Fishing Report: 22nd November 08 – Clacton on sea, Essex

Initially this weekend I hadn’t planned to fish but I’d been working my butt off on the online store and really needed a break. The strong winds had dropped off steadily during the day but were likely to have left a good bit of colour in the water which I reckoned would bring the Codling on the feed and so, although the weather front had turned round to come in from the north (bringing with it a sudden drop in the temperature) I decided on a spur of the moment trip to try a few hours at the Gunfleet Sailing Club yet again in the hope of adding a few more Codling to my tally. I arrived at about 6pm with the tide almost finished with the flood expecting to see the seafront scattered with angler’s lights but to my surprise things were relatively quiet (perhaps because of the weather forecaster’s promise of snow) and yet again I managed to get into my favourite little corner, right by the Sailing Club slipway as I have done on so many winter sessions in the past. Further up the promenade there were other angler’s lights but for some unknown reason the Gunfleet stretch was very quiet and so it was that I set up my single rod and flung my first Cod bait out over the large swells that were pushing into my little corner of the seafront and sat back to enjoy the solitude that as little as a decade ago would have been impossible on a winter Cod session. The last hour of the flood was very uneventful and at the top of the tide I had only two average sized Whiting to show for my efforts with the large baits of Frozen Black and Squid. I took the opportunity for a break in concentrating on the rod for a drink and a bite to eat over the slack period at the top of the tide and then, as I watched a shooting star (or more likely a bit of space rubbish re-entering the atmosphere) flash down to the horizon a decent rattle on the rod followed by a slack line signalled that the ebb tide had started and that the Codling were, at last, on the feed. Although sizable the 42cm Codling that resulted from the take didn’t take long to get in and a minute or so later I slid it up the slipway on a convenient swell and it was mine; a nice fit little Codling with an unusually pale colouration was destined for the frying pan. Things then went quiet for a little while and apart from the odd bite which I presume were probably small Whiting the rod didn’t move. As the tide started to fall away I began to think that was going to be it for the night then two Whiting turned up in quick succession, followed a couple of casts later by another Codling, just undersized. Half a dozen casts after the Codling I lifted the rod into what I thought would be another Whiting and was surprised to find myself attached to something that was tugging back and a couple of minutes later was pleasantly surprised to see the best fish of the night slide up the beach, a very clean, plump Codling of 55cm which had obviously just taken the bait and sat there in the now weakening current. It makes you wonder how many Codling we miss simply because we expect a furious bite from them every time. I had another cast after I had sorted the Codling out but by now I was beginning to feel the cold a bit. I hadn’t expected it to be quite as cold as it was and so hadn’t put my thermals on under the waterproofs; now I was beginning to suffer for it! As usual towards the end of a session I got the digital camera out to take a quick few pictures of the fish and it soon became evident that the camera was feeling the cold as well; I managed four frames and then the screen went black (which turned out to be the CCD dying) and with that final bit of encouragement I decided it was time to pack up and head for home.

Posted on November 29, 2008 Filed Under Fish, Sea Fishing, Sea Holidays | Leave a Comment

