Warwickshire Avon - Fire-Breaks and Frawdoliaeths

As expected as there is no smoke without fire as expect our half term holiday to Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire was kyboshed due to Wales going in to a 17 day 'fire-break'. This will kerb or delay the spread of infection to allow the NHS to keep up with those being admitted to hospital because of the pandemic.

Now the fire-break will start at 6pm on Friday 23 October and end on Monday 9 November where residents of Wales are expected to stay at home, except for very limited purposes, such as for exercise and they must work from home wherever possible.

So more or less back to the original lockdown in the UK the 16th of March where all non-essential businesses must also close as well, and yes that does mean the pub, Goddamn it. 

I was looking forward to the break from work, however at the moment we in England and being in a 'Tier 1' area the restrictions our civil liberties haven't been effected as badly so I feel for my Welsh frawdoliaeths.

Well I am half Welsh after all as my Mum was born and bred in Port-Talbot, but plenty of finger pointing has been going on for those that have ignored the rules in Wales and it's come to a head with a rather large hammer blow.

I'm lucky that I've stayed in work to put the chicken nuggets on the table, because many haven't that luxury and are having to rob Peter to pay Paul in this damn COVID times, where it seems that democratic debate has all but been drowned out by ubiquitous Central Govt fear-mongering that has gone unchallenged in the mainstream since March. 

I'm sure if there was such a debate it would uncover a completely different narrative of what's really going on and would ease people's fears considerably. Once fear has subsided, perhaps better decisions will be made as to how to care for vulnerable citizens this winter, rather than having the wellbeing of the masses about to be kicked in the kahunas again with the virus that is here to stay and it certainly ain't going anywhere any time soon. 

Bojo certainly has seemed to lost his Mojo, he looks a shadowy figure of his former self from the snippets I've seen. Now I like many are beginning to feel like that too, it ain't good is it, 2020 can go and do one, haven't we had enough of it all, it's getting me down just typing it. 

Now talking about not going away any time soon. Zander that frequent ones local waterways are well established now and I like many love fishing for them despite the bad rap they get for no fault of their own.

I'd can count on one hand the amount of times I've tried for them on the river but after a heads up from a fellow blogger for this two hour session, I wanted to go for a reccy for maybe an extended session next week where all being well I'd fish just deadbaits 

There was a match you see, up at this deep and sluggish stretch of the Avon and there was some decent bags of roach taken in the 5 hours match. 16 of them in double figures by all accounts. 

That's a heck of a lot of bait fish for Zander to plunder, so I wanted in on it. A two rod approach, a lure rod and then under a float set-up I'd fish a smelt. Half an hour'ish in each swim I'd have around 4 or 5 swims to fish before the rules put an end to the session. 

Still it should give me at least a chance to try and bag a predator at least. Travelling light and a roving approach I was hoping would do the business. 

I don't mess around with small lures for Zander, decent sized jobbies and green seems to work very well as head turners to these fascinating species now in these England's 'troubled waters'.

As you know I love fishing for them and despite losing two certain doubles on the river, a canal fish of 9lb remains my PB.

Anyway, enough of the guff, better get fishing....

A bit of an odd session you see the water was far clearer than I thought and for Zander I like a bit of colour. Still some of the swims are very deep indeed so when a bait is 14ft down it probably wouldn't matter so much. A fallen tree in my favourite swims too, that ain't coming out anytime soon.

Anyway after the third swim with half an hour in each without a bite on deadbait or lure the last swim I'd sit it out. A change of lure brought a small perch and then after ten minutes the float bobs and starts to move. A good bite too, no messing around which usually means a pike.

I wasn't wrong either a tell-tale fight a reasonable fish was on the end. After a few runs it new the game was up and I had a decent fish on the end. I didn't weigh it but just about a double I think hooked nicely in the scissors. 

I moved swims again because of the carnage in the swim and as dusk was approaching I had two dropped runs from Zander, the soft flesh of the smelt showing the Zed's vampire like puncture wounds. The lure had hardly any interest apart from small perch and an aborted hit from a jack pike close in. 

With some rain on the rain though I fancy an extended session next week to give me more of a chance in banking one.