Weather good, river not so
I was hoping for a good session because it was overcast with a low light level. However the river was very low and slow. I decided to try the far bank this time instead of mid river. This is only really possible in a light flow (unless using huge leads!). The far bank opposite me was quite sparse but there was some cover just upstream of me so I used a block-end feeder with enlarged holes and fired out about 10 casts before putting on a hook so that I could build up a bed of feed. I also used my bait dropper to put in half a dozen droppers near the downstream nearside bush.
I stuck with luncheon meat on the far bank rod because I didn’t want to be splashing in with a feeder too often and potentially scaring away fish. That meant I could alternate baits on the nearside rod. No matter what I did, I was unable to get any bites or even any indications of anything other than tiny fish nibbling at bait.
It was quite windy tonight. There were three Poplar trees on the far bank and the wind was quite noisy as it rustled through those trees and the bankside trees and bushes. I always find wind to be very isolating - not being able to hear anything except the wind gives the feeling of being in a private bubble and is not something I relish.
If it ain’t broke…
Although I use two bait-runner style reels, I have not engaged the bait runners for quite some time. This had not caused me any issues thus far. However, I decided to engage both of them tonight. I was very conscious of having to hold the spool when striking to prevent a free-running spool and the tangles that could ensue. In the heat of the moment, when my rod bent round, I struck and forgot to hold the spool. Immediately the spool started to free spin and I failed to connect with the fish. Damn it - could that be my only chance of a fish tonight! I decided to disengage the bait runners and go back to what worked well for me so far.
Far bank
I did get a couple of twitches on the far bank rod but none of them turned into proper bites. Being slightly upstream there was a high likelihood of a drop back bite and the tip did spring back a little on some occasions. I never struck at anything - perhaps I should have but these were tentative bites and I am sure that Chub/Barbel would have been more positive.
Nearside
Having missed that fish due to the bait runner, I was not sure if I had spooked the fish. However, I started to get quick pulls on the tip. These weren’t in the rod-bending category but a couple were strickable. However I did not connect with anything until just before I was due to leave around 9:30 - gets dark by then. I hit into a small Chub of maybe a pound and three quarters. I think that specific Chub may have been solely responsible for all of the bites that I had been having. The speed of the hits and the fact that my tip registered the bite for just a moment had me thinking that Chub were perhaps nipping at the meat - I only have to think back to a few days ago when I retrieved a cube of meat that had a bite out of it.
So, no photos tonight and just a single small fish. I guess it would become boring if big fish were a guarantee so I will learn a few lessons from tonight (especially about not tinkering too much) and look forward to my next session. I wonder if the fish are now starting to disperse down river. I may walk a bit further for my next session and put that theory to the test.
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