Long time since

Well it's been a long time since I posted but here's an update.
We have been fishing but not a lot since our holiday last year. Mostly the odd day out to a trout lake or a river visit. We did paste the 'bivvy boys' on an overnight session (yes we now have bivvies) but we have not done the trout match yet and I can't see them beating us!
Bone, Jon and me have re-joined Derby County Angling Club. I have explained why in a previous post.
We will look forward to our occassional trips to the Wye and are indeed thinking of staying overnight to make a proper day of it.
We want to do a bit of everything and the constraints of being members of trout and grayling clubs didn't really suit us. At DCAC we can have a bit of everything. We have also joined a couple of local clubs that have access to some fantastic coarse, trout and grayling fishing. We could not want for more.

A CHUB FROM THE SOW

BONE' S BEEN EATING PIES

WINDERS READY, NEW POLE PURCHASED

Bone and me had a morning on the Sow the other day. We fished it wrong, as one does on a first visit to a new venue; especially a river. I did catch a modest chub in ace condition. Bone went a couple of days later and had some fine perch. This is one of our target waters; not for massive fish as they don't live there (pike maybe!) but we are going for the challenge. You can jump across it in some places!

You can't join them all!

Nothing to do with this post. But a nice place to fish. We are there if you look close!

Well you can't join them all! Clubs that is. We postponed our membership to one club because of health problems. Hopefully my mate is well enough for the new season and we will re-join Derbyshire County.
We like fishing together but I joined The Peacock on the Wye. Unfortunately no one else did so it left me on my own. I have therefore had not enough chances to get my moneys worth. This is no reflection on the Peacock prices as this is a bargain if you can fish often enough.
So I have decided not to re-join. We will have the opportunity to go day ticket on this fabulous piece of water next trout season, and may try the grayling earlier.
We also joined the LTD on the dove. To be honest it too is a fabulous bit of river, seeped in history and full of large fish. We have not made a decision on this yet.. We could always get a day ticket on this special place too.
We are also members of one of the best value clubs in the country..Hanley Angling Society. Apart from a wealth of coarse venues, we also have The Tean (more rain and I reckon big, big grayling in this stretch possible), The Dove, The Churnet (who really knows what you might catch...possibly a rare disease) and a new trout lake to go for.
DCAS has The Dove at Wolfscote, The Dove further down, Miles of the Manifold, The Derwent, Willington, Hoon, Blithfield, etc etc.
We have to think of the rise in the cost of living, fuel prices and  the days we can go fishing together. We also like the odd day out at Seighford, Ellerdine and other day ticket lakes.
We aint that fond of crowds either.
If we joined just DCAS and HAS it would cost us £280 each for the season. I have spent £700 this season...a no brainer methinks.
I have to say that it is my fault I have not had my moneys worth. The Wye and the welcome you get is fabulous. There is a waiting list so my ticket will be soon snapped up.

Just thought I would some snaps of my daughter who I am helping with her photography. My late Dad, who taught me photo techniques would be made up!

Comments welcomed.

Crete

The 'Tamers' and the 'Bivvy Boys' have just returned from our holls in Elounda, Crete. Instead of lounging around on sun beds we did a spot of fishing. We bought telescopic rods and armed with a few bread rolls we caught mullet and some other srange fish including one spiky thing that poisoned Bone and me. Not nice. Pain in my hand and up my arm to my jaw. Luckily it only lasted an hour.

I had a mullet of about 2lb and Polly had two about a lb and a half.

Update

We; The Lion Tamers, have been practising for the forthcoming two leg match versus our great friends, the 'Bivvy Boys'.
We have a good team: Fellow Tamer, Pionton has confirmed he is up for it.. (make sure you got two Sundays free, Yik, we give you the dates),  Bone, Me and Jon. If Jon can't make it, Dino reckons he can do the job!.
They have a great team too, and should stuff us proper on the coarse leg.

The first leg is on Ladyfields at Wetley Rocks. Difficult but full of large carp and tench and stuffed full of bits.
It is a fair venue and I wish I had not sold my pole. However, I am shit hot on the waggler and can even do the carp rigs... so who knows?
I have to say, the BBs' are doing much better than us on the lakes at the moment.
Daz got a 22lb from the haunted lake at Barleston last week. Credit to him! I would not fish there for anything. Too spooky for me. Check it out yourselves! There are plenty of anacdotes of strange Gregorian chants past midnight. Apparently, there was a mass slaughter in a field nearby of the Catholic Monks, who introduced the carp in the lake some centuries passed. The  saying goes is  that anyone who catches carp here is eternally cursed! The curse gets worse depending on the size you catch!  You believe what you like, I'm not sure...

Anyway: Here are our last couple of missions....

