Mornings Only

I managed to fit two morning sessions in this weekend as the title suggests, and they were very contrasting. On Saturday I went down the Avon looking for Barbel and on Sunday I visited the Lenches fishery with a fly rod to catch the resident Trout.
Saturday 25th June
The alarm woke me up at 3.30am and a quick cuppa later and I was in the van and down to the river at first light. Normally I am first on to the river but this year I have noticed an alarming number of bivvies and this was no exception. Two bivvies already in place in the swim I wanted meant I had to take my second choice. I wasn't 100% confident of catching old whiskers and it proved to be the case. No Barbel took my boilie but I did catch a decent Chub to avoid the blank. I haven't double checked but I don't think I have blanked yet this year which is really pleasing but there have been a few similar sessions where I have come close.

A quick self take with too much fingers not enough fish and I was back home for a 9.00am breakfast.

Sunday 26th June
My fly fishing buddie Uncle Ken was down at ours for the weekend so that could not pass by without some fluff chucking. We headed off early morning to the Lenches. There were three other anglers already fishing on the top lake and Uncle Ken joined them. I headed down to the bottom lake so I was alone and no one would notice my amateurish attempts. I prefer the bottom lake because it is shallower and easier to see the fish. This helps me learn which fly does what in the water and also the fishes reactions to each. Most of the time they ignore the fly completely, odd occasions they come for a look and turn away. I kept changing flies all morning but to be honest it was probably my casting that kept them away.
After an hour or so I put on a fly that my daughter Maisie would have chosen first. It was barbie pink and large and fluffy and I thought the fish may attack it in the bright sunshine. Apparently it is called a pink Cactus fly. I cast somehow into the middle of a few and they all seemed to rush at the fly as soon as I started to retrieve it. A 2lb 6oz fish won the race but lost the ensuing battle with me. Result.  Half an hour later and I had one of his mates too, 2lb 2oz.

If you look closely you can see the fly just above the rod handle. The Trout looked shocked to have fallen for such a thing. I was only on a two fish ticket and had reached my limit before the 'experts' which shows that it is better to be a lucky angler than a good angler!
I extended my limit and within no time had anglers fishing either side of me and one opposite! That did not bother me as I knew my casting would soon scare them off! A couple more fish came out but not to my rod and we were home for 1pm.
Two pleasant fishing sessions and still lots of time to play with the kids, it cannot get better than that.