River Dane, Lithuania, April 4th 2009

[Wandering_Angler]

Video of session can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZPvv...e=channel_page



Spring has finally arrived, as can be seen from the warm sun, blue sky and explosion of wildlife. The rivers are still high from melt water, topped up further by the recent rain so while most anglers are still reporting blanks, or fishing in the Curonian Lagoon for Baltic Herring; I decided it was time for me to wet a line in the river Dane.

It has been 5 months or so since my last outing, a long cold winter has ensured my last trip was back in early November.

As I cycled the short distance through our village and down into the Dane valley I soaked in the glorious spring weather. The air was crisp and clean, birds chirped a chorus that triumphantly acclaimed the coming of a new day and life felt good!

On my arrival I could see that things were not going to be easy. My target species, as always for spring, was Silver Bream but as feared, the water was going through a little quicker than I would normally have liked. To add to a general feeling of pessimism nobody was catching, in fact, nobody was even reporting having had any bites.

I wandered along a bank fringed by pine and birch. The woodland floor, speckled with small yellow flowers, was alive with the sound of unseen animals scuttling in search of food. I had elected to fish a swim I know as sunken tree, the plan being to trot down under an over hanging tree.

I tackled light, the method of choice being to present 2 red pinkies on a size 20 hook over a bed of red ‘Secret’ ground bait laced with pinkies and white maggot.

As expected the first half hour was slow with no bites. But I persevered, feeding occasional handfuls of loose feed and trotting down with occasional sharp tugs to bring the bait up in the water. This is a method I often use when the water is still coming down and a tactic that at last produced a bite and a first fish for 2009. I don’t think I have ever been so delighted to catch a Bleak!

The knowledge that I wasn’t going to blank was nice but to be honest by now the sun was warm, the wildlife that surrounded me giving rise to its own form of entertainment and I was already lost in the moment. It would, in short, have been hard to care about anything.

But the bites did come, not with any swift regularity but often enough to keep it interesting. Better still, with each bite the fish became larger with Roach coming to a good half a pound and then at last a lovely Silver Bream. I doubt it would have made more than 8 to 12 ounces but in the context of the session it was more than welcome.

All things considered this was a good session. I managed only 40 fish but had to use the landing net a few times and lost only one (a Roach that I would say was a little over a pound). It is still a little early but with continued good weather the large bags of Silver Bream I have come to enjoy at this time of the year will soon start to show.

See the session on film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZPvv...e=channel_page

[Norfolkboy]

Very enjoyable watch sir

Good to see you caught a fair few fish

[Banana Steve]

Nice One , glad to see you on the bank again. no fishing over the winter, i would have been pulling my hair out and chomping at the bit.

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Yeah, great reports, I've missed your accounts that usually throw up something a bit more different. Well done and welcome back on the bank!

[Fishing Forum Admin]

great report and vids mate

[pingu]

nice one , glad to see your reports again

dave

[Wandering_Angler]

Cheers guys, as always you are very kind. It was a long and hard winter so I am very happy summer is round the corner. Another few weeks and i should be bagging up :)

[Greenheart]

Top report mate & well done on your first fish of 2009....

[Portland Pirate]

Its always nice to hear your reports and it's good to see you back.