Warwickshire Avon - Saagwala and Sanctanimity

After the recent announcement 2020 can do one, really have had enough of it now. So you've good to keep up with those little things that make you happy and gives you the feel good factor. Now my chicken saagwala is a rather lovely indeed, it's a dish that to be honest on a miserable day weather wise but a Chub session to look forward to in the morning, the comfort that it offers can only help the wellbeing at the minute. 

It's easy to knock up too, seal some chicken thighs in a saucepan in a little oil.

Blend to a smooth base sauce some fresh ginger, garlic, chillis, coriander (stalks and all), tomatoes, red onion with a few Indian spices and then simmer for half an hour with a little water, and then stir in a bag of spinach for another ten minutes and then job done.

Very moorish indeed as it packs a flavour punch that becomes very addictive indeed especially as you can tweak the recipe to suit your own palate. I often sprinkle on mine some extra coriander leaves and sliced birds eye chillies as I do like an extra kick to my food, whereas the Wife and kids don't appreciate the scoville scale like I do.

Now whilst it was being reduced Chasing Chevin was a welcome distraction from all the rubbish that is going on at the minute. 

Pictures of Chub I could only dream about catching but having took a while to catch a Warwickshire Avon 5lber and quite a few more since an area I fish has been throwing up some lovely >5lb fish, the latest being this stout 6lber. 

Now given the choice of catching a 14lb Barbel or a 6lb Chevin off the Warwickshire Avon, it would be the Chub every time.

They are up there with my favourite species because I just love their character which can go from being shy and retiring to being as bold as brass. 

I wouldn't usually target Chub till there is a crunch under foot but if there is already some lumps already on this small stretch I want in on it. 

So for this short morning session the Chub rod was sorted and it was out with the cheesepaste, a few lobworms and some liquidised bread. 

I'm sure it's the ammonia and strong smell Chub find so appealing because they really cannot get enough of it, and I've had sessions where breadflake wouldn't get a look-in but some paste wrapped round a cage can often bring that bite you are desperate for.

If they are that big here now, what are they going be like when winter has started to kick in big-time and there are less anglers on the bank. 

Chub in January and February can often forget their cautiousness and jump on a lump of cheesepaste as soon as it hits the deck.

Would they be up for a feed at the very end of October, only one way to find out !!!!

What an odd session when I got there I baited 3 swims with a few pieces of paste and also some liquidised bread and would fish them half an hour each before taking stock. There were fish in the all swims fished but there didn't appear any chevin home.

Dace were whittling away the large pungent paste bait till they actually hooked themselves, maggots would have cleaned up I'd imagine as one swim they were attacking it as soon as it dropped through the water column.

Now a switch to lobworm again didn't attract any chub or perch for that matter but dace again. Nothing big but many a future session I'd trot some maggots as there are some nice swims here to do exactly that.

With half an hour left a positive pluck the tip pulls round and a fish is on. It felt solid when I hooked in to it but then it wasn't fighting like a chub and then I could see its flanks in the relatively clear water, it was a skinny pike with plenty of filling out to do. Not going well this morning, time for the off. I'll be back !!!