Seventh Heaven

Date fished 22/7/2020
6.30am until 12.30pm

The Magnificent Seven

With plenty of flexi time credit in the bank, I decided to take a day off work and fish the Swale. I was going to target the Chub and fingers crossed a Barbel would slip up too. Using the same tactics as Ellis and I used the other week, link ledgered / rolling meat, it was also great to fish light and adopt a roving approach. Taking just a rod, net, unhooking mat and small bag, I thought I would try likely swims upstream of the area we fished last time in the hope of more fish.

Not sure how the weather impacts fish. I think pressure has a big impact and obviously if it has rained heavily before hand, regards the river level, but normally its to see if I need to take a rain coat or not!

The river looked perfect, well it was a Wednesday and I was fishing, what could be more perfect?!?

Reviewing and comparing the river levels from our last trip on 11th July, you will note the river still contains water and its likely my sandwiches will not get wet when wading this time! ( very scientific!) 

In fact the river was quite a bit lower than that trip and very clear. 

I arrived at 6.15am and quickly walked to the river. I say quickly because the field was full of cows. They are perfectly ok, but after that evening a few years ago, they do make me a touch nervous.

(Pic of cows - but I didn't want to stop long enough to take it!)

I started in the Barbel swim and after a very short wade across the stream to get there,  I could not see them. I didn't bother to fish for them and moved to the Chub swim. A quick cast here and no takers. Very odd, I thought and moved to where I caught a small Chub before. First cast and fish on. It was the same fish! Same swim, same weight and had the damaged tail ( that's how I knew). It made me smile, like meeting up with an old friend. 

2lb 14oz

I decided conditions were not right for this area, so moved up stream to try some new parts. I didn't travel far and thought I would stop for a quick coffee and cast into the big pool above the Barbel swim. As I looked for my flask, the rod was away. Sadly I missed the bite, would this be my last chance? 

Second cast and after a few minutes the rod was away. I was ready this time and the second chub was in the net. It was still not 8am! 

3lb 14oz

Adding a pound to the first chub, they were getting bigger! 

Again, I decided to move. I wanted to explore the top end of the beat and fish some swims I had not fished for years.

I set off upstream. I stopped in Ellis and my banker (winter) swim and tried my luck. Realising I was fishing on the exit ramp from the water, I made a hasty get away as a large cow started walking purposely at me! 

I found a neat looking swim, cut away from the bank and settled in. It looked good for a bite close in, so I crept quietly down. Breaking all my stealth work when suddenly the heavens opened and I noisily and clumsily put my rain coat on. Nothing here, so I moved on.

Reaching the top of the bank, I was greeted by a committee member. I have chatted with him before, so it was good to have a natter. I showed him my membership card for good measure and shared some tales. We both agreed it was a great stretch for chub but sadly I wasn't able to compete with his Barbel stories. One day! Although I did share Ellis's capture.

We wished eachother luck, and I carried on my way. I noted it was just after 9am. I settled in a swim that I waded around a fallen tree too. It looked good for a fish or five! 

What then followed, I have never experienced before. I caught five Chub, probably lost as many bites too. I say lost, but I lost fish and then carried on and caught fish, so who's to say it was not the same fish? I fished here for 2 hours, moving between two areas. At one point I thought I would run out of meat! 

4lb 3oz

3lb 12oz 

4lb 5oz

4lb 7oz

I was playing with the head gear so I could tell the fish apart in their pics! 

The fish were feeding confidently. It was a bite a chuck. Sometimes as soon as the meat hit the water, the fish were on to it.

The rain came back, and this time it was heavy and persistent. I caught my 7th fish in the middle of a downpour.  

I was still getting bites, but I wanted to see some more if the river, so I moved on.

4lb 3oz

I only fished a few more swims, but walked all of the stretch. It's amazing to see the different parts of the river, fast, slow, deep and shallow. It takes some understanding, but a club like this is great because you can always chat to other members and "compare notes".

As I walked to the top limit, the rain stopped. I was close to the car, so thought I would call it a day. 

I may have left a few fish in that prolific swim un caught but at seven fish in total, I was in heaven! 

Too heavy- but caught 27lb 10oz of Chub!