Warwickshire Avon – Hit the ground ‘trundling’ Part 2

I’d fished Sunday trotting some maggots and had a fish more or less every chuck, all small dace, roach and Chub though, nothing to write home about, so with an exploratory river Tench reccy planned for Saturday this evenings session at the Avon was trying to search out a Barbel. Conditions are difficult at the minute really low and clear which puts the bigger fish in to hiding. The Avon isn’t awash with Barbel but there are big ones to be had and pockets of fish here and there. In these conditions unless you fish in to dark some cover is a necessity as it gives the fish a bit of security.

I’d only a couple of hours before dusk so visited a stretch that has cover in abundance. There is no real science to the way I fish with a moving bait. Find a swim with cover , cast upstream and allow the bait to trundle through the swim, a slight flick of the rod butt will get the meat moving again, with polarised sunglasses on you can even see the bait half of the time.

Before I put a bait through I loose feed some freebies through the swim to see if I can spot some fish. A couple of swims without even a touch this corner swim had some nice cover and also a ‘hole’ to easily plop in the bait. With the cocoons donned after some bits of meat went through the swim unhindered with only a small Chub visible I has considered moving but then I spotted a silhouette of a Barbel just on the edge of the cover.

The first cast was just right and a with a flick the bait was right under the thick cover, I’d added some more plasticine for this swim as it was very narrow and still pretty pacey, I wanted to position the bait just right and keep it there, but then if I didn’t get a touch another flick would get it moving again and further along the cover. The bait had been positioned for a couple of minutes without a touch but with the bait now 1m further under the cover it was in the darkest and thickest area, sure enough within seconds the rod had wrapped around and a fish was on.

There is something about playing a fish in clear water, a stunning visual treat for the angler who likes to see a fish in its natural environment. It wasn’t a big fish but it gave a great account for itself and I was surprised it only weighed 6lb on the nose as my arm ached afterwards. Not enough to up the bloggers point tally but I’ve earmarked an area where I know there are big Barbel but the conditions need to be right and there needs to be colour in the water. With the fish safely rested and returned an a couple of more swims tried without success I called it a day with a stunning shepherds delight to go and watch another violence and gratuitous nudity filed Banshee episode with the waiting Wife.