River Thames Tuesday 25th August

This weeks session was to the same stretch as last week. Knowing that there were a few of Claire's target fish in this area made it an easy decision as to where to head.
We arrived early afternoon just after Claire finished work, tackle was no different to last week, even down to the same Mepps spinner!!

Claire started the session off, myself again chosing not to take a rod so that I could help her out with unhooking and snags etc.
A few casts in and she was into the swing of things, but decided to let me have ago!! Not wanting to take any fish away from her, I had a couple of half hearted chucks about, and first cast I was into a fish. Not massive, but a small perch had grabbed the spinner.
I quickly unhooked and returned him none the worse for wear.

I decided to let Claire fish out the session, so that I didnt catch anymore!
I cant remember exactly, but I think a few casts in she may have hooked and lost a perch. Anyhow, several casts later and Claire was all excited as she had hooked something. I was only a few paces away but I could still hear the tell tail signs of the clutch ticking away. Thinking she had hook the bottom, I wandered over to discover it was the bottom, but her first ever pike.

She played it expertly after I had given her a few
tips last week, I was soon bending down to land
the pike. It wasnt massive, but she was very
excited, at a little over a pound, it was in
immaculate condition, probably never having been hooked before.

Still not wanting to hold the fish a few pics were snapped on her mobile of me holding the fish.

I was very proud that I had taught her all she knew about fishing and here she was all excited about catching her first pike, just as the week before with the perch.

Several more casts and she was in again!!

I told her that as soon as that first fish was caught, plenty more would follow and sure enough after many blan sessions, she was playing her 3rd fish in 2 sessions!!

I still had not seen the fish as I was making sure Jake was secure so he didnt fall in the river, but I could hear Claire saying "whats that" and "it looks like a roach" looking over the side to lift the fish fron the water I was greeted by another immaculate conditioned fish, this time a chub.

Again not a massive fish, but then it didnt need to be, the massive grin on Claire's face said it all. She was well happy to have caught 2 different species.

Taking her tally of different fish caught to 7, having caught perch, pike, ruffe, dace, roach, bleak and chub, topped by her personal pest Perch of 1.06.

This week may see a change in approach, I am collecting my feeder gear so I can enjoy some small fish sport with the possibility of a bream or 2, plus Claire fancies trying worm and maggot for some more perch.

I have 2 killos of partimix seed at home to make up and freeze to us through the feeder. The small fish really do go mad for this seed, and I have had several good sessions from the Thames using seed as feed and maggot on the hook. The good thing about the seed is it offers plenty of change baits, as there are so many differnt sized seeds in the mix and once soften can quite easily be used on the hook.

I have still not been out with the barbel rods. Maybe ill wait for Autumn and give it a go, aswell as dusting off the pike gear for autumn and winter.


Until next time..........