Warwickshire Avon – Wings and Worrywarts

The other day I had some massive fried chicken wings with the ‘Butchers Social’ signature topping of salted caramel, honeycomb and bacon. Now probably like you, as I was initially I wouldn’t have thought the combination would work but boy they did. Comfort food indeed and was someone with not a huge sweet tooth, they really did work and I really did worry if I’d made the wrong decision as I’d happily eaten any of the other flavours.

The fried chicken skin really went with it well and with the meat falling off the bone, it added to some of the best finger food I’d ever eaten.

Trying new things is good in my book so for this session I was down at a local club water to try and winkle out a Chub or two on a surface lure. I also wanted to have a look as the upper stretch as well just to see what it looked like for a future session and I’m glad I did, because a swim was noted down where I’d saw a rather large bronze carp exiting the water. I’d not seen that before up here to be honest so at least I know where one is now, it’s Zander territory too, so I might do a little double dipping.

The banks were busy, very busy indeed like they always are at the start of the season and usually for the first couple of months of mediocrity many go back to the commercial fisheries, just to get a bend in the rod. To be honest this is the time I like to fish various methods and waters for a bit of variety rather than sit behind motionless barbel rods for hours on end. 

I didn’t have a huge amount of time so after an hour or so reccy it was back down to an area of fast water where there is always Chub picking up what comes their way and not fishing surfaces lure here before, I wanted to see if the method worked. The water is very low at the minute and it was easily walkable from one side to the other, but with the Cocoons donned, I spotted a few dark shadows. After the fourth or fifth cast a chub nailed the lure and a fish was on. 

It’s full of streamer weed but didn’t really hinder the retrieve and it was quickly in the landing net. 

I’ve a habit of catching the runt of the litter and this Chub was no exception, a deformed mouth and also a wound or two, I didn’t help adding to its misery. I managed to hook another two but both managed to shed the hook after a brief play through the fast water. 

An enjoyable short session mind you and I’ll use the method in the week up at a stretch where I know some half decent ones reside. I might fish till dusk as well and fish a boilie over a bad of bait to see if anything of note will turn up when the sun goes down.