Last four fishing days - the last day of the season

It would have been very tempting to return to the scene of yesterday's capture, maybe to try the swim where I lost the big fish on Monday. But actually, I decided on a change of venue, returning to Duxford where my 2012 fishing really got started. This is a far more beautiful stretch of the Thames than the one further downstream I have been fishing and I feel this is an important consideration on the last day of the season.

In addition, I had said that one of the last four days would be a chubbing session with bread, so that's today's plan. And a new method for me (or at least one I haven't used for years) - liquidized dry bread fished in a feeder. I have been very impressed by the catches that other anglers have made using this technique. Indeed that occurs today as well.

A guy I met a month or so back, who I now know is Mark from Witney, was fishing that way today, starting at the large bay at the downstream end of the fishery and slowly making his way back upstream dropping in ever likely spot. When we met up late morning he had already had four, including two 5 lbers, and he then caught another 5'er as I sat chatting to him, a 5-11 in fact. He has caught a couple of 6'ers at Duxford and his three fives by lunchtime is better than anything I have managed all year.


My fishing never really got going today. I tried a few new spots and had a couple of fish, but after yesterday, I was mainly just there to pass the time and watch the wildlife. Three deer, two hares, a heron, a kingfisher, and so on today. Lots of owls hooting throughout the day as they do down here. My catch totalled three chub, 4-04, 4-07 and 4-12. And I was off home by 1:30, for a lovely hot bath and an afternoon's work!

So no 6 lber this year - that will be my target for next winter.