Bleak - Lucy'sMill - 20th September 2010

Fished after work, started about 6:15. Had no fish for the first half hour couldn't get a bite. Moved 15 foot to the right in the slack water and a had a fish a chuck. 20 Bleak for 9oz in less than half an hour...

Fished for preds till 10pm, not a knock.

No Predators - September 17th - 2010

Went after work with Keith and Jeff, enjoyed the session but I didn't get a thing on deadbait, just two knocks that didn't turn into anything. Keith had two pike and two Zeds, best pike was over ten. Jeff had an 8lb Barbel before I turned up and did the Bream point in style, I think all his fish were over 4lb. Jeff with his last bream...

Perch - College Pool and Manor Farm - 11th September 2010

A mid afternoon visit to College Pool after Perch was an easy but successful event. Catapulting a few wrigglers showed fish boiling on the surface. No need to pumb the depth...


After just 90 minutes I weighed in 7lb 15oz of Perch, they were good weight builders at say 3 to 6oz. Fish a chuck!
I moved down to the Avon, and the skys opened...

No Barbel, but worth it just to see this...

Bullhead Embarasment - 10th Spetember 2010

Embarrasement is an emotional state experienced upon having a socially or professionally unacceptable act or condition witnessed or revealed to others.

Two reasons I felt like this, one was the act ot fishing with just a quivertip as a rod, but secondly failing to get the point.

A visit to the now internationally famous, but secret bullhead venue resulted in the lowest of the low. Just one Bullhead and much lager aided laughter from Keith at the other end of the phone.

At least I was spared the crowd of kids and mums experienced by others at the venue. However for company I had a canoodling couple on an afterwork (and no doubt clandestine) parked car romp. They were undoubtably held back a bit by my presence as no steam appeared in the windows, despite the drizzle.

Heres my monster...

No Pike - Manor Farm W Avon - 7th September 2010

Keith was down at the crack of dawn where he spent a few hours getting the Dace point. After I arrived we leapfrogged each other downstream spending 15 minutes or so in each peg with deadbait lures or wobblers - No Pike.

We had a conference to discuss the day, Keith went up to College pool and made his day a double pointer with a large haul of Perch. I stayed on the river using a maggot feeder and caught a few dace and roach... and a very welcome Barbel just under 6lb on a size 16 hook, good scrap!

Attack of the Deadly White WASP! - Day of the Dace - River Stour - 4th September 2010

Four attempts to get the Dace point from the Severn and Avon failed. I had caught many Roach, Chub, Perch, Gudgeon and Minnows, but few Dace. I decided to look for new water. Internet research led me to a stretch of the Stour (upstream of Kidderminster). Thanks for the info goes to Poison dans la Fleuve. http://www.fishing-forum.info/going-fishing-catch-report/21317-river-stour-midlands-one.html

A canal runs by the pub (The Lock) and the small, once heavily polluted river meanders by the canal...


Upstream of the Pub I settled into this swim. My over-optimism positioned the keepnet, but 2 hours of fishing resulted in diddly squat...

After a bit of a trek (along the canal) and downstream riverwise, there was further access to the bank. I fancied this swim, snaggy in front...

But a lovely run to my left...

My second cast resulted in a Chub , then Dace! After 2 hours I had Dace (to 6oz), Chub (to 8oz), Roach (to 10oz) and Perch (to 8oz) a great mixed bag. I weighed in the Dace at 1lb 9oz...

The best Dace was this 6oz monster...

For the last hour I ledgered to see what was going on on the deck, this resulted in 3 more small Dace and a couple of small Roach.

Tackle... a good christening for my new Shakespeare 13ft float rod, which replaces a rod I kindly donated to another angler by leaving it down the Avon! ABU 704, 3bb stick float, 1.75 bayer hooklength to a spade end 18. Maggots...

Interesting Nature Fact of the Day. I got stung by a new breed of Deadly White Wasp and thought I might die. I now believe that the pink flowered plants (that were everywhere), were Himalayan Balsam. The pollen of this invasive species coats the Wasps like talcum powder, making them appear white ... http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/insects-and-invertebrates/16824-white-wasps.html

"More Eel Fishing on the Avon" - One Barbel 9lb 9oz - August 20th 2010

At least 2 foot up since Monday, absolutely full of weed and a good flow, all the weed that has acumulated over the last few months was getting ripped out by the fast water and wrapped around my feeder. Switched to a lead, which helped, the fish came at about 9:15pm