My daughters and her cousins absolutely love helping me with the chores at the lake. Feeding the fish is one of their favorite activities and this school of hybrid striped bass has learned over the course of the summer that its dinner time when the girls hit the beach!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
06/09/09 - Plantations - Horsehsoe Lake
Weight – 14lb 11oz
Catch – 10 Bream, 7 Roach, 4 Carp
Weather – Sunny, becoming increasingly windy
Water Temp– 16.0c > 17.0c
Match – Club Match – 3rd overall
I really didn’t know where I wanted to draw, but with the wind blowing into the bottom of the lake, that would seem favourite. When I drew 2 pegs to the left of were I fished yesterday in the middle I was a little disappointed. There were 3 of us sharing the same island, Graham to my left and Stuart opposite.
I decided on 4 swims, the island, 11.5m at the bottom of the shelf slightly to my right, 10m to my right at the bottom of the near shelf and the margin at 4m to my right.
Having fed my deep water (4ft) swims, I immediately started tight to the island with paste feeding 4mm with the paste. 10mins later I had 2 carp and thought great, but that was it and the rest of the match proved to be a struggle. I had a few skimmers from the bottom of the shelf swims, but had to set up a heavier rig after 2 hour changing from a jolly 4x14 to a polar ice 0.5g because the wind was becoming increasingly troublesome. I could hardly catch on pellet or corn, with most of my fish coming to double red maggot, including a small carp.
The island swim produced another carp late on, whilst I never had a bite in my margin.
This lake has a reputation as a good pleasure fishing water, but a difficult match water and so it proved. Craig only needed 32lb to win the match, beating Chris by 1lb. This was Craig’s first match win, so he was happy. He caught carp on top of the bar at 12m, using maggot, he even had a chub, which must have lost its way. Well done Craig.
I am sure the cool weather during the week had a bearing on results and I got the feeling fishing chopped worm & caster would have been a better way to go.
As for the league, I managed to increase my lead by 1pt.
1st Ken Rayner 156pts
2nd Ian Pople 150
3rd Andy Lord 141
4th Craig Davidge 137
5th Jim Taylor 126
Catch – 10 Bream, 7 Roach, 4 Carp
Weather – Sunny, becoming increasingly windy
Water Temp– 16.0c > 17.0c
Match – Club Match – 3rd overall
I really didn’t know where I wanted to draw, but with the wind blowing into the bottom of the lake, that would seem favourite. When I drew 2 pegs to the left of were I fished yesterday in the middle I was a little disappointed. There were 3 of us sharing the same island, Graham to my left and Stuart opposite.
I decided on 4 swims, the island, 11.5m at the bottom of the shelf slightly to my right, 10m to my right at the bottom of the near shelf and the margin at 4m to my right.
Having fed my deep water (4ft) swims, I immediately started tight to the island with paste feeding 4mm with the paste. 10mins later I had 2 carp and thought great, but that was it and the rest of the match proved to be a struggle. I had a few skimmers from the bottom of the shelf swims, but had to set up a heavier rig after 2 hour changing from a jolly 4x14 to a polar ice 0.5g because the wind was becoming increasingly troublesome. I could hardly catch on pellet or corn, with most of my fish coming to double red maggot, including a small carp.
The island swim produced another carp late on, whilst I never had a bite in my margin.
This lake has a reputation as a good pleasure fishing water, but a difficult match water and so it proved. Craig only needed 32lb to win the match, beating Chris by 1lb. This was Craig’s first match win, so he was happy. He caught carp on top of the bar at 12m, using maggot, he even had a chub, which must have lost its way. Well done Craig.
I am sure the cool weather during the week had a bearing on results and I got the feeling fishing chopped worm & caster would have been a better way to go.
As for the league, I managed to increase my lead by 1pt.
1st Ken Rayner 156pts
2nd Ian Pople 150
3rd Andy Lord 141
4th Craig Davidge 137
5th Jim Taylor 126
05/09/09 - Plantations - Horseshoe Lake
Weight – 41lb 7oz
Catch – 15 Roach, 13 Bream, 11 Carp, 3 Rudd, 2 Perch
Weather – Cloudy, blustery, showers.
Water Temp– 15.5c > 16.0c
Really going through loads of emotions at the moment. On the positive side I’ve changed jobs internally, which whilst daunting does offer a new set of challenges and in the long term should get me back to earning some decent money again. My fishing has been going well, with the last 4 trips accounting for 714lb. Suzanne on the other hand is really having a mare. A few weeks ago I commented every time we take 2 steps forward, we have to take 1 back, unfortunately it now feels like 3 steps back. Once Sue is up and running, things will improve, but at the moment we have been let down by 2x 3rd parties, which is bloody frustrating.
