It's Been a Tough Couple of Weeks

I arrived back home from three weeks in the UAE where the temperatures were in the 80 degree's F. Temperatures in the UK were minus 6 degrees F. My local river Ribble was frozen from bank to bank in many areas, one stupid woman nearly perished when she walked onto the ice to rescue her dog. Thankfully a quick thinking guy managed to rescue her. When will people learn that you don't walk on ice covered rivers and lakes to rescue an animal.

The day following my return home I was walking my beat of the Ribble where I found some open water below the weir, an area where in the past I've had success in Arctic conditions, After putting in 2 balls of mashed bread the size of a golf ball, I walked back upstream to the cabin for a brew and beef sandwich. After putting together a soft Avon action rod, centre pin reel with 4lb line, I then tied on a size 4 Pallatrax barbless hook. I lightly pinched on 3 LG shot about 4 inches from the hook. Thirty minutes later I made my first cast, within 10 minutes I felt the line tighten as the tip was pulled round, soon a chub about 3lbs was ready to be unhooked in the margins. Rebaiting I cast to the same spot adding a chicken size ball of mashed bread. Quickly chub number 2 was ready for unhooking, another fish about 3lbs. With the temperature falling fast I had one more cast quickly catching a chub probably going 4lbs. Back home I basked in the warmth of the central heating as I sat down to a hot pot dinner.

Next day after dealing with 137 overnight e-mails, I sorted the morning post where I was pleased to find the pots of cheese paste I had ordered from Pallatrax had arrived. After making a sandwich I chucked some gear in a bag then headed off to the river. The track down to the riverside cabin was even more ice covered than the previous day, but with no other drivers to worry about it was a safe drive. Parking up I walked downstream to the pool where I put in couple of balls of mashed bread and some bait size pieces of cheese paste as free offerings.

It was then went off to check my mink traps, I was pleased to see I had got two of these evil killers, which were quickly dispatched. Further upstream in the Bridge Pool I disturbed a cormorant which was shot as I had a licence. Thankfully I have managed to keep this fish eating bird under control by being at the water and making life uncomfortable for these pests. Its only the occasional bird which needs to be shot. I do find it strange that more clubs and syndicates don't wage war on the mink and grey squirrel both are pests that need to be controlled, as should the cormorants. Back at the cabin Joe and Brian two of my bailiffs were busy making a fresh brew.

An hour later I'd hooked my first fish of the session, a chub about 4lbs quickly followed by 3 more fish of similar size all on crust smeared with cheese paste. Back in the early 1980's fishing the River Wensum I had chub weighing 5-7-0 and 6-2-0 in consecutive casts, the bait that day was crust smeared with cheese. Nothing changes. With the light failing and temperature falling well below zero I packed up and headed for home.

South to the Kennet

I then had a couple of busy days getting ready before going down south to fish the Kennet, Loddon, Avon and Wye. Early morning sessions were spent in the studio editing programme material, followed by a few hours on the river bank and in the woods sorting out my traps, also shooting a few pigeons and rabbits. Monday 6th December I was up before dawn packing all the gear and food for my trip south, the weather was bitterly cold, frost seemed as if it would be around for weeks, there was no sign of those warm south westerly winds and warm rain coming in from the Atlantic we all desire.

David Foster arrived about nine o'clock, after loading all my gear in his vehicle, it was time to move off. We stopped at the butchers shop in Chatburn to collect 20 balls of sausage meat paste before driving along the A59 to the M6. Thankfully it was a pleasant drive, 3 hours later we arrived at Tackle Discounts retail store at the Europa Business Park, Parsonage Road, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 4RJ, Tel 0845 299 0602 where Phil Chun quickly made 2 mugs of freshly made coffee. While I signed some copies of my latest book At The Water's Edge with Martin James, David purchased a 13 foot salmon fly rod and some new chest high waders. I needed some new wading boots, after trying on several pairs I found a pair which I was happy with, I also got some big tubs of hempseed and other bits and pieces. Its amazing how we all buy something every time we visit a tackle shop, this shop is huge with no parking problems, the car park can probably accommodate a 100 cars.

