Taking it easy at Tanyard

[Vagabond]

Species Hunt 2007 No 51

After several sessions of catching everything in the Upper Medway except grayling, and walking miles to do it, I decided that a morning spent fishing from a chair was what I deserved. Certhia does not normally fish freshwater except for predators, but after the horrendous weather we encountered on the fens last week, she too fancied a day sitting on a chair in the sunshine.

So, it was a return to Tanyard, home of the pumpkinseed, and home too, to one or two good fish if you can find them.

Early start - I was mixing my molasses and brown crumb groundbait at 5.30 am (I like it fresh, not made the night before), anointing maggots with Archie’s Red Surprise, and sprinkling the result with various ground spices. We were first at the Tanyard gate at five minutes to seven, and thus able to get the double swim I wanted. It was the same swim as I fished earlier this season, so you’ve seen pics of it already.

I briefed Certhia on how to fish and feed her end of the swim, and considered how I should tackle my stretch. Whilst I was setting up Certhia was catching already – but just this!




We caught several more during the morning, and they went home to be boiled, sauced, garnished and were eaten as an hors d’oevre before our Italian-style chicken with “warm salad” this evening.

The best time of the day at Tanyard is usually from 7 to 9am, and so it proved. The tench fed early, but nothing very big today.




The Brown Goldfish were also feeding – here is Certhia’s first, and a good start too




So was her first Crucian.




After the tench went quiet at about 9 am, I was fishing “up in the water” close to the marginal flags, and catching roach and rudd – here is one of the roach.



Then came the fish I was hoping for, and the reason I was fishing well off the bottom.




A golden orfe, worth one and a half golden points. Not very big, but who needs big?

By now the bream had muscled in on our groundbait, and Certhia’s first bream provided some entertainment – we were hooking them in very shallow water (couple of feet) and although they didn’t “fight” they did leap out of the water as soon as they felt the hook – and went back with a big crash - they must have thought they were tarpon!

Bream, gudgeon and pumpkinseed were the main feeders as the sun got brighter, but after a while a big black cloud obscured the sun, and it was back to a more mixed bag with more roach, and crucians for a while.

By now there were ominous swirls around the edges of the swims we had been baiting – “dinner time for perch, fish up in the water on the edge of the baited area” I said. Certhia did so, and almost immediately got this nice perch.




Now I don’t mind her catching the biggest goldfish, or the biggest bream – but the biggest perch is WAY out of order (LOL). The perch thought so too, and this one decided to take my bait and pose for the camera.




That was it – ten species from the “carp-free” lake. We had parked the car by some bushes on one of the carp lakes, and before driving home I demonstrated to Certhia how very very easy it was to get carp to take a floating crust. Fifteen minutes fishing, two carp hooked – one pulled off the hook after a few minutes fight, the other (around seven pound) was landed, to make eleven species for the morning. Had put the camera in the car so didn't bother with a pic.

Fish are certainly much easier to catch on a commercial than on the rivers, but sometimes its nice to have an easy and relaxing day.

[Norfolkboy]

Well done to the both of you and what a cracking perch, Dave.

[perch_king]

awsome right up and pics well done to the both off you

[Twiddler]

Superb report/pics as always...... I'm well impressed with all the species caught, specially that perch of yours it looks huge.

Certhia's Crucian looks a nice one too...well done to both

[fishypaul]

super report and pics as usual vagabond,that is truly a lovely perch, well done both of you

[Banana Steve]

Well done both, looks like you had a great days fishing. :-)

[mithrandir]

nice report and pictures and well done on a good variety of species.

I too like a sit down day of relaxing fishing, it is why it is called "pleasure" angling. It may be easier, it may not be as much of an achievement as stalking that elusive fish on a river, but a sunny day relaxing in a chair landing a few fish cannot be beaten as a way to chill out.

Good luck on that species hunt, looks like the magic 100 points could be on the cards this year at the rate you are going!

[Vagabond]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

Good luck on that species hunt, looks like the magic 100 points could be on the cards this year at the rate you are going!

LOL You lot are nearer to 100 than we are.

It would be nice if BOTH teams could top the magic ton, whoever "wins" and

[Droppenfish]

Great session vagabond. Is there a forum record for number of species caught in a day? if not, there should be! actually it would be a good sponsored event...a group of us from the forum fishing and being sponsored by our family and friends a certain amount per species caught...all proceeds to the ACA or similar fishy related cause.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Cracking read a what a wollop of a perch