After hardly managing to get out on the bank in 2011 for different reasons I was more than up for a session yesterday to start the new year off as I meant to go on. The weather was cold, not freezing but cold enough to warrant a warm jacket and hat, wind was relatively strong, probably gusting 20 mph and the skies were clear. I had a couple of hours available in the morning so decided a spot of winter lure fishing was in order, so after checking through the small amount of kit required and that the deep dive lures in my collection were not a jumble of rusty mess the car was packed for the short 5 minute drive down to my chosen spot, West Somerton Staithe.
It’s probably important that I mention now that I also decided to take one of my dogs with me for a change, this isn’t something I often do but as I was intending to walk the banks of the boat dyke and the River Thurne for a couple of hours it seemed like a good idea. I chose to take Tilly, she’s just over 12 months old, a black Lab bitch who is at the basic stages of gundog training, which, incidentally is another passion of mine. A normally quite timid but very loyal young pup, you are probably already forming an idea of how the fishing session panned out but let’s get back to the fishing.
After struggling to find somewhere to park the car (unusual to be honest) it was a short 2 minute walk to the dyke with a pocket full of lures, forceps and pliers, a made up short 7ft lure rod, large landing net and the dog at heel. On arrival at the dyke it was nice to see a handful of people with exactly the same idea as me, braving the wind for a spot of pike fishing although the majority were dead bait fishing and static. The dog was let of the lead and the first cast of 2012 was made, I was finally out on the bank fishing, great. Having made a number of casts with nothing to show for it I slowly made my way down river stopping every now and then to put out some casts in a fan shape, making sure I covered all the water and also some casts along the near quay edge. I was encouraged to see one of the guys opposite hook and land a jack on light spinning gear accross the other side of the river and was anticipating a strike at any moment, it’s now that things started to go down hill (you knew that was coming right?).
Tilly, who wouldn’t normally say boo to anybody let alone a ghost spotted a dog walker on the other side of the river, this didn’t bother me in the slightest, she is a very well mannered pup and when we are out spends most of her time looking at me and not paying other dogs any attention (those in to gundogs will understand). Out fo the blue she did a leap of faith right in to the middle of the river, disapearing from view for 2-3 seconds before coming to the surface and swimming for the other bank. Not something to normally get excited about but we haven’t done any kind of water training yet and she certainly hadn’t tried swimming up till then. I like to introduce the dogs slowly to water, when it’s warmer and where they can wade out, anyhow, I called, she came back but couldn’t get out due to the 2ft wooden quay so a quick grab of the scruff and a fling and she was on the bank, happy as a black lab can be. Considering the wind chill and the fact she really does hardly have any fat to her it was straight back home for a towel down and a warm up. That was the end of that.
To be honest it was just nice to get out on the bank, great to see others were enjoying the great Norfolk Broads and nice to see at least one angler catch a Norfolk Broads Pike. Roll on the next session where I’m sure the dogs will be left at home, no, I’m certain of it.
Until next time, enjoy yourselves.
