Eel, Warks Avon

An evening session hoping for Eels but lobworms have a universal appeal to all species so with every twitch of the quivertip you have no idea what the culprit is. The first three fish landed were all 3oz Perch and then suddenly the tip flew round with a better stamp of fish. A really tough tussle ensued with the unseen quarry battling through the far bank weedbed and causing a few hairy moments. Finally the culprit started to tire and I could see a stunning river Tench of about 4lbish. The fight was better than any of the 8lb Tench I had battled in the spring, amazing from a fish half their size. Living in running water had really built up it's muscles.

I shouted four pegs down to our lad to bring the camera and when he arrived he told me he had a decent Bream and so I put the Tench back and trailed up to take his picture in return. He was also on the Lobs and the Bream weighed 4lb 7oz. This season is his first real foray into serious specimen fishing so this is probably his fourth or fifth pb of the year!                       

Being super competitive I had to outdo him and I added several more Perch, two Chublets and my own Bream. Having already had a double figure Bream this year I would normally have put it straight back but instead I decided to wind my brother up and weigh it as I was sure it was the larger. I was proved correct but only just, beat him by 2oz! His round first at the pub on the way home!