With a bit of bait left over from yesterday, I made a late call to head out early again this morning but
specifically I wanted to fish for small canal fish (blips). With that in mind I headed to one of our favourite stretches that is good for that kind of fishing., Kilcock.
Another early start and I'm in place ready to go at 06.00 hrs.
Red mags, worm and hemp were on the table with the plan being to fish one line for blips using
mags, hemp and groundbait. A second line for what might be a bonus bigger fish was set up
with worm and hemp
I started off fishing the blip line using a Sensas Auchy .6 grm rig. 2 lb main line, 1.6 lb hooklength
to a size 20 Drennan Red Maggot hook. It was all over the place due to the wind and the slight tow so
I stepped it up to a similar set up but with a .8grm float and the difference that small change made
was quickly apparent. Am in to fish straight away and they came quite regularly thank you.
As ever I started on the bottom and started shollowing within minutes. Most fish came about a foot off the bottom to a single mag. The key was to put in a few mags with every put in and as long as I did that a bite was almost guaranteed.
The worm line didn't give me a thing, in truth I was enjoying catching the blips so much I didn't
really give it a decent go. At 8 a.m the wind had really gotten up and everything was getting too much like hard work for a pleasure session so I headed home.
Very happy with my catch, Blips, I love 'em.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Back to the canals.........
Saturday morning saw us both up at ridiculous o clock and on the road for another go at the
hybrids. I had dropped on to the spot the evening before after work to put in a bit of bait.
Hemp, corn and dead maggots were liberally spread in 3 swims. Last week we couldn't buy a bite after about 7 a.m. and having spoken to another guy who fishes that stretch he confirmed that he was having the same problem. Plan was that we'd be there at 4 a.m. and by giving us a bit more time we might do better than the previous week.
My good friend and long time fishing buddy Stephen Shannon joined us
Myself and Rob were using similar set ups to the following week, Stephen was fishing rod and line which proved difficult, due to the weed. It's one of those spots where you need to fish into holes in the weed so casting was allways going to be difficult. Some work seemed to have been done on
the stretch by the weed cutting machines but it was still difficult getting presentation just right.
Theres no doubt that corn is the best hookbait on this one, mags will get you fish but more ofthen than not they'll be intercepted on the way down by blips, so we were all on corn from the off. First cast for Stephen saw a nice result and we're off. I'm getting lots of indications on the float and Rob as ever
is catching before I am. The next two hours saw a similar pattern to the previous week unfold, allthough I had more fish this week than last and for a pleasant change I weighed more than Rob
when we packed in at 08.30. At that time none of us were getting bites and the early start was
catching up on us. Stephen didn't weigh, Rob had 8 lb odd and I had 10 on the button.
We had all lost fish at some stage which I'm sure was down to hook selection, more accurately
hook size. I've been using various Drennan hooks for my canal fishing over the last few months and am converted. In particular the Drennan Red Maggot hook has definitely improved my catch rate.
Not having a supply of them or anything else bigger than an 18 with me was a mistake. As long as we learn from that and add some to my canal rig box then we'll be better geared up for the next time.
hybrids. I had dropped on to the spot the evening before after work to put in a bit of bait.
Hemp, corn and dead maggots were liberally spread in 3 swims. Last week we couldn't buy a bite after about 7 a.m. and having spoken to another guy who fishes that stretch he confirmed that he was having the same problem. Plan was that we'd be there at 4 a.m. and by giving us a bit more time we might do better than the previous week.
My good friend and long time fishing buddy Stephen Shannon joined us
 |
| Nice start to the morning |
Myself and Rob were using similar set ups to the following week, Stephen was fishing rod and line which proved difficult, due to the weed. It's one of those spots where you need to fish into holes in the weed so casting was allways going to be difficult. Some work seemed to have been done on
the stretch by the weed cutting machines but it was still difficult getting presentation just right.
Theres no doubt that corn is the best hookbait on this one, mags will get you fish but more ofthen than not they'll be intercepted on the way down by blips, so we were all on corn from the off. First cast for Stephen saw a nice result and we're off. I'm getting lots of indications on the float and Rob as ever
is catching before I am. The next two hours saw a similar pattern to the previous week unfold, allthough I had more fish this week than last and for a pleasant change I weighed more than Rob
when we packed in at 08.30. At that time none of us were getting bites and the early start was
catching up on us. Stephen didn't weigh, Rob had 8 lb odd and I had 10 on the button.
We had all lost fish at some stage which I'm sure was down to hook selection, more accurately
hook size. I've been using various Drennan hooks for my canal fishing over the last few months and am converted. In particular the Drennan Red Maggot hook has definitely improved my catch rate.
