Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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20 January 2004.

A good variety.

Last weekend I went fishing with Joe and Nigel. The river was still high and had a bit of colour but the weather was a good bit milder even though there was a chilly wind blowing. When I arrived the other two were already fishing. They were sharing a float rod and fishing a shallow glide in the little mill stream. I was just in time to see Joe return a reasonable grayling and, it seemed, they had already landed quite afew of these lovely fish. Needless to say my presence put the damper on the fish and all they caught after I got there was a salmon parr - still it was encouraging.

We shifted upstream to a small weir pool with a strong flow down the middle. Joe fished the right hand side and Nigel the left while I watched. and took a few pictures. The fish weren't exactly mad on but they came steadily - dace, roach, trout, gudgeon, grayling, salmon parr and even a perch. Enough variety to keep everyone occupied. For some reason Nigel dropped loads of fish after a second or two on the hook. I guess it must have been the way the fish moved in the current that was dislodging the barbless hook from their mouths, even so he caught plenty.

When the fishing slowed down a bit we decided to have an hour after pike in the main river. despite walking for a couple of miles there were very few fishable spots. The high water had resulted in most of the pikey spots being very tubulent and even in the slacks we found there was nothing doing. Eventually Joe had a reasonable pike from the end of a ditch where the water was virtually still and a bit clearer than in the main river. Eight species in a short afternoon - excellent.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

INFORMATION SPOT

COARSE FISHING

January 20 2004

The grayling swim.

The water was barely half a metre deep but there were plenty of fish present.

Joe's grayling..

Not a big fish but an encouraging start.

Salmon!

Some of these little fish were still running milt even though the adult fish have probably finished spawning.

Another spot!

Nigel's fish were nearly all under the edge of the fast water.

A gudgeon.

Joe's first ever. The gloss was taken off it when Nigel had one seconds later.

A reasonable perch.

I must try fishing for perch sometime. They seem to be on the increase.

Joe's pike.

The pike was in the slack water of the newly dredged ditch just behind Joe.

Back it goes.

The fish was only lightly hooked on the circle hook. These hooks seem to work well for pike.