Charlies First Fish - Walthamstow 25/11/07

Managed to get a couple of hours Sunday afternoon. Wind had swung round a bit towards the North but the spot I fished on Thursday was still good to fish although was a pretty exposed to the wind.

First ever trip and he turned 4 in October. After about an hour of not a bite, he said 'Can I come again?'. Before this he was saying he was going to catch a hundred fish.



Eventually I hooked one and handed him the rod, I let him hold the rod as I pulled the line through. The fish oblidged and cleared the water a couple of times, and after a very long struggle we had it in the net.

He was really chuffed and didn't complain once. He enjoyed the hot chochlate and the trifle that we brought along and also threw 2 of his rolls in to a swan.

I had around 10 pulls and 1 fish follow all the way to within 2 foot of the bank, but never hooked another. Well worth it and Charlie sat down and admired his fish!

Walthamstow - 22/11/07 Cracking Afternoon!

Had a bonanza afternoon after quite a few weeks since I was last able to go fishing. The clocks going back meant that I had no chance to get a session in after leaving work. So I took the afternoon off.

Caught 12 in four hours, including some nice real beauties with long lean bodies and great tails.

I started fishing on the west Bank just before the bay by the hut. I have never caught a fish here before, but it really looked like it was worth having a go here. The wind was from the west and it was warm while the sun was out.

I fished a Di5 shooting head with a 10 foot leader, black & green booby on the point and an apps red bloodworm half way down on a dropper. Remarkably only 1 fish came to the bloodworm pattern, the others all to the booby. I left the line to reach the bottom and mixed the retrieves up, with plenty of jerks and pauses. Sometimes I was getting a pull every chuck. Half the fish took fairly close in, where I could see the head part of my line coming up to the rod tip. The fish I spooned had been gorging on green and red blood worms.

Best fish was 3lbs and all were over 2lbs and had plenty of fight in them. Everyone I spoke to had had action. Need to try and get an afternoon in next week……………..

12 - 12 - 5

24/10/07 - Walthamstow

Managed to get an afternoon in (took 1/2 day leave), was hoping the warm cloudless weather would hang on but turned out grey and cold with some drizzle.

As the wind was northerly started on the railway bank by the inlet. Set up with a Di5 and boobies. After while changed to a floater as I saw large shoals of stockies still roaming round. So put on a floater with Dial Bach, buzzer and a montanna and soon had a fish to the point fly montanna.

From then on had great fun, all the other fish were caught casting to them. Saw the same sort of formation as before with a V like formation and if you managed to get a fly in front of the lead fish, I almost always caught which seemed to be the first fish. If my flies fell behind it, towards the following fish, I might of got a bump or a tug, but no hook-ups.

The fish would come and go and often I would have to trot round to the bank to the side of me to trap them.

Anyway managed a good 6. Sometimes the shoals would dissapear for at least 45mins, and there were cormorants feeding on them. And saw one of the fuckers a couple of 100 yards chasing one with the trout leaping 3foot out of the water while the black death chased it and eventually caught up with it, came out of the water with the fish in its bill raised its ugly head and let the trout slip down its neck. I thought the fish could have been one of the ones I had released as it must have been knackered out, and therefore easy prey. I do try to rush a fish in when I am going to release it. Once the beast had swallowed the fish it went on to the bank and had a rest for half an hour, and would have been great practice for a crossbow!

Most of the fish came to a simple dial bach. The fishing got harder as the evening approached and never got a wiff in the last hour.

6 - 2 - 0

Booby tying

With the cold weather setting in and the fish moving down and feeding towards the bottom, boobies will be my main course of attack from now on.

I spent ages trying to get a the perfect booby eyes, and the best ones I ever had were tyed by Lee Kitchen. I got fed up with shit floozeyes that broke if a fish even sniffed at them, and polystyrene balls in stocking mesh (not just cos they smelt fishy!).

I phoned Lee up at the start of the year and he kindly explained the way he made them. Best if you make a few cylinders and trim them up while watching TV and drinking a beer. Can take a few minutes to make them, but with time it will speed up.

Walthamstow - 21/10/07

Managed a Sunday afternoon.

Weather was bright with a mild South wind.

Went to #5 and fished the first step on the west side (where I caught the biggy last trip!). saw plenty of nervous fish shoaling around from the stocking the other day, including the still large shoal of browns.

Fished with 2 boobies, orange on dropper and green and black on the point. Had quite a few pulls, when letting the Di5 sink for 20-30's, although had nothing fishing hard on the bottom.

First fish was a stockie brown:

Nice to see them, but like many people have mentioned, perfect snack size for the resident cormorants, less than a pound in size!

Then had another stockie, this time a rainbow.

Decided to try the tree bank opposite to see if I could get hold of a resident. Manged a few pulls and fish about 2lbs on the booby set up (all fish I caught came to an orange bodied, white tail booby). Tryed an intermediate with nymphs throught out the afternoon without an offer.

Good fishing with fish well spread out and everyone I saw was getting action.

3 - 3 - 1

17/10/07 - Walthamstow

More like it.

Apaprently #4 had been stocked with a 1000 rainbows and #5 had 300 smallish browns.

Wind was from the North and I started to fish the corner of #5 near the causway.

First of all tryed a cdc with a cove buzzer on a dropper. Had one offer to the cdc in about an hour and decided to go on a booby set up. Fish had been breaking the surface, but rather than feeding think they were just disturbing each other.

Tryed my new Di5 extreme distance and was very pleased with it. Had a 12' leader with an orange blob booby on the dropper and a black and green on the point.

Second cast and bang, had the old tug-tug-pull type bites, only familiar when booby fishing and a few minutes later and after a little bit of arm ache I had my biggest fish from Walthamstow this season, a cracking 4.5lb'er!!!

Had one more on the B&G and one on the orange one.

Sport was pretty sporadic on the boobies but good fun, tryed the floater agian with no pulls.

Think the booby will be the way to go from now on. Also tryed a floater with a site bob fishing at all the depths with a apps bloodworm on the point close to the bottom, and never got a twitch.

Cant wait till I get back (hopefully sunday as the rain is due to arrive monday)!

Charlie sorting out the BBQ for the fillets of the biggie!

PS One bloke in #5 found the shoal of brownies and pulled at least 30 out and returned.

