The Snowdrops have blossomed and the Daffodils are poking through, Spring is on its way and I for one can't wait. The river still looked distinctly Winterish when I landed on its banks this morning.
The smattering of overnight snow had all but disappeared replaced by a freezing cold Northerly wind. As per last week the target was Chub and I wandered the banks armed with a fresh lump of stinky home-made cheese paste. Travelling light I baited up half a dozen swims and meandered back upstream to the first one. I fished a free running paternoster rig with a 'rotten bottom', six pound mainline and four pound hook length.
For a couple of years now I have used Owner paste hooks for my chubbing, usually a size eight, and they have never let me down. They have never been easy to get hold of but I have always found a supply apart from this week when I searched and scoured the internet and came up dry, any suggestions gratefully welcome!
The first hour passed with very little action and I was just contemplating a move when the rod tip finally twitched. It twitched again and I decided to hit it and thankfully I did because I landed what turned out to be the best Chub of the day, 4lb 5oz.
Three of its brethren quickly followed before the swim seemed to die, still a decent bag for a couple of hours work.
Tazzy seemed impressed!
My roving approach to the downstream baited areas ended up fruitless. A Barbel angler had dropped in to one of the swims (the one I really wanted to fish!) and he borrowed my scales for the one specimen he landed, a nine pounder taken on maggots.
By now the wind was really cutting through me and the dog was tired and had started shivering so we made our way home. Can't wait 'til the weather warms up.
