The Close Season Zander Quest Pt.*** - Food Banks and Foot Wabblers

What a lovely few days it's been, some local family walks have been a welcome tonic to the drudgery that can set in during the weekend for me when the lockdown hits home and fishing is a forgotten pastime.

Still, fingers crossed the BoJo announcement Sunday may well bring welcome news for maybe a relaxation of the rules. Being able to meet with immediate family not in the vulnerable category will be most welcome, the kids need their hair cutting and the Sister-In-Law is a hairdresser. 

The Weber has had it's work cutout this week, just when it thinks it will have a rest, the charcoal chimney has been loaded up again and another load of lumpwood given a firelighter up the jacksie .

There is something very therapeutic about fire and this decent lumpwood unlike the supermarket rubbish doesn't taint next doors ivory tummy huggers.

Now talking of theraputic Blackwell Rum has certainly been a welcome tonic having had quite a busy time of it as work (WFH). I'm not a fan of overly sweet rums and this is more to my palate.

Straight it's a very smooth rum with vanilla & caramel flavors, followed by toasted marshmallow and a natural spice finish. Whiskey hasn't had a look-in since I've discovered the sugarcane snifter.

The river was very low indeed, in-fact almost devoid of fish life but it showed where the deeper sections were and also where there were swims full of snags.

But I know here a drop of water transforms this watercourse, a river seemingly baron, now full of things ready to suck a maggot, swallow a worm. It's a stretch where I caught my first Warwickshire trout and having fished it plenty of times now, I've never seen another angler.

That's just how I like it.

Butterflies are certainly active now, the Anthocharis Cardamines or orange tip seem to be all over the place especially the canal towpaths. They are bugger to capture on camera, in-fact the white ones in general, they certainly seem the most active.

I've managed to capture quite a few species now, in-fact the nature reserve down the road is well known for a huge variety.

So back to ones water fix after giving a young angler and non-member a friendly talking to whilst doing my bailiff duties as a club member., the Zander swim I've been feeding on this stretch  haven't had it so good.

He packed up and went away without much issue and given a few pointers on how to join the club and why he should be fishing. The CRT have closed the waters after all.

The carp seem very active indeed, because the water levels is very low now on this stretch their backs out the water is a dead give away. In-fact you can spot their movements a good distance away now they are that obvious.

I've never seen the water so clear here, that could well be an issue when eventually I can target the Zander again. The lack of boats moving about has meant the silt has stayed put and the clarity clear enough to see the bottom even in the boat track.

I've said recently I'm amazed at the fish shoals around at the minute, in-fact Zander have so much food in this 2 miles stretch there was no need for ones food bank.

Now this clearing clarity is ideal for the carp for sure but I like to fish for Zander when there is no visibility at all, turbid the better for me when I'm targeting them.

I'm hoping this Zed I've been feeding up has got enough cover to stay put giving me sufficient time to get a deadbait in-front of it. 7 or 8 times I've fed it now and we are talking  3 or 4 medium smelt or a 5 or 6 small roach. I'm hoping I get to see it's bulging belly before anyone else.