YALE 3 a side

Conna · #1

I recon it's going to be a lot harder this week than last week down at Rolling Mill St due to the cold weather that's coming our way and the lack of rain to colour the water up a bit. It's a pity the worm isn't allowed but rules are rules and they are to be abided by. Going on last week's conditions I'll deffinately be taking chop worm and punch this week. I'm not sure whether to try some cloud g bait though in those clear conditions, what do you recon Ratbag/TK? I have never used g bait at Rolling Mill in all the years I've been down there and always been one of the the ones to beat so I'd hate to mess my peg up in a team event before I start. I suppose I could start as normal and if it's not responding then put a bit in. Please give me some ideas if anyone has any coz I want to win this 3 a side especially as my team won it last year.

#2

I'd just try and catch a fish mate....i've seen the pictures of that pike next to simples keepnet and i've never seen the canal that clear.

Might be worth feeding a bit of chopped in a ball of peat and black leam to try and catch some perch.

#3

Hi Conna
Just a few thoughts from when I used to fish – both in club and ‘pleasure’ sessions - the Curley Wyrley down the Bloxwich, Pelsall and B’hills areas throughout the winter when it was gin clear and you could see all across.
Bear in mind I’m probably way off the pace these days only fishing club matches and I would really appreciate any critical comments, from you and Mouse (as he’s probably more in touch with the CW than me now), if you think I’ve got it wrong, so feel free to do so and thus these may stimulate further thought and discussion.
Another point, there were sections where I had extreme confidence in catching on the punch, some decent bags too, whereas some adjoining sections wouldn’t respond to it.
Re punch. Used to fish 3 mtr whip which tends to get you into the ‘track’. Always used something like a .2 or.3 gm float dependent on conditions, dotted right down (almost submerged). Whilst used to catch near the bottom I was firm ‘believer’ that the fish wanted to see the bait coming down slow at ‘em so would be shotted with strung out nos 11/12 over last 2ft even if only 3-4 ft down track. If I bulked up say 15 -18ins from the hook with just say 2 droppers the bait got there quicker, but bites certainly seemed less frequent.
In gin clear water I’ve always done better with a ‘brown’ slop rather than lickie. As well as getting the advantage of a cloud to give the fish a ‘comfort zone’, the slop leaves a finer layer on the bottom and is less extreme lying there than lickie. (Unless my lickie aint no good, but I've tried fresh, not so fresh and weeks old after freezing) Plus probably less feed content. The slop would be brown crumb mixed with perhaps special concours (those days!). Concours if you can still get it is very light and if feed on its own tends to cloud and hang higher up in the water.
The slop needs to be really wet, so that you need to ‘roll’ a marble in your palm in order to feed.
Added advantage of whip is no pole over their heads to spook em.
Talking of pole, Billy Ash taught me the value of fishing a longer line between tip and float in gin clear water. As much as 4ft – 5ft if conditions allow down the track. I know it doesn’t ‘look’ right but give it a go, although becomes a little more difficult if windy and when moving across in shallower water to fish ‘tight’ across to features.
Punch is obviously ‘selective’ and you will ultimately need to catch everything unless it’s a red letter day on the red fins. Presuming an ‘instantaneous response’ fish it out, but when starts fading or even doesn’t get going, start introducing a few squatt in the slop.
Don’t ignore any nearside weed cover however close in. Trickle a few squats in. You can often snare a few bits at the back of a bit of weed or even against the brickwork on your feet.
Have two track or bottom of far shelf swims – say one ‘slop’ and a separate chop/caster line typically at 10 and 3 o’clock. Even when not fishing out the slop, keep a cloud going and try periodically with punch/squall/pinkie.
Right don’t laugh at this one. If gin clear and you ain’t comfortable with slop/gb, if really struggling take off your top 2, push pole down near shelf or into track, hit bottom and blow down the pole to ‘stir’ a cloud. Believe me, it’s saved me from a dry net in the past in depths of winter on waters where b/j is banned.
Here endeth the gospel according to TK – some come on guys pull me apart. Really mean that.

