With the Devon rivers still highly coloured and full to overflowing I decided it was time for a trip around the south coast meeting up with friends and having a days fishing with them. These waters are in a chalk area and not prone to the change od heights or colouration of our rivers.
My first stop was in Dorchester to see Trevor Stroud. He and I met in River Reads and have become friends over several years. he had arranged for me to fish the Frome with him. I treasure this as I have caught my best grayling here so was hopeful of another nice fish.
When we arrived, the river was up and flowing with a hint of colour, it looked perfect but we hadn't expected the cold crosswind. It was the sort that cut through your clothing. I usually trot with a small float but the wind forced me to use a 6g loafer to be able to do a consistent cast and hold a better line in the wind.
We worked hard for several hours with maggot, red and yellow corn, but the yellow worked best. I had a brace over 1lb with the best around 1-12 oictured with Trevor holding it, whereas Trev had a brace and one was over 2lbs. pictured below.
Not the most exciting days fishing, but really pleasant in the sunshine, with good company although we probably did spend too much time fishing and talking in the lee of trees where the wind protected us.
From there it was on to see Hugh and Sue. Hugh and I have become fishing buddies having been to Canada twice and Florida in the last eighteen months. Hugh decided we should fish the Dorset Stour at Wimborne which has not so fond memories for me having fallen in there before when joining the Roach Club gathering. This was offset by ourtravelling in Hugh's van which he purchased many years ago when he was filming "A Passion for Angling", the iconic angling film, so I was in a piece of history.
No falling in today although I did find that my tackle was too heavy as I use 4lb line on rivers such as the Wye. Hugh showed me his set up as he was immediately into fish. He gave me some 2lbs B S line so I could make a lighter hook length. Once I had scaled down to finer tackle I started to see bites, which was usually the float dipping or slowing. It went under very rarely, but once I got my eye in I caught fish regularly. My best was around 6oz, similar to Hugh although he caught more of them for a bag of 4.5lbs.
Another memorable day with good company, relearning how I used to fish in Birmingham in my youth.
The next day Sandy and I moved on to Christchurch and so I called into Davis Tackle to ask about a day ticket to fish somewhere trotting for Roach. I was advised to try Tucton as it was only 10 minutes away. I checked into the hotel by the famous Bridge Pool and started walkin with my rod, net tackle bag ad seat. I didn't realise it was 10 minutes away by CAR!!!! By the time I found a swim it must have been over a mile each way. When I got to the tea rooms area there was a rope about a rod length out from the bank running ALL ALONG the bank so nowhere for me to get a line in.
I noticed the ferry wasn't running anfthere was a pool there so set up the float tackle and quickly caught a sea trout in the four feet of water, just before the swans moved in. I guess they are fed here as they all came and drove me off the river there. I tried a bit further down away from them but there was no flow and no bites, so I made the long walk home.
Still, the next was I was fishing with Trev and Budgie at a Roach Club gathering. I hadn't been for a couple of years and it was good to see them again and to tell them what a fantastic job I think they are doing. If you haven't heard of it, look it up and the blogs and see just the huge amount of work they are donig to help return the middle Hampshire Avon towards its former glory as one of the premier roach waters in the country.
Sadly, the only thing that spoilt it was the fishing. I m anaged on minnow, and that was ore than most. One meber caught a roach, but a non member (ironically) got in the best swim before we arrived mid orning and had half a dozen roach between 1lb 8oz and 1lb 12oz. Great to see them there.
The real reason for the trip was to meet friends and all abuse each other for the lack of skill, previous misdemeanours and just enjoy ourselves and it was worth the stay to join in. Thank you both for all you do.