Salt...

Up here at the top of the tidal I doubt here is much salt even in surge conditions, a bit further down past the avenue of trees and on to the common the tide does sometimes hold back the flow (and of course lift up the weed). Cruisers do make it  up to the lock across the field but I was in the mill pool proper for some last knockings sport.

I knew I'd be under a tree so I left the 15 foot Greys at home and took my Tench and Specimen 13 footer to team up with the pin. and of course a 5AAA balsa. I took a bag of old premixed groundbait from the freezer, laced with corn and hemp leftovers and some turning maggot/casters My dendros had turned into a mould covered mess. 3.2lb bs Floatfish of dubious vintage straight through to a #14 wide gape fine wire spade end. 

Just 2 drop shotters and a solitary SUP  user for company and most pleasant it was, warm enough for a  hoodie only through till the dew fall. Bites came from various parts of the trot down the big back eddy past the fish pass and along the sill but mostly where the groundbait was hitting bottom and tumbling along along the rocky bed.

Corn bought mostly roach, the majority around this size and mostly in tip top plump condition and fighting nicely in the strong current.

A bunch of casters/maggots tended to attract more dace than roach as I expected and again in perfect condition.

I don't think you can beat the pin when its off the rod tip with a decent flow taking line off the spool, and thumb pressure allowing the bait to slow and raise at will and you do feel every twist and turn of the fish.

I saved the best till last, a handful of a dog roach that really gave a good account of itself to the watching remaining drop shotter. Biggest they'd ever seen they said. I think that autumn is the best season by miles and it's when trotting really comes into it's own. Happy days.