Urban River Mission #2 with Mark Lindsay

After our last 'urban mission' success, Mark and I certainly felt another visit was on the cards. We arrived at a river which was slightly up and carrying a nice little tinge. The clarity was still good enough though to hopefully sight some of the larger resident chub. My choice of approach for the day was to try the maggot feeder again, with Mark opting to go with the float. The section we started on was where we had success last time, but nothing was to come of this apart from really cold hands! There was also wind interfering with Mark's float fishing, therefore after a good hour or so we found ourselves walking back to the stretch which was our last resort.

Thankfully in the first swim, I managed to spot a modest sized chub just skulking on its own. Mark and I agreed to alternately trot a float through, as the bottom was very rich in snags for presenting a bait on the deck. We started firing in maggots to a darker patch of water and I got rather excited when I saw the chub move into this darker water. Mark had a few runs through and managed to bump a nice fish third or so run down. We fired in some more maggots and felt this was rather encouraging. Mark decided to have a look downstream and kindly handed me the rod. I waded in slightly in my wellies, and by chance, I managed to get the perfect cast towards the far side. As the float was getting into the zone where Mark bumped the chub, it buried. I struck positively, and was into a nice fish. I took it steady on the lighter tackle and despite unfortunately taking a step into some deeper silt and getting a boot full, I had the fish in the net. It was a solid fish and Mark instantly remarked its pure chunkiness! It was certainly a venue best and at a solid 4lb 8oz, it was a nice start after a frustrating morning.

A chub with a lovely flank! (4-8lb)

We released the fish downstream and here's how Mark got on his run through:
"After watching Tom land that chunky chevin, and pay penance with a silty boot-full, we catapulted some more grubs in towards the far bank. Being mindful of a less than sure footing, I flicked out the stick float nicely into the zone. I payed out some line and focused all my attentions to the tiny orange tip. It swirled along with the flow nicely and just as I thought I'd drawn a blank on this cast, a large black shape suddenly cruised towards the region of my single maggot hookbait. The fish flashed and turned 90 degrees and out of the corner of my eye, the float disappeared from view. A slightly slow strike followed but the fish gods were smiling on me this time. The rod curved over nicely and the textbook 'thump, thump' told me that it felt a weighty fish. Within a second, the surface erupted with the chub's huge head, and thrashed about on the top before realising he was hooked. In the shallow water the chub quite often only have a few snags to try and regain their sanctuary. Thankfully my good old faithful float rod cushioned the headshakes and as Tom readied the net, I slowly inched the fish into the shallows quite quickly and he was safely netted. As Tom lifted the net towards the bank, it certainly looked a weighty chub. Once placed into the cradle, it looked a 5 everyday of the week. Unhooked and rested in the net, whilst my fishing buddy readied his DSLR with its millions of settings, I grabbed the scales. The fish weighed in at a smidge of an ounce over 5lbs. I was extremely happy with this result on the float. After getting some photographs, I released him in a nice slack further downstream and he stayed in the margins, relaxing before attempting the full flow. It is so lovely to watch a chub slowly getting his breath back before sculling back to the sanctuary of deeper water."

A Specimen Chub from a Small Stream, one of angling's greatest gifts (5lb)

After this absolute chunk, we decided to go investigate downstream, as Mark had spotted a couple of chunks skulking by the bush I remember very well from last time. We sprayed some maggots in, but unfortunately it looked like there were no customers for the generous offerings. In spite of this, Mark tried a couple of runs through on the float, but with flotsam dominating this swim, it sadly does not lend itself well to this kind of presentation. I had a few more runs through, on return to the first swim, after feeding some more maggots, and on a run through closer in, I was into another. It was only a smaller fish for this section, but the fight was so spirited. Using pure agility to try and get to snags. After a few more little runs, another lovely chub was in the net. Although this was only a little one, both Mark and I were both happy to see a younger recruit.

Pristine Chublet, hopefully a proper chunk in the making!