Not having a supply of them or anything else bigger than an 18 with me was a mistake. As long as we learn from that and add some to my canal rig box then we'll be better geared up for the next time.
 |
| Another small canal fish, lol |
 |
| More small canal fish |
 |
| Rob had a few blips too !!!!!!!!! |
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Not so "little beauties"
In Dublin getting bait on Friday and a particular canal stretch was suggested to me, so after the previous days
dissapointment, Team Kavo were on the road a bit later then we had planned but early enough
none the less. We had detoured on the way home from G'Town last night and dropped in a bit of bait into
a couple of likely looking holes in a very weedy and clear canal.
On arrival, we were encouraged seeing bubbles coming up in Robs swim and several fish could be seen
swimming about, in front of both of us. Got started at 06.30 which should have been 04.30 but I over slept.
Not the easiest spot to fish as it's choked with weed so careful placement of the end tackle into a hole in the weed was needed. Both of us were using Preston floats, 4lb main line to 3lb hooklengths and size 18
Drennan hooks. I started on mags, Rob was straight in on sweetcorn and within a 15 mins he was two up
and 2 crackers they were too.
Not surprisingly I quickly changed to corn and within minutes there was yards of brightly coloured No. 6
elastic being ripped out of my top section. Took quite a bit to get it to the net but get it there I did.
Golden balls is in to another one and theres a few smart comments being aimed in my direction.
It's a funny game this angling, in 30 mins ish he's had a bigger weight from a canal then he had in 4
hours on G'Town yesterday.
You wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it and you wouldn't ever put money on it.
My swim was much slower but shortly after off it goes again and this time it's a real puller. Great as it was it might have been the one that nackered things as after it, all went quiet.
It went quiet in Robs swim at the same time so it may have been the time of day, the sun, who knows ?
I plugged away on the bottom hoping for another but Rob decided to come up in the water and went to work on the Ruud and Roach. He was having a great time picking off small fish and he kept at it for an hour or so
till we packed up at about 09.45. His final weight was 13lb something and mine was 8lb something.
Both of us had PB canal fish and a lovely wee session on our much loved canals.
We'll be back,
dissapointment, Team Kavo were on the road a bit later then we had planned but early enough
none the less. We had detoured on the way home from G'Town last night and dropped in a bit of bait into
a couple of likely looking holes in a very weedy and clear canal.
On arrival, we were encouraged seeing bubbles coming up in Robs swim and several fish could be seen
swimming about, in front of both of us. Got started at 06.30 which should have been 04.30 but I over slept.
Not the easiest spot to fish as it's choked with weed so careful placement of the end tackle into a hole in the weed was needed. Both of us were using Preston floats, 4lb main line to 3lb hooklengths and size 18
Drennan hooks. I started on mags, Rob was straight in on sweetcorn and within a 15 mins he was two up
and 2 crackers they were too.
Not surprisingly I quickly changed to corn and within minutes there was yards of brightly coloured No. 6
elastic being ripped out of my top section. Took quite a bit to get it to the net but get it there I did.
Golden balls is in to another one and theres a few smart comments being aimed in my direction.
It's a funny game this angling, in 30 mins ish he's had a bigger weight from a canal then he had in 4
hours on G'Town yesterday.
My swim was much slower but shortly after off it goes again and this time it's a real puller. Great as it was it might have been the one that nackered things as after it, all went quiet.
It went quiet in Robs swim at the same time so it may have been the time of day, the sun, who knows ?
I plugged away on the bottom hoping for another but Rob decided to come up in the water and went to work on the Ruud and Roach. He was having a great time picking off small fish and he kept at it for an hour or so
till we packed up at about 09.45. His final weight was 13lb something and mine was 8lb something.
Both of us had PB canal fish and a lovely wee session on our much loved canals.
 |
| Theres nothing in them there canals !!!! |
 |
| Yeah, only little 'uns |
We'll be back,
Junior Inter Pro's
Well Saturday the 9th finally came round and after a couple of decent days on it over the previous weeks,
Rob was in good form on the road to G'Town as part of the Leinster Junior Team. The match was part
of the selection process to get a place on the Ireland Junior team. That team goes to Scotland in
August to compete in the Junior Celtic Cup.
Not quite sure how it happend but I was pushed forward to draw on behalf of the team and I drew an
unexpected roadside swim for Rob. It caught us out a bit having never fished those swims before and it's prob fair to say Rob wasn't overly impressed. ON arrival though it looked OK, a bed of lillies to the right
Open water in front, a nice bit of water behind the peg to the right and a cracking over hanging
bush to the left cheered us both up no end. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad peg after all.
