Piscatorial Quagswagging

...the diary of a specialist angler in around the Warwickshire Avon and its tributaries.

Sunday 8 October 2017

Warwickshire Avon – Sharks, Sponges and Spondulicks

As an occasional pork pie consumer, sausage roll muncher, and savoury pie eater I’m not usually a fan of cakes and things sweet, but whack a Victoria Sponge in front of one’s eyes the visual treat is so overpowering my waist line maintaining willpower goes out the window and I’m looking for the cake knife to cut myself a sizeable wedge.

The combination of raspberry jam, the light golden sponge and copious amount of butter cream, oh the butter cream, I just cannot resist I really can’t.

Maybe I have a sweet tooth after all, as I like Baklava with its filo layered honey, nuts and syrup concoction, and Tiramisu with its coffee flavoured ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, custard and booze.


Everything in moderation, as there is nothing wrong with a nibble on something bad now and then.

Not a lot of dosh is required to make either of them, heck even The Wife can make them, yes really.

So for this morning session Sam was joining me for a predator session, there are a couple of swims here that are full of them, which is odd really as it's one that is frequently poached by the unwashed and book decliners.

Despite their friends being eaten they keep on coming back....

I'm not a frequent Pike fisherman but I'be found as it's still mild a live bait would out fish a deadbait, something visual rather than something on a plate so better get some.


The plan was to catch a few baits by Sam on his maggot rod, store them in an aerator and use them under a small pike float as and when required, and then the luckily remaining would be returned once it was end time.

A worm didn’t tempt anything of significance before, maybe a visual treat would get a Big Billy’s head turning.

Out with the Victoria Sponge, with that extra thick layer of butter cream.


As we were catching a few baits a larger fish took the maggot rather than the bleak humdrum and upon retrieval a pike came up and grabbed it. The water is gin clear again and the whole drama was a nice visual treat.

Sam jumping with excitement....

With some baits caught ( I had to put the gudgeon back as they are special fish, Dad) someone was already sat in the weir so we try a couple of swims without success so it was onwards to the weir.


Sure enough with Sam manning the rod, a bleak was taken within seconds and a Pike was on.

"Dad, I've got a shark on, a SHARK, a SHARK !!!"


With the shark Pike landed (6lb or so) with Sam doing all but the netting, I showed him the way to handle them and the fact they need care when unhooking.

You want to return it safely to catch it when it's bigger after all.

One more run in the weir resulted in a Pike let going of the bait, maybe a premature strike on my behalf but I like to lean in to the fish early to set the large single hook. (Same I used for Zander)

So back to where we caught the live baits, 3 more jacks but no Perch oddly (Sun came out)


An enjoyable session and were left before the King of the Tangles got in to his full stride.

I had planned a Barbel session Sunday morning but sinuses about to exploded and my temperature, up and down like fishing sessions.

Mediocrity continues at pace....

A little like my post count which has now reached 500 !!!

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