Warwickshire Avon – Arse Wasps

This particular chilli must have been topping the 300,000 level on the Scoville scale, far hotter than other varieties I’d had. Maybe it was the super skunk of the cannabis world as usually Scotch Bonnet’s go through my torturous intestinal passages without issue.

It wanted to attack me ever since I took a knife too it, as stupidly I’d not worn gloves, so not only I got it in my eyes but whilst siphoning ones python.

I now know what it’s like putting deep heat on ones nether regions....hopefully not to be repeated.

Thing is it was in good company, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, coriander stalks and onion as a base and then wilted spinach, chopped fresh tomatoes, peppers and the contents of my masala dabba. Even the lamb wasn’t any old rubbish, I knew the farmer who lovingly cared for it before he shoved it in the van and passed it over to the abattoir.

All stomach were not created equally and mine seems to be up there with the robust and hardy, however, Jesus, this Chilli was determined to give me a boot where hurt and when I was doubled over come back for more. The capsicum cramps had properly set in and it was man down…

Roving was out of the question, uncomfortable to the extreme, a static approach was necessary.

So the swim….

Middle and far,cover with decent pace.

Inside, overhanging trees, pedestrian, reeds and lily pads.

Barbel, yes, has to be, Pike and Perch, no-doubt, Chub what a stupid question.

So, for this extended session, I decided to set my stall out and go lob-handed. As a bait the humble lobworm is hard to beat so the plan was to do a bit of trotting but also allow one to roll around the swim with a light link ledger.

Both methods are good at searching swims and often bites can come very quick indeed so it was a matter of alternating between the rods and see what popped up.

For the last hour I'd also put out a bait to see if a Perch or Pike popped up.

What a fantastic morning, a heavy mist blanketed the river and that lovely Autumnal cold fresh air that has been missing as of late, you could really notice the change, I could even see my breath. Then when the sun came up, wow.

You don't get to see that in bed, now do you....

I was hopeful for some fish, it looked that good.

Weirdly bites were hard to come by, but eventually after feeding red maggots and also switching to maggot on the hook, dace and small chublets turned it. The water is still incredibly clear you see and this venue in-particular I've found tough going.

I switched to a static offering with feeder but the first fish that I thought might have been a nice Perch was a greedy little jack pike that couldn't be very good at catching fish as his stomach was really hollow.

Maybe I should have switched swims as It can be very peggy here but ones derriere didn't allow it.

So out with a bait it was and after half an hour eventually the float went under, this was no Perch but a greedy little Pike. Not the biggest but a nice fight on light tackle. A chat with a member from the village he has given me a few pointers, so looking forward to trying some of those out.