Warwickshire Avon - Vaccimulgence and Vexatious

We have all been there as anglers haven't we, you know when you get that restless leg feeling and the only way to overcome it is to go fishing. One of those late afternoons I just couldn't settle and I'd only regret it later in the evening post beer so I put the 7% Champions aside and would enjoy one when I got back.

Now the England football team had just started their quarter final match in the Euros against Ukraine just as I was packing the gear in to the car. (turned out it was a 4 nil drubbing and they are now in the semi final) 

A couple of hours would do so ten minutes later I'm walking the deserted banks of a stretch that holds barbel and with a paste wrapped boilie and some pellets as feed I was hoping a Barbus would bite.

I've not caught one for a while and I fancied an arm aching fight only they can give. After a rather tiring day at the Wye this would be sit it out and enjoy the evening rather than do what I usually do which is to rove from swim to swim to try and jump in a fish. 

Barbel on this stretch when its clear like much of the Warwickshire Avon switch on at dusk so I wasn't expecting much if I'm honest till the light started to go.

This is a match fished stretch and I'm sure with much smaller pellets banded to a much smaller hook my catch rates may well improve. I was fully expecting one bite at dusk so I do prefer to tackle up for ones quarry. 

It didn't quite go to plan though because within 15 minutes of putting the bait out some telltale chub plucks eventually turned in to a full of barbel'esk bite and a fish was on.

To be fair for its size it gave a pretty good scrap on overgunned tackle but as soon as I hooked it I instantly knew it was a chub as it tried to get under the platform and right under my feet.

Despite using a long hair it's surprising just how determined chub can get themselves in to trouble with all their fortitude, still it was a fish and not a blank however only half the size of the fish that frequent here.

I'd an hour to go and after putting some more pellets out of the blue a couple of tentative knocks on the rod top all hell breaks loose and a full on four foot twitch ensues. I fully expected to lift in to a Barbel but no, I lifted in to fresh air WTF !!!

Hmm this ain't going well now is it, still with dusk approaching and half an hour after that, when I'd have to be off it was looking good for another bite. Sure enough 10 minutes away from packing up time a proper decent bite again after a few enquiries but the culprit was another chub again. Not even a big one either, have't they got something better to do ?

Clearly not !!!!

And that fish called time on the session, ok not the fish I wanted but at least the restless legs were thankful I managed to get out.