Lady of the stream and Robbie the bank stick…

Tags

Abu 1044, Czech Woven Nymph, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Grayling, River Itchen, Samuel Palmer, Trotting

The title may lead you to think I’m about to review a new children’s title by Julia Donaldson & Alex Scheffler, but no this is about our day out on the banks of the River Itchen on a damp January day.

Having been away up in Derbyshire over the past couple of day I promised young Tales that we would head out fishing over the weekend, I did give him the option to spend time flying his new remote control Super Cub S, a rather substantial model plane but with low cloud and damp conditions fishing was the preferred option. 

It took a few trips up to the loft to store away the Christmas decorations and find a couple of bags of tackle and rods that had been put up there to clear space before my Mother arrived for the Christmas period, I could locate everything we needed however enough to tackle up a fly rod and a 11ft float rod for trotting.

Our destination today was on the outskirts of Winchester, we a fish a section fish the Itchen that run through meadowlands, flanked by trees and with the distant silhouette of Chuch spteeples whilst cattle graze on new shoots as mild conditions and no snow allows the grass to be lush the time of year, occasionally tugging at the holly trees that over hand from the boundary of the hedgerow with the river. The river path was well trodden as it is a popular spot for destination ramblers as well as local dog walkers and those who just want to take to the country to fill their lungs with fresh air and feel the chill wind against their faces.

It didn’t take us too long to commute the 68 miles but as the rain pelted the windscreen we glanced at each other wondering if we were just completely mad or were those clouds going to break to give us an hour or two of solace on the water, for us a pilgrimage as both the Itchen, Test and Avon are for us as much a Mecca for our fishing.

The river was running clear not quite gin clear but clear enough to feel confident if the fish were around we’d tempt one or two out on what would be our first fishing trip of 2017, may they continue in the months to come with greater frequency than last year. After we had the rods set up we walked down the hill from the Station where you can park to the small bridge that marks the start of the free fishing beat. Armed with a mixed box of maggots for trotting and a Wheatley box full of woven Czech nymphs we felt we had all we needed plus ‘lady luck’. 

As we walked the riverbank it was not long before we can across a father and son fishing, trotting their float mid-water and as we watched the tip of the rod started to bend, they played a grayling into the margin before we picked up conversation with them. I did notice the use of a closed face Abu reel, vintage and still in my mind one of the best river trotting reels I’ve ever used the Abu 1044. Fishing a mix of casters and maggots they seem to have had success so that indicated a way forward.

Young Tales took up the fly rod, with his first cast the yellow woven nymph pulled around with the current only to be taken by an eager grayling close in the margins, however after a momentary tug the fish was off.

The scenery in this valley of Hampshire reminds me of the etchings of that truer British romantic artist/etcher Samuel Palmer,distant church spires, grazing cows, streams, woodlands and low flying barn owls- it is truest a magical place that is only just over an hour from London. I am lucky to own a collection of Palmer’s work and the scene today reminded me of ‘The Willow’. It was under a willow that young Tales was casting, several follows but no takes so we moved upstream past a small a weir or flow regulato, here the water runs dark, deeper and through a narrower channel lined with reeds giving you between 18 inches and a yard to fish from if you are without waders. 

The drips of water from the hood of my Barbour ran consistently indicating that the drizzle had now turned into train, soon the rain passed over and fishing resumed. The bright orange tip meandering through the pale gray reflective water, in and out of shadows and momentarily pulling back in an eddy as the current flowed over a submerged tree trunk and clump of weed, most of the weed in the river has broken off as it decays before it starts it new growth. As the float swung to the left of a channel it disappeared beneath the surface at the same time the top of the rod bowed to the water and the line pulled tight. There displaying her pewter coloured scales and crimson dorsal fin a ‘lady of the stream’ gracefully made her way to the straw coloured reeds and deep green cress that grace the margins. For young Tales a beaming smile and a voice full of excitement as his is what we came for. Several trotts later another pewter bar came drop the depths. These fish are strong, if you try to handle one they have immense strength that pushes against your grip. Having returned the fish and taken time to observe the flow of the river we where joined by two Officers from the Environment Agency, they had come to check that we were carrying our Lisence to fish, to some this is an unwelcome visit however this is the first time for many years I’ve been asked. I have to say I was please to see these Officers of our sport, for it is the revenue from our licenses that help manage the waterways we fish.