3 - 4 - 2

15/10/07 - Walthamstow

Had a frustrating couple of hours and didn't manage a fish, tryed along the east bank on #5 and it was the first really cold wind so far and I struggled.

0 - 0- 0

8/10/07 - Walthamstow

Found the wind blowing from the North, so started on the railway bank at the inlet on #4.

Had 3 buzzers on and a sight bob and caught a nice fish after about 1/2 an hour on a dial bach. Spooned the fish and found nothing in its gut so moved to #5 and fished the East bank towards the island.

Wind was a bit akward but saw some nice large fish rising, had a few offers to a CDC and missed them, then found my hook had snapped on the first offer and was fishing with a dressed shank! This spot looks very promising especially when the wind is coming from the NE, will try soon for the beauties around here.

One bloke had 11 fish including 2 brownies and one of them was over 3lb, all from #5 on the west bank.


1 - 1 - 0

Walthamstow is having a great season, and have never known sport here so good, maybe as I am fishing it more, but I am seeing plenty of fish caught.

Walthamstow - 01/10/07

Wind was coming from the NE, so started on the railway bank close to the inlet.

As I set up, I noticed a fish breaking the surface, so I decided to go with a CDC and a Dial Bach on a dropper.

Then, just last week I noticed a shoal of stockies speeding around on the surface.

they were in a v-formation like a flock of geese, following the leader. While they were around I got a couple of tugs, and snapped one of. Caught one on a CDC.

Went up to #5 when the fish disappeared (may have gone down as the wind got a bit colder), and fished the causeway with no action at all or view of a fish.

Went back to #4 by the inlet, set up a pair of boobies and tryed to fish the depths looking for the fish and had no joy.

The shoal came back briefly and I managed another couple of bump, but nothing connected.

1 fish but action here and there made it a good 3 hours!

1 - 0 - 0

As a side not, have noticed that the syndicate resevoir; East Warwick is fishing really well, including a few really nice brownies over 5lb!

Walthamstow - 25/09/07

Wind was coming from the south, so tryed the causeway fishing in to #4 to no avail.

Moved to #5 over on the far bank by the walnut trees and after a while noticed quite a fish shoaling close to the bank. They were in shoals of 50+, and a cormorant had been keeping them at bay.

As these fish were very nervous and later found that they had been stocked in the morning, they were'nt really up for looking at flies. Still it was great fun chasing them around and practicing my casting and targeting skills. If there was 2" twig on the bank I would envetibly tangle on it.

I manged to hook 2 fish on a montana cast in to the shoal, and had a few bumps. Was hard but good fun.

2 - 0 - 0

Walthamstow - 21/09/07

Wow!

Turned up at 16:00 and went to the causeway, weather was a bit muggy and a mild warm wind blowing along the bank from the West. As I set up a group of fish were rising around half a fly line out.

I hastily set up and then it pissed down. I took shelter and when I came back the action began.

My set up was a Dial Bach on a dropper and Green CDC #15 on the point. Straight away I had action casting to rising fish.
I worked my way up the bank to the corner and had 6 fish all on the CDC. The first were targeted and the last 2 took blind.

The action lasted for around 1.5 hours then a cold wind came along with black cloud and the fish went of.

I had 2 more offers to the CDC, and switched tactics to 3 flies, CDC top droppper, with a GRHE middle and a buzzer on the point. I was hoping to fish bung style with the CDC as a float. This failed and the last 2 hours so no action at all!

Just when you think you have cracked it, the conditions change and the fishing responds so dramatically! Thats fishing!

6 - 0 -0

Walthamstow - Last couple of months August to September '07

There wasn't to much to write home about.

All in all, I tryed my new rod and broke it on its second or third visit. Although I did christen it with a rainbow on one occasion from #4 and the follwing visit a brown from #5.

I had 7 visits and only caught the 2 fish mentioned above. When I blanked, I completly blanked, meaning I did not even get a pull!

Both fish took a CDC buzzer.

2 - 0 - 0

flyforums.co.uk - Forum meet at Farmoor 15/09/07

Had agreat time and only my 2nd visit this year to Farmoor 2.

My first ever social and a really nice day with a great bunch of people, and wicked BBQ done by the Pitsford Pirate.

The thread from flyforums is HERE.

My write up:

We had a great one.

Was really nice to meet all the bunch and catch up on the footy during the BBQ. Top man Stewart for giving my burgers extra time!

I know we were a bit unsociable being in a boat, and it was a shame we missed a lot of the crack.

We had a few fish in the afternoon on floating lines and found the fish only a couple of feet down even though there was bright sunshine, dial bachs, buzzers and silver invictas all taking fish. Most of the fish had been feeding on daphnia and small black buzzers.

Come 6:00 pm all hell broke loose, when the sun had dropped back. We went to start a new drift by number 4 buoy and noticed that there were a few rising and the closer we got to the buoy the more fish there were.We cut the engine and without a doubt there must have been at least 20 fish showing on the surface from then on at any one time.

As you saw one fish and you started to cast to it, all of a sudden another one would come up, then you'd change direction, then another..... Thing was I tangled a couple of times and it was unbelievable experience. Even cast out and had 3 flies hanging in the surface as one fish approached from the left, one from the right and my flies in between them and would have put my mortgage on a fish taken, but to my suprise nothing happened.They were on small black buzzers around a size 16, and believe it or not they prefered a sunk daddy to a size 16 black hopper.So it turned in to the 'Day of the daddies -part 2' for us, and I'm glad I tied a couple as they got plenty of action.

Shame we had to leave Mark (Starsky) on the bank till we left, and asuumed that he was getting similar action, but unfortunatley it didn't happen where he was.If I could I would have tryed to get back this evening!

Thanks for organising it Charlie, great day!

Me 10 Marco 11

Rod Completion!!!

I finally managed to finish the rod, bought a rod turner of ebay for £25 and this made the epoxy finishing a lot better. Also ordered a decal from Decal Connection in the States, took less than a week to arrive and ws under £3! I was really pleased with the finish of the rod, although I had a few 'fish eyes' on the decal as I must have got a bit of grease on it somehow. Contemplating trying to remove it and the epoxy and redoing the decal again. Dont know if it its possible.

Also bought a nice aluminium bar stock reel for it from China, less than £30 delivered, took about 10 days and have seen the exact reeel on a certain rod makers web site for £130, although it has a logo etched on it. CLF56 on ebay.

