Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle
Information Page
Freshwater Fishing
For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).
End of season.
My last river fishing trip was in October, just before I hurt my back. I tried a spot of general spinning in low, clear water and I stuck to using a little jointed Rapala on my light spinning gear. Although there were a fair few fish about (I caught five pike and seven trout in a couple of hours) I didn't find any of the chub or perch that I fancied catching. However, there's nearly always something to keep me entertained when I go spinning. The perchy spots produced pike (mostly jacks with a best approaching double figures - unusual on the small lure) and the chubby spots seemed to be occupied by trout. To be honest I don't mind catching either species and the pike fight like stink at this time of the year - even the smaller ones took line and put a good bend in the rod and they have plenty of stamina. Trout, on the other hand, tend to disappoint because they resort to thrashing and jumping about and it seems to tire them out pretty quickly. It's only very large ones that give much of a battle. Anyway, at least I got a few pictures for the blog page. The little Rapala was pretty deadly for both species and they were all lightly hooked and easy to unhook and return. Hopefully next time I'll catch something more interesting.
If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you!' get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com
My first pike played into the shallows where I was wading.
A bigger pike on the bank.
A trout makes a spirited attempt to escape.
A bigger trout already subdued.
... and another.
...and yet another.
