July 09, 2013

Sun Dog


I don't like to visit the swims that have been producing for the hotel guests, some cross over is inevitable but I have no interest in chasing anybody else's fish and prefer to find my own in any case. This is not usually that hard to do and I have little favourite spots that few others find let alone fish. So, my quandary is that the fish are proving extremely reluctant to play ball due to, I believe, their numbers being considerably down for some reason and the extreme low river with high temperatures. In short - I can't buy a bite.

I'm working on it though - hard. I had a walk around the fishery, travelling light and looking for fish in all those summer haunts where you can normally spot a fin or two - nothing. I saw a chub eat a pellet in one swim but just one and elsewhere a chub sat under a bush until it spotted me spotting it and it was gone. Not a barbel anywhere. Exhausted and despondent I left.

Fish into dark! I declared to Neil and he joined me and a mate (Pete) who's staying at the pub for an evening assault. I had chosen my spot beforehand but Pete had fished it earlier in the day and wanted to return. 'Fine' I declared, you'll catch there this evening - and he did, two barbel.

Neil and I sat either side of a large bush and fished a noted evening swim. There was much surface activity as the light faded to a backdrop of the chattering call of the sedge warblers. I had a nod on my left rod which I lifted but nothing was there although, at that moment, the downstream rod heaved to a mighty line bite. I was puzzled and wondered what would have caused it, my doubts were later confirmed.

The river died, it all just went 'quiet' at a time you would expect activity. The peace was shattered by a loud Kersploosh! and a volley of Anglo Saxon from Neil as he threw a rock at a dog otter that had the audacity to sit and stare at him having ruined our chances for the evening.

Ah well, back to the drawing board. The evening did have a spectacular sunset though. Earlier the sun had one of those 'Sun Dogs' beside it in the form of a small vertical rainbow. I spent some time playing with the settings on my compact and took a number of shots then, as the sun dipped, there was a spectacular sunset. Little cameras never do sunsets justice so I put my polaroid glassed infront of the lens and got the desired affect, hope you like it.






Next day I was out again, this time to a spot that always produces and, by the chest high nettles I had to clear, was as yet unfished. Despite staying into dark and becoming encircled by a mighty army of sticky slugs, not a twitch to my line was registered.


I am now officially in crisis. I'm away for a couple of days and will return refreshed and ready for another assault but the river is making life very difficult - well, it is for me anyway.

I shall return!









4 comments:

  1. Unlucky Dave, but it is pretty darn hot right now and that can't be helping. Some stunning sunset pictures there, especially the very last shot. Wisps of cloud, like plumes of smoke hanging in a hazy orange sky.

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  2. It made up for the lack of action Mark...... almost.

    By the way, I can't add a comment to your latest blog - I think you've broken the internet.

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  3. Really David? Got no idea why that is, I will take a look.

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  4. Hi Dave.

    I'm barbel blanking in great style on the Trent.

    www.thedeepeningpool.blogspot.com

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