Dawn's crack again

Probably a fraction after the Two Terriers would have been out for their first pee I was pulling in at Selbrigg Pond for an early shot up Dawn's  crack. Got me through my day at the grindstone

Selbrigg Pond is where eldest Bure boy caught his first fish, a smal perch no doubt to be featured in a future http://bureboyshacyondays.blogspot.co.uk/   Yes, I did mislay the l when I created the URL.Get me, created an URL.

i got out at least

Much brighter than forecast and river almost down to it's bones. No roach or dace on the shallows below the point, only the mossy green pike from last look see. Might even go doubles.

Discovered I had floats but but no shot or small hooks. Found a brace of 2 swan and poked a pair of worms in some likely spots on my new avon quiver. Looked likely to me but nothing fishy at home. Rod feels nice, light but with a core steeliness about it. Have ended  up with two complete rods for the price of one once I have trued up the broken section as it will take the quivers and there is the avon section anyway.

The promised rain set in just before 3 so  hunkered down with a couple of deads out but again nothing showed  any interest.

Put in the remaining liquidised Wharburtons Blue. The crust fizzed up spectacularly. For chub liquidise with crust on  but not for roach that's for sure.

The hoped for kingfisher and three goldfinch. Can't recall seeing them in the winter before. Ice on the Res going but stubborn still on Captains

Brief interlude

Think Lord Lite is right, spring is thinking about it. But not quite yet. Felbrigg  Lake.

Nice sky at Blakeney a little earlier in the day.

Tough job #3

Williams Gold. Brewed in Alloa. A simple and quaffable session beer. It says here.. I suppose golden ales are lagers that taste of something. Lager is for a hot day or straight  to the  pub from work and the first one doesn't even touch the sides. This beer is a little more complex than that with a long lasting taste and no bitter at all. Very nice and if I were in Alloa and this was on tap I'd have several. A shame that I am not as it went all too quickly.

The book? The Running Sky by Tim Dee from Vintage Classics. I have his Four Fields and this looks to be as good a read.

Bob, bob, bob, bobbing along

This indecision is killing me. The working title for this blog anyway. Some sharp frosts and then a cold wind first thing had me wavering. Trying a couple of pools with the pole  and laying on over some droppered liquidised bread, smash and grab the length with my replacement tip rod and lobs? Change of scene?

Change of scene won out but still no firm decision. Up to the beck? The big 90 degree bend or the church. Falling over a fresh mole mountain didn't help my mood.  Could feel that it might be one of those days when I should have done something else.

The big bend does always make me stop for a while. Trouble is, the inside traps the silt and the neglect has pushed out the floating bed of reeds which are not  really up to holding my large frame should I get lucky and need to get closer with the net. 

Compromised with an hour around the foot of the bend with no success. Settling on the stile straight seemed to have been a good move, especially as a large roll below my upstream float perhaps betrayed the presence of a pike or a brownie (no chub above the mill). 

However not long after a chain of bubbles turned into a whiskered snout and Tarka had me upping sticks over the stile and down to the church. An hour should be enough I hoped. Certainly enough for a warm from some hot chocolate.

A couple of dips from a passing oak twig and then two further  more determined bobs and a couple of clicks on the downstream rod, just past the first band of dormant cabbages. Given that I was using an old Cardinal 155 it was a case of tightening the rear mounted clutch rather than engaging the bait runner and winding into a decent fish. long and twisting in the bottle green clear water. A bit firmer footing to the reeds here and  a not to hairy netting attempt after some impressive surges.

Leeched but plump and nicely hooked. A very pleasing 14.08 and a good way to christen the newest addition to my slowly expanding armoury of unbroken rods. 12 foot, 3lb tc and now a triplet. This one was even cheaper than its siblings at £20 plus p&p but they have all proved to very decent rods. 

Naff self take. My Nikon is clinging onto life (above) but wouldn't play ball so naffed around with the Canon for this poor effort. Passing dog walker wouldn't take any pics in case she lost her rather glamorous husky type hound. Didn't need a sled as it was pulling her along quite nicely in her Muck boots.

Curfew time approaching and another sardine (yes, whole not halved) went on a journey across the river, buzzer and bait runner giving it large. Netting more tricky here, a few tail walks as I thought where to beach the fish and it was off saving me the bother. About half the size and  a good bit of fun whilst it lasted.

Chocolate finished and off the water, calling in briefly on Rob settling in for a chub sortie. 

Spot the lyric and song?

Tough job #2

Thought this might go with a steak with the pepper sauce.  Don't often go for stout but thought the burnt notes might stand up to the sauce. They didn't. Apparently the Seven  Bro7hers thought they would add licorice because they could.  They need not have  bothered.

      

Life in the freezer

A proper winter's day today. Out on the road early and had this developing treat over the A148 to accompany me. 5 minutes apart

My rounds took me Two Terriers direction and at nearly midday the small town side drains were still mostly frozen. A lone angler on the pole, I didn't take his picture in case the Dragon he'd escaped from would be reading this later.

