Aspö, Furusund; 4th-6th May 2008

3lb 8oz. Pike (Apologies for the frightening backdrop...)
Arrived on the island at around 13.00 with Rafal and Souso, as well as Karl after a short drive north from Stockholm. Aspö is a small island in the Norrtalje archipelago and after a short walk to the summer house there we started to fish immedediatly in the bay in front of the house, a really beautiful area it is too. Sun shone strongly as Karl hooked his first Pike of the trip, a 3lb. 8oz. fish that took a Mepps spinner, a single point for the league table. Karl then had another point when he took a small jack Pike on the mepps a short distance away, also had another fish follow his lure and turn away. Rafal then hooked a fish of about 6lb and was really unlucky to have a hook snap off on his mepps to allow the fish to slip away at the last minute before it could be banked and weighed.
We fished on for the rest of the day, catching Rudd, Bream, Rudd/Bream hybrids and Perch, though some nice fish were taken, none were big enough to gain any further points.

9lb. 13oz. Pike

9lb 13oz. Pike

Day two began in a similar fashion, with plenty of fish coming to the worm, among them Bleak and Loi, adding to the species tally. Then Karl twitched his Perch livebait at 13.30 and all hell broke lose. A really good scrap ensued as the Pike made run after run, peeling line off the reel time and time again. After about ten minutes or so I managed to land the fish for him, a really fabulous Pike that went to 9lb 13oz and gave us all a great deal of enthusiasm and Karl 2 more points. This fish fell right on the Moon Low Point trigger time, with another trigger due at 15.30 and the area in front of the house going quiet we decided to move to another section of the bay ...

11lb. 13oz. Pike

11lb. 13oz. Pike

11lb 13oz. Pike

After moving to the bay we cast out some livebaits and waited. Karl immediatly had a take on the Mepps, a fish that escaped... Then he had a small Pike take a large Bream bait, refusing to let go as he brought it back towards him. We watched this fish below us at it sulked around, gripping the Bream, before it turned it and moved awayas we looked on. The fish was not hooked however, so still we waited. At 15.30, right on the trigger time, the water exploded aroung my float as a Pike launched itself at my bait. It gave a great account of itself before I landed it, a long, lean fish weighing 11lb 130z., a 6 point fish on the league table. This fish had just spawned and would be considerably heavier in good condition...

12lb. Pike

12lb. Pike

12lb. Pike

Just moments after recasting a new bait in, my float slid away! I struck, amazed by yet another solid fish that fought me all the way to the bank. It earned me 6 points more, just minutes after the last fish I now found myself holding a really nicely marked 12lb Pike, simply amazing fishing! After a few photos it was returned safely to the water...

9lb 8oz. Pike

9lb 8oz. Pike

Twenty minutes passed, my small roach bait was taken and another good fish was landed. At 9lb 8oz. still a very good Pike, 2 points for the league, and completing a really memorable half an hour! This feeding spell was brief, coinciding with another trigger time, afterwards the water went rather quiet. I was so happy I fell into the water soon afterwards and soaked myself right up to the waist!

1lb. 4oz. Ide

1lb. 4oz. Ide

At 1530, a final surprise. After a lot of Bream, Hybrids and Rudd I struck a powerful fish on the legered worm, my first Ide ever was duly landed and weighed at 1lb 4oz., a 4 point fish. Delighted to catch this species, really wrapped up a wonderful day. Headed back to the house a short while later to enjoy a BBQ in stunning sunny weather...

Aspö, Furusund; 4th-6th May 2008; Continued....

1lb. 4oz. Eel

1 lb. 4oz. Eel

1lb. 4oz. Eel

After a great days angling it was time to relax, so out came the BBQ and on went the food. Marinated pork steaks, homemade burgers, sausages, sweet and sour cabbage, potatoes, fish, peppers and onoins were soon being devoured at the lakeside as the sun dropped. Afterwards we tucked into a few cold beers and kicked back, Karl deciding to lob a worm bait out into the lake. Some time later he was fighting a strong fish which turned out to be a major surprise, a fabulous 1lb. 4oz. Eel, a really good fish that is not often caught these days as it gets increasingly scarcer. It gave Karl 2 points for the table. Got a few flash photos of it before we slipped it back, Karl rightly delighted with his catch, out came the Jack Daniels as we talked into the early hours of the morning as a Tengmalm's Owl called in the trees nearby....

