The Stour calls me at this time of year. I tend to give it a wide berth before due to it just being too much hassle battling through undergrowth, getting stung, tangled, sweating like a pig trying to get anywhere near the river and then bitten to bits for my efforts - positive stuff eh?
Nature does what it does and now I can actually creep in to my old haunts and settle down to some quiet moments watching the float wend its way. Lately I have been making my fishing more interesting. I tend to use the same rod, reel, floats and associated guff for each trip but have been changing for the sake of it. I now use rods I haven't used for years, same with reels and floats too.
This short trip was a first outing in years for my Hardy General rod. Not used for about ten years or so. In fact the last time was at Pitt Pond, made famous by Llewelyn Powys, where I caught one of the last carp there. Coupled with a pyschedelic looking Ambidex the Harcork float and giant lobworm completed my outfit.
The falling leaves create perchy looking rafts of cover which give you hope that a big old stripey sergeant might be lurking in the depths - not this time. As the roach rolled at dusk I had a 3lb Jack Pike for my efforts. You would have seen a picture of him, but he flipped off my seat just as I was about to click the camera................the bats were out and the calling owls signalled the end of my trip. Just as I got back to the car and drained the last of the tea from my flask the heavens opened.
2 comments:
I know what you mean by giving the Stour a miss when the stingers are seven feet tall Dickie.My favourite time on the river is the last month of the season,though a cold winters day when the river is good can be hard to beat.Quite happy fishing one of the mill pools anytime though.Swapped my two Generals to our Hedge as part of a deal for a Hardy Richard Walker Avon.My goodness i like that rod.So light and a joy to use!.
Hi Dickie, Lovely post. I fish with a hardy Roach something or other from the 1950s and a Kennet perfection. Super bits of kit. Andy Sliwa, see my links, gave me a restored Spanish Reed rod and that is a joy too. Old gear is a bit like me, creaks a bit but still works. ATB, John
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