The Complete Fisher Forum

[Fryfishing]

My 16th visit on my season ticket today and my first chance to get out since early February.
I did manage to get the boat on No1. I would not recommend the dock in a good westerly blow which there was today. It felt like walking on a bouncy castle which made loading and entering the boat a challenge.
Once away I headed too the West bank and set about fishing the back drift, two long drifts produced zero interest despite playing with the leader length and colour of boobies on offer. It was the time to drop the anchor in the calmer waters of the west bank and try an bit of cast and retrieve which got me my first fish and several pulls that did not progress.
Then a misshape with my DI7 meant that I snapped the running line on it it must have been caught on something sharp which cut into it (any tips on a repair) I changed to the DI8 as the wind started to drop pulled up anchor and started to drift again.

It started to pick up in the afternoon with the DI8 but I had to make long drifts almost the length of No1 to find fish, they also responded to different methods , I.E straight back drift, slow fig of 8, 1 foot pulls and the hang . But they all went for the top dropper which was the Pink and only one fish took the point a black and green. So not straightforward but good fun.
I finished with seven fish including a good over wintered four pounder.

Mark (warden) said they will be doing a stocking on Friday with a selection of larger fish included.
P
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[lakefisher]

Even if your line is completely in two pieces (as opposed to having a slit or other damage ) it is a simple matter to rejoin the two using the correct diameter of heat shrink tubing and a hot air gun (best ) - but I have even done the deed using (very carefully) a lit candle as the source of heat. Even simpler if it's just damaged coating. (heat shrink tubing available from Ebay)
I have joined two separate lines to produce my own specialised fly lines many times over the years - and have never had a join break

Many videos on Youtube will show you how (just click below )
https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=FudeXu65BIL6kwWHtLKwCw&q=youtube+video+on+joining+snapped+fly+lines&oq=Youtube+vid+on+rejoining+snapped+fly+line&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.33i10i160.2960.45342..49352...4.0..0.222.6448.4j41j2......0....1..gws-wiz.....6..0i131j0j0i10j0i362i308i154i357j0i22i30j33i22i10i29i30j33i10i21.OBdBb8kvITU

Just a matter of picking the method that works for your particular break/damage.

If it's in two pieces - don't forget you will have to re secure the core as well as the coating over it.

If still unsure - feel free to ask again ........ Tony
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

[Fryfishing]

Thanks Tony.
I will try the shrink tube/heat gun method, I have used it to attach braided loops to the tip and it seems to work for that.
I was lucky as I spotted the fault before feeding it out otherwise it would have no doubt broken outside the rod tip and I would have lost the whole line

I will report back on success or failure, a worst case scenario is giving Airflo more money or making do with the DI8.
Thanks
P
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[Fryfishing]

Thanks Tony, it is job done
I had all the parts needed and have successfully spliced the two ends together, it included a length of braided backing to give it extra strength . Once heated and rolled the braided backing melts into the flyline outer.
BTW it is also a good way to attach braided loops and avoid all those nasty bits of silicone tube that get caught on the rings.
P
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[lakefisher]

Happy to help Peter
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

[Fryfishing]

I had a cracking day at Farmoor today. If I was not wearing about four layers it could have been summer. There was a light westerly wind in the morning that swung around to a N/W then back to a westerly, it also increased strength then slackened off during the day. So very mixed conditions throughout the day
The best part of the day was the constant changing of the use of backdrifting, with retrieve and hang times required to keep in contact with the fish, even a long period tied to a buoy casting and retrieving which was great fun as the takes were good solid thumps, although many did not stay attached.
The full Barbra Cartland was what most of the fish wanted with the odd one coming to the black and green or a white, I also shortened up the leader as the wind dropped. At one point they wanted the dropper which was only a couple of feet from the fly line and then they swapped to the point of my eight foot leader.
I kept three fish which were spooned and they showed buzzer, shrimp and daphnia (plus other bits and bobs) so the fish are now feeding ( opposed from empty). The buzzer are also starting to hatch and there are already a good number in flight around the reservoir.
My best fish was in the four pound mark, a full tailed silver beast and the others were all a good size and in great condition apart from some Cormorant mark, I guess I netted around 20 fish today and lost a good number as well

There was also a stocking today and there is more due next week, so stockie bashing can start soon.
Floating lines soooooon.
P
[img][/img]
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[tenet]

Well done Peter - were the fish hard on the bottom ?