Down to the business of actually getting to cast it. Loaded up the reel on a saturday afternoon, and sat the apprehensive in front of the telly, itching like a junkie craving some scag. Mel finally looked over and said go on then.... That was it, got on the tube and within an hour was at last wetting the line on my new rod. Action was nice, although the rod made a bit of noice as due to the resistance of the line through the eyes. I think this may be due to the tiptop having quite a small diameter, will change this as it wont be to hard as I used hot melt glue.

Once the line was wet, it went out nicely, although I had to get used to the lighter line weight and the shorter rod.

After about an hour I christened it with a 2lb rainbow, and gave the rod a kiss!

Have used it about 2 times now and really liking it, can quite reguarlly cast all the line out to the backing. When i get a few quid together will look at getting another kit and making another one.

New Fisherman has joined the Family!

Welcome to Daniel Vincent King - Born 1st August 2007, weighing in at 8lb 1oz!

Mick Bell - Bloke (JOKE) Rod Course

I feel I need to enlighten anyone who has the mis fortune to be treated like a C*UNT by Mr Bell.

Below is extractions of PM's i sent to a Mate on Flyforums as I told him what was going on, and feel I should no longer keep it to myself.

22/07/07
I have just come back from Mick Bells house with a half built rod. To say I have been messed around is putting it lightly. I am completly gutted with the way he has messed me around. I have taken at least 4 days of work to finish the rod for him to let me down, and today was the last straw.

I took friday of work to finish my rod, tried to ring him on his mobile all Thursday and Friday and no answer. Got an email form him in the evenig asking if I was coming round (was sent at 11:00am). I phoned him and this time his phone was on but he was well pissed. We arranged to do it today and I would phone him Saturday evening to confirm a time. Guess what his phone was off and finally got an answer at 2:30 and I have now had enough and picked my rod up from his wife and he didn't even leave the eyes with her to finish it of with.

This has been going on for months like this, he is truly a remakable fisherman, but is a complete let down. I'm really easy going but could not handle it anymore. He seemed keen to take the £300 that I paid in January twice (as he lost the original cheques).

I am going to have to see if someone on the forum would be kind enough to help me finish it off, he didn't even leave it with a rod bag.

I think when the other people dropped out he lost interest and he should have refunded me the money there and then. He's all matey on the phone, and he has got a quality bit of kit, but in all my fishing career, I have never been messed around by anyone so much.

I'm going to delete all my posts about the trip to Scotland and not post any bad words, just I dont want to influenece anyone else to try a trip/course incase they get lumbered like me.

All in all, I must have wasted 6 days of annual leave that I could of spent better either fishing or with my family. No doubt I would have got it done eventually, but you can only have so much patience.

Just thought I would let you know in case you may still be thinking of a trip next year, go for it but keep your options open.

Sorry about the winge!

All the bestVince

24/07/07

Hiya ******,

I've calmed down a bit today!

I phoned Mick up yesterday and he's unblievable. He was all matey on the phone and talked me through the process of finishing the rod for a good 20 minutes. He said he would get the rings, some varnish and a rod case of to me in the post and he even took my address (I was waiting to see if he would ask for it!), so I'm hoping the gear shoud turn up today or tomorrow. I will have a go at finishing it myself hopefully soon, and am up for some Paternity leave any minute/day now.

I took 2 days leave for the original course (25-28/05/07) and emailed him from different accounts, pm'd him and he just never replied. Eventually I got hold of his mobile number from his website (I should have done it ages ago), and finally managed to talk to him. I was really angry with him and had a rant for a few minutes, I told him I wanted my money back, he then said that the 2 others had dropped and that he was of to Japan during the original date. He was very apologetic and I calmed down and gave him the benefit of the doubt. I suggested that we build the rod in Surrey where he normally lives and when it was convinient we could go to Scotland, as he visits there quite often with groups and clients.

Well we made a date (I think the first date was cancelled) and I started to build my rod, he really does know what he's talking about, and I learnt loads and we went of to a restruant and had lunch and quite a few beers. He wasn't able to carry on with the rod when we got back because he had drank a skinful and lost the steadiness in his hands.I left and he said he would be in touch with a date for the fishing. Well guess what? He never got back to me, and I phoned him and put pressure on him as Mel was getting near full term pregnancy. Eventually he made a date a couple of weeks ago, and we actually went. A fishing friend of his was also meant to be going, but he pulled out last minute, which was a shame.

Anyway, we made it there and fished as I posted on the forums. On the Sunday we went of to the loch early afternoon. While fishing I asked Mick what time were we leaving on the Monday and he said we're not, we're leaving in an hour because his wife could not get the Monday of work, it would have been good if I had known this before hand! To top it all, they were aware that there car had a flat tyre and I pointed out that it was partly bald as well. They pumped it up and we had a blowout going about 100 mph on the way home.

Paragraph deleted

There has now been a few days that I have taken leave and then not been able to get in touch with him eitherside of starting the rod or finishing it. Plus the first trip where I had taken 2 days off.

He is definately eccentric, a bit of an a****, a fishing genius and a charmer! If it wasn't for the quality of his fishing gear and his astounding knowledge I would have told him to **** off yonks ago.

One thing that I should have gave him a right hander for was on the Friday just gone. When I phoned him in the evening, it was around 10:00pm. he made excuses about his phone not working cos it had not switched from China back to UK since the Tuesday. He was pissed and came out with a question about whether Mel had dropped or not, and this is what he actaully said when I told him she hadn't: 'Tell the C*** to get on the floor an push the f***er out then'. I had walked in to the kitchen, and lucky enough Mel was out of ear shot and I supressed my temper and thought just tolerate this idiot as he was well oiled. If Mel had heard him she would of gone round and scratched his eyeballs out of his head.

Also, I dropped a bunch of flowers of to him on the Monday after the trip to give to his wife for doing the cooking. When I picked up the rod she never mentioned them and never even said hello or goodbye to me, just said OK.

I just have to put it all down to experience, and if I order or buy anything from him again, I will go around to his door and pass the cash over when/if I get the goods.

I'm sorry to throw all this crap your way, but I could post this on the forum and it could get in to a slagging match and I would hate to have that. I've been a member of the forum for about a year and have gained so much from it, there is no way I would want to stir up anything. Plus Mick has an alligence of support and agents on it, I would be wasting my time, but who know's there may have been people in a similar posistion as me?