8oz. Ide

8oz. Ide

Slept rather late after the late night previous, decided to gather a bit of bait in front of the house from the jetty. The suprises continued when Karl hooked and landed his first Ide, a tidy little fish that weighed 8oz., nonetheless this rare catch gives him 4 points...

6lb 14oz. Pike

6lb 14 oz. Pike

After moving down to the top end of the bay, we didn't have to wait long for some action, my livebait float soon dissapearing. I struck into a lively Pike that fought well before I landed it, just about on a single treble hook. It tipped the scales at 6lb. 14oz., a fish that gave me another 2 points for the table. Shortly after this a series of incidents took place. Karl had a small Bleak snatched by a small Pike whilst he was reeling it in on the leger rod, then lost another small fish on the spinner. All this before the most bizzarre event of the lot...

At the waters edge at our feet a movement attracted our attention, a small Bream had washed into the shore after being deep hooked and was now the center of some unwanted attention. As we watched a Pike of perhaps four pounds materialized from the depths and launched itself into the shallows after the Bream, almost beaching itself in the process in just a couple of inches of water. It then seized the fish in a flash across its side amid a spray of water, turned with some difficulty and powered off into the depths with it's prize! One of the most amazing things I have ever seen, both of us were left gobsmacked by the sight. I then missed a run on a Bream bait a few seconds later. Finally decided to call it a day just after 16.30 and eventually made our way back to Stockholm after a wonderful few days, a thoroughly enjoyable trip in every way...

Suso in Aspö!

Video diary of the trip here of Suso in Aspö put together by Rafal...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnRaclo-ezs

Tom's Lake; 2nd May 2008

1lb 2oz. Perch

3lb 8oz. Pike

3lb 8oz. Pike

Kev and Jack Pike

Al and Jack Pike


A lovely evening fishing with Tom and Kevin at Tom's Lake, a lot of action in 3 hours betwenn 16.30 and 19.30. All fish taken on small livebaits on roving float rigs with a 1lb 2oz. Perch the highest scoring fish at two points. Kevin and I both had 3lb 80z. Pike and another smaller jack each, giving each of us an additional two points for the table. Interestingly feeding spells corelated remarkably closely to the trigger times connected to the moon setting. I had a further two runs to small fish, on biting through the line and another getting off at the bank. In addition Tom had two Pike come off while spinning, a lot of fish in the area and well worth another trip for the presumably bigger fish that must be present in the lake...

Weather; Overcast,6/8 Cloud Cover. High Pressure dropping, Temp.14 degrees celsius.

Moon trigger Times; 16,58;17.58

Specimen Rudd; Tyresö Slott; 25th April 2008

2lb 3oz. Rudd

2lb 3oz. Rudd

2lb 3oz. Rudd

2lb 3oz. Rudd

1lb 3oz. Rudd

Arrived at the Slott today at 16.oohrs. for an evening session, hoping for a big Bream.Immediately groundbaited a swim off the bridge and began catching Roach, a lot of them... Then had a few Bream of about 14oz., all between 18.20 and 18.35. Was still ledgering a worm on the bottom on a free running rig, when at 18.35 I struck at a slow pull and was delighted to land a superb Rudd of 1lb 3oz, a really good fish that fought well, this fish falling at almost exactly a trigger time. A 2 point fish on the league table. Then back to normal for an hour, with Roach continuously biting.

At 19.30, having been joined by Linda at that stage, I again struck a very slight slow pull and bent the rod into what I assumed to be a good Bream, the fish boring strongly away, my light swingtip rod hooped over. After a really solid struggle I was amazed when a massive Rudd came to the surface, a huge fish. I weighed it carefully at 2lb 3oz., a new personal best by more than half a pound! After a few photo's the fish was released unharmed and swam away strongly. A really memorable evening, an exceptional fish and worth 12 points on the league table.