The rain had set in and my old Barbour was leaking, classic it may be but not as functional/waterproof as more contemporary outerware. As Mrs Tales points out my old Barbour not only smells like a pocket full of change but stiffens in the cold and from age is more like a sieve. The warmth of home seemed more inviting than another hour on the river so we started to make our way back to the car, we stopped for one last cast and out of the corner of his eye young Tales spotted a stick, not any old stick but a home-made bankstick. Made of bamboo, brass, alloy with silk whippings and a Hazel twig fork at the top. Buried deep into the bank and on the edge of reeds to most it would be unnoticeable, it had probably been there for sometime and only now visible because the surrounding vegitation had died back. On inspection it was thoughtfully constructed, along the shaft was a paper tape measure varnished along the bamboo length but it was showing signs of weathering but did have the name ‘Robbie’ written in ink beneath the varnish. After much debate we decided to take the bank stick home with us..we will take ‘Robbie’ out on another adventure and should ‘Robbie’s’ owner get in touch then happily return it. As you can imagine ‘Stickmam’ came to mind and young Tales was quite chuffed with his riverbank find.

Fishing the evening tide…

Tags

Abu Cardinal, Atlantic, Bass, High Tide, Lugworm, Mackerel, Mitchell 300, Newhaven Angler, Reel, Seaford, Sussex Coast, Vintage

After a slow start to the day we eventually get ourselves together and made our way to Seaford for an afternoons fishing. The  forecast was promising, a late high tide and the wind that blew for most of the day would drop by early evening. With a brief stop at Newhaven Angler for some lugworm we were set for a good afternoons fishing.

We set up a couple of vintage rods, an Abu Atlantic 4 paired to a Cardinal 759 and an old Masterline spinning rod paired to vintage Mitchell reel that was acquired a couple of years ago from a car boot sale in Norfolk.

As a good couple of hours passed by with not even a knock it was clearly going to be a tough afternoon. Young Tales, kept his focus , as dusk set in he was rewarded with a Horse Mackerel  

    
   

Deceivers Part II…

Tags

Flies, River, sea-trout, Stockbridge, Test, thames

There are many ways of deceiving game fish, well any fish for that matter as you can catch coarse fish on the fly and Carp do like a dog busciut.

Earlier today I had to revisit some account from last week so this meant a trip to Stockbridge in the valley of the Test. Nestled in the high street is a tackle shop, independent and stocked with high quality tackle, clothing and everything you may need for a day, week or month on e river.

Under the orders of young Tales I was intucted to squire some very realistic flies for his next fishing foray. I have to say these are real imitations, in fact I feel too close to the real thing, that cheating comes to mind.

As the weekend is upon us my dear son has requested that we go fishing, at £3 a chuck I hope these flies stay on for most of the day, however if he doesn’t catch anything on these I will asking for my money back.

For me it’s not about  the catching but the time out and away from the iPad that counts. Hopefully we’ll have something positive to report tomorrow.

Just as an observation, late into the evening we’ve seen the odd bar of silver break the water on the Thames, I’d like to think it’s Salmon but I know it’s a run of Sea-Trout heading up stream.

Hopefully one of Dai Jones flies or one of theses will deceive a trout or two.

Deceivers…

Tags

Abu, Andrews of Arcadia, Antiques, lure, Shoreditch House, Spitalfields, St Ives, Toby, Vintage Tackle

Found under the glass roof of Spitalfields Market today a cluster of home-made and vintage lures.

Over recent months it has been noticeable of the absence of Andrews of Arcadia, no longer a dedicated piscatorial stall fills a space at the far end of the market, no more mugs of victory tea, banter, stories of trips to the ends of the island in search of ‘Vintage Tackle For The Soul’ – this an now only be found by viewing on my iPad.

Spitalfields Market always excites me in much the same as Sunbury Antiques Market who’s home is Kempton Racecourse. You simply never know what you may find but if you wish for something you’ll always manage to find it.

Having attended a meeting at Shoreditch House I decided to stroll back through the Market towards Liveool Street Station. Dealers sat chatting to each other and punters browsed the eclectic mix of items, boxes of bone, silverware, vintage watches, paintings, glassware, vintage furniture, shop fittings, clothing – yes this list is endless.

