24/12/2023 - A Short Session On The River

My end rig luncheon meat, also plasticine weight

I was lucky  to get a call from Ian around 1400 hrs, asking “Do you want to fish today”? my immediate answer was “Yes” Around 1445 hrs we pulled into the car park within ten minutes, I had a few words with an angler who was leaving he told me “It was a waste of time, too much water one” then he was away. From past experience of many years angling, I would rather have a good rise on the river, than low water, “Yes” it was pushing through hard, but I had a rough idea where the fish would be under these conditions. Loaded up with seat, tackle and bait, being a bit slower than Ian I left first, fifteen minutes later I was at my first choice swim, certainly an ideal spot when the river has over three feet on, but with a strong cold cold wind blowing in my face, I chose to go up river into the wood where I would be sheltered. It was certainly a good choice I immediately felt the warmth, once I was out of the wind.

Tackle And Bait Set Up

I tackled up my normal 11ft soft Avon action rod matched with a Mitchell 300 with 10lb bs braid, then added two float stops before tying on a size 4 barbless hook, all I had to do was mould some plasticine around the float stops which were eighteen inches from the hook, after three adjustments with moulding the plasticine around the stops, I made a few casts, then reckon I’d got it about right.  I baited with a big chunk of luncheon meat, then cast out, allowing the meat to roll downstream to where the water slowed up a bit, then sat holding the rod, hoping for a bite, no more than ten minutes later, I felt a light tension on the line over my forefinger, then a quick knock on the rod tip, a minute or so later the tension on the line increased as the tip slowly pulled round. The answering strike told me I’d hooked a good fish as line was taken off the reel. After some minutes I’d got the fish coming towards the net, then it was mine. Taking out the hook, I lowered the net in the shallows while I set up the scales and weight net,  then got my camera from inside my jacket, all was now ready to find out what it weighed, I got a reading of 4 lb 4 ounces, after a quick picture I walked upstream some thirty yards, then released the fish back to its watery kingdom. I certainly had a spring in my step as I walked back to my spot. During the next two hours I had five more bites, losing one very good fish at the net, landing a chub of 4LB 2ounces, also two fish around 3lbs and missing two bites. All in all it had been a good session, as Ian looks after his Mum, we left around 1800 hrs, but I was more than happy just to get out.

My best chub 4LB 4 ounces

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