A day of toil

[Chappa]

Well I got down to the Soar on Friday before 1st light and was fully kitted for a days fun! The river was a good foot lower than Wednesday, but still a foot higher than "normal" But I was hopefull.

I was trying a new swim where 2 legs of the river joined into a bay, with lots of cover from narrow boats on the far bank, which is where I put the 1st rod with smelt on the bottom. The 2nd rod I placed with float ledgered roach on a drop off 10' out, then I put up the bivvy as the forecast was for rain and I waited. Thank god for the bivvy because the rain came, solid for the next 8 hours . Nothing after 2 hours so after changing things a bit I baited the 3rd rod, when the smelt shot off. I struck into it and the line was solid, no movement, must have been a branch rolling through along the bottom. so nothing else I could do but pull pull pull, and the trace was left in the tree.. Come lunch time the newly laid smelt went off again. On the strike it felt like nothing at all? So I wound in until the trace was only about 10yds out when it came to the top waith a jack attached! Then the fish woke up and put in a fair fight considering the cold, a nice and very fat little 3 pounder. I was bouyant as they were obviously feeding based on the bulge in the little jack's belly, and so blank avoided I cracked on. Once again the smelt went, but this time exactly the same as take # 1, it locked solid and I lost another trace and ledger.

I decided to move downstream a few yards and cast my last spare trace and ledger to the far row of boats with another smelt. BANG! The ledger broke off the snap-link/swivel and hit one of the (thankfully uninhabited, unlike the ones either side) barge

By now I was getting hacked off, despite the bivvy I was soaking and had given up on the far bank, so I broke open the sarnies, had a brew and chilled. I got my act together again and got all 3 rods out to various swims, deep, shallow, popped, on the deck, you name it. Nothing more at all. I was finally beaten by the weather at 4 pm after 7 hours of torrential torture for one solitary fish. It's not that that bothers me though, it was losing all those lovingly home made traces, ledgers, beads etc, when deep down maybe I should have binned the far bank after I lost the 1st one instead of the 3rd! Still at least I had 1 fish, however the weather beat me in more than 1 way; The wipers failed going home in the mighty L200 which made the dark A46 a bit interesting! And despite being in my pocket all day, my mobile stopped working due to damp, and my wallet was wet even in the middle-nearly wiping out £30, but not quite!

On the plus side I feel like I've learned from my mistakes, and that no matter how much I've missed the fishing, there's little point in going out when the river's crashing through like that

Here's to next time!

Chappa

[pingu]

great report on a tough day

dave

[Banana Steve]

As you said at least you didn't blank and there is always next time. But well done on the catch

[fishypaul]

sounds a difficult day chappa,well done on beating the blank

[headless]

You gave it a good go and did'nt blank,

There is something to be said for being out in the fresh air, chilling out and enjoying the pease and quiet (away from er in doors)

Better luck next time

Darrell

[paul p]

Well done mate