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).

First thinlip of the year.

Despite the heavy rain two days earlier I thought that the river was likely to be in reasonable condition (it clears quickly at this time of the year). Anyway, having seen some mullet last time I went spinning for seatrout I decided that it might be worth trying to catch one. A visit to my local tackle shop produced half-a-dozen nice ragworms, more than enough for a couple of spinning sessions. Lilian was digging her Roman villa so after my morning visit to the dentist I grabbed the rod and set off for the river.

It was a sunny afternoon but the strong northerly wind we've suffered from recently was still blowing. I baited up the lure with a short section of worm and began to fish. The river was clearing well but for my first twenty minutes I saw nothing. I was beginning to wonder if the rain had sent all the thinlips back down to the estuary. I started at the upstream end of the stretch casting down and across. The spinner was allowed to swing back across in the current before being retrieved along my bank. Between casts I walked down five or six paces, searching for a fish. As I say it seemed almost dead until suddenly I saw a grey shape following the spinner and mouthing the worm, my spirits rose. Next cast there was another interested mullet, then on the following one nothing! I walked down a few steps and cast again. Sure enough there was another follow. I changed the bait for a fresh piece of worm as the scent soon washes out in the fresh water.

I'd moved down perhaps fifteen metres when suddenly a mullet took the bait and was hooked. It twisted and wriggled violently before comimg unstuck. Nearly there! It was probably five more minutes, several casts and another change of worm before I finally hooked a fish. I saw this one take the worm and turn away. It tore off downstream taking line against a moderately tight clutch. This was more like it. I extracted my little camera from the bag and took a couple of pictures as I played the mullet. It was two or three minutes before I had the fish on the bank. One or two more pictures, take the hook out and slip the mullet back into the water. Excellent! I didn't catch any more after that and, in fact, there were no more follows as I moved further downstream. I only had another ten minutes fishing before I had to leave as I was going to meet my pal Bill for a trip to the coast. Anyway, I was well pleased with my one fish and will certainly be giving it another go soon.

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

It's on! A nice thinlip forges upstream. Note the wire anti-pike trace.

Nearly there, ready to be landed.

What a beauty, getting on for three pounds I guessed and nicely hooked as always.

The spinner with the remains of my ragworm still on the hook.