Game changer

Date fished 15/02/2025

7.15am until 1.15pm

Very cold conditions as I prepared for todays trip. Hill snow, rain and freezing fog. Two tears in a bucket...... (If you know the ending, well done) I was committed, so off I went. 

Leaving early, I parked up at 7.15am and was cast in a few minutes later. Choosing a swim right by the bridge, I have caught in here before. It looked different today. I assume the landowner has removed the tree, doing some bank works, it was very different, but the water looked good.

One rod, hand warmers, waterproof trousers being the game changer today! 

I got my steps in today and walked a fair bit, trying 15/20 mins in every likely looking swim. The chub were not playing ball, or maybe they were. I had no interest on the cheesepaste.

The bridge swim

Finally changing to maggot feeder, it was constant knocks. The first fish was a grayling, the second an out of season Trout, no pics. I value my life. 

I made the effective decision to deliver at pace and collaborating with myself headed upstream. My usual banker, that had not served me or Rupe well in recent visits. I sat on the cold wet ground and watched the rod tip.

I need not bothered, it went no where. The last swim of the day is an old favourite. My mate Giles had a good pike from here many years ago, I was not allowed to say where. So here it is. 

I thought about this as I sat in the swim. I wish I brought the pike rods. Constant taps on the maggot feeder but nothing materialised into a proper bite! 

Heading back to the car, I met Ellis and Carole, they were out on a shopping trip. It was nice to catch up and admire their clean wellies. We must do a parmo soon! 

Heading home I was glad I went out, but now I have had a few beers and some hot food. I am even more glad that I came home!! That's a game changer. 

Splish, splash. I was taking a bath

2/2/2025

10am until 2.30pm 

I didn't find the fish today. 2 hours roaming the river and 2 hours in a bait and wait style swim. Neither produced a knock. 

Ledgered Cheesepaste on the Tees was the attempt, blank the result. It was fairly mild though and time on the bank was worth it. 

I did think whilst sitting there, time is ticking away fast for this river season. I have some commitments for a few up coming weekends, so not sure how many more trips I will get in. 

I was going to sit it out until dark, but after no interest, I decided an early bath might be a better use of my time. 

Wade, warm up, catch, repeat

18/1/2025

8.30am until 3pm

Flooded, freezing rivers since the start of the year. Finally a day off coincided with good conditions. Ellis and I hit the Tees. 

A very sharp frost, localised where we fished meant it was rather cold. I don't think my feet were warm for much of the day. 

We fished our usual spots, me on the float. Ellis had float rod and maggot feeder. The latter proving a good choice as it was a technique that worked well today. 

Ellis caught the first grayling on the feeder, after I had hooked, played and lost three! I had no luck. Ellis's fish was a beauty, at 1lb 4oz. 

A walk to warm up and we fished the upstream section. Again my luck was not here  I changed hooklink and first cast I was snagged and lost it. We worked our way back downstream and Ellis caught another good sized grayling, this time on the float. 

We moved back to the island swim and finally I kept a fish on. In the net and my first fish of 2025. 

Ellis had the final fish of the day, again on the maggot feeder. A lovely fish with a split dorsal, that looked exactly like the first fish he caught six hours earlier!! Repeat.