The swim we had going seemed to have completely gone dead, and with little time remaining, I was rather keen to give the bush a go on my maggot feeder set up. My set up consisted of a small Kamasan black cap feeder with merely float stops dictating the length of the tail and one up the line for ease of striking and a slight bolt effect if needed be. Mark reiterated to me that presentation would be difficult, but we found a solution to make the hookbait waft slowly to the bottom. Mark gave me a buoyant imitation maggot, and I presented this coupled with a single white maggot. I casted the feeder out to a slightly clearer part of the river bed and watched my maggot hookbait waft very enticingly into position. Some time went by and I just kept on telling myself that all it would take is one fish to make a mistake. Time was running short, with Mark and myself starting to doubt whether a pick up was on the cards. Just as I was starting to talk about maybe one more opportunist cast downstream, my tip started to bounce aggressively. Mark's mouth gaped open and it was almost in slow motion as we were both staring at the tip as it continually bounced. I picked up the rod and all hell broke loose. Line started to absolutely rip out from my little Shimano Rarenium reel, as I tried to get the fish under control and out of the snag. I cupped the spool and got downstream of the fish forcing my way through some sort of coniferous bush. After some proper surging runs, the chub's mouth was gaping widely on the surface and a few more agonising milliseconds were to bear as Mark managed to get the net under the fish. This was certainly my best fish of the day and it was clearly a new venue best! As we revived the stunning brassy chunk in the net, we prepared the camera and the scales. After putting the fish on the scales, it was bigger than we thought at a fine 5lbs 2oz.

My crowning glory on this river (5-2)

It was a lovely fish to catch in what felt like the dying minutes of the trip. Mark kindly drove me home via a little stop for a 'KFC' dinner. We briefly gave my local river a go after sighting some roach, but unfortunately there were no customers, apart from some game fish and some mini species! Huge thanks goes to Mark for a fantastic session and being great company, I look forward to next time mate!

Tight Lines,

Tom and Mark

One of the mini species which concluded the day...

2016 - Not too bad a Start!

Loads of small grayling about when we were trotting for the roach!

Mark Lindsay and I pencilled in another trip after some roach and given the current conditions, we opted to fish my local river. What was on our minds from the beginning was going after the big, skitty roach that live on a slow moving section on my local river and opting to target them first of all on the feeder. Mark brought a couple of feeder rods and I brought the one, using a mix of maggots, caster, hemp and good old faithful bread. After balling up some liquidised bread and throwing it in the swim prior to fishing, Mark opted to fish maggots and casters, whilst I gave it a good go on the bread. Mark was getting instant responses on his maggots and casters managing some grayling and trout almost instantly, a roach angler's nightmare. This is the problem with chalk streams as they contain quite a head of greedy game fish! I managed just the one bite, which was a savage take and somehow managed to crack off which I assumed to be a trout charging off. We gave it quite a few hours, but the only fish to show for our efforts were gamefish, therefore we headed elsewhere and let the bait we chucked in settle in the swim.

I think the key is to feed these off to draw in the roach!

We tried a few different swims, but all we could tempt was some more gate-crashing trout. We decided between us, as we felt enough time had passed, to fish the swim we had fished to have rested up a little. We both set up some float tackle and were soon picking up some grayling on our trotted maggot offering. I opted to fish a Avon style float with a nice size 18 spade end hook for a nice presentation when using single maggot. After some feeding near a crease, I was soon getting bites, one of which absolutely slammed my rod round - the culprit being a big old trout. A few trots later, I watched as the float edged through the swim with the centrepin spinning beautifully as I kept in tow with the float. Just as the float started to sway slightly in the current, it buried. I struck and felt a decent weight on the end. This fish was really hugging the bottom and I couldn't help but think it was a trout putting up some resistance before topping. This fish though was plodding along, even gyrating at times, which gave me a second thought that it could be a half decent grayling. As my float carried on digging away under the surface I kept the rod low and took the fish very steady. As the fish started to come up, I slowly teased the float up and saw the tell-tale sail fin as the fish dived back down in its bid for freedom. A few nerve-racking head shakes, to my terror on a size 18, and it was ready for Mark to nervously scoop her up. It was a short, but chunky fish with beautiful dark colouration and turquoisey tints to its flank. We put her on the scales, noticing she was slightly empty, and she tipped the scales to an honest 1lb 15oz, not quite a 2, but an absolute stunner nevertheless.

