Warwickshire Avon - Been there, done Bat

The Warwickshire Avon can be funny at times, not much interest in the bait prior to dusk and then as the bats start coming out to feed on the huge number of gnats and the like the fish start waking up.I only had a 2.5 hour session so I rocked up at the 'black hole' swim fed a few bait droppers of mixed pellet and hemp and gave it a rest whilst fishing a couple of the other swims with lobworm.For each evening session apart from the main rod I've also rigged up a simple JS Eel rig to try and catch an Eel of any size, this will be fished sleeper style. I'm going to try a few baits, chopped lobs, roach head and maybe some King Prawns.I used a simple ledger stem with memory free mono, a swivel, beefy Kryston Quicksilver and a size 6 Raptor.

The river was up but still pretty clear so bait and wait was probably the way to go, If I was fishing a day session I'd have brought my beefed up trotting gear.

The 2nd swim produced a small cublet which took the lobworm on the drop and a few perch later I returned to the 'black hole' set the traps and sat back and relaxed. About 9.30pm, 10 minutes in, and still light I'd missed a take on the Eel rod. I re-baited with another Roach head and whilst doing that noticed the main rod was getting sharp Chub pulls. I fish with a really long hair when I want to try and avoid the Chub as they can knacker a swim once caught, I wanted a Barbel to take my piece of meat.

The roach head hadn't really settled when the bobbin was rising, I struck and felt solid resistance, yeap an Eel. The short carp rod was bent double but was soon under control. Not the biggest at 1lb 4oz but certainly most welcome. I'm lucky is was only a small one as having forgotten my new Gardner spoon net would have been more appropriate.Come on Mr Barbel, at 10.30pm again the main rod was being knocked all over the shop, kamikaze bats, fish in the swim brushing the line, chub bangs, the lot. 10.45pm I was packing in the sleeper when a small bite developed in to a proper pull round, was this a Barbel ? it felt weighty as first and give an initial lunge but it soon came to the surface.Nope a Chub, darn, and sods law looking back at my pics it was the same Chub I'd caught twice last week, this time an ounce less at 4.2oz . The distinctive colouring, pike wound on it's flank and tail pattern was easy to spot.