On It

Got a fire in my belly since I started on this very lighly fished ( I almost said unfished but not quite ) stretch.

It's got no "form". In the very many years I've fished the river I've never heard of anything big from it, apart from a few carp ( long departed ), a nice tench I had about thirty years ago and rumours of big roach.

I suppose that's what makes it interesting.

It has some pretty deep water ( going to plumb it soon ), loads of dense cover and fallen trees and just screams big chub to me.

The level was rising today and I tried several swims without a touch until I tried a swim where the water narrowed and slowed. It was ( Im guessing ) maybe eight foot deep, surrounded by cover.

I missed a couple of roachy bites, changed to a smaller hook, flicked out a bit of flake and immediately hooked a decent chub ! Lovely fish, but I was hoping for a roach.

I cast again and this time had a rattly roachy bite, struck and was just about to net the fish when it found a snag. Lost it. Bollocks ! Felt like a roach.

Another cast, same type of bite and I gently played the fish before the hook pulled. Gutted.

I'm convinced they were decent roach. I just hope I get a chance to catch the feckers and they don't disappear.

Heavy rain forecast today which will mess it up for several days.

There are bream in here too and before the season is out I'm going to catch a few of those too.

I've got a plan...