Sam and I bumped in to the swim creator on the river Arrow and boy did he have his work cut out. The upstream pegs of the weir couldn't be more different than those below it, a canalised section of around 6 pegs that is around 8 foot deep in places and harbours some fish well worth catching.
Bream, big chub and even barbel...!!
I might well give the area a go to see what I can winkle out. The problem is the opposite bank is a more heavily fish club where the stretch of convenience means, they can actually park behind their peg. When we went for a nose every peg was taken as I did fancy having a go for the chub, but you could literally lip read what the other angler was saying to his mate that came for a chat, errr, I'll leave it for another time.
So we went downstream for a rover to try and catch some chub using simple link ledger tactics and gob stopping pieces of bread.
It came from 'Dead Man's Hole' or something like that according to the brushcutter swim creator (nice fella) because it was a swim I discovered myself fishing it for the first time where the SSG took a while to settle, it must be a good >8 foot deep hole, when even with a clear river, it's dark and dingy here.
A good fifteen minutes without a bite once the bread had settled I did think about moving when a pull on the quiver tip I got a big drop back bite and a chub was on. An epic scrap on my prefered chub rod (TFG River and Stream) it was taking line and certainly didn't want to see the insides of ones landing net.
They are in superb condition these Arrow chub, probably because the once resident otter that tapped its clawed paw on the shoulder of every barbel that once called this place home, probably upsticks and went to pastures new.
Fingers crossed they make a come back but for now the chub are there to provide a bend in the rod. To be honest I've not made it a secret chub are in my league table above the barbel, but then maybe if I was closer to a water that has them in numbers those positions could switch.
Anyway usually in small rivers like this once a fish has caused swim carnage (weighed 4lb 9oz) that's your lot for a bit so as Sam gets restless like I do, it was on to the next swim.
This was towards the end of the stretch as I wanted to prime the banker swim with some mash before returning to it. A swim nicely cleared for a match that is on the weekend it's a snag fest here. The problem was despite carrying a tinge of colour because of the recent rain it was still pretty shallow and you could see the bottom in much of it.
We gave it a go though, Sam manning the rod because I'd caught a fish and he hadn't, and naturally it was his turn. I mentioned in another post, he his such a good angler know, he what to do when that chub heads for the snags.
Which he played out rather well indeed because after trying a couple more swims without success, we headed to the banker swim where literally two casts two cracking chub. There is a fallen tree over at the far side and also a tree to the right where the chub tend to hang out, because they have plenty of escape routes, and they seem to be there all the time.
Sam actually missed another two unmissable bites that for some reason didn't connect, so with those chub returned there must have been quite a few of them down there.
For such a small river the average size of chub is on the high side, and on return to the car we dropped in to the weir where I managed a nice one that after a huge drop back bite realised it had made a mistake and shot to my right a good ten yards in what seems like a couple of seconds. I thought I'd missed my chance but reeled in a load of slack and the fish was still there.
Another short but enjoyable session on the river Arrow where we both caught 2 chub each and all a high stamp. There was a 6lber caught here recently apparently and no reason to doubt that, so I'm looking forward to giving this stretch a go in the depths of winter.
Usually in the early season bites from the bigger fish can certainly be tough when the river is clear and the levels low.
Catching chub off the top is one of my favorite methods in these conditions because they often let their guard down, and under the polarised sunglasses you can often see the fish coming out from the cover they are hiding under to intercept the bread.
Now rolling meat is an underused method in my angling armory mainly because the local stretches of river I fish are not really conducive for it, mainly because they are big and wide, often deep and also because the barbel numbers are low.
However a couple of local stretches I do fish though, in the early season often has barbel in residence so before I had get on with some errands post work there was a small window of opportunity to try and winkle out a fish in one of them.
I and others have spotted some as well which helps because at least I'd know it would increase the probability of catching one. There was rain on the way as well so the session dictated itself really as the following day would limit the sight fishing, 2 hours max to catch a fish. Not ideal is it really, but that was my lot sadly !!
When I got to the first swim I spotted some chub tucked away sheltering away from the main flow and they tentatively came out from time to time for a nose. A couple of them looked decent too but they really were not interested whatsoever even when the bait went straight past their noses.
The meat was going through nicely teasing its way past the sunken reeds and streamer weed. I'm sure the fish could see me that was part of the problem because the chub were definitely cagey. Anyway I got on the rove to do the same in each and every likely looking swim.
It helps that is was shallow and most swims elevated but I was running out of time !! There was one swim with a long section of cover over at the far side and I got the meat to roll right under the cover time after time but nought doing. I even saw a chub go from the main river to shelter in the cover but even that fish ignored the meat.
I was running out of time fast !!!
I returned to the first swim where on approach I finally spotted a couple of barbel 👀 I watched for a while and they were only small fish. Maybe 4lb or 5lb at a push, worth catching though but I managed to get the meat to roll nicely up to them but again they ignored it completely. Damn it !!!