Fishing Report: 14th November 08 – Clacton on sea, Essex

After having a decent session last weekend at the Gunfleet Sailing Club at Clacton over the ebb I thought I would try the same spot again, but this time on the flood. The weather was reasonably calm and with the south westerly wind it was really mild for the time of the year. Although I generally prefer to fish this spot when its rough we’d had some high winds during the week and there was plenty of colour in the water and, along with a reasonable tide, I thought there was no reason why it would not produce some decent fishing again. I arrived at about 7pm to a deserted beach, set up in my favourite spot with a single rod and Frozen Blacks and Cuttlefish as bait and then sat back to wait for the action to start. Although the water was still quite shallow there is a definite area of deeper water at this spot and it seems to act to hold fish at low tide. The Whiting were on the baits from the minute the first cast hit the water and the first cast resulted in an average sized Whiting with things continuing along the same lines for the next couple of hours, sometimes with the fish just hanging themselves without any indication whatsoever. A decent bite finally signalled a change in the shape of my first Codling of the night, a nice clean little fish just short of the line at about 33cm and then, for a while, it all went very quiet and even the Whiting seemed to disappear. A chat with a WSF forum member (who was having a bike ride along the front) broke the monotony of the quiet spell in the fishing for a time and then, just as the Whiting started on the baits again, I was joined by two of the drunkest anglers I think I have ever seen, who decided to fish on the raised point by the Sailing Club much to my annoyance. It has to be said that I am not the most sociable angler known and the two of them made me feel a bit uneasy for a while but they eventually came across for a quick chat and seemed pleasant enough, despite being pretty much pickled and so I settled down and got back to concentrating on the fishing. After a short lull in the action the Codling turned up about two hours before the top of the 12:30 tide and a “steam train” bite signalled the first of what was to be a quick run of Codling which left me with three sizable fish on the beach, the biggest going about 1.75lbs. I fished on till about an hour after the top of the tide but the fishing died, as it normally does, over the top of the tide and the only other takers on the short bit of the ebb tide I fished were a steady stream of Whiting with the final fish of the night turning out to be a very respectable specimen. I headed for home at about 1:45am reasonably happy and with fresh Codling in my bucket despite the added annoyance of a flat battery on my camera, hence the lower quality than usual phone camera picture of the Codling for this post. On a final note large shoals of Sprats and herrings are being reported close inshore now so its likely that the fishing bubble may burst over the next few weeks unless we have some rough weather to break up the bait fish shoals.

Posted on November 15, 2008 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Sea Fishing | Leave a Comment

What Happens When They Are Eaten?

Been awhile since I’ve posted anything here. A busy summer and autumn for me personally and business wise.  And although I’m not much into it anymore (I haven’t done any of it in over a decade), my “wee man” is interested in trying ice fishing this winter. So, I’ve been doing some thinking about that – and maybe tying up some heavy streamers we can use to jig under the ice. So I was reading the most recent issue of the “ Grand Times ,”  the newsletter that is published by “Friends of the Grand River” this evening.  One article co-authored by Jill Hanna & Mike Wilkie caught my attention.  It’s entitled “Brown Trout Pit Tagging Project Update – Field and Lab Results.” Seems that Jill Hanna has been trying some experiments in tracking brown trout by implanting a half inch transponder into the fish. Attempts have been made to then track and identify the fish. However, the article states, “The team was only able to visually identify a few trout in the enclosure, suggesting many either escaped or were eaten over the six-week experiment.” Anyone knows what happens to that transponder when a brown trout eats a brown trout that has had one implanted into it?  That can’t be good for the trout that dined on the implanted trout. I don’t know if a half inch electronic device would be very healthy going through a fish’s digestive system.

