Catching salad

Date fished 29/12/2024

8.30am until 2pm

After his pike success a few weeks ago, Rupe was keen to add a chub to his 'caught list'. We headed to the Swale, to try. 

20 minutes waiting for our McDonald's should of told us what the day was going to be like. Not perturbed we headed south whilst admiring the sunrise and eeking out the last of heart Christmas. 

We set up the ledger rods, cheesepaste moulded round a pellet and cast in likely looking spots. We had meat too, just if the fish fancied something different. 

I reeled in to cast again. Some leaves and debris on my hook and line. Rupe said "that's good, you've caught some salad"

I have no idea where he gets these phrases from, but he makes me laugh! He commented on the "salad" caught every time!

After a while we went for an adventure. Crossing over to the island and seeing where the river has breached some winters ago. It's still drastically changing and soon will be the river's new natural route. 

We tried a few more swims and ones that are new and maybe not swims yet. Some good casts right under a bush on the far side were not rewarded and we trudged across the field in a cold biting wind. 

No, I have not taken up photography, that was all I could do to lighten the mood. I tried meat and Rupe tried my banker swim by the fallen tree. If the fish were there, they must still be watching Tiddler or whatever is the fish equivalent. 

Back at the car, another angler was packing up too. He was just about to drive away, we waved at him, he waved back. We were not just being polite, he had left his wellies outside the car door. He realised and we ticked that off as our good deed for the day! 

I love fishing with my son, its about making memories and just being together. Today's memory to quote Rupe was '  slow McDonald's, eat plenty of salad and don't fish when it's cold!!"