A Change

Child care duties meant that tench fishing was a little awkward this past fortnight, so I decided on a bit of a change and took my kids over to the local river for a couple of dawn sessions...

Worried. 

Monday 23rd July I took my daughter aged 7 (aka Pest) over to the river at 5am. A bit of a toe in the water and my first semi serious perch session of the river season, and I scored!  2 stripes on float fished dendra for a combined weight of about 7 ounces. Loads of colour in the water still. Back home for 815.

Two days later Wednesday 25th July and it was the eldest's turn, same deal as Monday. I started off in the same swim at 515, got a few raps from small fish but nothing concrete I let the boy have his first ever cast and he found the far bank nettles.

We moved swim and I got the float rod out and let him fish the leger. Like his sister he's a left hander so I altered the reel handle for him and dropped a piece of meat on the edge of the main flow whilst I sorted the float rod. After about a minute 'Daaaaaaaad' and he's holding onto something for dear life. Give him his due he's taken control and he's got the leviathan near some reeds to the right, so gillie no 1was on hand with the net and the boy's first chub of about a pound was in the in the onion bag.

I stuck with the worms and had a ruffe and small perch, so I didn't blank

Friday 3rd August I was woken up by Mrs C having a coughing fit at 3am, so, unable to go back to sleep I legged it over to the river at 5am.

I'd spoke to Hannibal about fishing some of the swims near to the various footpaths that I seldom fish during the day time due to the general public so decided to take advantage of the quiet and float fish some of these swims close in using the pin, with dendras on the hook.

Ten minutes or so in each swim was the order of the day and after about 30 minutes the obligatory mug chub of about 12oz showed up, a dabble in a few target swims produced a few bites from small fish but nothing of note so I headed back upstream and fished alongside some far bank overhanging trees.

3.12

After a dozen runs or so I've hooked a fish that has pulled back and then some, a dogged scrap, I thought I'd hooked one of the resident snotties which I've had to over 6lb, however a decent chubby chops broke the surface, into the pan it went, 3lb 12 oz, a good fish for my neck of the woods and not a beaten up old warrior either.

I stayed put and added a further 2 chub, one at 3ish and another of about 2. Home for  9 bells.