Welcome to Fishy Tail's

The daft piscatorial adventures of two would be all-round fisherman. (amatuers who consider anything that comes out of the water fair game!)

Gordy and I  both consider ourselves to be average anglers and we're lucky enough to live in an area with a few famous fisheries. We love fishing and as long as we are catching SOMETHING then its all good. We're not like those "friendly" carp anglers that have a nitety five yard stare and keep all the winning (or failing) tactics a secret. If it catches for us- then we'll share it here.

We hope you enjoy reading about the venues as much as we liked fishing them. And, if one day you're sitting in your bivvy and you hear the sound of rustling and cursing as some unlucky fellow tries to remove his tackle from a tree, you never know- it could be one of us.

Here's looking fowared to a great 2013 season. Here's our personal bests we hope to beat: lb & oz

                                                   Gordy's                             John's
Common Carp                             15.6                                13.10
Mirror Carp                                 23.6                                12.14 
Crucian Carp                               2.5                                      ---
Tench                                           5.2                                  6.12
Pike                                             12.0                                 5.8
Barbel                                           ---                                  12.13
Perch                                           1.8                                   0.8
Catfish                                          17.8                                ---
BreamO BreamO                          7.15                                6.4
Chub                                            4.10                                 4.8   
Roach                                           0.14 ish                           0.14 ish   ^^
Rudd                                             0.12                                0.8

Badshot Lea Big Pond - Aldershot

It feels like I haven't been carp fishing in an age. The winter was tough on Gordy and I and we both hadn't caught a carp for months, not for the want of trying. Those last few months towards the end of last year saw us shivering in our bivvy on more than a few occasions and half a year has past since we had caught one.

Now by no means are we skilled carp anglers. I only started fishing for carp last season for the first time after Gordy stalked a sneaky 15lb Mirror from a pond that wasn't meant to have any in- on luncheon meat with a simple sliding weight. His entire repertoire at that time was a simple bolt rig setup with shop bought rigs. Thankfully we've moved on a little - we know a few more rigs and now tie our own (so much cheaper)!!

So with this in mind we chose to fish Badshot Lea big pond. The pond is 16 acres set over 69 swims. The carp here go to 24+, Grass carp to 34+, catfish to 60+ and tench to 11. There was a large fish kill here a few years ago due to KHV and after a healthy restocking program, you're required to use the nets and mats provided on site. The water is owned by Farnham Angling and can be fished on a guest permit.

Slug swim. Or peg 29 as it's officially known (by us) was named due to the IMMENSE amount of slugs that come out at night- hundreds. And they get everywhere, inside and out of the bivvy. It's the last swim before the pin and it sits on the edge of a bay that can only be fished from said pin, no swims are present in the bay itself and its enclosed by thick wood, fallen branches and bushes that line the edge and extend into the water. We've had a few carp from here last summer, nothing massive, but it defeated us a lot in the end.

We decide we are going to fish the margins not more than two rod lengths out. Each side has a tangle of roots and branches that reach out creating good but dangerous features. This means we're are going to have to sit on our rods as we only have two or three feet before a fish could make it to potential safety and no doubt much cursing by us. Gordy takes the left, I take right.

Our set-up is a small bolt rig using a safety clip, quick link and12lb sinking braid at around 6 inches long. Baits that will compliment our size 6 hooks are Maize, Tiger Nut and Cell boilie. It's caught us fish well in the past and as we're both stubborn old sticklers, we stick with what we know today. 15lb mainline should be more than enough to hold the fish from the snags, as long as it isn't a cat and our groundbait with added goodness should get the fish interested. PVA mesh sticks will deposit our baits safely and hopefully aid in presentation.

At about 3pm we both cast out to the far edge of the snags within a meter of certain doom, and set a rod each out in the centre at about the same distance. Our line is set through our bite alarms and we sit back to shoot the breeze. It's a warm but overcast day and the day before was a scorcher. Perfect conditions said Gordy ever the optimist, and he says he's feeling confident (as usual!) but in the back of my mind I fear a repeat of the last time I was here. We get a cup of tea and about an hour passes when out of the blue my snag side bite alarm screams. I don't remember leaping up and striking but all of a sudden a fish on the end is putting a great bend in my rod as I put on hard pressure to stop it making the snags. It's tense stuff as I gain some ground but the fish doesn't want to give up and fights surprisingly hard. In the end it's no mach for the 15lb line I have on this rod and it finally surfaces. To my surprise I find it's a great looking tench.And at 5lb 6oz it beat my PB by an ounce! Double Maize on the hair.

