River Thames 26th June 08

I met up with Ross at his house at 07.15, I was very tired as it had been an eventful few days what
with the attempted break in on sunday morning, and staying at my mother in laws all week, so i was running a
little late when I got there.

We set off for chertsey, we arrived at about 07.30 and set up in the big double swim the weir side of
the bridge.

After last weeks sessions I had brought my float rod with me to fish a stick float on a runnig line as
opposed to the whip which I had lost that big fish on! So a 5bb drennan stick float was thread onto
the line at about 6ft depth, 3lb mainline and 2.6lb hooklength to a size 20 spade end hook. I know
I had a pint and a half of red and white maggots with me, as well as a jar of Dynamite baits frenzied
 seed ( I have found this excellant when fishing for smaller fish, as well as fishing for carp and barbel
 too)
The plan was to trot maggots over seed with a few maggots going in as loose feed every few casts.

I started off at about 6foot deep. I didnt plumb but, I dont really feel the need to when fishing the
thames, as Im continually changing the depth through the day anyway, and I know that the swims
the otherside of the cabbages are around 6-8 foot.
It took a couple of trots through with feed going in before I got my first bite, right at the end of the
 run (about 15yds away) so I started feeding more upstream in a bid to get the fish a little closer to
 me. Although my feeding was fairly consistant, the areas in which I was getting bites werent, on
trot Id get a bite straight away, next would be right at the end of the trot next to the over hanging
tree.

It took around half hour before I got my first proper bite which resulted in a fish on, which turned
out to be a lovely fin perfect roach. The roach in the thames really are in perfect condition, sure
you get a few that look a bit tatty, but most are immaculate and look uncaught.

Steady feeding with seed and occasional maggots had the fish feeding now and I was getting bites
most trots through, I had now had around 8 to 10 roach, when the float shot under and another
was on its way to the net, when from the cabbages to my left I saw from the corner of my eye a
pike shoot out to grab its free meal!! I managed to lift the roach just in time, as the pike swirlled on
 the surface and went back to await the next victim to pass over his head!!

I had brought with me, my lure rod and a box of lures, as well as a couple of made up snap tackles
and a couple of small floats, for such and event as this. So I walked back to the car to get my lure
rod and set up a small livebait outfit consisting of a small fox pike float, and a trace. I set the depth
as the length of the trace (about 20 inchs) and next trot down a small roach was caught and duly
hooked onto the trace and left to work the area over the cabbages.

For about 15 minutes the little rach worked his magic, trying to become the martyr, to save his
fellow roach buddies, but the pike was obviously sulking at missing his first free meal.
So I knocked the little roach on the head and put the rod to the side (knowing the pike would be
back if I could start catching again) and I continued to trot maggots and started to catch again
after around an hour of feeding, which turned out to be a bleak, which I was happy to catch, but
didnt really want as I wanted to keep cathing the decent roach. Sure enough after a few more fish,
the pike swirled on the surface and this little roach wasnt so lucky, I played the pike for about 5
minutes before the hooklength parted!
A few casts with the wobbled bait but Ross and nothing, so I decided to have a few casts, one of
which landed right next tot he downstream overhanging tree, within seconds I could see a pike
shaking its head under the surface trying to rid 2 size 6 trebles from its mouth!  Another spirited
battle and another lean, fighting fit angry pike graced my net, about 5lb ish maybe.
I had no more trouble from pike after that, but I did continue to catch quality roach, one of which
must have been getting on for a pound.  I also added a couple of perch and a few more bleak.

I didnt end with a massive bag of fish, but I caught a few throughout the day.

Ross stuck with the feeder all day, alternating between maggot and groundbait feeder, he caught
some nice roach too, upto around a pound too.

The roach fishing on the thames produces some pristine fish that look totally uncaught.

Well baby will be here soon, so not sure how many more sessions I will get in before he arrives.
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