Today went fishing for 2-3 ours in the afternoon. The bad thing is that I've missed the best time for fishing in winter with lures, when it's sunny outside.
After few rainy days, the weather ,,calmed" and it got warmer.
Initially, the plan was to test the perch, but it was getting dark and coudn't reach a new fishing spot and so I've decided to try the chub. Tried few chub lures (small sizes), had few posible attacks and, in the end, caught 2 at different lures. The first one was caught on a surface lure while the second one was caught at a middle to surface lure. The attacks came on a slow retrieve with small stops...cclose to an area where calm water was meeting fast water.
Looks like you can catch chub on lures in winter. Maybe I should insist more and try to catch chub, but there are few spots where they may eating... but I think that search for the perh
The last fishing sessions were intended for perch. Unfortunatelly, on 1st november a law became appliable - you can't fish up/down any brigde for at least 500 meters. It's an interesting part of the law as it brings into question few ideas like.. the fact that the brigde can be associated with a structere which is needed by fish to reproduce, but also to face the cold weather. Unfortunatelly, there are few things that are unclear, like the reasons as for why that part of the law was legiferated.. and the fact that in the dam/reservoir in which I fish are at least 2 bridges.. so.. almost all of it is, currently, unfishable.
After this fishing sesion: http://anotherangler.blogspot.com/2019/10/breaking-ice.html - had another two who had fish, there were more, but witouth fish.
The first good fishing sesion for perch began with this snagged fish - it's an invasive species (from what I know) here, so I've gave it to another angler to use it as fish bait - it doesn't get bigger and I'm not sure if it's detrimental to other fish. Perch seems to eat it from time to time.
Seeing that there were no good attacks, I've changed the place and decided to fish with a Relax grub of 4 centimeters, the one from the image. The result appeared soon after that.
That day caught enough perch to be ,,hooked" by this fish species. As here you can keep fish to eat, I've kept some who were smaller than that one and bigger than 12 cm (the legal limit).
Today went fishing at around 8 am and didn't have much succes except few perch who were all released.
As I've coudn't fish where I've wanted to - initially I've planned to find a perch spot to be able to understand their attacking patterns, but, in the end, had to try to fish for pike with spoons as there were no places available to fish due to the 'bridge rule'.
In the grass, at some point of time, found this snake. At first, I've though that it was a dried snake as it didn't move when I've photographed it. At the end of the photographing sesion, I've tried to confirm if it was alive or not and tried to touch it with a stick - it was alive and it remained alive as I've didn't touch it, nor did I annoy it more than that.
I also have some photographs with a toad that I really like how they've ended, but I'll have to download them from my phone.
Next weekend I plan to fish for perch with soft lures in a small river, the river in which I often fish for chub with lures when the time and weathers allow - that happens, most often, in the summer season. Maybe I'll also try to fish in a lake(?) where I've saw big perch being caught at sunfish on the bottom few years ago. Someone also told me that there's a lake, close to that one who has pike, perch and catfish. Maybe I'll give a try..
In the morning went fishing with lures for ~2 hours, from ~7 am to 9 am. Had no attack and because I've had to go somewhere else, I've coudn't test what I've intended to test - the morning was really cold and it was misty.
At ~3 Pm returned to the dam/reservoir with 2 rods, one for pike and one for perch. Tried different places, watched an angler catching small perch at the drop shot method and tried to 'break the ice' for perch at soft lures.
Had a small pike attaking the pike spoon, a big one for it's size as I apreaciate the pike to be no bigger than 20 cm.. it was pretty aggresive as it attacked the lure thrice.
At some point of time, I've decided to test a place where I knew that there could be nice perch and, in the end succeded in catching one - it the past I've wrote another post in which I've showed my first (?) perch caught at the drop shot method. I've started fishing with some pike spoons and seeing perch following the spoon I've changed to soft lures.
The fish attacked at 17:51 and the attack was pretty agresive. There was another perch who was following this one, but I was distracted by a fish that jumped in the middle of the dam. I think that there were other perch that attacked the lures, but I've coudn't distinguish between attacks and snags.
The tackle that I've used while fishing for perch:
Reel: Abu Garcia
Fishing rod: Xexta Black Star 69 S
Wire trace: Jaxon (2.5 kg)
Soft lure: Relax Bass (It was a gift)
Fishing line: Balzer, 0.06.