After we take the photo the fish goes back into the net for it's ride to freedom but before we have a chance to liberate it Gordy's swinger on his snaggy side shoots to the top and stops dead, He's straight on in and with a tench on the bank I can't believe our luck as we've only been in about an hour and we're both into fish. I quickly release the tench and prepare for what looks like an incoming carp. Gordy manages to keep it well clear of the snags and it slips gracefully over the net. As I walk behind Gordy up the bank to the mat I notice he raises his left fist and mutters under his breath "Get in there". It's another great fish and this came in at a sound 14lb dead taken on cell boilie.

We both congratulate each other on such good looking fish and the next hour passes fast. The odd beep keeps us alert when again my snag side rod calls me into action. As before I have to be quick and I can tell this fish isn't as big as the last. It comes in at 4lb 6oz and I have to say they do try and scrap for their size (as opposed to  "bream-o bream-o")

Once released I take a moment to rebait up and I decide to change to cell boilie on the hope of a carp. Just as I get back in and not twenty minutes after my fish Gordy's snag rod shouts for attention. It's Only 6pm and it feels like it's fishing Christmas. The G-man does his stuff to avert snagging and after a few attempts at getting the fish near the net it begrudgingly slides over the lip. It's another Mirror and this comes in at 10lb to the dram..

An hour later after to changing to cell Again on the same rod I bag another tench. A great looking fish and not bad at 4lb 2oz

 Before I get my right rod back into the water and just as Gordy and I are discussing how quiet the middle rods are my middle bite alarm gets a screaming run that has me leaping ninja like to intercept. I hook into the fish but this beast feels bigger than anything so far. It puts up a great little fight as it tries to flee the poor bloke that's crapping himself as he prays to the fishing gods for it not to come off. A few minutes later to great relief I get it in the net. Taken to Cell the best tench of the session came in at 7:20pm and weighed a nice 6lb 12oz. I couldn't believe our luck.

The rest of the evening saw us both in high spirits and although we both had a few knocks, beeps and what looked like an aborted run, Nothing else materialised. During the night we both had a couple of bream each and watching Gord leaping from "Bertha" (his sleeping bag) for a run that sounded like a carp only to end up being a bream brought a smile to my face.

Early next morning after after little sleep at around 7am the snag rod pulls me my smallest tench of the bunch. A quick pic and released without weighing.

I have high hopes for the morning but it ends up being slow and slightly chilly. Gordy's rods are dead and at about 10am I get up and head for the toilets. Upon returning I see Gord leaning out over the water playing a fish. He manages to keep it about 2 foot from the snags on the left when all of a sudden the rod goes solid. He pressures the fish but nothing gives. Somehow he's managed to get into an unknown underwater snag that was closer than we knew. Gordy tries every trick he knows to free the fish. Even though the rod is solid he says he "thinks" he can still feel the fish and as it's only a few feet from the bank he mentions the idea he may go in and try to free the line. I immediately jump on this and after a slow night would love to be entertained by watching him jump into the freezing cold water to see what he could do. I make all the right noises and he decides to go for it.

Gingerly he slides down the bank and into the icy murk. I watch as the colour drains from his face but can't help but laugh as he tests the depth with the pole. A few steps out and he's beyond his depth. Holding the rod I feel the fish has shed the hook so it's now just a futile effort to save the end gear. He shudders as the water touches parts icy water shouldn't touch and he still feet from the snag. It's a funny but hopeless cause-way to deep, and he returns empty handed, cold and wet- much to the amusement of a fellow angler reclining in his chair and watching the whole show from the pin. We cut the line as near to the hook as possible and shivering he sets back up.

The next couple of hours see's me lose two good fish to hook pulls trying to keep them from the snags. It's frusterating stuff so I re-rig with a new hook and Gordy does the same- just in case.

