Best laid plans

Despite still being lergied, and with 50mph winds suggested, with 63% chance of rain I got myself on the river for an hour this afternoon. I swapped the pin for a small fixed spool  but kept the 15 footer as I would be fishing over the fast water so needed to keep the line up. The maggots were mostly casters and the ones that weren't were quite torpid. I also stepped up considerably to a 5AA cane avon given the swirling water and wind.

The currents and wind were as mixed up as I'd thought they would be but not in the little shelter I had between the tank trap blocks.  I was able to keep the line up and off the water and not too badly wind affected given the length of the rod but was finding I had far less control  fishing open bale with the finger on the spool and perhaps because the little 1000 Hyperloop was perhaps under gunned for the rod and not really positioned well. I'd actually have managed to avoid line wrap round the pin where I was sitting and had far more control if I'd stuck to my guns.

However, despite missing or just pricking several fish I found dace in most spots round the pool. Nothing of great size but all hand or hand plus. The strong flow meant that the Greys was often nicely bent as well.

I picked up one roach just where I thought there might be one which was pleasing. I haven't seen many cormorants but a lot of the fish did have telltale signs

There were several slashes in the whiter water but no trout fell to the bait today. The last fish was the best,  it didn't thump or go airborne so I guessed it might be a chublet and it was. Just about attaining chub size I'd say.....

I'd had another delirium affected hour on Friday, this time for pike. A blank that left me thinking a bit and perhaps leading to further experimentation. We'll see.

Tackle tarts

It seems these days that rods just have to be shorter and shorter. What are the point of these?

One chance...

I took a risk and hauled my creaking back over some stiles to check out a new section of river on Saturday. At last there is some water in the river but that brings with it restricted access due to the unmanaged marginal growth. 

I worked several bends with smelt and pollan where I had gingerly established the floating mats would at least bear my rather large frame should  I need to net something. I'd  got down to the last stile when I was presented with the dilemma of encroaching swans and dog walkers all converging on the pinch point of the bend and the stile. I avoided a 4 swan tangle on the upstream rod and as they scattered down all flailing wings and hissing I sunk the line of the downstream rod just in time. The float shot under and a pike was on amongst the swan maelstrom. I turned to locate the net and it was being chewed by a dog. Needless to say I slackened off inadvertently and  my only chance had gone. 

Offaly good stuff

I'm crocked with a seized lower back so a planned quick raid on the Wissey for some plump roach and even plumper perch had to be put on ice, rather like me. Move over Murray.

Still, managed to sneak  this  little snack for lunch.

Kidneys on sourdough. Not especially devilled but  much better than a Greggs vegan roll. Bit rare to be fair and a certain air of piss as bought to the table but devoured none the less.

Gloom. Cold. Pike. Leeches.

Despite the Solstice the days have been dark and frankly cold so far this this year. Today was no exception and  the stinky and battered old wax coat was donned over the thermals and fleece. I  headed off down below a favourite bridge to where an old drainage ditch, a stile and the start of a long stretch of reed cover on the far bank caught my eye. Two joeys were placed to near and far margins.

I'd just sent this phone shot of the swim on Instagram when the far bank joey was away.  Even through the chop the fish was plain to see in the clear water, darting  and twisting down in the deepish margin. Heavily leached (only on the other flank) and a plump pike indeed. 

Despite several leapfrogs  that was  my lot and by 4 I was off the river and longing for the charabanc heater to start pumping out hot air.

Urbanisation

Have access to some city centre free parking at the moment and it's a groundbait dropper's reach from the river...lovely jubbly. Fishing is free within the city limits but a lot of the riverside access is problematic in that there are high walls and often safety railings. I found a nice recessed bank and  found about  4 feet down the edge. The river is tidal to the works just above and there had been about 18 inches more water on the top of flood judging by the watermark  on the piling opposite. I'd packed a tip rod  in case perch were the only option but started on the pin.

First trot with double red and the float buried  abut 15 yards down. Nice way to get the year off and running. A touch of urban graffiti as a bonus.

I've been faithful to the Kamasan B520's for a while but they've either made the gape narrower or my gumby hands have got more sausage like as I find them harder to unhook without a disgorger so I picked up some wider gaped B560's today. I can still see a #20 spade  unlike the  Essex Loafer but tend to  go for #16's if there's a chance I'm going to try a small dendro or caster. Just maggot and its  an #18.

You can't beat  a roach.

I didn't get into a proper rhythm in the heavy showers and might have done better with some brown crumb to localise the fish but even  so it was a useful couple of hours spent prospecting as some of the roach put a proper bend in the 15 footer. Think it will be worth having  a float pat rod set up as I'm sure one or two pike would home in once you'd got the roach going. 

A litlte bigger than I thought?

Had enough small perch to think the back up or even first line worm would be a cert but none was above wasp size today. 

Urban fishing certainly has its attractions, especially when the fish come river for the winter months away from the big salt incursions. However, its pretty full on even by day. I had houses behind and offices in front and that pint of IPA had to go somewhere..... Further down and the Riverside complex and the cattle market that is Prince of Wales Road and the burgeoning night time economy would really bring into question even contemplating fishing into dark.  And then there's the footie crowds......