These are intimate swims, you can see the fish, the fish can see you and that I'm sure won't help. Excuses at the ready.
But one swim to go that looked a nightmare to fish but over at the far side a section of deeper water with cover over the top and it was much darker...
A perfect first cast and within seconds of the meat going through the swim !BANG! it was grabbed by a fish. I had to bully the fish and thankfully it didn't make inroads into any of the thick escape routes. A chub not the intended barbel but a rather nice chub going 4lb and 9 ounces on the scales.
And that was my lot !!!
Curfew was us sadly but at least I managed a nice fish in the end. I love this sort of sight fishing and rolling meat but to be honest I need to do more of it, and be more stealthy to boot, as I'm sure that didn't help my cause. Anyway I'll give the swim a go where I spotted the barbel one evening next week hopefully, where I'm hoping once the light levels go they will let their guard do.
Oh and I forgot to mention, I put some pellets down in one of the swims and let it rest for a good 45 minutes or so, but only a solitary chub was feeding, only a small'un too. Anyway on to the next one !!!
I reckon an out of town disgruntled vocal vegan complained to the council, because when I noticed the artwork on the local Bulls Head Pub in Wootton Wawen when it was initially done, I thought it was rather befitting on this rather unassuming pub, where many people think it's a residential property. The staff are great and we've eaten plenty of times in there since it's been taken over. Not just proper Thai food but the usual pub fair too, and the Thai BBQ's they have from time to time are 👌.
The Moo Ping especially with the spicy dipping sauce, distinctively flavoured sausage, and the chicken satay is some of the best I've ever had, oh and how can I forget the yellow curry, keep on doing what you are doing to keep those bums on seats, well maybe a better choice of proper beer wouldn't go amiss !! 😉
#SaveEddieBullMural
Anyway those lovely people at Stratford-Upon-Avon District Council have told them to paint over the Herefordshire Bull (£1200) mural on the Grade II listed 17th Century pub, or they will be threatened with legal action because it breaches planning rules for listed properties.
Since I've lived in the area it was also once Anderson's Steakhouse, which was absolutely superb with again some excellent staff, but after a few years they decided to concentrate on their Birmingham business, and it changed hands again. Times are hard for the trade these days with many having to cut their spending due to the cost of living, so give them a break I say, especially when there is great support from the locals for this establishment.
Anyway a trip to the untrodden post work and dinner was in order make a couple more swims accessible because the rampant nettles are hindering access. Luckily they are not that thick so my rather undergunned hedge trimmers didn't actually do that bad.
The problem is often you cut the nettles down to find out the access is restricted by a huge length of reeds !!! so maybe a drone is needed to find the better areas to concentrate on. Still a bit of exercise is always welcome especially when I had to retrace my steps to get the tackle.
Anyway to the fishing, well after catching a near 5lb chub here on literally the first cast of the floating bread I decided to feed some freebies in a few swims to see if I could get some fish feeding. Sadly after a good while it was obviously a fruitless exercise, so I set the rod up to try some static fishing.
A pva bag of pellets and a paste wrapped boilie to try and get some scent in the water. I'd earmarked the first swim I made as the one I'd fish in to dark so tried another area upstream first with no success. On the final swim to fish It didn't take long to get some bites.
Only chublets that were determined to get the bait despite the long hair, but they were all in pristine condition so I wasn't complaining. Anyway I must have caught 6 or so before the swim went dead. The sun was setting by now so I was hoping that the bigger fish would now venture out because the water was gin clear.
The swim had a willow to my left, cover over at the far side, reeds in the middle and to my right so a swim with plenty of features, and it carried some decent depth as well just off a crease caused by the reeds. After a clang after ten minutes I thought I would be on for some action.
But the sun set with a rather vibrant sky and then dusk came and went and I was looking at a motionless rod. Hmmmmmm....
To be fair I didn't expect to catch a big barbel which James seems to do rather regularly on his 40 rivers challenge (give it a watch, shows the dedication involved), but I did think the chub would at least show.
Still not all about the fishing is it !!!
Because it's just nice being out sometimes isn't it rather than being sat behind a TV or stuck inside like many would be nodding in agreement to their social media echo chamber !! The sky just got better and better, this scene lasting only 10 minutes but wow, very impressive indeed.
I could have stayed longer but I had a niggling achy pain in my back which wasn't helping so I decided to call it a day when the head torch was just about needed.
A little disappointed I must admit, but got to look at the positives, I'm going to have this area of river to myself most of the time, and considering this area was likely to have been affected by the pollution incident, there is signs already there could be some nice fish to be had.
Whether there are any barbel here, I don't know but this area wasn't renowned for numbers, much like the rest of the Warwickshire Avon to be honest, but manage to catch one, it's likely to be a good'un.
