8am until 4pm
Today's trip was with Ellis on the Swale at Morton. It had been a while since I had fished with Ellis ( October, by looking at past blogs) so I was looking forward to seeing what Cypriot skills he could bring to river fishing.
Arriving before Ellis (obviously) I started to set the rods up. One ledger with cheese paste around a cork ball for chub. One float ledger dead bait for pike. Soon he was driving down the muddy track and we were able to try our luck.
"Hiya mate", I said.
"Now then", the reply
"Not wanting to jinx it, but I have not blanked in ages, not since I last fished with You!!", was my welcoming jinx!!!
Ellis tackled up the same and we headed for the river.
Casting each of our particular set ups to a likely spot, we sat and waited. The wind picked up and was bitter. Chilling us right down, and with no bites, it was worth a move to a sheltered spot.
A quick walk, would have been quicker except for the slurry pit I walked through, and we were in our favoured swim. A "banker" swim, you may call it.
Casting out, we waited. Immediately my rod bounced and jumped about. A fish was on, but quickly was then off. I cast again. Same thing.
This did not feel like chub bites, it kept happening until eventually I connected and played a jumping trout across the river. Unfortunately it came off a short way before the net.
Ellis expertly cast his pike rod to the far bank, I don't mean the big slack pool near the far bank, I mean actually on the far bank! Fortunately he easily pulled off the snag and his gear was soon fishing the slack pool near the far bank! But to no avail, so he concentrated on the cheesepaste.
The pike rods were now only spectators and out for a carry around the river.
Ellis got into the action, and soon his rod was bouncing at the continued nibbling of trout on the cheese paste!
We chatted with Jason and his son, a member of Big Elbow on FB and a new member to the Northallerton club. We gave him all our best knowledge, so hopefully he gets on a few fish too!
Ellis was soon playing a trout across the river, and unlike mine he got it into the net. Not the intended target but something to warm us up on a cold day. Quickly unhooked and a speedy picture, the trout was back into the river.
Soon it was time to move again. In these conditions, it was best to keep moving, stay warm and try and find the fish. Moving to where I had caught a big chub recently, we settled in the swim. We switched between a ledger and just free lining large cheese paste balls.
It was Ellis who started getting bites, and as we watched his rod I saw his line tighten and he was into a fish. As he struck, a large trout jumped clear of the water trying to shake the hooks. Ellis played the fish for a few seconds but sadly it got off. Encouraged by this we were now Trout/chub fishing with cheese paste! No more fish here, so it was another quick walk.
Fishing a swim where Ellis caught a 5lb Chub in about 5 seconds in flood conditions, it looked just as good today but in a different way, minus the big pile of dog poo that is!!
Ellis cast his bait to midway and let the current carry it under a large over hanging tree. As we sat and chatted about life, Ellis's rod hooped around, this was no trout bite. He struck, but picking up mostly slack line, the fish was off. He rebaited and cast again, allowing the flow to carry his bait to waiting chub. It was 30 minutes for the chub to investigate again, this time Ellis struck into the fish and with me scrabbling up the bank to get the net, I was soon netting the fish. A lovely chub about 3lb was the reward.
With no further fish, it was time to walk back towards the car and fish the same spots, hoping our initial tries were enough to get some fish on the bait. As we walked we chatted about all things E bay, and had some good laughs!!
Back to a promising looking swim, we free lined just off the main crease. It was Ellis's rod again that started to tap, again we both watched it as a bite that was obviously a trout bite turned into a complete chub wrap around!! Ellis was soon battling a much bigger chub that was trying to get into the snags. He expertly guided it into the net ( minus pole) that I had open in the water. A lovely, so close to a pb, chub of 5lb 5oz lay in the net.
As Ellis was now sleeping on the job and still catching the fish, I needed to pull my socks up!! We fished on until dark but sadly no more fish.
As I write this awaiting to go fishing again on Big Elbow for the day, I remember what fishing is to me. It's about catching fish, but also it's about sharing it with mates and jinxing yourself on the way!!
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