A lone cormorant on the much bigger bisecting drain and I didn't take it's picture because it was one of the horde of black death.

Eh, it's grim out West.

A tough job...

I have been given the task of drinking a selection of 12 British Beers. A tough job and all that..

So, here goes.

Cwrw braf, or lovely beer. Flat as a witches tit, cloudy dull and rather nice in fact. Has a sweet start but some after bitterness. to encourage a salty snack or two from those picture displays I'd wager. Who's gonna  get the nips? Would be nice with some fruitcake and cheese too. It's not American elderflower citrus nonsense in a 330ml can either. Which is aways a good thing. Yes 568 ml would be the optimum amount but  that's not going to happen until we've had the cliff edge hard red white and blue brexit thingy anyway.

Sort of speaking of which. Farage and Gove. The first two Limeys given a public audience by the Trumpster. WTF.

That old the Nikon's working again dusk Holt shopfront shot. (again) Think shutter mechanism is getting stuck and chucking up a common press shutter release button again error. Sounds just the job for a Maplin 38 in 1 Precision Bit Set. 7 microscopic screws, a can of spray lithium grease and ham fisted Bureboy. What could go wrong?

Whilst I  wait for Dangling Indirect to replace my Avon I'm thanking about breaking out the flick tip/ whips to lay on in a few slacks. Stonfo or double silicon rubber fitting? One is 5m telescopic and one old Lerc is 6m take apart.

I knew that ponytailed tosser would score the equaliser against the Kloppites. I dislike him and Man U with  a passion but what a footballer.

That Milner though,... he could play anywhere on the park and come up trumps. Boring Milner maybe but worth his weight in gold.

And Pep Guardiola. He thought it would be piss easy to win the Premiership.  Dumps Hart for that Bravo clown. Stones is a complete joke Of course from midfield onwards pure genius line up. No defence though and you can ticky tacky all you like. Four attempts  and four goals. Simple  as.

Blank

Blank. One tap on a sardine and that was it. Never mind.


Coastal snow flurry.  8ish miles as  the crow flies

Dusk setttles.

Pass the cheese please Louise

Brighter today, river clear and air down a notch,. Spent a while watching the skittish fish from the bridge. Dace, small chub and roach, Smaller fish favouring a deeper scour. Sudden change in mood, fish slowly melting to left as a purposeful  green torpedo appeared . Bow waves  up the side stream as it's intent sensed. One of the melting fish was a very serious roach indeed.  Biggest fish there apart from the pike and one blunt headed chubling.   In retrospect should have  started there but I didn't.
Set about the roach swim with an in-line small black cap feeder and  a shortish link to a #16 microbarb. Even shorter might have been better and with fake maggots to complete a self hooking rig given I was using the bean pole. A more determined bite as head torch man from yesterday stopped by, a reasonable roach that came off as I reached for the net. Think he thought my "saves me unhooking it" comment a bit flippant...He'd not long gone when a proper pull round and  a few surging runs then ping. Bite off so most likely a pike?

No narrow gauge trains at all this weekend.

 Lord Lite doesn't like any freebies. I do think it makes me more confident to have something to grab their attention especially if more than one in the swim. Fish do go mad for an explosion of mash or liquidised Warbburton's Blue. Put a couple of cage fulls in then swap to the lighter swan shots. the cheese just gets  stinkier.

A few tweaks and knocks then a piss-off tangle so off before head torch man could come by with probable multiple 6's..

Right, now to get a replacement tip section for the Avon. After I have stopped laughing about Full Kit Wanker John Terry's red card. Ha ha ha.

As shiny as a new pin

Well, the new great white hope that was the new Avon twin tip didn't make it past the back door. Snapped just below the  female joint for the push in quiver. Bugger.

Still, I  had a pint of whites and a new centrepin to christen. Drizzle had stopped, was still overcast, hardly  a breeze and about 9 degrees. River even had a faint tinge to it.

I had loaded the pin with 4.4 lb Float Fish and used  a micro swivel as a tell tale dropper and the joint for a short 1.7 hooklink to  a #18 microbarb. All suspended under a 4bb big stick.

First swim a bit boily and short but after  a flattened maggot about 6 trots in the float stabbed under and  for a brief few seconds chevin made a dash for cover before the the hook pulled. More Bugger.
Second glide far more conventional but only sporadic interest, usually just  as I was about to up sticks.

Less than an hour's decent light left so made up the DAM  Des Taylor bean prop and settled onto the last swim of the beat for  a few trots before releasing the stinky cheesepaste, 2 years old now and still festering away nicely.  A very strong and turbulent push into cover and  a broken eddy with no discernible crease but clearly  comfortable for the roach. This fish came to second trot and made me grab for the net in a panic. Not a bad way to blood the Ikon. Might have pushed 12-13 oz if I had weighed it.