If I do mess my rod up, I'm sure he will help me, but I wouldn't arrange a date with, just phone him on spec. I think I should be Ok though.

26/07/07

Hiya ****,

Thanks for reading, I know it does sound like a carry on film!

I did receive a package from Mick yesterday, and eagerly opened it..... rod rings, varnish, decal, rod bag.

First, checked the rod rings.... bollocks, the tip ring is missing.

Second, checked the decal..... 'Bloke XL 9' #6', shit he's sent me the wrong one, I was making a 4 piece 10' #7.

Third, rod bad.... Big gold letters 'Bloke XL 9' #6'.Unbelievable, when I spoke to Mick originally, I told him which rod I would like to make, and f*** me I have been making the wrong rod all of this time!

My next buy or make was going to be a 10' #5 or #6, so this rod will sort of fit the purpose, but I wanted 10' #7 as I already have a 3 piece one and wanted the same but in 4 pieces for travelling on the tube.

Just saw a post from Riverboy, saying he was retiring from the forum, and one of the reasons is an argument he had with a well know rod manufacturer on the forum, I done a search to see whom the problem was with. Mick shows his true colours in this post: Post #57 onwards http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10371&page=6

I think I may paste some of these PM's on my blog without all the personal bits in them.

Anyway to move on I have phoned up a rod building company. I found out I also need another snake ring as I was 1 short, and have to order a couple of tip rings because I cannot be accurate in the tip size, so have to order a range to be sure.

Cheers

Vince

Walthamstow - Mid July

11/07/07

Had 2, one on a CDC Buzzer, other on a yellow Invicta. Wind was blowing from the West. Odd fish showing now and then.

2-2-1

16/07/07

Caught one early on, CDC Buzzer. Wind in same direction.

1-1-1

18/07/07

Again all 3 came to CDC Buzzer, wind still coming from the West. Fish were showing along the causeway, I was fishing in to #4. In the end there was a huge hatch of green buzzers, around a size 12 hook. Hatch started around 8:00pm and you had very little chance of a fish taken your pattern when it was surrounded by 1000's of the real thing. Only saw 1 fish caught unitl fishing ended. Covering plenty of fish, never got a tug. Unblievable hatch!

3-3-1

23/07/07

Wind had swung roung to the NE and there was alight rain. Fish were showing along the railway bank on #4. Suddenly the wind swung to the N and a heavy (cold) persistent shower appeared. the fish switched off, I got soaked through and gave up after a few hours!

0-0-0

25/07/07

Wind was back in the South and very breezy. Went to the water works end on #5. A few people fishing and a few fish having a gander at CDC Buzzers but not confident enough to take them. I fished towards the tower and I'm sure ther was no fish in front of me. Conditions were not favourable for trying somewhere else so stayed put.

Saw 4 fish caught all in 5 minutes and nothing eles. That was it, I never had an offer.

0-0-0

Mick Bell - Waste of time

I have had a shocking experience with Mick Bell after spending £300 on a rod building course.

On the positive side he is a fishing genius. I landed my first salmon and had a pleasent time in Scotland, and ended up with a half finished fly rod.

Other than that I have wasted at least 6 days of annual leave or weekends that could have been better spent either fishing or time with my family. He took the money then ignored my emails and PM's, I later found out that I was the only one on the course, therefore Mick should have cancelled it completly and refunded my money, rather than put me through all this turmoil.

We made dates to do the rod and fish in Scotland that have all been broken on numerous occasions. In the end I went to his house this weekend and picked up my rod up to finish it myself.

He is a charmer and quickly calm you down, as he knows how to play the game, but beware!

Wild Brownies - Loch Talla - Scottish Borders 8/07/07

While staying with Mick, we managed to get a short afternoon on Loch Talla.

A view looking down Talla, with spawning stream in the foreground and the Dam at the far end

The Loch was truly stunning and had been dammed off over a 100 years ago, for water supply to Edinburgh.

We used one of the boats and drifted along the shore towards the south bay. I had a 3 fly cast with a Doobry on the top, yellow invicta in the middle and a black pennel on the point.Fish came fast and furious and my first 8 came to the invicta!

In the end I probably had over a dozen with my first fish being the largest which was over a pound.

The fish were real beauties with lovely warm brown colours and some had big large red spots towards there bellies. Mick had said that they were probably feeding on sedge the evening before, hence the fondness of the invicta.

As we had to pack up early for the drive home, we had a look further up the loch and noticed some olives in numbers leaving the woods and descending on the water and some nice trout making the most of them. What a shame we had to leave!! Would love to get back there!

Salmon - Ettrick Valley - Scottish Borders 6-7/07/07

No longer a Salmon Virgin!!

As part of my course on building a rod with Mick Bell of Bloke fly rods, I had a chance to fish the weekend at his cottage in the Scottish Borders, just below Selkirk. It was touch and go whether I could make it as Mel could drop anytime soon.

We left early Friday morning and was in the Borders for around 10:00 AM. The rain seemed persistent but was forecasted to ease and Mick checked the water levels on the Fish Tweed website. The prospects looked good!!

Mick showed me around and took me to the Salmon ladder to view Sea trout and Salmon attempting to jump the wier. We then procedded to Buccleau Estates to buy are fishing permits to fish the River Ettrick. As the weather and water conditions looked ideal, we bought permits for Beats 1 and 2 for Friday and Saturday, for the bargin price of £25 each rod.

The weir at Selkirk

Mick was a wealth of information and described the pools and runs of the river in great passion and detail, and knew every stone and fishey location within the 5 beats that cover approxiamatley 13 miles. We were told at the Estate that fishermen from the Tweed had headed up River to the Etrrick and the Yarrow as the Tweed was brown and the fishing had suffered. They were'nt getting much luck, and that if we were to have any chance of a fish, we should try on Beat 5.

We started fishing just below Micks cottage, and I had to learn to cast and wade. We spent alot of time looking around and fishing the pools quite quickly. After a few hours, Mick hooked in to a Salmon. At last I had seen my first wild Salmon. it was caugh on a Shrimp Fly that had been tyed by one of Micks Mates.