Weather; Fine sunshine, Clear sky; Prolonged High Pressure Stable, 14 degrees Cent.

Moon Trigger times; 16.37, 18.37

Tyresö Slott; 21st April 2008

Rudd; 1lb 20z.

Perch; 11oz.

A really super day weather wise today, the first warm day of the year. Met up with Karl at the Slott and enjoyed a good days fishing. Stacks of Roach again, caught loads up to 10oz. Then came a lovely Perch of 11oz. for Karl, a really immaculate fish it was too. A Bream slipped off the hook at the last minute later in the evening which would of topped two pounds easily had it been weighed. The big suprise though came in the form of a 1lb. 2oz. Rudd caught by Karl on my rod whilst I was dealing with a snagged pike bait! Lovely fish, the first one caught by any of us at this site. Having looked back at the original rules of the league it seems the only fair thing to do is award Karl the points for hooking and playing the beast! Two points therefore go his way, his first of the season....

Tyresö Slott; 16th April 2008

3lb 8oz. Bream

130z. Bream

Enjoy able afternoon at the Slott. Started very slowly with nothing coming to ledgered worms or lures. Bites started later though, as the light dropped roach started to feed before Karl hooked a 13oz. Bream..Minutes later I struck into a much heavier specimen that tipped the scales at 3lb. 8oz. This was a good fish for the Slott and gave me 3 points towards the league table. Had to leave for work soon after, just as the feeding started and Pike began to show in the reeds, plenty of spawning activity seen and heard...

Rocksta; 15th April 2008

Trip out today to Albysjön lake was interesting. Small Roach biting freely but many proved fickle and difficult to hook. Simon had a lovely Perch though, a nice early fish weighing in at 13oz. No pike caught, though site has alot of potential and will visit it again in the near future....

Tyresö; 6th April 2008

Karl and his first fish of the year....

Simon getting some exercise...

Al and Roach...

BBQ!

An early trip to Tyresö proved worthwhile in the end, even though nothing of major note was taken. The first day that fish have been biting freely this year, with plenty of Roach coming to ladgered worm on all rods, the largest a .21 kilo fish to Jim Kelly. A single Bream of over a pound slipped the hook at the last minute on my rod. (First signs of spawning Pike also today, with fish active deep within the reeds, though none hooked)

A nice day and evening capped by a makeshift BBQ, full credit to Karl and Maria for bring the grub!

Burbot! Tyresö; 6th March 2008

One of the reasons I love fishing is you never know what's next and occasionally you get a very nice surprise. This Burbot, caught whilst deadbaiting for Pike in the middle of a sunny afternnon must rank as the biggest surprise yet! After five hours float ledgering two stromming deatbaits without a sign of a fish, just as I was thinking about packing up at 13.25, one of the floats slid away and I struck into a rather dour, dogged fighting fish. I was thinking it had to be a Pike and was amazed when is came to hand and I saw what it was. The fish tipped the scales at 2.87kilo(6lb 5oz.) and is worth 8 points.

Burbot are members of the Cod family, feed at night(apparently sometimes during the day!) and are active in the winter months. They are very rarely caught around Stockholm and this is a very large individual. a super fish, an absolute zoo creature! These fish hunt and scavenge on the bottom, mainly by scent. Would be interesting to try a night session in the same spot and see if there are more to be caught. Certainly one of the best fish I will ever catch...

From now on will try to record weather and other data here on the blog as reference for the future, may help to keep a diary of these details for future reference...

Weather; Bright and sunny. High pressure, though dropping.Light Northerly wind; Temp; +5 Centigrade.

Moon Phase; (New Moon-1), Trigger times 0920,1120(South),1320

Lures....

Broman Rattler
Tiny deep diving plug, good Perch Lure with vigorous action...

Broman Minnow

Deep diver, takes mainly Perch, Zander ant Trout.

Broman Wobbler

Small wobbler, takes wideerange of predatory species

Abu Tormentor

Classic Plug. Large model great for Pike and big Zander.

