Warwickshire Avon - Chasms and Catapedamania

When I was here the other day I definitely saw some half decent roach topping when I was chasing the chub and wondered if they were worth targeting or not. The problem was this small window of opportunity for that fishing fix wasn't the ideal time, but this would be a double dipping session so might as well give it a go, as I'm a bit chubbed out. 

Then again, if you think about it, at least they have been obliging of late, the other species haven't now have they. !!!

On the Warwickshire Avon at the minute when there are cormorants are on the hunt when it's as clear as this, those winter shoals of fish literally vanish somewhere else, where I don't know but often the river in front of you can be devoid of fish in the daylight hours. It can be very frustrating indeed, because all of a sudden when the light goes though, wow some activity !!! there are fish here after all !!!

If there are any cormorants on the stretch when you arrive, they soon vacate the feeding ground where they are clearly trying to flush out the fish, so at least being bankside gives some respite to the bait fish if there are any there that is. 

Now as per usual I didn't have long before I had to get back but a maggot and hemp attack for the roach on the float and I'd have a pike rod out in the deep slack(s). There is a few here you see where from a couple of foot deep it goes to 6-7 foot. Certainly a nice dark hidey-hole for a predator to tuck itself away.

A twitch off the bottom here and there would a predator be in situ ?

Well as expected a proper tough session this !!!

I must have fed and trotted the float for a good hour and a half without a nibble but then eventually some bites that sadly I missed. 

Minnows maybe ?

I swapped to the little feeder rod that I had in the car and decided to stick it out for an hour knowing that the bait was on the bottom. Eventually some decent twangs at least I knew there were fish in the swim. 

2 Herons, 1 otter, 2 kingfishers and a few cormorants downstream were sharing the river with me and they looked they were struggling too.

Eventually ones persistence paid off and a few of these Zander snack sized roach were caught. It was that hard going I decided to call the session early and return to the stretch for a chub in to dark the following evening instead. 
 

To be fair I did try a couple more swims on the way back with the Pike rod and apart from a tiny jack that snatched the bait on the retrieve even the Pike were having an off day.

Still I wasn't behind a computer, got to look at the positives haven't I. A session that I won't remember I know that. Dull as ditch water, so on to the next one, lets hope that is more memorable.