Good to be Back.......

Since the birth of my beautiful baby boy last month, as any proud father will know everything else in life takes a temporary back seat, including fishing, so that you can concentrate all your efforts on looking after both baby and mum.  Now things are starting to settle down a little I had a short window of opportunity this morning to get in some bank time before an evening shift at work.  

Typically the rivers condition wasn't great, earlier in the week there was at least an extra 2 foot of water on, the barbel were feeding and anglers were catching.  Today all that extra water had gone the river was low again and very clear, never mind I had to make the most of my session.  I was on the Wye after Barbel and Chub using a 3FT test bait.

It was a stunning summer morning as I arrived at the river, a thin mist soon melted away leaving a clear blue sky, a shoal of small fry scattered in the rivers edge and a heron glided above me in search of his next swim.

A Misty Start

I was using the usual running feeder rig and a stiff groundbait mix, (which you can see in more detail on the link below).  Bait was a 3FT test boilie which has had a good track record.  
It was slow for the first couple of hours, I was regularly casting to build up the swim with feed and hopefully attract fish into the area.  As I sat watching the rod tip Rob the Bailiff popped by doing his rounds, he explained how the river had fished well early in the week after the heavy rain, however the fishing had slowed down the last couple of days.

Soon after Rob departed to patrol another stretch,  my rod tip rattled and I hooked into my first river fish of the season.  The initial fight was slow as the fish came in without putting up too much resistance then suddenly it realised it was hooked and gave a much better account of itself in the margins.  It was a spirited chub of 3lb 11oz, a cracking healthy looking fish which will pile on weight over the coming months.

3lb 11oz

Surely itll be a 4 in a few weeks!

Although it was only a short session, it was an enjoyable morning, even if the barbel were a bit elusive.  It was good to be on the riverbank again and as long as I do my fair share of nappy changing then I should be back out soon.

I now have a facebook page people can "like" in which I will go into more detail on rigs, baits and tactics you can even ask me questions. http://www.facebook.com/Wyeangler