Great to be back riverside

Eight days into the new season and I finally belatedly wet a line on running water. A short evening session on a new (to me) stretch of the upper Warwickshire Avon reputed to hold a good head of Barbel.
Tactics were exactly the same as the end of the last season, hair-rigged pellets and pva bags. Within minutes of the first cast and I was into a fish. Sadly not the Barbel I was hoping for but an immaculate small Chub graced the net. I weighed it only because it was the first of the season, 1lb 13oz, it was a start.

Three more Chub followed with the biggest being a 3lb 11oz specimen that sadly did not have the body weight that it's big head belied. It was obviously well spawned out.

Sadly no Barbel tonight but there is still plenty of summer left for ol' whiskers. It was just a pleasure to be back by flowing water and I will never grow tired of sunsets like the one we were treated to tonight.