Bigger and better.

Day off here at last! so set off this mornin for a wee while on the water. Headed over to near the city bypass and was rewarded with a shiny Roach within the first five minutes. A stunning specimen around 6 ounce and 23cm which swept my float under in a definite move, that's more like it! So I carried on, snacking on some apples growing near the water, and within another few minutes was into another roach, 15cm and playful leaping more than once from the murky water. Well after my Salmon wannabe I lost 2 and caught another 5, the last a 25cm nearly 8 ounce beauty. Most impressed with an hour and a half well spent I decided lunch was in order so off I went.
I haven't seen any Perch around, which I found unusual, I really enjoy hooking them as they put up a bigger fight than they're size. Fingers crossed for next time out.
Tight lines!

Back in business!

Well set off today to while away a little time before I go to work, sun was shining and not to shabby a day in general. Went a little further from home and attatched a new rig I'd bought, a Preston Size 18 Light carp rig which I picked up at Country Life. Hooked a fish on the first drop! a Roach 6cm but it managed to thrash its way off the hook. Pooped my rig in near the weeds and this time was rewarded by a healthy 15cm Roach.

Fished for an hour and a half enjoying the sunshine and flora and fauna populating the margins, in which time I hooked 12 Roach and landed 9 of them. Sizes varied from 6-18cm and all very healthy. A great outing with the benefits of finding some wild mint, lovely with some boiled new potatoes and also some wild fennel the tops of which are a great herb to use with fish. Can't help finding things for the kitchen, mind I am a chef and love my food :)

Foraging and Fishing

Just a wee note to those of us who like a bit of foraging, or food for free. Now is the perfect time for wild roses of all kinds, I always try to collect some petals when in full bloom. Take about 8 petals in a mug and add hot water, add sugar or honey and leave for 5 minutes. You get a warm soothing and relaxing drink like no other herbal tea you can buy. They can also be dried for use later in the year if stored in airtight jars. Then there are Elder flowers, these can be made into a cordial which is a nice addition to Gin or as a non alcoholic drink with fizzy water. You can also make Elderflower Champagne, a very easy lightly alcoholic wine with a nice fizz. Recipes for these ideas are widely available on the Internet.

N.B. Collecting in the wild requires some common sense, so not roadside where fumes taint, shop bought flowers or any that may have had pesticides sprayed upon them.