Although pictures do not do them justice, a fine example of the species!

After getting a few picture done, I revived the fish in the net and she was soon ready to go after taking a second to orientate itself.

Just getting orientated before she goes!

This had completely changed the tone of the day, as it was quite a frustrating morning, not being able to get away from gate-crashing trout and catching grayling on the feeder, which I, personally, do not see as cricket. Mark and I continued to have a few trots and managed a few more smaller grayling, as well as this nice looking trout Mark hooked which unfortunately trashed the swim.

At this point, we had a few options open, but the one which tempted us the most was to try one of my banker swims where we were pretty much guaranteed some roach sport. We arrived to discover it was carrying a nice tinge of colour, and after putting a ball or so of liquidised bread in, Mark was soon trotting his stick float down. Its was not long until his float bobbed, a tell-tale sign of roach about, before slowly dipping under the surface. A positive strike and Mark was into the first roach of the day, not anything massive but absolutely lovely, as all the roach are in this section. We continued, fishing in alternation, and it was not long until Mark and I were catching some lovely roach between us, all of a nice stamp.

Nice little roach, lot of them like peas in a pod

Mark's face continued to light up as we continued to bag roach, getting a bite a chuck at many points. With a steady feed of liquidised bread and hemp, we were continuing to draw the fish up from downstream and we managed plenty more roach and the odd little grayling before running out of liquidised bread!

Couple of nice redefins on the stick float

Overall, a great day out, despite the bigger roach being far from forthcoming! Big thanks goes to Mark for coming down to join me. For more updates and pictures, check out our Instagram profiles:

@hampshireanglingtv
@chapsout

Thanks for reading,
Tight Lines,
Tom

Roving on some Newer Areas with Mark Lindsay

Love the anticipation in new chub swims: the outcome unknown!

On the previous evening I packed a multitude of baits to target chub on one of Mark and myself's favourite little rivers. I set out to fish with my feeder rod and a nice light reel making a fine matching setup for the roving and holding the rod in tight swims. I brought liquidised bread to fish in the feeder, as well as some maggots which I had left over from an aborted plan the previous week. After taking a while to find a swim we liked the look of, we settled down in a nice pool which had a nice run off into a darker sheltered section with a nice weed raft which certainly looked good for a bite. Mark opted to start to work the top of the swim with maggots and his stick float gear and was landing plentiful dace after working the swim with maggots. I quickly set up a simple feeder set up with merely a float stop on the line (for an adjustable tail) and flicked it to the weed raft area. As expected, I knew if indication was to come it would come quick, and this was no exception with a few finicky taps becoming an a slow accelerating pull round on the tip. After a confident strike, I knew I had a chub of some description on and after a nice fight, it was in the net. It was a nice conditioned little chub to start the session off with nice bold colours.

Nice encouraging start, a decent conditioned little chub

After this fish, it was obvious the swim had gone dead and with Mark's dace catch rate becoming slower, we moved slightly upstream of this area. This swim, Mark certainly knew held fish and where I had missed a good bite in the past. After missing one slow bite from an unknown source, I suddenly saw a Ghost Carp move into view in my near margin as I was putting more liquidised bread in the feeder. Despite lowering my bread flake offering in its path, it was far from interested as to neither inspect yet alone touch the bait. After a while I saw a fair few carp emerge in group and go on a regular patrol route together. Mark who had been slightly upstream had scaled up with a different reel and we both lowered in static baits into hopefully the path of a carp. After a fair while of watching the fish going over the areas where our bait was, it was clear they had no intention of getting their heads down, therefore Mark and I decided enough was enough and next time to try baiting up for them first prior to fishing.

Mark checking his worm!

After this, we decided then to try an area where we have both caught some half decent chub. Mark opted to fish a nice shallow run off or a nice slacker pool where he had managed some nice chub, dace and the predictable trout on this chalkstream. I opted to choose one of my banker swims slightly upstream of Mark, sticking with my feeder approach. It was not long until I had a good tap before the tip just flew round. I struck and was into another nice little chub. (Sadly due to a focus failure I won't be using a screen grab).