Having picked up a vintage Festival of Britain branded glass and a 50’s button badge from someone’s holiday souvenirs from St Ives I came across a table of odds and ends and a handful of vintage lures. Some whittled from wood, others a combination of wire and lead weights, others vintage manufactures lures, similar to Heddon and one painted Abu Toby, this I had to have. What intrigued me most was that someone had taken the time to sit and make some lures that they thought would deceive a fish…today they caught the eye of a fisherman, as my wife say’s, tackle is there to catch fishermen not fish.

Back on the trail again…

Tags

Bruce & Walker, Dai Jones, Fishing, Fly, Franklin & Sons, Gin, Intrepid Gearfly, Kenmore, Planet Co., Reel, Rod, sea-trout, Tionic, Wales

It’s frustrating when whilst I the middle of a writing a post it seems to disappear, however I will have another go. Fishing trips have been far and few between this year in fact I’m not even sure we’ve been on one. I know we’ve put the rods in the car, bags and all the other stuff, but the time spent by the water fishing just hasn’t happened.

Also in my pursuit of all things vintage there have been no trips to Sunbury Antiques Market and I think I’ve only been to my favourite West London Car Boot once. I’ve purchased a couple of things out of local charity shops, these being an Intrepid Gearfly Reel and Spool along with a pristine Diawa Salmon spinning rod.ba recent online purchase of a colapsable canvas fishing creel from the turn of the last century was a good find, made by the Planet Co of Westfield, Mass. Planet seem to make a range of colapsable canvas fishing items, bait buckets, minnow traps and a creel. Although missing it’s carrying strap it looks like new, no faded material and the metal struts in good condition. It was listed as a live bait bag but after having done some research it was note as a Creel and across the Pond a valued item trading at $145 in fair condition.

My other recent purchase has been a ‘New Era’ Bruce & Walker Fly Rod #7/9 an ideal Sea -Trout or Grilse rod. This rod I want to try out on a West Wales river before the season ends. Having purchased some Sea-Trout flies from Dai Jones, serviced the Gearfly reel and cleaned the lines ready for use, I just need to pick up the rod from Toby on the South Coast and head for the hills of mid Wales. For over two seasons your Tales and I have talked about a trip to catch a bar of silver out of a Welsh river but to date we just haven’t found the time to do it. In fact we had also discussed a trip up to the Tay in Scotland, once an annual pilgrimage for myself to fish on the Kenmore stretch of the river during the end of September or early October.

Having taken on the role of launching a new range of tonics and soft drinks under the Franklin & Sons brand who’s heritage dates back to 1886, the precious time I once had to fish with young Tales has now been absorbed in attending Gin Festivals across the country most weekends. Hopefully, whilst the summer holidays are upon us we’ll get the odd afternoon to head South to the Itchen on the outskirts of Winchester to fish, there a couple of seasons ago young Tales caught his first Sea-Trout, an experience he will never forget or will I.

Fishing in what ever form has been a great pastime for us to enjoy, building lasting memories and bonding us together in a way no other sport has done to date, well except our love for cars and motorsport but it’s not quite the same. I do hope we can enjoy more time by the river or sea together- simply we need to make time to do it.

  

Half term…then we must go fishing!

Tags

Coarse, Fishing, Half Term, Lakes, Surrey, Willinghurst Fisheries

It wasn’t a school day but young Tales was up and about early, the school half term is already upon us and we are not heading to the slopes or for winter sun. Our focus is on keeping young Tales away from a certain communication tool that has robbed us of so much of his time and conversation, yes the iPad, that wonderful device that gives us so much information at a flick of the finger and helps a certain level of learning is also a destructive tool. I’ve witnessed so many times a whole family out for dinner where each individual is engrossed with reading the next text, Facebook notification, tweet and catching the latest result…surely this is meant to be family time where conversation and banter abound or am I just showing my age? What gives me something to smile about is that he wants to go fishing!

