Opening up the account

First session of 2024 and thought piking might just do it. River is now behaving itself, well as long as the sluice masters leave it be. Down to a row of features: bushes, with a straight section with old reed cover and a distinct shelf.  Sardines were at the top of the deadbait pic'n'mix bag at the bottom of the freezer so that would be the bait choice today. Walking down the feeder stream to the stretch I'd seen this cold dead killer's eye staring back at me.  One that won't be terrorising the dace shoals when it grows up.

I've had those poplars as an angling backdrop now for over 30 years now, marching purposefully along the flood plain.

Lunch was missed so this hot, thick tomato soup was called for, thick enough to hold the freshly cracked black pepper in suspension for every small cup full, little bursts of heat which were needed as the cold began to settle over the plain, a change in the weather was beginning to have effect. 

Sardines, halved of course were poked into likely looking spots as  I worked down the stretch, willing the rod tips to nod or the orange domed floats to bob. 

It wasn't a nod or a bob but something grabbing the sardine head as I picked the rod up to make another cast. Must have only just managed it as one treble was visible in the top jaw once I'd got the fish  near the net. Leeched up on one flank only, the pike was  fat as butter but not fat enough to get the scales out for.

No more action and I contented myself  watching a pair of buzzards over the ridge whilst the magpies bickered and an earnest looking chubber passed me for a few hours into dark. The wet mat by this time beginning to stiffen up and a frost felt imminent. Back to the charabanc time.

 

A shining light

We did have the New Years Day fireworks at Cromer, the rain held off and not too windy and I got a few half decent shots, in the end just went 100 ISO and F14 AP with remote release and hope, need to try without view next time as it took as age for the Nikon to process image before next shot was available.

Rods were put in the Charabanc  fora  trip down to see Pops the next day but it rained all day, the A140 was like a river in places so they never came out.

The FA Cup failed to serve up any magic at Carrow Road as Wagner's woebegone rabble  couldn't even dispatch the Gas, currently  a  mighty 10th in League One. I pity any brave souls considering heading down to Bristol for an evening replay. The pre match pub was the best bit, it's our tradition now to go to the Murderers for this. 

 

Little 'Un wants to sample the heady delights of the JobServe Stadium before Col U slide into the National League, think we'll go for the Clash of the Titans vs Newport County on Good Friday for that one as its a 3pm kick-off.

No fireworks to end off 2023

Squeezed in  a couple of short river sessions on my days off but didn't pull up any trees. Or bushes which was surprising given my gumby technique anywhere near tackle snagging features.

The tidal pool looked ok  but bites were few on trotting gear but the ever reliable brownies didn't let me down. First  up was a game little thing with  an usual silvery appearance. A wild spawned fish. 

His/her/they bigger cousin gave me a right tussle in the main push, it had a healed wound on its abdomen but also a fresher lump out of its tail. Could have been a washed down stockie as a few go in further up and more on the exclusive beats round Ingworth.

Had  a dabble in the aquarium but lots of tiny roach in residence, Two blokes were trotting, doing better than me size wise until we all ran out of light so that swim earmarked for the future. 

My ancient cheese paste,  though ripe and pungent was binned as  it was hell to use, super sticky so anything and everything got covered except the hook as it wouldn't stay on. The Loafer had given me a small  lump of his breadcrumb based paste last week which was much more user friendly so armed with some freshly made crumb based paste headed off to a stretch of my local river which has been reluctant of late to yield many fish but those that have come out  have been quite decent.

A few samples of paste in 4 likely swims and 20 mins in each and a bit longer in one more was the plan.

The paste stayed on till struck off,  on, no trees were cast into and the oxtail soup was hot. A bit thin so the added fresh cracked black pepper sank to the last cup (back to the thicker tomato next time).

One half pull that didn't develop was my lot. Looks more pikey than it has for a while so another plan for 2024. Toodle pip. Or toot toot from the Noddy Train. 

 

Travel Man

Been out in the charabanc, called in on TT, Sue and Lucie, star of this lovely TT print. Hope to get John out for  a Fen pike in the New Year. Thanks from me and the Loafer for the wine.

Caught up with my  dad and brother, in the Greyhound for a change. I'll make sure he gets fed next time. The Loafer, The Canadian Giant and Lobkin and I used to wind up Tom, the grumpiest landlord in the world up by ordering scampi in a basket at 1 minute to 9pm. Wonder what happened to the bloke with a gammy eye, a roll up permanently glued to his lip and always wore a blue parka?

Then onto the Stour flood plain with the Loafer. He is loving his chub/roaching at the moment. He did his best to put me in some bankers, how I missed that bite I'll never know..

He jammied one out on the crumb feeder, a lovely stamp roach. 

And I came away with these cracking floats to field test and some local colour to soak up.

Stout Doubts?

Never been one for a Guinness, bit like some Adnams beers when the toast taste is that little too burnt. I've been working through my excellent birthday beers and as well as the current fad grapefruity ales in the  Kirkstall Brewery box were a few stouts. The pick of these was their Drop Hammer. Which the label probably told me referred to a heavy pressing tool in the steel industry. What I did knew it told me was the ABV. 10%. Not one for  a chaser night cap before an early drive. It (they,  I had 2 cans in the box) was absolutely blooming gorgeous. Even more gorgeous than a Champion. So, if you come across some, buy some.

 

I even got out for a short fish on Saturday. The mill  looked ok on my recce but so did the Aquarium.

A pint of some fake Spanish lager and some quite nice nuts by Nobby first.

Quite acceptable but no Drop Hammer, though at a fairly reasonable pub price of 5.75  probably cheaper than the Drop Hammer would be in a craft beer outlet for a single can.

