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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Sunday 10 February 2019

A change of fortune

My life is an awfully mixed up affair, at present. No-one's fault, just the way it is and, as such, something I (& Bev) have to deal with on a day to day basis. That my blogging has been a casualty of the situation is of no consequence in the bigger picture. Angling has also been a real struggle, just to keep within the theme, and I'd endured three consecutive blanks leading up to my session, this morning. Out of the bungalow just before 05.00 hrs; I had to call in for some diesel, en  route to the marsh, and it was 06.20 hrs by the time I'd reached my destination. Three rods out before 07.00 hrs, I had just five minutes to wait before the Herring section was picked up and the alarm rattled out it's audible alert. A stern test of the kit before I drew a beautifully marked pike over the net chord. At 12 lbs 7 oz it was most welcome and a really nice way to end the drought.


I could have packed up there and then but knew that Bev would still be in bed and any further disturbance wouldn't be well received, should I go home, so back out went a fresh bait. It was almost two hours later that I had any further action. Thankfully I had brought a flask of coffee and was able to keep my spirits up with regular slurps of this sweetened brew.

The next bite was to result in a feisty pike, of 8 lbs 12 oz, visiting the unhooking mat. Returned without a photo, almost immediately my furthest rod signalled a bite and I found myself attached to a fish which had no intention of giving up easily. When I eventually managed to persuade it into the net, I instantly recognised the fish as one that I'd already caught twice previously. This time she was a little under weight, at 12 lbs 8 oz, but very welcome none the less. The weather was deteriorating rapidly, light rain had set in and the wind was picking up by the minute. I had placed the pike into my retaining sling with the intention of getting some record images if the rain abated? There was no point in getting the camera kit wet just for another trophy shot of this fish. A phone conversation with Bev had just been completed when an alarm signalled another bite. This time it was a pike of 9 lbs 6 oz which came grudgingly to the bank, to be placed upon the unhooking mat with my previous capture for a quick record image before they both being returned.

A most welcome brace.
The upper fish = 12 lbs 8 oz, the lower one = 9 lbs 6 oz
With the rain becoming ever more drenching, in some way due to the strengthening winds, I didn't bother recasting the rods. I packed up, extremely pleased with my efforts, it had been a most rewarding morning.

9 comments:

  1. It's always nice when that alarm sounds...

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    1. Sure is - I thought they were broken, it'd been so long!

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  2. A cracking session Dyl and a few nice fish there too. They're not Perch though!! Have a good week.

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    1. Marc,
      I've not caught a perch since 6th Jan! They seem to have disappeared, although this can't be true. None of my fellow club anglers have caught any so I know it's not just something I'm doing wrong. Hopefully, with the warming temperatures, things will change and I'll get back on track with my quest for a three pound stripey!
      All the best - Dyl

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  3. Nice action with the Pike Dyl.
    As for Perch. One winter when I fished Startops, I caught lots of Perch until the temperatures dropped, and only caught them again in any numbers once the temperatures were on the way back up. Probably a speed of digestion factor.

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    1. Thanks for this Ric. I have been in discussion with another club member about our lack of perch action, he being of the opinion that spawning might be a factor? What little (and that's very little) I know about these fish suggests that digestion, thus requirement to feed, is very much water temperature related, spawning taking place in early Spring. My tactic of using king prawn sections is based around the economy of effort scenario - a big bait that doesn't need chasing. If the water is below 4C (38 F approx) then the time taken digesting such a meal might not be worth the effort of picking it up? Just a thought!

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  4. Good to see, mate- a lovely brace! I haven't got out since the end of last year. I did awfully with the pike in November but cleaned up in December. Well, I don't know about 'cleaned up' but I did alright by my meagre standards. I'm a one rod and walk about bloke. Sort of like my perching but with larger tackle. I got lucky and landed the bait right on top of a few in the run up to Christmas. Been back over that way with binoculars a few times- in search of the short eared owls. According to the weather, it'll be ten degrees minimum for the foreseeable. I'm gonna hit the perch within the next few days and keep going until the close season- the olde great schism! That'll give me a short month on the perch. Be nice to get one of those three pounders we spoke about last autumn. During the close, I usually trout fish over on the Stour at Fordwich. But come June 16th, it'll be the tench- nothing but the tench... This will be the season... This will be the season...

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    1. Gazza,

      I'll email you, there's some interesting news which might sway your plans over the next few weeks?

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  5. Hi Dyl, I was thinking it could be a case of a Perch; having had a real feed up prior to the cold snap, was having to digest what it had in it's gut at the time, but at a slower rate. Cold blooded metabolism and all that. But on second thoughts, the spawning aspect may well be connected to that process.
    Maybe while forming spawn, the fish has to take a break from feeding much, only to have a bigger feed (hopefully)before they actually do spawn.

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