Warwickshire Avon - Sybarites and Symmetrophobia

A short double dipping session this where the first part there was no fishing whatsoever, you see I'd not visited the syndicate stretch for a good while well because apart from holiday getting in the way I'd been fishing other venues. 

There are going to be some surprises to be had here I'm sure as up to now >5lb Chub, double figure Barbel, a 14lb carp and 6lb bream have all been caught by me despite not fishing it in anger.

With the nights drawing in now though, and ones venues will start to get more and more limited, at least here I could fish in to dark and beyond without the fear of the bailiff arm on my shoulder, or the threat of the piercing eyes from a fellow angler who was leaving the venue and I was still bankside. 

So apart from walking the banks to check the swims over I'd deposit some bait in for a Barbel to hopefully get confident in being in residence. 

I'm sure they go up and down the river here though rather than set-up their home here because me and the other syndicate members have caught Barbel here to over double figures, I'm sure you just need to be bankside at the right time to drop on to them.

This stretch holds bream, some decent ones as well as some clonking chub but the Barbel are the ones that remain a largely unknown quarry. It's not a 'traditional' Barbel holding area in the true sense of the word if I'm honest, because well it's not gravel and pacey for starters. 

It has a relatively soft bottom (don't we all ) with a varying depth where in the main it is 4 to 5 foot deep, with much shallower areas close in and then an area over at the far side that is 10ft plus.

Like most anglers my bait fridge holds all manner of boilie and pellets etc bought over the years and yet I rarely use more than a couple of three go-to baits when targeting Barbel in particular. 

So it was a chance to have a bit of clear-out as well as fattening up some of the fish that swim here and hopefully give them a bit of confidence.

The second part, well like much of my coarse fishing of late was a smash and grab session where I'd fish a spot I lost a Barbel sometime ago when fishing for Chub.

Only a short drive away despite the Avon being really low and clear, here there is some depth just on a bend where in much of it despite being gin clear you cannot see the bottom.

I'd fish a paste wrapped boilie and a PVA bag and fish in to dusk and up till curfew and I'll be off. Hopefully a Barbel but if not, one of the nice chub that frequent here would be nice. 

I have a busy weekend to look forward to you see so a short session under a curfew suited me perfectly where I could get back to pack ones case for the most anticipated weekend in the mediocre social calendar. 

We would be returning to Butlins and Minehead for their Ibiza Legends weekend where a couple of years ago despite not wanting to like it, the weekend we had really was enjoyable and we vowed to go back again to do it all over again.

Obviously COVID got in the way last year but this year it was on again and the first time I've had to show my vaccination passport to enter any event in 2021 let along Butlins ageing and shed like 'accommodation'. 

A likeminded bunch of old >40 year old ravers like me would be partying to some the old skool DJ's we used to see when I was touring the dance clubs. 

An era I'd love to be transported back to if I'm honest. A life so simple, less hands in my ever decreasing coffers and just good times in the 1990's I often reflect on. 

Anyway enough of the guff, better get the rod out !!!!

The problem was the swim I had earmarked was already taken by an angler and his mate just up from him had already caught an 8lb Barbel. They were going to fish in to dusk so despite the angler not catching anything as yet from the swim I wanted to fish that was me scuppered.

Best laid plans and all that, still plenty to go at here so I decided to get back in the car and settle in to one of the swims on the middle of the stretch where I have caught Barbel and decent Chub from before.

Now the farmer a couple of years back had 'landscaped' an area of small river that leads to the Avon. When I saw it first I couldn't believed the devastation with countless trees felled as well to 'open up the river' to get it flowing again.

I was surprised just how well it has recovered though and despite just being a trickle in places this diminutive waterway certainly holds fish and in a couple of swims I could see dace and chublets milling around.

Now the swim I earmarked has some depth but I didn't have that long to try and build up a swim before I'd reach the curfew. As expected the odd rattle and pull came within 10 minutes of the freebies and bait being out but it was only at dusk when the first proper pull came.

A couple of violent ones too and I'm sure if I stayed long enough eventually a chub would have hooked itself. The strict rules here meant before that could happen I has the tail between my legs and I was heading back to the car. Still not all lost as the first part was successfully completed and I'm looking forward to fishing it in to dusk and well beyond as the Avon really turns on when its dark. 

Now where are my glow sticks !!!