Change of venue

 Last Monday, having picked Emily & Harry (our grand-kids) up from school, it was whilst kicking a ball around in the back garden I suffered a muscle spasm/pull in my right thigh. Serves me right for thinking I can still play football, however, almost a week on and I'm still feeling the tightness in the top of my thigh with the associated pain. Under these circumstances, instead of pushing a loaded barrow over a mile to reach my chosen area on The Stour, I'm going to forgo this particular form of masochism and do something far less arduous. Less than six miles from our front door are two small "carp puddles" which are part of the C&DAA portfolio of fisheries. I did have a quick session, mid-day on Friday, just to have a recce; landing a "scamp" Common on the Mk IV "Avon" split cane and loved it. I'm going back down this afternoon/evening for a few hours to see what else I can temp? The club rules are quite restrictive as to what I can, and can't, use for bait and tackle but nothing I can't cope with. This is fun fishing, pure and simple. No big fish to target, it's all about having a pleasant experience whilst at the waterside. To achieve this I'm going to use the pair of 1959 B. James & Son, Dick Walker Mk IV's , fishing chick peas and luncheon meat as hook baits. All being well I'll get some images to accompany this post? I will get an updated version out into "blogland" when I get home some time after 22.00 hrs.

Well I'm now back home and, demonstrating a level of consistency that very few others can match, I blanked! Not only did I fail to land a fish, but was given a lesson in how to do it by a couple of very capable pole anglers. Luncheon meat and chick peas proved to be a wasted effort, the guys who showed me the way forward used nothing more than sweetcorn. Suffice to say I will be going back, Tuesday at a guess, armed with the Hardy "Palakona" Perfection Roach rod, a Match Aerial centrepin and, surprise, surprise, a couple of cans of Jolly Green Giant. Staring at a float isn't something I particularly enjoy but, given my current situation, will have to be done in the name of progress.

A cracking venue which will see me visit on a regular basis for these type of short session forays. In and out within four hours - nice; easy fishing (or blanking in my case)