The Sessions - August 2020
Crucians and some great summer Barbel fishing.
I signed off last month after some more quite brilliant Crucian fishing and felt a four pounder was not far away.
8 Aug 2020 - Johnsons Lake, Marsh Farm
I drove down Friday afternoon after getting away from work early to find only two Crucian anglers on the Chicken Bank and most of the Railway free so I got into my favourite area and set the swim up.
If you read my blogs regularly you may note I don’t tend to fish at night for the Crucians, I like to arrive late evening to give myself a chance of getting the swim I want, setting up and sleeping at night so I’m fresh to fish all day. Casting every 30 mins through the night would be no fun and then trying to stay awake all day to continue fishing effectively. When I have tried previously I’ve found the small Carp and Tench come in and the Crucians stop feeding. This may change as the nights draw in and I may have to fish all night to be successful, we’ll see this Autumn.
It had been really hot up in the 30’s and the night was muggy and uncomfortable, I was up at 05:00 and it was cloudy and warm, there were Carp all over the area and I wondered whether they would push the Crucians out.
I made another slight change to my set up adding a metre of Avid 20lb sink braid as a leader and attaching it to the mainline with a water knot, I then moulded some rig putty to the knot to ensure it was nailed down. I was happy with my groundbait mix and the fake casters were still out catching anything else I tried, I felt the leader would be the finishing touch to my rig. As in my Barbel fishing, once all those things are in place you only have to worry about location.
The fishing had definitely got harder and the norm now seemed to be 5-10 fish being a great session. I tripped two Crucians up during the morning to 3-02 and by mid-morning but the fishing was slow. I tried experimenting with hook baits again and had a take on a new bait that felt a good fish, I played it to the margin and went to scoop up a very big Crucian when it made one last turn of its head and the hook popped out, what a sickening feeling that never gets easier to take.
The sun came out and the temp went up to 34 degrees with no wind and the lake died with nothing being caught until late evening when I had three Tench before reeling in for the night.
9 Aug 2020
I was up at 04:30 after another very warm night but the wind had turned to a north easterly which is not ideal for the area I was fishing. I started to get small lifts on the bobbins that did not develop and felt I was being done so reeled them both in and put fresh rigs on, the new sharp hooks had an immediate effect and I caught another four Crucians to 3-02 before the sun came up again and the sport dried up.
17 Aug 2020 – River Trent, Cromwell
After a week of temps at 30 degrees plus we experienced lots of rain and stormy, humid weather that had lifted the river levels a couple of feet. It hadn’t been fishing well so I hoped the extra water and change in the weather would spark a feeding spell.
I arrived late afternoon to find the swim I wanted was free and there was no one opposite so I was hopeful of a good session. The angler next door was going and said he’d suffered a 48 hour blank and was being plagued by Mitten Crabs so again I hoped the extra water would have an effect on them too.
It was cooler but still 20 degrees and more rain forecast so I got the swim set up and just in time before it started again. I put both rods out on single Pandemic hard hookers (dumbells) with pva bags and planned to put some bait in on dark.
I had three singles to 9lb before dark and started to introduce some bait after each fish, putting 20 boilies through the swim each time. Barbel started rolling everywhere, I’ve never seen so many rolling at one time in my six years fishing the Trent, it was quite something and I felt I’d timed my session right. I had another three before midnight to 11-07.
The bites carried on all night, although the fish were mainly high singles with one more double at 12-06 it was great sport. The Barbel were definitely feeding hard and it was noticeable that the Crabs were not active. If the Barbel start feeding on Crabs the Trent will almost certainly break the record in the coming years.
22 Aug 2020 – River Trent, Gunthorpe
The first day of two weeks annual leave and I had it planned where I would be fishing along with spending time with Julie in between trips. She is so supportive of my fishing and celebrates my successes as much as I do and is always the first person I ring when I get a good fish, I sometimes have to pinch myself that I have her in my life so thank you my love.
I had the weir peg booked for two nights and was really looking forward to it. The swim has its challenges as it is at least 10-12 feet above the water level so landing fish is tricky until you master it. High water make it impossible to fish and a strong wind makes it difficult too so you have to hope for ideal conditions.
The level was up slightly and the wind was a strong south westerly which blows downstream so would make it difficult. I was fishing by 15:30 with one rod on the weir sill and the other in the margin by the wall, both rods were on the Pandemic hard hookers and I put 20 boilies over each area.
I’d had nothing by late evening so baited the margin spot with eight spoppers of hemp and two of 12mm boilie and put another 20 boilies on the weir spot.
