Dedicated to Darth Sidious, Emperor Palpatine

The chub were spawning at the weekend on My River. A wondrous sight and  a good way to guestimate size and quantity of the stock. Very healthy. Amongst those gathered for a feast in the post spawning bonanza were these chunky chublets, my first fish of the new season.

I dropped down to Soay bend and the dace were as obliging.

Monday saw me back on the stretch and wading in the shaded shallows but this was the best as a horde of maggot shredders had taken up residence.

I hauled out like a blubber seal and dropped in at the top of the run in to Soay Bend and fed a sparse trickle of maggots for a reasonable time  then ran the small loafer down and bingo, no maggot shredder this. I was lucky I'd bought the bigger net . An absolute beast of a small river chub. Spawned out with stunning bronze flanks, coral fins and dark blue tail. 4lb 14 oz on the Korums.

Time to check out the Pastons as well, a few trots for  a few roach and gudgeon to round off the sortie.

Tuesday saw a run up to the Yare for another shallow wade on the village stretch. Along with most of Norwich. I retreated to the pub for a think and nice pint of Swallowtail.

Loins girded I tried a few quieter spots on the river and in the pool for a reasonable haul of small rudd, roach, dace and chub and a solitary perch.  A happy few days mostly in the river. Perfect

From the river to the sea

First day of the new season a gentle roving affair, an hour on a low Wensum, lots of fry and minnows, and some small but perfectly formed roach and brownies. No dace. Not even in the Spoons pool.

Up through Docking and Ringstead then swooping down to the wide open horizon over the stunning North Norfolk coast. Poked about a bit before meeting up with the Loafer for a pint.

 On to the nature reserve prospecting for grey ghosts and silver shadows. What a stunning backdrop.

I worked a shallow diver for a while but the clay made me uneasy, as  I am firmly of the age now when I don't fall over but 'have a fall'.

 

 

The Loafer was on the mullet, indeed surrounded by them but couldn't convert his out of the blue chance

Back home in time to take the no longer Little Un to play cricket. Bowling is her thing 

Cracking afternoon Loafer, perhaps I take my little piece of heaven up here in North Norfolk a touch for granted.

Old timers

The embargo on Golden Pond had been lifted despite what the notice on the gate said and I'd had enough of painting BureBoi Villas. On to my Island Paradise, one rod and  a new bag of the Source.

Took a while for the fizzing to start, the much rescued and silt stained Puddle Chucker lifted and glided  to the left hand lilies, tench like. Inexplicably I picked the rod up and started to reel in, not strike. Bugger. Curfew approaching, almost everything put away. Fresh patch of bubbles, standing now to cast and holding the rod. Movement, the float glides to right this time, more breamy. No mistakes with the strike this time. Like the Puddle Chucker this old friend minus it's pelvics and a strange deformity has been round the pond and in my stink net a few times. 

Two tone now with some lovely bronzing on it's hump. I fed it the Source off the push stop for it's troubles  and slid it back into the warm waters of Golden Pond.

One for the Loafer

Eels. The Loafer loathes eels, so this one is for him. By catch on maggots, interestingly the small number I have caught from this water have been bycatch again, on corn. Put up the customary good scrap too. I guess swimming backwards helps. Time to tie up some twig rigs and give them a proper go.