Of Esox & observations : Swift summary

Saturday 9 October 2021

Swift summary

I've already reported upon the first couple of sessions of the new Pike season; just the one fish landed to that point. In between those two sessions, I was able to add another bird to the BWKm0 list when I watched a Curlew fly south, beyond the garden hedgerow, on 2nd October.

BWKm0 - No. 71 - Curlew

Back down to the RMC very early on Wednesday 6th. If I'd had known how dirty the water, I'm sure I wouldn't have made the effort. However, despite the floodwater conditions, I'm extraordinarily glad I stuck with it and enjoyed a magnificent morning of birding as a consequence. Sixty-three Mediterranean Gulls, five plus Chiffchaff, five Sand Martin, two hundred & forty-seven House Martins, only three Swallows? Best of all was a lone Swift, a nice late record. Canada and Greylag Geese were unexpected, but three Raven were par for the course, as was a lone Common Buzzard. At 07.50 hrs the alarm signalled a bite on a Sardine. The missing chunk, between the hooks, revealed an Eel to be responsible. Within half an hour the EA had opened the sluice and the canal became unfishable. I packed up and headed for home pleased with the time I'd spent.

Dawn out on the flatlands

Back out again, bright and early, next morning. I drove the short distance across to the flatlands and was to find, once again, filthy dirty floodwater conditions. I went through the ritual of fishing three rods. Heavily flavoured, popped-up, dead baits, but had to endure five Eel attacks before calling it a day. A few birds were worthy of note and included my first Redwing of the Autumn, a Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. Odd Swallows skimmed past, but it was Chiffchaffs that stole the show. At least fifty-three counted, moving deliberately south along the drain margins. Very difficult to be 100% accurate due to other birds which were feeding in the same hedgerows. The Eel activity was enough for me to plan a return the next afternoon/evening.

This set-up looks more like a carp session. I'd been inspired by
an ESP Youtube offering which resulted in me attempting something a
little different from my previous Eel angling efforts.

Thus, at 16.30 hrs, on Friday 8th October I cast two baits out into the dirty water of the drain. As there had been no further rainfall, the colour was certainly starting to fade, yet visibility would be less than six inches! I planned to remain until 20.30 hrs and what a decision that proved to be. Five fish landed, bloody unheard of? First bite resulted in a tiny "jack" - it would have struggled to make 10 oz! Activity didn't start until the sun had sunk below the horizon. After that it was absolute chaos.