Yesterday was my first trip of the season to the Loddon. Wind was a bit of a pain (being a fly caster with <1 years experience) but I ended up not losing any flies or getting any wind knots (result!).

Plenty of fish rising to flies ... unfortunately they were all bleak . I even managed to catch one on a Walker's Red Sedge on a 16 ... a virtual specimen!

I think for now the dry fly is out due to the huge amount of bleak unless I can see decent fish topping. My next tactic is a team of nymphs/spiders for the dace (of which I know there are plenty in the river) as I reckon they're feeding on the nymphs. Plenty of flies hatching so there must be quite a few nymphs in the river ...

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Cheers,
Lawrence

Well done Lawrence, you didn't blank and caught a true wild fish. What section of the Loddon are you fishing?? Is it the Twyford section?? Allegedly there are some trout in there too but probably few and far between. Whats the River like shallow and streamy or deep and slow. Anyway well done and good luck next time.
cheers
Al.

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" How differently I might behave if immortality were an option ".

I fish up at Swallowfield. We have 2 distinct sections. One is shallower and faster, then the Blackwater joins and it gets deeper and wider. Some decent chub, barbel and perch in both rivers. Apparently we have some trout in the Blackwater but I've yet to see them.

The bleak tend to get whittled down through the course of the season ... I think the chub and perch get fat eating them ... hopefully anyway

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Cheers,
Lawrence

What is/are "bleak" - little minnows?

Bleak are a small species ... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleak for details. I don't normally use wikipedia but that's a good page.

I would class them as a nuisance species but important for the river as chub, perch and pike eat them.

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Cheers,
Lawrence

No, bleak are… well, bleak.

Thanks!

Mate where abouts are you fishing? Im just next to you based at the uni do fancy meeting up some time wouldnt mind having a crack at some river fishing but have no idea where to start.


Tim

I just caught my first ever river fish this afternoon. A nice Dace of about 10oz taken on a daddy long legs. Missed a couple of other takes I really shouldn't have as well (DOH).

well done to you too Sunrider. Once you're on the Rivers there's no turning back.

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" How differently I might behave if immortality were an option ".