1st Jan 2012

After some lean times of late,I was looking forward to a few days off over the christmas period, and the chance to get some fishing in. Targeting my usual stretch which had been hard of late, pressure from other anglers apart from myself,have played a part, the seven otters seen working a half mile beat last weekend,didn't help much either.
With some recent rain the river conditions improved and a few fish were caught, not big, but very welcome after recent times, the best weighing in at 5lb 9oz,falling to 3-B paste in coloured water, but I was still having to fish into dark to temp a bite.
A trip to another part of the Stour on new years eve found the river conditions perfect for the trotted maggot approach, 4lb mainline, a 5 swan loafer, 3.2lb hook-length to a size 18 and a single red maggot were the tactics. Aidie was fishing a few hundred yards above me and was first to catch with a clonker of 6lb 4oz, it was my turn next, fishing a fast shallow run on the far bank the float buried about 30yards downstream, the fight was dogged in the fast water, a pristine looking fish of 4lb11oz had now graced my net, another slightly smaller sample followed a few trots later, then a lost fish signalled the end of the action for me.
A couple of days earlier heavy rain meant the river would rise and colour up on new years day, Aidie went to the river in the morning, I was a few hours behind him, arriving in the pouring rain around 1.30pm. The river was indeed on the rise and coloured, I set up my brolly and Aidie sheltered under it while I set about putting in a few baits before casting. I had a feeling the fish would go on the munch, they seem to know when a flood is on its way, I have had it many times before, and the rewards can be good at these times. The first cast was made and we chatted for a few minutes, then the tip juddered forward, thinking it was weed on the line at first then realising too late it was a bite, next cast it happened again, I was onto it in a flash, a short battle in the bay in front of me resulted in a chub of 5lb 2oz, a few more casts were made, indications on the tip telling me another fish was on the munch, next cast, tiny pull saw another firm strike set the hook into a good fish, a powerful chub was chugging around in the deep water in front of me, I bullied the fish into the net,Aidie did the honours with the scales. 6lb 1oz of cheese paste munching chub. And still home for a roast at 5.30pm.Very nice.

happy new year nairny

Iain

Well done mate, didn`t think it`d be long before you`d be amongst them again. I was tempted to come down Tues this week but just seen the weather forecast and thought again. Sounds like there will be strong winds and more rain.

When we next get any flow I must do a little trotting on the Thames, a method I`ve done very rarely on there. Spent a very wet evening on the Thames on Fri for no result but will give it a pop tomorrow.

Mic

Oh BTW Happy New Year to you, Kim, Grommit and all the other herberts on here.

Happy New Year to all!
Well done for getting out and catching a few Iain. We've still not had any rain in Lincs, Welland still desperately low and clear. I did have a short bash yesterday morning on the way home from work (Yes, I was on a nightshift to see in the New Year!) and managed seven chub to a shade over 4lb on maggots. It's blooming hard work at the moment. Congrats to anyone that catches anything!
Martin

Happy New Year everyone.. Well done Iain and Aidie, nice that you are connecting with a few of the bigger chub again! I am hopefully off some time this week for a days trotting..will probably look like a complete Noddy but I need to practice this art so hopefully the bread fake will tempt one