# Finally Got The Fishing Gear Out Of The Shed.



## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

As some of you may remember from when all my interests showed under my avatar (since the big 'crash' they only show up on PMs now), one of my favourite hobbies is angling. When I started my family, this pastime was put on hold. For 18 years. Circumstances have changed, and I have found a new friend to go fishing with...another fellow angler who did the same as me. We spent a few Sundays visiting new waters and decided to get the gear out and start up again. Neither of us are into the 'carp' scene....we prefer to go for 'silver fish'....roach, rudd, bream, tench etc. We found a local fishery where the owner has a couple of established 'cat and carp' lakes, but has just created a new 'match' lake. This is stocked with predominately roach, rudd, golden rudd, crucian carp, koi carp, goldfish, tench, bream,....plus a few big carp. We've had a few seriously nice days there (and at a fiver a day, that's not bad sport) My friend Graham prefers to use a pole, but I'm a stickler for a running line...could never get on with poles....all that shipping in and out. Anyways...here's a few pics of a couple of enjoyable days out....and as ever, all fish were released immediately, and none were retained in keepnets. None of these fish are in any way special, but just gave us a lot of pleasure over a couple of days.

The scene.... a newly developed lake with an island in the middle...no waterside reeds or rushes growing yet...a perfect morning with the water like a mirror.



We caught lots of roach and rudd, which we didn't photo....these are the highlights...8lb mirror carp (Graham)



1.5 lb goldfish (Graham)...



4 lb tench (me)



6 lb bream (me)



Nice little fat crucian carp...about a pound...(me)



As I said earlier, it's been years since I went fishing, and these last few days have really inspired me to go more often now that I am able to....I'm hoping that more of the angling watch forum members will post a few of their pics up as well...remember, this is the hobbies forum! :yes:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

The fish, especially the one in the last picture, don't look to impressed with the idea.

:lol: :lol:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

I'm sorry but I can't and never could work up any enthusiasm for fishing. :stop: I live in East Anglia with some of the greatest fishing lakes in the country (allegedly) and have taken the lad in his younger days but ................................ I enjoyed the boating but was bored stiff when we had to stop! Each to his own. :yes: Enjoy your sport.

Mike


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## Iceblue (Sep 4, 2013)

Good mixed bag always good to get out by the water banks


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## chocko (Nov 9, 2008)

2nd photo is not a big Goldfish this is BIG lol


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

Very nice indeed Roger, it's a great hobby and I love the Tench, Tench fishing in gravel pits was how I spent my youth... ! ,,  .. I'm still a keen angler myself but these days it's mainly trout fishing, though in Devon we do have a big range of fishing available from Trout and Salmon to some great coarse fisheries and of course great Bass fishing from the beach here ... Here's one nice trout from my local lake, tasted delicious !  ...


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Nice Rainbow, Mike....I see from the rod and reel position that you're a fly man.Like the pole, I could never get on with fly fishing. However, I have caught many trout on normal tackle, in fact when we used to go to the Hampshire Avon with the local club, the bailiff was most insistent that all rainbows were taken, but brownies were to be put back. For the un-initiated...brown trout are our indiginous species and should be returned at all times..Rainbow trout are farmed, and inevitably, there are some escapees that find their way into our rivers and streams, where they compete aggressively with our own brownies for food.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

BondandBigM said:


> The fish, especially the one in the last picture, don't look to impressed with the idea.
> 
> :lol: :lol:


Fish always do that when they're out of water....looks as though they're really sad....they soon bugger off quick enough when you put them back though!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Sometimes though its mildly amusing when the fish (or bear/bull/dog/tiger/elephant) gets its own back.






:lol: :lol:


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

In my time I think I've done most types of fishing going Roger, but these days, in my dotage, I think it's the simplicity of fly-fishing that appeals to me. A simple rod and reel and a box of flies that you've tied yourself and you're off, no hauling lots of equipment around with you. The worst was when I used to do a lot of wreck fishing and had to carry a bag full of two pound lead weights and pirks about as well as a mass of other things. :sleepy:

I also like building and making a lot of the things I use, like rods, flies, floats and weights (when I used them). It's a nice way of carrying on the hobby round the fire in the depths of winter... 

Home-tied Dragonfly Larvae










And one of the lakes I fish up on the moors.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Superb, Mike...I've always admired the skills of fly tying, and will always watch a demo at a craft/angling show.


