After the rain...

fullcreel · #1 09-01-2010, 05:40 PM

Well, in the week leading up to last weekend, we had been graced with just over 3 inches of rain, something which made myself and many others in my area very happy,as our rivers had been suffering very badly from low water, and a weed build up.
So having agreed a trip to the Bristol Avon at foxham, I got busy the bight before,cooking up some hemp, and generally trying to be organised. I contacted Ryan and invited him to jin us as he had not fished the river the river before, like us he was enthusiastic.
Arriving a little bit late, due to the usual distractions, we navigated around the cow manure in the farmyard and made our way to the river.
Leaving our gear under the railway bridge, we did a quick recce. pointing our to Ryan various swims and what they ahd produced, kindlywe allowed Ryan to have first casts at the weirpool, JP settled for the railway swim, I went for the bend above the beahc. Bait for me was maggots ina clip on one rod, and worm on the other, also I had a small supply of meat too.
JP concentrated on meat and worm, and I think Ryan went for the pike on one rod and chub and barbel on the other.
The only downside to these plans, were the fish refusing to play.
The river had been up, about 2 feet up, which had doen a wondeful job of washing out some of the excess weed, then dropping to sligtly above it normal summer levels, but it did have a tinge of colour.
I was lucky to get a decent gudgeon, followed by some small chub, a nice roach about 6oz, and a few perch, one of which was very lucky as I lifted it from the water a pike took a snap at it.
My swim, view directly opposite.

Just downstream

My Gidgeon.

Sadly not much else came out. We wound up finnishing the eveing i the weirpool, my new 'niteglow' quiver tip was fine with a little bit of light from the head torch, sadly no fish came along to play ball.
So we now jump to last night, (Tues).
Having worked allday at a show on the B/H Monday, I felt fully justified in leaving work early, JP, being the wise man that he is, had explored a new section of the River Brue, and reported favourably, and suggested that we give it a go that eve.
Who was I to refuse.
Travelling very light, we made good time in the roadster.
As we made our way to the river, I spotted some 'Black Deat', on the cables spanning the river.

We did some exploring, there is a nice weirppol on this beat, with a long steay glide upstream, and downstream the river returns to the more meandering nature of a lowland river. I ummed and arred, and decided to go for the weirppo. I set up the Avon queen, and caught on my first cast, then on almost every cast either a small dace or chub, with the odd bonus perch for good measure. JP set up the Forshaws special with a lobworm and a tradition perch bobber in the water and was rewarded with soem fine perch from the base of the weir.

I fished the end of the weir, til the ligt began to fade, then JP sauntered off downstream to trot for some of the chub he had tangled with last time out. I stayed in the wierpool, as it seemed to be a decnt spot for a sunset.

I set up a small feeder, combined with a worma nd touched ledgered as I watche dthe sun go down, being rewarded wth some small, 12oz chub, but great sport on a fine bit of cane.

As the mist began to roll in, JP retunred, to dark to see his float, and I had sacrificed, (to old Izzak), the last of the worms, so we watched the river for a while as we packed up.

We were very keen to discover the depths of the river here, and are really looking forward to fishing here in the winter. I'll return to this strecth soon, I have a good feeling I'll finally catch a river fish on sweetcorn here. As the light faded, we saw what we belived to be perch strikes, into shoals of fry, so there are sure to be some big old stripey's lurking in the depths here. Bring on the autumn I say.