Progress Report

Well after 'Snakes' 'Season so far', I thought I may as well add my efforts so far, and I'll say straight away, I have nothing that impressive to report!
My local river, the Welland, has been rather out of sorts so far this season, carrying on from a poor winter this is pretty disappointing for this usually reliable little Lincolnshire river!
Opening day was largely a wash out, a 3lb chub and a few bits all I could manage. One or two carefully timed trips have produced a fish or two, the best a 30lb mixed bag of chub, roach, dace and perch.
Other than that a couple of trips to the upper Witham have produced decent numbers of chub, but 'scraper' fours are about as big as they go. A solitary trip to the Tidal Trent gave just a 4lb barbel.
My first visit of the season to the Ivel improved things a little with a catch of 10 chub up to 5lb6oz on freelined 3B boilies or 'naturals'. A return a couple of days later gave a further 8 fish to 5lb.


5lb6oz Ivel

A session on a local gravel pit with a fairly 'open to all comers' approach produced several decent bream to over 8lb and a nice Common of 21lb15oz on 3B boilies over pellets and pva bags of crushed boilies.


21lb15oz

Most recently I've just returned from my annual trip 'Down South' to fish the Avon and the Stour.
This year was a little different though as my first fishing trip of the year was a boat trip off Poole. Kindly invited by Simon Cooper it was a pleasure, most of the time (It would appear I don't have great sea legs), to spend the day with a collection of Simon's friends from throughout his fishing life including Mr Nairn. We spent the day hunting a variety of 'mini species', and it was good fun seeing how many we could notch up.


'We won't catch any chub on this rig!'


Tub Gurnard, Bizarre!

The next session was also something different. CSG member Richard Trim 'guiding' me for the day. We started off on the tiny river Itchin in search of roach, which eventually we managed to find! Several decent grayling and millions minnows also fell to our rods.
After a few hours of this we went back down to the coast to try, unsuccessfully, for bass below Christchurch quay!


Landing a 1lb+ Grayling on the tiny upper Itchin


Waiting for a Bass.

Finally a couple of days on the Stour at Throop produced lots of chub, dace and roach on trotted pellets or freelined 'naturals'. But unfortunately, other than a lost lump on pellet!, I couldn't find any big fish and a rake of 3 and 4lbers had to suffice!


Stalking Chub on the Stour at Throop

Shortly it's off to the Warickshire Avon for the CSG Autumn get together in a couple of weeks. What's in store there?

All the best for now and tight lines to all, Martin B

I really enjoyed the boat trip Martin, you did as well before you went" 50 shades of grey". It was a real joy to fish with some good mates and catch species that are not suspect of anything that has a hook and line attached to it. I had a trip today under the brolly in awefull conditions for a few bites and one fish . I would have moved after Mr otter surfaced in my swim and then played about for a few minutes, but it was hissing down so I stayed put, must be getting old.

Martin,

What a brilliant variety of angling trips Martin, that`s the way to keep the interest up.

Nairny,

I fished Friday evening, pissed down and I didn`t have a brolly and I stuck it out for my usual blank but only because I didn`t fancy the long walk back to the car in the rain. Try and work out the logic in that statement!

Mic

There is none Mic, only madness. I used to sit out in that as well but no more, too old. I see your point in doing it though, I missed bites fishing under the brollie, not enough room to strike.

I can`t abide fishing under a brolly Iain but to be honest it was more a case of too lazy to carry a brolly and too lazy to walk all the way back to the car when I had expended all that energy getting there in the first place.

BTW did you see the 9lb3oz chub from the Thames in the comics today. Looks its size but I`d wager there is more than a little bullshit attached to certain aspects of this capture knowing the angler concerned.

Mic

Is anyone braving the floods at all? Be interesting to see what the levels are going to be like on the Warwickshire Avon this weekend....barbel, barbel, barbel!

Go get them Darren.

Off on a short break this weekend so fishing on hold for a few days.

Mic

Darren,

My little stretch was well up last week but not one Barbel let alone 3 Hopefully still carrying some extra this weekend may be lucky.

Be Lucky
John

John,

I shall be armed with 3-B & Natural Crave this weekend. Will let you know how I get on.
Keep the bait going in mate, I'm sure you are due a big hit mate!
Darren

Darren i look forward to hearing how it went with you matey.

Be Lucky
John

Darren,

Dont know how you fared over the weekend but i was out today(sunday) the river was carrying extra water with a nice bit of colour i had 2 rods out and i never had a touch I think the 3B has blown..

Be Lucky
John

I doubt that John, good baits don`t blow overnight.

Mic

Hiya Mic,

Hope that all well with you? I agree, that was a bit of a tongue in cheek remark