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First Session Planning....

Chris Cheshire

Senior Member
Hi guys, not too long to go now.....

I have just started thinking about my first outing of the new season.

As a youngster I used to camp out til midnight on the banks of the gravel pits in South Cerney hoping for tench and sit it out til midnight excitedly waiting for that first cast. Of course this is no more as the closed season no longer applies to the gravel pits.

How many of you guys have already decided where you will be fishing for your first session, and does anyone still get that excited that camping out on the 15th is still an option?

Chris
 
Not so much camping out these days but a pre-dawn start is a given. Back home mid-morning, few hours kip then back on the bank for late afternoon. Rivers I fish you hardly see another angler so not much chance of someone being in my chosen swims.
 
I have been thinking about this for the past 3 weeks! Catching carp has been fun but can't wait to be on the rivers. I have reorganised my various tackle items many times and have been making up hook lengths to cover pretty much every eventuality. Bait will be the next focus. Pellets have been acquired and boilies/hemp will be next.

This year could be the first time I camp out for a just past midnight cast. The ridiculous agony now is deciding whether to start on a brand new stretch or head for somewhere familiar.

A week on the Wye (a place I have never fished before) late June is just adding to the sense of anticipation. I will no doubt blank- but it's just about being there. Well, sort of.
 
Hi guys, not too long to go now.....

I have just started thinking about my first outing of the new season.

As a youngster I used to camp out til midnight on the banks of the gravel pits in South Cerney hoping for tench and sit it out til midnight excitedly waiting for that first cast. Of course this is no more as the closed season no longer applies to the gravel pits.

How many of you guys have already decided where you will be fishing for your first session, and does anyone still get that excited that camping out on the 15th is still an option?

Chris

Hi Chris
Small world, I used to live in South Cerney, and in the days when there was a blanket ban on all fishing until the 16th I used to kick off the season on Bradley's Lake, now lost to the Leisure Industry :mad: But I had some cracking Tench from that pit, and one fish at 9.4 was not far off the record fish, back then.

I don't camp around Chris :D but if I did it would have to be the Teme I guess, used to kip in the van when there was an expectation of catching a Barbel or two.

Probably be the WA for the 16th followed by the Arrow and then the Severn :p
 
Im getting there for a midnight start on the Derbyshire Derwent.. Ive never done it before in all my years of fishing so it'll be one ticket of the list. I just hope I dont blank
 
I remember the South Cerney days, brilliant Tench and Perch fishing but like you say no camping required now.
For me the close season is still the close season! Gives the fish and fisheries including the nesting birds a chance to recover.
Roll on the 16th, the Warks Avon here I come.... again!
 
Hi Chris
Small world, I used to live in South Cerney, and in the days when there was a blanket ban on all fishing until the 16th I used to kick off the season on Bradley's Lake, now lost to the Leisure Industry :mad: But I had some cracking Tench from that pit, and one fish at 9.4 was not far off the record fish, back then.

I don't camp around Chris :D but if I did it would have to be the Teme I guess, used to kip in the van when there was an expectation of catching a Barbel or two.

Probably be the WA for the 16th followed by the Arrow and then the Severn :p

Neil I used to fish Bradleys all those years ago . With the 16th being on a Sunday this year :( I expect it will be busy :( So get there early .
You can guess where I will be Neil ? I have been prebaiting a couple of swims
That is of course if the weather is kind to us and if we get to much rain and then it will be the Severn for me .
 
I thought I had my plans sorted, but I keep changing river and location!
 
Hi Chris
Small world, I used to live in South Cerney, and in the days when there was a blanket ban on all fishing until the 16th I used to kick off the season on Bradley's Lake, now lost to the Leisure Industry :mad: But I had some cracking Tench from that pit, and one fish at 9.4 was not far off the record fish, back then.

I don't camp around Chris :D but if I did it would have to be the Teme I guess, used to kip in the van when there was an expectation of catching a Barbel or two.

Probably be the WA for the 16th followed by the Arrow and then the Severn :p

I always used to fish Hills (the pit next to Bradley's) had a brace of 7's one opening night but never got anywhere near a double! Used to be great until the water skiers woke up!
 
So it's gonna be a BFW fish in at South Cerney then for the 16th :)

Chris..forgotten the name of their pit off the Spine road, the one the had all the carp deaths, anyway I recall one red letter day a few years back I had 20 tench for over a 100lb in a morning session. It was crazy, caster and hemp 2 rod lengths out, and they were still feeding when I had had enough.

Another memorable Tench day was on the Bristol Avon nr Malmesbury, when my son and I with just a couple of tins of corn as bait, got nine tench between us in a couple of hours, all great fish and the best falling to Anthony at over 9lb.

Joe... I got a feeling you will do well there mate, hope all the pre baiting works out, probably see you around there ;)
 
I'm going to wait until the Wednesday before the 16th and see what the weather forecast has in store. The Yorkshire spate rivers can be wild places when the surf's up.;)
 
There is no night fishing on our stretch so I reckon it will be a stampede at dawn plus it is Father's Day and my youngest daughter will have been away on a school trip all week.

So I will probably wander down in the evening and try a few of the less likely looking spots and return on Monday when hopefully it will be quieter.
 
There is no night fishing on our stretch so I reckon it will be a stampede at dawn plus it is Father's Day and my youngest daughter will have been away on a school trip all week.

So I will probably wander down in the evening and try a few of the less likely looking spots and return on Monday when hopefully it will be quieter.

and guess who`ll be waiting for them at dawn ? lol looks like i`ll have to keep an eye out were your pre-baiting john to find this " less likely looking spot " haha, i cant wait but before that we`ve got the show which i`m looking forward to.
 
Will be on the Derbyshire Dove at about 10pm for the midnight start. Got a good idea of the swim i'll be in. Can't wait. All the gear is ready and just needs loading in the car.
 
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