Simple Match Fishing Forum

Hi all

I find it really strange, the weather has been a bit up and down, a couple of frosts followed by high single digit weather fronts. Doesn't really want to settle on anything. Still any day I wake up is a fishing opportunity. Trying to stay "local" and within Tiers and keeping the fishing group small, allows sensible fishing.

I have been out quite regularly but have decided to stop match fishing until the spring, A few days catching some big carp from Meadowlands and Toft before it closed for the winter, a couple of cracking mixed bags of carp and skimmers from Wold Farm, a few days at How End chasing the Barbel and another local fishery which has also shut for the winter, Three Islands catching plenty of smaller scale perfect Commons, Ghosties and Mirrors and Gudgeon.

Not seen many posts from anyone else, Is Josh doing the Orchard Place Winter League? Simon, Chris T have you been Piking yet? Gino are you saving your pennies for the January sales, what will you dazzle us with come the first match? Tony and Jim have you been out and about?

Has Covid affected your fishing trips, I suppose the weekends, must see venues still packed like the summer, with pleasure anglers and match anglers colliding.

Still hope you are all safe and looking after yourselves and families. Light is at the end of the tunnel and hopefully a few of our members are getting close to the vaccine inoculation age

Good to see you are out and about mate keeping the fishing cobwebs away!!!!

I'm more like one of those winter cobwebs and I am buried right in the middle of it all nice and warm.

Maybe that's why I struggle when the season starts.

Mate I'm anticipating major Angling direct gift vouchers for xmas, so it would be rude not to buy some new gear!!!!! Haven't brought anything for ages

Looking for a new feeder reel as mine was starting to jam last year, taking Josh's advice and going for a Daiwa TDR, hence I need the vouchers.

Will sort out the elastics on my top kits as well B4 the start of the season.

Shame with have lost Hartleylands, but cant do much about that, but one of my better venues

I'm off now till the 4th Jan. which will give me a chance to charge my batteries, been hectic at work

Have a safe Xmas mate and see you nest year.

Hi Gino

Not too sure fishing in the cold helps when the weather warms up as the gear and tactics all need changing to suit venues. Normally takes me a couple of outings to get the feel for it.

Normally shut down over Xmas and retie rigs or hook lengths, most of my rigs start off at 6ft and end up around 2ft so not ideal. I have 6 hook length boxes and make enough up over Christmas to last the year. I do have another 14 top kits to elasticate but I am in no hurry to do them.

I have thought about rods and reels, but that is it, a thought. I cannot get motivated to do it, even at Viaduct with the Yam Yams it only comes out for the first hour and I end up clock watching to pick the pole up. Wrong I know, but why do something I do not enjoy.

Take the rest, you and all the key workers deserve it.

That's it then, fishing shed opened and de cobwebed.

New line put on the new reel, quick practice pellet feeder cast down the garden and yep, you guessed it, straight through the shed window, put the line left the new reel well

Electric trolley up and running still, so no major issues yet.

Some of the pellets have seen better days so now resting nicely in the bin.

No new elastics yet for the top kits, so will see how they will go.

Looking forward to the new season and how it goes. Bring it on

Numpty alert!!!....at least you have looked at your gear.....mine is buried under an avalanche of stuff my eldest is accumulating ahead of moving out soon. Did get out for a couple of very short and sweet piking session on the RMC last couple of months, just an eel for me first time with Kyle battering me on the pike front but revenge taken the next time out with a 3 - 0 result Will not make the first one as said eldest's birthday but hope to be on the bank sometime soon!

Few from winter/spring on local lockdown waters but new PBs for species I hadn't caught at least not off flowing water.