Chris’s Fishing Diary 2005

Saturday 9th April 2005

Sopley Lake

1pm to 6pm

On Grand National Saturday, after purchasing a new rod licence on the environment agency website, we visited the RDAA lake at Sopley for the first fishing session of 2005.

The weather was patchy, being quite warm in the sun, but cold when it clouded over.

Fishing on hair rigged pellet we had no first session luck, but some carp were observed from the bank.  I often find this lake can be hard early on in the season, when the water is still quite cold.

On a positive note though,  I did have the first 3 horses in the National, so perhaps I used all the luck up there!

Sunday 15th May 2pm-6.30pm

Visited the picturesque lake at Turf Croft Farm, which was very busy. The rhododendrums around the lake were all out in flower.

Fished the lake with hair rigged trout pellets close the the margins which in the past has had good results on the lake. Unfortunately the blank fishing continued, and could not even catch the terapin for which there is a reward of a free days fishing for its capture alive.

Monday 11th July 2005

Throop Beat 3 8.30-11pm

Fished near the pipe bridge on the beat 3 section after work on a warm evening after work.

Fished with hair rigged hallibut pellet, after deciding against using a nearby slug. Had the bait taken, but it failed to stick.

Wednesday 13th July 2005

Throop Beat 3 8-10.45pm

Fished near the pipe bridge again with Pete. Again we used hallibut pellets, but the old bag of pre-drilled 14mm Matrix pellets ran out, Pete using the last of them.

I started a new packet of hallibut pellets of a brand that we had used before, but are not predrilled. I put three on a hair rig after drilling them with our new bait drill.

I had a bite about 20 minutes, later landing a lovely 1lb Eel

Had several more bites, including a v.brief pull towards the bank before it jumped off with unknown fish, throughout the evening. Perhaps the new bait is better…or is it just luck ?

Thursday 14th July 2005

Throop Beat 3 – Near Pipe Bridge

8pm – 11pm

We returned to the pipe bridge swim after yesterdays bite attack. This time it was Pete who had the bites ( again on the newer halibut pellet bait ) and I had a quieter time of it.

Still no fish, but Pete upped the stakes on the eel front catching 2 in the session. Nice!

Saturday 16th July 2005

Severals 3pm – 7pm

After purchasing some new fishing bait (halibut boilies), and other bits and bobs I visited Severals for the first time this year.

The river itself seems especially low at the moment, especially near the old railway bridge.

On the trip I was joined by Pete and Sarah. Suprisingly the fishery was almost devoid of anglers, there being only one other angler there apart from us three.

The day was blazing hot in the afternoon and fishing on the boilie set up we fished on a corner near the old bath swim. No bites were had by any of us.

Sunday 17th July 2005

Throop Beat 2 2pm – 6.30pm

Pete and I fished the beat 2 section of Throop fisheries, parking in Pig Lane and walking down to a swim near Chibbs Pool.

Again anglers were not in great number ( where was everybody this weekend ? Did we miss some event ?? ).

Fished on halibut boilies again, and just as we were thinking these are no good. Pete had a run on a fish, unfortunately an all too brief one.

This year is not good on the fish front yet. Still I’m sure we’ll keep trying.

Wednesday 20th July 2005

Throop Beat 3
8pm – 10.30pm

Fished the pipe bridge section again after work on a warm but breezy evening.

Pete used the boilies, and I went back to the pellets, both hair rigged.

Around 9pm I had a good bite and thought I was into a fish for a change, no luck on that front, it turned out to be an eel of about 1.5 pounds.

Had a further half bite about 10pm, but nothing else was landed. This section used to be good for various fish, but it seems infested with eels this year, maybe time for a different spot.