The Secret Swim...

Weyfarer...you are mad!

Was that yesterday? We have 3 inches of snow now, whereas just a dusting yesterday.


Splendid Chub....Lord knows you earned it.

Not foolish but totally dedicated Weyfarer!
Sounds masochistic but I enjoy extreme weather conditions, they make me feel alive and even better when catching a nice Chub like yours.

This is one of the reasons why I love Chub.

They will still feed lustily when most fish are refrigerated into a torpor. Well done, Weyfarer, you have awakened fond memories of a few hours' fishing more than 40 years ago, accompanied by my father, on a snowy day, through a hole in the ice covering the frozen Queniborough Brook.

I freelined a lobworm through the ice and under the roots of a hawthorn bush to have it seized by a 1 1/2 lb Chub...a monster in such a tiny stream...which made the whole thing seem worthwhile and the celebratory hot coffee from my thermos the best drink I had ever tasted.

Madness? If so, it is a most glorious folly.

Troutbeck

I ventured forth again yesterday to the same small river. It was -2C when I left home but warmed up during the day to a comfortable +0.5C. I had two three-pound chub on flake.




And here's the village duckpond today.

Read this message yeterday I was reminded that whilst in the between christmas and new year bit, this year I ventured out on a promised fishing trip with my 8 year old son. He fished for the first time last summer and was hooked by catching his first perch! and a promise is a promise.
And the snow wasnt stopping him, or me.
Despite the small lake being half frozen over( the venue was chosen for closeness to home and other non fishing but other parental reasons!)We got the umbrella out and we were fishing in the snow!
I fish traditional, So under the Priory 10ft was the quill,with breadflake for the fish.And hot coffee, bananas and choc for us.
My expectation was that our impersination of Eskimos would last about an hour and a half and then we'd call it a day.
An hour in and me boy asks " What are those bubbles there for Dad?" I mummbles something like "Thats in summer " W'ell be lucky to get a nibble today" Next thing the float vanished!The two frozen Icemen( us ) fall at me rod, I strike and I,m on.There's an almost immediate surrender and a roll over as the monster from the ice lake (Well not monster really, just a whopper) Bream was slipped into the landing net ( and I'd left most tackle at home, including my scales)
This was the biggest Bream id ever caught < approx 5lbs>.Neither of us could believe it I didnt even know there were bream in the lake.

It went from snow to sleet soon after and we went home buzzin and glowing by the Bream from the half frozen lake1

No wonder Avocets are rare... the snowmen have nicked them all.

Fish fingers make a toothsome dish, but I find that after the initial rush they make rather mundane sport.

Troutbeck

The snow has continued, and because of that I have found the time to read " A stream of life" autobiography of the great man, Bernard Venables. And what a fascinating insight to the life of such an obviously decent and honrable man it was .I have read on this forum that some of you met him, and will have read more of his work.For me like millions of others ,it was reading Mr Crabtree,( albeit many years afer the newspaper features ) that influenced the fisherman that i became.

Mr Venables love of art,as well as nature shines through, and i would be very interested to see other Piscators views too.

Incidently, through reading the book I saw the name of the late Jack Hargreaves, and his part in Mr Venables life. I was immediatley taken back (in my mind)to the 1970s whem me and my dad would watch " Out of town " that was when we were not out at the bankside or in the fields and hedgerows, on a sunday lunchtime.

Not being too technical on the computer I tapped in " Jack Hargreaves , Out of town, fishing" on You tube and amongst many postings up came two that Piscators might be interesed in.Episode 6 part 2 is JH fishing a small river in a gale, and the other is Episode 14 part 3 entitled Tidal mill and ice fishing, The latter film is self explanatory.

Both are a very interesting , and I believe facsinating insights into fishing ,at least , 35 years ago, mabey more.

He's using a Mitchell 300A in both films, it made me double smile as I still use mine( sometimes ) that i got for xmas when i was 14.

yes indeed, after which he drops his rod and its falls onto the frozen water, not to sink!Of it time. In Fishing in a gale JH says " I wonder if Im enjoying this ?"

Lovely winter scene HR - is it the Wye?