The match was fished under CIPS rules so, naturals only, limited to three pints and a max of 12ltrs groundbait which could include hemp and corn. With plenty of time to get set up and organised It was time to get sorted
11.30 came round and it's "All In". 4 hours of what will hopefully be hectic action started with a flurry of feeding swims and 26 Junior's from all round the country got down to it. After a slow 30 minutes all round the lake, it seemed G'Town was having one of it's iffy days and so it turned out. The swim with the lillies produced one Rudd !! Going shallow out in front brought a few to the net but several of those were rudd and the other were smaller than average carp. Word from around the lake was that apart from one or two swims it wasn't
exactly hectic. That kept the spirits up and meant that any kind of bonus fish could keep him in the running.
The swim behind Rob on his right seemed to be the only one producing but again they were all small and most of them were swingers. So he's catching but not putting much of a weight together.
Davy (Magic14) from FTI dropped in to see Rob and wish him well and that was really appreciated.
The swims were fed routinely and all along the over hanging bushes to the left were being left alone
with just the odd look in to it. With 30 mins to go fish were coming on a shallow line straight in front but again
only the odd one needed to be netted and by persisting on that line in the hope of a lump, the overhanging bush was not given the time it deserved and that we both agreed was a mistake. With 10 mins to go
he dropped a line on it for a look and bang, the Preston Dibber shot under and game on. After a couple of
mins, ping the hook pulled and it's lost. Straight back in and this time it's a netter.
Back in again but back in too late and it's "all out".
Dissapointment around a lot of swims is evident, with only one or two throwing up any thing half decent.
Rob had 27 fish, poor enough but not bad under the circumstances. 27 fish on G'Town should give an angler something in the region of 15 lbs so when the scales read 7lb 14ozs. you've a right to feel a bit peeved.
The day had come and gone and it's all if's and maybes, as it often is in match fishing. The final scoresheet
shows, Ulster as winners with Leinster 2nd. Has he done enough to get the much hoped for Inter national place ? Well, as is allways the case with angling, we live in hope !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob was in good form on the road to G'Town as part of the Leinster Junior Team. The match was part
of the selection process to get a place on the Ireland Junior team. That team goes to Scotland in
August to compete in the Junior Celtic Cup.
 | |
| Leinster Junior team |
Not quite sure how it happend but I was pushed forward to draw on behalf of the team and I drew an
unexpected roadside swim for Rob. It caught us out a bit having never fished those swims before and it's prob fair to say Rob wasn't overly impressed. ON arrival though it looked OK, a bed of lillies to the right
 | ||
| Surely that'll hold fish... |
bush to the left cheered us both up no end. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad peg after all.
The match was fished under CIPS rules so, naturals only, limited to three pints and a max of 12ltrs groundbait which could include hemp and corn. With plenty of time to get set up and organised It was time to get sorted
 |
| Ready to go, time for a sambo ! |
exactly hectic. That kept the spirits up and meant that any kind of bonus fish could keep him in the running.
The swim behind Rob on his right seemed to be the only one producing but again they were all small and most of them were swingers. So he's catching but not putting much of a weight together.
Davy (Magic14) from FTI dropped in to see Rob and wish him well and that was really appreciated.
The swims were fed routinely and all along the over hanging bushes to the left were being left alone
with just the odd look in to it. With 30 mins to go fish were coming on a shallow line straight in front but again
only the odd one needed to be netted and by persisting on that line in the hope of a lump, the overhanging bush was not given the time it deserved and that we both agreed was a mistake. With 10 mins to go
he dropped a line on it for a look and bang, the Preston Dibber shot under and game on. After a couple of
mins, ping the hook pulled and it's lost. Straight back in and this time it's a netter.
Back in again but back in too late and it's "all out".
Dissapointment around a lot of swims is evident, with only one or two throwing up any thing half decent.
Rob had 27 fish, poor enough but not bad under the circumstances. 27 fish on G'Town should give an angler something in the region of 15 lbs so when the scales read 7lb 14ozs. you've a right to feel a bit peeved.
The day had come and gone and it's all if's and maybes, as it often is in match fishing. The final scoresheet
shows, Ulster as winners with Leinster 2nd. Has he done enough to get the much hoped for Inter national place ? Well, as is allways the case with angling, we live in hope !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
| Scores on the doors............ |
Funny Old Game
One of my friends was on Lough Silly, Saturday 2nd and after a really good day I decided to try it myself on the following morning. Local knowledge is that a westerly is required to get anything out of it so on arrival at a flat windless lake I wasn't overly confident.
