DES TAYLOR
“Hungry fish are waiting for us”
WELL, it looks as though great progress is being made against this terrible virus – so much so that we can all start to think about getting some more fishing in our lives.
I’ll be moving away from the cautious amber to the green go-ahead light over the next couple of weeks. But we’ll still have to play it very safe and I’ll be abiding by all the rules, not making them up as I go along.
I’m starting to wind it up again by monitoring water levels on the River Severn and watching the rainfall upstream and what’s happening with rivers lower down, like the Teme, which could hold water back and help the Severn to flood. I’m also keeping an eye on the Warwickshire Avon to see if a few barbel sessions will be possible before the end of the river season. This is what you should all be doing, if you’re not already doing it!
I’ll be basing my decisions on data I’ve looked at for a couple of weeks, not the day before I put my bait in my bag. There will be a Plan B, and that’ll depend on Boris and how far he allows me to travel. In any case, I’ll have a stillwater or two ready to drop on just in case the river is not looking too good.
As I write this I can imagine the cool wind blowing up the river on to my face and my hands cold as I release a barbel or chub into the flow – but that’s what makes the blood course through my veins. I want to get that healthy colour back in my face, the colour that’s says I’m a countryman who spends more time out in the fresh air than hemmed in by four walls.
Even if the sun doesn’t shine, the wind gives your face a glow and a feeling you could knock down a house. I’ve missed that feeling, but I won’t have to for much longer.
My week-long tench session is looking good for spring, while shark trips I have planned down south, depending on the weather, look very promising.
Already I have paid the deposits for perch fishing in Holland and an alligator gar adventure in Texas for 2022. Make your plans too, whether they’re for carp fishing abroad or buying a season ticket on your local canal. I guarantee they’ll lift your spirits.
The Government aims to get retail outlets open again, and that includes tackle shops. I’ll be down to mine as soon as the door opens – no doubt I’ll still be wearing a mask and keeping my distance, but going online can’t compare to being in a real shop.
Besides, your local shop guy will need a hand, so go and buy a bit of tackle off him. I want my shop to still be there come the end of summer.
Those fish are waiting out there, and I can promise you one thing – they will be as hungry as hell. I have a feeling maggots and casters are going to trip up just about every species, because they are small and so near to what they have had to eat while we’ve all been away from the bank.
So fill your boots, tight lines and, above all, be sensible and stay safe.