I can only take comfort that at bedtime young Tales was eager to know if fresh bait had been acquired, tackle assembled for a day on the water. Forecast as the coldest night of the winter and freezing conditions for tomorrow this hasn’t quashed his enthusiasm for a days fishing with an old school friend at Willinghurst Fisheries in the Surrey countryside. Lakes are not young Tales favoured haunt but it certainly will be easier than river fishing, well ‘easy ‘ may not be the most appropriate word as I’m sure it will be a challenging day. Hopefully for both boys their rods will bend, a few smiles and the adrenalin of catching a fish will bring warmth in the chill of the Surrey air in mid February.

Car booty…

Tags

Car Boot, Cardoc, efgeeco, Gin, Juniperi, Miniatures, Rod, Tackle, Vintage, Whisky

Today saw the return of a certain West London car boot sale. I guess I was a little excited when I drew back the curtains to see blue skies and the glow of winter sun. A mug of tea was downed and a layer of thermals put on as although the sun saw out a brisk wind barrel up the river.

Joggers, cyclists, and dog walkers turned the towpath into one of Boris’s super-highways and the river was a hive of activity with rowers as they skimmed their oars across the water. I made my way over Barnes Bridge via Duke Meadows past the Civil Service Sports Ground where a procession of Range Rovers, Astons, Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari 456, Porsche Cayenne and mid range executive cars ferried their occupants to a rugby tournament. Hastily on foot I made my way past the engine noise of V8’s, V10’s and turbos.

By the time I past the allotments I knew I was only a few minutes away from the car boot sale but o was later than I wanted to be as the trade descend on this venue early in the morning in order to pick up the best and most desirable items, however it seemed that they had stayed away today as it was quiet compared to other days.

I was after picking up some vintage gin and whisky miniatures as I know they turn up, today was no exception as soon after scouring the ground with my eyes I found three cardboard apple boxes full of someone’s collection. clearly made up of collecting souvenir miniatures from their travels. Nothing really stood out though I know many are still prized by bar tenders, bottles of vermouth , Benedictine , Camus Cognac, J&B Rare and Sandeman Sherry. One miniature that did stand out was a co-branded BOAC Fino Sherry, clearly a First Class complimentary aperitif. Even for the £1 price tag I declined to load my backpack, foolish I may be but they turn up time and time again.

I know my dealers well, so I call on the usual suspects however didn’t find what I was looking for or had I…I can’t help myself with vintage tackle, I do pass up on most of what I see but did part with £8 for a Efgeeco rod carrier and a vintage fibreglass Cardoc Three Fishes leger rod, both items in clean usable condition, not on that we’ll know online auction site could you buy these a £4 per item.

Having browsed several isle of stalls I came across a stall of vintage glass ad ceramic bottles, none of the old gin or whisky bottles but I did clock a black- japanned time with the distinctive label BACC JUNIPERI. The tin had a flip top hinged lid which revealed a bright clean interior, this I had to buy. On the same stall was s box of vintage hand-made floats all beautifully made the paint and varnish still crisp and clean. There were Spanish reed floats, chubbers, avons, fluted, quill floats, antenna and wagglers, a box full of over 50 floats all marked up at £2.50 each, I was so tempted but knowing I have boxes and boxes of vintage floats I passed on these, however on the walk back past the allotments I wished I purchased a handful.

Maybe next month I will find more treasures but in the meantime I hope to get out on the river to give the rod I purchased today a chance to bend whilst playing a river roach or dace.

Low tide…

Tags

Artifacts, Barnes, chiswick, Corney Reach, Glass, Low Tide, River Thames, Roman

The air was crisp, a familiar wind barrelled down the river, the river ran fast as low tide approached on what was a bright and sunny February afternoon.

I took a couple of hours out of my day to walk along the river on the Middlesex bank towards Corney Reach as stretch of the Thames that run from Dukes Meadows towards the Chiswick Brewery know as the Fuller’s Brewery. This part of the Thames as a story of two to tell and is steeped in history. Here along the Thames are the remains of Saxon fish traps, plantations of willow once used by basket makers and the tell tale signs of an industrial past of boat building a wax works and the knowledge that settlement dating back to the Neolithic period and Roman Empire utilised this part of the Thames.

At low tide the riverbed reveals its historic past, clay pipes, ceramics, pottery, glass, metal and leather litter the shoreline. Each item gives a dateline to activity on a social and industrial level. Every decade and century leaves its stamp amongst the more contemporary detritus.

