Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Getting in reel trouble

Passing reference to self inflicted pike loses in last blog:  a couple of years ago my old and unserviced Cardinal 155's demonstrated what shelf life meant. The push button mechanism on the spools went spectacularly twice when playing in pike, resulting in frantic hand lining. The thrifty but possibly shortsighted replacements were from that fine purveyor of hand crafted artisinal fishing equipment LIDL. One had been somewhat temperamental, the drive  often refusing to totally engage  meaning several fish lost as not enough torque to set the hook and a couple pointed when I didn't react quickly enough to flick of the anti reverse necessary due to the unbalanced bail rotor arm when in free spool on the rests.  Monday saw the errant reel consigned to the dust bin and those vouchers burning a hole in my wallet were needing to be spent, and instead of a shed load of terminal tackle I was the owner of a Aero Baitrunner, reduced as  it was the last one in the shop and you only buy reels in twos or threes..

Today dawned bright and cold, glass firmly in high pressure territory so it was be piking not chubbing. The river was low and even clearer than Monday but with a minimal breeze. I'd bought a pack of blueys to complement the sardines, not sure what species they actually are but quite oily and surprisingly durable.


The rod with the new reel was first to go, not a stern test for the drag setting but again came after a small twitch on the bait. Small, but pretty as a picture. Not easy doing a selfie on a DSLR..







I repositioned the other rod bearing the remaining LIDL vintage reel and on the gentle lob out  heard something  land on the bank. I went to turn the handle to engage the bail and it wasn't there.. the retaining fitting that enables  left or right handed useage had come loose. fortunately the reel handle itself had not fallen in the water and it was possible to fish on though gingerley..in fact the other two fish taken both fell to that rod. Both came above and below a bush feature on a long straight and unfortunately both more the marks of otter damage. As before, both fish came after twitching the bait

 11.05

I'd caught  this one on Monday as well and hadn't weighed it then. Today it went 9.04


I have retrieved the previously jettisoned reel from a suitably sun warmed and festering bin to salvage the retaining pin  so will have something to use on Friday for the last day. I won't return to this stretch this season due to the recapture. Back to Kings Beck or perhaps brave the throngs on Swanton Morley for pike in the day and chub into dark?
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9 comments:

  1. The Two Terriers13 March 2014 at 10:03

    Nice fish BB, beautiful colouring that's different to the drain fish. I fished the drains yesterday afternoon but as I tackled up they started pumping, or the effect of pumping reached me and that was the first blank of 2013/14. T shirt weather too! During the afternoon the surface was covered with what looked like plates of dried cow muck that constantly fouled the line and dragged the baits so I went and had a pint at five o'clock.

    Out tomorrow for a last hurrah and then the Colchester half marathon on Sunday. I'm not running but son and daughter are. As the boss said ' at least you won't be thinking about where you could be Pike fishing'.

    Tight lines tomorrow. John

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    1. Bureboyblog13 March 2014 at 19:31

      Good luck tomorrow John. Water is very clear usually and always shallow as it is in effect a chalk stream which probably influences the colouration. We only have to worry about the last non tidal gates at Horstead being opened for the canoing rather than the pumping you have to contend with,I don't like that time when the bottom crust lifts and ends up on the surface, Sign of warming up though.
      Hope the young un's enjoy their run in the oldest recorded town in Britain..

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  2. The Essex Scribbler15 March 2014 at 17:28

    Great photos Wak. For god's sake get yourself sorted with decent reels. Ebay second hand, plenty of choice . I'm running in the Colchester Half Marathon on Sunday TT. Rolling back the years.....look out for slightly built, good looking man in, cough, early middle age. Good forecast, looking forward to it.

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers17 March 2014 at 09:49

      I missed you, did you make it round? You should have been dressed as a Pike float or a Shad then I'd have spotted you… On the subject of reels the Boss bought me two Shimano Bait Runners three years ago and they are brilliant, she haggled a good price face to face at the shop that was better than ebay… My old Cardinals feel dreadful now. BB, buy some, Lidl and Aldi don't sell them by the way…

      John

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  3. The Essex Scribbler17 March 2014 at 15:09

    Yes TT, done it in 1:41:09. Was well pleased. Cracking day all round, beautiful weather, after the race had a drink and a nice Italian meal whist sitting in the sun, then went home and watched Man Utd get stuffed 3-0. Perfect.

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  4. Bureboyblog17 March 2014 at 20:24

    One Shimano 8000e now on the rods and counting... my cheapo bite alarms are showing signs of terminal wear, good riddance says the Scribbler who hates their infernal din. Won't need new ones for a while as I am after some wild browns from the Bure and Wensum through the spring and any mud pig fishing will be with a float close in.

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  5. The Essex Scribbler17 March 2014 at 21:53

    Wild browns on the Bure? Dig out Bailey's "Travels With A Twp Piece" for inspiration. Written back in the days when he wrote with a passion. Could have been one of great angling writers before he sold out. Bit like Rod Stewart when he started with that "American Songbook" shite.

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  6. Bureboyblog18 March 2014 at 20:38

    Hope to get an add on catch and release ticket for the Bure and there are plenty of browns on some of the free bits on the Wensum if you look closely enough. Perhaps some only have a few proper books in them, Still rate In Visible Waters as a bar setter and Trout at 10 Thousand Feet

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  7. The Essex Scribbler19 March 2014 at 07:34

    Yeah, Trout at Ten Thousand Feet is great. So is Reflections from the Waters Edge and the perch book. It was when he started doing the "100 tips to catch bigger fish" type stuff that it went wrong. I suppose it pays the bills though.

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