Bad Timing

I'd set my stall out this week for a Saturday session on the river for Pike. I'd been hopeful that the snow would hang around just long enough to avoid the dreaded snow melt entering the river. Right up to Friday evening the river level was perfect, but then the heavens opened and the first stage of the big melt was underway.

I woke up on Saturday morning and loaded up the EA river level site. The Avon had risen 8 inches overnight on my intended stretch and the cold stuff was clearly piling in. I said my goodbyes to my wife, informing her that the river was buggered and that I'd be home by lunch! Nothing like confidence is there?!

The weather was quite glorious actually and it presented a nice sun rise.

The fishing was as dire as I expected it to be. I fished 2 rods in the slackest area I could find, alternating Lamprey, Sardine, Smelt and Roach deadbaits. I never had a sniff.

The river rose a further 6 inches during the short time I was there and by 11am it was obvious that conditions were only going to get much worse. The predicted blank, the first I can recall for a long time, had come to fruition

One positive I can take from the session was that my new winter attire acquired at Christmas performed admirably once again. I was as warm as toast throughout.

As I write this, the river is now over 5ft above normal and still on the rise. With heavy rain forecast for the early part of the week and potentially more rain towards the back end of the working week, the prospects for getting on the river next weekend look very bleak. At least the stillwaters will be back on limits and will be benefitting from the much milder temperatures we have on the cards this week.