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).

Mini-Grand-Slam.

After catching two good chub yesterday I thought I'd try a different stretch of river today. I used the same tackle - Teklon rod, Nanofil braid, Wire trace and J9f black and silver Rapala. I started off in a big pool which is often productive but there was nothing doing until I reached the shallow water in the tail of the pool where I caught the best perch of the trip (8 ounces?). Later on I had lots more perch, mostly from deep slow flowing stretches, and I had several on a Mepps which I tried for the last ten minutes or so.

After catching the perch I waded downstream and the next fish was a smaller perch. This was followed by a solid bite from a deep run under the trunk of a fallen ash tree. Big chub, I thought, but it was a bit too lively and turned out to be a modest pike. I had reached a spot that was too deep to wade so I turned back and began to cast upstream as I retraced my steps. Almost at once I was into a chub but it was much smaller than the ones I caught yesterday. It took the plug with a good whack and I'm always surprised how even little chub will attack quite large lures.

I climbed out of the water and headed further downstream. The next fishable place was a shallow gravel bedded run with lots of streamer weed. Several times I saw small chub and perch follow the lure but I had no takes. I cast downstream into a streamy stretch and about half-way through the retrieve there was a good take and a lively splashing which shouted "trout!". I landed the fish, took its picture and popped it back before moving on down to a spot which I regard as a banker for big chub. Nothing!

By now it was time to make my way home so I switched lures to a size 4 silver Mepps for my last ten minutes. I tried a deep, slow stretch and one perch after another hurled itself onto the Mepps but none of them was any bigger than the first one I'd had on the plug. Still, it was a good way to finish off the session. I always think of the four species in one session as a sort of Grand Slam so I was well pleased with my catch.

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

Perch.

Chub.

Pike.

Trout.