Sunday 17th of July, Trotting in the rain

Entry posted by AddictedToScopex July 18, 2011

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Well today saw a meeting of 3 AN members 'oop north' to spend a few hours trotting on a small but great looking river.

Weather was less than favourable with strong blustery winds and rain coming in sheets but being the hardy northern folk that we are we decided to give it a go regardless. I met up with Ian (Tigger) and Brain (Lutra) at our usual meeting place and off we went to the river.

We arrived to see it a little more coloured than it had been last time I saw it but it was still certainly fishable. I was introduced to Brian and we made our way to the bank via Ians car so he could stick his thigh waders on. A decision that proved wise for him later on when he slipped and ended up thigh deep in the river trying to balance on a rock. I may well have had him come drifting by me if the tide had raised the levels at the time it was supposed to!

We walked down the bank and eyed a few spots. Brian was the first to select his mark and he disappeared into the weeds to take up position (That was the last time I saw him so fingers crossed he made it back ok )

Myself and Ian continued down the bank until I saw a spot I wanted to fish and Ian carried on down to one of his favourite spots.

I set up on a mid-sized stick float and tied on a size 16 and set the rod down ready for the off. I began by trickling maggots in along a crease in the flow that looked favourable. The wind was horrendous in this spot and I quickly found myself cursing it as it blew my line about and made getting the float to hand a proper pain in the arse. It was very frustrating. As was trying to keep the float on line.

I gave it around 20 minutes in this spot before sheer frustration forced me to give up and move off to find a more sheltered spot. That and the fact that I had not had a single bite.

I made my way back to a bridge that looked like an excellent place to set up camp and eyed up a nice run along the inside edge of the bridge which ended at a great looking eddy. It was a very short run but I knew it had definite potential. I employed the usual method of feeding little and often and observed the way the maggots behaved as the water boiled up and raised the maggots in the water before sucking them down and along the edge of the bridge. They would then be caught up in the eddy where I can only assume they would remain until they were sucked out into the main flow which led down to a weir. I made a mental note of that weir as I intend to have a go for the perch there as well as at the bridge at some point in the future, most likely on a lob worm.

After feeding for a while I decided to drop in and have a run down the line. I decided my best bet would be to bounce my float off the inside of the bridge to allow it to plop into the water and follow the exact line I wanted. This worked perfectly and as the float danced its merry way down the line I saw a few tell tale pulls as the float dipped a little. I considered that it could have been the bottom so I shortened up by a few inches. The next few trots I witnessed the same so knew it wasnt the bottom. As I made the 5th or 6th trot the float reached the outer edge of the eddy and buried. I knew it had to be a fish and a fish it was. I struck up, being careful not to hit my 13ft rod on the underside of the bridge, and hooked a small but spirited fish. Sadly as it slipped into the main flow the hook pulled so I didnt get to see the fish. Confidence had been raised though and suddenly the wind and rain didnt bother me. I had something to go at now.

I made another few trots and continued to feed and then the float hit the inner edge of the eddy and buried again. I knew this would be a good holding spot for fish after observing the behaviour of the maggots earlier on. The fish again slipped into the main flow and dived for cover at the nearside bank but I managed to steer it clear and brought it to hand. A lovely little chub that really brightened up a grey and miserable day.

I continued to follow my approach and hooked into another two fish only to have them slip the hook. I put this down to the rod I was using, and probably a bit of inexperience on my part. Despite having had the rod recommended to me as a great trotting rod I could not help but feel it was a little too strong and unforgiving both on the strike and also during the fight and it certainly felt like it with a smaller fish on. I watched Ian later on and the flex in his rod was far better than mine and looked perfect for the job. I will now be in the market for a new rod as I believe it is foolish to fish with a rod that you hold no confidence in. Another problem I found with it was that it didnt seem to like letting line go from the tip ring. I pulled off a bow of line from my reel and it still wouldnt give line to the float which hampered efforts immeasurably. It is a shakespeare mach 1 13ft match for anyone wondering.

Anyway I digress . I continued with my line for a little while longer and this time I allowed the float to travel the line until it reached the eddy but steered it just into the edge of the main flow. It buried again and I was gifted with another lovely little chub.

A few trots later the same happened again and it was another small chub but the rain was lashing down so I didnt want to get the phone out for a pic.

Eventually the rain and the fact that I had to get home before the wife disappeared to work beat me and I decided I had better call it quits. I packed up and dropped the kit off at the car and then went to find Ian to say goodbye. I had no idea where Brian was so I will have to speak to him next time we meet up. I ended up chatting to Ian for a further 20 minutes and watching him trotting to see how the pro's apply their trade . It is strangely addictive to watch a man trotting and watching the float for signs of a bite and I probably could have watched for ages had I not needed to get off. Brian was nowhere to be seen but Ian told me that he was having a good time on the dace further downstream. Ian meanwhile was hitting the chub and having a good time of it from what I saw. Only 20 yards up from where I had been too :angry: .

On the whole depsite the weather it was another great day and it was kind of Ian to offer to take us both down there. Top bloke as usual. It was also good to meet another member of the illustrious Anglers Net.

Hopefully next time we will have the weather on our side.

I certainly plan to get down there again soon as It was great fun and I want to try and do a bit better next time. My tackle really limited me and it was incredibly frustrating. The power of the ribble I usually fish is much better suited to my rod and reel than this little river was and I have not had the same issues on there apart from the rod tip seeming heavy and leading to pulls.