Lower Itchen Fishery

0745 - 1615

Mild (10ºC all day) with some drizzle and some sunny spells becoming increasingly breezy. River at 'normal' levels.

49 Grayling; 16 over 1lb, best 3 - 1lb11oz, 1lb 9oz & 1lb 8oz. 2 Chub; 2lb 14oz & 2lb 10oz. 6 Brownies to 2½lb. A doz+++ parr (mainly salmon parr I think)

Started with an hour in Wards Pool at the top of the fishery and had the 1-11 straight away - a great start though I wouldn't better it! That fish fell to corn which pretty much set up the pattern for the day. Spent the rest of the morning on the carrier which resulted in both chub and the next 2 biggest ladies plus another 3 'pounders'. These all falling to maggot.

First part of the afternoon was rather scratchy - and was a case of trying to avoid the parr fish which behaved somewhat like minnows if you used maggot - so it was back to red corn and had a very productive last hour and a half - in a rarely fished swim - but one which has produced nice chub for me in the past. This time around it was just full of grayling I had around 20 in this dusk session, none below 12oz (and none above 1lb 4oz!). Still great sport though!

Itchen Lady - not a great pic - the buggers will just NOT pose for their photo!