Waiting for the tip to go!

We realised time was getting on and we were both hungry, therefore we headed back for Mark's car to retrieve our food, as well as Mark realising he now had to pack up and leave for home. He kindly emptied the remainder of his maggots into my bait box and drove me to a section of this river down the road that I have grown to know quite well. I had plenty of maggots and caster left from an aborted plan last week, so I headed into the first banker swim I had discovered when I first this venue - I see this swim as part of the birth of my love of river fishing! I casted in my maggot feeder opting to fish 2 white maggots and a red on a size 14 and it wasn't long until I had a tap on the feeder and a missed bite. The bite was pretty electrifying and bouncy, with me reeling in some seriously sucked back maggots, therefore I expected it to be a dace which had gotten away it. I casted in again in pretty much the same area and waited. After receiving one delicate tap, a few seconds later the tip slowly flew round. I lifted into a good fish and I was one hundred percent sure as soon as I saw my line moving for the snags on the far side of the swim, that I was into a nice chub. After holding the fish and gradually pulling it upstream away from harm's way, a couple more lunges of desperation in its bid for freedom,  and then it was mine!

One of the better chub of the day!

I took the time to take this nice picture (above) and promptly released the fish upstream. It was a nice long chub in nice condition. After this, I decided to put the camera away, as I felt like just relaxing as I had got a picture to put up on my weekly update. The final result was 4 chub and a few nice dace to around 8oz. No surprise for this stretch, but not having done much maggot feeder fishing on rivers for chub, I went home a very happy angler knowing that I had a few stunning chub and bonus dace!

A lovely closeup of a roach Mark had before I arrived

Big thanks to Mark for coming down and joining me, always an enjoyable chap to fish with. Mark  has had some very impressive captures of late including a cracking Personal Best chub of 6lbs 4oz! You can follow Mark on
Instagram: @chapsout
Facebook: Team MAG
Here's a video of Mark's recent successes!

Tight Lines,

Tom Aldous

Clearwater Chubber Floats and Opportunistic Piking!

My friend Ollie Johnson has just launched a new company called 'Clearwater' and has brought out some very good quality, robust floats. He has also kindly given me some to try out and have tested them on my local river with my favourite float so far has been the wire stemmed avon style float which is perfect in the larger sizes for controlling a bait in a turbulent swim.

Nice visible tip for fishing at some distance

On this particular session Ollie kindly invited me to one of his local bits of river and in the first swim he had located some nice chub up in the water skulking about, as well as some good specimen-sized roach gliding on the clean gravel run. We also noticed some nice dace about. The swim was a steady glide formed by a snag with a confluence coming in at the rear end. As Ollie was fishing at distance he chose one of the Clearwater Chubber Floats and opted to fish maggots on a size 18. After spraying maggots for a good 15-20 minutes Ollie casted out, but by this point we noticed some dark shapes emerging that were not there before which were some good-sized pike.

Trotting into the slack to begin with

The roach, chub and dace were now nowhere to be seen, therefore Ollie wandered downstream, just below the crease and fished at some distance on a quite shallow, gravelly run and instantly was catching some nice dace. The float was standing out beautifully and you could clearly see that Ollie had good control due to its buoyancy. After giving it a good forty five minutes, Ollie managed a few more dace and grayling but the larger fish that were located had clearly cruised off and noticing some nice pike in the swim, Ollie kindly offered me a shot in catching one. As we were sorting out the gear, Andy Little, who is a good friend of Ollie's, came over and had a chat with us before he headed upstream to target some perch, which was certainly a nice surprise!

Hooked a dace!

After catching a small dace livebait, I flicked it out into the crease on a paternoster, on Ollie's instruction, and waited. Within 10 minutes, if that, I saw a pike come and seize my bait. I didn't decide to give it too long and wound down to the fish, it was nice Jack pike but on one of the first head shakes he managed to slip the hook. Amazed by the instant action, and with a bait still on the hook, I made the same cast again. The second take came very quickly and this time I let the fish run a bit as it was only on a single treble trace.

