Even the Chub wont bite (much)

Saturday 29th January

Ill start this one with a little bit about last weekends Chub trip. I headed out first thing in the morning and the weather was bitterly cold, overcast with a biting wind. A total contrast to the double figure temperatures we experienced the week before! To cut a long story short the session was pretty much uneventful with only one half-hearted bite in over 8 hours of fishing, very poor hence the lack of write up from last week. A load more canoeists came down the river too with one even getting stuck in the bush i was fishing too, that cant have helped my chances!

Onwards to this week then, again i headed out at first light and again the conditions were very similar to last week. If anything though the wind was actually colder and it hurt my face as i made my way across the field to my first swim of the morning. There was frost on the ground and the river looked pretty dead, several cormorants flying overhead just added to the feeling i was getting that this was gonna be another grueller.

My feelings were proved right as the first three spots i tried yielded absolutely nothing whatsoever, not even the slightest hint of a bite. As the early afternoon loomed i headed for a new spot in a last ditch attempt to catch something. I cast out and after about 45 minutes of watching the tip nod gently in the current i was thinking about calling it a day. Suddenly i noticed a slight movement on the tip which somehow looked 'different' to the regular flow movement i had been getting. I focused and my hand hovered over the rod in anticipation, when it happened again a few seconds later i struck and the rod took on a healthy bend. I took my time playing it to the net as i really didnt want to lose it and miss my only chance of the day. It didnt look overly big as it slid into the net but upon lifting it out it was bigger than i thought which was confirmed when the dial on the scales went around to 4lb10oz.

After returning it i didnt fancy putting myself through any more punishment in that wind so i headed for home pleased to have caught. Will i get a five pounder before the season ends? the annual last knockings Perch campaign is looming so time is fast running out.