The last few fishing sessions were targeting pike, but only perch decided to attack my lures. Had a good attack, few days ago, at a weeds margin from a pretty big fish, but, because it attacked when I was distracted I've didn't strikeand so it unhoked itself. The attack came at a spoon, crucian carp like, with few black and red stripes and spots made by me.
This perch was caught on 13th octombrr at 4:22 pm.
This one was caught on 15th octomber at 18:59
Tfew photographs with the dam/reservoir :
This one was caught at 18:59 , the same one from the previous photograph:
This one was caught at 07:35
At 08:37
Between some weeds had a short attack, it was a perch who tried to 'bite' the spoon that I was using while searching for pike.. as I've got tired of fast attacks.. put a crankbait and caught this perch:.
The 'biggest' catch of the day...:
Some moron/s decided that they had enough of perch and let them dry in the sun. I'm not sure if the person did that intentionally, considering the perch to be a non-valorous fish species or because he used them as pike bait... and they've died soon:
Some spoons and wire traces that I've buyed for pike; one of them was given to me as a gift..
Today was a strange day. Last night rained a bit, the morning was cold and cloudy. Storm clouds were often present and the sun alternating with rain.
Went fishing two times, from 8 am to 11 am and from 3 pm to 7 pm. Caught two fish as I was too impatient and didn't playthe spoon/lure close to the botto.
In the morning the water was clear, but in the afternoon it got crystal clear.
At 8 caught the first fish of the day - personal record for perch at spoon.
The perch was released.
As I really like a topwater lure, I've decided to insist on it. Caught my first fish ever on topwater lures (popper/...), a small chub whose lenght I don't know and I kinda regret the fact that I've didn't film it, nor took better images.. but that happened because it s too agressive and it double hooked itself. While trying to unhook it I've used both hand and coudn't risk to drop the phone in water as the hook was in a risky area for the fish and because it was a hard place.
TThe attack came in a weed ,,path"; I've fished in a reservoir/dam and autumnis the season when underwater weeds get loose due to cold and water level fluctuations.
A dieing fish who's colors I've liked - the have a really small mouth and so it's a pain to catch them.
From different anglers learned that yesterday some pike were caught; one around 2 killos, on around 4 killos - they were caught with live bait, on float... and a 6.800 grams pike who attacked a spoon lure alin the morning, around 10 am. I'm not sure if I know the angler who caught it; planned to fish more, but it got really windy and the waves and wind were bothersome.
Plans for the future:
To insist more on top water lures, even though I've geared that pike were caught on lures retrieved close to the bottom;
To retrieve the lure slower;
To use a better pike leader, a softer and not so heavy trace leader, maybe I'll try fluorocarbon?
The previous Saturday went fishing in the local reservoir/dam; arrived at the water at around 8 am and began to test different types of lures. The water was clear, the weather calm and sunny. As I've had the intention to 'test' some pike lures I've took an Fenwick fishing rod, one for Salmon & Steelhead, my 'school bag' full of lures, but forgot to.. bring with me enough wire leaders.
There were few anglers, but most of them were fishing at float and some of them on the bottom, for carp. There were 1 or two other anglers who were fishing with lures, but they were using spoons and spinners. I've fished, mainly, with woblers and, in secondary, with spoons.
As I've grew tired due to the tackle and luggage weight, I've decided to 'walk' up and down the dam banks and so I've 'tested' around 10-15 meters of water length.
Took a Vagabond inject lure - I have 2 in my tackle box and I can say that I LOVE their action and that's because, to me, they are pretty good.. even though they are the most expensive lures that I own
and began to try to 'memorize' their retrieving action. Sometimes, especially on clear water and when I'm in the studying mood, I like to try to understand the lure's action and see how I can play it.
At some time, while I was retrieving the lure in a really slow manner,with small twitches I've saw a bird fishing. Had some stray thougths in mind and I've auto ironised myself - why be afraid of a bird, it's not like you're hiting it, look, she's up in the sky! What you've heard from other anglers, that they've caught bats, snakes and some birds while fishing won't happen to you.. you fool! ...and... life has a way to make you humble- the unexpected happend:
That bird clearlly attacked my lure. I've could see it focusing on it and 'throwing' itself at it. The hook hooked her superficially and I was happy that the bird didn't fly away with a lure attached to it. It was a really light bird, with a weak pinching peak.. If there's something that I regret regarding it is that I've held it a bit rash, though, no tendons or bones were broken, stretched more than it could stand; at least, that's what I think.