The sun comes out and for the final time Gordon's snag rod spins him a winner. I can see by the bend that it's a good fish and he's having to fight it hard to keep it from the tree's. I see it roll in the water and it looks big and it takes him a huge amount of effort to keep the fish under control. He needs to land this fish after the dip he took earlier to make it worth while as we almost went home at that point He does his stuff and I reach the net under the fish to complete what was the best fight of the day, and the best fish of the day. A tasty 15lb 6oz Common of  vibrant gold was badshot lea's parting gift to what ended upbeing an awesome twenty four hours that we shall never forget.

Woodside Farm - The River Wey

Our venue for today, the River Wey is quite unusual in that it has two sources, one in West Sussex and one in Hampshire. The two rivers flow into Surrey joining at the picturesque village of Tilford and remain in the county until reaching the Thames at Weybridge.

This is our first attempt at fishing the Wey, and we decide to try the Woodside Farm at Elstead stretch. This 1km stretch is leased to Farnham angling ass. and can be fished on a 24hr ticket, although it must be noted the tickets can only be purchased by a current member who is allowed one guest ticket (as of 2013) at a time.

Chub, Perch, Pike, silverfish, Carp, Barbel and Trout have all been caught from this stretch of water, and although nothing massive has been recorded here (as far as we know) we both look forward to an exciting days fishing.

We arrive early and are both surprised by the depth and speed of river. The lack of rain over the last week has left the river looking like it's at an average height, and the water runs pretty clear although its darn fast (faster than expected!). It's flowing at a fair old rate and with depths ranging from 1-5 foot we both feel it's going to be a challenge. Judging by the flattened bank side vegetation in some places, it looks like the river had burst it's banks at some point recently. As we gingerly check out the first few swims we disturb something large that was resting below the undercut bank, we don't see it, but it bolts and causes a large disturbance and deep splash in the water. A good omen perhaps?

We set up using the same tactics we use on the River Blackwater; a quiver tip rod with a simple sliding ledger and a size 10 hook. For bait we have bought luncheon meat, pellet and good old worms. We decide on a roving approach, half an hour or so per swim before we move on to the next. A good way to cover this stretch of unknown water.

I win the toss for swim choice and I take a fishy looking swim with a great raft of overhanging bush. I Cast out and I'm instantly aware the weight of my ledger is not heavy enough. Any movement on the weight sends it bouncing downstream and as this is the heaviest one I have, I'm feeling uneasy. Gordy wanders a couple of hundred feet downstream and I lose sight of him as he disappears around a bend.

Recasting to the slackest part of this swim behind the raft still doesn't help me much. The line in the flow causes me massive drag and my quiver tip constantly bends and moves. Lifting the rod high helps a little but I'm not happy and small bites are going to be very hard for me to detect.

While I'm getting frustrated I notice the G-man walking round the corner net in hand. Gordy has a fish! He's only been in 30 minutes and judging by the grin on his face, it's a good one. He gently lays the net down and opens it up to reveal a lovely looking Trout. It's the first wild Trout I've ever seen and it's scale perfect. weighing in at a cosy 2lb dead Gordy makes it One-nill. He says it's one of the best fights he's ever had with the fish jumping and water walking many times before it was netted. Caught on the meat it's exciting stuff!

I decide to change swim and look for a deep bit where the river runs a little slower. Gordy heads back round the bend. I try another swim with much the same result- a quiver tip that won't keep nowhere near still and I feel a bit of frustration moving in. A couple of swims later and I'm up to where Gordy is fishing. He's having the same trouble with the rod tip. I notice he has a muddy hand and upon enquiring he explains how his seat started to sink in some soft mud and how he fell back in slow motion- putting his hand down to steady himself it sinks up to the wrist. He ends up on his back legs in the air. I wish I had seen it as I needed cheering up.

The rest of the day see's much the same for both of us, hard fishing with not a sniff of action. One consolation is the secluded beauty of this place. Set in farmland you can't hear any traffic and the path is barely worn at all indicating hardly any other anglers use this stretch. Glancing across the fields I spotted two deer bounding along. Talking of wildlife, Gordy said he saw the biggest mink he has ever seen in his life, not the best of fisherman's friends!

