Zed Leppelin, Zed Cars & Zederby. But Green.

Tuesday 6th October, 16:00 - 20:00. Avon at Stratford. Light rain in the air but mostly dry & breezy.

I'd arranged to meet Danny Everitt for this session in another attempt to bag a 5lb+ Zander. I was buoyant after the fish had been so obliging on my two previous sorties and as I yomped towards the river I was almost certain I would catch my target species. I was willing a five pounder to bite.

Danny was already fishing when I arrived at the waterside and after salutations greeted my, "Any good?" with, "Just had one eight and a half pounds!". After he'd showed me the photo I took a long run up and attempted to rugby tackle him into the river. He deftly sidestepped and I became entangled in the mainline of his quiver rod with raised tip. I dangled from his tip ring over the waters edge by my britches for over three hours before he would cut me loose. Man, eight and a half pounds! I want one of those.

Danny's Zander;

I set up opposite the weir just up from a guy who'd had a thirteen pound Barbel on worm earlier in the day. Nice work.

Mmmm, smell the Avon.

Before casting out my Zander rods I had a quick go in the small weirpool with a pole. I was using it at 6m but had tied up the line to 4m length. I'd left all my tackle apart from pole and maggots by the other rods and so just squatted on the ground. I couldn't kneel as the concrete was soaking wet. I started catching some small fish. The gusty wind meant I couldn't put pole sections on the concrete surface as they were being blown along. Every time I caught a fish I stood up and swiped around at the fish until I could grad hold and unhook it. This prompted Danny to comment that it looked like I was comedy fishing. Rather than risk another mistimed rugby tackle I agreed with him as I think I actually did look like a fishing clown. I'm available for kids parties, so long as there's a crate of Stella on hand - how hard can it be?

I settled down to Zander fishing and had four throughout the evening. Most came from the deeper water on the inside of the weir run off but not one over five pounds in weight. I estimate I hit about fifty percent of the bites in the session, so still missing a good few.

Fishing clown throws sharp Zander into crowd of kids at party shocker;


I logged on when got home and read about Roger Booth's near double Zed from the Coventry canal.

I am green.

Cheers.