Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

Freshwater Fishing

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).

Chub time again.

I'm just back from a week away in Suffolk with my wife's archaeology group and desperate to wet a line. This morning I went to the coast with the fly rod and despite decent conditions all I managed was a couple of plucks from tiny pollack. I caught nothing and was back in bed by five o'clock. Needless to say I didn't regard this fishing as satisfactory so after tea this evening I decided to pop to the river for an hour or so. It was my first trip of the new coarse season so I opted to try the good old J9 Rapala which has always served me well with a variety of fish.

The sun was still shining when I arrived at the river and I started off with a few casts across a wide pool downstream of a bridge. - nothing! I waded up through the first arch of the bridge and cast across into the fast run through the second arch. With the polaroids I could see big grey shape following the plug, a chub of course, but it didn't take. I cast to the same spot again and a smaller chub followed across, again without touching the plug. Encouraging.

I waded carefully on upstream casting ahead of me as I went and retrieving fast enough to keep the lure working. After about ten minutes the plug was taken in fairly shallow water with a mighty splash and I found myself attached to the first chub of the year. It was a beauty but in the way of its kind apart from the fierce take it didn't put up much of a struggle. I towed the fish down until it grounded itself in shallow water then I took a couple of pictures before unhooking, weighing and releasing it. Six-pounds-six ounces - not a bad start.

I continued on upstream and for a change decided to try a cast down and across to some willow trees on the far bank. I dropped the lure as close to the branches as I dared and allowed the plug to drift down past a submerged branch before tightening the line. I could feel the little balsa lure vbrating madly in the current and suddenly - wallop! It was grabbed by a second chub not much smaller than the first. This time I took a couple of pictures as I played the fish towards me then I released it. I carried on fishing for about another half-hour but apart from one more missed swipe from a smaller chub I saw nothing else. Still, two good fish was enough to get me enthused about my next trip.

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

First of the year.

Not quite so big.

Ready to unhook.