Mick's first salmon on the Friday

We turned in for the evening and enjoyed a lovely meal made by Micks wife Anna, and I had a bit too much of a good bevvy.

After a slow start to the morning and in desperate need of fresh air to clear my head, we made our way down to Beat 2 and fished Brock Scar. Mick kindly spent around an hour trying to teach me how to spey cast using a single handed rod, but my brain was still a little bit soft from the booze and I found it hard going!

Mick directed me to the start of the pool, and pointed to a large rock on the cliff side of the river. He told me to cast on the far side of it where the water ran slower than the rest, and that there should be fish lying there and I may be able to coax one out. He would follow me down the river fishing behind me.

Me, trying to spey cast

Unfortunately, my casting wasn't up to it (I blame the booze and my sudden attack of hay fever). As Mick followed me down, fair enough as he predicted, wallop, a fish took.

Mick giving the rod some tension

Good shot of the scar in the background

Me with Micks fish

We then went back to Beat 1 had a go there and Mick had another two! One from the same spot as the day before! All the fish Mick caught were returned.

Another one to the Shrimp Fly

I still hadn't had a touch. Mick left with Anna to get the Dinner sorted and I decided to fish on for a while. Mick pointed out some worthwhile spots. About half an hour later I was starting to get the hang of the casting and was putting my fly out nicely and was soaking in the sounds and the atmosphere of such of a beautiful place without a care in the world.

I was fishing a shrimp fly and felt a pluck and saw a swirl as my fly bowed half way around the arc, I paused a couple of seconds, gradually raised the rod, and all went solid as if I snagged, and then to my total relief I felt the rod bob up and down. I put some gentle pressure on the fish and soon had it close enough to see that my Salmon Virginity was soon to be un-cherried. After a 10-15 minute fight, that was both methodical and heart beatingly scary I was able to grab the Salmon by the wrist. I then sent it to sleep and took a few pictures, maybe just under 10lbs and cant wait to eat it!

What a Beauty!!!

I would like to thank Mick and Anna for the warmest of hospitality and the help of fullfilling my childhood ambition of catching a salmon at last.

Walthamstow - 24/06/07

Started at the inlet on #4 and found casting in to the wind hard going, so moved up to the causeway with thewind coming from behind (southerly).

It had been stocked 15/06/07 and managed to spot a couple of casulties in the margins.

Had a fish foul hook itself on an orange booby on the drop, which somehow came of leaving scales on the hook. Then cast my team of buzzers out and had a nother one on that came off!

Walked around to the windward bank on #5 as the wind was awful and was looking for some shelter. Met Deo there and he was landing a fish on a buzzer (I think). Fished away and never had a pull.

Moved back to #4 to get near the shelter as a storm was approaching. Fished on and off to avoid the storms and never had anymore action.

Met Frank who had been fishing the WFF competition and he had a few that night and on Sunday, using cdc emerging buzzers. I will need to tie a few of these beasts up in sizes 10 - 14 and green seemed to be the winning colours!!

Walthamstow - 24/06/07

Got a Sunday afternoon / evening in.

Found it really hard going and never had a pull up until about 19:00 when the rain just lashed down for a round an hour. Therefore called it a day.

Walthamstow - 20/06/07

Wow was it windy, it was still blowing from the SW but had strengthened quite significantly, the sun was also out as much as it was behind the clouds.

Started to fish the causeway with the wind coming over my left shoulder, but it was bringing my flies round to quickly, stayed there for about 0.5 hour and managed one pull.

Moved to the far bank on #5 and was casting to the small tower, had lots of pulls and the fish were grazing on the surface around mid-afternoon. Managed to get 3 fish. 2 had taken a new buzzer I had made which was tied very slim using stripped dyed green peacock herl (not from near the eye), black thread thorax, orange antron wing buds with white antron breathers.

After a while the shoal moved off and nothing happened for over an hour. I managed to get a cast right alongside the tower. The wind was still strong, although I was slightly sheltered by the walnut trees. Then I felt a thud, and a fish was on. It swam round in large open circles a few rod lengths out from the bank, it was a monster, all I could see was this large tail that came out of the water now and then as its head pointed down to the lake bed. Then it perked up, swam out an then in, then out..... then came back and circled. It took backing and then came back in, it did't fight like a rainbow and felt sure it was a large resident brown as the fight was so different.

After 10 minutes or more as I was startign to get the fish closer to the bank. BOLLOCKS the hook came free. This would have been my largest fish ever from Walthamstow, didn't get to see the whole of the fish and it may have been a double. Oh well gutted, it happens. The fish had taken the slim buzzer. Hopefully one day I well get another go at it!

Decided to move as the evening was drawing and was hoping for the wind to die down and the fish come up like in the previous evenings, but unfortunately this didn't happen. Must of been down to the wind. The swallows appeared although briefly. After trying several places and fishing till 9:30, I packed up and never getting another pull.

As a side note, a nice 2lb Brownie was caught in #5 on a buzzer, and the reservoirs are due to be stocked today (21/06/07).

3 - 3 - 1

Walthamstow - 17/06/06

Itching to get back, I managed to get Sunday evening in.

The weather was still overcast with an occasional period of sun shine, a couple of showers and the wind was mild, conditions were the same as yesterday.

Tied 5 hares ear buzzers up. Met a bloke from the day before who had struggled and I gave him a fly, but he didn't get a chance to use it as he was leaving.

Fished #4 in the same place as yesterday near the inlet to #5. Had action straight away and the takes were savage, had 3 snap offs. Gave a fly to a man named Boris who was struggling. In the end I ran out of the HE's and used a similar #14 but with black holo body and hares ear thorax. Fish still came!!

In the end I gave Boris my rod and he managed to catch.

The main set up I used for the past three visits was:

Floating line
8ft 6lb Fulling Mill Fluoro - #10 Black holo Buzzer
8ft 6lb Fulling Mill Fluoro - #10 Stripped Peacock Buzzer,
8ft 4lb Stroft - #14 Hares ear buzzer (pearl rib, peacock herl thorax and cdc bubble), or black holo. Both with CDC ginked.

12 - 4 - 4

Walthamstow - 16/06/06

Was meant to go to the WFFC Grafahm trip, but couldn't get anyone to share the long journey with so decided to give it a miss.

What a great decision that was, I had one of my best afternoons fishing at Wally ever!!

