Warwickshire Avon – Psychoshadmacology

So these Zander, anyone worked them out yet?

As someone who spends a large amount of time fishing for them I’m sure they are on a timed release of a psychoactive drug. The problem is their feeding time and habits vary day by day, and there doesn’t seem a pattern emerging despite the hours I’ve put in.

On the cut where I know there are fish just laying up, all of a sudden something will trigger them off

….and they go the full on Tasmanian.

Maybe one of the pack farts or something, God only knows.

It’s a little like someone I know who despite bad experiences after necking bucket loads of cheap alcohol still enjoys the Gin Craze, she goes from nice to nasty in a click of one’s fingers…

Proper mentalists….

In this area of the Avon I’ve not properly explored I managed to catch a schoolie that had properly nailed the rather large lure meant for Pike, it was veritable gob stopper but despite that it was determined to give it a good going over and manage to ingest both rather large treble hooks.

So after being a bit disheartened trying my best to catch a good Barbel I wanted to explore the upper reaches of the river to see if I could snare a larger specimen. There are some nice hiding areas here you see, so I was hoping drop a lure in the right place might trigger a Tracie Andrews reaction and hook a nice Zander or for some sport, a rod bending Pike.

First swim where I’d caught Zander before, not a jot. Second, same again, the third, bugger all. The fourth, eventually a fish, a small greedy Jack.

The weir had to have some fish in residence and sure enough after some searching out with the lure a half decent Pike shot from the margins but probably saw my ugly mug and went back where he came.

A surface popping lure had a couple of surfacing fish but swopping back to a shallower diver eventually I hooked in to a decent fish. My 7ft Korum snapper jig rod has some decent backbone to it and despite giving the clutch a workout it was landed. 

Not the biggest at 6 or 7lb but welcome all the same.

Now further upstream, three swims later ‘Bang’ something’s properly nailed the shad, fighting harder this one but eventually in the net.

That’s a bit better, 7lb 8oz’s.

3 or 4 swims further up, not a sausage but it weird up there, devoid of any life for some reason. There must be some fish around though, as I’ve had Zander right at the top of the stretch.

So back where I came from, nothing in the weir so decided to go past the bridge to some potential Perch swims I’ve been told about.

I bumped in to Sean who I’d spotted crossing the meadow who had similar ideas and was trying for a Zander or whatever came along.

After a quick natter and two swims without a Perch I walked downstream to an oxygenated area that must hold a few fish. Sure enough a greedy Jack nailed the small shad.

With half an hour left, I fish a peg with a large overhanging tree which gives an area of still water downstream of it.

Didn’t take long either for a fish, another Pike of around 5 or 6 lb.

Not the biggest of fish but considering the conditions not a bad result. This type of session suits me a roving angler too. Small rod, bag and landing net that’s all you need.

Sean this robin took a liking to your car :)