Always worth a trip, New Pb!

Date fished 29/10/2019

7.30 am until 5pm

Today I had the day off work and was planning a trip.  As is my usual way, I put some local feelers out and was given some advice. The river level was due to be fishable, after weeks of being flooded so I bit the bullet and was committed to heading to the Swale at Morton. I had cheese paste and luncheon meat and Chub was my target.

Setting off early, I was on the river soon after sunrise.  If nothing else, the views were spectacular!

Walking to the swim, I saw a big lob worm crawling across the path, I saw this as a sign and picked him up and put him in my net. He was going to be my first bait. Walking across the grass, slightly covered in frost, mist rising I headed up stream. Passing through a gate with a hop skip and a jump, I noticed the worm had fallen out of my net. I saw this as another sign and it didn't bode well!!

Starting in the swim I was advised of I cast in and waited. It started off cold, but as that sun got higher it became warm. The thermals I had on probably were not needed but am sure they will be in the coming months!

I had cheese paste moulded around a hair rigged cork ball, and a short hook length to a feeder filled with bread crumb and bits that were left over - pellets, corn and dead maggots.

After a few knocks with no fish, I decided to go for a walk. I headed upstream to swims where Ellis had caught in the past. Nothing here at all. I went down stream to where Ellis had caught before. Nothing here either. Realising I was not Ellis I went to a spot where I had caught before. Nothing here!! Failing all of that I went to a spot we had both caught, more just to see it. This is the swim we are trying to fish at various points in the year as a comparison – I can confirm Ellis, NOTHING HERE EITHER!!

It was now 2pm and I thought I would go back to the first swim to sit it out until dark. I had now used all my ground bait, so I was straight ledgering. I had a bush to the right and I was casting close to that, but then I saw a fish surface to the left in the faster water, presumably a trout. I had also been casting just to the edge of the flow, but my next cast, I went straight in the middle.  I took off the weight and free lined a larger ball of cheese paste, watching it go down with the flow and gradually stopping. I waited. The line suddenly tightened and the rod jumped forward, it was 15:18 and the first fish was hooked. I picked up the rod and the line went slack. My hook was slightly straightened, was this my chance gone?

Changing the hook link, I was back out in the flow. The light was soon dropping and the conditions looked perfect. I saw the line start to tighten, this time, I was on it faster and struck into the fish. I was playing the fish with some side strain and it felt big in the faster water. Soon I had it in the net and it looked a PB.  The scales confirmed this and at 5lb 8oz a new PB was mine!!! Big smiles all round.

I had shortened the net handle to hold the fish in the water, and looked at the net as I cast back out. “I will do that in a minute” I told myself. Soon the rod was over again and I was in. 3 fish in next to no time!

As I played it towards me, I started to extend the net handle with one hand while holding the rod in the other. Stupidly, I let the line go  slack and with barbless hooks, the fish got off. “Why did I not sort that net before?” I asked myself, or words to that effect!!

As the sun started to go down, I was rewarded with more great views, but unfortunately no more fish.

On a day that I could quite easily have stayed at home and not bothered, I have a new PB. All thanks to the advice I was given.
I have a rule when I ask for advice – If someone is kind enough to give you some; take it, use it, give feedback and importantly give Thanks.