Arrived around 15:00, and made my way to #4 and to the corner I fished on Thursday, the wind was blowing straight at me from the SW. I had a few casts and decided to join all the other fishermen on the causeway fishing in to #4.

I met Action Man, and he told me he had pulled a few out on an intemediate line and a few fish were showning. I fished next to him and in about 1.5 hours I had hooked 6 fish. All cracking fish between 2 and 4 lb. They were mostly taking a #14 hares ear buzzer on the point that had a CDC bubble. the fishing was fantastic and most of the fish were targeted as they fed just below the surface. On spooning all had a few buzzers in them. Action Man left and someone moved in to his spot, I then landed a fish and a russian geezer started fishing in my spot. I had a few words with this invader and was going to move to #5 anyway as the fishing was 'too easy'! So I left the prat too it.



As I walked along the causeway, a bloke hooked a fish on a booby fished washing line.



I got to the South bank of #4 and met a really nice old boy called John who was a Chelsea Fan and a comedian to boot! Fishing was great here as well. Had another few fish to the buzzer and also a stripped peacock one. One of the fish around 3lb was foul-hooked in the tail and made of like the clapper and took most of my backing with him. Thought I had hooked a double, as it made it half way to the islands.

The fish apparently have now come up to the top to feed on the flys as the Daphnia has sunk down to the bottom.

Unfortunately had to leave at 8:00 to meet the other half.

20? - 6 - 6

Walthamstow - 14/06/06

Managed to get an evening in.

Wind was blowing from the NE and fish were showing randomly. Nice to see the water in #4 was clearer.

Managed to get 2 fish on a stripped peacock buzzer and had a few pulls.

Was fishing by the inlet on #4 from the East Bank.

Woth mentioning that it absolotely gushed down at around 7:00 for around 20 minutes.

2 - 2 - 2

Powder Mills, East Sussex - 11/06/07

After hearing Farmoor was not fishing its best, we made a last minute change of venue and went to the pretty venue of Powder Mills, 10 miles past Bewl.

Marco and I had a boat each and I had mistakenly knicked one of the Members boats (met him later and what a nice chap).

Marco had one on his first cast to a black and green montnna on a sink tip, while I caught tons of perch, even a full string of three at a time, just like mackereling! I even had a large perch come up and take a small one on my point fly right up in front of the boat which I landed, he then spat my perch out and another larger 2 came up from his belly.

I managed to catch a few trout on buzzers in the NW arm, and nearly a fish a chuck when I tryed and orange fritz booby (that we later found out were banned due to someone fishing 2 rods with a floater and a sinker and static boobys on each, they should have banned the fisherman instead of the method!). All my fish were below 1lb.

Marco continued his uncanny, unbelievable, total bull shit, uncharecteristic, completly lucky streak and landed a 6.5 lb fish on an orange booby, he also lost another of a similar size! Notice the gammy mouth, not Marco's but the fish, it had half its jaw ripped with the lip in one line coming out from its gill. The mouth had was well healed up and the fish must have been feeding like this for some time.

All fish were rainbows and none of the wild brownies were caught. Weather was overcast and mild.

Walthamstow - 05/06/07

Back to hard graft.

Had a few swirls to a rassler or booby pulled fast accross the surface and that was it.

Never had a proper take, fished from 3:00 to 9:00.

Also joined the Walthamstow Fly Fishers Club.

Walthamstow - 29/05/07

More like it.

Had three fish.

First was on my second cast, at the inlet on #4. Caught on one of my orange boobies on a crap cast that only went half way out, and I pulled it quite quickly and the fish took just before the weed.

I then spent a few hours moving around, the wind was unsettled and changing direction all the time. I got to #5 and could see fish right far out, but nothing near by. An old boy who had been fishing the corner of #4 at the start of the causeway packed up and came over and told me he had about 5 pulls in the last half hour, although nothing was showing. I went over to the spot and had to cast in to the wind, and had a fish on my second cast (again). This time it took an okey-dokey, and the fish was in great condition and over 3lb.

Then a few hours later when it was near enough dusk, I was fishing #5 and saw a fish rise about 5ft from the bank, got a perfect cast alongside to the bank to him and he took, another beauty over 3lbs and a cracking fight! This one took a stripped peacock buzzer.

3 fish, 3 different methods!!!

3 - 3 - 3

Walthamstow - 24/05/07

Thought I sussed it!

After the very hot direct sunshine over the last couple of days, the water turned green.

It was really hard going and I fished from 15:00 to 21:00 and did not even get a pull. Even the regulars strugguled and I think only one fish was caught, on a medicine fly (sea trout pattern).

Walthamstow - 21/05/07

Think I've sussed it!

Arrived around 3:00pm, was allowed to park by the pylon. Made me way to the Platform 2 in #4 and cast a team of buzzers under a bung. Wind was blowing nicely from behind (northerly), sky was overcast and the swifts were on the water and a few buzzers were taking off.

I saw a couple of rises, but no action, and ven tryed a booby and still nothing.

Made my way to the inlet and saw the odd fish rising. Cast my team on top of a few fish and waited thinking I was definately about too get a take, but nothing happened. Tryed all sorts of naturals on the fish's noses and still nish. Saw a massive carp take something of the surface.

Went on to the sinker / orange booby. As the booby was on the surface I got a pull and played the fish to the bank and saw the booby eyes sticking out of his mouth. Then.... Bollocks, not again, this was the 3rd fish in a row to come of this fly and line in the same location. Was desperate to get a fish to spoon for some clues. I fished here for a little while longer and thought I would give #5 a go. Got to the corner and spoke to a fellow angler, and he said only 1 fish had been caught on a ccats whisker and nothing had been showing. On my first cast a Comorant popped up in front of me, and I thought, sod this! I'm going back to the inlet on #4.

I stuck on a intermediate and an #10 ls orange rassler, cast it over the swirl and something boiled underneath it. I then stripped the fly back fast on the surface and the fish continued to chase and thrash at the fly. Then around 2 rod lengths out, it lunged and took the fly. Finally. Managed to bank a fish. The fly was right down in the stomach, and upon spooning the fish, it was full of large green daphnia.

I had 2 boils at full cast under the rasller.

Daphnia = Orange lure stripped quickly, dont even think about naturals, go for the aggresion.

