#10 Finding Nemo in amongst the Monochrome Set

Thus album was mostly one of my black and white phases..

This tench is from the first day of a season, can't remember which one and it was from the Match Pit, falling to Shanus. He always used a bit of laccy band as a hair stop.

We/I must have been on chick peas cos I have  a shot of a swan with a pea skin in its gob.
Also on there that day were two very unlikely lads, Biggles and Jack Russell. That's not an impressive bend on Biggle's rod, its a swingtip. He has got a bream on though.

Brief foray on Tynevales, behind Alresford. Me and Shanus found  a neglected fyke net stuffed with very dead eels.

Was reputed to hold crucians, think this might be a hooge brown goldfish?

Nice camera work...fill the fecking frame yer tosspot. Very pretty Alresford fish.

This one is one of the originals, a real corker.

Alresford carp and The Point.

Chalk and cheese set ups, Lobkin to the left

Was also fishing Frating a lot, feck did that tractor pump make a racket, when the diesel ran out we always cheered. Some lovely fish in there as well.

This one was clearly on chick peas...

Wasn't always so warm on Frating, this was one of the coldest days I have ever experienced without snow, a blank days perching at that.

On the river and  a banker swim on  the CPOAC stretch below Wiston.

Home to Nemo. Not obvious why called Nemo here.

On this flank though....

Caught it twice, 3.14 then another day  3,12, perhaps it could only swim in a circle with one pec so it lived in a circular beat... That field was notoriously muddy with Ski-tex  weighing about 25 kg on each foot at the end of a day.

Pretty little Pump Pit (live bait) roach

Lord Lite, then of Alresford with a couple from No 1. He also put some bait in really early that year for some Jan/Feb tench. The Walkman Years.

Wormingford Bridge

And some Portuguese mullet from Lagos harbour. Very tasty too.

#9 This week I am mostly fishing.. Alresford. Again.

A 5lb tench was note worthy back then, this one was from Alresford. Not sure why I am looking so pious? See it's teddy bear eye?

One of those red letter evenings (if I'd kept a diary). Had just got back from abroad that day I think. First one, a common would have been a mid double except for a long healed but translucent chunk out of it between the pelvics and anal fin .

Followed up with a trio of tincas

And fairly soon after judging by the still atrocious barnet a spot of rudd fishing on the Cricket Pit. Lord Lite then of Alresford thought it a cunning stunt to take my moped on a scramble ride. Amazing what you can fit in one small seat box.

Lobkin on the Match Pit in army surplus

 

And Lord Lite in his favoured match mode on the Sandbank, tank suit and all.

Clearly in my Alresford residency with a stockie

The Alresford mirrors often were scanty of  scale.

Think this Frating Bottom Pond fish for Lobkin was very near if not a 20. Why the miles of Heron leads to a sounder box?

Could have been a nighter that session...

Go on you fecker.....

Not sure I ever caught one off the top from Alresford. Looks good though

Can't remember this keenie's name.

Or his.

 Still on the Strawberry Creme, used to microwave some for a balanced snow-manny thing

Lord Lite swore by red corn, often strawberried as well and this would have been used at shorter range if fishing the Sandbank to Island end more I think.

More usual long chuck fish

Given the grass  think the tench and bream were from Frating Bottom Pond off the Dam, Never caught an Alresford bream on "carp" tactics (boilees/particles).The little mirror was caught on waggler off the Sandbank.

My best Alresford carp, an 18+ Common. Fat bastard.

This common more typical of the original stock. Think the tench was from the Match Pit.

This was definitely the Match Pit

A bleak place in winter for  sure.

On the Stour now and chubbing. This bend was a bit of a banker.

It produced these two in two chucks, on meat. Peas in a pod, check the markings round the operculum to see that they are different fish. Had just cleared down from flood, both fish had been lying up in the silt.

Can't remember catching this chub at all, or from where.

Post Office stretch just above Nayland

A bit  colder next time round

but successful

I "let" Shanus fish it now and then as well