Sorry to have to announce this to my regular followers but I’m ending my blog. You will probably have noticed that I don’t update it as much as I planned to but the recession has gradually taken it’s toll on my business and I can’t justify spending time on it. Thanks to those who have shown an interest, I wish it could have gone to plan but I have to focus on trying to make a living.
Wishing you very tight lines!
The Duke
Getting nowhere fast. Water temp on my pit is only 14 deg C and no sign of tench. Baits are coming back feeling very cold. Starting to bait with Dynamite Chill Hemp to try and get them clearing a patch in the weed as it’s really dense already but I don’t think they are on it yet. No idea how big they are as this is a new water and not fished by anyone else. I’ll bait lightly till it gets warmer and then start fishing it again.
Not posted for a while as doing loads of magazine features. Been getting lots of fly fishing in for trout, grayling, roach, perch, rudd, carp and pike. All for Trout Fisherman features. But now it’s time for tench. Fishing a new water thats full of dense weed and impossible to fish at the moment so throwing loads of Dynamite Spicy Chilli Hemp in to get them rooting the weed out to create a patch I can fish on. I’ll let you know how I get on!
Had one of the best fun days fishing for ages. Matt and I fished Furnace Mill fishery in Worcestershire with a #6 fly rod for the carp in the Mucky Meadows lake. You can book this pool for fly fishing for up to 4 anglers any time now ( including lunch) and bookings are I believe being taken as I write. In a day of the most absorbing fishing, we took over twenty carp on natural patterns like Elk Hair Caddis and Buzzers and one or two on Deer Hair Pellet flys. You can see the carp and they are not a push over, it’s really interesting fishing. Read all about our day in Trout Fisherman June issue. Sorry thats a long way off but we have to work in advance! Off to catch a rainbow for lunch and then it’s time to start baiting a tench swim!
Ring Ed or Jane on 01299 266777 or 077860 570080 and mention you are an aquaintance of the Duke and you should be OK!!!
Pike fishing with the fly turned out to be a non starter for Haysey and me as the pike had turned off for spawning it seems. Saved the day by finding a beautiful Cotswold stream with a reputation for grayling and wild brown trout. Came away with a great feature for the May issue of Bauers Trout Fisherman magazine. The fish were typically small for this type of water but the fishing rates with the most enjoyable I have ever experienced. Wading the stream, working downstream and roll casting the flies to the far bank and feeling them round the current. The bites were just electric. Trout anglers will know what I mean, coarse anglers should have a go and maybe discover as I have that you should never judge anything until you’ve tried it! We’ll try for those pike again next month!
Just completed a feature about early season rainbows at the Watermark Fishery with Matt for Bauer Medias publication TROUT FISHERMAN. That should have a few pike anglers scratching their heads! I’m not giving up pike fishing for fly fishing as many are suggesting, just spreading myself round more as I just love all sorts of fishing. Getting ready now for another feature – fly fishing for pike!
As part of our Guideline contract, Matt Hayes and I will be appearing at the Glasgow Angling Centre open weekend (March 5/6/7). Pop in and see us if you are in the area but don’t be surprised if we can’t stop talking about fly fishing. Matts enthusiasm has drawn me in and I can see I’m going to be flinging a lot of fluff this year!
Starting March the first, I’m contracted by Guideline, the large Norwegian fly tackle manufacturer, to help Matt Hayes develop and promote their equipment. We’ve obviously got a lot of work to do but it will take us to some great locations. I’ll keep you posted of our progress!
Had my last pike session for this winter by taking one of my old boats onto a new water I’d been thinking of trying for ages. Should have tried it sooner, had 3 takes on trolled livebaits, the biggest at 20 lb 1 oz came in the dark! See pic on my home page. Have to stop piking now as I’ve got a load of work coming up.
Despite the really bitter cold weather, my Pike Master class at the Carp Society lake at Lechlade was a great success. The 15 participants caught 18 pike with many in double figures and a best of 17 lb 6 oz. Well done to the Carp Society for laying on fantastic facilities in the new club house and well done to the lads who bivvied out with the temp dropping to minus four and the lake partially freezing over. Many thanks to Dynamite Baits for sponsoring us with deadbaits. After a bit of arm twisting, I might just try and squeeze another event in next year, despite saying this would be the last. It’s such a great social weekend, I’ll do my best but can’t make any promises while I’m restructuring my business. Nearly forgot, thanks to Mike Neate (Hoss) for his help too on the bank and for organising the beer!
