Warwickshire Avon - Vindaloo's and Vindictivolence

Now as you know I prefer to concoct my own curries because I know what goes in to them for starters, but with the Wife occupying the kids during half term with a Toby Carvery (kids eat for a quid apparently during half term) with the Father-in-Law I had to fend for myself for this evening. Both of my kids Ben and Sam love my roast dinners and Ben, well I know he would be having a least 2/3 plates full of Toby's offering, as he looks forward to Sunday's even more than me. 

I however wasn't on holiday and was in the office for the daily grind sadly, so with the fishing gear in the car nipped to Morrisons for lunch, grabbed whatever spicy curry they had and would eat it after I got back from the Warwickshire Avon. I can count on one hand how many ready meals I buy in a year, would I be disappointed again ?

A no brainer really because this relatively untapped section of the Warwickshire Avon is a small detour from home and for someone like me, who doesn't have a huge fishing window for that fishing fix. I had planned to fish a particular swim but when I got to the river there was a few anglers on the opposite bank from another club and one exactly opposite where I wanted to fish. 

I mentioned untapped because a good two fields of this section is only available to the syndicate and I've fished it a few times since becoming a member, and seemingly I have it all to myself because I've not seen anyone else up here yet.  

So I headed upstream to an area that is shallow in the main but has some depth in the inside on one section of it. I did plan to try for a barbel but in the end fancied a bite from a chub so left the rod on the car and again it was out with the chub gear. 

Just down here carries some good depth and when the river is as clear as it is now sometimes depth can help you get a bite during the daylight hours when the bigger fish are tucking themselves away from you know you know !!!

I missed a bite literally as the bread fluttered through the water column because a fish had taken the bread on the drop as the quiver bent round before the SSG shot had reached the bottom. The problem was I didn't realise that at the time because I'm sure if I had let the bite develop I'd have a chub in the net.

The fish felt the point of the hook though and as expected that fish had spooked off before I got a second chance. What I did expect though after 15 minutes on to the next swim when I lifted the flake off the bottom out of nowhere a jack pike came up from the depths and grabbed it.  

A decent fight ensued on light tackle however I could see it was hooked in the scissors so thankfully I knew if I played it gently I'd be able to land it.

To be honest after a couple of runs it decided to give up and it was soon in the net. Not exactly what I wanted, but still nice to see a young predator especially in decent nick. With the light now fading I fished a couple more swims without a pluck or a nibble so it was on to the last swim (pre-baited with mash), the head torch donned and my stall set out.

Literally 10 minutes in to fishing a tentative pull on the 0.75oz quiver it soon pulls round confidently and a fish is on. It took the garlic oil sprayed bread with such vigour it obviously wanted it. Anyway a decent powerful fish I knew it was a good'un especially with it made a decent boil on the surface.

Another 5lber, this going 5lb 7 ounces on the scales and one more to add to my growing collection. After struggling for years to catch a Warwickshire Avon 5lber I'm blessed to be catching fish of this stamp now. Less competition for food from the barbel ? who knows but they have certainly increased in size over the years I've been catching them, my best ? well 6lb 2 ounces at the minute. 

And that was my lot, I had the fish retained in the next and fished for another forty five minutes well in to dark without another bite. Well tell a lie, one pull that didn't develop in to a full blown bite.

A lovely fish though and well worth the detour. So that was that, back on the car and I headed home a happy man for ones dinner. The Morrisons curry ? well not a bad effort actually, the chicken not the most pleasant texture (I put one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda on mine for half an hour before cooking) but the sauce had the just amount of spice, certainly palatable, if you're a lazy'un. 

2 serving apparently ? Errr yeah ok, get out of here !!!! 🤣🤣