All Comers Welcome

Although I fished the Anker last Sunday I blanked spectacularly, again, and could find no narrative worth spilling forth. So consider yourself saved a bother there.

I decided to try a new stretch (for me) on my latest trip and had formed my game plan well in advance. The stretch in question is above Polesworth and controlled by Birchmoor Angling.

The weather on the day was fair and pushing an unseasonal 12C. There was still some water in the river from the preceding days rain but nothing to trouble the banks and absolutely perfect for part one of my scheme.

Part 1.

Armed with no more tackle than absolutely necessary to cover the mile or so of river upstream, a loaf of bread, some freshly made cheese paste and a chopped-up chorizo in my bucket I set off in good spirits. Both the joy of the unknown and fishing unencumbered conspiring with the fair weather to buoy my mood.

The river looked good here. Plenty of cover, twists and turns and features to draw the eye.

I fished my way upstream and to the top of the beat with with my chosen method of 'Wafted Bread'. Similar in many ways to 'Rolling Meat', the method involves pinching a large chunk of breadflake onto a hair rig which has a float rubber tied into the loop for grip. Ideally the bread should be left fluffy enough to just float the counter weight of the hook. Above the hooklength, swivel and buffer bead a short length of mono is doubled over the mainline and swan shot(s) attached.

Get the shotting correct and the whole affair can be swung out, will sink, and the bread trundled or 'wafted' gently downstream from the centrepin reel exploring the underneath of branches and rafts which you'd never get to with a direct cast. Get the shotting wrong, as I did when I switched to a chorizo in some pacier water and the little sausage disk cutely aquaplanes to the surface where nothing in it's right mind would think to eat it. All fish avoid the surfing sausage.

It was a bright day and discovering the stretch was of more importance than staying too long in any one spot.

I had a couple of plucks and one proper bite, which I fluffed, as I worked my way upstream. I also slipped over on the muddy sloping banks and fell like tree.

Part 2. 

It was mid afternoon by the time I'd reached the top so I watched the scramblers on the track over the river for a bit and thought about where I might return for my last hour or so, until dusk.

I headed downstream to a bit of river which caught my eye on the way up and the peg in which I'd received the earlier fluffed bite.

I fashioned a rod rest and a makeshift seat and settled in.

I was now alternating between breadflake, cheese paste and chorizo on each cast. I figured all three might tempt a chub, the meaty gift may sway one of the rare barbel into making my day and well, bread does things to all silver fish and my mind's eye had the nerve to conjure up a big roach after I'd received a few tentative plucks.

I'm a big fan of a tentative pluck.

With the nights now dark I've been watching reruns of fishing programs I can find to stream. One constant in whatever I'm watching is my love of the scene where the float goes under or the tip goes round. To this end I've bought a simple video setup to take out fishing with me and am determined to capture some of those bites for myself, and you. I honestly think I could easily while away an afternoon watching a video of a float if I knew it was going to dip. 

It was a chub who eventually pulled me round though and at 3lbs 11oz was more than enough to send me home happy. 

In hindsight I think I could have moved spots again after the capture of the chub as the Anker is still a relatively small river here and the fuss it created for my swim was significant.

Until next time...