Warwickshire Stour - Landmines and Landocracy

With the Avon gradually retreating back within its banks the Warwickshire Stour looked just about a fishable level. It's a meandering little waterway this which is home to the usual species however it was the chub I was after in this mornings sortie.

 A day of sunshine at last and with the clear skies overnight I was clearing the frost off the windscreen before I headed to the river before sunrise. 

The river looked a decent level when I got bankside where I'd have the whole stretch to myself to try and winkle out a chub. It's a very popular stretch for dog walkers where as per usual forget the designated footpaths and public rights of way they basically walk anywhere they want. 

So it's not my favorite stretch because often you are looking out for landmines before you lay the tackle down or take those steps roving from swim to swim. 

What I didn't expect was a bite in the first swim as pictured where after feeding some bread slop I fished a large chunk of cheesepaste. It was only about ten minutes in to the session where upon feeling the hook when I struck the fish launched itself out of the water, and when it landed tried to get under my feet, when some dead reeds provided an escape route.

The fight didn't last long though because no sooner it was on, it was off, when the first bend of the rod the hooked pinged out and the fish was off.

Thankfully it was only a fish probably a pound and a half or something so I wasn't that bothered I lost it. Now because of that quick bite I thought I'd clean up and catch a few fish.

How wrong was I though because I fished probably 6 or 7 swims and primed some of those without even another nibble. Some of the swims looked perfect for a bite too because with the main river still pretty lively, the swims offered a safe haven away from the boiling and swirling. 

The chub just were not there to be caught, or just not up for a feed. Very disappointing indeed because I rarely blank in these conditions and like I said some of the swims looked perfect for fish to be holding up in.

So 3 hours of fishing where the only bite I had was in the very first swim. That swim I fished the last half an hour of the session too, so I gave it far longer than I usually do in a single swim in a river like this. So the 1st blank of 2024, let's get it out of the way no shall we. On to the next one, I need a bend in the rod !!