Thanks for letting minnow....

The fishing has continued to be a grueller. Until yesterday I'd fished 3 stretches of my very local river, and 5 areas, trotting without a bite, or a sign of a fish. People I spoke to suffering similar fates. Bad weather  incoming for the end of the week. What to do?

I had business a bit further afield yesterday so on the way back stopped on the Wensum. Much milder, no big coat required. Chose a location just in the city limits so free fishing. The non tidal Wensum is a gusty, ballsy river, much stronger than the Bure I'm used to. Settled on a bend with a smoother glide. Buzzard a bit incongruous on the edge of one of Norwich's biggest estates, a flash of iridescence from a kingfisher and two distanced herons stalking the flood plain. The constant hum from the chemical works. once home to May and Baker and a legacy of heavy metal contamination down the Wensum and the Yare which it eventually becomes at Trowse, home to heavy metal of a different sort, the marshalling and depot yards of Crown Point.

First run through to check the depth and a bite. I'd almost forgotten what to do but the slightest flutter down the line and I knew what it was before I squinted to see it. A minnow, indeed a very fat minnow. Another one for the small so far 2021 species list. Not one I'd be likely to add to from the bits of the Bure I fish anyway.

And where there is one....

I tried a few more spots, with similar results. I soaked up some sun, and had a celebratory ginger beer whilst pondering my next move. I drove round the City looking for a spot to pop out and see if it might be worth a tidal trot but baulked at the 80p  first 15 min  fee, the free spaces being taken for Covid  vax  and test kit collection  before more dosh for a longer stay (how much diesel did I burn doing that?). Back to the Bure for a wander before a late doors trot.

White water training mean the gates at the downstream non tidal limit had been fling open wide, this lot (more out of shot) piled out of a long wheelbase mini bus before donning their water survival kit, mask free and minimal distancing. I know outdoor viral transmission is unlikely but... 

Faced with a torrent I headed up to the furthest stretches my ticket would allow, a fellow roacher had had only a brownie to show for his efforts. Not another flicker on his tip from what was a very productive area before Christmas. Looked over Noddy train bridge where the dace had been showing and not one fish on the gravels or in the lee of the bushes but I did see that the flow down the side leat had dropped so perhaps they'd headed up there to spawn. Chastened I headed up to Roach Reach, taking the big coat just in case.  Double reds and a bite, then another hooked. Just love that feeling as the rod takes on a better bend and the roach pulses and kites below the gunmetal surface. A netter and that's always a lovely feeling too.  An almost scale perfect roach, silver flanks, blue back, red fins and that lovely back end plumpness. I could tempt no more but one did roll in front of me. I haven't tried flake on the lead yet this season but if the rain and sluice gods allow......

'

As I walked back down past the thunder of water told me the sluice gods had decreed that the forecast day of rain meant full on gates open. Thursday and Friday will be very windy but dryish. Depends on how much rain we get today.