We cover the stretch and try all our baits without any more action. By 5pm we're both freezing cold and ready to call it a day. At one point I thought I had a bite but it was impossible to be sure, heavier weights were needed and it was a tough lesson to learn on the bank, but a lesson none the less.

We feel we could have done better with a little better tackle and both look forward to coming here again.

Chub fishing after dark @ The River Blackwater - Hawley Meadows

The river Blackwater in Surrey is where a couple of years ago Gordy and I re-discovered our joy of fishing. Slowly meandering through meadows and woodland the river is full of life and during the summer a good selection of  fish can be seen in the all the likely spots. Roach seem to be the predominant species and we've had them up to1lb although we've seen bigger. Bream to around 7lb, Perch- well we were shown a photo of a supposed 4lb beast (it was big!) but we've only seen the odd biggy at around 2lb+. We've spotted a good few Carp too both Koi and common at around 8-20lb. Pike into double figures and Chub that reportedly go to 6+. Rumours have it that there is the odd small Barbel too but in 2 years we've never seen one - but it gets mentioned a LOT!

We've decided to go in the afternoon and fish until a couple of hours after dusk. We'll quickly spend 45mins in a swim we call "Guarantee Grove" (in the first year here we never failed to catch from here) before moving down to "Nessie Corner" (I got snapped up here by something BIG) and settling in for the unofficial "friendly competition".

We're fishing the FREE section of Hawley Meadows. This basically runs from the weir all the way downstream until the A3 road bridge.

We arrive with a couple of hours daylight left and head to the grove. On the way down we meet a fellow angler knee deep in a swim we call "the rapids" (due to errrrrrr the rapids). He's trotting maggots and tells us he's not been in long but hasn't had a sniff. After a brief chat including the obligatory Barbel rumour we head to the swim and scan the water looking for signs of fish.

The best tactics we have found for the bigger chub is to use a simple running ledger with a 12 inch hook length and a size 10 barbless hook. For bait we use luncheon meat straight on the hook. To see after dark we use a nightlight professionally taped to the end of our 10foot quiver tip rods. I also decide on 6lb line because its all I have. Gordy does the same.

We both go either side of a tree and cast out. I get a quick knock after about ten minutes but nothing materialises. I give it half an hour and it remains dead. Gordy suffers much the same. So much for "guarantee Grove"

While walking back down to the corner we again pass the guy that's trotting. This time he's in "Chub cliff's" (on account of the high steep bank). still he's not had a fish.

Nessie Corner is my favourite swim on this stretch of the Blackwater. In the summer the weed and tree's that stretch right out create an impossible to fish safe haven for the Chub that glide the far banks over a sandy/stony bar that is on average around 2-3 foot deep. In the winter it opens up into a wide open bend with a few deep holes and the minimum of cover. My PB Chub at 4lb 8oz came from here as well as another handful of four pluses. As well as getting snapped up by something big- due to me oversetting the clutch and the fish steaming off before snapping the 6lb line. Gordy too has had a few four pluses as well as his PB at  4lb 10oz.

As we both fish this swim at the same time, I ask Gord if he wants heads or tails for first cast. He decides on rock,paper,scissors.. and wins. He even does a little dance and gets out the gloating cream to rub it in.

His cast puts him down the middle slightly left. Mine falls short and stays pretty central. around 2 meters shorter than Gordy's. We crack open the flask and await dusk.

Within five minutes or so I'm getting taps to the quiver. nothing definite, but something is interested. Is it Colin the crayfish I ask myself.? Then I watch as the quiver pulls round 6 or so inches, stops, I hesitate then I strike. too late. I missed. Damn. Hesitant potato. why? Gordy's rod remains still and he gives me a look that say's "WHAT are you doing?"

I re-bait and cast back out. This time slightly to the right. Again within ten or so minutes I'm getting an irregular tapping and knocking to the tip. I decide I'll hold the rod and touch ledger the line to see if  I can feel anything. The tip moves and I watch it for about 10 seconds slowly nudging very Crayfish like. I feel next to nothing on the line. I'm unsure then wham it goes round hard but just as quick returns straight before falling silent. I fear I missed a very good chance. Still not a sausage on Gordy's rod.

