Back on the Avon

A free Sunday and an opportunity to get a few hours on the river pleasure fishing. Decided to go to Swineford and got my gear together and remembered everything including plenty of water. As I was pushing my trolley across the field I was still thinking about which peg to fish, the peg one below the Gas pipe was in my thoughts but I ruled it out as it was hard going pushing the trolley in the sun at 10:45! I passed a few anglers in the first field, and I kept going to old permanent peg 15. Took a look but went to 18 and it looked a bit easier to fish. 

I was only gonna set up one rod a 13ft Normark Titan 2000 with a 5g bolo with a 16 to 0.12 fluorocarbon.

I mixed up some Sonubaits Black River, Black Roach and a bit of brown crumb. The plan was add casters and hemp and a bit of corn, made 6 balls up and threw them in downstream about 18 metres out. Top ups would be small regular balls as I was sure loose feeding would bring in bleak. My first half dozen trots were ok with roach and dace, but then the bleak moved in. The bleak were a nightmare and even when I pushed all the bulk to the top of my hook length they were still grabbing my hookbait. Trying corn on the hook which was part of my plan, brought a few fish but as the day wore on it was no good.

Had a friend turn up and she enjoyed my gbait and loose feed lol.

I persevered with caster on the hook as every time I got a bait past the bleak I had a roach. I then hooked something rather large, it stayed low and steadily moved across the river, then a bit more purposefully. I could see my float was near the far side trees so stopped back winding and held on and the fish was gone. I assumed it had snapped me but the hook had pulled out, will never know what it was.

I carried on catching bleak and roach, but did have dace, a few perch and some Gudgeon which are always nice to see.  I caught up on a snag and decided to change to 0.11 Powerline and the fish kept coming. It was enjoyable and I stopped fishing at 4pm so had about 4 1/2 hours fishing. Felt like I had about 15lb, a few 6oz roach but mostly 2 to 3oz fish. Would have had a lot more probably if there were no bleak, as you can imagine a 5g bulk and a 9 inch hook length isn’t the most refined roach set up 🤣

My best effort of a catch shot.

As I was packing up I noticed this great big hook on the bank and a swivel, not sure what set up this is used for. 

Next Sunday it’s the second round of the pairs league, one angler at the trees at Saltford and one at Swineford.