Warwickshire Avon - White Lies and Whitherwards

This picture of Sam (when he was 7 Shhhsssshhhhh) with a gudgeon won a prize in the 2022 National Fishing Month Photograph competition recently. The long wait for the prize to turn up was worth it when an unexpected delivery from Angling Direct turned up, when gazing out the office window.

A full fishing kit basically, 10ft float rod, reel, rod rest, landing net and handle, unhooking mat, floats, shot and disgorger, oh and an Angling Direct cap. 

Not sure why name is on it, maybe because I had entered it I suppose, anyway some months earlier the same picture submitted to the Cadence Cadets competition bagged Sam a prize as well, this time an elasticated whip and another cap if I recall. 

I've missed my little fishing buddy (now 11 and 7 years of those an angler) because we have not only adventures together and the most random of conversations and when he asked "Daddy when can I come fishing with you ? " It didn't take long for me to rig up his float road and purchase a pint of maggots.

Now I knew exactly where he wanted to go without even asking so it was to the 'brook' forthwith. Now the brook is dear to my heart as it is to Sam's as we have had some great fishing sessions there in the past and the fact there are gonks there to be caught all the better,

Why the change of heart you ask ? well Sam's not fished for a while because he is a bit like his mother, he really does feel the cold and even when wrapping as if he was just about to scale Mount Everest , once his donnies or feet are cold, we get one deflated angler. Once that happens there is only ever one outcome and we are headed home.

Anyway he hotfooted it to the 'bleak' swim but guess what, where the heck were the bleak ?

In-fact it was tough to get a bite on maggot in quite a few swims we tried apart from tiny grub munchers !!

We didn't stop long, a couple of hours tops even the predator rod never had a hit , even in the swim where a pike had decided he'd like my suspended bread flake!!!

To be fair looking back at my blog when the waters are much warmer and especially around June time it's stuffed with fish. Literally a bite a chuck, it is February after all.  So the rod didn't really get a better outing really, oh well there is always a next time !!!