One for Dad

Date fished 29/07/2023

6am until 1pm

Over two months has passed since I last fished. Davey's Pancreatic cancer diagnosis in December 2022 hit the whole family hard. We did what families do and supported each other. Taking pills, recording poos and talking about past fishing trips all being part of the daily routine. Sadly, Davey died peacefully at the end of June and I wanted to fish as he would, well not really... I don't sleep whilst I fish!

We always had fun on our fishing trips and I am sure some stories will come out over the years I fish with my own son. Too many fishing memories to begin to unbox, but the lasting one was a picture my sister and I had commissioned for fathers day 2023, captured Davey perfectly. 

I needed to get back on the bank and catch something. I could of taken maggots on the Tees and caught all day, but I decided to see if I could catch a chub on the Swale. For no other reason than it was on my mind. 

The usual alarm, drive and Ronald stop and I was at the river. It was warm, 16 degrees and quite cloudy. I had no rain coat so took the golf brolly from the car boot. I had a float rod, ledger rod and bread and meat for bait. 

The bread because I have watched alot of YouTube, where Avon angling catches alot of chub on float fished bread. This is an aim of mine. The meat because I had some leftover sausage meat from Christmas, so I decided to jazz it up!! 

I walked over the flood barrier and was expecting to see cows, what I did see had me thinking the cows would of been better!! 

No idea what this was, I found out after speaking to a dog walker that the field owner had a "bongo thing on". Am still non the wiser. I went to find a swim.

The banks were very overgrown and I could see the water had been really high recently. I fished in a swim I fancied but I couldn't cast. I couldn't sit properly,  I just didn't feel right. So I went for a walk. The second swim was better, I fed mashed bread and float fished flake for a solid hour. Nothing. I was getting annoyed and wanted today to be chilled, so I upped sticks and went for a third swim. I had my new waders in my bag so it was surprising that I walked in the river in the wellies I had on and got wet feet!! I changed to the waders and started playing properly! 

I pulled my act together and did what I knew best. I ledgered luncheon meat. Not my amazing chilli flavoured sausage, I had not had a touch on it so far. The upstream  wind was strong and warm, the rain annoying rather than getting me soaked. Soon the rod was pulling round to a bite. 

A nice 3lb ish chub breaking the blank.  I carried on fishing here but soon got scared. I watched a big pike swim between me and the bank. I was wading up to my waist and feared it might grab hold somewhere, so I scurried onto dry land. 

I had achieved what I wanted to do and it was still early. I decided to have a walk and see what was happening. The happy campers were now up and the field was busier than usual. I went and sat on the spot where Davey caught his first and only ever Chub (link above). 

I smiled as I ate my lunch, my rod not even in the water. Eventually I cast in and listened to the cricket. The rod hooped over and I played the culprit towards me. I was ready with the net and pulled the branch out the water!! It started as a fish, I felt it pulling back, seemed it transferred the hook on the way. 

I chuckled to myself and fished on. Soon kids were playing in the river opposite and lunch was being taken at the Oval. I decided that was my cue and I packed up. 

Mission accomplished!