The Tiny River Alne – Widow’s Weeds and WTF’ables

If only the Alne contained as many fish as the video views on the YouTube channel RyanToysReview .As I’m writing this, the total amount of views since channel conception was 25,950,982,288 views, I'll repeat that 25,950,982,288. Now Ryan an eight year old boy who reviews toys has been revealed in the press this week as YouTube's highest-earning star this, raking in £17.3m quid.

Yes £17.3m quid !!!!

When he was asked by NBC News why kids liked watching his videos, Ryan replied: "Because I'm entertaining and I'm funny." Since the channel was set up by Ryan's parents in March 2015, the videos have had almost 26 billion views and amassed 17 million followers.

I despair for humanity I really do, what kind of world I have brought my kids in to if that puts the food on the table and a mansion to rival the Queens. Don't watch, you ain't missing much.

But, But, BUT !!!! No, not’ why didn’t I think of it’, many have tried to duplicate it, all but the few fail, because there may be an issue, you see, it could all go tits up, the money n'all, just like that.

There was a change to copyright legislation passed by the European Parliament in September which would oblige Google who bought YouTube in 2016 for US$1.65 billion to consider using technical measures to ensure copyright takedown requests are respected, and clips "stay down" as under the legislation they would make the platform liable for copyrighted material, where previously it was the user that had to ensure nothing was used.

Google enjoys special privileges under UGC (user-generated content) provisions not granted to rival music services like Apple and Spotify, which must license music first before distributing it. Copyright groups argue that loophole depresses the market price of music. YouTube pays around 1/20th of the rates Spotify the music streaming site does.

Now I urge you before YouTube disappears for good (sarcastic wink) to have a look a George Burton and Co’s - Big Canal Roach in Winter video which has been up for a few weeks now, there are still some gems among the WTF’ables.

I think I need to find peace away from the modern world, luckily I know just the place !!!!

I’d been watching the levels of the little river Alne for a while now, you see after a few trips down here now where results have been very mediocre indeed, I was hoping a bit of water on would change the conditions for the better.

A half decent spell of rain had topped it up nicely, so not only would more swims become available for me to fish but the nature of the rivers watercourse meant shallow areas would now be passable by bigger fish.

Now when I say medicore, well certainly plenty of fish were caught, but if I recall over the sessions I’ve fished it only a couple or three fish have topped the pound. But there was a good reason for that probably, for one, yes the levels have been low, extremely low, but also I’ve fished it when conditions have been less favourable.

“Yes but Mick, it’s not all about the fishing surely”; “True, but even I like a bend in ones rod from time to time”

And that is very true, most of the waterways I fish thinking about it are off the beaten track, mostly smack bang in the middle of the countryside, away from traffic, largely sheltered from noise , away from the dreaded space evaders. Venues such as this, where sheep and cows share the space, I’m always on the hunt for, they are becoming hard to find these days, certainly in my stomping ground anyway.

It’s fishing on my terms, just how I like it. Although the statue of the fish is probably nothing to write home about, it’s the potential of a big fish from small waters that sparks ones interest. The roach particularly, where according to some forum posts I spotted the river not far from where I'd been fishing had fish bigger than 2lb swimming in its waters.

Could I fish the Alne exclusively, maybe not, but I love these little watercourses that are often overlooked by the masses and the commercial fishery fishing pole slappers, because they offer the much needed solitude I seek. A couple or three hours is all I need to help with one’s mindfulness.

The senses, the smells, the abundance of nature and the immersiveness within the environment fishing provides. It all helps one’s well-being that a PS4 cannot provide in the same way.

Waters such as this restores the balance back to the enjoyable side of the seesaw again and away from the stranglehold, which is about to be unleashed on that doddering old duffer blocking the aisle in the supermarket.

You know the one, the one who is determined to bag the last lot of marked-down sprouts, and couldn’t give two monkeys about anyone else who just wants to get past.

Over 630 odd posts now apparently, you’ve probably worked out I’m not a people person !!!!

So one quiver rod fitted with a 2oz tip, a link ledger set-up, a load of lobworms and a few slices of bread, could I bag something half decent?

Arriving just before dawn the day started overcast, dull and drizzly for the first hour and a half or so I was debating to go home or not, it's only 5 minutes away after all, but after sheltering under a tree for a good half an hour away from the wind and rain it gave me some good thinking time.

So I got in to robot mode and began by baiting up some swims with mashed bread and let them to rest before fishing them on the way back to the car. Whilst the swims were resting I went downstream to fish some rafts with lobworm, despite some pace in many of the swims, a 2SSG link ledger was all that was required.

A tentative pluck turned in to a proper pull that continued a good foot and a half but I was mid coffee so struck at the wrong time and I didn't connect to anything. A couple more swims fished, not a jot.

So heading back upstream to the baited swims I also fished a couple of nice looking slacks with bread flake but again no bites.

Hmmmm this is tough going....

Last gasp efforts then, the pre-baited swims, and luckily it was well worth doing, because all but one of the swims produced Chub. Not the biggest of fish but on light tackle they gave a good account for themselves, the weather had cleared up nicely by now and I could have easily stayed all day, but with my Mum's 80th birthday lunch to go to, 3 and a half hours will have to do.

The more I fish rivers like this, the move I enjoy them, obviously the size of the fish are not likely to be high, but I'm sure there are some gems to be had.

Just look at that little tiny brook me and Sam have been fishing, home to my dace PB, and we've only fished a couple of swims a handful of time. I'm sure there are fish to top, a pound there, I'm sure of it. With the Xmas break around the corner I'll hopefully have another one or two sessions here, lets just hope the levels stay as they are.

There are a couple of nice trotting swims here also with some water on, so I might bring my trotting gear as well and fish and feed maggot maybe.