Some points on the Nadder

Banana Steve · #1 01-26-2008, 04:01 PM

After a stressful week at work, I made my mind up to go fishing this weekend; my chosen venue was the River Nadder at Tisbury. I went there just before Christmas and caught some Huge Gudgeon. This time my target species was the Gudgeon, a Trout and hopefully a Chub and if I was really lucky a Grayling.

I left home at 7:00am, as I drove towards Tisbury I was rewarded with burning red winter sky.

I arrived at the river at 7:30ish. I stepped out of the car and boy was it cold, out came the thermals.
I approached the road bridge that goes over the Nadder as I looked over the edge down towards the river what I saw was perfect, the river was in prime condition, a good steady flow and no rubbish floating down stream.

My plan today was to fish the stick until the bites dried up then go onto the maggot feeder.
My first cast produced a small roach on the stick, but then nothing over the following ¼ hr. so I went on the Feeder, with in seconds the tip flew round, the fight was very jagged and I knew that I hooked a Trout, on the fish breaking the water surface I noticed that the Trout was a Brown Trout and not the normal Rainbows that normally haunt this area.

The next three casts produced 3 more Brown Trout, so it was back on the Stick.
I was using a wire stem stick float 3AAA, with the shot bulked so the bait fell straight to the bottom as there was an awkward wind that caused problems trying to control the Stick Float so by getting the bait on the bottom I wasn’t moving the float around to much as I sorting out the line.
After a couple of trots down the river, the float slipped away to produce a small Gudgeon, Target Species number 2.

The next cast produced a bonus species for the hunt a small Chub.

For the following half hour I caught a few more small Brown Trout and some Roach and Gudgeon.
It was just after the wind dropped and the float was going through perfect, I hooked into something bigger than what I was catching, the fish tore up stream and then turned and headed towards me, then the line went solid and I was snagged up. After re-setting up my first cast produced a Fantastic fish, a 1lb Dace, My best ever dace as well, this also was my first PB of the season.

This was uninspected and gave me a 4th fish for the “HUNT”
As the day wore the bites on the stick started to dry up, so I gave it one last cast and ran the float down to the end of my peg, I had the tiniest of dips on the float, I stuck and to my enjoyment, a small Minnow.

I mean who would get excited over a minnow, only a forum member.

So it was back on the tip, I was fishing a paternoster rig with a maggot feeder the hook length was 0.15mm 4.12oz with a size 16 hook with 3 maggots on the hook
So far I had trout on the feeder. Within ten minutes of fishing the feeder, the tip bent round and there a solid feel to the fish, it was fighting extremely well, hugging the bottom, then I saw the flash of silver and then I saw the fish’s sail, I had hooked a Grayling, my first in over 6 years, my heart was pounding, I was so tentative whilst playing the fish, It wasn’t a massive fish, but it was over a pound. The fish ran me ragged all over the swim and finally I landed the fish, I was so pleased, and it gave me a sixth fish for the species hunt.

As the afternoon wore on I caught some more small chub and a few more small roach. The time was wearing on and I was getting cold sitting on the feeder, so swapped over to the float again. On the fifth or sixth cast the float buried its head again, and yet again the fish tore up stream, but this time I managed to stop it, and forced it away from the snag. Then I saw the fish, it had a bright orange head and silver body, and the shape of a carp, someone’s pond must have been affected by the recent flood as I was into an Orange Kio.

No points for this fish then, ohh well never mind, it was a lovely fish, and I expect in a few years it will be worth a bit of money.

I had a fantastic day and a total of Nine points as well, next week I will be joining the Zander meet and you never know I may actually catch a fish I have never had before, fingers X

cuckoo · #2 01-26-2008, 04:14 PM

Outstanding report , cracking session there steve , and 9 points to suit , what can i say mate but a big well done

, ian eat your heart out !!

lee.

Portland Pirate · #3 01-26-2008, 05:10 PM

Fantastic days fishing Steve. Some more good news for you! That is not a Koi it's a Goldfish. You should claim it as one.

silverfish · #4 01-26-2008, 05:17 PM

Well done steve. Sounds like a good days fishing.All the best martin.

Catfish Virgin (Still!) · #5 01-26-2008, 07:18 PM

Congratulations on some well earned points. You're right, catching a minnow is made a joyous occassion by this Race thingy!

More importantly, that Dace is truly a fish to remember. A 1lb Dace is a fish of a lifetime (I'll wager January Fish of the Month and 2008 Fish of The Year to boot). Huge congratulations and I'm only a little bit envious.

That "alien" is a Goldfish and should qualify for more points!!

Mind you, once Twiddler has finished with those other saltwater aliens today/tonight and my cunning plan comes to fruition tomorrow, your temporary lead in The Race will be overhauled!