Gudgeon from
the Stour
I recently won a days fishing on the Golden Scale Club water on the Dorset
Stour at a charity auction for the Avon Roach Project (great cause) with
Richard Battersby, the club cake maker. What a great day it proved to be.
Richard initially walked me along the stretch which presented a problem; which
swim to chose as there were so many places of different nature. I decided o
start on a straight trotting swim where I caught roach, perch, dace, minnows,
chub, and a pike all on double maggot under an Avon-style float.
Then moved to
another swim which I enjoyed even more catching another range of fish including
a pike, this time taking a dace I was retrieving. Richard then produced a fabulous spread for
lunch, pies olives, apples, crisps, rolls together with the kettle for tea - even
a tablecloth – very civilised. Then I fished a couple of swims with Chris Yates
finishing in the “funnel” swim where we both caught gudgeon.
But what a
fabulous stretch of water. The day was exactly how fishing a river should be
with an excellent range of fish, you just didn't know what was coming up next. Thanks to Richard for being an excellent host
and making the day one of best I have spent in recent years.