The Tiny River Ise – Flake Faith Pt3.

I feel like I know this little stretch of the Ise quite well now, this our third visit to this rather neglected and forgotten waterway. You never likely to see water much clearer, proper tap water stuff which for angling can be a complete waste of time. The fish out in the open for all to see, the specimens, well what specimens.

The previous two trips  enjoyable because fishing waters new and not in my patch is always good because it mixes it up a bit, especially when you know how much I love fishing small river and streams. At first you wonder if anything is actually swimming in it, because the fish are sitting ducks to all manner of predation if they leave their sanctuary, such the make-up of the water.

But look a bit closer, spend time in and around this type of water, the gems can reveal themselves.

The first evening after the kids stopped pestering "The Turkey' we wandered along the banks of this weed choked relatively pedestrian river to try and catch Barney a fish.

Sam's best mate you see was away with us for this weekend and he wanted me and Sam to show him how to fish. Now he'd fished the whip before on a family fun day, but this is proper fishing, not stocked fish to be seen here, "all wild fish these are Barney, no carp either, that's why the water is so clear."

Simple tactics one float rod, one quiver. Bread, maggots and errrr that was it.

Only a few swims on the section you could actually fish, but there were certainly fish, albeit not the ones I was hoping for.

Now luckily small fish were forth coming and it didn't take long for the float to submerge and Barney to register his first fish from a river. He is a few years older than Sam his best mate, but he was amazed at the knowledge dab hand Sam has with this fishing lark. I've taken him from 4 years old and it's encouraging just how much he listening and just how much he takes in.

"Hey I can tell my school friends I've fished with the legendary Sam and Mick Newey"

Keep the complements coming !!!

After Barney crossed off roach, perch and dace off his list, he wanted a Chub. Now I know these Chub quite well here now. You wouldn't believe the size of them for a small waterway like this, but they are by far the most cagey fish I know.

But as I said before the water like gin, the fish when they do venture out can be seen, and yeap, you guessed it, they are not up to feeding at all.

I had a shoal of 6 or 7 strong swim right up and down the bait without even a head turn, such their stubbornness. They are not stupid and take some coaxing away from their habits.

One of the evenings with a bottle of Inferno in hand I ventured out myself to put some bread mash under a nice overhanging tree so see it would be gone in the morning.

And yes despite the ridiculous day temperatures (>30 degrees) they were up for it. The bread no longer there in the morning, their bellies full.

 
When did they actually feed though, I tried early morning, at dusk and also after the Wife had called it a night, but unlike the last trip out here I didn't manage anyway. But the shoals of Chub were spotted by all of us mind you and after two kingfishers flew by with both kids amazed at the wildlife here, a good Chub probably getting on for 5lb or so, meanders past without a care in the world.

A 5lb pike hanging station under the bridge going unnoticed to the untrained eye, "Wow, I didn't think fish that big would live in here.

Still above the bridge I knew that we might have a better chance. It's much narrower here and a Chub hideout for sure, hopefully because of all the cover over their heads they might let their guard down. But we plugged and plugged away but nothing much more than a couple of ounces was forthcoming.

A short session in to dusk as the light went, again prover fruitless, to be fair I did call the session early, stupidly forgetting to put on insect repellent and I was bitten something chronic.  The kids 0, Mick stopped counting at 35. The mosquitos giving me a proper doing over and I'm still suffering as I type this.

I did manage some larger Roach on the last evening when the kids were whacked out from the days events but the biggest only nudging 6 ounces. The large Roach that were here last time, the ones that I could see under a sheltered swim were nowhere to be seen. There were some good Perch milling around though that enjoyed watching the commotion of small roach trying to get in on the act first.

So with a heatwave, clear water and insects determined to make me pay, the fishing was tough however I introduced someone else in to fishing and that is always a positive. Ben, Sam, Barney had a nice break though. Luckily Pt4. isn't long away, this time just Sam and myself will try to do battle with the bigger specimens that I know are here.

A change of tactics for next time I think, any tips welcome !!!!