The cucumber fish.........

[mackem 27,482]

Lets be honest,I didnt know what to expect from a £295 a day purist dry-fly chalk-stream,I had never fished one before,but after todays short exploratory stint I am sure I will do so again,Hang the expense 3am this morning and we are on a perfectly mown river bank,deepest,darkest Hampshire and in front of us is "BEAT 3,PRIVATE FISHING" or so says the sign over which I hung my coat so I wouldnt have to look at it and have a twinge of conscience

We tackle up and are into fish straight away multitudes of half to three-quarter pound beautifully marked brownies,they were everywhere,seriously,lots of fish in the stretch we were working.I didnt get the biggest fish of the session,that accolade fell to JOE,but I did get the only Grayling,four to be exact,with the biggest at around a pound "They taste of cucumber supposedly" Joe informed me,he is pulling my chain I thought,and when my next strike produced yet another perfectly marked brownie I couldnt resist "So what do these taste of mate?Tomatoes?" "Now your being stupid" he said.We got somewhere between 25-30 brownies,all under a pound,JOE banked three very nice fish of a pound and a half to two-pound,sadly he didnt have his camera at the waters edge as the bailiff had asked us not to photograph at night,you dont know what sort of passing ner'do wells and miscreants the flash would attract,besides,the fish might have been doing something private,would you like some geezer in your bedroom taking snaps while your getting your fin over?

We fished approx 120 yards of the beat,non-stop action,kept three nice fish for the table,and had an enjoyable session,I even left the customary quid on top of a "PRIVATE-FISHING" sign-post as I collected my coat

My last fish of the evening was a total surprise,an eel,and as I sat and unhooked it "What does this taste of JOE,McDonalds?" "Mack,sometimes your a facetious cnut"

[mackem 27,482]

I saw you running off as I was waist deep in water,I was just going to squeeze under that tiny bridge,at least my head&shoulders(anti dandruff shampoo?)would have been above water and I could have popped out the other side in thick woods,or wherever it led

[mackem 27,482]

"Something smells fishy about this whole set-up" That plod should be writing a script for "The Bill"

[maty j 6]

Another good post lads Were you dryflying?? I saw the title and thought you had managed to get a couple of pike

[mackem 27,482]

It wasnt exactly dry-fly Maty,it was a new anadromous-nymph pattern we were trialling,very effective,we werent on that stretch for very long,certainly less than an hour.

JOE,that plod has the measure of your character down to a T,your a GRADE-A urine extractor,who else but you would possibly think of leaving the sessions biggest fish on the bailiffs doorstep with a little "Thank-you" stickit stuck on the front-door,I will put the pic up later we took as we crept away from the house,I nearly burst out laughing on his drive

[Simoman 110]

Great read

[mackem 27,482]

It was actually a lot funnier,except we had to omit certain things as usual ;)But the place is packed to the gunnels with incredible fish so we will have a return visit,besides,its only £295 a day

[mackem 27,482]

I wonder what he thought this morning?A trout for breakfast AND a thank you note? Chasing rainbows later in the week?

[mackem 27,482]

Recovered I guess tonight it is

[maty j 6]

It wasnt exactly dry-fly Maty,it was a new anadromous-nymph pattern we were trialling,very effective,we werent on that stretch for very long,certainly less than an hour.

 

I see Another good result then. Was the flesh more white in them fish being live fed I'd guess?? I've just been looking for some more prices of rainbows - 11.90 for 900g I thought them harods prices were bad, that was from an online stockist. Mind you it is "organic" I was looking in sainsburrys the other day and the price of pre packed sea trout is expensive too! On that website it is 77.50 for 2600g, yes 77.50 POUNDS!!

[mackem 27,482]

The colouration when I cleaned them wasnt as vividly-artificial as it is in some rainbows,these brownies are beautiful clean fish,I wouldnt mind filling the freezer up with them depending on how well they taste,visually they are more aesthetically pleasing

Organic?Sometimes its just another marketing-ploy mate,wouldnt you do it if you thought you could add a fiver onto a packet?As for the sea-trout price,well,its shocking,I have given hundreds of them away in the past for nowt

[Guest bigredbusa]

mackem , once again a joy to read

[maty j 6]

Thanks, Yes the organic bit was a bit suss but as you say, at the end of the day it's just pound signs. I knew sea trout was expensive, even in sainsburys it was expensive per kilo but 77 pound odd for nearly a 6 pound fish is ludicrous!

http://www.thefishsociety.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh...leQSFish#302050

 

I just took delivery of my new boots I was telling you about too. They seem much more flexible than my lowas and I don't know how the waterproffness will hold up but I'll see what there like when I take the dog out after.

Edited August 18, 2008 by maty j

[mackem 27,482]

Thanks, Yes the organic bit was a bit suss but as you say, at the end of the day it's just pound signs. I knew sea trout was expensive, even in sainsburys it was expensive per kilo but 77 pound odd for nearly a 6 pound fish is ludicrous!

Indeed it is Maty,picking out your eyes and coming back for the sockets,hoever if your REALLY interested in fresh-run sea-trout I can let you have quite a few next month for only,yes ONLY £50 a fish,dont say I am generous,dont say I am magnanimous,just thinkover the offer and get back to me

[mackem 27,482]

MIRROR CARP FIFTY TWO QUID For a four and a half pound fish? and northumbrian wild salmon,thats where I am getting mine from,also hand-picked(from the river)