Usual Holiday Makers Help Please (brundall)

[lancashiresteve]

Hello all and thanks for allowing me to join your forums. I have read through quite a few fishing related threads but not seen anything recent for my query.

As you will note from my user name I am not a local man, please don't hold this against me 

I was last down on the broads in september 23 and have been twice prior but those were more about holidaying with my wife and site-seeing and less about fishing.

However I have booked a week mid July in a chalet/lodge at Brundall (alongside the front of Buccaneers marina) which, following the sad loss of my wife will be by myself and focused largely around angling although a few days in Norwich may be taken.

So what I have read in forum is fishwise Bream, Roach and Pike will be the main quarry with the odd Tench, Rudd & maybe Carp thrown in.

Based upon what I have read there seems to be preferences for feeder for silvers and dead baiting for pike but looking for advice and maybe variations!

With the above fish in mind, what would be the preferred methods and baits and have I over looked anything. 

Cheers all, Steve

[YnysMon]

Sorry I’m not a fisher (well I was sort of…it was my maiden name, LOL), but I just wanted to welcome you to the forum.

I’m sure more helpful people will be along presently.

I’m sorry to hear about your loss. Sounds like you’ve come to the right place. When I lost my Mum several years ago I found the community here very supportive.

 

[Wonderwall]

Hi, I am no great authority on fishing, but fishing when on the broads is a huge part of my holiday. 

I if fishing for pike, I use a spinner. I prefer the luminous type, and have had a few decent pike on this method.

If I'm fishing in calm waters , I prefer float fishing and use a variety of bait. Maggots never seem to fail for the smaller fish, ( with some larger also taking them) , but if I'm going for something bigger, worm, sweetcorn and bread have all worked at different times.

If the current is stronger, I will fish off the bottom with a swim feeder , with a mixture of ground bait and maggots , or again I may try worms or corn if I'm only getting tiddlers. 

I always try and keep my fishing  area stocked up with ground bait. I tend  to get the best specimens just as the sun is going down.

Good luck, tight lines , and enjoy . I'm there in just under 3 months 🤗

[dom]

Fishing for Pike in summer is generally frowned upon. They don't cope well with low oxygen levels in summer and can suffer (or worse) if removed from the water during warmer months. They're generally targetted October to March.

I've never really fished the Southern Broads, but in the North, Perch are fairly plentiful, as well as Roach, Rudd and Bream. Carp are pretty rare and mostly towards the upper end of the Wensum unless anything's changed. I can't ever recall having seen a Tench come out of a Broadland river (but plenty in lakes around the area).

Knowing what the river is like, I'd imagine feeder fishing is going to be the most successful tactic on the Yare. The biggest Bream hauls always used to come at night. Someone like @Norfolkangler might be able to give more specific and up to date advice.

[BroadAmbition]

Please leave the Pike alone until October onwards, Thanks.

Welcome onboard btw

Griff

[Gracie]

A very warm welcome aboard 

Sorry for your loss

I use a simple float rod and set up, nothing fancy, using maggots and worms for bait (yuk) always caught loads of silvers with the odd Perch too. Never caught a Pike, wouldn't want to, I haven't the equipment or skill for them although a monster one did try to take a roach as I was reeling it in, it was like a scene from Jaws, scared me half to death 

Have a great trip

Grace x

[Norfolkangler]

Morning Steve,

As has been mentioned above, please leave the pike well alone. education is the thing here, I would like to think that ALL serious serious anglers would never want to do fish harm but unfortunately its down to lack of knowledge with the pike and the reputation the Broads has ( or should that be had) for large numbers of them which brings people from far and wide to target them with out much thought for the temperatures etc that really takes it out of them after a hard fight. They are not the HARD looking fish inside. They are fragile in high temperatures.

Now then, onto the silvers. Where you will be in Brundal, you should manage a fish a chuck down the side with a 5Mtr pole with maggots, sweetcorn will get a larger stamp of fish and It can be good fun. This will include roach, skimmers and perch. 

For the larger bream, I would wait till dusk and fish into darkness or all night if you want. Remember, these are wild fish not stockies from some lake so will probably never have seen a hook before. I keep things simple, a running feeder rig with the stops around 4 to 6 inches apart and a 18" to 24" tail. I tend to use the quikstop hooks which are effectively a hair type hook but easy to bait up with the spike provided. I tend to find that the fish will hook themselves and almost always  its in the scissors of the mouth which makes unhooking easy in the dark and is kinder to the fish as no need for disgorgers etc but obviously you will need one now and again. I don't faf around with small hooks as I use large baits, I normally fish a size 10. 

My baits would be 2 or 3 grains of corn, worms, a corn and worm cocktail, bread (never under estimate bread) and one of my favourites is pellet. I use 12 or 15mm pellets so you can see that large hooks are easier. The thing with pellet on a quikstop is that they tend to stay on and it is not unusual for me to have caught 6 or seven bream on the same pellet. Saves re baiting in the dark.    