Buster Jerk

Superb taker of Pike, often larger specimens.

Was rather bored before my Burbot grabbed my deadbait today, so much so I was photographing lures for something to do! Would be a shame not to use the photos, so here they are!

Stora Vartan, 7th Febuary 2008

Stora Värtan, Täby.

Took a trip out to Täby this morning to check this area out. The entire water is huge and is part of the achipelago, lying just north of Vaxholm. It has a reputation for being one of the better Pike waters in Stockholm, as well as holding very good Perch, Seatrout and Zander amongst other species. Lure fished here for 90 minutes without result, proved to be a little snaggy and I would say this water would come into its own around April/May, perhaps with live baits being a good option. A boat would be a huge aid as most of the bank is reed fringed, making land fishing impossible for most areas, which look really, really superb for Pike. Some access though around lightly built up areas. There is a path running along the bank all the way to Näsby Park for several kilometres which may be worth checking out...

30th January 2008; First fish of 2008...

Finally after several trips out this year in the winter cold a fish to show for the effort. Made the trip up to Kungsangen with Simon today to lure fish for Pike and duly caught this fish of around 3.5lb after an hour or so on a double bladed american style bass lure. The fish is worth just a single point but was most welcome after several blanks whilst after Pike and Seatrout over the last four weeks. Hopefully a lot more to come in the coming months, rather hard work right now in cold weather, though Pike will soon be returning to the spawning grounds and giving oppurtunities to catch that elusive monster fish...

2007 Fantasy Fishing League Results

Fantasy Fishing League Results 2007!

Another year passed already and time to add the bonus points for the biggest of each species caught. Biggest fish of each species caught as follows..

Pike; 12lb 8oz., Tyresö Slott; 5th April 2007; Al.
Perch; 1lb 10oz., Tyresö Slott; 30th August 2008; Al.
Roach; 2lb. 8oz., Dalarna; 15th July 2007; Rafal.
Rudd; 1lb 9oz., Drevviken; 18th June 2007; Al.
Bream; 3lb 3oz., Tyresö Slott; 30th August 2007; Al.
Tench; 4lb 3oz., Drevviken; 27th August 2007; Al.

This gives Rafal 12 bonus points for what was without doubt the best catch of the year for his huge Roach at Dalarna. Al picks up 60 bonus points for the remaining five species. 12 further points are awarded to the biggest fish of the year, the Pike caught by Al in April at Tyresö...

With the 2008 Fantasy Fishing League now open it is worth noting that a lot of species were not caught at all in 2007. Notable absentees include Salmon, Brown trout, Sea Trout, Rainbow Trout, Grayling, Chub,Dace, Eel, Carp, Crucian Carp, Flounder and incredibly Zander. Any one specimen of these species, had they been caught in 2007 would of yielded 12 bonus points for their captor.With this in mind 2008 could well be a good year if certain species are pursued at the right time of the year. Seatrout are available until the end of Febuary and again from November onwards. Pike spawning will be in March/April. Drevviken for Rudd and Tench from May to July. Zander from May through the summer months is a species long overdue. Eel in a simular time frame to Zander. Rainbow Trout are readily available at several fisheries from May until September. Brown Trout, Grayling, Dace and Chub require a trip north to the rivers where they are readily available too....

Final 2007 Table as follows...
Al; 130 Pts.
Rafal; 30 Pts.
Karl; 11 Pts.
Linda; 6Pts.
Simon; 3Pts.
Kev; 2Pts.

Jim and James both failed to score, though only got out for one day in 2007. Baz failed to score as he was not out at all once during the year! No armchair award is available Baz! The table pretty much reflects the hours spent out fishing and there is no real shortcut to catching a lot of fish, hours on the bank pay off.
Here's to a great 2008 to you all and hope to see you all out there! Thanks to all for a great year in 2007 and some great days out... Hopefully can organise a trip or two away in the coming year and encourage a few more people to get out into the fresh air. Though it is not easy for us all to get out as much as we used to due to family commitments and work, hope 2008 will be a good one for you all in every way.
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