As for today’s session it really was a practice session for tomorrows match. The last time I fished here was about 18 months ago, so I was really unsure how to approach the match.
A week of heavy rains and cooler weather, I was sure would have an effect. I started on the pole at 3m, fishing maggot, but after 45 mins, I only had 17 small fish and no signs of it improving. I had been catapulting 4mm to the island and fed micro pellet at the bottom of the shelf.
As the session progressed I caught skimmers on the 11m line with soft pellet or corn. The island swim initially produced some carp shallow, but they kept drifting in and out of the swim, I tried paste tight across, which produced a couple more of fish. To finish the session I tried down the edge, where I had been feeding 4 & 6mm, this produced 3 more carp, including my biggest of the session at 7-11.
I am glad I made the effort, because I now had a clearer plan for tomorrow. As for the venue, it has great potential and I know the owners son did a lot of work 2/3 years, but since he has stopped his involvement the lake has been allowed to overgrow. There was a handful of swims that have been allowed to overgrow and the reeds make fishing the margins any longer than 4m impossible.
Catch – 15 Roach, 13 Bream, 11 Carp, 3 Rudd, 2 Perch
Weather – Cloudy, blustery, showers.
Water Temp– 15.5c > 16.0c
Really going through loads of emotions at the moment. On the positive side I’ve changed jobs internally, which whilst daunting does offer a new set of challenges and in the long term should get me back to earning some decent money again. My fishing has been going well, with the last 4 trips accounting for 714lb. Suzanne on the other hand is really having a mare. A few weeks ago I commented every time we take 2 steps forward, we have to take 1 back, unfortunately it now feels like 3 steps back. Once Sue is up and running, things will improve, but at the moment we have been let down by 2x 3rd parties, which is bloody frustrating.
As for today’s session it really was a practice session for tomorrows match. The last time I fished here was about 18 months ago, so I was really unsure how to approach the match.
A week of heavy rains and cooler weather, I was sure would have an effect. I started on the pole at 3m, fishing maggot, but after 45 mins, I only had 17 small fish and no signs of it improving. I had been catapulting 4mm to the island and fed micro pellet at the bottom of the shelf.
As the session progressed I caught skimmers on the 11m line with soft pellet or corn. The island swim initially produced some carp shallow, but they kept drifting in and out of the swim, I tried paste tight across, which produced a couple more of fish. To finish the session I tried down the edge, where I had been feeding 4 & 6mm, this produced 3 more carp, including my biggest of the session at 7-11.
I am glad I made the effort, because I now had a clearer plan for tomorrow. As for the venue, it has great potential and I know the owners son did a lot of work 2/3 years, but since he has stopped his involvement the lake has been allowed to overgrow. There was a handful of swims that have been allowed to overgrow and the reeds make fishing the margins any longer than 4m impossible.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Anton's visit to West Cork - Final Day.
After the horrific weather, but good fishing, of the previous day we set out for one last try before it was time to head to the airport. Things started very well with Anton hooking a fish straight away but alas, it made good it's escape after a brief struggle. The one that got away, and the only one that weekend so we couldn't really complain, normally the statistics are much worse for hooked to actually landed fish. We fished hard with all our experience of the previous two days but it looked like we were going to have our first blank until, with my very last cast I landed a small but beautiful fish on a new method which pleased me and was a great way to finish off a memorable weekends fishing. It was really great to spend some QT with my big bro and share some great experiences in beautiful West Cork. We caught in all of the locations we visited and we had all manner of weather from howling winds and lashing rain to calm and sunny, I guess that's classic Ireland for you......
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thunderstorms, jacks, flounder and snook
Dark clouds loomed offshore, holding off for most of the morning. Evidently, the fish seemed to know that bad weather was on the way.
Small jack crevalle swooped in on unsuspecting baitfish along the shoreline just north of Big Butt Beach. The bait frantically tried to escape, some leaping from the water and onto the sand. Ladyfish got in on the action, too.
The bait is plentiful along the beach from Big Butt north to Sand Bowl.
The target, as usual, was snook, a species that just might be Florida's most popular inshore gamefish. They were there by the hundreds, as usual, but they've been acting peculiar.
Blame it on the full moon. Blame it on the tide. Blame it on whatever you want. But we figured this day would be different. That offshore storm had things stirred up and that's often enough to spur snook into a feeding frenzy.
We didn't strike out. We rarely do. But it wasn't as good as we had hoped. We caught and released a pair of small snook and lost another.
All was not lost, though. We caught eight or 10 small jacks, a couple of ladyfish and another flounder -- all on fly.
Ken Taylor of North Port joined us again and totaled one snook, several jacks, a ladyfish, whiting and a mackerel. He lost the best fish of the day -- an almost-doormat flounder.