Bone and me had a go on the Churnet for a large perch. Not a touch apart from this! PS, I have nothing to do with Bone's complicated rig! I think he was targeting the Signals!

We also had a practise for the second leg. This will be on a commercial trout fishery; so that's where we went today. Here is one that  I photographed  after preparing it for my fish cakes. A good 4LB plus on me own Hawthorn (Dynamite today and only Bone and me had got them!) that I had tied for the rivers. Bone and me were top rods!

After the FA Cup.

The best of four this very cold morning on self timer as I was on me tod.

Was disappointed, but not totally depressed that Stoke had lost in the final.

Time to go fishing! Anyway, I decided to go and get a specimen. Now, a specimen fish depends on where it is caught from. So a specimen from where I was going would be rather smaller than one caught from some other larger venues.

My venue was small. A pond in a field.

Conditions were horrible. It was like the middle of winter with the wind and rain in my face. I soon began to regret my decision to get up early,  as soon as I got there. It was bloody cold. I was very cold... I had turned up in summer gear...

I hid behind a tree  to get out of the wind and rain.

Not a bad morning though.

To sum up: 4  missed, then 4 tench...  all wild from here. Less than an acre but a lovely pond.

Made the pub for 12.00!

Large Perch from the Ch..n.t next ...

Ha Ha. THE LION TAMERS

Bone's done it!

 We have caught  the carp. Well Bone has! The guy is on fire.

Bone's double figure

What a beautiful fish

We have got the technique pretty spot on but I think my hair rigs need some fine tuning...2 lost and one dropped. However I managed a tench about 4lb and had a dabble with the roach on the waggler with bits of luncheon meat. Crazy.I would never have thought you could catch quality roach on luncheon meat. No pics unfortunately. There's some huge roach in there...

Now for a picture of a Tean grayling...I know it is out of season but.we were after the trout. Sod it, I have to show off sometimes. Bone is doing me proper these days! Our club have no probs with takng photos. I just wish I had taken Glen Pointon's advice and took a picture of the one I caught a couple of weeks ago on the Dove.

The Match

The Tamers' have some friends who are carp anglers. We love taking the 'p' when they spend nights together supping beer, eating curries (delivered) in the name of fishing. So we've arranged a match! The Lion Tamers versus The Bivvy Boys.
The deal is:
A four man team  fish a day carp fishing and then a day on a trout pond.
To be honest, we are letting them off lightly as we could have taken them to a river!
We have to get into practice. We've been twice and lost a couple of carp but I am satisfied with my tench and roach.
Line up:
The Tamers: Me, Bone, and depending on availability..Dino, Jon and Glen Pointon
The Bivvy Boys: Polly, Binzy, Daz and Martin.
This will take place during the summer and by then we will have the carp sorted!

LOBSTER!

Look at this crayfish claw:

After seeing this, 'Bone' has given up wading above his knees.

We found this on the bank of the river Dove at Rocester. This thing must have been massive!
 Some sort of animal must have caught it and enjoyed a midnight feast. Probably a mink or otter.

Unfortunately these crayfish don't belong in the UK and are American Red Signal Crayfish, imported for food about 30 years ago. Some escaped!
They destroy habitats, pass on a disease to our native crayfish, eat fish eggs, eat anything, are delicious on a bbq, and burrow under river banks until they collapse. The silt from the banks covers mating areas for our wild fish (trout, grayling, chub etc).

The authorities forbid the general public to do anything about it unless we apply for a licence.
 Now that might have been a good move a few years ago to stop live specimens being accidently transfered to a different river system. BUT: These creatures are not spread by humans anymore, but by riverside fauna.

They are great parents and hundreds of tiny offspring cling to the belly of the mother until ready to fend for themselves. So, for example, a heron fancies a meal and the little critters get a free lift to somewhere else.

However, we have a problem. These creatures have adapted so well, we are now fighting a losing battle to control them. They have spread throughout the UK and I think it is about time we were allowed to catch them and eat them when we want to...without the licence. Some of our Eastern European friends have cottoned on to this (licence?) and who can blame them?
It is not a fault of the crayfish that this has happened so if you catch one, treat them with respect and kill them humanely.
The Trent catchment area is full of them. For some reason the Churnet is stuffed with them.
Make sure that you don't kill any native white clawed crayfish. Difficult to tell the difference sometimes but google 'Crayfish' and you can read up. You will also find some good recipes.

The Tamers are investing in some equipment to catch as many as we can. If I am caught, it will be my first criminal offence. Am I bothered?

We are also planning to collect some from the Trent at Bucknall (Stoke) and the Caldon canal to see what species they are. Obviously, we will put the native ones back.

Bone on fire!

More material for Bone's 'Gay Nymphs'