I dont get too hung up over ground bait as its all down to personal choice, but you will need something that can survive the cast and the drop down to the bottom. A river mix (sensas) is fine. If you can get a pint of casters, that will help.

 Let us know how you get on.

[Norfolkangler]

Should have gone on and said, forget about tench on the southern side, Only place I know they have been caught was in the basin at the back of Thorpe island but I am going back a few years now. They do show up on the Northern side, the river Bure in particular. The slack  of the Swan bend at Horning and a few on Wroxham Broad. Also the top end of the Thurne around the Somerton area. But they are generally a "bonus" fish when after the bream at night as opposed to a targeted fish.

All of the Broads system is now throwing out some good rudd which is nice to see. Good size as well.

Don't worry if it goes quiet during the night as you can not expect to hold a shoal of bream in a river for too long. They tend to wander up and downstream through the night so 4 or 5 fish and then a quiet period is to be expected.  

 

[floydraser]

Welcome to the forum Steve.

This thread gives me the chance to ask this question: has anyone used the bait vending (if that's what it is) machine at AR Peachment's place? I had never seen such a thing before I moved to Cove marina.

During the pandemic when the price of everything was going through the roof there was a scare round here that the price of maggots was going the same way. This got me looking through some old fishing books for alternative baits where I discovered wheat. I bought a 20kg bag for under a tenner and I reckon it'll last longer than I will!   

[MargeandParge]

Hello Steve

Ole Marge and myself don't fish but would like to give a warm welcome to the forum. 

Enjoy your stay in Norfolk. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[lancashiresteve]

Thanks for the replies everyone, and the kind words regarding my late wife, means a lot.

Kind of backed up what I thought really, although never considered about corn but thinking about it, does make sense.

I might put a rod out with a decent tiddler stopper sized type bait (corn/pellet etc) on and maybe fish a waggler down the side for whatever comes along to keep me interested.

@Norfolkangler ref the pellets, would you recommend sweet, savoury like robin red or fishy flavoured or is it a case of it's what they are interested in on the day. Also have you ever tried presenting pellet with method feeder?  TBh I thought a simple cage feeder but as I said in the opening post I will listen to local advice.

Steve

[Norfolkangler]

Hi Steve, I keep things simple nowadays, I don't fish matches its all pleasure for me and about being out there.

I use cage feeders for all my night bream sessions, don't see any need for a method feeder. I also keep my pellet choice simple, fishmeal works for me. What you will find is that after dark the roach will stop and it will be all bream. Worm is an exhalant bait for bream as I am sure you know but be prepared for the odd eel.

I don't know whats happened over the last few years but at one time the average bream on a night session on the Yare was around 6 or 7 Lbs but the last few years its been more like 3 or 4 Lbs. 

I should have mentioned in my previous reply that I use Barbless hooks only so much easier to unhook and much kinder to the fish.

You mentioned going in to Norwich, is this for fishing? there is little or no bankside fishing in Norwich nowadays I'm afraid. 

Unfortunately there is very little free bankside fishing at all given the size the broads system. There are clubs out there so you may want to get a day ticket if you feel the need to try somewhere else.

[Norfolkangler]

21 hours ago, floydraser said:

Welcome to the forum Steve.

This thread gives me the chance to ask this question: has anyone used the bait vending (if that's what it is) machine at AR Peachment's place? I had never seen such a thing before I moved to Cove marina.

  

They used to be a thing back in the nineties. Maggots came out in a tube if I remember correctly. I haven't seen one in years now though. I think the idea was that you could pick up bait on the way early in the morning before the tackle shops opened.

as for wheat I used to use it but mainly for loose feed. Boiled it up the night before or sometimes put some in a flask and put boiling water in and screwed the lid up before my session. If you do that, remember to leave an air gap at the top or the wheat will expand and bust your flask. Ask me how I know I only done it once.

[lancashiresteve]

2 hours ago, Norfolkangler said:

Hi Steve, I keep things simple nowadays, I don't fish matches its all pleasure for me and about being out there.

I use cage feeders for all my night bream sessions, don't see any need for a method feeder. I also keep my pellet choice simple, fishmeal works for me. What you will find is that after dark the roach will stop and it will be all bream. Worm is an exhalant bait for bream as I am sure you know but be prepared for the odd eel.

I don't know whats happened over the last few years but at one time the average bream on a night session on the Yare was around 6 or 7 Lbs but the last few years its been more like 3 or 4 Lbs. 

I should have mentioned in my previous reply that I use Barbless hooks only so much easier to unhook and much kinder to the fish.

You mentioned going in to Norwich, is this for fishing? there is little or no bankside fishing in Norwich nowadays I'm afraid. 

Unfortunately there is very little free bankside fishing at all given the size the broads system. There are clubs out there so you may want to get a day ticket if you feel the need to try somewhere else.

Thank for the tips, more or less what I expected to hear but nice to have it backed up.

