Back down to Earth with a bump following the highs of last weeks Shark expedition. The Warks Avon was the venue for a Barbel foray but despite warm, dark and overcast conditions they just did not play ball. I looked at the weather and felt full of confidence but that drained in direct correlation to the fishless hours. I had bait dropped two very fishy looking areas with hemp and was fishing flavoured meat over the top. One area was the smooth water at the bottom of a run off the weir and the other a very likely looking gravel run downstream. Four long hours into my short Five hour session and not a sniff.
I decided to chuck it and chance it so instead of cubes of meat I ripped off chunks, put one on each rod and chucked them in the 'washing machines' under the weir sill. Within minutes I was in and what thought like a really good Chub popped it's slimy head above the surface, a big Eel!
I then amazed myself. I got the hook out with relative ease and weighed it at 2lb 1oz. Also I laid it on it's back and rubbed it's belly. It then was still long enough for me to take a self portrait. I normally don't get close to them, but I was on my own so had no choice. The Anguilla swam off strongly and I went home a happy angler.
Good to hear so many reports of the 'rare' eel coming out of the Wark's Avon, Joe. I think those fishery scientists should get down there , do an anguilla survey and give us all some good news for once!
ReplyDeleteI had an evening recently fishing lobworm on the Avon and caught about a dozen bootlaces in an hour and missed as many bites, they are rarer than they used to be but 90% down in numbers? I don't think so! I am glad they are not at the old levels then!!
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