Conna · #4

Hi TK,

Your ideas are not a million miles from mine. Over the years at Rolling Mill I have fished the punch in numerous ways and the best results I get are when I bulk the shot at 3/4 depth and use 2 No 10's and a No 11 down but I always fish it off the bottom by approx 4 to 6" and the same goes with the Squatt always off the bottom. I have tried slop but to be honest it hasn't really made any difference to my catch rate as opposed to the liquidized bread, what has worked occasionally though for the bigger stamp of fish and especially in picking up Skimmers is to put a Fluro Pinkie on the punch line and a pinch in the feed. Your right about the Punch being selective, I've been catching on it and adjacent pegs haven't. I won most of my money last year by using the 3M whip and I agree with what you say regarding spooking the fish with the pole and fishing a longer line as I often do this myself. If I can get bites on the whip I'll stop on it all day unless the caster starts to work. I normally have 2 lines as you say at 10 and 3 where I fish the Squatt and alternate between the 2 keeping the fish coming all day and not thinning the one spot out too fast. I have also found that the way you introduce the feed is critical too, even when the fish are having it I only ever introduce a pinch of Squatt at the start and fish it out which is usually about 90 mins later, bulk the shot again to get the bait down quick, feeding minimal amounts keeps the fish at a certain level and why waste time keeping feeeding if the fish keep biting anyway. I'll deff try blowing down the pole but as a last resort, I'll try anything once. Another good tip which has got me out of trouble more than once is to put a maggot on the hook and cut it in half with the scissors and search the peg. I have some Purple Haze which I might try too this week if it's hard.

Thanks for the comments guys. I dont mind catching 1 Perch to be honest as long as it wins me my section.

#5

Tie a couple of these up (or alternatives)

http://www.mbcanalspecials.co.uk/whip_wags.htm

#6

Not that I have

- used to have a no of canal greys tied up though when I fished the cuts in dead winter

Conna · #7

I have a few rigs tied up that do the same thing for my 4m whip. I may have to get them out of retirement this week :(

#8

Perhaps this explains why I've caught better on the punch with slop rather than lickie - I'm sure I've fed too much lickie in the past, even though I've been concious of the fact and been wary of the amount I've fed
An interesting read
http://www.talkangling.co.uk/Punch.htm

Conna · #9

Just read that TK, sounds good to me. Thanks for that.

#10

Well I know its going to be very hard, but reading the Info,(thanks TK and ratbag) thats should help out a bit.
Judging by how cold it was the last 2 mornings I think 15oz will be a big weight lol >:(

#11

Might get you in the frame Si

#12

Ps - never heard the Chockie Munster having a laff at the TK gospel........dare say there's time

#13

Now he has been in that magazine I don't think he likes mingling with us normal people

Gotta go through his agent now

#14

I've lost my wireless connection at home so can only get on at work...problem is i've been a bit busy lately.

#15

Well thats unlucky Lee, Whats up with it. ??

Made up all my rigs for tomorrow, got spares cause of the bloody weef fiasco last week just incase lol

Bait is in the fridge and im looking forward to it. I know we ain't gonna catch alot but it will be a challenge. Conna went down today and have a look and said it was still clear if not clearer ::)

Will get some pictures tomorrow of the monster catches , hehe

#16

Next match is on the Sunday 3rd Dec. Least I can use my leftover bait the the TK match on the Saturday lol

#17

You ready Conna to thrash everyone from the flier section.
Just think of poor me in the crap area while your baggin up won't you

I will go and park on that other bridge and await your phone call again. OK sir ???

#18

The Grueller on Sat will fine tune your mental state to such a degree that you will be able to admirably combat that crap area ::)

#19

PMSL, I bloody hope so mate

4 hours is a long time to be watching by float not moving. Maybe I will be used to that after saturday

:(

#20

Lets face it girls ....your all crap...........lolol