Birkacre magic

After a couple of unsuccessful short sessions i decided to give it a 4 hour morning session on the float - something many dont do on this water.

Dad and i were kitted up with a 12ft rod, reel with 6lb mainline, 4lb hooklink and bread/corn for me / dad was on maggott/worm

.

Bites wasnt exactly one a cast but when the float went under it was usually a good fish.

I hit all fish on bread but missed a few bites on corn!!! probably because it wasnt hair rigged.

I ended up with 1 tench and 5 bream to over 4lb - dad have 1 roach and 5 bream to nearly 4lb.

A great session and i cant wait to get back.

its been a bad april

I havent done any fishing since my last blog

went on hols to the Algarve and got stuck there because of the volcano issue - disaster

anyway went to Birkacre last weekend of a couple of hours really just so i could join

so with season ticket in hand i will be there this weekend to have a go for the resident tench/bream

i will update the blog on monday hopefully pictures of many a good fish

Tenching at Birkacre

Again words of wisdom from manchesterfishingfiend had me onto this water and deliberating a season ticket on Wigan AA.

I had a look at the venue on the Saturday and a few tench and bream had been coming out - a bit of internet reseach and a recce got me onto the hot pegs and back i went with my kit and dad on the Monday morning.

We got the flyer peg and dad and i set up a feeder rod each and shared the peg - dad on bread crumb/groundbait with worm/corn on the hook - i started on a large method with scalded pellet and a 22mm pellet on the hook.

Dad had a bit of activity - and finally was into a roach about 6-8 oz - he also missed a few bites and lost one playing it in - but all these were either silvers or the smaller bream - the guys either side had bream - one to 5lb and a tench a similar size.

Me well in the 4 hrs i have a few twitches and 3 bites - i didnt have to hit these they were arm wrenchers - they only came when i changed down the size of the method feeder and put corn on a hair rig - i think the scalded halibuts really got the tench searching around and definatley outscored the different groundbaits that were being used around me.

3 cracking fish and i am hooked on the place - i may still buy a season ticket if i can find the time to give the Wigan waters at least one visit a week - work is hectic at present.

The other angler couldnt believe i had to pack up and get home while i was in the middle of a purple patch - but family life eh? its a balance and sometimes its doesnt favour the brave....

The largest and last one at 6lb 6oz

the middle one at 5.2

the first estimated at 5.5

slivers on Kingfisher

After a bit of research, a history lesson from Sam and help from Mike (manchesterfishingfiend) i decided i would take my dad and give it a go.

After a good mile walk from the car park to the water i was hopeful of some good action - my dad on the float and i was on a maggot feeder.

My dad was straight into a roach of about 3oz followed by a few bites - i had one on the feeder and missed a good rench round (from a roach???),

all in all a good 2 hours a few fish on the bank and my dad was happy - except for the walk back up the hill,

he was knackered!!!

until next post - my session at Birkacre

Always what you dont expect

After several weeks of go/no go fishing restricted by the weather, work and the family i finaly got a few hours to wet a line.

After reading about a Brook on blogsites and my dad's desire to get on the silvers i have been dabbling the odd hour on this venue trying to no avail to learn its secrets - not once finding its decent roach!!!

I persuaded my dad to give it a few hours and after giving a few swims a go and missing a few very quick bites we ended at the golf course swims deciding to turn back and have a go nearer the car.

In the last 40 mins i was trotting bread flake - and whack i was into a fish..... a lovely trout at just under 1.5lb.

At the next swim i had a hectic 15 mins - hit a bite and lost a trout , second bite into a nice fish and hook length gave way (only 1.5lb), third bite (and could have been the same fish ) and i was in, another nice trout a little bigger this time at just over 1.5lb - got my dad to show it off!!!!.

a great half hour made up for the difficult few hours of unsuccessful roach hunting....

where are those 1lb plus roach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll be back (as the saying goes)

At last a fish................

After a number of 1-2 hr sessions on canals & rivers near home and work i was getting somewhat dispondant especially after a session on the Basingstoke canal before work where i discovered the carcass of my target pike around 7lb - been filletted by someone.

I kept persevering and on a 1hr trotting session on the Kennet town centre stretch before work i managed to get a good bite on maggotts and low and behold....... a chub.

Its all about finding the fish in winter - something i have not managed to do too well of late

Hopefully things will pick up from here

Bad Venue choice hampers results

We have all done it - gone against our instincts - but me - i did it twice.

first time on 17th -after the initial thaw - i went to the river irwell - didnt want to get to the lake and find it still iced-over.

what a mistake - it was chocolate brown and racing through - looked up a few foot as well.

one deadbait and one spinning rod didnt bring anything - i was even trying monster sized jigs is bright colours - as in the pic

then on the 24th my dad wanted to catch a few silvers - and wanted to be next to the car - as we were only going for 2hrs or so we went to the local canal.

normally good for a few skimmers and a decent 3lber or so especially on bread - but nothing - even the pike deadbait and spinning rod drew a blank.

it also felt colder than during the big freeze!!!

So lesson here is 1 hour in the right place better than 1 day in the wrong place oh and dont be lazy and take the easy option.