Long Live The 16th Of June..

[dant]

Well I had a fairly elaborate plan lined up for the first day, needless to say as with all best made plans, situations somehow end up contriving against.

I found out early Sunday morning that I would have to stay in London untill possibly quite late in the day today. I wasn't particularly good company on Sunday evening.

 

Luckily I was all done by just past lunchtime, so promptly sped back up to to Suffolk.

 

I got to the river at around 4.30 p.m to find it in tip top condition with a good steady flow and tinge of colour. As time was a little pushed I'd headed to familiar territory. After an hour or so I had a good Chubby knock followed by the steady pull which resulted in my first fish of the season, a rather dishevelled Chub of around 3 1/2lb that looked like it might collected a few bumps and bruises over the course of spawning.

 

Not a lot followed, not that I minded and decided to upsticks and have a wander around, the thinking being that the Chub might have spread out along the length with the extra flow. I tried all the likely looking spots to little avail.

 

A few goes with some of the biggest Lobworms I've ever seen instantly resulted in two of the smallest Perch I've ever seen.

 

The sun had set and the light was beginning to go fairly quickly so I figured on on a last gasp cast at a spot I'd passed earlier.

 

After quite a number of Bat line bites I felt the familiar clonk, pause, pull and struck to meet firm resistance. Obviously a much better fish it made use of the flow to nearly Willow me a couple of times but after some fumbling for the headtorch it was in the net after two goes. Peeling back the mesh I was a little surprised to see a brute of a Chub and very thick across the shoulders. Minus the net it went 6lb 1oz and in fantastic condition. It was a cracker.

 

Cheers

 

Dan...

Edited June 16, 2008 by dant

[Steve Burke]

What a cracker! Well done, Dan!

[Peter M]

Nice fish what river were you fishing in suffolk.?

[Steve Walker]

I also opened with a chub; about 4oz, taken on the fly. Only fish of the session, though I missed a few takes. And I don't think I can really count it, as it turned out to be hooked in the top of the head

[Anderoo]

Good grief, what a huge chub for the summer! Not a bad opening day then Dant Nice one!

[dant]

Good grief, what a huge chub for the summer! Not a bad opening day then Dant Nice one!

 

It was a bit of a lump. I wasn't expecting it to weigh quite as much as it did until I saw the breadth of the things shoulders, quite the bruiser. It's funny but most of the bigger Chub I've had from the river have been in the early Summer months, I think they've got fed up with me by Winter.

I think the Otters have been active through the Spring, apart from hearing quite a few whistles of a cub separated from it's Mother I also found three or four Chub skeletons in the long grass, good ones too. We'll have to see what effect they have. Can't blame them though.

 

I also spoke to a guy that was winding down his opening days fishing and saw the pictures of a much bigger fish he'd taken that morning from one of Norfolk's much un-fancied rivers. Interesting stuff..

Edited June 17, 2008 by dant

[Jigotai]

That's a lovely looking chub there Dan, what a start to the season.

 

My first two fish of the season were chub too...neither over a pound though.

[dant]

Cheers Andy!

[dant]

Popped out this evening for a few hours for a few more Chub. Nothing quite as dramatic size wise but a lovely evenings fishing, real creepy crawly stuff.

Thing is I can't seem to be able to update my blog thingy ma jig. Everytime I click on it, it won't connect. Am alone is this, I have a feeling I might be. I've probably pressed something I shouldn't have..

Edited June 17, 2008 by dant