, my youngest James and I. Tough day at the office though with very little action. One small pike fell to the fly, a red rabbit fur fly with weighted fish head. The fish hit once but I did not connect and then took it second time as I covered the same area. James and Red were using lures and spinners but not a tug. We covered some ground but it just wasn't happening.

Mixing it up with Pike on the fly and a bit of drop shotting for Perch

Took my son canal fishing on a wet windy day. The worse rain all year constrained us to the canal. My first trip to this lovely lilliput canal with naturalised banks and no boat traffic. I set up with my usual pike fly gear while my youngest James had a light LRF rod with a selection of mini lures. It was the first time we had really tried this method. The light reel had 20lb braid with an 8lb fluro leader and Size 4 hook set about 9 inches above a small weight. When we got to the canal some parts were clear but there were large stretches where the nearby ploughed fields had run off muddying the water making it pretty unfishable in places.

I immediately hooked into a nice jack of about 5lb on the fly but failed to get to the bank. Shortly after that I banked, on the fly, a miniature beauty that looked at home in the mini chocolate box surroundings. My son James was beginning to get the hang of the drop shot patiently encouraging the Perch to feed under a small bridge. Ironically though his first fish banked was a Pike about 15" that took the tiny plastic. He then went on to catch several palm sized perch on the drop shot. Pink seemed to be the colour.

All in all I caught 3 small Pike and lost two bigger ones on the fly and James caught 4 Perch and a Pike on the drop shot. It was a brilliant call and made the most of the horrendous weather. It has whetted our appetite to try drop shotting nearer to home perhaps on some of the urban waterways.

No particular plan turns in to Perch fest

Met up with Red to fish Frome on Avon Tribs ticket. Another baking morning as this summer of all summers continues. Plan was coarse on the fly in some form, whether that was Chub on the dry or Pike on lure, not absolutely sure but something away from our usual trout. Red was first to connect and landed a nice Pike almost on his first cast using a leech fly without a trace. I had a Chub take the dry but failed to get it to the net.  I swapped to lures, added the trace and started to explore the gaps between the weeds. Almost at the point of giving up I hooked a good fish which until I got in the net thought was a Pike. It turned to be a stonking Perch, not my PB, but not far off and not shy of 2lb I would guess. It took the fly deep beneath the sub surface leaves of the lillies. Red caught a couple of smaller Perch on his Leech fly which really seemed effective in UV black dubbing. The Frome incidentally looked wonderful with Gudgeon, fry and Minnow teeming beneath our feet. Those wily old Chub, until next time!

Fly fishing for Pike on the Frome

Nothing quite like a bit of piking when the pumpkins come out. Spent day guesting on Avon & Tribs on the Frome. A lot of fish about but only two coming to hand or net with Red and I catching a fish a piece. Mine just about 5lb but his probably just shy of double figures. I did connect with two other fish, one a particularly good fish which I had on for quite some time before it shook the hook. Sometimes I think the teeth just get caught up on the fly and that is why its not a solid hook up. Great day in lovely setting.

Long time coming .. and now for some Pike on the Bristol Avon

Lovely autumnal weather sees Red and I out on the bank fly fishing for Pike at various locations on lower and middle Bristol Avon. Rivers incredibly low at moment with some jacks up to about 5lb coming to the net. They seem to come on the feed sporadically after the bait fish start to come to life. You can cover a peg many times and then suddenly get a hit out of nowhere when you are least expecting it. Such a hassle free exciting way to tackle these wonderful fish.

Its that time of year again when thoughts turn to Pike on the fly..

Red and I have been out roving the banks on those sunny Winter days looking for Pike. We have walked for miles in wonderful surroundings seeing relatively few anglers. Mainly on the Somerset levels and Bristol Avon searching the margins and reed beds with intermediate lines and large streamer flies. Most of the fish have been in the 2-5lb bracket but just occasionally a big one comes along and then its a struggle on a 7wt rod. We have even found that a bit of colour doesn't dissuade the takes.

Lower Avon jack.

Red and a good double figure Pike from the Bristol Avon

 

 

North Drain Pike

This river Piking on the Bristol Avon is really scratching my itch.

Another lovely Winter afternoon on the Bristol Avon. Travelling light and covering ground. Armed with a bunch of gaudy red and black streamers Red and I continued to explore the middle reaches of the Bristol Avon. It was my turn today with two jacks in the 3-4lb range and both had signs of larger predator damage. They were caught slowly retrieving along the margins of rushes on an intermediate line. Again the weir pools did not produce and the fish showed in those sections with a reasonable flow and depth. Relatively mild and dry with a glorious sunset at 16:30.

Winter Piking on the fly

Red and I met up on the middle reaches of the Bristol Avon to continue our learning curve into the world of pike fishing on the fly. I have to say I am beginning to enjoy it more than lure chucking: one because you are so much in contact with the fly, and two because a well tied fly looks so damn irresistible when its drawn through the water. I had prepared well having tied my own creations and set up my own traces as opposed to buying the expensive creations in the shops. In fact I think a good set of mackerel feathers with a bit of extra bulk would do just as well as some of the £4 flies I'd seen! On to the river and the Bristol Avon was fairly low and wadable in places which made it nice. We walked a good few miles casting in likely lies. Persistence paid off as Red hooked his first Pike and it was on the fly. A nice little 4lb jack that gave a good account of itself on his standard reservoir trout outfit with a small streamer pattern. Red was well made up and I was pleased as he would now been keen to keep me company through the winter months while we wait for spring. A very enjoyable afternoon in the Avon valley even though I didn't get a follow or take.

A bit of Autumnal Piking

Met up with Red today and desperate to get some river fishing in we headed for the Bristol Avon for some piking. A took a trusted Shimano light spinning set up whilst Red ventured out with some hefty flies. Unfortunately a match was underway in the area we were targeting so we had to walk a fair few miles to find some water. The river was pretty high and a bit coloured but we persevered. I ended up after one broken rod (I thought it was tough but it was no match for a mature Willow!) and half a dozen lost lures with one jack at about 3lb from just under the bank. Not good for fly fishing though as the banks were high and heavily tree covered. I was surprised at the resurgence of anglers on the river though thinking it was a dying breed.

Piking on the Bristol Avon

As I had my Keynsham ticket I thought I would take a break from fly fishing and dust of my coarse gear for an impromptu late afternoon pike session on the lower Bristol Avon. I covered about a mile and half plugging in likely looking swims. First hit was from a Perch. Under half a pound it took a plug way too big for consumption just under the bank. Then I had heart racing follow by a big Pike well into double figures. It followed the lure in took a lazy look at me and turned to return to the deep. Never sure what do when a fish pauses; whether to stop the retrieve, vibrate the lure or speed up. I cast several times to cover the same area but nothing. A few swims on I finally made contact with a jack which came to the net just after one mammoth surge that saw it break water. Probably between 4-5lb. A second fish came to the net at the furthest point on my hike. It took the lure within feet of the opposite bank and put up a spirited fight. I thought it was going to be a much bigger fish but once in the net realised it was just a bit larger than the first. Despite the scales in the photos I didn't weigh any of the fish and returned them to the water fairly quickly. All fish were caught fairly deep. Some nice Chub rising in the twilight back to the car. I love Pike they are just so impressive a top predator hidden away in our neglected waterways.

Greedy little fellow

First jack

Looks like the first Pike but trust me it is the second!