That was the key! Ended up with 3 fish in about an hour and is started to get dark, the fish went down and the action stopped, left about 9:00.

3 - 3 - 3

Walthamstow - 17/05/07

Arrived around 3:00 pm and wind was blowing from the railway bank (northley). I fished the second platform with a team of wets / buzzers and also tryed 2 Boobies on a Di7 Extreme Distance. Had an hour and half here and never got a pull.

Was going to move to the causeway, but noticed people fishing there were moving around a bit, so concluded that not much was happening there. So moved along the bank to the inlet.

Saw a few fish moving around, quite far out. Tryed with my new floater (thanks Pitsford Pirate), that went out nicely on my Bloke 10' #7. Then changed and cast out an Orange Booby and had a take far out while the fly was dropping. Nice fish, played it around a minute then... all went loose. Bollocks, first pull all day.

An hour later had another take retrieving the same Booby, hooked the fish played it a little longer and all went loose again! My hook was sharp, the barb was good cant explain it.

The conditions then became ideal for a hatch as the evening drew in. Wind dropped, lenty of sedge flying around the weed bushes along the bank, size 14 buzzers hatching - but, no fish moving up. Never got a take, and was pretty dissapointed, left at 8:30pm. Had tryed G&H Dry Sedge, invicta, dials bachs, buzzers wets, etc. Returns for the previous days / week showed a lot of -NIL-'s.

Hopefully things will pick up next week!

Hanningfield - 13/05/07

Marco and myself visited Hanningfield, at last moment we complicated going to Farmoor, but as the wind was breezy we didn't chance the trip to Oxford.


The weather was extremly wet, with some terrential showers during the day. The reservoir also looked nice and full. On going to the boats we noticed that there was some signs of algae.

We started a drift in Middlemead and things looked very promising. The wind was blowing us straight out from the bank. I had a take on my second cast and third cast had a fish that I released that took a Dial Bach.

Marco used a Booby setup.

We drifted over to the other side where the tower by the forest is and never got another touch between us, I was fishing a team of buzzers.

What became the order of the day was algae on the flies / lines.

We found fish eventually at the Inlet and Marco managed 2 to an Orange Booby. I had a few takes on Boobys but never managed to attach properly to fish.

We were the last boat in and learned that most people had a very hard day.

Competition results
Marco 2
Vince 1

NB Macro = Orange = 7

Walthamstow - 11/05/07

Things had changed from Wednesday. Headed for the same spot I had been on Wednesday, arrived around 13:00pm.

Tryed hard all day, moving around.

Blanked!

0 - 0 - 0

Walthamstow - 09/05/07

Got the tube and arrived around 1:00pm. Had tied a few flies the night before, more black, green holo buzzers, a few pulling buzzers and a few Black Joe's. Wind had died down a bit from the previous day, and the water in both reservoirs was crystal clear. Few Swifts flying around enjoying the flies.

Had a couple of casts in #4 on the platform nearest the pylon, and was hard going casting in to the wind. The wind was fairly strong and blowning from the South West. Then moved around to the causeway and fished in to #4 with a team of buzzers under a bung. Spent a while without getting a touch. Tryed an intermdediate and still no joy. Fish had been rising behind me in #5 so had a go at casting in to the wind and could'nt get a pull.

Moved around to #5 and started to egt some action. The fish were shoaling up and swimming along the surface. The first fish I caught was over 3lb and was a cracker, chock full of green Daphnia, fish took black holo buzzzer. It was a matter of waiting for some surface disturbance and casting too it. Had a few pulls, and then noticed what seem to be a large pike head breaking the surface coming through the shoal of trout. Saw this happen twice, never knew there were Pike around, also had a comorant sticking its nose in a couple of times. Took a fish on a Black Joe, thanks to Sotfly for doing the step-by-step!

Click Picture for full size

Had a couple more in the three positions above, last one I chased along the bank and caught it opposite the Comorant Island. The Comorants are even nesting on the ground as the trees are decimated, and there aren't many branches left for there nests, shows how much they have adapted and how safe they are with no natural predators around.

Had to leave early to get home for the Chelsea v Mancs game, so packed up at 6:30. The fish seemd to be on sedges as the bloke next to me was getting quite a lot offers to his G&H sedge and there were plenty flying around the margins. Will need to tie up some silver invictas and G&H's. Hopefully will be back on Friday.

3 - 1 - 1

Walthamstow - Week #17

Went three times this week after work, and each time was quite different. The water in both reservoirs were crystal clear.

Here is a brief summary of what happened:

23/04/07

Arrived about 5:00 pm and fished in number 4 - had nothing, then went to #5 and fished the corner near the tower.

Had one fish on a buzzer and a couple of takes and that was it. Wind was blowing from the South.

1 - 1 - 0

24/04/07

Arrived at 3:00 pm. Saw people fishing along the causeway, near the west corner. Wind was still blowing from the same direction as Monday.

Bloke corner caught as I walked along, and then the last person (about 4 people along) caught one. So I fished along from him.

Tactics were 4 fly cast; orange sight bob fly, dial bach, buzzer (both as pics below), and the point fly was changed on several occasions. Wind was blowing nicely slightly accross me from the left. Cast my flies out slightly in to the wind and let the wind move them across. Takes came rapidly and had 2 fish on at the same time on my second cast. Had plenty of action for a couple of hours, although the fishing went dead for a while very now and then.

Early evening the fish went of altogeter. I heard a rise in #5 behind me and cast to a fish, and bang it was on. Casting in to the wind with buzzers was very difficult and although the fish were rising close to the bank it was very hard presenting the team of flies to them and had to give up on them in the end.

Meanwhile, the fish started rising in #4, and there was a prolific hatch of green buzzers. I have never seen so many, had to keep waving my hand in front of my eyes to see whet I was doing. the fish were well on them, and I never got a tug, probably because my flies were 1 in a million.

4 - 3 - 3

26/04/06

Arrived just after 5:00 pm. Wind had swung round and was cold and blowing from the North. Fished on the 2nd platform from the corner near the pylon on #4 (near the road / railway line).

Had a fish on my second cast. Same tactics as Tuesday. Played it in quickly and he swam under the platform, then snapped my buzzer of as I was passing my rod under the platform.

Lost a monster while winding in, fish pulled the line, reel spun, birds nest, fish pulled again........ SNAP!

