A tough start

River Dove

It has seemed to be a very slow start on our local rivers, not only for me but from the other anglers I have spoke to on the bank plus the talk on the forums.

Typical Dove Chub

My blank has been saved a few times by my friend the chub. The standard Dove stamp is about 4lb ish these days and some of them even pull back! Chub of this size were fish of my dreams as a schoolboy on the Derwent at Borrowash.

River Trent

I've also had a session on the upper Trent but this was through the middle of the day. Again a spritely chub ensured that I didn't go home with the dreaded dry net. On that day I had the dogs in the car and one of the club stretches is ideal as you can park right behind your swim with the windows open.
Then last Friday on my fourth trip of the season I was lucky enough to land the magnificent fish below. This was a cracking Dove barbel at 9lb 14oz, it went like a train making my my drag hiss like a scolded moggy!
I've not been out since and now have some domestic chores to complete, the dreaded painting! It is nice to get the first bertie of the season under my belt though.

Dove barbel 9lb 14oz

Bread Flake

 I'd been getting some ribbing from Phil about getting down to it with bread flake rather than my usual tench baits so on Saturday evening he booked me in for a masterclass at our club pond. He was straight out of the blocks netting two fish including a 5lb'er before I had a bite.

 My confidence in the bait was not that high although I do recollect that I had had my best haul of tench in terms of numbers on bread. That was 35 years ago and ironically I was in the same swim as that evening! I was off the mark with a lively youngster which shows the pond is in fine form. After that activity picked up in my swim and the fish in the first photo weighed in at 4lb 4oz. I missed a few bites before connecting again with the fish below which was a beautiful specimen about the same size as the first. So confidence restored and I'll hope to get in another session for the tincas before the river season starts.