I did give the pool a whirl but too much floating debris. I did winkle out this brownie though which went well on the end of my line.

Bit more action on the Aquarium, a lot of small stuff but  a couple of better roach and dace. Corn and hemp and bait dropper next time  I think. Oh, and I'll have to knock up a little bait waiter to hang on the railing as it's a stand up jobbie.

Woke up alive again today

 61 yesterday. Don't feel it in my head even if I do do everywhere else.  The classic Mousehold Zaks American Diner for a lovely family meal.  Nice Lacons lager too. Gonna get me some Frickles next time. 

Anyhoo, woke up alive again this morning so upwards and onwards. Roach to think about catching. Big fat river roach. I blame the Loafer.

Getting a few trots in

This BureBoi's weekends are mostly spent taking Youngest to football. Beats staying at home and helping Next Eldest with her homework. High school now and the amount they get set is shocking. Two aways this weekend. Aylsham have a very good set up from tots to seniors and a lovely setting. Take cards for the bacon rolls and teas as well. 2 goals for Youngest to take the points

  

Shipdham was a very long drive and it was absolutely fooking freezing this morning. No card machine so no hot goodies for me and it was very basic. Bad tempered draw and Youngest got an assist and hit the post. What is this two defenders and keeper in 6 yard box for goal kicks rubbish? All you do is invite a press. That's my sports report for the season.  

Which meant little time for fishing. The river did look spot on and I gave it  a good go for an hour but not a bite. Again. Car was parked right by the tidal pool and though it was nearly dark and now raining had just six trots back up the eddy before I couldn't see the float any more. This chublet..

 a small dace, two nice roach and a decent trout. And a better roach lost.

I'll keep an eye on the flow patterns over the sluices and set about getting amongst those roach again. when it's running right. And I have an hour to spare.

A tale of one river, two days

I had most of Saturday afternoon free so went prospecting on the Bure. Some decent rudd, roach and perch have been coming out of the tidal round Wroxham but being a Saturday it was packed out, mostly pike boats and Day-Glo orange floats were everywhere. And being tidal the flood run-off  was being held back and the moorings were mostly underwater. Corn and worms not required

Back up the valley to the town stretch just above the last of the tidal trotting maggot where I'd had my last success but trotting line and depth changes couldn't buy a bite so dropped down 20 yards and three dace in three trots. 

I coaxed then up with my feed strategy and pretty soon they were under the rod tip. And every drop-in a coconut. Dace twisting in the flow and the roach making me yield line from the pin. I just love the direct feel you get playing a fish off the pin.

Enough action to warrant digging out the neoprene fingerless as my wet hands began to feel a nip for the first time this season. I'd moved behind a treeline and despite the last of  the low sun lighting up the beeches I also had to don the big coat.

Not everyone went in the net for a piccy but enough for it to feel quite heavy. Putting this sample back killed the swim and I slid back along the muddy path in the gathering gloom a very happy Bure Boi.

Today (Sunday) and I headed further up to the next Mill which was a mistake as it was being run off and the level was down a couple of feet.

I worked hard but nothing took a fancy to my trotted reds or bounced along dendros  but I did spend a bit of time watching this (distant) dog otter below my swim.

A tale of two trains

 Tuesday night and heading up the city to see this. I said Tuesday....

On the train and everything, going out out etc.  (I do like going on a train).

Someone pointed out the date. I was going tomorrow (Wednesday). What to do? Coach and Horses till the next train back.  Pint of Chalk Hill Brewery CHB and then one of TAP for £8 all in.

Now it's Wednesday. Meet the Eldest in the Artichoke as Norwich's smallest pub (Malt and Mardle) unsurprisingly is full. Arti lager is £5. Not bad and we had two. Mostly discussed the hateful Braveman.  

Epic Studios and to the bar. Pint of Stella. £6.80. How much?    No thanks, I can get 4 pint cans for less. What's yer cheapest? AKB Hells for  £6.

 

Jah Wobble? A big bloke with a big face. Proper Cockney showman. He did spend a lot of time playing his bass sitting down as he was old he said. And so were most of us. 

Poptones a stand out for me

Drive to the forest in a Japanese car The smell of rubber on country tar. Hindsight done me no good
Standing naked in this back of the woods The cassette played poptones I can't forget the impression you made you left a hole in the back of my head  I don't like hiding in this foliage and peat It's wet and I'm losing my body heat 

Back to the station crossing the Wensum on Fye Bridge

Last train home, not the Friday/Saturday Vomit Comet

A tale of two rivers

Down in Devil Dog Land to see the Old, the Loafer thought the lowland border defining river might be ok but it wasn't. By miles. Several meadows wide anyway, as far as I could see anyway.  So the rods stayed in the Charabanc and I made do with a pint and scratchings in the Anchor.

Said rods remained recumbent in the Charabanc  for a 'just in case' which was just as well as a 'just in case' clear, within bank upper reaches of a Norfolk chalk stream was on my well earned shorter day commute home. Urban, but chalk. The clarity in the low, bright sun conditions would mean searching out darker (deeper) water. So clear you'd swear there were no fish in the stretch.

A small handful of red and white grubs followed up with two impaled on a #16 B560 trotted on a 2 swan chubber told otherwise. Legions of these gorgeous fantastically painted wild brownies beat any nearby roach or dace to them every time. I did loose count and only one spot was biteless. Need to find the roach and dace next time.

It wasn't that long a session but just long enough to miss most of the carnage of heroic Maxwell's demolition of  an Afghanistan who must have thought a highly unlikely skittling out of Australia was within their grasp. 202 not out,  mostly whilst rooted to the spot racked by dreadful cramp.