Warwickshire Avon - Disembogue and Discombobulated

For the first session of 2018 it was back down to familiar waters to try and winkle something out in testing conditions. I'd never seen the river so high here and looking at the boarding fields it had been over it's banks. The local rivers have been very much out of sorts over the Christmas period confused and disorganised springs to mind.The river was on the drop though so the fish having being used to the environment for a while should be up for feeding.

Well if you can find them that is, because most swims were boiling away like a pot of Christmas sprouts. Find the slacks though where the fish can find a little respite drop a bait on their head you might well be lucky. You see at this time of year, particularly the Chub they will bulging at the seams like Kelly Brook after her Christmas pudding.

Here particularly when it's very cold but the river less coloured and more normal levels you can often have multiple captures of Chub, one memorable session all the ones I caught were over 4 lb but then you can see why they like it here, because the Chevin loves a good snag.

Simple roving tactics are the way here, how I like to fish these days, as light as I can manage. Small bag, net, rod and rod rest and that's it. Baits for the morning session well pungent cheese paste and also lobworms. Lobs you see, especially when the water is turbid can out fish many other modern baits because if you think about it when the river is nearly bursting it's banks it means much more of them will be washed in to the river, so it's a bait the fish will be confident feeding on.

Best laid plans and all that though because despite finding a few fishable swims no bites came.All very odd really as the conditions looked ideal. As soon as the cold rain started I decided to call the session to a close and trench back to the car in my heavy winter wellies.

Plans for the this year, well I need a few more species to try and catch for the bloggers challenge, so river eel, carp, tench and the elusive silver bream are targets up to the close season at the middle of March. A winter Barbel and then I might re-look at the club books I have, bin off the ones I don't use as much and maybe add a more intimate water again as I do enjoy fishing small rivers and streams despite the fish likely being smaller in statue.

Oh and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in to the quest for a canal double figure Zander again where I'm stuck on 9lb.