Arlesford...

No, Hugh Jarse, Arlesford really is in Essex.(One for Essex Scribbler to explain one day). Arlesford was not naturally the spiritual home of myself and Shan(us) and we really did try and convince The Scribbler and co that a gudgeon of any size was worth more than any bream. Remember me fishing off the sandbank and "winding down before striking"?

Anyway, Arlesford did end up featuring on our angling calendar for many years, and looking at this it is not hard to see why..a Scribbler photo

 He did rather well on there and this was probably his best

I had this lovely common during what ever World Cup was on at the time (1990?) and it remains my biggest at 18+. Could possibly  be the same fish but my picture too poor quality to really see.

A really lovely evening straight off the plane from Menorca in Number 8 way back when:

This carp has a huge healed bite around the anal fin that was translucent

In those days it was back home from an early shift, pop over the road to the tackle shop on Barrack Street, buy a packet of Richworth frozen boilies (Strawberry), hop on the old Honda Camino moped (wind up throttle) and down past the Hythe and the Uni, through Wivenhoe and onto Arlesford or the Match Pit. Back in time for a couple of pints of Abbots in the Tilley.

Usually presented what is now probably called a  snowman, a normal bait and a pop-up on the hair balanced to just sink. No braid, or leadcore in those days.

Scribbler on the pike.. look at that glass blank in the sunlight

A stonking leather for Lobkin (whilst listening to Scraping Foetus from the Wheel on a Walkman).

Lobkin cooking up a breakfast after a first night of the season session.

and my contribution the the fish caught, both original fish, not Tynevale's stockies

I've always liked this shot.

The Essex Scribbler on the sandbank

Engineered solution

Captains is a weedy water...

Give an engineer a problem and they find a solution..

Guillotine blade so very, very sharp.

Return to old school

Essex Scrbibler's recent charter boat reprise had me scanning for old gold.


Couple of trips way back when..

Down Berkshire way, and the night of the Kennet storm. After a charge down the motorway with Smeg Sawyer berating Mak Lite(pre-Scribbler) and Guzzaman who wasn't speed limited an evening in the pub was followed by neurotic old me trying not to be in direct contact with a metal tent pole when sharing a 1 man tent with brick shit house Smeg in a rather splendid thunderstorm.  Straight off fishing again, with no chance to even think about replicating my normal 2 flasks of tea and one of coffee.

Afore mentioned Smeg Sawyer

The fishing. I think I caught a gudgeon and the night before someone caught this (probably Smeg) lovely barbel, the first I had ever seen on the bank.

Essex Scribbler into a chub. Back of photo mentions hemp and a possibility that the Scribbler had managed to keep a large stash of much better hemp for himself?

And one he caught earlier. August 1992 the writing on the back says. Very much tank driver chic.

This was also down the A140 to the Stour, and what I remember was mad eyed screamer territory, a gaunt, haunted old woman with blood shot eyes and gouged in blue eye paint, also I think clutching a carrier bag?
This 11+ fish was caught by the Scribbler, swum past Smeg and then took my bait as well. One of many fish that day from a very small area. 14th March 1992

Who dares wins, you ain't see me right?

I thought this was same day but looking closer possibly not.

If only

Very quick lunch half an hour in Holt, snagged a gorgeous Chicken pie slice and took a quick look at Selbrigg Pond. Shocked to see the dam wall looking like this..

 Having remembered it like this..

Wearing a suit and holding a camera drew the suspicion of the land owner /contractor(not sure) who was quickly assured by my explanation of coming to look at the water with a view to fishing, proudly told me they were to take a lot of the encroaching reed back to somewhere around it's original 9 acres. It is a lovely water with copper beech on one bank. Shallow and very clear it is a picture. Known for perch and eel at one time. Free fishing now (when the contractors are off the dam).  Will definitely be visiting again. Always fancied for it tench early morning or along the reed fringes with lives for perch. One of the first places took @bain3z fishing (he got some small perch), and did have  a double figure pike on a lunch time lure session several years back

The left hand corner was simply alive with darters and damsel flies, mostly paired. I have never seen so many in one place. Sadly I didn't get my settings right which was a shame as it a magnificent sight with brown, electric blue and shocking Ferrari red darting everywhere.

This frame should be full of them but shutter speed to slow and lens only 18-55mm to pick them out.

Prawn again

Weather still holding out. Late afternoon stint on Captains. Intending to fish for bream but to tempt any stray carp spotted. Fished 2nd stage in the hole about 3 rods out. Mixture of fresh and slightly turning hemp and corn and to float fish meat or prawn over the top, lift stylee.  Plenty of rudd and roach activity but did not see one carp so a plan to drop a nice bit of fluffy fresh flake in front on one never came to fruition.

Had used a red float rubber for the bottom end reed float and this meant lots of mini rudd./roach action as they tried to move the float around. Missed the first down and away on meat, and the next lift on prawn but third time prawn was to tempting for this little bream to let go.

No bubbles at all, or any rolling but with the bucket nearly empty (that is a very oily hempy corny looking liquid)

I'd kept up some interest with several missed bites and this better fish of just over 5lb.

No fight to speak of but a reassuring thump on the strike and a nice bend in the Ashurst float rod. Essex Scribbler will raise an eyebrow but I think an autumn investment in some maples or blackeyes and a few more bends in the rod are called for before thoughts turn to pike...

Careless talk costs.

P.S
I am not sure about the character bottom right. Seems a bit too teutonic to me, look sharp and keep mum, there's a war on...

Mawkish sentimentality?

Not many of us where around to actually remember the war years. Even so a 40's weekend is now a regular North Norfolk event, centered mainly around Sheringham and the Poppy line terminus. The weather held today for a jaunt over there this afternoon.

Hungry work this nostalgia

The whole town centre seems to be involved

But when the throngs have gone there will always be this.

Somewhere else

No, I 'm not Rangely-Wilson. I drive past here sometimes and am getting very tempted..

The water slightly rocking

This is why

And this is a lump of a common, noticeably bigger than the two above

And the plant life is quite nice too.

 I do fancy a change of scenery and it's only down the road

Hybrids

Our local lake forum had this absolute belter on it the other day. Rudd bream hybrid we guess, 3lb 3oz
I 've also had few suspect fish but none quite as beautiful as this.

Not quite right these next two, sort of in-betweenies

Stretching it further but I'm not 100% that this all dace. Fins too red and a shade of blue across the back. Just looks different to what you'd expect on the stretch.