The Best Laid Plans...

"Hell is other people"

Jean Paul Sartre

Too bloody true. The Glorious 16 th didn't really turn out that way. 

Indulge me for a while with my first world moans.

I'd prebaited three swims for a couple of weeks, "just to see what's there". My camper had a check over on the 15th and it was meant to take just a couple of hours.

It didn't and I had to leave it in overnight.....along with most of my fishing gear. So no early start for me.

Morning of the 16 th I had a walk without gear, to bait swims for the evening and would you believe it, the only angler on the whole stretch had set up in my preferred swim. Bastard !

Never mind, I still have the back up swims.

In the evening I returned with my gear about 19.30 ish to find paddle boarders, canoes and swimmers everywhere. Everywhere.

I tackled up and decided to wait for it to quieten down. Bit of bait in and a couple of swimmers came and stood chatting about a yard away from my float. Sometimes there are no words. Then there ever so cute dog shook itself and soaked me with several gallons of the Stour. Excellent.

After this they all seemed to clear off and there was a bit of activity in the swim, some reasonable fish too. First bite resulted in a good roach, then a small chub

After this I started getting liners, a good sign and in a short while the float slid away and a proper sized river bream deposited oodles of stinking snot on my landing net. I was pleased, haven't caught one from the river for ages.

Strangely at dusk all went quiet and no further bites developed.

I popped down for a very quick session the following morning for a go in the other spot and feck me, the bloke was still there fishing. Hope he blanked 😆

There were the usual year round lure anglers thrashing the water, couple in a boat, one on the bank. Any chance of a bit of peace in this bloody country ?

I managed to winkle out another good bream before quickly becoming bored and was back home by 06.00.

I'll have another go next week.