That got things going and the bites started with the first being a Bream. The second was a good fish, I played it to the wall and then tried to net it, it was a good fish 13 to 14 pound but I just couldn’t get it in the net due to the wind and extra flow, I must have had a dozen attempts before the hook popped out. Each time it went in the net the wind and flow took the net away from the fish it was a nightmare.
The next four all went in ok with the best being a high 9 before I reeled them in for some sleep. The swim fishes better in the day so I wanted to be fresh all day.
23 Aug 2020
I was fishing again by 07:00 and topped up the margin spot with more hemp and 12mm boilies and the weir spot with 15mm boilies. The weir rod went straight away and this one went in the net at 13-01 so a good start to the day.
The rod went straight away as soon as I cast out with another double at 10-14.
The margin rod went before I could recast with another good fish at 13-10.
I then lost another good one at the wall as the wind had got up, so frustrating!! By midday the level had dropped a little and the wind started to drop and that made all the difference, landing them then was fine and I went on to catch throughout the day with another four good doubles at 12-04, 12-10, 13-04 and another at 13-10.
24 Aug 2020
I’d not fished through the night and got up early to start again and caught another nine Barbel before leaving at midday, a great start to my holiday. I’ve tried to think of a more effective way of landing them, currently I’m using the Gardener extendible pole and net, it is very good and the best I’ve used to date. I thought through making a drop net with a heavy weight but I feel that it will cause more problems than it will solve, if anyone has any ideas please contact me through FB messenger.
26 Aug 2020 - Johnsons Lake, Marsh Farm
The previous two days had seen lots of rain and strong winds up to 45 mph and it had just calmed down as I drove round the M25 to Godalming, it was still quite warm at 21 degrees and cloudy with a westerly wind.
I arrived expecting it to be empty due to the weather but it was very busy and some good fish had been caught with two 4’s being the best. As with previous trips I had to set up in a swim while I waited for another and I’d arranged to move into the swim on the Chicken Bank at midday on the 27th.
I set up and realised I’d brought my small river Barbel rods and not my Crucian rods, what a bad start and showed I’d been rushing around too much at home trying to fit too much in. Fortunately the tackle shop opened at 07:30 in the morning.
27 Aug 2020
I was up and at the shop for opening and went back and re-spooled my reels with 6lb Maxima and then started fishing until I could move. I had a Tench first cast and then nothing until midday when I moved. Finally by 13:00 I felt like I was fishing properly, I had the rods wrapped and clipped for 40 yards and was ensuring everything was accurate. Catch rates had definitely dropped as the fish were wising up and I felt fishing more accurately to a tighter spot would improve mine, rather than my muscle memory approach. It started raining straight away and carried on all afternoon. Nothing happened until 21:00 when I had a Tench and a small Carp, these were followed by a lethargic 6plus Tench that had my heart racing until it popped up and then the first Crucian of the trip at 3-07 on an 8mm boilie.
28 Aug 2020
There was more rain through the night and it was cloudy and cool, I was up early and fishing and caught another four Tench and a small Carp. The angler next door had a great morning and had caught four Crucians to 4-04 and then promptly hooked a large Mirror. I was helping him when I heard my Delkim, I thought it might be his fish through my lines but it was a take and a good start for me with a Crucian at 3-09. It was like he’d had a few and the shoal had moved down to me.
I went on to take three more at 2-10, 3-10 and a new PB at 3-13 before they moved on.
I carried on all day without another Crucian, the wind swung round to a North Westerly with lots of rain and the fish started to show towards the island 100 yards out. I packed up the next morning with only a couple more Tench to show for the effort but drove home very happy as I felt I was getting closer to my target fish.
31 Aug 2020 - Johnsons Lake, Marsh Farm
I’d driven down the night before to find it busy again and set up in a swim for the morning before moving if nothing was happening.
It had been a chilly night going down to 8 degrees and was misty with a light northerly wind. I moved into the swim I’d fished on my last trip at 10:00 and clipped up the spod rod and spombed some hemp and caster onto the spot, keeping everything nice and tight. It warmed up nicely and was cloudy and dull which I felt was good conditions but I’d had nothing by 15:30 so went for a wander. The swim I favour on the Railway Bank was free so I quickly picked up some tackle and trotted round there to secure the swim, I was just in time as another angler was just behind me with his barrow and not to happy when he saw where I stopped, you’ve got to be quick on busy waters 😊
I only had a Tench at 5plus before reeling in for the night. Did the move pay off, I’ll let you know next month…….
Until then tight lines and be lucky😊
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