Chub, Barbel and a Surprise

One of those evening sessions where the fish were just having it! I reckon I could have chucked the bait up the bank and still got a bite they were that turned on! Barbel followed Chub followed Barbel etc.
I had the river to myself surprisingly on such a lovely summers evening, the wind had dropped, the sun came out, the Kingfisher flitted about, it was perfect.
Martin was also fishing but he was about twenty miles further upstream, we kept in touch via text. His reports were uncannily similar, the fish were highly active there too. The conditions must have been right: moon phase, air pressure, temperature? I'm not sure which, maybe all the above but I won't dwell on it, sometimes it happens, just wish it was more often. I have to tailor my fishing times around family and work commitments so even if I could work out what it was specifically there would be nothing I could do about getting bankside. Fishing sessions need to be scheduled in the diary in advance.
I lost count of the number of Chub I landed but in amongst the three pounders there was an unusual hump-backed one of 4lb 12oz and a cracking lump of a Chub that despite being quite flabby pulled the scales down to a pleasing 5lb 8oz. It looks like a fish I caught a couple of seasons back, late summer weighing nearly six pound.

I also landed several Barbel, nothing huge but all in great condition and excellent battlers especially in the crystal clear water where I could see every twist, turn and thrust as they tried to make good their escapes.

All were well rested upon returning them to the water watching them swim away to make sure they were ok but when the last one was about a rod length out I notice it swim nonchalantly past the nose of a large Pike. The predator must have been attracted by the endless commotion but obviously decided this one was too large for a meal. However when the next fish I hooked was a three pound Chub it sprang into action grabbing the unfortunate fish broadside. It had admiral determination and hung on for dear life as it battled me for its supper. I thought it would let go when it saw the net but it didn't and I ended up landing both! Finally in the net it released the Chub. I left the Pike in the net while the Chub was unhooked but it thrashed about and managed to escape before I could take a unique photo. A really long but scrawny specimen that would have weighed well into double figures, something else to target come the Winter. The Chub had been through enough so I released it straight away, missing a few scales but it should hopefully survive its ordeal.
I had one last cast, hooked a better Barbel but sadly the hook pulled denying me the icing on the cake but I still went home(actually to the pub) with a smile on my face.