Two hours later David and me had sorted out some accommodation for the next few days, after a bite to eat we made our way to the Kennet pulling into the car park just before dusk. We both chose to fish 'Slack Alice' swim with either bread crust or sausage meat paste. In 3 hours we didn't get a single movement on the rod tip so we packed up fishless. Back at our accommodation, it was nice to sit in front off a warm fire with a mug of tea and a plateful of hot food.

Day two back on the Kennet it was tough going with just 1 bite, a small chub on crust. It was so cold we didn't bother to fish on in the darkness. We both spent the evening discussing the fishing prospects or reading before bedding down early. Next day back on the Kennet I was joined by Mike James who wanted to learn about the river, and where he might find the perch for which the river is well known. David decided to fish upstream towards the weir pool.

Some Nice Chub and Missed Bites

After walking the river bank with Mike and pointing out various swims to fish, I left him to try his luck while I went off and tried a few spots. It was my lucky day I caught 4 good chub all on crust then missed 7 good bites which should have all been hooked. I probably got a bit arrogant, I should have been holding my rod through his productive session, then as I got the first slight pull I should have pushed the rod forward giving some slack line. By being blasé and not holding the rod, I missed what should have been more fish. Hopefully I shan't make that mistake again. As darkness enveloped us we packed up, we both needed some food.(See pictures)

The next day I was feeling rough with diarrhoea and sickness but as I had Mick Cutler as a guest I just had to get out on the river. I had one small chub about 2lbs, David and Mick never had a bite, it was a cold miserable day on the river. The next day was spent in bed and the bathroom, while David and Mick went off to another stretch of the Kennet, but again it was tough going, Mick had a warning pull at dusk, but missed the follow up bite as the rod tip was pulled round. Friday things didn't improve they returned fishless, not even a single bite for their efforts.

Saturday I had to be on the river as Alex Cheema was travelling up from London for a days tuition, I felt rough finding it quite hard just to walk along the river bank. I suppose a cold river bank wasn't the best place to be. David and Mick fished further upstream with no success, though Will Carter arrived later in the day for a short session catching a barbel about 6lbs on cheese paste and missing another bite. Ron Jones had a barbel and a chub on lobworm from the 'Slack Alice' swim. Alex and I tried several swims before I suggested he fish another spot close to a bridge. Alex missed a couple of bites then caught a nice chub about 4lbs. I then moved down river to fish the well know 'Bearings' swim taking a barbel about 6lbs and a chub about 3lbs both fish caught on legered lobworm. At 7 o'clock we headed off for some hot food and a mug of tea. Though Mick and David had a Guinness.

On Sunday morning we said good bye to Mick, then David and me drove across to the River Wye, after spending an hour chatting to bailiff Mike Evans and his wife we went off for some dinner then our accommodation. After a hot shower I crawled into bed falling asleep within minutes. Monday after visiting the Wye Angling centre we went and had a look at the river, seeing ice in the margins and floating bits of ice floating downstream we decided to return home.

Today Tuesday I went off to the River Ribble, after setting my mink traps I baited a swim in the wood with some bait pieces of cheese paste from the Pallatrax range then walked back to the cabin. After a brew. I pulled on my chest high waders before picking up my tackle bag and gear then walked back upstream. Stuffing some bait in the apron, I moved out into the river so I could run the cheese baited hook down the swim where I had 4 feet of water over pea size gravel. I chose to fish just one LG shot lightly pinched on the line about 15 inches from the hook. On my second cast I had a good pull connecting with an out of season trout about 2lbs. I quickly had it to hand then bent down to slip the hook free. The fish shot off downstream untouched by hand. Ten minutes later I had my first chub, a good fish around 4lbs again the fish was unhooked in the water. During the next couple of hours I had 5 good chub and 3 trout then feeling quite cold in the northerly wind I packed up and drove home. Though we didn't set the angling world alight and despite having a sickness spell I enjoyed my fishing and the company of friends.