Posted on November 13, 2008 Filed Under Fish, Fishing | Leave a Comment

Fishing Report: 07th November 08 – Clacton on sea, Essex

Although the Codling have been around for a number of weeks now it’s only just lately that its actually felt much like the autumn really. The last of the trees are starting to lose their leaves and the changing of the clocks along with the drawing in of the nights have finally got me programmed in to giving up on the chance of Bass and succumbing totally to thoughts of chasing Codling from a windswept shore. It’s true enough that it doesn’t need to be rough to catch Codling but to me when I dream of Cod, I dream of big surf, strong winds and water with lots of colour in it and its that kind of weather that has generally brought with it better sport for me. With reports of the fishing finally hotting up and a good weather forecast with a stiff onshore breeze on the cards I had been itching to get on the beach all week for a proper session after the Codling and after much deliberation I decided to try my luck at Clacton’s Gunfleet Sailing Club. After skipping work early and quickly getting my gear together I arrived at the mark a little later than planned but just in time to fish the last hour of the flood on the 7pm tide and a few hours of the ebb at my favoured spot here, right by the Sailing Club slipway. Here both the Sailing Club’s slip and the nearby land drain pipe way disrupt the tide, providing a patch of shore with slightly deeper water and with some rough ground which seems to attract the Codling and bring them in closer than other parts of the beach. It is however a difficult spot to fish and accurate casting is a necessity here if you want to avoid heavy tackle losses. By the time I had got fishing the flood tide had eased and it was no surprise really that only a couple of average sized Whiting and a Pouting of about 12oz came to the rods. However, once the ebb started to move though it all changed and, pretty much as I expected, about 40 minutes into the ebb the Codling started to play, although they were being a bit finicky hitting the Frozen Black baits and then dropping them almost immediately. I missed about 3 or 4 of these finicky takes before finally I connected with a fish that had slack-lined the TT Sport and after it had tugged a bit in the surf I finally had a sizable Codling of about 45cm on the promenade. The fish continued to play awkward for the rest of the ebb but despite this, by the time the water had dropped enough to allow me to get down off the promenade and onto the beach I had three sizable Codling in the bag and had lost another in the backwash on the concrete slipway. By now most of the other anglers on this stretch (most of whom were already fishing when I arrived) had disappeared but I stuck at it for another hour as past sessions at this mark have shown that a bonus fish or two can be had by fishing at range, late in the tide. My persistence paid off and by the time I packed up at around 10:30pm, having run out of bait, I had managed another couple of Whiting, A Pouting roughly the same size as the first, a Rockling and the best Codling of the night, which took a large bait of frozen Black Lugworm fished right by the end of the land drain pipe. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable few hours at a mark that has been a favourite of mine for 20 years or more and rarely disappoints when the Codling are around in force. On a final note I should add a word of caution for anybody intending to fish this spot. During easterly and northerly blows this spot is an exceptionally safe mark to fish and offers good shelter from the wind, although you should watch out for sudden swells if you are casting or landing fish off the concrete slipway. The mark can however become very dangerous during southerly gales, particularly those from the south west, as the waves are forced by the wind into the corner of the promenade and up the slipway often washing along the promenade at some force. The recent addition of metal railings along this stretch have improved safety in rough weather (despite being a pain in the bum for casting) but in very heavy southerly winds you should stay off the slipway itself.

Posted on November 8, 2008 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Sea Holidays | Leave a Comment

