Trotting With An Avon Rod

[Tog]

Rod's fine Jeep's

Load up with 4-6lb line

Nice big floats (proper avon / chubber etc)

Quite a few decent shot and for a lot of the water you'l want about 6ft trace.

When your 'Trotting' use your thumb to hold back the float fairly often and let the maggot (pref white/red pair) swing up in the water (esp near 'fishy' spots), when you release 'mend' a little line onto the water to help draw the line off the spool and repeat.

Keep your other hand poised ready to crank as Grayling bites are nearly as quick as Dace. I've been known to let the line run through my left hand and strike 'fly fishing' style before flipping the bail and winding in - I know I ought to go 'pin...

[Alan Stubbs]

I like Leon Roskilly's technique of using a size 22 barbless and a telescopic, quivertipped rod....feeding maggots.

 

Brilliant fun, but the roach scored more than my son and I ever could have done.... much to Leon's warped and sadistic sense of humour. Mind you, it would have been funnier still had we been using hemp.

 

Having said that, I use a stepped up Daiwa 13ft match / leger rod or a John Wilson quiver tip..... see, I do have a sense of humour!

Edited November 3, 2005 by Alan Stubbs

[fantasticfisherman]

preferably i like to use an avon rod for float fishing big baits for chub and barbel, but if i was stick float fishing for small chub, dace and roach/rudd with lighter lines then i'd rather use my 13ft float rod because it has a softer action whereas the avon rod has a more powerful action. but IMO the rod you describe is fine

[GlennB]

Well, what a cracking little river. Pretty location too.

 

Despite all the rain we've had it was moving along at a modest pace. Very winding and incredibly snaggy. Fallen trees in the river all over the place. Was it like that way back when, in your yoof, Rabbit:

 

We fished just downstrean of Chewton Place and, to be honest, with all the meanders and snags it wasn't the ideal spot for long trotting, but we did our best. Next time it might be groundbait feeder + chopped worm, at least on this stretch.

 

Jeeps may well post on his catch, but for myself it was many minnows and gudgeon, 2 roach (one of which was very respectable) and 5 brownies. The best easily topped my short list of "brownies wot I have caught" and put up a hell of a fight on a #16 and 2.5 hooklength. Measured about 15" or so, but no camera or scales.

I think every fish I caught was in the slow deep water under my rod tip

 

All in all a damn good day out, and the rain only set in after we'd left.

 

p.s. we had a nice field full of local cattle with calves. They took quite a shine to Jeepster, gathering round like adoring lambs in a nativity scene. I think this tells us something.

 

cheers

 

p.p.s. the big brownie was caught on cheese paste

Edited November 4, 2005 by GlennB

[jeepster]

i told you not to mention the cattle

 

my catch was a tiny brownie, about the size of a fox chubby shad, yes i did consider using it in the same way, but it was too cute. a gudgeon, and an eel, first eel for a long long time, and as i'm the skilled angler wot i am, i lip hooked it and got it back in the water in double quick time

 

fantastic spot, and if any of the south west chapter fancy a visit, i'm in

 

oh, and the avon rod was fine, thanks for the advice everyone

[Guest rabbit]

Sounds great lads, I bet Jeeps is flattered he's a bit of a babe magnet Its an interesting river alright, your catch resembles the sort of fishing I remember, where can you catch wild river brownies now on such a ticket? The fallen trees do offer that wild look and good cover and food for the fish. Shame you didn't encounter any grayling, but perhaps next time eh?

 

I used to fish as a lad with my best mate mainly the Chewton Keynsham bit, just downstream from the bridge. Where did you guys fish? Look out for the stretch just downstream of Pensford (Acker Bilk was born there) used to be great, really wild.

 

Thanks for the posting lads, brings back memories, silly old sod I am

 

Glenn I see now it was the Chewton stretch.

[GlennB]

...your catch resembles the sort of fishing I remember, where can you catch wild river brownies now on such a ticket? ....

 

Indeed.

It's almost embarrasing to pay only £30 a year for the waters the BB+W offer. But I'm reasonably sure that there are countless club books around the country that offer amazing fishing in wild spots. And you'll hardly see another soul out there on the bank.

 

Wild fish from wild waters eh? So little time

 

p.s. I'm fairly sure the calves were male, but we'll let that pass.

[Newt]

Well, I can see I have some learning to do.

 

I understood absolutely none of the rod/rig/fishing specifics.

 

Did fine with river, snags, cattle, and several species you caught though.

 

Sounds like a great outing and congratulations to you.

[Guest rabbit]

Quote Newt..

 

''I understood absolutely none of the rod/rig/fishing specifics.''

 

Newt

This might help

Longtrotting = Marathon

Groundbait Feeder = Welsh Indie Band

Brownies, small girls that grow up to be Guides or sticky chocolate cake

Fox chubby shad.....better not go there!!

 

Pleased to help...

 

Neil

[Newt]

rabbit - you are a lifesaver. Thanks for the lucid translations.

 

With those plus the fact that I know Avon is a cosmetics company, I am now up to speed on this thread.