3-4lb bream still a good fish, however be nice to bag a few of the larger specimens if I go on into the twilight. Eel's, yuck, snotty net coming right up!

I will take some method feeders (as well as cage) as much to mix it up if things are slow going during day. Same with pellets, I have plenty of fishmeal groundbait and pellets but again, try sweet ones if things aren't happening. Afterall, I am there for a week so plenty of time to experiment.

I only ever fish barbless now, switched over a few years back unless I am casting a line seawards which isn't often these days.

Norwich visits will be sightseeing, no fishing. As previously mentioned I have hired a lodge for the week and so fishing will be from the same spot all week, directly into the Yare few hundred yards from Brundall rail station.

[floydraser]

4 hours ago, Norfolkangler said:

They used to be a thing back in the nineties. Maggots came out in a tube if I remember correctly. I haven't seen one in years now though. I think the idea was that you could pick up bait on the way early in the morning before the tackle shops opened.

as for wheat I used to use it but mainly for loose feed. Boiled it up the night before or sometimes put some in a flask and put boiling water in and screwed the lid up before my session. If you do that, remember to leave an air gap at the top or the wheat will expand and bust your flask. Ask me how I know I only done it once.

And after boiling add a bit of Worcester sauce. 

[lancashiresteve]

On 07/06/2024 at 08:16, Norfolkangler said:

 Let us know how you get on.

I will indeed. I have bought a shed load of baits although the wider fishing purposes is in mind when purchasing.

I will leavve the Pike be, don't worry I forgot about the summer lay off when posting filled with excitement.

One last query, how strong in the flow? Am I looking at 3 oz of lead or is it more forgiving?  I ask because I don't have anything beyond 1.5oz as I do still water entirely!

Thanks and tight lines.

Steve

[Norfolkangler]

I fished  a couple of miles downstream of Brundal last night and it was pushing through quit hard. I was using 30gm feeders and holding no bother. The trick is to leave a reasonable bow in your line as it holds better. I dont think its quite as deep where you will be as it is further downstream where I was, but it has been years (40 or more) since I fished Brundel as the area has built up so much  there is no longer any access unles you do what you are doing and rent a holiday cottage.

Also worth mentioning that we have had several good downpours of late so the river is carrying a lot more water than usual for the time of year. We has so much rain Saturday they the first match of the season, on opening day, a hundred pegger on the Yare was cancelled do to land flooding and acces issues to even get to the river.

You should be OK by the time you come as the forcast is looking a lot more promising. 

[Norfolkangler]

Well come on then, how did you get on ?????

[lancashiresteve]

On 06/08/2024 at 15:22, Norfolkangler said:

Well come on then, how did you get on ?????

Ahh you didn't forget, so glad you reminded me, even though I am late to reply, sorry.

So day one was actually pretty good, probably the best day. I ran an Avon float very close in (on a landing stage, water was instantly 10 foot deep) fed regularly with groundbait/particles/castor and it was a fishathon, lots of small but quality roach to 2/4 lb, some reasonable perch to about a pound and hard fighting skimmers with a bream of a shade over 2. All on a 3/4 tc rod it gave some fun sport. Later I threw a small roach back right down the side & I heard a splash, on inspecting the water there was a mass of scales, this got the better of me. So I threw a small perch down the side and boom, a huge perch hit it, all 3.3 pound of it.

I caught several more perch stright down the side on bunches of worm  to 2.75 lb, there were bigger which were clearly seen, just couldn't get past the smaller ones (2lb being small).

After that the rest of the week was just ok, no better. I tried for the bream with 4 night sessions but they just did not show, I had 2 at 4.1lb each, one at 3.5lb and that was it. The best fighting fish was the 2lb+ Bream day one, 3/4 tc rod and 4lb line with a good river run all leads to some great sport.

Even the float fishing went poor when compared to day 1 with the last 2 very hot and very sunny days fishing was killed dead, I managed a lovely lobster tan on day 5, typical fisherman, it'll be ok attitude, but it wasn't.

I managed 3 eel (not targeted) and I was lucky enough that I managed to get these off and away fairly easy, sea angling skills helped here as do semi barbed hooks

However overall I had a perfectly good chalet, beautiful river view teaming with waterfowl and some quite chatty neighbours to one side so it was very enjoyable break. Shame about the football. 

Steve

[Norfolkangler]

Thanks for the update Steve, looks like you had a good week all be it variable. Its great to see some good perch showing and you must have been chuffed with a 3 pounder. Looking at the match reports, the river does not seem to be in as good a form as to be expected for the time of year but the weather has been all over the place this year. The week you were up I fished downstream from you, through the night, and we had a seal turn up which killed it dead.

It has been a bit slow this year for the bream, 6 or 7  for a night session up to around 4 Lbs being the average. Don't know where the larger ones have gone. On the bright side, if you shine a light down the side after dark, the river is stuffed with fry. That goes for both southern and Northern side of the Broads.

The main thing is, you had a good week with, as you say, wonderful wildlife and views around the area.