GENTLE FISHING

     I don't use them often. For a start they are a pain to get hold of because neither of us lives near a tackle shop and their reputation is, sometimes undeservingly, that of a small fish bait. They're not popular at home either, keeping them cool and wriggling is a problem and any inclination to forget about them, punished by a stinky box of flies to dispose of. They are an inconvenient bait but once in a while they prove themselves useful.

 
     Back in the day, the roach fishermen's two baits of choice were bread and gentles. Now I come to think of it, there was another but I'm keeping that one up my sleeve for now. So it was that we settled into a shared peg and began spraying a few gentles around. Pete had caught some nice roach last time we fished there including a beauty of 1-5. Some better perch had been turning up as well and it seemed prudent to press on with them.

 
     It started well, I had one within seconds of casting in and the morning proceeded in a textbook manner. We both caught some lovely roach to 15 1/2 ounces, including a few in the 8 - 10 ounce bracket, some hybrids to over a pound and we both hooked a tench. Pete's threw the hook but mine, a two and a half pounder, was uncharacteristically charitable and came quickly to the net. My Sealey floatcaster and Ambidex were a joy too. It was just a lovely morning's fishing.