Too Wet, Too Bright

I was surprised to see four cars parked up at the gravel pit when I arrived. There again, with the local rivers and canals in a sorry state I shouldn't have been. Strangely there was only three anglers, all on the far bank. One of these was a lure angler who left, fish-less, not long after.  I set up in one of the corner swims with a nice row of tree roots. One rod, with a small roach on, was cast as close to the roots as I dare. The other, with a sardine on, was to be cast about the swim to different spots each for an hour or so. It wasn't long before the fist of the rain showers arrived and the brolly needed putting up.

 While I was faffing with the stove to boil some water for a cuppa I heard the slow click of the centre pin. I turned round just in time to see the float pop back up. The roach was totally unmarked, so out it went again. Even if I'd been watching the float I don't think I'd of hooked anything as I'd have given it another few seconds anyway. A bit of oil was injected into the sardine and it was cast near a dead weed bed. Just after lunch the sun came out and for an hour there was quite a bit of warmth in it. Not that it made any difference to the pike fishing. Late in the afternoon the angler opposite had a pike around the 7-8lb mark. This came from the only swim I've never caught a pike from in winter. That turned out to be the only fish of the day.

Fourth trip of the year and only one fish so far. We agreed it has been too wet and today was too bright for pike fishing. The weather isn't looking promising for the next week or so either.