Warwickshire Avon - Rattle-Pates and Rantipoles

So the first post of 2020 and now in to the tenth year of this blog of mine. Apparently it is the 788th post which to be honest is hard to comprehend especially as my fishing trips seem to be on the increase year on year so I'll be heading to 1000 posts and 1,000,000 clicks.

There is a reason for that, and it's not all about fishing, but then if you've read this blog of mine for a while you'll know why I need to wet a line. For many like me, it's the solitude we need to seek to keep things in order.

Now Boxing Day we flew off to sunnier climes to celebrate a New Year in the sun. A last minute decision to go and to be honest I glad we did. The weather 24 degrees for the week where it was nice to feel the sun on ones forehead the sand between ones toes.

Ben and Sam have been lucky to have flown since babies so despite not being new to them.

They like the Wife and I really do like a break away from the norm and this being, the first over Christmas and New Year.

We couldn't ask for better weather to be honest, clear blue skies everyday, and the vitamin D reserves being topped up to the max and beyond.

Both are confident and very good swimmers now so a shared stupidly largely gin and tonic could be enjoyed round the pool in the Villa without having to don the speedos.

From time to time though my mind switched to fishing. Feeding the fish from one of the restaurants at the marina I was eager to get fishing.

A hook and a chunk of bread would suffice, some of the fish getting on to 7 or 8lb I would say.

So whilst mulling on the plane on the way back yesterday I was wondering where to go fishing first in 2020 and also, would dry January be worth a go again this year. Some weight was lost, my sleep patterns improved, but will power tested. I got through it no problem though to be fair, I'm hoping the next 30 days will be as easy again.

The weather hasn't been brilliant here, the rivers in and out of flood, the damp and cold conditions Sydney could do with right now, I'm hoping things will improve for the better now we are in to the New Year.

For this session I wanted to try out one of my presents, you know, the one I actually want, not the one that Santa rum'ed up thinks I want. The Korum Aeronium Supa Lite, the magnesium alloy material used means that the chairs only weighs 2.3kg and it comes complete with a totally waterproof seat cover, with mesh under leg support as well.
It's fully adjustable legs that lock into position and compact, swivelling mudfeet for extra stability on rough terrain.

Now I tend to rove in my sessions on the whole and a heavy chair can be very cumbersome indeed. More often than not I use a bait bucket, ones backside or kneel when I'm waiting for a bite, but the first lift of this chair out of the box I can see me using a chair more often.

This allows comfort on a featherlight scale, try one if you don't believe me, ridiculously light for a fishing chair. I swear the landing net and unhooking mat was heavier.

The fishing didn't go entirely to plan though, there were no Zander for starters. Three swims fished, deep, oxygenated and static with only 3 jacks to show for it.

One swim not a jot despite looking perfect....

A cold wind, the debris littering the banks from the recent flood the river is a little out of sorts I would expect. A few bites though so cannot complain, all fish came to smelt which seems to be the default deadbait to use.

I don't use anything else for canal Zander, the river fish seem to like them too.

The banks were deserted, the river to myself, just how I like it to be fair. Now where to go in the morning ?

Sam will join me for a session down a new bit of the Stour I can fish, but I want the weather to go properly cold before planning some proper targets.  I might just go for Chub to at least get a proper bend in the rod, we'll see.

Tight lines for 2020 peeps....