Turned out I was right not to be, my first 8 casts saw 8 hybrids come to the net and then nothing.
Not a tap for a couple of hours, nice picturesque photo though. Packed up and headed home by 08.00 hrs.
Note to self, pay more attention to local knowledge.
Turned out I was right not to be, my first 8 casts saw 8 hybrids come to the net and then nothing.
Not a tap for a couple of hours, nice picturesque photo though. Packed up and headed home by 08.00 hrs.
Note to self, pay more attention to local knowledge.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
It's only natural...........
Yesterday saw us back in G'Town for a match with Cavan AC. They were holding an open and it was also
used as a get together for the Leinster Junior panel. The juniors inter pro match is a couple of weeks away, so a chance to get them fishing the water that will be used was arranged.
As they have to fish their Inter Pro match under CIPS rules they were only allowed use natural baits, no pastes, no pellets and it's probably fair to say at least one of them was feeling disadvantaged. The draw was at 09.30 fishing from 11 to 17.00 hrs. One look at the lake and with a nice breeze blowing in the direction of the low numbers, I was chuffed to draw 15, NOT but happy enough when Rob drew 4. I've fished that lake for a long time and they do follow the wind. Off to the pegs, set up time and I've only left my Tackle Box in the shed at home, it's a long story.......... Scrounged a few bits from Robs gear (cough,cough) and at least I could wet a line but it was a mess really. I did get a few none the less and finshed up with 7kg +. There was quite a few similar weights so I was happy enough (ish).
Rob it seemed was having a better time of it and a couple of times during the day I was told he was
catching and had apparently had a couple of lumps.
With tips, guidance and advice being given by Several venue regulars, Rob was having a great day. Our thanks to Gavin Walsh (Ireland Junior team Manager), Eoin Schweppe (NCFFI Pro) and a couple of other lads, who's names escape me.
Thanks lads, much appreciated.
We had been on the venue earlier in the week and after it I figured a different margin float was in order. Rob was trying out a Preston In Line Dibber and gets the seal of approval.
Also tried out on this set up was a Dacron Connector, it keeps the line away from the tip so zero tangles. I think the rest of the kits will be converted to these, one of those bits that does exactly what it says on the tin. The day itself was ideal, warm, cloudy and a nice breeze and that should have helped the weights but they were in the main dissapointing. Quite a few weights of 7 kgs and odd.
By the time we got to Mark Connolly in peg 13, there was great excitement when the scales went round to 13kgs and odd. Mark was fishing with the Leinster Juniors so it was even better that his bag was caught on naturals.
It may be that best of all for Mark was that he battered his Dad, we'll never know.
Rob wasn't sure but had 35 fish and though he might beat that, so when his turn came round and the scales went to 14kgs and odd he's well pleased and with the last 3 swims claiming not as much, he was
even more pleased.
Now, sometimes you just never know whats round the corner and as Rob packed away the remaining of his gear, one of the lads doing the weigh in in peg 1 called me and said, you'd better check this,
yep it's 16kgs and odd and theres a very very small bit of dissapointment. He's still well pleased with himself
(2nd overall) and rightfully so. All done using naturals, the new bits of end tackle have worked, I love it when a plan comes together. So two of the top weights are done using naturals and by juniors, it all bodes well for the up coming Inter Pro's. Who needs all these pastes and pellets eh ??
Our thanks to Cavan AC for the invitation, enjoyed that.
used as a get together for the Leinster Junior panel. The juniors inter pro match is a couple of weeks away, so a chance to get them fishing the water that will be used was arranged.
As they have to fish their Inter Pro match under CIPS rules they were only allowed use natural baits, no pastes, no pellets and it's probably fair to say at least one of them was feeling disadvantaged. The draw was at 09.30 fishing from 11 to 17.00 hrs. One look at the lake and with a nice breeze blowing in the direction of the low numbers, I was chuffed to draw 15, NOT but happy enough when Rob drew 4. I've fished that lake for a long time and they do follow the wind. Off to the pegs, set up time and I've only left my Tackle Box in the shed at home, it's a long story.......... Scrounged a few bits from Robs gear (cough,cough) and at least I could wet a line but it was a mess really. I did get a few none the less and finshed up with 7kg +. There was quite a few similar weights so I was happy enough (ish).
catching and had apparently had a couple of lumps.
 | |
| This one pulled so hard it was in the next peg at one stage !! |
With tips, guidance and advice being given by Several venue regulars, Rob was having a great day. Our thanks to Gavin Walsh (Ireland Junior team Manager), Eoin Schweppe (NCFFI Pro) and a couple of other lads, who's names escape me.
