Bolo boys

Date fished 17/6/2022

9am ish until 4pm ish

Ish sums up the day today, lacking the F.

After a good evening of food, beers, chat and annoying Finn the dog it was bed just before midnight. Alarms set for 7am as we were going to the Swale today. We packed everything we needed and headed off.

Joke!

We parked up and got our kit ready. A float rod and ledger rod each. Maggots, meat, bread and prawns for bait, the fish not ours!! Carole had sorted us our with ham sandwiches!! 

I was quicker to get ready today, but it seems both Ellis and I do it the same way! 

When we were ready we walked to the river. It was very low and clear, with a covering of weed on the bottom. The phrase most anglers use when we see this is always "it needs a good flush through". Ellis and I were no different, and uttered this to each other as we walked to our chosen (starter) swim. 

We both chose bolo floats and were soon rigged up and fishing. I was catching minnows and Ellis was having reel problems. His maggot in the water as he dealt with a birds nest, quickly pounced on by a minnow too. We fed and trotted but even after a big splash from an unseen critter, we decided to move. 

We saw some fish below this swim, so decided we could sit comfortably together, have a chat, do some on line shopping and wait for the fish to pull the rods. We had both ditched the floats now, in favour of ledger.

Some perfect casting and our baits were in the right spot. As we waited, I saw a large Pike swimming in front of us. We watched it cruise lazily around and wondered if it would eat the crayfish we had seen moments before. 

My rod gave an indication, but with nothing to show for it, I am guessing Cray, minnows or aliens. Definitely one of the three!! 

We decided to move yet again, now fuelled by our own bait. We explored the area where Ellis had caught the Barbel. The river/bank were very different now. Nature and man had worked hard to reshape it. We cast to likely spots and waited. 

Suddenly it happened. Ellis's rod gave a knock, clearly a fish wanted prawn for lunch. We both watched his rod for the bite to develop. What actually happened though was very different. My rod wiggled and I was soon playing a 4lb Chub to the net. Seems spam fritters are more palatable than prawn cocktail!! 

We waited a while longer but nothing else happened. I put on my waders and we went to explore another area. 

I opted to fish a deep corner, whilst Ellis got comfy on his chair in a swim he had success in before. 

As I stood holding the ledger rod, it gave a few knocks as a fish took my bait. I was too eager for another fish and struck too early.

I float fished some meat along the edge of the trees but nothing. 

I was beaten, I went and sat with Ellis. As we planned future, and reminisced about past trips we willed his rod to go. Sadly the Chub had other ideas and we left them too it. 

It was one of those tough days today. We blamed the weather, river level, predation risk, fish biological clocks, weed level, farmer, EA and God. Of course everyone else too. 

We walked back to the cars and sorted our kit in reverse. I didn't take any pictures of that, I was too bloody knackered! 

You assume I refer to the floats we both used today? 

Of course, or is it one of these?? I will let you decide.......

To Ellis when I take pictures of him!?! 

Clearly the very definition of us!?! 🤣