Their voices carried on the breeze, a group of children from one of the local schools exclaimed their excitement at finds in the shallow pools left by the outgoing tide. ‘A leech Miss, a leech Miss’ followed by ‘I’ve caught a shrimp Miss’ and then the shriek ‘ an eel’, all of this gave me a warm feeling as it means the state of the river has improved and running clean.

As I made my way across the stones and silt towards the drop off of the gardens where the edge of the river is scoured to reveal bars of sand fragments of pipes are bleach to their former white clay, fragments of clay pottery, blue and white china lay like confetti on the surface. One fragment of glass took my eye, it was the base of a glass Roman storage vessel. This fragment of glass was a mix of green and blue with a dimpled surface texture, this is one of my oldest finds. However I have found a flint arrow head which I assume pre-dates this along with the fossils of sea urchins and squid.

The whole area seems to speak to you about its past, its former market gardens, fishing and the location of Corney House these are all are distant memories, yet you think you can hear voices of ferry men working the river.

If you get a chance to visit this part of West London take a walk along the river and if at low tide see the history for yourself. On a cautionary note the tide moves fast and you need good footwear so alway be aware of the state of the river and locate exit points.

When the wind blows…

Tags

Fishing, Float, Flood, Fly, Itchen, Rivers, Watch, Wind, Winter

January has passed by in the blink of an eye. The rods only twice graced the water and only once did the line tighten and that was for young Tales during a foray to the River Itchen just after New Year.

As the winds blow and the rain continued throughout the month the rivers ran the colour of the proverbial builders tea, the river banks were awash with water and its speed too fast for trotting for silver fish. It has been a poor month for river fishing.

The latest copy of Fallon’s Angler has yet to hit the doormat so we still wait in anticipation for its arrival and the recent copy of Trout & Salmon still rests in it plastic wrapper. Something tells me that either time has not been in our side or that young Tales focus has moved on, the words ‘can we go fishing’ have been seldom spoken this side of Christmas. This time last year we had spent a Saturday at the Lower Itchen Fishery, braved the chill winds on Brighton Marina wall, fished Syon Park Fishery and had a couple of trips to the Thames at Sunbury. Is this absence a reflection of my own lack of enthusiasm or just that windy wet days keep us away from the water. Certainly the rivers aren’t fishing well, not unless you fish the bottom with a feeder and that may be the option for this weekend. With the wind set to blow most of the weekend fly fishing for Grayling will be a tough task and one where any back cast will probably connect with the hedge or worst still in your back as you cast out.

For the first time young Tales showed interest in the local fishery in Barnes close to the Wetland Centre. A well kept lake surrounded by trees and in his mind a better option than the lengthy drive to overflowing rivers. This is a Members water so we will investigate the option on getting him a Junior Membership, certainly an option if it keeps the enthusiasm but I know not quite where his ‘purist’ beliefs are of the wilds of the river in order to watch a fly or float work the currents.

One thing we have noticed is how advanced the plants are in the hedgerows, even the daffodils are out a month earlier than last year, the Blackthorn who’s fruit in Autumn is the sloe berry is in flower along the towpath, nettles are showing fresh growth and even in a sheltered spot the blackberry has over-wintered and is flower, most bizarre.

I sense this year will pass all too quickly, they just do as you get older, like watching clouds rushing by they are gone in a flash so you need to make the most of the time you have.

The night before Christmas…

Tags

Christmas, Eve, Night, Presents, Year

Between the rain showers and the warm glow of winter sun we dashed around the village doing the lasts bits of shopping before retiring to the pub for a beer and a bite to eat in order to give us energy to wrap those Christmas gifts for young Tales, it may take some time.

The years seems to have passed all too quickly, possibly because we’ve done a lot but more than likely because we are getting older. During the year we went West Wales for young Tales birthday to allow him to fish for sea-trout, went to a wedding in St Ives, visited Mrs Tales birthplace on the island of Cyprus, retuned to Bexhill – a place I spent time at as a young teenager to fish, stalled out at The National Vintage Tackle Fair, worked on some new projects and now it’s Christmas.

As it’s time to spend time with Mrs and young Tales on this Christmas Eve I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you who have taken time to read my blog a very merry Christmas.