Pike fly retrieval

Having been an avid Saltwater fly-fisherman for many years in South Africa I eventually crossed over to Fly-fishing for Pike once I moved back to Europe in 95 & two of the main aspects I have had to change with regards to fly-fishing for this species was not only having to deal with learning how to chuck much large flies but I have also had to change the way I retrieved the fly as well. Saltwater fly-fishing to me although as technical as any other form of Fly-fishing didn’t need much finesse. Sure, any saltwater fly-fisherman who has fly-fished for bonefish off the flats in Cuba will tend to disagree but overall I found the art form a tad slap n dash. Warmer, clearer water played a big part in why my retrieval was fast and furious, and off course obviously the species I was targeting, Barracuda, Garrick, Salmon, Jack Trevally, Shad (Tailor), Stump nose. When I moved back to the U.K and started Fly-fishing for pike I brought the same gung-ho approach, and spent the good part of 2 seasons with very few fish to show for it, and so a drastic change in my approach was needed in order for me to become more successful as a pike fly-fisherman. So I started reading as much literature as I could find, about my intended quarry the Elusive “Esox Lucius”. Something I encourage all novice Pike fly-fishermen to do. With living in the tropics all those years I hadn’t taken into consideration the changes of season, which are more apparent in Northern Europe and thus have a much more adverse affect on not only the Pikes feeding habits but also its metabolism and general movement habits during each of these seasons. After month or so of reading I set about practicing different retrieval techniques at different speeds & depths, And it wasn’t long before I started to reap the benefits. About two years ago I was float tubing on a smaller stretch of water in the forests here in Kuru Finland and It suddenly dawned on me while stripping back my fly that Fly-fishing for Pike was, if not very similar to the other passion in my life “Cricket”. Now I know what you’re thinking.Simon you’re talking a load of bollocks, but if you stop and think about it for a moment my words aren’t that far from the truth. Trying to explain the game of cricket to a layman can take day’s even months. (Which batsmen battles against a spin attack? Whether to bowl left arm over the wicket? How many fielders should be placed in the slips or on the off side? When should the captain declare his team’s innings?) The list goes on & on and even then, until they have sat down and watched a five-day test, enjoyed it, and understood all the games subtle nuances will they have a better appreciation of the game. The same principle applies with Pike fly-fishing. (What fly to use? Surface or fast sinking, Flash streamer or a white/black bodied Bunny. What fly works best with the line you are using at that specific place you are fishing? Whether to use a floating or intermediate line. How long should one let a fast sinking line drop before retrieval? Should I retrieve the fly fast or slow? What action can you impart on the fly with the line you are using with the retrieve you use? The list went on and on, and even now after 14 years of fly-fishing for pike I find myself learning every time I venture out. Here in Finland especially the Southern parts many of the lakes Are extremely dark due to the run of from the hundreds and thousands of bogs, which litter its landscape. For a pike fly-fisherman this makes the effort of chucking some fluff with the chance that a Pike will spot your fly even harder. Added to that, time of year, depth & area fished will eventually all come down to how well presented your fly is in the water. In Northern Finland (Lapland) the lakes are for want of a better word ‘crystal clear’ and so it is possible to not only get away with using much darker flies but your retrieval of that fly can be far more quicker & erratic due to the Pike having much better visibility. Also waters that far north never really get over warm and so during the short season Pike can be found at all depths and are extremely active. Winter Piking In General though Pike fly-fishermen have to contend with two main seasons Winter & Summer and with both seasons come different challenges. I found while living in the UK whether I was fishing in Ireland, Scotland or England that during the winter months the slower the retrieval the better. The question is “How slow is slow?” Well depending on where & what stretch of water you are fishing will depend on quite few many factors. Let’s take for instance canals. These stretches of water aren’t particularly deep and so I would use an Intermediate slow sinking line and count down until I knew the fly was lying on the bottom. This would take anywhere between 10 to 20 seconds. I would then begin to strip back the fly 10cm at a time for at least 4 strips and every now and then a longer strip of around 20 cm. I also have got in to the habit of raising the tip of my rod straight after this longer strip either to the left or to the right. This too imparts another angle of movement in the fly instead of just a straight-line movement back to the shore you are fishing from. Once you have worked the fly across that stretch of water, recast backs across the canal but two meters either side of where you last entered the water. This time count down half the time it took to hit the bottom and start your retrieval. Look at it as if you have a left-hander at the crease and maybe a right arm spin bowler would fair better against him. Always be prepared to try something different I say. This time strip back in 20cm lengths, with every fifth one being a 10cm strip, Remember to raise your rod tip after