The curse of the guide

My first fish of 2015 at 20lb 3oz!

Hi guys....

After a few weeks of crap weather, crap health and being stupidly busy.....it felt like time to wet a line. Only trouble was that the session I had penciled in the diary with Joel had to be canceled due to bad weather and my inability to move my car because of a light pasting of the white stuff on my hill at home. The snow renders our road totally impassable with just millimeters of the stuff covering our 45 degree hill, thus making it like a skating rink with a stone wall to stop those stupid enough to consider driving on it!

Anyway, by mid-afternoon last Sunday it had cleared and I was due to help my mother-in-law move house on the Tuesday. So I decided to get an early start and popped down to see my mother and step father for the night first. It was great to catch up as I only get to see them once or twice a year at most. I then set off to my mother-in-laws on Monday morning and spent the next 3 days lugging tons of furniture and plants between Lymington and Salisbury in a clapped out old van! Great fun!

On my return I released I was totally exhausted and ached from head to toe. This made any thoughts of hitting the bank between then and Saturday almost impossible. Now, Mathew had been badgering me about taking him piking on the River Wye for ages and after I'd had to let him down the week prior due to a double booking him, I felt it was time I paid my dues and got him his pike.

A stunning fish in so many ways......very pleased with my 4th twenty pound plus fish from the River Wye!

We set off around 8am on the Sunday and after picking Mathew up, we ventured up to a great little spot I've had much success from in the past. In fact the spot that Joel had his 20lb 2oz fish from on New Years day. I put Mathew in the same swim and dropped below myself as I was not officially guiding on that day, I never fish with clients unless it's a a day out with a mate. I'd got great hopes for Mathews rods which were bang on the money and right in the firing line for all the usual suspects that inhabit that particular swim.

It took a few hours before the first piece of action was had. And you've guessed it....not on his rods either. Typical that it was my right hand rod that started to twitch around. I got over to the rod and let off a little line before pausing a few seconds and then setting the hooks home. A solid resistance was met and a good first run bent my Infinity rod double! The fish made a couple of powerful runs before finally giving up and rolling into the net. I think Mathew thought it was a low double to start with and it wasn't until he went to lift it that he realized it was a bit bigger than he thought!

On the scales she went 20lb 3oz and after closer inspection of the pictures it became apparent that it was the same fish Joel had taken at New Year. A great fish in wonderful winter fettle. Just sods law that it fell to my rods and not Mathews! Typical or what? Never mind at least he got to see what a proper croc looks like! Might have a few days carping in Ross next week if it's not too cold. In the mean time there is lots of rolling to be done for clients including my first European order!

Tight lines all
K x

New year fun and games

A smashing winter 21lb mirror for Dave

Hi all and a very Happy New Year to you all!

I've been working hard on some new baits over the past few months and with some decent results now showing up for myself and the field testers, it wont be long before I start thinking about marketing some of the experiments.

First off I've had a message or two from field tester and good mate Dave Brookes. Him and his friend Dan had a great 24hr session on a local lake near their Cardiff home and bagged mirrors of 18, 19 and 21lbs at a last check in. All three fish fell to one of the new prototype hook baits. It appears that the fish seem to like the bait regardless of recent poor water results and dreadful weather to boot!

A lovely 18lb mirror for Dan!

Joel and I had a short day session on New Years day up to the River Wye at Monmouth. The river was rather low considering the time of year and the cold and windy conditions did nothing to improve the fishing either. We started in a spot on the River Monnow that has in the past done 3 twenty pound plus fish for myself but after 4 hours we packed up without so much as a nibble.

We then headed onto the main river and up to another well documented hot spot. I stuck Joel into a spot I was confident he'd get a take from and within seconds of his bait hitting the water, he had a take on his whole Herring hook bait. The fish momentarily dropped the bait and returned a few seconds later. All of a sudden it was game on and Joels rod was bent double into a serious fighting curve!

The fish fought really hard for a few minutes and I was able to capture some nice footage of her coming to the net and being returned using the new GoPro camera. On the scales she went 20lb 2oz and with a previous PB of 17lb 8oz Joel was absolutely made up with the fish. Another smaller double turned up an hour later but for myself it was a very quiet day.....

A new PB of 20lb 2oz for Joel....well done my friend, cracking fish!

I've got a short overnight session penciled in for Sunday night this week at Hartleton Pool again in Ross with Joel. We've never night fished together but we both seem to enjoy each others company and seem to also have a lot in common too. He drives an Audi like me so we're both in good company! lol

Talking of cars and Audi's....Mine had been giving me some serious ball ache over the past 3 months with intolerable lacking levels of power from its 2lt turbo charged engine....With a supposed 170 bhp it was running at less than 80 at a guess. Not great! Well after good mate Dave came over and helped me install a new Turbo, gaskets, oil feeds and a new actuator and diaphragm. She was actually running pretty dam well. This being said, I really wanted a little more from the old girl and I was also in a hurry to get rid of the dam awful DPF filter and EGR valve that blight modern common rail turbo diesel cars.

Rolling road Dyno fun!

A trip over to GotBoost tuners in Pyle saw me book in the car for a deletion of both the filter and Valve....while I was there I decided on a remap and a new stainless exhaust as well! Couldn't resist!
The date was set and after a 48 hr wait I went to pick her up in the snow and darkness tonight. Well what can I say other than fan-bloody-tastic! Stage 2 remap done, all deletions done, new Stainless Cat Back Milltek 100mm exhaust system fitted, pipercross air filter and numerous other bits repaired/serviced etc....she now runs like a dream. Thanks to Stef, Andy and Dan for all your hard work and I highly recommend their services! I've added a link below to their website for those interested.

GotBoost Tuners

Right off to the land of nod for me so see you all soon x
Keith