Stour Surprise

I almost didn't bother fishing, it was dull, dank and cold, but I grabbed the gear and thought I'd just give it a quick go at "The Forbidden" around dusk.

I missed several roach bites, despite fairly light tackle....well not chub gear anyway, I had a 4lb hooklink and no 10 fine wire hook. Just before moving swim I had an average sized chub, then upped sticks and walked down river.

I decided to move in to the "bream swim" just before dusk. It's at the end of a long straight with a depth of maybe 7 foot, before it narrows and deepens, falling away to 10-11 feet on the bend. Oddly enough I've always done best in the area before it really drops away into the deep water.

It was probably only two or three degrees, so just four tiny cage feeder fulls of chopped worm and bread were deposited into the swim and I say back and waited.

After no more than ten minutes I started getting liners and bangs on the rod tip. Then a fish rolled, perhaps fifteen yards upstream. It was looking promising. 

The tip eased back gently and as I struck, a heavy winter bream hooped the rod over.  As is usual with bream, it was unspectacular, but at over 5lb and in immaculate condition it was well worth catching for a change, especially as I'm constantly told there's none left in the river.

Next cast a smaller sample, again in good nick.

The next bite was slow but firm and at first I thought I'd foul hooked a big bream. After the fish had taken several yards of line in an unstoppable fashion it was obvious that this was no snotty.

It turned out to be a 13lb 5oz carp in absolutely pristine condition and the first Ive caught from river in manybyears.

No marks anywhere, including the mouth. I very, very much doubt it had been caught before. A "bonus fish" indeed !

Didn't hang around after that, being well pleased with four decent fish in a couple of hours. I might have to try that spot again very soon