Trip #99 - Pootlin' Around Portland

It’s been a long time since I’ve managed to get out on the bank or beach. So long that when we recently moved house my rod tubes and holdall’s had developed elaborate spider’s web decorations. My seat box had been yet again ravaged by mice (they seem to like the foam), and I found what looked like a hibernating hornet nestled in between my landing net and keepnet bags. This didn’t make the journey to the new house... I hate Wasps and Hornets. Bees can crack on, Wasps and their even angrier cousins. No thanks. It’s been a crazy busy few months; house moving eats time… and money. But now slowly the dust is beginning to settle and I found I had the chance to get out for an early morning session on Portland. My wife, the little’un and I had been down there on Easter weekend, and the ledges screamed fish. So I had to get down there and give them a bash.

Trip #95 - Last Day Dalliance

The day is fast approaching... The 15th of March, and being a borderline workaholic I wasn't going to be able to get a week day off to get out and give the river a proper bash. To be honest I haven't been able to get out much at all this season, my last trip was a very short and frosty morning spent on  lake very near to my house. Unfortunately I think they may have few resident mink which have wonderfully unraveled all of the great stocking work that had been carried out in the previous summer and the hour or 2 my brother and I spent there was a complete blank! So the week leading up to this weekend was spent religiously checking the EA river levels website. Despite a squirt of rain earlier in the week, the river level was running a lovely and consistent 0.73m. Ideal (Although where I intended to fish would be a fair bit deeper than that). I had decided to get out and away early, and one of the advantages of having a baby is that lay ins are seldom. Sure as the sea, at half 3 we were up and feeding him, and I endeavored to leave the house at 5 and be back for 9(ish).

The dog led the way!

Trip #94 - Go Small or Go Home

Contrary to the popular saying “Go big or Go home”, after some trial and error on one my most recent trips (before the blustery onset of winter) size definitely does matter. The tides were looking favourable and on the whole I don't mind an early start, it also meant that I would be home well before lunch. So when the alarm went at 5, I was up and out the door not long after, driving my way down to Lyme Regis. This early in the morning parking was free, but I had enough change to cover a few hours, if the fish felt like actually biting. I was starting to become disillusioned with constantly blanking while spinning, and was hoping a different stretch of beach may help to break my duck.

Nice to get out so early.

Trip #93 - A goalless draw

A trip from late autumn.

My recent fishing venues have involved beaches rather than pegs and river banks and with a few days off the wife and I managed to sneak off and have a few nights away in Saundersfoot, West Wales. It's a place that I spent several summer as a child and a place where my brother did a lot of fishing while he was growing up. That said I gave him a quick ring for some advice on how best to tackle my chosen venue - Monkstone Point.

Trip #92 - Wetter than an Otter's Pocket

Just a short one this time. Following my last trip to Lyme Regis, I dug my waders out of retirement and was keen to get back out there in search of elusive bass. I check the tide times and it was going to be another early one. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as Lyme Regis when busy is an absolute nightmare to park. I was up, out the door and on the road to Lyme as the sun was rising. Arrived at the Lyme Regis car park just after 6, only one Council van for company. Fortunately parking before a certain time is free, however after 8 it becomes very expensive very quickly. Looking through my wallet I realised I had enough change to see me through until 10 a.m. before needing sell all my worldly belongings to afford another hour. This was hopefully going to be a short but productive trip.

Trip #90 - Early Morning Spin Class

Looking at the tides, prevailing weather and taking into account other weekend plans, this morning's fishing trip was going to be an early one. For a change I would be trying my hand had a spot of sea fishing - more specifically spinning. I had decided early on to split my trip between Eype and Lyme Regis, in the hope that if I struggled to pick up a bass, I may be more successful with mackerel. Only time would tell, and speaking of the time, even the dog didn't know what is going on being walked around at 4:30 in the morning. Breakfast consumed I was out of the door by 5 and on my way to the beach.

Not a soul on the beach... At half 5 in the morning.

Trip #73 - Clear as Mud

As I only had a few hours to spare so today’s trip was going to be a short one. I'd spoken to one of my piker mates who told me the key to catching pike in (like anything really) is to put the hours in. Walk the banks, build a mental picture of their habitats and haunts, and when you've covered enough ground and cast a lure or bait enough, you should know where they are most of the time. Arriving at the river today it was clear that most of my day would be spent building that mental picture, as the water was the colour of mud! I'd kept an eye on the EA river levels website, (an invaluable tools as far as river fishing is concerned) and watched the river steadily drop.  What I didn't account for was the length of time it took for the river to lose its colour. Still, I was there on the river, so I’d give it a whirl.

Product Review - Savagegear 9' Parabellum Spinning Rod

As a blogger I get asked to review products from time to time, so when I was contacted recently by NETS, and asked to review some fishing equipment I didn't know what to expect. After a few emails, it seemed as though they wanted me to review one of a range of spinning rods. In this case the 9ft Savagegear Parabellum spinning rod. Wanting to do some predator fishing over the coming months it was fair to say that when this rod arrived in the post I was overjoyed at the prospect of getting it out on the bank and putting it through its paces.

Trip #72 - A Tale of two Halves MKII

As the end of the river season is fast approaching I've aimed my focus on many of the local rivers. To be honest I have a lot to choose from, and being a member of Ilminster Angling Association means the SLAC waters I can also visit have me spoilt for choice. This weekend I opted for the early approach and was up and out the door by 06:45. I aimed to cover a fair bit of water today and was intent on employing a lesson I had learnt from a previous session - "Be stricter with your time". With that in mind I arrived at the venue and intended on fishing a static bait, while wobbling another - moving on every half an hour. A short walk down a muddy lane and I had arrived, I had set up and was casting my first line before the sun broke the horizon, now let's see what’s about!

I held high hopes...

Trip #60 - A spot of dinner!

Arriving at Abbotsbury at 7 in the morning to walk the dog and find it absolutely packed meant one thing, the fish were in and the fish were mackerel. I didn't have any rods with me at the time, but after a quick visit to Tackle UK later that day for shockleader, leads and feathers I was ready for a Mackerel bash. I haven't fished for mackerel for a long time and was excited at the prospect of catching fish for the table.

I had some company fishing for dinner!