Another three slightly smaller all black spotted as well followed suit, this the best of that small bunch: this  also had   a blue spot  above the anal fin.

Does seem to be a localised good roach area, I have caught from hereabouts and often see them roll at dusk. One for more thought and a finer approach than a lump of stinking cheesepaste though they did attempt a few mouth fulls.  Tried the next swim down till I could see the quiver tip  no more with out having to bother the net again.

The approaching head torch turned out to be attached to a fellow member who had just put back a 6.05 chub, thought I'd seen a flash in the Stygian gloom. Tales of an even bigger 6.13 to one of Norfolk's more venerable fish botherers.

Home to a Thai from a box, not a  mail order bride catalogue and news of another win for the hardly mighty Col U. 5 on the bounce. Ipshite were reduced to begging by Lincoln and I think Ed Ball's lame ducks also drew .

Chub here I come

Postie delivered this today. No excuse now..

No expecting one quite big as the Lea giant (9lb and 5 fecking oz) but can't wait for that tap, tap puuull.

You are black balled you cad and bounder sir.

Black balled? An ingenious silicon mould to craft  your very own ice sphere...

Best I use artesianal water then.... Drum roll and cymbol.."I thank you. I am here all week.."

Maybe, possibly, ok then list for 2017

I don't have  a competitive streak (unless it's for the buoy swim in Alton...) and whilst things don't just happen I am often only a vague participant in how life pans out.  This year though I may not have the spare time I was expecting I do have for the first time really some reserves in the financial tank. Not much but enough not to have to check the balance before any essential spend such as a tank of petrol. Not for a year or so anyway.

So  What do I want to do this year? Catch some perch, by design for a start.Who wouldn't? (well, me for a while but you know what I mean.)  This belter came from my tiny local river on maggot

I am but a few work miles away from the Fens and some of these:

No reason not to put the drop shot rod and a pin and chubber combo with some worms in the boot anytime of the open season, and that's before thinking about some small trotted or paternosterd livios in proper down time.

A must will be some chesties and a brook rod  early doors for some wild brownies. Wellies won't cut it..

And whilst I am nearly up to my neck in it I shall be looking for some  chub. Big  chub. There a lot of big (5+) fish in my local and some absolute hooge'uns, which come out to the boilie boys. 7 plussers.

Yes, I do occasionally catch chub but not often enough (this 5.09 was in March 2015).

So this year, though I will be fishing a stretch that has 7lbers just catching chub will do for me. I await the arrival of a new twin tip Avon rod to replace the over gunned and unresponsive DAM  Des Taylor 12/13 footer

Whether it is in the dark..(even with boilies)

or trying to master this I will catch more chub.

I won't be setting out to catch mudpigs anywhere, but if one or two like this mahogany beauty come my way then I won't be complaining at all, especially as it will most likely be on a float road and 3 lb line like this one or an Avon rod and 6lb line max.

As well as the Captain's bream as it is 10 minute from door to first cast I will be specifically targeting these more impressive lumps from my Res.

And whilst I am at some of these, and for me any size will do. They just make me smile

A few afternoons like this won't be a hardship

And there will always be other pike than Nigel

Not sure if the tow bar and boat will come by this year but you never know.

I am a solitary bugger but increasingly these sort of things become more important

And  who else sees things like these so often?

Toodle pip

Snow joke

Garden centre shut, so no maggots, bead bin abruptly shut, so no mash and flake. Cheesepaste frozen so Plan B then....

Intended to head up to the Church Beat  but only one van in Captain's car park: Rob  (carp) the Plasterer's plaster waggon  so  pulled in, and almost on cue the hour's forecast rain began. Mooched about under the rhodos then in a break found Rob had been working the Norwich bank and the island was out of bounds (20 stone bloke, full carp barrow, dodgy walkway, end of) so decided on Stage 2. Rob slipping back a mid double as rain abated.

Given that I threw back the two original baits at the end of the session you can surmise that not a lot happened in between. It did snow briefly as well as rain a lot  and there were some signs of feeding cyprinids. We saw a large but not buzzardy raptor though no kingfisher. It got progressively colder. Then we both went home.

Wonder if we got another 3 points (at home, vs Cheltenham)?

Loose ends

Dropped middle tribal younger off in deepest Peckham yesterday. He swore he saw two yaks grazing by the M11. I did see two large trees sprayed with fake snow at the entrance to some gated estate ... I also saw my first Essex red kite but no green ring necked parakeets in London Town.

Must have been some extra special New Years Eve meat on order for this queue to form.

Splendid signeage

 Depressing boozer

Well,  a new year has begun and it's darts tonight from Ally Pally. I'll apply myself to some culture whilst I wait. A peaty single malt, a freshly loaded pin and some of TT's art work. Splendid.

Another Bureboy younger has just said "Bless". Sarky git, don't know where he gets it from..