LEAM SUMMER

     Two summers ago I spent a lot of time on this river and got an intriguing glimpse of what it might produce given further effort. It's not by any means the big fish river that it once was of course. Tony Miles made something of a name for himself targetting its Chub, catching if memory serves me right, specimens over 6lbs. That was back in the days when such monsters were just that, very rarely encountered monsters.

     Today when we are routinely told that predation is decimating fish stocks, the Leam is alive with fish. Despite having had an Otter population for years, the Chub are growing having now reached 4lbs plus on our reach and cleared 5lbs on others. I like fishing this river for the Chub of course but for me, that is a winter occupation. In the Summer I like to concentrate on Roach and Perch, and the latter in particular often come to my rescue when the going is difficult.

      Big bags are not really on the cards, but mixed bags containing any or all of the following make for an enjoyable morning; Gudgeon, Ruffe, Roach, Rudd, Dace, Chub and Perch are there for the catching. This morning, I had them all but the Rudd. The best Perch cleared a pound, just, but I lost two more of similar size and a decent Chub as well. Summer lilies are making fish tricky to land but give cover to fish to. It's fishing as I remember it.

     Rather sadly as the weather warms and the current fades, the duckweed is beginning to close off some of the swims. Hopefully there will be some left that are fishable and it's not a bad thing to be pushed into trying new spots.