Hard match with a silver lining
Today’s match was moved from Ings Lane Bottom to Cricket Field and the 1st few pegs of Ings Lane Top. This was a result of tractors and other large machinery chewing up Ings lane and making it inaccessible for for most vehicles.
I drew Peg 21 which was the furthest walk, I had fished that peg 2 days earlier and not had a bite until the light started to fade when I had one sharp pull (probably a Chub). I was not hopeful!
I decided to fish near the downstream bush that has often produced Chub. I was going to give it an hour before trying 3/4 of the way across the river. Just as that first hour was coming to a close I saw a very tentative pull on my lobworm. I tried the usual trick of twitching it to no avail. I then tried with a smaller worm and saw no interest. I had been fishing a very small cage feeder with a mixture of liquidised bread, hemp and chopped worm. I tried 2 maggots on the hook and got another bit, a little more positive. I struck and missed it but the maggots were chewed. I then swapped the cage feeder fir a very small maggot feeder and this time I hit the bite and was rewarded with my first ever Grayling. It only weighed 3 oz but its always nice to catch a new species.
I got no further bites.
Several people failed to get a bite but there were a few fish caught on the Cricket Field stretch. The best being a Barbel of 4lb 6oz, closely followed by a Chub of 4lb 4oz. Add to that couple of other Chub weighing just shy of 4lb together and a couple of Perch. I was a hard day!