About to wind down into the pike!

After a few seconds as the fish moved to the back end of the crease to the shallow water, I wound down and was into a better fish. Although it wasn't fighting particularly hard it was a big dead weight and after pulling it through the weeds and seeing it emerge, it was certainly an upper double and at one final thrash by the net it managed to shake the hook out, I could not believe it. I was rather disappointed as this was certainly a much better fish and would have smashed my personal best river pike, but not feeling disheartened we got the float rod out to try and catch another livebait.

The one that got away!

The first chuck resulted in a minnow which was certainly a good size for a perch livebait and certainly one we couldn't waste. After chucking the bait and letting it settle under the in the near bank slacker area, the float was gone in seconds and Ollie struck into a lovely little vividly coloured perch. Although the fish was not going to break any records, it gave a great little scrap.

Hooked a perch!

After this Ollie had a phone call from Andy. He was telling us of a big pike (around mid-20) upstream which had been attacking the perch he'd been hooking. Without hesitating we headed straight up there! On arrival at the swim Ollie sticked on another small livebait, exactly where Andy had said the pike was attacking the perch he hooked. We were hoping the pike was going to make another appearance at some point but we were slightly unsure as it had certainly taken a fair few perch off Andy's line.

Whilst we waited for a take, Ollie got his float rod out again and attempted to catch some roach, but all that could tempted was large trout which not only caused a disturbance, but were much more obliging than the roach we were after, therefore probably driving them away. After watching Andy continuously bagging beautifully conditioned perch, Ollie and I opted to also give it a go and after catching a few livebaits we trotted them to likely looking areas and where we could see the perch and takes were instantaneous!

One of a number of quality perch for Andy

The chubber floats were fantastic for this, as they are not dragged by the minnow livebait on the end so the takes would be easy to detect. Another advantage is that you could literally let the float control the livebait by casting out and letting the current sweep the bait wherever it would and the it would perfectly settle in the slacks on this particular swim where a number of perch are lurking and patrolling, leading to savage takes!

Beautiful vividly coloured perch for Ollie

After a few more thoroughly enjoyable hours catching plenty of perch and having a nice social with both Andy and Ollie, we decided to head back to the swim where I had lost the pike. Unfortunately the bigger pike in this swim did not make an appearance but I'm sure that's one of a number of pike on this stretch which has either Ollie or Andy's name on it!

The light's starting to go, prime roach time!

Ollie brought down his trotting gear and fished below me and managed a few nice quality little roach, dace and grayling, but the question was where had the bigger ones disappeared off to. After catching another livebait, I flicked the paternoster to the same place. After 15 minutes or so, I had another take where this time the pike sat on the bait, but after giving it a bit of time, I wound down and struck into another nice fish which certainly gave me quite a battle - managing to successfully weed me a couple of times and shake its head like mad when it came towards the bank, we thankfully managed to get the this one in the back of the net. Although it wasn't massive, it was a nice result as I had managed to lose quite a few, and the markings were absolutely stunning on this fish.

After a quick photograph and release it wasn't long until another livebait was caught which I quickly hooked up as a last ditch effort, and flicked it back into the same spot - this one was on the money. The float absolutely sailed away instantly. I gave the fish a few moments to spin the bait in its mouth and run with it, then I wound down and set the hook. This fish stayed nice and deep and taking it steady I slowly guided it to the bank, by which time the fish had really woken up and starting thrashing in the shallows and charging off at speed tearing line off the reel. Hoping the hook would stay proud, I gave the fish some stick and Ollie kindly netted it for me. A quick unhooking was to follow and it weighed in at just a double at 10lbs on the nose - not massive for many's books, but my second river double which I was really made up about. It was also in good shape and again, had stunning colouration.

By the time I got the fish back, I realised it was time to pack up as my mum had arrived, but it was a fantastic session and a big thanks goes to Ollie for taking me to the stretch and showing me a spot with a few nice pike lurking about!

There is an increasing number of Stockists of Clearwater Products.
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Tight Lines,

Tom Aldous