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

Rog, this is a watch forum :lol:










BTW Nice tench :thumbsup:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Mutley said:


> Rog, this is a watch forum :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know, Andrew, I suppose in the moment of excitement of catching a few fish after a long lay off, I forgot to include a watch in the 'trophy' shots....I will make amends next time I go... :yes: ...and that's not a bad looking carp there, either.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Some nice piscines in here :thumbup:

I just started fly fishing last week after a casting lesson from my son!!

I had one Trout of about a pond and lost a better one, my son had three, two around the two plouds mark and a smaller one, he lost one as well!..

We fished a place called Press Manor at Chesterfield, the place was gorgeous and the weather was great!!

I really want to fish the river Don for Grayling (never had one!) or the wild Brownies that are in there :thumbsup:

The venue..



















My tiddler! (had to hold it tightly as it was a jumping Jack :blush: )










My lads fish..




























His best Rainbow to date, around 8lbs..

John..


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

This one is around 8lbs..










around 63/4 lbs










John


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Great pics, Jon....and really nice to see father and son enjoying some sport together...and not football!....superb pics of rainbows...I hope you enjoyed them! Hopefully, I'm going on Sunday....nice little silver fish lake...will let you know.......


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

I was out at dawn a couple of days ago with the fly rod, it was a beautiful still morning with mist rising off the water and I came home with a couple of nice three pound trout. The old saying feels very true at times like that " God does not charge time spent fishing against a manâ€™s allotted life span. "


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Had a session on the lake this morning...nothing much to speak of...a few roach, rudd and a small tench around the 3lbs mark. I've tried to please Mutley by including a watch in the pic!


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

Roger the Dodger said:


> I've tried to please Mutley by including a watch in the pic!


Nice one Rog :thumbsup:


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

Tench are definitely one of my favourite fish, nice catch Rog ..


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## Richy (Oct 14, 2013)

I am also a fly fisher, sadly this year, at work being 9-5 has spoiled my week day fishing. The shift working with days off during week made it easier. Only managed to get 4 times this season. I fish at a hill loch called Headshaw in the Scottish Borders for brownies and rainbow. Nice relaxing day on the boat, you can't beat it!


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## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

Richy said:


> Nice relaxing day on the boat, you can't beat it!


I agree totally, I used to regularly fish Bewl Water in Kent from a boat and remember those as some of the happiest times in my life as a fisherman... Happy days !


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

Mutley said:


> Roger the Dodger said:
> 
> 
> > I've tried to please Mutley by including a watch in the pic!
> ...


Sorry Rog, I was so please that this ghost actually fitted in my net I forgot to put a watch in the picture :wallbash:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Mutley said:


> Mutley said:
> 
> 
> > Roger the Dodger said:
> ...


Nice one, Andy...I'll forgive the watch as it's such a nice fish.....hoping to get to the river (Thames) soon in pursuit of some chub....will post pics if I'm lucky....


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

1. Make sure to take bigger net.	Check

2. Include watch in photo. Check

3. Put watch back to GMT so that I don't pack up and leave 1 hour early. .	 Bollo#*s :wallbash: :duh:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Another nice carp and Protrek I see, Andy. My old fishing pal, Dickie Bryant's son has just landed the biggest currently living carp 'The Parrot' last week...http://www.dailymail...sh-Britain.html....ignore the video of the bloke with the common carp...they got the wrong film...the 'Parrot' is definitely a mirror.


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## Nodilis (Oct 21, 2013)

I am also in love with fishing. Unfortunately dont have time lately. I love sea fishing but river and lake is also ok..


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## BTS11 (Nov 14, 2013)

A little Tinca I caught in the Spring, went to about 2lb. Never caught one as late as September, all of mine have been Spring / Summer fish


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

BTS11 said:


> A little Tinca I caught in the Spring, went to about 2lb. Never caught one as late as September, all of mine have been Spring / Summer fish


Nice one, BTS...and welcome to the forum. :yes:


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Another nice carp and Protrek I see, Andy. My old fishing pal, Dickie Bryant's son has just landed the biggest currently living carp 'The Parrot' last week...http://www.dailymail...sh-Britain.html....ignore the video of the bloke with the common carp...they got the wrong film...the 'Parrot' is definitely a mirror.


That's one hell of a kipper & great looking lakes, I can see why there is a 10 year waiting list for membership.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Went to the lake yesterday and had a great day...probably over 150 fish, mainly roach and rudd, a few F1 carp hybrids, a couple of tench, and the smallest barbel I've ever caught!. We were told that the lake had been stocked with barbel over the winter...a bit strange seeing as they usually like swiftly flowing water and a gravel bottom. This one won't break any records yet....maybe in a few years!


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