Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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Coarse Fishing 20 July 2002

When I went over to the Stour in mid July I found the river much lower than I expected. The broad weir which is usually covered with white water over its full width, was reduced to a trickle. Only a few metres next to my fishing position was actually flowing. Big patches of pondweed were reaching the surface and slimy green algae decorated all the slacks and backwaters.

I was using the little five piece spinning rod (I know! I said it was too soft for spinning a few weeks back but it is light and easy to use) and a fixed spool reel loaded with six -pound (2.5kg) Fireline braid. The trace (for the sake of pike) was 7kg wire. I clipped on a little floating plug, painted vaguely like a minnow with a greenish back and gold sides, and I began to cast. I knew from past experience that the perch were likely to be right under the white water at the lip of the weir so I cast along the sill and drew my lure back parallel to it. The plug had only gone a couple of metres when the tell tale tugging showed the presence of a 'customer'. I reeled it in, unhooked and returned it. After the tenth perch (all 100 - 200g in weight) I decided to try further downstream.

At the tail of the weir pool I cast up and across and retrieved the plug across the shallow glassy flow. On the third cast there was a sharp take and I hooked a chub af about 750g. It was a lovely fish and I took a picture before returning it. Wading downstream in mid-river I flicked the lure towards the banks on either side. One pool produced several perch, a bit bigger than the ones in the weir pool and a pike grabbed the plug and thrashed before coming off (I MUST use the carp rod!).

The water was a bit deeper now so I changed to a number 2 Mepps to get down a bit. Immediately I hooked the best Perch of the day (600g). It was now too deep to wade any further so I put the plug back on and made my way upstream to the weir pool. A couple of jacks took the plug and were landed and after a few more small perch from the sill of the weir I packed in. Two and a half hours. Nothing big seen or caught but altogether a very satisfying session.

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

INFORMATION SPOT

COARSE FISHING

July 20 2002

The first (and smallest) perch.

Another small perch.

A nice chub.

Wading sdownstream I found some bigger perch.

I could fish the little Mepps deeper than the lightweight plug.

One of the jack pike which took the plug.