Saturday 28 November 2020

Warwickshire Avon - Tiers and Titanomachy

Great isn't it, the Stratford-Upon-Avon district pre lockdown 2 was within Tier 1 and yet despite some of the lower percentages of infection throughout the UK, 100 in 100,0000 once lockdown 2 has ended it will move to the highest tier, Tier 3, yes you heard me TIER3 !!!! Matt Hancock seemingly enjoying delivering his bad news. 

How does that work ? much of the area is semi rural or rural and infection rates like much of the country is starting to drop. Already a pub down the road has had closed its door recently. 

I fear many local establishments, restaurants and watering holes will be robbing Peter to pay Paul just to try and keep things afloat till they know the outcome of the next chuck of the dice. 

The hospitality sector after doing what has been asked of them, right back to square one. I honestly thought it was a mistake at first because it makes no sense whatsoever.

 I'm sure that's not the last we've heard of it, the jungle drums ( can I still say that in 2020) seemed to be more active than ever the quick dip in to social media confirmed, what is behind it all ? there has to be a bigger picture ? I'm sure the elderly demographic of the area won't help, duffers delight. 

So local businesses need us more than ever these days so you need to do whatever you can to keep the coffers topped up. This week we've had a new bird guard fitted to the chimney and a visit to Calcutt & Son in Henley in Arden ones open fire reserves have been given a boost.

Henley High Street as expected deserted and the pubs and restaurants looking sorry for themselves.

It's been a cold week hasn't it, some hard frosts and the mercury not rising above 10 degrees during the day. Now Martyn from Stratford-Upon-Avon Fish and Outdoors is often going out of his way to service his customers and had been providing not only a click and collect service in lockdown 2, but also free delivery for a minimum spend of ten quid.

Businesses like Martyn's need our support in these difficult times, now more than ever, use them or lose them.


 He has just got on with it, no moaning, no sitting back, he's tackle the issues first hand and worked within the restrictions to still try and provide a service to his customers.

So with a couple of pints of reds sorted I fancied having another go for the dace. This time though I'd ditch the feeder for a float set-up as I'm sure I'd have banked more fish. 

It was good sport mind you and once I got the sliver darts feeding it really was a bite a chuck. This time I had a pike rod as back-up as well because the pike were troublesome in the last session and I fancied a proper bend in the rod from hopefully something half decent.

There are decent Chub here too although I've not managed to catch one yet, I'm talking PB beaters as well. Maybe fishing maggot for the dace they may well turn up to Gatecrash the party and muscle in on the feeding frenzy. 

Because that's exactly what happened the last time, a huge bait ball of dace, the maggots hoovered up well before they go to the bottom. I wasn't going to stay that long but hopefully the fish were feeding. It was raining when I got up in the morning ready to go so I held off for a bit and enjoyed a cup of coffee before heading out.


I've noticed that it can take a good while for the fish to turn up but feed maggots little an often they will soon turn up. And turn up they did, for a good hour and half there were a decent amount of fish in the swim. Dace again which was nice and some decent size ones too. 

I retained the bigger ones in the landing net and the float performing better than the feeder for this session.


I had a smelt out but the float remained motionless however with half an hour to go I packed everything up bar the landing net and pike rod and went to the very start of the stretch. There is some nice cover here and it has some depth too and. It didn't take long for a bite either, the float bobbing like a good'un before going under. 

t felt a decent fish however as I was getting control of it, it launched out of the water and I could see the smelt was grabbed side.


Sadly the first shake of its head the bait was ejected and its grasp was gone, damn !!!!

Still on a more positive note, among the dace I managed a small roach, always a welcome sight from the dace humdrum. The bleak turned up as well, the two pints of maggots not lasting that long with so many fish in the swim. Not the biggest of fish, but another enjoyable session again.

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