Blakey's Fishing Blog

The small farm we were staying had a short stretch of the River Waveney about a 1/4 mile which I could fish as part of the Cottage Price. On arrival on the Friday evening I got direction to the river and borders from the Farmer. A bit of a trek but went for a reccie using the excuse that Suzy needed the walk after the 2 hour drive.

The walk over land that was potted with cow hoof holes (formed by the the cows in the summer 'floods') you can gauge the distance by the arrow on the Map.

When I found the River - I had forgotten how close we were to the Boards and Great Yarmouth and immediately I could see that the River was 'Tidal' and the tide was out and would be quite deep at 'High Tide' I estimated about 9 feet. I had no idea what the tides were and when then would peak this far upstream but the plan was to get up early on Saturday Morning and fish for an hour before breakfast then trip out for the rest of the day.

Well Saturday(8th) dawned but a heavy session on the beer the night before meant it was not an early start. I got to the river at 9am and it was high and wind coming across at me - (judging by the chill factor I guessed it was from the north - checked when home on Internet - yes it was but nice and sunny and still burned.

This was going to my 1st legal serious session on a River (played about on the Broads a few years ago from a boat). I set up on my Shimano 13ft Solstace Match Rod and weight Crystal Waggler so could cast into the wind. 4lb Mainline, Size 18 Kamsan Animal Hooklink - Found that there was no current so must be at peak. Plummed up found weed - could not see into the depths and water was dark coloured (peat) and deep. I set up at 8 feet which i figured would be just above the weed.

Sprayed a few maggots in and cast in more in hope than any conviction. To my surprise had a bite straight away - A small Roach. What was surprising was the dark colour of this Roach when compared to his still water cousins. (Probably the peat and camouflage). I kept going for an hour like this - a fish a chuck nothing big but so nice to see so many small silver fish in a River. I hoped I did not bet into the Pike which are reported in this stretch by the Farmer (who by the way had no interest in fishing- in fact I was only the 3rd person to fish this stretch all year !) But hoped that I might get into a Carp or Bream - he reported having seen big fish rolling !

I did get a number of small what I thought might be Chub but the dorsal and pelvic fin did not look like Chub ones although the mouth did. I thought they might be Dace or Bleak. So took Photo's on my Mobile Phone.

A search in my books and Internet at home revealed that they were Dace - so I was going to have a PB on this trip. I estimate a 2oz best.

I packed up at 10am and returned for a full English and Day tripping around the Region.

Well another Heavy Session the night before but managed to get up and out and fishing by 8am with Suzy this time. Suzy behaved herself very well sitting patiently behind me for the session. Which was bright with a few clouds that masked the Cloud on occasions. What at treat One man, His Dog, alone alone on a river bank with on lookers in the form recently milked Friesan cows on the other bank. The piece only broken by the occasional motorcycle blasting away as they do on Sunday morning in the far distance.

I found that the river was still flooding and the current was similar to that of a canal with a lock gate opened two miles further up. I set up as the day before but missing bites so went to a smaller Drennan 2BB Classic Waggler and that improved the take rate. Again a fish a chuck - Roach to 4oz, Dace to 2oz and a bonus 4oz Perch which came once the 'tide' had peaked a current had ceased flowing all to single red maggot over sprayed Maggot.