Warwickshire Avon – Mackerel Born Killers

With the closed season nearly upon us and the local rivers out of sorts I was unsure of what to fish for. It was going to be a little milder after the recent cold snap so I didn’t mind sitting a session out so a Pike session it was. I’d unintentionally caught a couple from this venue in the past that took a liking to lobworms intended for Chub but there was a nice marginal slack that despite the pace of the river it could provide a little sanctuary for the apex predator. A chance trip to the local supermarket I had a freezer full of cheap Mackerel and with the river coloured it was an ideal bait to use.

I rarely fish for Pike but as a potential point accumulator (best so far of 9lb) for the bloggers challenge I could add points to try and stay in 2nd place in the River leader board. I’d not a chance of catching the specimen fish catching machine that is James Denison but it could keep me propped up if a larger specimen decided to feed on the pungent scombroid.

I like hedging my bets and with some lobworms and stinky cheese paste in the bait fridge I’d also have a rod for a Chub. If they had been on the feed over winter they would be at their biggest too. I’m yet to catch a 5lber, easily the biggest Monkey on my back, I’d catch one, one day that’s for sure.

It’s a numbers game….

I turned up at the river, unpacked the rods, set-up the landing net and banksticks then discovered I’d left the Mackerel at home..arhhhhhh.

Ok only 10 minutes away but not ideal having to go back from where I’d came from. With the rods set-up it was sit and wait, now the lobworms remained untouched, but as soon as I put some cheese paste on within fifteen minutes or so I received my first bite. The problem was I had limited amount of cheese paste, so after a few fluffed and mistimed strikes, I was cheesepasteless. 

The wind was picking up too and it was surprisingly mild but as it was open it wasn’t exactly pleasant. The fox drop off indicator remained motionless so with an hour left I decided to drive a few miles down the rod to a spot where I’ve caught Zander before and fish small strips of Mackerel as a bit of an experiment. 

And as suspected, yes, Zander do like sea baits.

Now with the weather a little more settled for this next week hopefully I'll start catching some decent fish again. It's been all very mediocre of late, I need to put a smile on my face.

Warwickshire Avon – Brass Monkeys

I knew the session would be difficult when the cars roof was covered in ice, but as someone who needs their weekly fishing fix I had to get bankside. The skies had been clear overnight and the temperature had plunged to well under zero. I had initially thought about sitting it out with a maggot feeder set-up with maybe some lobworms and then have a sleeper rod out for a Pike or Zander but I’d need to do some roving to stay warm.

Lucy’s Mill had dropped significantly during the week because it had been up to the benches at one point. The feeder rod was dumped and out came my light jig rod, but I’d stick with the sleeper. Despite leaving a deadbait in 4 or 5 swims for ½ an hour or so, not even a touch and the lure was also ignored, it looked a nice clarity too and the levels just about right. The sun was out too so maybe being sat in on place wouldn’t have been out of the question but then in the shaded swim, the cold crept in pretty fast.

The vitamin D seekers and dog walkers started to come out in numbers and the footbridge had constant foot traffic and at some point even looked congested so I up sticks and ventured downstream to swims I’d not fished before. There is a nice piece of slack water opposite a small sausage shaped island but again the deadbait was ignored and the lure unhindered.

Past the turbulent weir it gets interesting so it more nice to have an explore even though the fishing was pants. A decided to give a lovely looking slack the last hour as it looked ideal for Pike, sheltered from the main flow and plenty of cover, it was just a matter of waiting for a bite, anyway….

bugger all….as I returned to the car a couple of Pike anglers hadn't a touch either.

Lesson learnt, I should have stayed at home nestled in the Wife’s warm and comforting bosom. Then again, fishing shouldn't be easy should it. Come the longer days in the new season I'm planning on some dusk fishing for Zander.

Warwickshire Avon – Steady Eddy

A change of tactics for this trip to the Warwickshire Avon, and another introductory session at Lucy’s Mill. I had planned to use up a gallon of red maggots as they were getting past their best, but as per usual with the wet and windy weather predicted that plan was short-lived . I intended to fish a feeder full of the ammonia oozing wrigglers with a couple on the size 16 hook tied to a short hook-length, which is secured to the line helicopter style.

It’s a great set-up this, and from time to time when the fish are on the feed the tip has barely time to settle before it’s on the move again. Most of the time it’s a self-hooking set-up, you just need to make sure the hook is properly sharp and wait till the tip properly bends round.

However difficult when sat under ones umbrella...clinging to the guy ropes....

The currents in weir pools are complex and have to be understood and if such areas are to be fished successfully. Lucy’s Mill has two weirs and over a couple or three hundred yards a water with hugely differing currents, depths and bed.

I’m a novice here, so be patient….

The session was originally planned as a game of two halves, the first port of call for the initial drowning of the stinky maggots was in and amongst the food carrying large static(ish) eddy which is the result of the downstream weir. Then then I’d move and fish the second swim which would be at the tail end of the ‘dead arm’ which is located in-between the two weirs before it hits the turbulent water. I’d had a look-see here over Christmas and even when the river is in flood with the water lapping midway up the benches it appears to be perfectly fishable and a likely spot for those that prefer it a little calmer Pike and Perch, Silver Bream and Tench (apparently there are some here)

I found a nice shelf here last time so for this session the small pike float equipped sleeper rod would be four meters or so out with a small deadbait fished over depth just on the edge of the drop-off to try and pick up a patrolling Zander.

So all that was very well but it was travel light and out with plan B.....

The deadbait remained but it was presented on a light running set-up and the maggot feeder set-up was replaced with a light lure rod.

Now little did I realise the rain that started overnight and continued for the whole day would cause so many problems. The Wife and I had been at Cheal's of Henley for the evening and it had more or less shut Wootton Wawen off when we returned, the Stour hovering around 0.6 metres had increased to well over 2 metres.

Now I needed my fishing fix but at one point the rain was that heavy no matter how waterproof my trousers were they were penetrating the fabric, not particularly pleasant I must say.

I managed a Perch fairly quickly and a Pike of around 7lb on the chunk of Roach but luckily for me it wasn't a Zander as it subsequently made a bit for freedom when I was sorting the camera out and it flipped itself back in to the river.

Over the 4 wet hours in plenty of swims with a nice colour to the water, the fishing was disappointing maybe as I had the place to myself others know something I don't. With more rain on the way I'm fast running out of time, I may try a later session in to dusk to see if that gives me better results but the rivers may well be out of action.

Fingers crossed...now need to get on to Ebay, I need a Poncho.