The Tiny River Alne - Zoodles and Zoosemiotics

One of my favourite lighter meals are these chicken meatballs with zoodles. Chilli, parsley and tons of garlic the courgette ribbons are heated up at the end with even more garlic and a smattering of lemon juice and a nugget of butter.

I use a julienne peeler to turn them in to spaghetti but there are plenty of different ways to turn a rather boring looking vegetable in to something a little more palatable.

Now the weather looks pants for fishing in the morning, a really bright sunny day but there was also a frost overnight. I wanted to fish the Avon but not being able to fish in the evening in to dark, I had to make do with a few hours in the morning. 

I had the gear in and on the car still from the evening before so I would decide when I got up, where to go and what to do. After a coffee and sorting the kids breakfast I was 50/50 in going but then I knew I'd only regret it later.

So to the Alne forthwith !!!!

I always have this to myself, that's why I like it and the fact it's 5 mins down the road. So some sun and solitude, I couldn't care less if I didn't catch.

The Alne like many of the local small rivers really need some rain because at the moment they are on their knees. But small rivers and streams when they are like this it doesn't take much working out where the fish are going to be hiding.

It's just a matter of travelling light and fishing the deeper swims where fish could be holding up and also those swims with cover. 

You will know quickly enough if there is a fish in the swim and after the 5th or 6th swim without even a nibble I did wonder about jacking it in and getting back to bed to annoy the Wife, but no I stuck to my plan of trying for a chub.

This swim usually holds chub for obvious reasons but not on this occasion. I cannot remember it being so clear as this and the bottom could be seen in most swims.

The key to my success was a section of cover a good walk upstream where literally within seconds of the bread flake falling through the water a few sharp taps the tip is going round nicely and a fish is on.

They are not the biggest of chub admittedly but respect for living in what must be a tough environment. Still they are chub after all, it goes with their make-up.

Another fish came soon after which was slightly bigger and that came from a swim 10 metres away. And that was my lot. I fished for a fruitless hour without any more fish to show for it. I was glad I made it out though, especially when the bigger fish had lovely proportions to it. 

On to the next one !!!