A DAY ON AN “ANGLING DREAMS” FISHERY. New team member Ed Green called…….” Mike do you fancy a session on the Wye this Wednesday? I have 2 guest tickets and thought about you and Trefor”………..sorry Ed came my reply I have a breakfast meeting booked with several important people in the football world, a lunch with an advertising agency and dinner that evening with a very influential foreign client that wants to part with a lot of cash…..hmmm says I is that the same place that you have been catching the big ones I ask…….”yes the very same”………ok mate sod the appointments what time and I’ll be there!!!!??. The plan was to meet at Ed’s house at 7 am, I arrived early at 6-45 to find Westy’s van in the drive……morning chaps!.......OK Mike follow me and first stop is my favourite café for a full English….me and Westy and a full English! Almost as good as fishing! We arrived at the fishery and what a place, absolutely beautiful and peaceful doesn’t do it justice; no cars, no planes no trains and at this time of year no tourists and no canoes heaven on earth! Ed shows me and Trefor some favoured swims….caught a few doubles in here, and a few in this one and Mike this is a great swim full of Barney Rubbles I recommend you try this one first and I will fish somewhere downstream a bit. No mobile phone network in the Wye Valley which is great so we all stayed within shouting distance and I agreed to take any photos which I later came to regret. So a big river the Wye and reasonably heavy gear required (Westy floodwater rods ideal) and big feeders seem the way to go, so first cast into the flow mid-river settle back and start to think about the meaning of life when Trefor shouts Mike! I’ve got one …..so reel in both rods grab the Pentax and take the photo of the first Barbel of the day a great 7-9 caught on Ocean Pride. Ok back to my swim….fancy trying the old faithful multi-grub I think and a stringer to go with it so taking my time I prepare a 7 squab stringer and tie it onto the hook and hauled it out on a 3 once lead to just past mid river, great …..then stuffing my 4 once feeder full of sizzle base mix and 10mm Sizz with a 14 mm on the hook with a paste wrap, out goes this one downstream…..great now back to the meaning of life! When……MIKE! I got one …this time its ED can you take a photo, “yes Ed just coming” again reel in both rods get out the camera and trek off to Ed,s swim great fish a good double so I scramble up the bank and trek back to my swim. Out go the rods again and again within minutes another cry this time from Westy MIKE! Tea’s up and Ed’s got some cakes……blimey reel in again and go for tea! Tea and cakes consumed Ed thought it a good idea to move swims “but I haven’t had much of a chance in mine” exclaims me…..don’t worry Mike there are some really great swims down stream of here so let’s pack up the gear and drive there…….. Well an even better looking piece of water with walking pace current, good creases and slacks, perfect!..... Ed says, this is a great swim and that’s a great swim and I will go in this shabby looking one so you and Westy have the best ones …..ah thanks Ed says me and Westy you’re such a good bloke! So my swim does look good having clambered over mud, ducked under trees almost slid down the muddy bank I find a way of anchoring my seat and tackle up, gaploooosh out goes the no 1 feeder ….gaplooooosh number 2……now back to the meaning of life!......yup you’ve guessed it MIKE! It was Ed can you take a photo yes Ed so reel in find the camera nearly fall down the bank to join the Barbell in the water take another photo!........so back to the “best” swim on the fishery I go having stopped to talk to Westy on the way, “any luck Trefor”….no comes the reply not even a tap…..Ed’s seems to be doing OK ….”yes he blooming does says Westy”…….cast out again after changing a fluorocarbon hook link as it probably got snagged on a rock as I have had to reel in so many times!..........Westy caught a Chub and another Chub…..I cast out and blow me down Ed’s got another and from the rubbish swim that he sacrificed for! Same scenario but this time Ed wants a photo of the fish and Westy a three-some, I oblige!…….then darkness started to fall and the rain came down, no problem I re-cast again! And set up my umbrella and settled back with rain bouncing of my trusty green canvass when ….MIKE!!!!!!....Mike!!!!!.....yes ED …I’ve got a whopper can you take a photo, ok Ed give me a moment mate, reel in….get wet…..trip over a tree root in the darkness……took the photo. back to the swim cast out just one rod into the darkness…settle down……MIKE! You got one Trefor I called…..”no mate time to go I think” so reeled in and you know the rest! Moral of the story….. when a fellow angler puts you in the best swim thank him and then ask where he is going and fish that one!……we had a great day and of course I’m only joking….Ed was a perfect host and wanted us to catch more than catching himself. Like Westy said when packing away the gear “Ed you bandit!”……..and we all agreed that we hate fishing!....yeah! It was great to speak to Adam Fisher of Angling Dreams anglingdreams.co.uk who runs this and other really great fisheries…..Adam you’re a top bloke mate and we all appreciated the time and help you gave us, I also had a long chat with Nigel Botherway who took the trouble to find me in the “best” swim a truer gentleman you will seldom ever meet. Total tally for the day was Ed in the rubbish swims 4 Barbel to 12 lbs…..Trefor in the second best swims 1 Barbel at 7-12 and 3 nice Chub…..me in the very best swims blanked! What a great day and we laughed our blooming socks off! Roll on the next one.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 10:55:08 +0000
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