Let's Have A Hosepipe Ban Now

I have had a busy week, in between fishing, I have had to edit some programmes, attend a meeting of the senior stewards for the Royal Lancashire Show. get my car waxed and do an interview for BBC Look North with reference the crayfish in the River Aire which have been illegally introduced by some idiots.
On Monday it was a long editing session, then after tea I had to go off for a meeting of senior stewards where my evening was spent making arrangements for the Royal Lancashire Show in July 26th 27th and 28th. This show is being opened by Sir Matthew Pinsent. I am looking forward to meeting with this great Olympian.Then it was back in the studio. I was hoping to go seatrout fishing but the Rivers Ribble and Hodder are not worth fishing at the moment. Low water and lots of clodorpha weed.

Tuesday I visited the River Aire to collect rubbish, do some habitat work and cast a fly for a pike. It was nice to see so little rubbish, some of the other members must have been out on the bank over the weekend. There were no gypsies or travellers to eject which again made a pleasant change. I checked my mink traps but nothing. I spotted several pike but they were not interested in grabbing a fly. I did get one fish about 15lbs which put up a good fight. I spent the evening at home trying to tidy up my two sheds.

Wednesday was spent cataloguing photographs, writing a magazine feature on bone fishing and trying to sort out my flights to Swedish Lapland for the World Fly fishing championships in August. I called several fishmonger trying to buy some green lipped mussels. I was lucky to find a fishmonger on my doorstep who could get me the mussels. I spent a couple of hours polishing my fly rods and guides, cleaning fly lines and attaching new leaders. Fly boxes were checked, chewed up flies replaced. It might be a bit boring but its a very important job which has to be done.

Thursday I met up with Kirsty Mitchell of BBC TV North at Silsden on the River Aire, where I recorded an interview before going off chub fishing. It was the perfect day for fishing floating baits. I soon had chub swirling and slurping down chunks of crust. Using an 11 foot Avon rod, centre pin reel and 4lb line with a size 4 hook, I soon started to catch some nice chub, the best at 5-8-0. Having caught several fish which came in like a wet cloth I decided I shouldn't be fishing in these conditions and called it a day about 2-0pm Our rivers are certainly desperate for rain. Not just a heavy shower, but a week, No two weeks of steady rainfall. I really do feel the Environment Agency have let us down badly in not enforcing a countrywide hosepipe ban which should also include ban on all car washing and the watering of golf and race courses. In fact we should all be encouraged to save water. Tomorrow I will be travelling down to Wasing Syndicate fishery for the weekend. I am going to see if I can catch some tench and bream. I might even try for a carp at dawn, if I can find them in the margins rooting about. On the way down I plan to call in at Cotswold baits to collect a tub of hemp, some method mix and boilies. Phil Chum has certainly put together some nice baits. I also like the hooks they have for sale. Though they have to be de-barbed before use. Cotswold Baits can be contacted on 01285-861896 or E-mail [email protected]