Antidote

Down to do some tidying of affairs yesterday. The anticyclonic gloom that has held us under  a stifling blanket of dank muting the autumn colours and dulling the splashes of red on those taking part in various Remembrance ceremonies. Some of the formalities done I met up with the Loafer in the old stamping  ground, the Greyhound to exchange books (Toms Story) for a  repurposed Formil container filled with hand made goodies and quantities of Chinese split shot. Not a feather inlay or bespoke walnut hand crafted  float tube to be seen. Pondering on the surprising number of chem trail and off-gridders there are about.  Especially in the Boondocks of the Trent and the Fens.  

The Stour being  clear, low and almost static meant trotting out of the question, and a bucket of liquidised bread and  a small Warby Blue loaf would be my way to go for an hour and a bit till dark and parking ticket expiry. Primed four likely spots with handfuls of compressed white gold, the particles  drifting down almost vertically given the meagre flow. 

Two SSG on a short link with float stops and decent size 6 wide gape hook. 2 or 3  hook baits from a slice. I probably linger too long in one spot, the plucks and one decent pull round of the Airfix matt white 2 oz glass tip, kept me too long and the second spot (one knock) didn't get my full attention as  I wanted to get in the bankers before the approaching lure angler.  The Stump, banker number 1. Out went the flake and a sharp pull, repeated as I dropped the rod on the rest. Jagging and darting for every likely snag, and a kamikaze dive into the waiting net. A big yeehaah rang out across the flood plain. Job done and I very nearly packed in there and then. Not big, not even 3lb but with lovely coral fins.

Out again and several sharp pulls and  a lost fish roach or chublet? before this little splasher hit the net in the by now dark so no banker 2. Next time...