Pond dippping

Rivers are still cack and it has been cold so I have had a few desultory pokes about on a few localish waters without much conviction or application. So my rewards have been as meagre as I deserve. Well sort of meagre anyway. 

Three bites on Tuesday and one hit. A very lovely roach indeed. Double reds on a #16 B560

Next short trip three further bites, two tiny roach and this slightly less tiny hybrid.

And next time out, even colder but more bites though hard won merest dips of the dotted down waggler with 3 small (not tiny) roach and seven perch all of which thought they bigger than they were.

On a more positive note we went to the gastronomic Mecca (no bingo) that is Fakenham Wetherspoons and as well as a small but delightful steak and kidney pud I checked out the upper river levels. Might have to put a rod in the charabanc for a just in case if the rain holds off.

Use it or lose it

We've got another tier of management now, and managers have to prove they are managing  things so no more carrying the odd day of leave over now cos you've bee worked so hard you haven't had time to take it so it's use it or lose it. Today was a use it day but I only had half of that day to call my own and what with the lower rivers being fecked I set off on my usual 50 mile one way commute to stop off on the upper Wensum where I knew the river would be in  better trim. Didn't buy diesel as it had gone up 6 pence a litre overnight. Did buy a breakfast though. Not the Morrison's Ultimate even though it was a very reasonable 7 quid. I had to tip the beans out of the poxy ramekin everywhere insists on using these days.  One of everything except the liberated beans. Oh, and TWO pats of Lurpak which really is overpriced  these days. I think that sausage is nearly as cremated as the Loafer demands. 

Quick spin down to the river and the omnipresent  feralish chickens which feature in most of Norfolkcestershire. Big buggers too.

One of the members was up to his not fly fishing tricks, using a strike indicator and no shot down to the single maggot. Roach in one eddy and little browns in the opposite eddy today he said. 

I've noticed that the lovely little wild browns are increasingly predominant so it was nice to hear he'd had some roach. The river was faster than usual but clear so it was a case of finding a few darker looking patches to indicate a bit of depth.  Should have taken the rod with the pin out of the Charabanc to get a bit more control of the 2 swan loafer  (the Loafer's loafer) but as it was the little wildies didn't mind chasing the bait. Only fished two swims but as usual lost count in the end.  None would have made 8oz but what beauties they were and game scrappers even on a beefier than needed 13 foot Drennan Carp Float rod I'd bought from Fenman Mark Barratt when I was waiting for a replacement tip for one of my Drennan Tench and Specimen 13 footers.

Did find  a couple of dace and I'll try a couple of the more sedate spots before the season ends. Whispers of smuggled in chub now too. 

Down in the dumps

Pat MaGroyne sent back this sneaky shot from Long Stratton of an early doors win for Little 'Un, a cracking corner for a first minute opener assist  and that trademark break down the left wing and a fierce drive from outside the box to seal the win. Hit the post as many times as Nunez too.

Which meant that I should have been a very happy Bureboy. I was until I saw the river. About three feet down and all the exposed silt and banks were a mass of otter tracks. Everywhere.

Still,  I'd had to work hard for my pass out so down the stretch, working both margins with twitch backs for two and a half hours. 

Not even a crayfish nibble. Word is the upper stretch is also seemingly barren, with only the occasional huge brownie to pull the string. 7 plus huge, more than one looking at the pictures. I've a half a mind to get a Deeper or get Robbie of the North to have a kayak up and down with his Sidewinder just to see what is there now.. Aside from floods and severe snow I'd always get runs and often doubles and a handful of twenties. That was till about 2 years ago Lots of fry this year and some pockets of dace. The trout are getting big on something, probably filling the pike niche. Make the most of the good times, you never know when they might go.