Sometime after that or before the bird was caught, didn't bother to memorize the succesion of evens, had two fish attacks. I've got bored and kinda tired and wanted to have some fish attacks so I've began to use some spinners. In the end, I've kept using a Mepps 3 Comet of a bright green. The first perch unhooked itself while the second one was released by me from inside the water.
What was interesting was that this one attacked while the water level was fluctuating. As it can be seen in this video:
the weeds were going 'upstream'. I don't know if that was caused because the dam was open or because it was closed. The attack came from under some 'weed' covers. That's what surprised me. I'm not sure if the perch shoal was 'chasing' the weeds cover or that's where they were hunting and the weeds were just 'en passant'. This is a theory that I'll try to test in the future, to see if the predators are taking advantage of the covers and they are using them for their own gain. The attack came at a pretty hour, around 10-11 am.
The next day went float fishing.. in the same spot. Wanted to catch some crucian carps for a acquintance of mine to populate his pound. Had no success regarding that. Fished from ~8 am until 7 PM and caught some dace, some gudgeon, 3 small perch and 1 nice roach. The surprise came from the roach as I've didn't expect to catch it. I've got bored and when I get bored while float fishing, well, I target he dace - I bait them really often and I use a light tackle - thin line, ~0.10 mm or even thinner, small hooks -smaller than 16 (I kinda like Maver Katana) and 1 maggot that I hook from the hard part. The 'catch' is that the maggot has to be alive and moving; pretty often, small fish bite it and it's end stretched/pressed and it dies. The predators were frequenting my swim - could see small fishing jumping all around, caught the perch that I've mentioned before, 2 on maggots and one on a maggot and worm on hook. When the water level was fluctuating, the fish shoal (dace) was disturbed and distracted - the baits were rare and had few hooking chances. Though, it's also posible that some big fish arrived and I've didn't know how to hook them. I often tend to be too impatient and either try to hook them too soon or 'chase' the bites and fish for small fish. I need to correct that aproach. Also, another mistake that I do while float fishing is to feed the swim in a too wide circle - that's a fault of mine caused by me trying to fish too far and/or mistaking the bait density. Another thing that I tend to forget if I don't float fishing for a while is that I should place the hook somewhere at the margins of the feeded place, especially if there are underwater currents. Though, I should test more that idea as I have to take into consideration the water flow, the water depth, the bait's density and so on.
I also tend to postpone too often to change the lightness of the float. Sometimes, you need a heavier float, to put the bait at the right depth and fast enough.
This saturday went fishing again. I've took my pike tackle, tried floating/surface lures but caught nothing. At some point, some birds of the same species as the one that I've caught the previous saturday were targeting my lure - again, the same Vagabond lure. Though, some were eyeing another surface lure that I've tried to use - forgot which one was it exactelly.
At some point, another angler arrived. He had no attacks and, as I was kinda tired, continued to test the same place, again and again. I think that I've fished in the same 10-15 meters for 30 minutes or for 1 hour or so. Had no attacks. In the end, I've recalled that someone, once, used a Rapala lure, similar to the one from my tackle box and so I've decided to test it. At less than two meters to the bank had a aggresive attack. A small jack attacked it.
The attack came from my right side, it was aggresive nad the jack swallowed the lure. It was around 11-12 am, the weather was clear and sunny, with really small waves. The sun was somewhere on my right going to my back. The are around had really few covers and so that makes me think that the pike was hanging around the banks and/or close to the fallen weeds.
What I plan to do in the future: CATCH a decent size pike on surface lures! I really WANT to see some surface attacks from pike. I'm hesitating between going for jacks with perch tackle or with a more universal rod - both are from Xesta. From what I've saw, the dam/reservoir holds some perch. From other anglers, I've learned that some nice ones were caught. One told me that 3-4 days ago he caught ~2 killos of perch, the biggest one was around half killo - the attack came at worm and that he caught, this winter(?) few that were around 1 killo - I think that he was using small fish.
Decisions, decisions.. Hm. Time will show which are right and which are.. unanswered.
Forgot to add... the dam holds some nice pikes. Last year, I've heard that someone caught one around 10 killos on crucian carp at float. Other lure anglers told me that they've lost big pike due to them cutting the wire leader of 'cause they were unprepared or because they've attacked while float fishing for 'peacefull' fish.
