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View Full Version : Brick Farm, Hurstmonceux, 22nd feb



crazyplums
22-02-2009, 18:22
well, Luke had been pestering to go fishing, i knew the tides were naff and about to ebb, and had no usable bait meaning we'd need to buy,

so, instead of a tenner on bait, probably more on tackle i don't need and a fiver in fuel, we spent two quid on fuel and nothing on bait by going to Brick Farm trout fishery, after making a flask and a picnic we arrived (via the new tackle shop just north of h/monceux for a nose about), signed in, and were on the bottom lake about midday, £22 for 4 fish (jnr fishes free with adult and shares catch limit). so maybe a little more spent over-all, but at least we knew there were sizable fish to catch (1.5 to 20lb+),

after slowly losing patience with Luke (casting lessons) i figured it'd be best to let him learn on his own while i wet a line, I sooo needed to wet a line!
thankfully a good mate of mine turned up and spemt some time with like which gave me a little breathing space!


first cast saw a gold head green damsel on a 8# intermediate d/t, sent out to around 35 feet (max!!!) I gave it twenty seconds to get some depth and on the second short strip it was fish on!! a few minutes later saw my first ever fishery rainbow of 3lb+ safely in the net. this is easy! :shutup:


about 15mins later luke pulled his first in, a fish of just over 2lb, to say he was chuffed is an understatement, level pegging now!

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss25/crazyplums/fishing/fly/P10605561.jpg


after about twenty mins of trying i decided to go back and get my 5# Loomis, seemed only fair to let it have a crack at a decent fish too! i set this up with a sink tip 4# line, 10ft 10lb flouro tippet and a gold head daddy longlegs, again about 25-30 feet, again i gave it time to sink and with only a few short strips it was fish on again! this one took longer than the 3lb'er to get in, more due to the lighter rod i think, it certainly gave a good account of itself on a 5# rod! this fishy was around 2lb5oz,

it took a further 1 1/2 hrs to bag the fourth fish, which my mate hooked and luke played until it was netted, another 2lb+ fish!

being our first trip to a fishery, i was more than happy that it was money well spent, 4 decent fish for tea (how often does that happen on the shore!) and a good time had by both, I can see this becoming a more common occurence! total weight of about 9lb 11 on the fishery scales.

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss25/crazyplums/fishing/fly/P10605581.jpg

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss25/crazyplums/fishing/fly/P10605591.jpg

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss25/crazyplums/fishing/fly/P10605541.jpg

AndyS
23-02-2009, 15:23
Great report Hugh,

Beats dragging in hefty rockling from the shore at the moment!:laugh:

Best

Andy

crazyplums
23-02-2009, 16:35
you're telling me! it's nice to travel so light too, i reckon my wychwood bag weighs more than the 3 reels, spare spools and eerything else added together!

this is a definitive alternative for when we know the fishing just isn't worth it in sea and it's out of season for coarse / rivers in flood!

AndyS
23-02-2009, 16:49
Yep, I spend this time of year mainly until April fur chucking. My Wychwood bag would be much lighter if I didn't insist on stuffing it with boxes full of flies I never usually open, spare reels and spools. That being said, when I'm sitting on Brighton Marina, my bait filled coolbox weighs in at about twice my completely stuffed fly fishing bag!

If I just took one reel, one packet of flies, spare leader line, a landing net and rod, I reckon it's pretty much fishing wise as light as you can fish. :thumbs:

Best

Andy

crazyplums
23-02-2009, 18:19
I think you're right, on the beach it's rare i don't have 6lb+ of lead alone, that's more than all my fly gear incl landing net etc! lol!

where else to you fish round here?

Hugh

dogmeister
24-02-2009, 01:02
Nice one mr p i didnt know you were a fluff chucker too!
I used to go quite a lot we will have to have a go up there soon the boys in the den will be up for it.

crazyplums
24-02-2009, 08:34
Nice one mr p i didnt know you were a fluff chucker too!
I used to go quite a lot we will have to have a go up there soon the boys in the den will be up for it.

Hey Doggie,
how's things?

wouldn't say i do much of it, just the occasional flick or two on a much unfished natural river for the most part, just decided to do it proper for once!

re the den boys, yeah, why not, should be a bit of fun! the annual anderida fly cup! lol.

AndyS
24-02-2009, 14:24
I think you're right, on the beach it's rare i don't have 6lb+ of lead alone, that's more than all my fly gear incl landing net etc! lol!

where else to you fish round here?

Hugh

Hugh,

I thoroughly recommend Boring Wheel Trout Fishery near Nutley (up the A22). If you have your son in tow he will love the boats but it is not a reservoir, just a 6.5 acre lake. You can of course fish from the sure but it is nice sitting out on a lake in a boat and it is very reasonably priced and they do a father and son 4 fish ticket too for I think about £20.

You have Chalk Springs at Arundel and Springhill at Tonbridge (has a browns lake too) but my favourite is Still Blackwool farm in Pulborough (might be a bit too far for you though). It is horrendously expensive at £55 for four fish on the specimen lake but the top lake is filled with stockies and several to 10lb and is much more reasonably priced. The bailiffs face has sunk when I have bought a cheap ticket for the top lake and pulled out two at around 10lb an 8lber and a 6lber!

Best

Andy

crazyplums
24-02-2009, 14:38
lol, I bet!

i'll probably give boring wheel a go at Nutley at some point, not sure at this time that i want to spend too much money chasing about the countryside just yet though!!

sunday just seemed a good alternative to fishing for nothing with expensive bait, I guess it cost the same but more chance of something edible!! might give it another go if i don't go casting this weekend.

cheers,
Hugh

SeaDonkey
24-02-2009, 21:04
Well done Hugh,nice report.I think its part of the beauty of fly fishing being able to travel so light mostly in my case just for a morning .

Ian

crazyplums
24-02-2009, 21:10
you're probably right! will be nice come the summer, crack of dawn, mist rising from the water, quick two fish ticket and back in time to start work! lovely!

I don't think Brick farm is a hard place to fish (though the top pool is reputedly hit and miss), but fun none the less!

one thing i did notice after a few hrs, was just how tired and achey my arm felt while playing a fish for a few mins!