We Had To Go !!!!!

From our last trip , we had a spell where I hammered the overtime at work. So it was into the christmas holidays before we could even think of going out again . We need more than good weather conditions to go , as we have 3 jack russles , horses , chickens , and ducks to arrange babysitters for .We were lucky that our daughter came round for the day , but it was a day she picked in advance , so that was it , we had to go !!!.

Conditions did not seem bad from the telly , and internet weather sites , but we had had a spell of coolish rain , and levels we defiantly up on the Severn as we passed over the bridge. We were still confident as we got to the bank , but it was obvious levels were rising rapidly , with only a hand full of fish able swims on the stretch , if that !!. We settled into the first swim , Sue upstreaming with a heavy lead , back lead , and weed guard . Within 5 mins the whole lot was swept away with the amount of rubbish coming down , and was something we could not get away from all day . We had a few casts , and I was sure we were doing it right , and was in with a shout , but the rubbish kept pulling the bait out of position , and eventually covering the hook in crap.

We moved 4 times , with the rising water coming over Sue,s feet in one swim . A rope was used at all times , even in what looked like a safe ish swim .We gave a swim where we had a few barbel from last winter a good go , spending a couple of hours in it , but it was clear we were on a loser. With plenty of daylight left we headed east , and the 2 hour battle on the motorways that we have now got used to . Had we lived closer , dare I say it , " been local " , then we would have been home sharpish , but thats life . We spent some of the time watching great rafts of trees going down , winding in so as to not lose the rod !!. Unbelievably , a large chest freezer came bobbing through the swim , getting stuck in a tree on a very good barbel swim . How do these things get in there ?. It did not just fall in , thats for sure.

If you are going to blank , then you may as well walk down to the bank looking at a sun rise like this, as the saying goes ," take time to stand and stare "

Hatter