CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
The river was pretty much perfect for a morning's float fishing, the water was that promising shade of dark green that I find ideal for fishing casters and hemp. I didn't fancy the weather forecast as much however, a cold Northerly breeze of the kind that cuts through the warmest clothes like a scalpel. I bottled it and took the legering gear instead. Fishing casters on the feeder was my go to plan anyway for a Barbel following my inability to land them on the float so it wasn't the end of the world.
I'm not sure why it should be so but despite legering probably being the most productive way to catch big fish, I find it dull and a bit boring. It's a handy technique in foul weather as I can get cosy under my brolly without affecting the way I fish and it can be enjoyable when the fish are biting but when they aren't it can be a real yawnfest. Yet I can trot the same swim for five hours at a stretch without ever feeling that it is pointless.
It wasn't so bad today; I had three chub in 4 hours, all decent fish. The largest was my first four and biggest fish from the stretch at 4-11so that was a nice result. It was even nicer to follow it up with two more of 3-7 and 3-10, not monsters but definitely worthwhile sport. That first Avon Barbel still eludes me as do 5lbs plus chub of the kind that I have had in the past from the field below. This swim has been very kind to me but it's time to move on. There are not just Barbel but 5lbs plus chub to be caught and I could do with a change of scene. There are one or two likely looking spots that will become unfishable once the onions start growing again and it would be silly to leave them too long. Time is running out, I can't get back there for a fortnight and then it will only be a couple of weeks before the season closes. We just have to hope that the weather helps rather than hinders the job. If past performance is anything to go by, it won't help at all.
I'm not sure why it should be so but despite legering probably being the most productive way to catch big fish, I find it dull and a bit boring. It's a handy technique in foul weather as I can get cosy under my brolly without affecting the way I fish and it can be enjoyable when the fish are biting but when they aren't it can be a real yawnfest. Yet I can trot the same swim for five hours at a stretch without ever feeling that it is pointless.
It wasn't so bad today; I had three chub in 4 hours, all decent fish. The largest was my first four and biggest fish from the stretch at 4-11so that was a nice result. It was even nicer to follow it up with two more of 3-7 and 3-10, not monsters but definitely worthwhile sport. That first Avon Barbel still eludes me as do 5lbs plus chub of the kind that I have had in the past from the field below. This swim has been very kind to me but it's time to move on. There are not just Barbel but 5lbs plus chub to be caught and I could do with a change of scene. There are one or two likely looking spots that will become unfishable once the onions start growing again and it would be silly to leave them too long. Time is running out, I can't get back there for a fortnight and then it will only be a couple of weeks before the season closes. We just have to hope that the weather helps rather than hinders the job. If past performance is anything to go by, it won't help at all.
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