Lucky, Lucky Perch

Managed to get a bit earlier start today, not that it mattered in the end. I was going to use the same tactics as yesterday, trotting lobs, but in swims I'd not fished in a long time. Arriving at the river I was greeted bay the tapping of a woodpecker. I assume it was a woodpecker as I couldn't see it despite the fact I was sure which tree it was in. This was soon drowned out by the noise of RAF jets preparing to land. The rather pleasant, but bright conditions didn't bode well.

The first swim had plenty of small fish topping, but nothing was interested in my lob worm. I did, however, manage to catch several pebbles. The swim shallowed slightly before deepening again and if I didn't check the float quite right to swing the bait up the hook would occasion snag an empty larva case stuck on  a pebble

Four more swims failed to produce before a jack grabbed the worm as I retrieved. It was the usual, play it for a minute before it bit me off. The sixth swim produced four small perch before a larger one took the bait, only to be grabbed by a good double pike. After three or four good runs everything went slack. Thinking I'd been bitten off I wound in slowly only to realise the perch was still on. Just as I was bat to net it the pike appeared again and grabbed it again. This time it just circled around just out of landing net range with the perch across it's jaws before letting go again. Much to my surprise the perch was still alive and not that badly damaged. After resting it in the landing net I took it with me to the next swim and released it there, just in case the hungry pike was still around.

Nothing more bothered my bait before it was time to leave. While it may not have been a productive day fish wise I did find some nice swims with one or two interesting features that should be worth a bit more time spent in them.

This little beastie was sat waiting to get in when I got home. I persuaded it that it would be better hiding in the leaf litter under the shrubs rather than in a nice warm house.