An old friend so soon

As myself, my brother and the Intrepid piscator (Keith) strolled slowly across the fields yesterday evening happily chatting our tactics, the one thing came to light was the amount of different species that was available to us in this shortish beat of the Gt Ouse.
There was only one other car in the car park on our arrival at 7pm and we passed the said angler in peg 2 looking rather chilled out with rods poking skywards awaiting that tell tale bite.

Keith had decided to bring his cane rod complete with center pin and a simple tub of worms and fish for a few stripey's and ambled to the far end of the stretch.
Myself and Paul stopped halfway down in a section where a few trees scatter the far bank, the thinking behind this was with the weather so hot and the river very low, that the fish might just be held up in a bit of cover.

After about an hour I received a text from Kieth saying he had taken a couple of pristine looking perch and was getting a few chances also.

Paul had now moved from below me to above, and again a few texts were coming my way saying that it was like an aquarium in front of him, with chub, carp and a few roach boiling and taking the odd morsel from off the surface but the rods were quiet.

I had seen a couple of bream, carp and a tench scoot past me on the inside line moving from A to B but thus far the rod had remained quiet.
We had planned to fish till about 10.30 but at 11.05 I was stood at the waters edge complete with rod playing what turned out to be a chub.
After resting, unhooking and weighing one thing was noticeable........It was the same cheeky chevin that I had caught on Sunday morning with my son!!

The weight was 5oz lighter at 5lb 12oz, and although I'm not really into recaptures I was happy  to get another bite from the stretch just to keep the confidence up.

I'll be back on the beat Saturday for a late one.

Lucky chevin on fathers day

On arrival to the car park, my son Jason and I were surprised to see there were no other anglers present.

The plan was to fish  the bottom end of the beat and work our way back towards the car park, but as we approached the swim that I managed the barbel from on the opening day I was suddenly drawn to it like a magnet.

This was Jay's first visit to the stretch and on his first sight he said as we walked across the fields "this looks sexy dad", I chuckled to myself and replied "lovely ain't it"

After getting him to crawl  army fashion into the swim from the high bank we soon got settled in.

We didn't rush, I poured a cuppa from the flask to share, lit a smoke and proceeded to throw a small amount of baits into the area I intended place the hookbait.

The swim is low to the water with a hole in the reeds so that the rod can be poked through at a nice angle to the watery spot.

Rod was prepared and was soon angling, we'd been sat there probably twenty minutes enjoying the warm sunshine and chucking grass stems at each other when he piped up "you sure there's fish in here".

Again i chuckled and replied "patience boy"

As we were watching a couple of dragonfly's dancing past, the rod quivered a little before taking on a nice curved bite.

"Is it a barbel dad"? (Jays never been with me when I've had a barbus) "don't think so mate" I replied.

Soon we landed what turned out to be a bream of around the 4lb mark, "at least we've had something" he said.

A few more baits were thrown out and left to settle while i re baited the rod and prepared for our second cast.

We didn't have to wait to long before the rod end was trying to leave us, and the strike was met with a bit more resistance.

Jason was soon passing me the net and as the fish hit the surface for the first time, I could see it was a large Chub that would look more at home with a saddle strapped to it's back!

We left it in the net, resting in the margin of the swim, while I sorted the scales and the camera out.

6lb 1oz the reuben's recorded, and soon the fish was being returned after a couple of trophy shots taken by "Jason Bailey Burr".

After giving it another hour in that swim and with no other bites occurring, a move was then decided upon.

Again I decided upon a move to a swim that I had finished in a few days previous, a slightly faster current is on the far bank which kicks out from a near bank tree and this meets a slower moving near side of which in turn creates a crease.

New Zealand were playing Italy in the world cup and we sat there chatting and watching little taps on the rod tip that were being caused by Ronnie and Reggie!

We gave it until 4pm before the flask, juice and cheese sarnies had run out and  enough was enough and trotted back to the car happy that we'd wet the net and had a good a good day of it.

My lucky geography jumper & floppy hat!

As planned the alarm rang its god awful tune at 3.15am, clothes had been piled the night before so that was easy... June the 16th had finally arrived and with the new section fully in my mind, I scooted downstairs and flicked the kettle, my tea cup and flask had also been pre-baited the previous evening.

The journey to the Ouse from my house takes roughly half hour even with traffic so at 4am I should be able to fly?

Truck was loaded and off I set for my new challenge.

The plan was for me to angle from 4.30am till roughly 4pm and I'd be starting at the far end of the section and working my way back towards the car park by mid afternoon.

When we say 'this is the best time of day' there could be no truer statement, the fields are damp, the sun was making its way up and as I passed the herd of cows I thought to myself 'I wonder what they're thinking'?

