Not Long Now

 'Tis nearly the end of the coarse fish season on rivers and the snow melt is heading towards me. With this in mind and my lack of success with pike on lures, not that I'd tried much, I headed out with a lure rod and a selection of lures. I was heading for a spot I'd not fished for years. According to the gauges it had risen a foot but had levelled out so shouldn't be too bad. The most disturbing thing was the lack of vehicles in the parking spot. Last weekend of the season and no anglers. At least I'd have the place to my self. 

For the best part of two hours I flung baits about. Along the bottom, in the slacks, under the bridge, in the whirlpool, around the lock gates. Nothing. Natural colours, lurid colours, baits with rattles, baits with out. A cuppa and a ponder were called for. The only bait I'd not tried was a spinner bait, but I'd forgot to put them in the bag. After the cuppa I decided to give it another go, but concentrate on the most likely looking spots and run different baits through them. After half an hour a little jack followed a glide bait in a couple of times but didn't attack. I tried a shad  but the failed to elicit a response. In the next swim I got a very savage thump on the glade bait but failed to contact with anything. Next cast the same. Clearly a fish hitting it. I tried nearly all the baits I had but couldn't elicit another take.

Just as I was thinking of calling it a day the shad I was using came to a sudden halt. It was the first really solid snag of the day so it was out with the bit of broom handle and a really good heave to free it. Having got it free I was unwinding the line from the bit of broom handle when it suddenly tightened up. If I'd had my wits about me I'd of struck then, but I got the line of the broom handle and grabbed the rod and started winding. I did feel the fish but a shake of the head and it was off. I probably wouldn't have stayed on given two points on the treble had been bent out. That rig will need a new hook even though I could bend it back to shape the points had been folded over. I only had a half an hour before I had to go and apart from braking a hook point on another snag that was it. Oh well, too more days to go.