I had arranged to meet up with Pete at Stratford weirs at 08:15. Not being able to sleep at the thought of fishing the Avon again I was on the bank by 07:45. As I arrived first at our favoured pegs I could see they were already well and truly occupied. Four anglers of incorrigible character were ensconced. There was no room at this inn.
I chatted a while with these associates / reprobates and enjoyed their shared enthusiasm for our pursuit.
Pete was yet to arrive so I phoned ahead and diverted him to Wasperton to check out the angling density there. He wound me up further by saying there was a school party of children on a field trip in every peg. Furthermore he went on to say that if I insisted on boasting about the fish I 'd caught to the local papers it was noone's fault but my own that the original pegs were taken on this prime fishing day. I want to put his point of view down to jealousy but I think realism on his part wins.
Waspo' was free so I upped sticks and went to join him there.
He fished the 'hole in the willows', I fished the 'Hawthorn bush'. Neither of us caught a Barbel.
I had two Chub for my efforts, biggest 4lb 14ozs;
I caught a Pike in bizarre circumstances. Fishing maggot feeder I caught a small Dace about 4ozs. Wanting to show the fish to Pete I put it in my landing net in the edge of the flow. About fifteen minutes after doing so a Pike struck the landing net in a flurry of spray and muddied water. It got it's teeth stuck in my net so thinking quickly I picked the net up and rotated it 180 degrees trapping the Pike against the bank. The Pike weighed 4lb 14 ozs. Weird.
Although neither of us caught Barbel we both really enjoyed the day. Perhaps if it were later in the season then ten hours on the bank without the desired effect might not have been greeted so warmly but as it was our first river session of the year we were both smiling come pub time.
Cheers.
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