From the car, the walk to the furthest swim is probably only ten minutes or so and as I neared I could not believe the amount of hares that were darting around in all directions.

My choice of  swim was where the river narrows between nearside foliage and far bank bull rushes it looks a classic and as this was the first time I had angled here for barbel this was to be my starting point.

I took my time before casting out into the new season and was making the most of this special day in the angling world.

As I was baiting my rod I just happened to look up as a kingfisher whizzed past, he was obviously looking for his breakfast and would undoubtedly catch something before I did!

Rod was cast into position and with that I grabbed the flask and poured myself a tea, lit a smoke and toasted the river. A cuckoo then decided to sing its tune, I thought to myself 'can there be a better way to spend your day'?

'I think not'

Apart from the odd tap and rattle on the rod top from the crayfish (of which there are an abundance of in this section) nothing else happened. The time was now 8.30am and a move was decided upon.

After ambling up the river about 100yds my next port of call was a sexy looking bend with a far bank tree with a canopy that comes a quarter of the way across the waters surface.

I decided to take a chance in my new swim and angle with two rods, as the potential and offering looked too much for just the one carbon stick.

Rods were poked through the reeds and baits were placed either side of the feature, again I settled back and chilled out, taking in the new scenery.

9.15 and the right hand rod jabbed round, I panicked (first bite an all that) and struck at thin air!!!

I sat back, slightly miffed at the recent 'going ons', lit a smoke to re-gather my thoughts before gently casting the rod back into it's position.

I had just sat back down and before I had time to say 'barbel', I was into something!!

After duelling with 'Mr Fish' for a couple of minutes she was soon being slid over the waiting net, my legs were trembling a little (the first of the season does that to most anglers). After laying the net back down in the margin to let the fish recover for a moment I lit another smoke while 'I' recovered for a moment!

The weight does not matter one jot, the Ouse barbel are often hard to come by so all fish no matter the size are very welcome. 6lb 8oz was recorded, a couple of shots were taken before lying her back in the margin to recover a little more.

I continued to fish the swim until around midday; nothing else happened apart from the odd chublet tap, the sun was now at its warmest and I decided upon my final move of the day.

I passed another member on my way, he'd not even had a knock and was just lying back on the grass enjoying the sunshine and after a brief conversation I left him to it.

Swim three was a typical choice, with faster water racing through the far bank and slower,slacker water in my margin next to an old raft.

Back to one rod I went and placed it just a flick out, where the two currents met, I then just sat back and chillaxed.

There were no more happenings apart from 'our little clawed friends' taking a chance of a free meal and at 4pm I packed the kit away for another day.

As the title states... during the closed season I purchased a new 'floppy hat' and a 'jumper' only for my close friends to take it outta me.

Well now my friends... 'they are my lucky hat and geography jumper' and I'll continue to wear em!

It might just be the luck that's required.

Have a good season and above all........Enjoy!!

I'm excited!!

As I sit and write this short piece there are twenty six hours left of the traditional  close season.

The past few weeks have been spent cleaning tackle and preparing for the glorious 16th of June.

The last seven days I have walked the new beat a couple of times, looking for signs of activity to help me decide as where to start the my new 'quest'.

I have planned for a twelve hour session to see in the new season but am also using it 'just to get a feel for the place'.

New surroundings, new swims and new conquests are always head scratching times in the angling world and each session is a learning curve for the next session.

New faces and friends will be made complete with new tales of past and present.

The stretch has more features than you could 'shake a stick at' and a potential of multi species to good sizes of which include barbel, chub, perch, carp and pike.

A fish to suit all conditions is the overall view and this will dictate how I spend my time for the next twelve months.

Only two different tickets have been purchased for my running water fixation and this covers ample water to fulfill my passion for peace and quiet.

On my last reconnaissance trip just a couple of days ago I was taken back just a little as the beat is in quite a remote country side spot but as I wandered through the first six bar gate into the second field I was taken back by the sighting of a couple thirty yards away that were cavorting with no clothes on!!

Now as an avid angler I never gave them a second glance... Yeah right!!!

I casually strolled on through trying to keep my water eyes intact with the river so as not to lose the tinted colour through my glasses that is needed for fish spotting.

Further down the beat a 'splosh' was heard and on closer inspection, up from the depths popped a terrapin!Great I thought, obviously someone's unwanted pet, although sights like this are not seen in your everyday world by all - 'us anglers get all the best views ya know'.

Anyway, enough of my mutterings.....

I will try and keep the blog as up to date as possible for those of you that take the time out to 'follow my footsteps' of which I am grateful.

I hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I do casting a line and writing about my happenings?