Recently however their Pump Room Porter as overtaken that for me for something to enjoy in-front of an open fire, a rich, dark porter with chocolate / coffee aromas and fruity tones, very smooth indeed, more of that later. Even a house full of colds, restless nights and bedtime musical beds, a few of these before shuteye can get you in the right mood.
After being properly done over like a kipper by an unseen monster recently (excuse the pun) the thoughts within ones mind have led me to believe what if it wasn't a Barbus Maximus, could it have been a cunning colossus carp.
Carp you say, well yes, because Martyn the maggot manager shared some information you see, backed up with photographic evidence that there are indeed mud-sifters in this area.
To be honest downstream from here another another stretch of the Warwickshire Avon I can fish in to dark me and Sam tangleator stumbled upon a small dinghy, a tin can with already burnt kindling, an unhooking mat and also an unopened 2 litre tub of sweet particles.
It was for sure bait for carp, the boat maybe used to drop a rig in a specific location, the bait-a-plenty dumped over the top.
The area is known for pike because of the baitfish biomass and also nice chub, but the bream like it here as well because there is a nice bay where even when the river is in flood, sanctuary can be sought here.There is no doubt a carp would be happy here, likewise in this new area I've been fishing, again, a nice pedestrian bay with decent depth.
So after the unsuccessful trip a couple of days ago I was back trudging the banks to try and find out what the hell this fish was. Again the same hour and a bit in to dusk tackle already set-up, rods out quick smartish. A change though, this time it was out with the dedicated carp set-up. A heavy lead, a white chocolate pop-up over a bed of sweet smelling particle freebies. I also reduced the hook length on the barbel rod to around 6 inches to try and maximise the bolt rig effect, where again I'd fish a lump of spam, this time flavoured with Hinders Ramiz garlic meaty glug.
It had been cold up to this session, in-fact a hard frost as I drove in to work this morning I was in two minds whether or not to go or not, but it was playing on my mind and I'd only regret it, if I didn't go.
You cannot catch anything without a bait in the water now can you. If they are held up here resting and I was to drop a bait on their heads, I'm sure they could be tempted to get off their sofa, remove the smoking jacket and put down their bottle of porter.
To my surprise when I got parked up a couple of other members were packing away their gear, they had been there for getting on for 6 hours and not one of them had caught a fish. The river "looked perfect" but trotting meat, bread, even a maggot feeder "not a jot".
Sometimes though as dusk the fish venture out and despite the swim already have been fed, fish get on the feed. Things change when the light goes, happened to me so many times.
Now when the sky is clear like this I've never done any good fishing in to dusk, I don't know why, maybe the high pressure that went with it, is the issue maybe, because to cut a long story short, not even a tap, rattle or a pull.There was just nothing doing at all, it was a nice calm evening but the fish were just not interested.
Downstream there is quite a snaggy area where a cluster of trees are, and over the hour and a half I was there, there was the odd big fish topping. Could well be Chub though as often at dusk they get on the move. As I was packing in the moisture that was clinging on to the unhooking mat was starting to freeze so I'm sure a cold-blooded fish were holding up to try and keep warm and not expel energy. I left when the moon was illuminating the walk back to the car, if I could fish here at night, I wouldn't need a head torch, it was that bright.
Storm Ciara is due to hit overnight Saturday and it brings 80 mile winds and heavy downpours of rain Sunday, so I'm hoping with the expected temperature rise and low pressure the fish will get moving. So maybe I'll have another go early next week after work, it's really got to me losing this fish, it really has.
Carp you say, well yes, because Martyn the maggot manager shared some information you see, backed up with photographic evidence that there are indeed mud-sifters in this area.
To be honest downstream from here another another stretch of the Warwickshire Avon I can fish in to dark me and Sam tangleator stumbled upon a small dinghy, a tin can with already burnt kindling, an unhooking mat and also an unopened 2 litre tub of sweet particles.
It was for sure bait for carp, the boat maybe used to drop a rig in a specific location, the bait-a-plenty dumped over the top.
The area is known for pike because of the baitfish biomass and also nice chub, but the bream like it here as well because there is a nice bay where even when the river is in flood, sanctuary can be sought here.There is no doubt a carp would be happy here, likewise in this new area I've been fishing, again, a nice pedestrian bay with decent depth.
So after the unsuccessful trip a couple of days ago I was back trudging the banks to try and find out what the hell this fish was. Again the same hour and a bit in to dusk tackle already set-up, rods out quick smartish. A change though, this time it was out with the dedicated carp set-up. A heavy lead, a white chocolate pop-up over a bed of sweet smelling particle freebies. I also reduced the hook length on the barbel rod to around 6 inches to try and maximise the bolt rig effect, where again I'd fish a lump of spam, this time flavoured with Hinders Ramiz garlic meaty glug.
It had been cold up to this session, in-fact a hard frost as I drove in to work this morning I was in two minds whether or not to go or not, but it was playing on my mind and I'd only regret it, if I didn't go.
You cannot catch anything without a bait in the water now can you. If they are held up here resting and I was to drop a bait on their heads, I'm sure they could be tempted to get off their sofa, remove the smoking jacket and put down their bottle of porter.
To my surprise when I got parked up a couple of other members were packing away their gear, they had been there for getting on for 6 hours and not one of them had caught a fish. The river "looked perfect" but trotting meat, bread, even a maggot feeder "not a jot".
Sometimes though as dusk the fish venture out and despite the swim already have been fed, fish get on the feed. Things change when the light goes, happened to me so many times.
Now when the sky is clear like this I've never done any good fishing in to dusk, I don't know why, maybe the high pressure that went with it, is the issue maybe, because to cut a long story short, not even a tap, rattle or a pull.There was just nothing doing at all, it was a nice calm evening but the fish were just not interested.
Downstream there is quite a snaggy area where a cluster of trees are, and over the hour and a half I was there, there was the odd big fish topping. Could well be Chub though as often at dusk they get on the move. As I was packing in the moisture that was clinging on to the unhooking mat was starting to freeze so I'm sure a cold-blooded fish were holding up to try and keep warm and not expel energy. I left when the moon was illuminating the walk back to the car, if I could fish here at night, I wouldn't need a head torch, it was that bright.
Storm Ciara is due to hit overnight Saturday and it brings 80 mile winds and heavy downpours of rain Sunday, so I'm hoping with the expected temperature rise and low pressure the fish will get moving. So maybe I'll have another go early next week after work, it's really got to me losing this fish, it really has.
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