I re-bait again and Gordy reels in to recast. Much to his dismay he finds the hook empty and I hear him muttering something about a waste of an hour.

This time Gordy goes middle left but is short, mine flies by and lands far down the centre of the swim. He advises me I'm in a good spot and we wait patiently. We both sit for twenty minutes without a sniff then my rod tip starts to again gently knock. Gordy curses the game of rock,paper,scissors while I quickly pick up the rod and touch the line. After a couple of gentle taps I feel the lightest of pressure on my finger as the rod slowly pulls round a few inches. I strike hard to compensate for the extra give of a quiver tip and the motion is stopped dead as I connect into a fish. "I'm in". The rod bends hard and against the flow the fish gives a good go for its money. A couple of short runs though and it's done. Gordy tries "the old net trick" and "accidentally" lifts the net early causing the fish to spill out and make an extra bonus run. But to no avail, it almost makes the fence post but I manage to recover and then it's in the net. Lousy picture but at 3lb14oz I was chuffed to bits and dancing a little jig on the bank, borrowing some of that cream.

The next hour saw nothing. Not even a knock. The Chub I caught had caused some splashing and we were hoping nothing was spooked. It was getting very cold and Gordy's mood was, lets say sombre. I was still buzzing from the fish I caught.

 I had a small knock and as I was staring at my rod intently, Gordy suddenly  stood up, rod in hand and called out "Yep -I'm in". Out of nowhere the old master is into a fish. Judging by the way the line is being stripped from the reel, it's a beauty. I watch net in hand as he gets it in front. The fish again barrels off stripping line. It heads for the fencepost snag and I hear Gordy say "Uh-Oh- hang on we have a problem". He frantically struggles with his reel and I see he failed to set any resistance in the clutch, while struggling he knocks of the anti reverse switch.... arms waving like a banshee.

The fish almost makes it but by some sheer fluke/skill Gordy manages to get it over the net. It looks like a nice fish though not a four. we weigh and take a (poor) photo and it weighs in at 2lb 12oz. I'm well chuffed for the G-man, He needed cheering up.

A final recast as its getting rather cold, even in my three pairs of tracksuit bottoms and thermal boots. Gordy forgets to layer up and only brings a hat and pair of suspicious looking thin black leather gloves. He looks like he's about to steal a car or strangle someone.

A fruitless hour later we call it, pack up and head down the cold, muddy path towards home. We're both happy with the evening and look forward to our next outing here. One day we'll break the elusive five.

Bream Tease

The Rapids

The wier

Guarantee Grove

Yately Tri-Lakes - Lure fishing for Pike.

The day ticket Tri-Lakes complex in Yately is our Venue for the day and Pike fishing with a fresh new batch of lures bought yesterday was the intended mission.

We arrived at 8:15am as the day ticket runs from 8am-dusk. The car park gates shut at around 5:30pm when the staff leave, so we have a lot of time to cover the big lake and the smaller of the two. Early excitement is high as both Gordy and I hope the sudden few degrees increase in temperature will spur the pike into action and we eagerly gaze across the water as the sun pips through the trees.

 The complex has a children's play area and farm. It can be quite busy in the summer but today apart from one other angler, we had both lakes to ourselves. Get in there!

We choose to start on the small lake and like two kids in a sweet shop we crack out the gear, We may be amateurs, but we do care about careful pike handling and hook removal so we unpack the essentials and carefully study the bounty laid before us.

Gordy chooses a lure while I attend to the most important task of the day - the flask of tea. He goes for the silver and shiny green. hmmmmm good choice, the biggest pike he caught out of the canal at around 12lb was on one of those baby's. I go for the smaller of the red and white lures, my thinking being it's nice and bright and likely to attract monsters from afar.

We choose the pin to start and I watch Gordy for 5 mins while I finish my tea and before heading to the next swim I take a crafty photo of him in action. He's the ultimate optimist for he always feels "its gonna be a great today". Wish he was always right..

