Ring the changes

Date fished 06/02/2022 01/03/2022

1.30pm until 5pm 6.30pm (it does not get dark as early now!)

Today's trip started yesterday last month evening. Yes, I did the usual prep, but also I charged the head torch! I was planning to stay into dark again. 

This blog beginning was actually written in February. I generally write the introduction before the trip just to get some thoughts down on "paper". I wrote the start on the evening after my last trip, fully expecting to go to the Swale the next day. The weather put stop to that and the river was flooded and unfishable. What followed was three named storms in a week. Pretty much meaning February was a write off fishing wise. 

Going back to the office some (not all) days a week has its benefits. The main one being I am 30 minutes closer to the river from home. With some leave put in for the afternoon, I thought I would finally head to the Swale  Tees so I could finally write this bloody blog entry!

The torrential rain on Monday hit the Swale this morning, so a quick change of plan had me heading to the Tees. I was determined to get this trip done! Armed with  float gear and just ledger gear,  maggots, meat and cheese paste I was going to target chub. 

I arrived at a club stretch and chatted with the farmer as I got my kit ready. We talked about the recent floods, politics, badgers and river works. It was very interesting but I needed to see if I had made the right decision. I crept over the brow of the hill and saw the river. It was up but looked good definitely un fishable! 

I started in a swim I fished a few sessions ago. I caught then so thought it a good place to start. In truth I only fished  four swims today and only two for any length of time. I felt time was not on my side so didn't wander about too much. I rigged up a rubbish size 10 hook, ledger bomb and cast into the river. Plenty of debris was coming down the river so I stuck to the inside crease near to bushes and over hanging trees. It's where I fish usually anyway! 

In this second photo, the bank you can just see underwater was where I was sat last time and stayed wet dry! 

No bites here so I moved on. In the second swim I had my first knock. Then the rod hooped over, I missed the bite. I fished on but no joy so went for a walk, resting the swim for a few minutes. 

I returned, same thing happened but I now missed bites 2,3,4,5 and six!! Six bites without connecting was drastic, not even a pixie gnome impression could help!? 

I had found the fish, I just wasn't able to do the catching part. The definition of fishing does include an element of wanting to catch, I was just not doing it well. The fish/es (maybe just one) were tucked up out the flow under a bush. 

After the sixth missed bite it was starting to get chilly. I had resulted in holding the rod and touch ledgering to feel the bites. The fifth and sixth bite gave a solid yank but I missed them. 

I decided I needed to stop being stubborn and ring the changes. After all this whole blog and session had changed since the intended trip to the Swale in February. I changed the hook for a slightly  bigger wider gape in the hope it would find a hold. I cast in and waited. Within minutes the line pulled taught, I struck into thin air solid resistance, the fish was on!! 

I played it to the new net (nicely christened) and gave a whoop phew to the watching birds! A nice Chub about  9lb 2 1/2 to 3lb.  

Ringing the changes definitely worked. Now, not all the strikethroughs above are "true" but I am not going to tell you which. I was adaptable (eventually) after some fannying. But it all paid off and I left with a smile.