Flounder fishing will improve through October as the popular flatties move into the surf to spawn. That another species that should provide some fun over the next month.
We fished with Ed Hurst of Sarasota on Tuesday and did fair. Ed landed a redfish on fly. We caught a pair of snook and several little jacks.
My white feathers from Feathercraft arrived in the mail today. That's great. I was out and I need to tie up some more D.T. Specials (variation). My dog, Jack the Jack Russell, got ahold of my last good rooster neck and chewed it.
I wasn't happy, but I had to laugh when I saw him plucking those feathers. That's what dogs do.
Now to the tying desk. Got some D.T. Specials to tie.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Pond Boss Conference at Big Cedar Lodge!
This years pond boss conference is at the Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, Missouri on Sept 18-19! I am pumped up and excited and actually going to be running the hands on session about Seining Your Pond, as well as taking care of some Porcupine Fish Attractor demonstrations.
This conference is jam packed with information about ponds, aquatic vegetation, and fish stuff from the who's who in private fisheries from across the nation!
If you have any pond or fish related questions this is the place to get all the answers! The price of admission is a small price to pay for the information you will walk away with. I have several clients and many friends from across the nation who will be attending this years event, not to mention many celebrities who are pond enthusiasts usually show up as well!
Here is the agenda for the weekend and a link to more and better info:
Thursday, September 17, 2009
1 - 5 pm Fishing Tournament - Call 800.687.6075 to register!
2 - 5 pm Conference Registration
3 pm and after Hotel Check-In
6 - 10 pm Poolside Icebreaker (light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar)
7:30 - 8:30 pm Speaker's Dinner
Friday, September 18, 2009
8 am Registration / Expo Opens
9 - 10:30 am Session I - The Nuances of Ponds
10:30 - 10:45 am Break
10:45 - Noon Session II - Practical Pond Management
Noon - 1:30 pm Walking-Talking Lunch in Expo
1:30 - 2:45 pm Session III - What's New
2:45 - 3 pm Break
3 - 5 pm Outside to the Pond!!! Hands-On Demonstrations!!!
7:30 - 9 pm Dinner on the Lawn (Ticketed! See registration form!)
9 - 10:30 pm Small Groups in Conference Center Foyer or your Lodge
Saturday, September 19, 2009
8 am Expo Opens
9 - 10:30 am Panel Discussion and Questions - The Pros Evaluate Friday's Data
10:30 - 10:45 am Break
10:45 - Noon Workshops - Aquatic Vegetation; Pond Building; Habitat Management
Noon - 1 pm Box Lunch in Expo (Ticketed! See registration form!)
1 - 2:45 pm Session IV - Do-It-Yourself Pond Management
2:45 - 3 pm Break
3 - 5 pm Hands-On!!! Inside the Expo
7:30 - 9 pm Banquet (Ticketed! See registration form!)
This conference is jam packed with information about ponds, aquatic vegetation, and fish stuff from the who's who in private fisheries from across the nation!
If you have any pond or fish related questions this is the place to get all the answers! The price of admission is a small price to pay for the information you will walk away with. I have several clients and many friends from across the nation who will be attending this years event, not to mention many celebrities who are pond enthusiasts usually show up as well!
Here is the agenda for the weekend and a link to more and better info:
Thursday, September 17, 2009
1 - 5 pm Fishing Tournament - Call 800.687.6075 to register!
2 - 5 pm Conference Registration
3 pm and after Hotel Check-In
6 - 10 pm Poolside Icebreaker (light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar)
7:30 - 8:30 pm Speaker's Dinner
Friday, September 18, 2009
8 am Registration / Expo Opens
9 - 10:30 am Session I - The Nuances of Ponds
10:30 - 10:45 am Break
10:45 - Noon Session II - Practical Pond Management
Noon - 1:30 pm Walking-Talking Lunch in Expo
1:30 - 2:45 pm Session III - What's New
2:45 - 3 pm Break
3 - 5 pm Outside to the Pond!!! Hands-On Demonstrations!!!
7:30 - 9 pm Dinner on the Lawn (Ticketed! See registration form!)
9 - 10:30 pm Small Groups in Conference Center Foyer or your Lodge
Saturday, September 19, 2009
8 am Expo Opens
9 - 10:30 am Panel Discussion and Questions - The Pros Evaluate Friday's Data
10:30 - 10:45 am Break
10:45 - Noon Workshops - Aquatic Vegetation; Pond Building; Habitat Management
Noon - 1 pm Box Lunch in Expo (Ticketed! See registration form!)
1 - 2:45 pm Session IV - Do-It-Yourself Pond Management
2:45 - 3 pm Break
3 - 5 pm Hands-On!!! Inside the Expo
7:30 - 9 pm Banquet (Ticketed! See registration form!)
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