Thanks lads, much appreciated.
We had been on the venue earlier in the week and after it I figured a different margin float was in order. Rob was trying out a Preston In Line Dibber and gets the seal of approval.
 |
| Preston Pink 4x10 |
 |
| Josh Kavanagh (no relation) 7kgs and odd |
 |
| Ooops, slippery little beggars |
 | ||
| Derek Gibbons (CAC Chairman) 7kgs and odd |
 | |||
| Marks cracking bag, all hail the humble maggot |
Rob wasn't sure but had 35 fish and though he might beat that, so when his turn came round and the scales went to 14kgs and odd he's well pleased and with the last 3 swims claiming not as much, he was
even more pleased.
 | |||
| Yes Derek, they are slippery little beggars.... |
 |
| Surprise !!!!!!!!!!!!! |
yep it's 16kgs and odd and theres a very very small bit of dissapointment. He's still well pleased with himself
(2nd overall) and rightfully so. All done using naturals, the new bits of end tackle have worked, I love it when a plan comes together. So two of the top weights are done using naturals and by juniors, it all bodes well for the up coming Inter Pro's. Who needs all these pastes and pellets eh ??
Our thanks to Cavan AC for the invitation, enjoyed that.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
G'Town
After a couple of poor days where we'd seen as much action as your average Bohs fan does in a season
Team Kavo were on the road and heading for G'Town. Accompanied, eventually, by a friend from FTI
we arrived on a wet morning, armed to the teeth with various pellets, pastes etc to see if we could tempt
a few suicidal carp.
Rob's big day with the Leinster team is fast approaching so a few days fishing the venue that is to be used for the Inter Provincial made sense. We do very little fishing on commercials so today was to be about catching first and foremost, recent trips out hadn't helped in that regard so getting him used to playing carp was the main aim. Getting elastics sorted and trying out a couple of new bits of kit was next.
Our three main aims were sorted, we caught fish, Rob got the feel of his new "carp" pole and I had some success on an adapted 4m whip. Most fish are caught close in so I adapted a 4m whip by removing the tip, adding elastic and a very useful bit of kit it is.
All 3 of us elected to fish a couple of margin swims and a line out in front. Myslef and Paul fished at about
7m, Rob chose to go out to 11m to see what his new pole felt like and he had most of his fish at that
length, using banded pellet.
The fishing wasn't easy with a lot of fish cruising around the surface, tempting them to really get their heads down was tough going. It's been a tough start to the Sumer all round I think, with the bad bad weather playing it's part. It's still blummin cold and as you can see in the photos, it's Mid Summers day and we're all wearing winter clothing. It chucked it down a few times during the day, are we getting a Summer this year ?
We threw everything we had at them, hard and soft pellets in various sizes and flavours, banded, hair rigged, hooked. Pastes in different colours, consistency and flavours.
In the end most fish were taken on good old sweetcorn in the margins, goes to show for all the latest
"guaranteed" fish catching baits, a tin of corn still has it's day.
We packed up in the rain, with Rob claiming victory, 26 fish to my 21, an estimated 20lb to 15lb,
well he is "on the Leinster Team" afterall............................
Team Kavo were on the road and heading for G'Town. Accompanied, eventually, by a friend from FTI
we arrived on a wet morning, armed to the teeth with various pellets, pastes etc to see if we could tempt
 |
| Paul, playing a good'un |
Rob's big day with the Leinster team is fast approaching so a few days fishing the venue that is to be used for the Inter Provincial made sense. We do very little fishing on commercials so today was to be about catching first and foremost, recent trips out hadn't helped in that regard so getting him used to playing carp was the main aim. Getting elastics sorted and trying out a couple of new bits of kit was next.
Our three main aims were sorted, we caught fish, Rob got the feel of his new "carp" pole and I had some success on an adapted 4m whip. Most fish are caught close in so I adapted a 4m whip by removing the tip, adding elastic and a very useful bit of kit it is.
 | ||
| Still at it....... |
 | ||
| Anyone got a spare landing net handle !!! |
7m, Rob chose to go out to 11m to see what his new pole felt like and he had most of his fish at that
length, using banded pellet.
 | ||
| Go Team Leinster |
We threw everything we had at them, hard and soft pellets in various sizes and flavours, banded, hair rigged, hooked. Pastes in different colours, consistency and flavours.
In the end most fish were taken on good old sweetcorn in the margins, goes to show for all the latest
"guaranteed" fish catching baits, a tin of corn still has it's day.
We packed up in the rain, with Rob claiming victory, 26 fish to my 21, an estimated 20lb to 15lb,
well he is "on the Leinster Team" afterall............................
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