But before then…

Saturday, 5th September, I set off on a mission to try to source more pike baits for the coming pike season with visits to various Bilston and Wolverhampton stores.

• Bilston – Stop 1 – Lidl
  Following up on a comment made on a previous posting I headed to Bilston’s Lidl in search of sardines but unfortunately this banch did not appear to stock them – however, there is a far larger Lidl not too far from  home that I will visit when time allows.

• Bilston – Stop 2 – The Market
  Next stop was then Bilston Market where a couple of fish stalls are located – by owned by the same people, Sands, who I believe also wholesale to others. A few mackerel on one stall but too large and I am already sorted for those .. nothing of interest on the other which does mainly pre-prepped fish anyway.
• Bilston – Stop 3 – Morrison’s
  THE only local big name supermarket that still has a ‘fishmongers’ of sorts in its Market Street area … however, nothing of interest on the counter … and a quick check of the chiller/freezers revealed nothing either.
• BUS to Wolverhampton –>>>
• Wolverhampton – Stop 1 – Farmfoods
  Located a couple of bus stops before the city centre there is a relatively new Farmfoods store on a shopping area (that also includes Go Outdoors, B&M and Dunelm so area is frequented quite often but only visited Farmfoods a couple of times to browse previously). So I did actually purchase here albeit not pike bait but a bag of raw king prawns (1.5Kg) for £19.99 – they had an offer of 2 bags for £30 BUT no room in my new freezer esp if I’m adding extra pike baits … so I’m ready for perch and other species now on that front.
• Wolverhampton – Stop 2 — Coffee and toast at Wetherspoon’s – LOL!
• Wolverhampton – Stop 3 – Idea, a Polish shop from where I purchased fresh smelts a few years ago
  Oh dear, what a difference a few years makes!! :( No smelt and fish that were being displayed looked attrocious! Note made to cross of my list of ‘potential visits’ in future….
• Wolverhampton – Stop 4 – Sainsbury
  No fishmongery per se but thought as I was close by that I’d just check the freezer/chillers. And I did purchase a couple of rainbow trout fillets with the thought I could wrap around a pop-up stick (fish is fish?) or make part of a kebab bait or if no good for those (or after using without result) then just use as an addition to the pike groundbait/chum…

And that is the current state of my further pike bait acquisitioning… but a possible ahead as on holiday in Burnham-on-Sea second week of October – and there is proper fishmongers in the High Street so will be visiting during our stay…

Anyway … let’s get stated on some actual fishing now…

Following my abandoned Friday fishing plans to fish the River Stour (Worcs) I did make it on the following Monday 7th…

I set off around 0600 for the BAA stretch at Stourton … the journey being made to and across the field to the parking with no problems. Again and unsurprisingly, I was first there. A short walk across the bridge and downstream I found my intended peg for the day to be much as when I last visited a few seasons back.

I set up my 11’ feeder rod with a light quiver tip, 8lb line, a 1/4oz ‘penny’ lead and a size 10 hook. No feeder being necessary as its only a small river and the swim could be hand fed with maggots, etc although I did use a small catapult as its easier and more accurate from a sitting position.

The swim pre-fed with maggots and mixed particles as I tackled up.

First cast was made at 0700 with a 5 maggot bait … and almost immediately resulted in a small perch.

And then for the next hour and a half it was fast plucks and twitches and bait switches (is that poetry? LOL) between worm and maggot.. and then at 0835 a hit bite and best fish of the day was netted – a 12oz perch…

And then came a lull for almost the next ninety minutes as the skies greyed over, with not even the slightest nudge being observed despite recasting to differing areas occasionally.

About 0815 two other anglers arrived and setup further downstream of me… and the skies started to brighten bit by bit… and knocks started again.

At 1030, due to missable fast takes, I decided to size down my hook to a size 14 baited with 3 or 4 maggots which almost immediately resulted in a hittable take and a 10oz perch landed.

For a while after I seem to have been attacked by bait stealers!! Lots of nudges and the bait was being taken off the hook and so I added a tiny sliver of rubber band to hold the bait firmly on the barbless hook…

At 1100 a small gudgeon deemed to take the bait…. and was landed…

And up to 1230 when I packed in as I had intended to fish the following day on a reservoir and needed a major tackle/bait changeover I was having bites but unfortunately no further results apart from a ½ gudgeon (ie flipped off hook as I was swinging in! LOL)..

PLANS (PAST CANCELLED AND FUTURE)

Well the planned trip to the reservoir yesterday (8th) didn’t happen … well, the trip did but the fishing didn’t!

I set off in drizzle at around 0700, the forecast being a fine day after 0800 and so should have cleared shortly after arrival – which it did BUT then 10 minutes later started again but heavier. It looked like it was not going to change for a while either… so I decided to return home … and by the time I had reached home, travelling through the rush hour traffic it hadn’t improved and although it was good later in the day I think I did the right thing.

Ahead …I don’t know .. Liz gets back from Cyprus tonight … car in garage to be looked at on Friday … early next week Liz has a couple of appointments … so possibly a week or so before I can get out again?