TAKE ME TO THE RIVER
Last season Pete and I were determined to get on the Avon at Wasperton to floatfish. Both of us find rivers exciting places to fish and very satisfying to fish effectively. They require some small amount of skill to become proficient on but the rewards are there to be had. The Avon holds some beautiful fish among them a fair head of 5lbs plus chub and double figure barbel. Not that either of us put a lot of effort into their pursuit, we are also, probably more if I'm honest, interested in the roach and dace. A steady stream of bites and a modest net of silvers is all we ask.
Wasperton has been kind to us before, with its mix of deeper slower water and narrow, faster sections there is something for each of us. Just a few months earlier I had taken a brace four pound plus chub in among a handful of smaller fish and this was just the kind of fishing we were seeking. Sadly it was not to be. After a long close season of hard work by Leamington AS stalwarts, stable platforms had been installed or re-instated along the stretch, everything was set for a perfect start.
It was a natural oxygen crash apparently. A disaster that only affected a few short miles downstream of Warwick sewage works. Obviously that was a coincidence although it's hard to understand how the hot weather across the country would only affect a few miles of flowing water. Nevertheless on June 14th, two days before start of a hotly anticipated river season, the whole stretch was wiped out. Probably one of the most beautiful pieces of water in the area was a charnel house of dead, stinking fish in their many thousands. Everything from minnows to specimen chub and barbel that had thrived through decades of hot and cold weather had been killed by one perfectly ordinary, hot day in June. It all smelt rather fishy in every way.
Fast forward and we both wanted to get back on the river. The EA had restocked with tens of thousands of tiny chub, dace and roach along with some three year old barbel. It had to be worth a try if only to check on their progress. So we went, and everything was just as beautiful as ever, more so because we had it to ourselves. It was a hot day so we fished in the trees for their shade and we caught.
In fact we caught a lot but they were all stocked fish and very small indeed ranging in size from 1/2 oz or less to around 2oz max. Every one was mint and in immaculate condition. We caught mostly dace with a few roach and chublets. Another season and they should be getting big enough to keep us happy. What really was promising was the quantity of pin fry in the margins. These were obviously this year's fish so something must have survived and spawned this year because the stock fish were way too small to have been responsible. Time will tell I guess.
Wasperton has been kind to us before, with its mix of deeper slower water and narrow, faster sections there is something for each of us. Just a few months earlier I had taken a brace four pound plus chub in among a handful of smaller fish and this was just the kind of fishing we were seeking. Sadly it was not to be. After a long close season of hard work by Leamington AS stalwarts, stable platforms had been installed or re-instated along the stretch, everything was set for a perfect start.
It was a natural oxygen crash apparently. A disaster that only affected a few short miles downstream of Warwick sewage works. Obviously that was a coincidence although it's hard to understand how the hot weather across the country would only affect a few miles of flowing water. Nevertheless on June 14th, two days before start of a hotly anticipated river season, the whole stretch was wiped out. Probably one of the most beautiful pieces of water in the area was a charnel house of dead, stinking fish in their many thousands. Everything from minnows to specimen chub and barbel that had thrived through decades of hot and cold weather had been killed by one perfectly ordinary, hot day in June. It all smelt rather fishy in every way.
Fast forward and we both wanted to get back on the river. The EA had restocked with tens of thousands of tiny chub, dace and roach along with some three year old barbel. It had to be worth a try if only to check on their progress. So we went, and everything was just as beautiful as ever, more so because we had it to ourselves. It was a hot day so we fished in the trees for their shade and we caught.
In fact we caught a lot but they were all stocked fish and very small indeed ranging in size from 1/2 oz or less to around 2oz max. Every one was mint and in immaculate condition. We caught mostly dace with a few roach and chublets. Another season and they should be getting big enough to keep us happy. What really was promising was the quantity of pin fry in the margins. These were obviously this year's fish so something must have survived and spawned this year because the stock fish were way too small to have been responsible. Time will tell I guess.
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