2013-2014 Early season lure fishing report.

The river fishing season here starts on the glorious 16th of June.  This day is always hotly anticipated by UK anglers and, in my experience, never fails to disappoint.

Thames sunset at Eynsham.

This 2013-14 season was different and got off to a great start on June 16th.  I was due to attend the Lure Anglers Society event on the Thames at Eynsham at 9am on opening day but I could not resist nipping in to one of my favourite Thames predator venues on the way out.

Tackle review: Shimano Rarenium CI4 4000FA.

Time for another tackle review.  This time we will look at the Shimano Rarenium Ci4 4000FA The most expensive reel I ever bought.

GOLD! That lovely spare spool is included in the price.

Lure Anglers Society event. Newport Pagnell. May 5th.

In which my talent for catching small pike is rewarded with glittering prizes from the land of the rising sun.

A smug D.Heaps relaxes over a few tench
wearing  runner-up Sunline cap.

Not much to report here for me since the end of the river season. I've tried luring for perch a bit in the canal and secret gravel pit with a couple small pike to show for it.  I've also got off the mark for tench with a couple from Newlands Angling Club.

Today I have just returned from a splendid event.  The Lure Anglers Society event at Newport Pagnell Fishing Association's Sherington Lakes.  There were competitions sponsored by Major Craft and Sunline with predator fish caught being judged on the basis of length rather than weight.  There were prizes of Major Craft (smart Japanese Tackle) rods for longest pike and perch and an overall total length competition with prizes of Sunline braid/hats/trophies up for grabs.

Hosted article: Rohu fishing at KRS by Pete Carroll

As a departure from the usual format of me gloating about what I've caught I am proud to present an article by my friend Pete Carroll.  Regular readers will recognise Pete from the Indian mahseer fishing articles.  Pete is based in India and, with Joe, has been pioneering fishing in the vast Krishna Raja Sagara dam at Mysore.  I've never caught a rohu but I have enjoyed eating one that someone else caught at Kabini.  Over to you Peter.

Rohu fishing at KRS

Joe with a good rohu

Let me start these tales of worldwide ‘derring do’ by telling you of my humble angling background. I have fished for longer than I can remember, my father was a fanatical angler and he gave me no choice, I was always going to be a fisherman whether I liked it or not. My earliest fishing memory is as a four year old, I was left standing, holding a rod, on a rock in the middle of Rydal Water and was literally nearly dragged into the depths by a vicious toothy pike that probably weighed in at a massive 5 pounds.  After this traumatic event if my father and Uncle Vic announced they were going pike fishing I would decline the invitation to join them.

Two PB fish in 8 days. February 2013

Three months later I've finally got something to write about.  Most anglers have targets in terms of  sizes of different fish that they wish to achieve but it is important to enjoy the fishing rather than obsess about these targets.  Three big ones for me that I had yet to realise were the 2lb roach, 3lb perch and 6lb chub.  Fish larger than these live in the rivers around where I live in Oxford.  In about 7 hours of fishing in the last 8 days I have just beaten 2 of these and am very happy indeed.

If you know chub you will like the look of this classic swim
Smooth water in between turbulent runs with a big snag at the end.

November Perch Spectacular

Urban perch go berserk.

Typical perch specimen from downtown

As Summer turned to Autumn my focus has continued to be on Perch fishing as I strive to beat the magic 3lb mark.  Conditions on the Thames have been difficult as the ground is still wet from the summer rain and every fall of rain is expressed quickly by the Thames rising and colouring up, making lure fishing difficult and usually making the places that produced fish over the last 2 seasons in low water conditions less productive as water is let through Oxford rather than it being held up by the many weirs and locks. 

Although the boat traffic on the Thames around Oxford can be a nuisance to anglers, the need for weirs and locks to make the river navigable provides interesting features and some nice areas for fish to shelter from heavy flows after rain.  I've been studying Google maps to try and figure out where fish might hide in higher water and went for a 'look' at a little basin/confluence right in town yesterday evening with my lovely new light spinning outfit described HERE

Tackle review: My new light spinning outfit. Dragon guide select & Okuma trio

Always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

I'm not a tackle tart but... A lovely looking light setup.

Time for another tackle review.  Lets take a critical look at my new light spinning setup.

Lure Review: Northland Reed-Runner

Reed-runner reed-runner.  Going faster miles an hour..   *

Reed-runner once..

Time for a tackle review.  At the Lure Anglers Society lurefair recently I visited the stall of Franglais Fishing  As well as an ace Dahlberg Diver Frog lure I purchased a Northland Reed-Runner magnum spinnerbait in 'Bass' colour as seen in the picture.

Carry on up the Jungle. Mahseer fishing in Coorg March 2012. Part II

In Carry on up the Jungle part II I meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same.  Part II takes us into the weekend where Peter and I would be fending for ourselves as Joe returned to Mysore for the weekend and fishing on the golden mile is suspended.  In week 2 I try lure fishing for mahseer with mixed results, battle with Peter in Turtlemania! 2012, and a great time is had by all except Dinesh.

Read part 1 here

Carry on up the Jungle. Mahseer fishing in Coorg March 2012. Part I

I've not finished writing up the last mahseer trip and another has come around.  I will finish the other at some stage but must relate to you now the tale of my trip to Coorg in March 2012 to meet up with my friend Pete Carroll and 'Mr Joe' the Cauvery mahseer fishing legend and bon-viveur.

The smallest of my 'proper' fish but the most photogenic