Bleak Sabbath, Wimborne 17/6/2007

mithrandir · #1 06-17-2007, 01:20 PM

Well part 2 of my weekend mission started at 4 am. I had decided to rack up a few points as I have been slow in getting points during the closed season so after a cracking morning on Saturday I had planned to hit a free stretch of the Stour I know near Wimborne and catch some Bleak and some Minnows. I fished it last year and knew they were there.

Claudia, a little disappointed that she missed Saturday said she wanted to come along and see what she could get too.

5 am saw the tackle wagon loaded and ready to roll and off we set for the Stour.

The stretch I had chosen is not good fishing, lots of trees, slow water, snags and very few specimen fish, so it is rarely fished and hence it is a free stretch, the only bit not controlled by Wimborne Angling Club ( which does not do day tickets! ).

We set up and shortly after 6 am I had my first bait in the water, I had adopted exactly the same tactics as Saturday, maggot feeder, quivertip rod, 5 lb mainline and size 18 hook to 2 lb nylon, maggots catapulted in as I set up. Within 2 minutes the quivertip was twitching and I was strking into the first monster of the day, After what seemed and age of playing the darting and lunging leviathan ( all of 15 seconds! ) I was wrestling to unhook this monster

Well that was half a mission accomplished, 1 minnow, 1 picture = 1.5 more points.

Here is another slightly blurry picture to be sure that I was into the hard fighting minnows.

The next 45 minutes was minnow after minnow, I did see a diving lunge of what I think was a jack pike feeding on the shoal that had formed around my baits.

Bored with disgorging minnows I changed tactics to a 3.5 g puddle chucker float and fished at 3 foot depth and no drop shots, this was to give me a slow falling bait that would not snag up on bottom.

More minnows.

Then I cast to the other side of my swim and after a few knocks and dives on the float I managed to hook a feisty little fellow I was after

1 bleak, 1 picture = 1.5 more points.

Mission accomplished, time to chill out.

I carried on with the float for 20 minutes more and had more bleak and minnows.

Then it was a rod change, stepped up all the tackle and put a larger maggot feeder on and started casting around the further reaches of the swim to see what was there.

And behold I found trees, snags, weed, old bits of line with sea hooks attached and everything but fish.

After hanging my second feeder in a tree like a Christmas tree decoration I decided it was time to call it a day and pack up, it was now 9-30.

I wandered down to Claudia’s swim to see how she was doing, she was bored of catching minnows too, she had landed a rudd but it flicked out of her hands before she could get a photo, she had not seen any bleak but as her swim was a lot clearer than mine she could see reasonable size fish cruising around the catapulted maggots but refusing to take the legered baits she had out. I suggested, as I could see these fish swooping onto the maggots as the fell through the water that she try my puddle chucker trick.

So 2 minutes later we had her rod set up with the float and a 15” hook link unweighted, she cast out and I fired maggots to where she cast, this little bit of team work took about 6 attempts before one of these cruising fish took her maggot. Deftly stuck and played with consummate skill she landed this little fish, one which neither of us had caught before

1 chub, 1 picture = 1.5 points for Claudia’s team.

We were both ready for breakfast at this point so she packed up and off to the market to look at the tackle stall and grab a bite to eat.

I will have to return there soon, maybe we will swap the swims so she can go for the bleak and I can try for the chub, or maybe I will stop off on the way home from work and have a quick dabble for the chub just for the points.

Norfolkboy · #2 06-17-2007, 02:38 PM

Well done, the both of you.

Greenheart · #3 06-17-2007, 03:31 PM

Cracking report Mike. Wish I could have joined you, but i've just spent the last 2 days clearing all the junk out of my old shed & transfering it into my new one. It's been a bit like Christmas. I've been finding stuff that i stashed away 15 years ago & forgotton i'd had. I can now get to my bikes & tackle without risking life & limb. Just got the kitchen to do now....

Then I can spend the rest of the year fishing...

Nice Chub Claudia. I see you showed Mike hoew it's done again LOL

kiwimarty · #4 06-17-2007, 04:16 PM

Nice report and as always made better with a couple of pictures.

Claudias little Chub looks great. One of the few freashwater fish I would like to have a go for myself.

Nice one.

Kiwi.