stevetheangler

So…. July the 2nd…

I dropped Liz off for work at 0700 and headed to the BAA’s Blackstone stretch near Bewdley arriving probably around 0740 – was fishing at 0800 and fished through to 1400.

I got off to a bad start – my dispenser of shot fell out of my pocket as I was closing the gate behind the car – whereupon on making contact with the ground it burst apart and showered the gravel pathway with loose shot. Re-gathering loose shot from gravel pathways is JUST SO NOT possible! Even SSG shot….

Anyway, got to the river and looked at the start of the stretch – the shallower end – and found the water to be crystal clear and very low. In fact, I could see the bottom from my bank right across to the other and so I knew it was going to be a hard day in the office. Drove further down the stretch, stopping several times to view the situation, and eventually settled on a swim about 2/3rds the way down. Deeper water with some flow thinking that if the barbel weren’t going to show then there was the possibility of chub, perch, bream or carp showing up.

I fished 2 rods:

1. A 2lb TC rod coupled with 10lb line, 1oz lead and size 2 hook. This was fished with meat and cheese baits and free offerings on PVC strings attached each cast.
2. A Des Taylor System 3 Avon with 6lb line, 1/8oz lead and size 12 hook baited with a big bunch of maggots.

However, 6 hours after starting I had not had even a glimmering of a touch and the even the maggots had managed to avoid the attentions of bullheads, minnows, mini-roach, etc and were perfectly intact. So deciding enough was enough – and that my time would be better spent going to replace that spilt non-toxic  (I always want to write ‘lead’ :D) shot… I packed up and headed to Go Outdoors. I actually bought ‘camo’ coloured shot, what next? :D … well, it was the same price as the normal shot of the same brand (Anchor) for the same quantity, etc… so why not? :)

Pic of the day:

Plans for the near future:

• Friday 5th July 2013 – on my own back to the tench pool. Last few sessions there I’ve fished the same swim – done OK there too – but fancy a change so will be heading to the far end of the pool on the near bank. Virtually diagonally opposite that previous swim.
• During the week of Monday 8th July – Friday 12th July, Liz and I will be going to Kingsnordley Pools near Quatford for a day. The Sun newspaper has been running a ‘2 for 1 Sports Voucher’ scheme and Kingsnordley are one of the options so we’ll be taking a first visit there. We’ve actually a few vouchers saved so may be making return visits too. Actually, its quite inexpensive there anyway – there’s 11 pools in all, the Specimen Pool (House Pool) is £7 per day, all the other pools £4 per day – and you just turn up, set up on whichever pool you want to fish and during the day someone appears to collect the money. We may also fit in another session – or I may have one of my early morning canal sessions if Liz is not coming out – been a few weeks since I last visited the canal.
• Our club, annually, gets a few weekends allowed on a private, otherwise unfished, water during June/July as part of the host’s Charity and Open Day celebrations. Only 6 people are allowed to fish the pool at any one time and it costs £10 (which is actually a charity donation to the Church funds) per session. This year, Liz and I have managed to book our day for Saturday 13th July :) A lovely pool with good tench, carp and perch.