Monday 16 January 2023

Fish to the conditions Buh

Sunday and the Stour was in it's banks but still rushing relentlessly seawards. Quick check on a lovely roadside back stretch on the way down to Devil Dog Land. Bombing through but one promising far bank slack earmarked for a quick hour on the home, funeral plans confirmed for Thursday.

And of course someone else had spotted the slack. Typical. Not that I said that (or worse eh Loafer) out loud, pleasantries exchanged and there were fish in the slack and the crease ( I've touched out the obvious fish here red x's each fish was helpfully carrying). His attack was liquidised bred in a cage feeder and yellow maggot as the red x carrying fish  were turning their nose up at reds or whites

 

I went as far up the short stretch as I was allowed and found a slow glide on the bend  A longer trot than the picture suggests with  a low branch half the way down.


I'd only packed the pin and what a good choice. 13 foot rod given the branches above, two reds (I had no yellows) on a #16 B560 under a 5 AAA balsa, with enough tip showing to hold back and for me to squint at however many turns of  the spool taking into account line diameter, atmospheric conditions, UV degradation and  moon phase the train spotters would convert to yards without a distance stick in sight. I'm getting used to the red Maxima now. 4lb bs, wiry and resilient. Which is good given my gumby fingers on their ham fists


Shallow and a bit snaggy down the inside track. the overhanging branch half  way down meant I had to let the line lay on the surface before it got there about 20 yards which meant less control from there on in. Second proper trot down and way below the half way maker the the orange tip disappeared and the low strike  resulted in  a pleasing resistance and the fish made good use of the flow and the near bank obstructions. Obviously a chub(let) and a nice Little'Un it was too

    
I didn't really get  a good rhythm going and  fish came from different parts of the glide but plenty to keep me there till the fingers succumbed to the nip in the air. Half  a dozen chub, twice as many roach and a solitary dace. Most excellent.







Nice roach to finish off. And when the pub is finished across the rod I'll start with  a pint too.















 























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11 comments:

  1. A reasonable stamp of fish. I'm always impressed with people that manage to use Maxima as a reel line I just can't, and never have, got on with it.

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    1. It was a pragmatic choice, Dangling Indirect had no Drennan Floatfish in . Out of stock being their motto...

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    2. One of the joys of the out of stock shop

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  2. looked a good little spot that, nice work

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  3. Good work. Ive always found that swim really snaggy ? Close in anyway.
    Ahh, the old " they'll only take half a bronze pinkie with a red maggot hooked in the arse marinated in chilli flavoured coconut oil ". I never seem to find such fussy fish.

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    1. It was, and shallow but I found a few clearer lines to go at. Bet if you say tried a white and a red on the hook one would get stretched most. All bollox of course but try it.

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    2. I've had a few occasions where one colour of maggot out fishes all the others. On one occasion fishing double maggot at least one of them had to be red or wouldn't get a bite.

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