this short pull. Lowering your rod tip again puts just enough slackness back in the line for your fly to flutter down again before your next 20cm strip. I also encourage to you to get in to the habit of stopping In the middle of a strip every now and then. Over the last few years I have noticed that many of my takes have been during this period where the fly has stopped, so stay alert! Spring Piking Springtime for me here in Finland brings new revitalised energy to my Fly-fishing. Here in Southern Finland most lakes thaw out in early April with Pike spawning As soon as they can get close into the shallows and reed bed areas. This period lasts for around two weeks. This is probably one of the best and most productive times to go Pike fly-fishing here. Pike are ravenous and in my experience just as aggressive as in late autumn. Pike lie close into the shoreline and I am often toiled with the problem of whether to use a floating line or a slow sinking intermediate. As Pike feed at all depths during this period I usually use an Intermediate slow sinking line with a surface lure to start proceedings (Poppers, Ballydoona bombers or even a Bunny-wobbler) Although your line sinks slowly, the short 20cm strip you give imparts a wonderful action in your fly which become irresistible to any Pike lying anywhere in its close proximity. Vary the length of your strip here 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm at a time. The longer the strip the longer the fly will stay under water and its rise to the surface will also be longer. Always try remembering to every now and then raise and lower your rod tip from right to left and stop the retrieve every 3 to 6 strips. If it’s an all day session I invariably swap over to a floating line with a fast sinking fly and fish 3m to 8m from the margins. Although the front 4 meters of your floating line sinks with the fast sinking fly attached the action is opposite with the fly rising and sinking in short 10, 20 & 30cm lengths. (Most takes will be as the fly sinks back down). Summer Piking Summer time here in Finland is like most other places in Europe extremely hard for the Pike fly-fisherman. Pikes have now moved into deeper water around the 5m to 10m depths due to the rise in the waters temperature at the surface, & the oxygen levels dropping off. A fast sinking line here is needed coupled with a fast sinking fly. A fly preferably with a lot of flash built in. As I have mentioned before the lakes here in Finland are quite dark and fishing at these depths I want to give myself all the chance I can for a pike to see my fly. The Pike will still be active and quite aggressive but it’s getting down to them that put many a Pike fly-fishermen off. The last two yrs though I have been employing a different tactic while fishing at depths. I take two rods on the Boat, fishing from either side of it. I cast the 1st line out 10m to 15metres over a respected drop off with a fast sinking line with a fast sinking fly attached allowing it to fall down into the respected area and then place it in a rod holder, then while that is sinking I then move to the other side of the boat and with the same set up (Fast sinking line/fast sinking fly) cast out 10m to 15m over the drop off. This would have given the 1st fly time to sink to a reasonable depth. Place the rod in the Holder. Now I start to retrieve the fist rig. With this method I am able to use extremely large flies of around 20cm to 25cm in length, as I don’t need to cast them all that far. I start by stripping lengths of between 30cm and 60cm stopping in between each strip allowing the fly to slowly flutter back down. I also raise the tip of my rod either left or right a lot more with this method. To be honest I still haven’t caught any monsters using this method but I have regularly had fish in the boat between the 4.5kg & 6.5kg range. This I put down to not finding the right drop off yet but my day will come, as it will with you all. Sure its not classic fly-fishing in the true sense but it brings results especially on those days when it’s hot and all you want to do is feel the fly line between your fingers. Once I have retrieved the fly back up to the surface I cast it out 2m either side from its last position and start retrieving the other rods fly. Other than that during the summer months Pike fly-fishing should be practiced either in the early morning or very late afternoon/evening. Autumn piking Autumn time here is by far the most prolific and productive season for fly-fishing for pike. It’s a chance for me to go out onto a lake armed with just a box of Poppers and my favourite fly the Ballydoona Bomber. But that’s another article altogether. Author: Simon Graham Wilderness predator fly-fishing in Finland pikeflyfishingarticles.blogspot.com

Posted on November 4, 2008 Filed Under Diving and Fishing Holidays, Fish, Fishing | Leave a Comment

Speed Clinch Knot

When you are out on the water or walking along a river it is sometimes an advantage to be able to tie quick knots. You might have lost a fish (and your hook/fly), gotten snagged or simply want to change hook size or fly. In many of these circumstances you will want to tie a knot quickly to get back into the fishing action. However, in the panic of a hot fishing session, quick knot tying can often lead to inferior knots. The speed clinch knot was developed to prevent this problem as it is a fast knot to tie, yet remains a solid fishing knot for most situations. With practice this knot can be tied in less than 20 seconds! Here is an instructional video showing the process.

Posted on November 3, 2008 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Sea Fishing | Leave a Comment

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