[lakefisher]

Did your repaired Di7 stand up to all that abuse from the trout Peter

ATB ....... Tony
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

[Fryfishing]

Tony, yes it did, the hot gun, shrink tube method worked a treat, the braid seems to have added extra strength and it has melted into the outer making a smooth and flexible connection.

Doug, yes all of mine were down deep if not on the bottom, the most productive area seemed to be along the edge of the shelf and nearby open water of the causeway.
I was hoping to give Wylye's 30ft leader a go but each time I thought about it the wind got up, so I stuck to the DI7.
P
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[Fryfishing]

Another good day on No2.
There was a good blow from the west and at least ten boats out and a couple of lure boats hanging around the dock. A lot of the trout boats chose to anchor in the quite water of the west bank and most of them stayed there for most or all of the day, so they must have been catching. Others like myself decided to back drift which again was not a chuck and chance it process, it took me some time to work out what and how they wanted it and once I did it would all change again.
The Di7 and Di8 were the lines I used, the 8 was good when the wind was blowing and then the 7 when the wind dropped.
On occasions I tied up to a buoy and did cast and retrieve with the Di7, this produced a first for me. While anchored near the south bank, casting as far from the boat as I could there was a solid knock and the fish on when it came to the net I could see the dropper fly in the side of the mouth so I unhooked it in the net but where was the point fly???? down the throat of the trout. It had taken the point fly and then went on for a pudding of the second fly, rather unsurprisingly it was one of the recent stockies.
I kept two fish and spooning them showed they are hard on the daphnia and a few buzzers, an educated guess is that they are starting to rise from the bottom, this may explain why I had to fiddle about so much to keep in contact with them during the day.

There was another stocking today, the lorry pumped the fish in on the south and west bank, which may explain the anchored boats then it went on the no1 and stocked the west corner of the causeway.

[img][/img]
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[Allrounder]

Nice report and pics, Peter.

Good to see some buzzers in the mix. Although we saw a few buzzers coming off, both my fish on Chew today only had bloodworm in them.

Won't be long now before the floating lines come out!

Alan
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Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello... from a safe distance!

[Fryfishing]

Thanks Alan.
The buzzer were hatching most of the day, as I sat tied up in some calmer water looking at the hatched buzzer on the surface, the thought of setting up a floating line and long leader was on my mind.
Then the wind would start to gust and I would get a solid thump on the boobies.

I am planning doing two days next week with a night in the B&B as long as the virus does not get me.

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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[Fryfishing]

Wylye, are you planning any trips to Farmoor?
Looking at last years reports you started around this time last year.

There are more bank anglers now and they seem to be staying /fishing for most of the day so maybe the new stock is staying close in.

Talk soon.
Peter
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[Fryfishing]

I was worried that Farmoor was closed for business as there was no answer on the phone or text. Fortunately my partner is on Facebook as that is the only place they have an announcement which h is they are open for business but trying to limit numbers of people in the shop at one time and text in catch reports.
It is more than a tad annoying that they only do updates and news on Facebook which I and many others refuse to have anything to do with it.

Oh well deep breaths, lets not turn into a grumpy old man.
P
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Floating Lines, buzzers, nymphs, stick floats, maggots and throwing lures at bitey things.

[JCP]

Know how you feel Peter but you can control it just for what you need.Does not need to be invasive.I was dead set against it but it is useful in this day and age.

Best JP