Moved along the bank to the other corner, and got no joy. Walked round to the causeway and was told that no one was catching. Went back to my first position and had a fish shortly after on the drop on a long cast, also had another on the retrieve (these 2 were in the last hour).

4 - 3 - 0

Of on hols for 2 weeks, be back soon!

Walthamstow - 10/04/07

Arrived around 12:00. In the lodge was details of a fish screen that was fitted to #4 to stop the fish swimming in to the Higher Maynard where some of the carp boys have been pulling out a few nice rainbows. The water flows from the Higher Maynard into #4 and it's quite natural for a trout too want to swim upstream and this how quite a few have ended up in there.

The water in #4 was still quite brown, contrastly the water in #5 was very clear, probably due to the drain down in #4 last year. I made my way to the Causeway and fished in to both resevoirs for a couple of hours and managed one fish from one take in #5 and saw a few fish rise in the corner of #4. the fish took a Damsel nymph on a 3 fly leader on a floating line.

1 = Causeway, 2 = #5 Corner

I then moved round to the corner in#5. Half way along, one bloke had caught a 5-6lb'er on an olive.

The fishing quickly improved, even though it was a mild wind, it was a lot more comfortable fishing with the wind. I cast out a black holographic buzzer, dial bach and bloodworm, with a bung. Moving the flies very slowly after leaving them static for a good few minutes, I begun to get action. I had a double hook up, fish taking on the first twitch of the flies after a long cast, and even had a fish on the last cast winding in. Unfortunately had to leave early to watch Chelsea overcome the odds to beat Valencia in the Champs League Semi final. Packed up at 6:30 and was indoors with a stella for 7:30. Marked 3 fish down.

A couple of the fish had Cormorant puches on them and a few were diving/swimming around pannicking the fish. Would be good if someone could get in a boat and set fire to the rotten trees on the islands that are full of the nests (anyone got a light?).

Black Holographic Buzzer (click for larger pic.)

Hook: Size 12 Sedge
Body: Black Holographic Tinsel (varnished for protection after ribbing)
Rib: 4lb Fluorocarbon
Breathers: White Poly Yarn
Thorax: Hares Ear

Dail Bach (click for larger pic.)

Hook: Size 10 Partridge Traditional Wet Fly - Heavy Wire
Body: Green Peacock Herl
Rib: Fine Copper wire
Thorax: Black Peacock Herl
Tail & Underwing: Brown Cock Feather fibres
Cheeks: Pearl Flashbou

6 - 3- 0

Farmoor 2 - 01/04/07 First day of the boats

Got up nice and early, and got too Farmoor around 9:30. Was really looking forward to having one of the first boats on the water this season. Unfortunately, although it was a nice bright day, there was a very cold, blusterly wind blowing down from the North East. Due to the wind direction and speed, Marco and Myself were completly gutted to hear that the boats were cancelled.

We therfore bought our tickets and fished the East Bank. With the wind coming over the right hand shoulder, it was very uncomfortable. I manged to get in to a fish after about 1/2 hour at point number 1, just past the no fishing sign (the right side of it!). Marco fished from the Causeway for a couple of hours and then moved round to the boat pontoon.

I continued to fish in the same point with a couple of boobies on the 40+ Di7 line. I also tryed a sink tip with buzzers. All in all I managed 3 fish on the boobies, and nothing touched the buzzers. The fish were full of green daphnia and some little black buzzers. Nice to see the stockies were twice the size of some of the fish that were stocked last year. The fishing was hard and it seemed like you had to sit it out and wait for the shoal to swim past, rather than try and find em.

Marco had a very rare good day. He managed 5 in really difficult conditions and it is particularly remarkable as normally he fishes consistently worse than me. Well done for managing to out fish me! He had 5 on deep water tactics, and also (unbelivably) caught the seasons biggest so far! A 5lb 5oz over wintered beauty (caught at posisition 3). The largest rainbow last year was 5lb 10oz.

Jammy Shit Bag with a Farmoor 5lb 5oz Beauty

Paul told us that he was going to be fishing Farmoor 1 shortly, trolling with lures to try hunt some of the monster residents. Next year it will be a big fish, bank only venue, £40 for 4 fish. I will definately be having a go there next season, and am waiting for Paul to invite me to the pioneering trolling day.

Competition results

Marco 5

Vince 3

Walthamstow - First Outing of the Season (26/03/07) - Catch Report

Got to Walthamstow around 3pm yesterday, met the chief warden Chris in the lodge and paid for my Season Ticket, then progressed to the reservoirs.

The conditions were bright, with a cold wind blowing from the East. The water in both reservoirs was tinged with brown algae and I would say visibility was poor for this time of year. The coppermill stream was very brown and you could not even see the bottom.

To cut a long story short, I never got a touch.....

I started of at point 1, with the wind blowing very hard over my left shoulder. I fished sink-tips with buzzers, and 40+ Di7 with boobies. Spent a while in each point. There were a few Cormorants diving in both Reservoirs which would definately of spooked the fish for a few hours, still 100's of them around and you could here the noises of the new brood coming from the islands.

Was told that there were a few caught in the corner nearest the road. I eventually got there and 1 bloke was fishing who had a couple of fish in his bag. I was making my way too the bank where you could fish in to the swirl and when he saw me coming, like a dick head he quickly moved in the spot before I could get there - wanker! I had to fish the last half hour on the platform past him. Packed up 6:45 and that was it.....

_______________________________

Sharing a boat with Marco on 01/04/07 on Farmoor 2, as its the first day of the boats and looking forward to doing battle with the yachts and catching a fish even more now!

Here's a Farmoor 2 Brownie I caught a few years ago!!

TL

Walthamstow - Season Ticket

Finally done it, thought long & hard, had sleepless nights and took the gamble and spent £280 on a 75 fish season ticket for Walthamstow Reservoirs.

Spent a few quid last season going there in the evenings and at £17 ago, I did'nt to go as much as I wanted too, but now I have free rein to go when ever I can/want!!

My work is moving over to Stratford - Leyton and this will mean I should be around 20 mins away and am looking forward to the long warm evening fishing. These seem to be the most productive times and can be very hard normally.

Also I can get from Pimlico to Blackhorse Road in 35 mins by tube on the Victoria Line.

Tight Lines for the Season (Hopefully)