I head into the adjacent swim and work the lure hard from right to left. Constantly I work the swim for 20 minutes. Nothing, not even a follow. I move onto to the next swim and repeat the same process, 20 minutes later I again move on determined.  I cover a lot of water and before I know it I'm at the junction to the big pond by the snags. I done an hour and a half without a sniff and I see gordy following up along the bank with a confused look on his face, "I don't know why we haven't caught already" he says. Time for a break

After tea we decide to walk past all the snags on the big lake and start where there is more open water. dead lilly's are everywhere and this corner is impossible to lure fish. "looks fishy though- I bet there are pike in there" Said the G-man

I thought I'd give it a go, I decide to change lure to one of the green double jointed variety and gingerly cast out yonder lillys. Snagged up straight away. Lucky the plant life is dieing and it gives easily as I don't want to lose a lure this early in the day.

Gordon's reel breaks and he has to re-set up with our spare. He gets a little upset and as he looks around for morale support he notices the local wildlife approaching. He later tells me that the biggest of these beasts (lama's?) stared him out before coming over to take a lick of the front of his jacket. In between casts I look over and see poor Gord hiding behind a tree. Gordon has a strange affinity with the wildlife, its not the first time some beast has taken an interest! must be his aftershave.

We head to an open bit and Gordy decides to change to the spinner with the long green tail. I work a swim hard then move on as Gordy comes in behind me. His first cast to check the action of the spinner stops dead in the water and I'm Thinking snag. Then boom- the surface explodes as a small jack leaps to try and clear itself of  barbless treble hooks. The fish gets netted as the last pike that Gordy tried to hand land escaped and before I know it Gordy makes it one-nill. 

Feeling more determined than ever I move on and cast close to an island. Damn- I miss-cast and the lure goes over the top of an outstretched branch. I try my  hardest to work it loose but fail as the line comes back empty. The crimp on the lure end of the wire trace had failed me. How??? I only made them last night....

We both work around the edge of the big lake and work hard until we ended up back where we came in. Three hours have passed and not a nibble. I suddenly remember that its windy and hope the lure I lost floated and blew to the bank, I headed back to investigate. It did!

We decide on going back to the small lake and go over the same area we covered earlier. I  change lure to the soft pliable thing that looks like a small bream and on the second cast a few metres from the bank I think I'm snagged, but no, whats this, I'm into a pike. I land it into the net and scream Gordy's name in a rather uncomfortable high pitched voice and hand him the camera. One-One I believe.

We both share my success and I work the lure hard for a while 'till I decide to change to the blue double jointed one, Gordy does the same but opts for the green double jointed one I recovered earlier. It's a race to the post.

Then it happens again but I don't mistake this for weed. For such a small fish it sticks to the bottom but I wrestle hard with it for 3 seconds before it gives in and pops up top. A quick photo and back in she goes. Two-one to me!

10 minutes later I hear Gordy shout my name. I look over and his rod is bent. Making my way over I grab the net and see he's hooked into the biggest fish of the day, twice as big as anything we've caught so far. 7-8lb -could have been bigger. I go to put the net in the water as Gord has the fish  surfaced but the net gets caught on brambles as I go to scoop and the fish panics, starts to shake it's head violently and throws its hooks.

Noooooooooooooooooooo says Gordon dejectedly, arms raised in disbelief. I swear he almost cried. almost.

Soon after, my latest cast had put me into an underwater snag that was solid and caused me to lose my end tackle. I decided to call it and watch Gordon for the last half  hour. He quickly did exactly the same as me and hit a snag causing his line to snap. By this time he was quietly fuming. Time to go home. With an amorous look from the biggest llama we left the complex feeling satisfied- well one of us did anyway.

All in all for the £10 the day ticket costs it was a good day- we didn't blank! We didn't hit anything big and we were told that there is a 27lb+ in there that was caught on a lure. I feel I would definitely come here again. It can be quite snaggy and they did let some animals wander the pathway but for me at least that wasn't a problem. It was a shame that last pike Gordy had didn't get landed and I felt slightly guilty that the net got "stuck" in the brambles- but that's fishing. And that's especially true of pike fishing, I'm sure it wont be the last time the old net trick.. errr accidents will happen.

Now, where's the flask..