Another session on the Thames again.

So after a couple of days not fishing it was time to get on the Thames again. To be frank I’m disappointed with the size of the chub that I’m catching. On the H.Avon you would expect to land a 6lber amongst a few others. It’s just me having the 5lbers and Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley has been catching them to just under 5lbs. He has probably been catching more fish than me so has been really unlucky, or I’ve been very lucky. I said last time I might just move to a different stretch after seeing the otters and actually having one take the chub I was playing.

So I moved downstream to another stretch and arrived early in the morning. It was not particularly cold and at 2c little frost was around. I decided to walk the entire stretch putting in some cheese paste into each good looking swim. Well it turned out there were so many great looking swims I had to rethink as I would have used me entire stock of cheese paste.

The walk was about 1 mile or so and it warmed me up. There was not another sole in sight. The river was still low and clear where we had little rain fall. After the walk I settled into a deep bend with a small willow just below me on the outside of a bend. I was convinced that the lazy old chub would sit under here waiting for the food to sweep around the bend straight into the area. Whilst I tackled up I put a few lumps of paste into the swim.

First cast was to the far side of the river in order to bump the bait down under the willow. I had only a few minutes before the rod top pulled around and I gave it a few ft of line and then struck and bang the rod pulled over as I had hooked a lovely chub fighting for freedom. It really didn’t try to escape into the willow rather go out into mid river. With the battle over I slipped the net under the chub. It looked wonderful as I unhooked it. On the scales it went 5lbs 2oz and the 4th 5lber from the river and one for each visit.

I tried once more hoping for a repeat but nothing else came along. I retraced my steps back up the river stopping in each good looking swim. Sure I missed a few bites along the way but managed 5 chub. Some were about 1lb which is good news for the future. After saying that I did see another otter, probably one of those I saw last time I fished. It came with 10m of me hiding behind a tree.

One amusing thing happened to me as I walking to the next swim. One minute I was walking the next minute I was head butting the ground flat out. Luckily the rod wasn’t broken neither any part of me. However I did put my foot into the bucket making a good sized hole. Luckily it was still serviceable and nothing would fall out as the tray was still ok.

By now there were a good few dog walkers and normal Thames path walkers too. Each one I said good morning to and each one returned the greeting. I was nearing the car parked up and stopped to talk to one lovely lady with a dog. I didn’t want to hang around as it was 1pm and I wanted to fish another stretch. So I said goodbye and returned to the car for the short drive to the other stretch. Once getting into the car in the mirror I noticed a load of mud right on my nose where I kissed the ground in the fall. What must the people have thought as I was walking past saying hello, also the lovely lady!!!!

Still not many can say they kicked the bucket and came back to life.

The forecast was for heavy rain or snow moving in later in the day, to be more precise at 3pm. So I quickly made a move for a swim where I missed a couple of bites last week. There was a chap fishing about 50m upstream but I wasn’t going to bother him. I cast out downstream adjacent to the willow branches and let the 2 swan shot bump the bait right under them. I waited for 10 mins but wasn’t happy about being in the right place. So I recast and sure enough it bounced around the gravel bottom eventually stopping just under the willow branches where the chub should be waiting. This time I had to wait for 20 mins which is a long time for a tap on the rod top. I moved the rod towards the chub and the tip kept moving around. I sharp sweep of the rod in the strike saw it take on a wonderful curve as a strong chub tried to gain the sanctuary of the willows. With the 6lb main line you can give these fish a fair amount of pressure and sure enough it was soon in midstream. It felt like a good fish with the battle it was putting up. The soft series 7 Drennan quiver rod has a powerful mid section and this soon had the fish under control.

The chap upstream raised his head to see that I was into a chub. on the scales it went 4lbs 9oz so a nice fish but no monsters. There was a little rain in the air and the clouds were gathering in the north west as I headed to the next swim. It was where I had the 5lber last time. A row of hawthorns on the far bank with branches in the river gave brilliant cover for the chub. I introduced a few free offerings while I had a coffee and banana. The clouds were gathering and the rain started to fall harder. 2nd cast using 5 swan shot to bounce the cheese paste around the edges of the far bank branches had the rod arch over as a lively chub engulfed the bait. It was a very short tussle as it was a small fish of just over 3lbs. I recast and tried again. Just one small pull from a fish but nothing else came along. That was it the umbrella came out and I swiftly walked to the final swim of the day. I introduced some balls of paste once again before setting up under the umbrella. It was pouring and I was hoping it wouldn’t turn to snow. I was relatively dry under the umbrella but the wind got up and soon I was re positioning it to stay dry. The rod top bounced around in the wind and rain. Nothing much seemed to be happening. Then after a couple of recasts with the 2 swan shot and inching the bait into position I was happy. Having only 30 mins of light left the rod top started to pull around I struck to find a thump thump on the end then the line parted. I can only think the chub had taken the bait and had gone into the willow roots without too much of any indications on the rod tip. Buggar, I had to re-tackle again in the rain. I fished until dark without another touch.

So 7 chub for the day was a great result however the size of the chub is still very disappointing. Still thinking of another stretch to be fished which might just help us out.