Nocturnal ditch digging

Couple of nights ago I went to one ditch to hunt Stone loaches. It was suppose to be quick trip because I had working day at morning. But the fishes had a different opinion.

At the first place I saw few fish and hook one. Sadly it wasn't Stone loach but Gudgeon. I left to another spot. There was few loaches but they were all too tiny to hook up (about 2-3 centimeters).

It was almost two o'clock and I decided to check one more spot and leave back home to sleep what ever my result would be. Finally, there they were. I spooked the first one off, second one didn't show any interest with my bait. The third one hit the bait but got loosen when I was lifting it up. Argh, It wasn't too easy this time.

Then I saw one more Stone loach, I dropped my #26 hook with a small bit of maggot right in front of it and "slurp", there it was. A species number 39 of the year. After the fish I headed straight back home, it was three am when I finally got to bed....

Stone loach (Barbatula barbatula)

30 smashed

Last Sunday I made an couple of hours trip to one small river that is normally full of Gudgeon mixed with some small Chub too. But this time I really struggled with both of them. I started with a bit bigger bait and focused to catch some Chub but didn’t have even one bite.

About an hour later I changed tactics. It was time for Gudgeon yet. I put on a small piece of worm and started to drift my bait in the bottom with the current. And what happened. Of course I caught a small Chub on the very first try and soon after that I caught another one. But still no Gudgeon. I had some bites still which were 100% Gudgeons so I knew they are there.

Chub (Leuciscus cephalus).

Old trick, chancing worm to a maggot made the trick and I finally managed to catch two tiny Gudgeons too.

The monster Gudgeon.

These were my species numbers 30 and 31. So forty, here I come.